Discipleship | Pr Matthew Chang

So we always talk about, you know, the disciples of Jesus,

but you know, we're gonna explore another relationship between Paul

and Timothy. It's good, you know, instead of like just

having coming up with, uh, you know, some ideas for discipleship.

I think it's good also sometimes to look at the

Bible to see how this relationship or discipleship transpire or

unfolds between Paul and Timothy. It's quite unique. It's kind

of like they are near, but they are not near

but yet. Through the letters and then the challenges that

both of them face, we discover some of the key

things that comes up from the heart of Paul what

he truly desires Timothy to catch. And I think from

there we can really learn a lot as we also

practice discipleship or you know, as to be as a disciple.

And also eventually some of you also given the opportunity

and blessing to disciple others as well. Okay, so we're

gonna go through the entire Chapter one. Maybe some parts

I might I might not skip, depending on the time.

But before I start, you know, I want you guys,

when you to to have a mindset when you read

the Bible. I always say okay, okay.

Uh.

It's important that when you read the Bible. Very important rule,

very very important rule. When you read the Bible, don't

look for yourself? Okay?

What do I mean by that?

When you look for when you read the Bible, don't

ask what's in it for me? How does this, you know,

connect to how I feel? Now?

Oh?

If this I read, reveticus Ah doesn't connect to me.

I today come to Sunday, this pastor talking about discipleship again.

But I feel down. I need guidance. I don't need

discipleship right now. So God is not around here. Uh.

Maybe you know, I feel like I want to talk

about you know. Uh, you know, maybe I'm depressed. I

just broke up, you know, but this pastor talking up

talking about missions you know, how to connect, you know,

connect a lot of people.

This sad. No, God, it's not right because you're always looking.

For yourself, always looking for yourself, and because of that,

things can pass you by a different passage, a different pastor,

a different set not encounter because you're always looking for yourself.

And that's why, Because because of that, a lot of

the Bible will not speak to you. And you are

blinded by a lot of things, and you get tired,

you get weary, you get discouraged, and after that you

stop reading and you stop just reading it.

When you stop, when you.

Stop reading the Bible, you are basically saying that God,

I really like faivor that you really can speak to

me really okay. And so instead of looking for yourself

when you read the scripture, the perspective that we ought

to carry and to put on is that when you

read the Bible, look for God.

Always mindset?

Where is God?

You know what I'm saying?

Now? Where is God? I always say that the Bible, okay,

requires us to have critical thinking. You know why?

It's critical thinking? No? Are you guys just being shy?

Okay? How many of you know that when you apply

for just nowadays, the requirement is have critical thinking?

You know what it's critical thinking? Critical thinking?

Is it? Does it mean that you're always very critical

and skeptical, you know, having a very strong skepticism. I'm

just really a critical person. No, that's not critical thinking.

Critical the world actually means, you know, to put simplify it,

it's called judgment thinking. Okay, not judging a person, but

judgment thinking. The opposite of critical thinking is that instead

of thinking for yourself, you are being told what to believe.

AH understand, you like to be told and the ward

likes to tell you what to believe. So judgment thinking

means it's like you're in the court room. There is

a prosecution table and there's a defendant table. When you

are a judge, when you are a critical thinker, you

judge that like the Bible says, able to divide clearly

what is right and what is wrong, Able to divide

as God divided the light from the darkness, the land

and the seas, the heavens and the heavens. God has

also given us the ability to clearly divide things. When

you are unable to divide things, that is where you

lose the glory of God, because your world now becomes

your world goes into chaos. When there's no clear division,

there's only chaos. And that's what the world likes to

tell you. There is no right and there's no wrong,

and what you introduce is chaos. You find you think

it's free, it feels free, but you are actually living

in chaos. I understand why I'm saying now, So judgment

and wisdom is very important in our lives. So we

need to apply critical thinking to be able to decide,

to learn to hear what God is speaking, what the

world is speaking?

Again, clear divide is it the world?

Is it God? And you are able to compare what

is true, what is wrong? What is eternal? What is propaganda?

What is wisdom? You ge know what I mean? Right?

So judgment tells you you are able to weigh. You

are able to weigh, You're able to use a measurement.

You're able to see whether it's accurate, whether it's complete

or not.

And that's why.

There's what.

There's why.

In companies, you are always looking for people who are

able to have critical skills because they are just like

they got company. Just tell me what to do, tell

me what to do, tell me what to do any problem,

Tell me what to do, tell me what to do,

tell me what to do me and you like that,

tell employee all you want an employee, you say, oh God,

customer poor feedback, instead of like, go to the boss

what to do, and so I know how to solve.

I need to hear it's not the customer's fault.

I need to look exactly what's the problem You're telling

and then you come out with a solution. Then you

meet your boss with a problem and a solution makes

sense or not. That is why companies require critical thinking.

There is where it's so less. So it's so missing

in the world right now. But the world I just

want to keep telling you, telling you don't I don't

want to think. Just tell me what to do. Just

tell me what to do. When you tell me what

to do and it fuse, right, then it's the truth reading.

That is the wrong thing. You have not exercised the

critical thinking. And I want to let you know that

our Christian Bible, our Christian faith, it is not it

is faith, but it is not a blind faith.

It's not a blind faith that has no foundation.

Did you know that the whole entire world operates on faith,

It rotates on faith, It moves on faith.

That this morning, when you come, you came on faith

as well.

