Let us go to the other side | Pr Phua

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Today.

I've chosen a kind of a discipling passage because you

all need to know that as being disciples of Jesus,

because after what it means to follow Jesus. When Jesus

told them in Mark chapter fourteen, verse Marks chapter four

verst nineteen say come follow me our many fishes of men.

They knew how to fish, but they didn't know what

it means to be a fisher of men.

And Jesus told him to follow him.

Despite whatever it is, they were willing, they were available,

they obeyed, they followed, but they didn't.

Know what's going good happening. So on whatever it is,

the end of it.

As you begin to put the pieces together. In Matthew,

chapter twenty eighth, verse nineteen twenty, what did Jesus say,

Go now they you have your trade, Now that you

know what it is to catch men, Now that you've

seen how I've done it, Now that there how I've

spoken about it. Now that you have seen all the

things that has happened right before your eyes, follow me,

follow me. And now that they followed, you go and

make disciples of nations. That's why God is interested in

people group. There's no no. I don't think there's any

other country in the world like Malaysia. You know why,

because every other people group is here. As I always

make a joke out of it. The only people who

are not here I ask kimos because they all live

they need snow to live around.

But every people group. You know why.

I know about this because I get to visit the

Kajang and Sunny Bouloup prison those on death row.

Also, they're all an international group.

Allow of them on they call it thirty nine which

is drugged and three zero two which is a murder

case and song and they're all death row prisoners. And

I've met a Russian there, I've met a Lebanese there,

I've met Chinese people there. I've met uh so many

different groups and even one guy in Romania. Yeah, if

this is just a small representation, what about all the

people group? We cannot be there, but Jesus brings them

here so that they bring them here, so that you

can fulfill the great commission, go and make disciples of nation.

And I just got a call yesterday from a guy

from Nepal and he just rang me. He said, Bassa,

you remember me, I said, I said, tell me your name.

He said Kaji. Oh, yes, of course Kaji.

And Kaji came all the way from Pokara to Kamandu

to Malaysia to work. And after he started working, because

he didn't have enough funds, we were doing a church extension.

What happened, he said, I can be a security guard.

So he came and through that he came to know

the Lord. Through that, he rang his family every night

and shape with them.

The whole family came to know the Lord.

Through that, he brought many of his other Nepali friends

who are still working in Malaysia. And I remember he

became my interpreter. Yeah, and many of them came to

know the Lord. And I just got a call from

another pastor. He said, do you remember this guy Amba.

I said, yeah, Amba, You're not a place so too

many already, I said, you know, he said, now he's

serving the Lord. He came to he was in SSEMC.

He came to know the Lord. He's the first batch

of guys who came to know the Lord. I said, oh,

you remember that too. And so for me being a

disciple following Jesus has this kind of an amazing way

that God wants to bring to us.

Ah, So I pray that this will be so for you.

Whether it is three and a half years that they followed,

whether they believe or not, Jesus was still very, very

interested in ensuring that they become people who really mean business,

just like what Jesus said to them the week before

he was.

Crucified.

In Johns of the Thirteen, the Bible tells us in

verse one, he says, when Jesus knows that he's going

to leave them, he loved them fully to the extent

of his love. And what do you do? He washed

their feet, He washed their feet. He washed the feet

of the guy who's going to deny him three times.

He washed the feet of the person who's going to

betrayed him. He washed the feet of this guy who

is always in doubt, like Thomas. He washed the feet

of everyone who tabled.

When he was arrested. He Matthew twenty six, verse fifty six,

he said, they all fled. And when you are fled,

what happened?

I thought you were three and half years with Jesus,

and even you know this this guy say, I will

even if others run away, I.

Will still be with you. Peter said that ready, deny,

but what did Jesus do?

Jesus washed their feet for one good reason, he says,

I'll tell you one good reason. Because people need to

know who are my disciples? And you all know John thirteen,

verse thirty four, thirty five A new commandment. I give

to you that you love one another, that you love

the love that I've given to you, You love the

love that I've loved you.

So that by this show all men know.

In verse thirty five says, by this show, all men

know that you are my disciples. If you have loved

one for another. Wow, that's very powerful. And I pray

that this would be so that every time anyone meets

a believer from Exchis, they say, by this sha, all

men know you are Jesus disciples. I like the way

this guy said to me. He said, you know, I

don't know what's wrong. What's wrong with me? I said,

what's wrong with you? Because my friend told me you

know you have something that I don't have. I said, oh, maybe,

but you look handsome and you don't look very handsome. Yeah,

he said, no, no, no, no, it's not that he said.