That way you are sitting right now, did you check

did you get an auditor to check that that seat

will be will fit you? Did you check where you're

gonna eat for lunch to make sure that you're gonna

get not get foot poinson me?

Did you ask your mother tonight you're gonna have a

bed to sleep.

Everything operates on faith, but reasonable faith. Well that was

a very quick monologue. You're saying what I'm saying now,

everything operates on faith. But so don't let anyone despise

that you operate on faith. It's just that when you

start to have closed my eyes said, oh, just operates

on faith. There are they are? They are creatures of

the door door age. You know they have they are extinct,

unsuitable for a present modern living. Nonsense, nonsense. Everybody operates

on faith. But it's reasonable faith. You must have a

reason for your faith and you move on. You know what,

this is very very important.

Okay.

So I really don't like when Christians tell me and oh,

just by fair No, it's reasonable faith, you guy. I'm saying,

you know, there's reasonable faith. The hope that we have

is a reasonable substantiated faith.

Okay.

So so when we read through the Bible here today,

so apply critical thinking, okay, and apply a mindset when you.

Read, always ask God, where are you?

Are you here? Are you there? But sometimes you ask, hey,

why is this door position to the west. You're like,

is this a silly question? No? I tell you more

than often not. That question that you ask with critical

thinking will lead somewhere in the Bible. More than That's

how I learn money on I learned by most of

the most time. I A O, why there table must

be this long? Why this place must be facing this direction?

But must he come from that place? You just ask

critical thinking question, never taking anything for granted. And more

than often and not, the Bible is faithful to tell you,

and you discover more than anything else. I'm saying a

Bible is true and faithful God. Remember this, Our God

is faithful to inspire and to preserve his word. You know,

I must understand now God is faithful to inspire and

to preserve his word. You're not faithful one and on

you know true and true.

Now let's move.

Let's let's read the word of God from Second Timothy

Chapter one. Okay, first one Paul and a parcel of

Jesus Christ, by the will of God according to the

promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, So Timothy

a beloved son, grace, mercy and peace from God the

Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God whom

I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did

as without seizing. I remember you in my prayers night

and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of

your tears, that I may be filled with joy when

I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you,

which dwelt first in your grandmother Louise and your mother Eunice.

And I am persuaded it is in you also.

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of

God which is in you through the laying on of

my hands. For God has not given us a spirit

of fear, but of power, and of love and of.

A sound mine.

Hey man, amen.

So this is the first part.

Okay, Now let's explore this discipleship relationship that they have.

So it's quite emotional that Paul starts off by saying

that he remembers Timothy, and he's also remembering not just Timothy,

but the hardship and the tears that Timothy is going

through as well. Now, Paul, at this time, he's in

prison where prison where.

Anybody? In Rome?

In Rome, he was in prisoned twice, okay twice. The

first time he was in a house. If you read

the Book of Acts towards the end, there Okay, after

he was arrested in Jerusalem. You know that he had

this journey and then hit the shipwreck and then landed

and then he walked all the way to Rome. He

was first placed in house arrest. He was very confident

that he will be acquitted because he also is a

Roman citizen Germany Knight.

He was.

He was quite confident he was under house arrest. But

the second time things change. The political scene and the

countries and the call it the feelings and the people's uh,

what do you call it? Impression of Christians changed dramatically

due to one major event, which is the fire in Rome.

Changed completely from there and because of that event, the

Christians were persecuted.

Letter I will explain on.

And then Paul was you can say it once they upgraded,

you know, but he was downgraded to a prison and

not a prison arrest. So from a house arrest to

a prison arrest. And is when he actually writes this letter,

and he knew, he is pretty certain in his heart

that thing has changed, and then he will die soon,

he will die. So this is actually his final letter,

that known letter that he has written, and he writes

it to Timothy. Now let's understand a bit about Timothy

as well. Who is Timothy. Let's start with his parentage.

His father is a is a Greek, and his mother

is what it's a Jew And he also has a grandmother.

Both the mother and grandmother are known by Paul. Paul

actually knew their grandmother and mother first, Louise and Eunie.

Okay.

Louis and Eunis are both Jewish ladies, okay, and.

They raised him up.

And not only that, the scripture here says that in

verse five, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith

that is in you, which dwell first in your grandmother

Louis and your mother Eunice. So Paul sees something in Timothy.

But when he looks at this genuine faith that he

found in Timothy, it also brings him to realization that

it is the same thing found in the mother and

grandmother first.

So he comes to realize.

So if I say, for example, if I look at

Pastor John, you know, I look at you, you know,

as I say, hey, there's something in you, and I

realized that it is not a coincidence, not a coincidence.

It is coming from what they call it, your parents,

and that leads me to a conclusion. What there was

an impartation. There is an impartation happening there. So the

mother and grandmother was doing some work. Okay, it is

not So it's a great encouragement that you are where

you are not by coincidence. You know people, you are

where you are not by coincidence. One and you must

realize parents and it is very important that you have

a big responsibility and a huge impact in influencing and imparting,

not just influencing an imparting, imparting something, whether for good

or for worse, you have a huge impact on that.

When you have a If a parent have a very

strong spirit of fear, chances are I'm not saying definitely

will be, but it's a very strong likelihood that fear.

If you're uncontrolled, you keep exhibiting it, your child will

inherit it as well. The parents know what I'm talking about,

isn't it? You know? Parents know what I'm talking about

because when you raise chit kids like I do, a

lot of times you see something you don't like. The

first thing is a lot of times you don't blame

the children, You blame yourself because you see yourself first,

you see a mirror, and your conscience bears witness to that.

Why is it because of me? You man?

You realize that when you don't realize it. But it's true.

All of us impart something, whether directly or indirectly, whether

it's what you spoke you didn't spoke, or whether they

are observing you are imparting something, especially spirits, spirits of fear, rejection, insecurity,

all these things. But when you have a spirit that

is pure sincerity, full of hope, you get men full

of faith, generosity. You choose to forgive regardless. You impact

something to your children as well. Sometimes even if you're wrong,

you will say some I'm sorry, you willed it. You

willed it. And because you chose to forgive and ask

for forgiveness, your children caught something that they cannot shake

off because they have.

To ask what does this mean to me? It's I

grow up?

What does it mean to be a real man? What

does it mean to be a real woman? You got

I'm saying? You know you have to ask that question,

because all of us ask that question. You say, am

I if I'm making sense, if I'm really really making it?

Why is it to be a real man, what is it?

Does it mean to be a husband? That's meant to

be a wife? No? No, the school doesn't teach us. The

world doesn't teach us, or they try to teach us.

They try to tell you what it is, but you

don't see the surgical uh, the surgical where they call

it implication, or the things happening, the screws happening inside

a home that tells me, this is the reality of

a mother and a father, a husband and a wife.

You I'm saying, no, that's reality.

And so we have a huge influence okay, and an

impact on our children. And so Paul says, I see

something beautiful. I see a genuine faith. Now. The thing,

the beautiful thing is that about the Jewish community there

is quite unique. Is that you must understand when they

most of the people in the ancient times, they don't

have scholar ruanda or scholar manana. Okay, they don't have

public schools. It's not instituted at the time. Most kids

don't have access to studying. Okay, it's only for the wealthy,

also for the really really really talented okay. But in

ours but when God's saved, you know, all the Israelites.

He mandated one thing. What is it? What? He mandated

that the parents teach the children the laws of God.

That let it not depart from their wow and their

going in and they're going out. So what does that mean?

It means the father and the mother has to learn

the law. The father has to teach them. Now how

to learn if you are illiterate, So I don't know words,

so I have to make myself Noah, you I mean right?

And so because of this God's mandate for the people

of Israel, it literally upgraded the society to literacy. You know,

in their every house shool instead of coming to school.

He makes sure that every home is a school.

Ah, amazing, It's an amazing thing.

You know. God is always thinking about advancing us one.

I know you know what I mean saying, So instill

learning the things of the world. Start in your home

and teach, parents teach. But nowadays we outsource everything. We

are living in the world of outsourcing.

True or not.

You don't believe me, Look at check JIPT check Gipt

means outsourcing, true or not. It is outsourcing. You're outsourcing

help and intelligence. Don't I don't want to think do

thing for me, You process for me, you analyze for me. Outsourcing.

Everybody wants to outsource. We've seen it work before. Economies

of scale makes a lot of sense. I'm an analyst. Okay,

I supplied, I study supply chain and everything. Okay, everybody

wants to outsource. I want to outsource my faith as well.

I want to outsource my children as well. Why they teach?

Send them the best schooler, then they teach when they

come home. They behave to the way. I blame the principal,

I bring the teacher. I want to outsource my kids

Christianity as well. Get the kids to do it, not

the not not my self teaching it. Get the school,

the preacher, past it, gets campus and X thing to

do it.

Outsourcing. We love to outsource people.

We love it because you know why, it's easier to

not bear the blame the others. You know, I love

to outsource. We're outsourcing generation. Okay, so really please, we

really have to understand it. When you're outsourced everything, when

the thing that gets cut off, you are left with nothing.

You know, now, you know because of outsourcing, we have

a trade war right now. It's happening becau So this

whole world went into this globalization mode. Everything was outsourced

and then suddenly that we're okay, no, because we lost

all the jobs already.

Everybody has a problem.

Everybody.

I'm not I'm gonna take side.

Everybody now has Everybody is scrambling right now because everybody

is so dependent on one There is no self where

they call it where they call it resourcefulness, that is

coming from a home.

It's what one day is what? There is no school?

What one day there is no church?

How are you going to be able to teach your

children if you are not actively imparting on it. This

today's amur fil s life for family, for the young family.

We're telling all the children now, okay, you all will

become future parents. Okay, so the children are not exempted

and about we're telling our parents as well. Please don't outsource. Okay,

please don't outsource. But I want so There's a lot

of things that I want to say here. Discipleship happens

at home. Discipleship happens at home. Yes, we make disciples

first by discipleship patents at home. That means before you

are a parent, before your mother and father, you are

a disciple first. I'm talking to the parents first. Before

you are a parent, You're a disciple first. So important,

it's so important. How can you tell your children to

follow when you yourself are not following, You're not behold

on to anything. Parents need to be disciple first. I

know sometimes you might find it. Oh how can I

find someone I can respect? I don't know what background

you have my stuff like that, But you need to

be submitted. You must have a pattern of discipline in

your life. Don't just have someone about you must have

a pattern.

Of discipline there is godly. You know you have me right.

Do you have a pattern of discipline that is godly?

Have you met a disciple?

There is no discipline one brustly just practice whenever one

you know what disciple it is. No, there is a

pattern of a discipline, a body of discipline of work

they follow through one.

So parents must firstly be a disciple. And I tell

you that.

Because of this outsourcing which I want to learn on,

is that parents we see because I go to many

church plants and I see not just our church plant

I go to, I go to the prevos, go to

see other places as well. I see this thing or

parents like to outsource and because of their parents. We

have lost a generation of parents who have lost the

concept of worshiping God. They have not worship God. They

come to church just because I'm doing it for my kids.

I come to church because I only attend the church.

But if they only have kids service, they have friends

for them, for my children to hang out with, and

that is their basis for choosing a church. I want

to tell you that I want to start my not

knocking people up, but I want to start your that

parenting is the most critical stage and the most difficult

stage for.

Adults to worship God.

It's true because you know why your life is no

longer your own, your kids have taken it away from you.

It's true. You know you want to wake up and

come on time to church. Your kids is a challenge. Ready,

I've been there. Some of you are halfway through my summer.

You're thinking about way to go for lunch for your kids. Ready,

You're like, oh, yes, pastor, Yes, it's true.

It's a challenge.

It's the hardest because nothing has demanded more from you

as a parent. But yet you still like you know

this pastor like trying to wake us to come to

her church. Last stuff like that he doesn't understand us,

or this pastor too young, no, no, even have kids,

cannot tell us. I want to let you know that

the first parent they came to worship God was Abraham.

Abraham their worship. Abraham did not bring his son, who

was meant to be a sacrifice, up to that mountain

and to listen to Bethel's songs. You know, he didn't

have a pastor preaching there. You know, his worship started

at home, waking up in the morning, bringing his children,

dying to self, dying to his dreams that he cannot

see whether there's a hopefully job. But he said, God,

if you say you have been with me for ninety

nine years and I had these children right now, I

will still worship you, and I carry that die to myself,

how hard it is, and carrying the things that will

burn my own dad, supply my owners. I bring also,

and I climb up that mountain and I worship you.

We have lost a generation of Abrahams you. I'm saying,

we lost a generation. Ever, so what we need it's

not parents who also we need. We need parents who

worship God. We need parents who worship God. We don't

need parents who attend church. You know, we need parents

who worship God. So if you come, just the fact

that I acknowledge that you come, just to wake up

from your bed and to say that, wow, you know,

despite me thinks really wanting to take a break because

my kids gave me a really tough night last night.

You have no idea. I only slept two hours. I

know I've been there.

It's hard, and it's so tempting to say that POSTI

will understand if he doesn't understand. It's not my pastority we

say that. I'm not saying you're a bad person, because

that's what the enemy right to throw blah blah blah,

and not you will do it. They will give one

thousand and one reason to justify that you are right,

you are, you are victim, mind that you are not

fail you're not understood, and blame everybody else.

But there's only one reason.

Will you do it by faith? That's only asking now,

the only reason, because I encountered it, I said, would

you do it by faith? Do you really believe that

doing it that nobody else could see but only for

the audience of one that God will see it. That

that is the only worship that actually means to God

only worship that means nothing else, means that you choose.

You choose. I wake up and I stand.

I don't know how children. I probably by the end

of the day hour will be put.

But I still choose.

That is worship, not singing and dan singing. All that

is worship people me showing up and my children every

day every Sunday. See that I come up and I

do it. Why did she do it?

Whether I'm sick or so, she will still a God

to a church.

And I see it. There's a conviction, and I see.

You know, more importantly, your children see the reality of God.

In your life. Oh agree?

Now, this is what they ultimately see is not ritual

of what they want to see is the right art,

which is the reality of God in your life.

That is what worship is.

Worship is about bringing the reality of God in our lives.

I know some of you might not like it, but

our preach it some parts you know. I mean, I

gotta tell you straight to your face. It is about

assuring and inviting the reality of God. That is why

some people who still come to church but they don't worship.

I'm not saying it, but I don't want a home

in the place. Hey, how come my children come to

extra God, come to any church or anything. They still

act like that one because you never bring the reality

of God in your life. It's true, and that makes

me guilty as well, makes me responsible as well, all

of us responsible to bring in the reality of God.

You know, I'm saying, No, it happened to an entire

nation Israel, and now you can save them from Egypt.

But the real God, it's not present in them, and

they can still commit adult tree, yeah, idol, the tree. Yeah.

What I'm saying. We must never forsake worship of God.

And I tell you worship begins from your home, waking

up and trying be Abraham's people. By faith. You come

nothing else by faith.

Okay, So I really, you know, I just felt the

word is not worship.

So don't let the don't let the devil, don't let

your self pity, don't let all the flesh really take

us away from what true worship really really means, when

the power of worship in our homes, to our children,

to our the heritage that they can have when you're

no longer around, what do you give them? Money? Or

the reality of God, that who will hold your hand

when you're not around the reality of God. The hope, well,

that will extend even beyond this line. Work with them

that you're not around when they think they're all one

is the reality of God. You say what I'm saying

around nothing shakes them or nothing snatches them away from

suicidal thoughts, from bad from bad intention.

People accept the reality of God in your lives.

Let's move on. I've got I made some what do

they call it, some slight here. So so the first one,

Timothy's heritage, we identify that he had a genuine faith,

that it was imparted from the women. Let's move on

to oh yeah, and in verse six he says, here therefore,

I remind you to stir up the gift of God

which is in you through the laying of my hands.

So the first part is to making sure, okay, that

discipleship starts at home. The second thing is that you

must be able to identify a genuine faith disciples Okay.

What it means that when you say genuine faith, right,

it means that when you are in the disciple relationship,

your first priority is not whether to I think meet

up is good. You know, hearing the problems is good.

But the most important thing in the discipleship is to

identify a genuine faith because if they do not have

a genuine faith here, that is your first thing you've

got to tackle.

With a genuine faith. Do they know God personally? Parents?

Do?

That's your children know God personally? And do they after

they do?

They do?

You know?

What?

What? What? What is that?

What comes up from a genuine faith? But is godly desires?

You know we cannot have with a genuine faith and

ungodly desires. One know, you're a new creation man. So

one of the things we see in a child or

in any person is that do they have a new

godly desire? I want to know God. I want to

be a big in church a little bit longer. I

want to be a big kinder. I want to let

go of things a bit more. The genuine I know

sometimes he goes up and down. But a genuine faith

and your desires have changed.

What you like and what you.

Don't have changeing on is transforming on. So there's our

job as a disciple. As a disciple, if you're discipling someone,

your job is to fine is there a genuine faith,

because that genuine fin will bring you as a disciple

per personal and sometimes if you are not discipling someone

without genuine faith, you can attend to the fella. But

I tell you it's also an opportunity for the devil

to attack you. You know, you can invest someone so

much in someone and you're seeing all the results are

and then not because just like that statch away by God,

because you have failed to identify a genuine faith, just

as Jesus you know, I mean right, genuine faith. I'm

not saying that he made a mistake, but he allowed

as well. But there's a danger people can follow around

but yet not have a genuine faith in You must

be very careful to identify the people around you, your

children are, whether they are a genuine faith you gotta

mean right. That will clearly divide in your life what

you ought to do, what you ought to prioritize.

And what not to do and not prioritize. Okay.

Now, the second thing is that we ought to stir

up the gift of one another.

Okay.

The role of a discipline is to stir up the gift.

So Paul is writing from a prison, and the thing

that he reminds of to Timothy when he hears that

Timothy is going through many challenges. Oh yeah, bit, by

the way, I think this is important before I forget sorry,

I'm a bit everywhere. Let's find out what are the

challenges that Timothy actually has to go through. Timothy is

probably like twenty to thirty or very young. Okay, Henny's

a quite a powerful young man. He's so committed to

the Causer that even though at that time the Jerusalem

Council had decided Christians do not need to be circumciser, okay,

do not need to be circumcised to become christiansen, Timothy

agreed with Paul to be circumcised. He agreed in not

because it is the lawful thing to do, but he

gave up his right for the greater good. I mean, right,

the world is always fighting for your right as to

to fight for your right.

It's all right, it's all right, it's all right, it's

your right.

It's your right right.

Jesus gave up his right.

I want one day, if if I chance, I'll teach

you guys out how the world thinks from God. The

world will think about wakism and of fluidity, your rights

and all and then the world. And now I'll tell

you how the world thinks in terms of communion, baptism.

God gave up everything. They will tell you it's your body,

you have your right. God gave up his body so

that you have a right. Totally opposite. You know, I'm

saying that he's gonna the word tell you it's your body.

Fight for your right. God gave up his body broken

so that you can have the right to become children.

Instead of fighting for your own, God said, give it

away so that others may have. That is what parenting is.

You know, you give up your life, your body so

that others may have. You know, that's the beauty of

a family. You know you understand what I'm saying. Now,

do not let That's why you must have critical thinking.

Don't let the world tell you just because it feels right,

just because it sounds free, just because you watch some

Disney Shore mix it right and on. It's true. The

propaganda they have, my goodness, that's why they watch movies.

They just tell you.

They tell you you don't have to think, and then

they add a movie and emotional layer, so that and

how it becomes see into your life as a value system.

You know, do you realize that, No, they sear it

into your value system, but you don't think. I don't

want day, I'll deconstruct it again. But it's true, it's true. Okay,

So stir up the gift. Sorry, I'm going everywhere. That's

very passionate about it. Sorry, Okay, it's okay. Sorry, I'm

very passionate. Okay, to stir up the gift. Okay, because

gifts must be stirred, because it can be suppressed. You see,

you sometimes when you see a child, they have many talents,

but then they come and tell you, oh, I'm sorry.

I feel very scared to do it. I'm scared that

people might perceive me as being proud, very not ego.

Or maybe what if I disappoint people, if I'm not

good enough, or what if my gifts are not actually real?

Maybe I misconfuse myself so many things. You know. So

when you hear that, when you see that, right, we're

not asking as a parent from a good source, from

a right perspective, it's someone who truly loves, is godly

and understanding. When you look at a person like that, okay,

you start to question.

All these feelings from God. Yes it's real, but doesn't

mean it is from God.

You can't saying it not a lot of times people

validate just because it's real. But I'm telling you take

it another further. Is it from God? Doesn't mean it's real,

means you have to be a prison and all of

it makes sense. It's very important. Not just because my

feelings are really doesn't mean I'm a prisoner.

I have to ask is it from God?

Because even though it's real, but it's not from God,

what do I do? I have to fight? I have

to be strong you I'm saying or not. Don't let

the world they take your options that you're either we

see and surrender. But there's another option that's quite critical

thinking or finding another option. The option that comes from

God is to be strong and to be very courageous.

What the world never will tell you. You gotta be strong,

you gotta fight, you gotta persevere, you gotta hope. You

got I'm saying or not, these are the things that

you gotta have. These are the things that me as

Pera want to see in my children.

Strong. Not just here always validating your feelings.

Yes it's important, but be strong that's the outcome that

you need to have.

Not understanding you not strong. You know what I'm saying.

No understanding is the process to be strong, not just

to stay where you are. So we need their gifts

to be stirred and to differentiate the fear that comes,

the fear that comes not from God, the fear that

comes from the evil one. To stir means to kindle

a fire. You know you're going stir. So our job

as a deserter is to stir. Our job as parents,

as brothers and sister is to stir. Hey, what you're

doing is an encouragement. Don't let the fear die you down.

We have to stir one another. Yes, you make mistakes,

Yes sometimes you are learning. But stir in godliness and humility.

Stir one another because why because Paul? Because when when

Paul looks at Timothy, Timothy is actually going through so

many challenges. He sorry, he has to be what he

has to appoint he was a pastor. He has to

appoint elders. It's not easy. How how many of you

like to appoint elders in the church. Appoint elders That

means a human problem. You know, do you know that

you think appointing people is easier. You appointed, but once

your disappoint people are it's very hard. Right now, people

will say you are disappointing. It's very hard to bring

people down. Why now, what if that person you're appointed

it's not competent enough, has character flaws, deep character flaws.

He has to appoint elders. He is to combat false

teachers and greed in the church. Okay, false teachers are

howemy off? You're ready to do apologetics that would probably

take you up full time radio. Okay. You have to

preserve sound doctrine, not just to combat then you have

to feed your congregation as well. You need to minister

to the poor and the waders. And you need to

regulate conducts of men and women in the church. They

are not appropriate as well as a twenty to thirty

year old man to order. You put a job description

like that in job straight right now, I don't think

it will get any and any application now someone zero payer, Yeah,

I mean right, but he sees the thing he sees

like what Timothy is is going to exist.

He poor feels for him.

He sent you to ministry. But yet you are among wolves,

among people who are who are are hungry as well.

But Paul remembers the gifting. He remembers, he recollects the

same that was in your mother, the same that was

in your grandmother. I see that faith, and I've witnessed

your gifting, and I know and I know that it

is not a coincidence. You can mean, I so discipless disciples, masters,

but certainty of faith and hope and determination, the type

of belief that you have as a parent for your

children as well.

I know.

Because of maybe one loss in a in a game,

maybe someone you know insulted you or not jear you down,

doesn't mean you stop giving up on this degree or

this serving on this ministry just because you feel it's

no I have this certainty of faith. Do not let

the fear control you. Do not keep stirring the gift

you get me right, stir it up so that you

become the fire that you need to be. Okay, Next one,

let's read from chapter eight, verse eight. Therefore, do not

be a shame of the testimony of our Lord, nor

of me his prisoner, but share with me in the

suffering for the gospel according to the power of God

who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,

not according to our works, but according to his own

purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ

Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by

the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished

death and broad life and immortality to light through the

Gospel to which I was appointed a preacher and apostle

and a teacher to the gentiles. For this reason I

also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for

I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that

he is able to keep what I've committed to him

until that very day. Okay, let me just add one

two more versus. Okay, verse thirteen. How fast then to

the pattern of sound words which you have heard from

me in faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus,

that good thing which was committed to you, underlying that

keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. All right,

let me close, you know, with two more points.

Then I will close it. Okay.

The third thing one miss must do when we disciple

someone is to make sure that they are not a

shame of the Gospel. They must are not a shame

of the Gospel. Why did Paul talks about being a

shame of the gospel? I told you before and that

at that time, Paul knows you was dying, and there

were The sentiment around Christians has changed dramatically, and you

will see you as I explain, you will see a

lot of parallelism or similarities in our current world. Today,

Christianity is thought off. Okay, it's like a offshoot of

the College of Judaism.

Okay.

The Jews were okay with him until a certain point.

The Pagans and all the Romans, the Greeks are okay

with him until a certain point.

And then a fire broke out.

In Rome, big huge fire by this guy and all

and you started during the time of Emperor ne Rome.

Some people say it was started by him. Some people

say that it couldn't be him because he was in

another place. We don't know, Okay, I have my inclination.

I think it's probably him. That's my own perspective. But

why would he want to burn half of Rome down?

Because it was well documented that he didn't like how

Rome looked. One part of Rome was very grand and luxurious,

marble buildings, great architecture, but other part of Rome. The

city was like a slum. If you've been to Philippines,

I've been to Manila, Wanza, Okay, beautiful places were like

high building a but you turned around corner, it's like

a slum and literally dark and.

It's not just slummer.

It's dark and on. It was one time I was

in Manila. I was with two other brothers there. We

were working on the main street. We turned on the

wrong street.

I have no idea.

I never felt fear in my life, such a fear.

It was really hardly any lights on. I was really

fearful and I was gonna die. You know why because

throughout that time in my encounter in Manila, I've seen

guns everywhere in the taxi, in people's bag I was

talking with. We were talking with one supplier and then said, hey,

you want to you know, actually I career a gun.

Don't worry, you know, I'll protect you.

I got gun. I was like, wow, I had no

idea were talking people were carrying guns. You know, It's

like wow, it's another world, totally another wild West.

But that lane that we turned to was so wrong.

My oh my, my spider sensors went out and oh

you know it was so and I thought I was

not going to see my wife. Really, It's like then

we finally came out of it that guys, we will

never go there.

And my twather brothers were very big and strong, one

not getting very bad.

Let's say, yeah, yeah, ye do will never do that again. Okay,

but when I come back, let's come back to saying

that he wanted to re engineer, reconstruct Rome so that

it will emulate or at least display the glory that

he imagined.

So Rome was, but then.

The people started getting angry because people's lives were affected.

The Senate was angry because you know, they get elected

by the people, and the people are angry, they get

problemly simple as that isn't it. So people were looking,

and they were looking, and then it kind now came

down to Nero, and Nero wanted to escape it.

And then so what did he do? You blame Christians?

Blame the Christians, and that Christians has always been a

problem and they are the problem.

They want to bring us down.

And there are some of the things let me share

you feel some of these things that has been spread

around the lines that are spread around about Christians, or

some of these fears. What are some of these false accusations?

And you must apply critical thinking. Don't let people tell you,

don't let them give you incomplete information and then make

come to a wrong conclusion and say, now incomplete information

and coming to a wrong conclusion and coming to a

wrong impression, and portrayal of anyone and even God as well. Okay,

So what was some of the things they say that

Christians were accused of treason because they believe that Jesus

is Lord, they preach one Lord and king. Does that

mean that there are treasonous to the Roman government? Do

they have an army? More importantly, are these spies good

spies are very prevalent at that time? Are these spies

must understand war? What's happening everywhere? If you have war

in Malaysia, I tell you will not trust anyone. I

guarantee you then you will not trust people when lives

are lost, when the nation says the blind, you will

find it hard to trust people, very difficult. I tell you,

we went through one Kobe and we finding how to

trust people in the elevators or it's true or not,

we finding how to trust it just imment like we're

finding how to trust people. War will make you distrust everyone,

even the nicest person. You will think they possibly a spy.

You know, I did the tension and the pressure with

they actually lived in Okay, so there, but they thought

that the Christians were treason us. They thought that Christians

were cannibals. But how did you come to their conclusion?

Because Christians we partake of the broken body of our

Lord Jesus Christ, and we drink off his blood. You laugh,

you laugh, But there is where critical thinking is not applied,

because you take blood and you take broken body, and

you take people doing it. Okay, you know at night

houses you know, people don't know secret, secret, not different

houses that they're you know, they gether together in secret.

You know, they read some scripture in secret, and they

partake of blood and body. You know, you think they

were cannibal and understanding the time, the Christians couldn't do

it in the public because people were looking for them.

So they did in caves in these certain places. Or

how much more intrigue you're going to add? These are

all the elements. So what the enemy knows. They gather

the necessary ingredients and they conducted a new recipe. Christians

are cannibals. There's way when you don't have complete information,

accurate information, and you arrive at the wrong conclusion. You

know why they are so good at doing it. The

world is so good at doing it because they learn

it from the master, the devil.

The devil has been doing it from there.

One in the gadma Eden telling the Eve as far

did God really say you cannot eat of the garden

fruit of going?

Even did God really say?

He's saying that he reduced the consequences? You will not

surely die. Contracting thing God directly, You will not show

that God say die. You will not surely die because

God knows that the day you're eat it be your

eyes will be open, your bee like him. Really, so,

you're saying God is insecure. God is fearful. God is

special knowledge that can you You cannot know if you

know already.

God will not be like God ready more really, really, it's.

Like saying that I'm scared to send my kid to

school because I scared that one day to be smarter

than me. Actually, I want my kid to be smarter

than me. I don't want you to come to church

because I scared you holder than me. I don't want

to eat cares because I scared you stronger than me?

What it doesn't make sense, But yet when you exaggerated,

it feels you at a bil emotion and layer to it.

It feels like God is really insecure.

You know, you can't say not so in complete information.

It's always about what portraying someone in a different light.

You come saying, not he did it with God. He's

doing it the Christians right now, get me right, he's

doing it, the Christians right.

Now, thinking he can be.

When people are fearful, they will buy a lot of things.

Right.

It's easy to blame someone and then they take responsibility.

You want to know you get me right, That's why

you got the guys have to have proper critical thinking

about these things. The next one witchcraft, people performing miracles

and baptism. What they're doing in the river they are

They couldn't take a bunch of people like people and

dun them down. You know, we don't see them coming

up one and you're laughing away.

You see.

It's funny when you take away certain elements in it,

things look funny, isn't it.

It's like it's like cross one eye. You look at

things Hey, it's so funny, you know.

But it's like that when you take different elements and

you give it like that, it sounds silly because we

know we are in it, because why would you think

like that? But the world doesn't think like us. I mean,

the world doesn't think like us. The world doesn't understand

what we do. And I tell you the end of

the day is what happens in you know. What happens

at the end of the day is that the Roman

started really hating Christians, believing that the Christians were evil,

genuinely evil, and they are the good guys.

Christians are the bad guys.

And now I can tell you in the end of

days it will be like so as well, that people

in the world will think that Christians are the most inconsiderate,

narrow minded, selfish people in the world. By believing that

Jesus is the only way, you're selfish, you're inconsiderate. You

do not accept anyone else.

Oh this I do.

You are the most We will do the world a

service by getting rid of you, and we are justified

by doing it.

That's why the world will come up to be.

And Timothy is faced with the same thing that he

is leading a church, and people are associatinking with Paul

and all the main preacher. You know, your whole world

is celebrating. Paul is dying and all if only got Paul.

But will you still associate yourself with Paul? There is

pol said, do not be ashamed of the gospel. Paul,

That's why I know whom I have believed. Well, I know,

do not be ashamed of me. You are my disciple,

no wife, he says that, But for this reason, I

also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed for

I know whom I have believed. I know whom the

person I have believed, and I'm persuaded that he is able.

When you are cornored to that level, when the world,

whole world misjudge you and misrepresents you and the Word,

they try to isolate you from everyone that supports you.

Will you still believe God, who is able.

To keep you.

You don't see what I'm saying now. So this is

the goal of discipleship, the God. Discipleship is not to

make you feel just to make you feel heard and understood. Yeah,

we pray for your work, for your exams. It's like, yes, good,

But the goal of it, so that at the end

of the day, when it counts, you will not be

ashamed of the gospel because all the disciples of Jesus

are left him. Remember all the disciples left him. Man,

there will come a time when the disciples will be tested.

You and I will be tested as well.

Who will leave him? Who will deny him? Three times?

I'm saying no, that is to go.

So when we disciple people, we must have that mindset

as well. You know what I mean, right, choose the

right disciples, have a right mindset of discipleship so that

they will not leave the faith. And lastly, I need

the close things right now. Sorry, I'm taking a bit time. Lastly, okay,

the disciples must hold fast to the Word to the

world of God. What I mean is that if you

read in verse thirteen, hold fast to the pattern of

sound words which you have heard from me in faith

and the love of Christ, love which are in Christ Jesus,

the good thing which was committed to you. Keep by

the Holy Spirit. The word is keep by the Holy Spirit.

What does it mean to keep by the Holy Spirit? Okay?

You see some of us like to grab food. You

know I mean, if you like to grab food. I mean,

your grandfold at least three times a week. Compass right now, compass.

I'll pray for you sometimes I do as well. Why

you're so shy? It's nothing, nothing wrong? Why okay, grandful,

grandfool that it's okay? One lord like to gradfood right.

Sometimes we spend a lot of money, isn't it. You

buy a lot of expensive food. You buy it, let's say,

for example, buy fresh groceries. Fresh groceries.

Spend a lot of money, great produce, but will it

be worth anything if you forget to keep it in

the fridge. It's nothing, you know, pointless, you know.

Right there's where our children and our students, your mother

and part of school.

You you know, actually.

To keep it in the fridge. You don't keep in

the fridge. That's why you don't have dinner tonight live

because that's our dinner. You didn't keep in the fridge.

It spoiled really like all the flies eating. Really you

know what I'm saying.

You didn't. It wasn't just there for you to look

nice to eat for this moment. And you never keep

in the fridge. You know, you forget to keep it

in the fridge. You know, sometimes we come to church, well,

a nice mealer. It's not for you just to hear

one and all. It's for you to keep it in

your heart and you keep by the Holy Spirit and all.

But some of you just left it there past math you.

Thank you, Thank you for praying, Thank you for preaching good,

really good. Oh I feel so annointed tomorrow for get ready.

You know why.

It's not because you have bad intentions. I don't doubt

your intention. It's not it's not personal. I don't doubt

your intention. It's a lack of wisdom, lacking wisdom. We

don't hate our children because they forgot to put the

food in the fridge. Okay, we just say lacking wisdom. Okay, wisdom.

So what's the wisdom? The wisdom is knowing what retains

in your life the most. It's not by So to

keep the Word of God by the Holy Spirit, you

have to understand the opposite. What is the opposite of

keeping by the Holy Spirit is to keep the word

of God by the flesh. Okay, how do you keep

the Word of God by the flesh when you know

that the flesh cannot be trusted. The flesh desires the world,

the flesh is easily distracted. The flesh is not of God.

Get what I'm saying. You know, you're using your own

will power, your only human understanding to interpret the scripture.

We believe in the scripture wherever, and then you are

filled with your own agendas by the Holy Spirit. Means

that before you keep the world, you gott to invite

the Holy Spirit. You got to activate the friege first.

It's honor.

It's called keep the putt in the freature, but it's

not activated pointless, Okay, got to activate Holy Spirit. Humble

me first, that I don't know much. And then when

you are humbled, you have the right posture of God.

That God's work needs to have more impact in my life.

I need to memorize it, I need to live it

out and tomorrow I have to make a change ready

instead of like hearing it said God, I haven't changed,

so that there is the evidence of the spirit of

God working in your life. When that spirit of God

is fully working in your life, then the Word of

God is properly kept and preserved. Yeah, I mean right,

That's why a lot of people here but they don't receive.

Makes sense. You don't hear but their w own received.

You must have the Holy Spirit convicting you, getting you

to repent, confess, have faith. Then the Word of God

will be maintaining your heart represerved, that you have fresh

manner and all you kept it well, you know, although

the mana is supposed to be finishing the to data. Okay,

but you.

Know what I mean, Okay, that that is the way

that we ought to be.

So our job is twofold, is to make sure that

our disciples have the spirit of God.

I feel the Holy Spirit, and secondly they are fed with.

The world on God. Both must happen, Okay, both must

happen in true discipleship. That is why Jesus, what do

you do? Don't go and preach it? Wait in Jerusalem

for the Holy Spirit makes sense? Now makes sense? Now?

Does it makes sense? Now? As it makes sense? You

must have the partnership of the Holy Spirit to keep

that word or just take the word. Let's go and

preach out. I tell you, the disciples will probably be defeated.

You know, we must. The Holy Spirit is the agent

of preservation in our lives. We must keep that, okay,

and for our lives, for our children and rest as

well