Then this is what he said, and it's true because

I've said that about him. I said, you have somehow

this amazing joy in your heart that you know, it's

it's sort of an eminence from you. And uh, and

I said, wow. And that's what he said, you have

this joy which I don't have.

I don't know why. So I said, what did you

tell him? That's an opportunity.

There's an opportunity to share who you are a disciple

of Jesus, who says, in your presence there is fullness

of joy.

Yeah, and I pray that this would be so for you.

So I've chosen a kind of a discipling theme of

an incident of how Jesus is going to teach them

what it means to follow him. And he's found in

Mark chapter four, verse thirty four to fort you one.

A lot of times, you're very familiar.

With this, this episode where Jesus, you know, took them

over together on the board and then.

There was a storm extra. So we're going to go

to that. We'll break down that.

But when a lot of people just use the term

maybe entitled their message Jesus comes a storm, no faith,

Why are you afraid?

Etra?

But they choose to take the first quotation of first

instruction that Jesus gave to them. There was they were

already having a lot of ministry. A lot of people

came around the crowds, he tells us in verse ety five.

And when the crowds all gathered and they finished their ministry,

extra this is what Jesus said. He said to them,

let us cross over to the other side. Let us

cross over to the other side. I don't know know

how you look at it. It's just only a very

simple instruction. It's just like somebody say, come, let's go downstairs. Come,

let's go upstairs. Come, let's do this place and so on.

It is not just come letters when Jesus said something

like this, it is something more than that.

And we know that this is what has happened.

Let's all read together the first part in verse thirty five,

verse thirty six.

Do you have it?

The next lighter and the next light we have Okay,

let's already together. On that day, when evening had come,

he said to them, let us go across to the

other side, And leaving the crowd, they took him with

them in the boat just as it was, and other

boats were with him, so we know the whole scenario. Okay,

So and Jesus have only one instruction. Let us go

across to the other side. And this is in reference

to the Sea of Galilee or Lake of Galilee. And actually,

if you, if you were one of those disciples, you

would think, wow, there's no certain very very simple and

going across.

They are so used to it.

You know, they have fish there, they have many stories

they can tell you about the Seal, Galilee, etc.

So Jesus asking us to go across there know swet. Okay,

we go across because they are so familiar with it.

But if we actually analyze it, there were many unknowns.

And it's the first point that I want to bring

across to you.

When Jesus asks us to go across to the other side,

there are things which we do not know, just like

they do not know that Jesus is going to ask

them to be fishes of men. They don't understand what

Jesus was talking about. As we look at it. The

first unknown, the first point that I want to bring

to is the unknown, the unknown factor which you and

I would also normally will come into the situations that

we're not sure how.

It's going to be. Where are we going, you know,

go across that? We know? Yeah, but why go across

the other side? Why not just stay here? We have many, many,

many questions it's on.

But with Jesus, when he says, let us go to

the other side, he didn't tell them tell them the reason.

But there are three things that I had noticed even

as I think about unknown. Number one is Jesus who

has invited them over all, right, is Jesus call okay?

I hope that this is what your your your you're

thinking now.

Jesus is calling you to go. You could be a

decision that you are to make.

It could be something that you have that is pressing

on your mind and so on, but you're not sure

what's going on. It's one but Jesus say come let

me let's go across to the other side.

It's just a very simple instruction.

But I know that when Jesus says that it is

at his invitation, and when it is at his invitation,

we better listen properly because when he says, my sheep,

hear my voice, and they know me and I and

they follow me. I know them, and they follow me.

I give to them eternal life. No one can plug

them out of my hand. They will never perish. And

with Jesus, this is what it is as we even

though it's unknown, he is there with Okay, even though

it's unknown, he's on mission, and he's inviting all his

disciples to be on the mission onto.

The other side.

Whether they know it or not, it doesn't matter, because

they are following Jesus. There's key in discipleship. When we

want to be a disciple of Jesus, we need to

hear his instructions right. And when he says my sheep,

hear my voice. That means we are used to his voice.

That means every time somebody rings, you're you're not sure

now today, even if you see an unknown number, you're

not in your directory.

You don't want to take the call, but you know

when you do take the call, you're not sure. So,

but if you know the person.

Immediately, if the person just say hello, you know who

it is already, all right, because you know the voice.

Am I asking you and asking myself? Do we really

know the voice that Jesus said?

Come?

Let us go across to the other side, because this

is so vital as we listen to him, as we

hear what he has to say, as he guides us instructions,

we need to hear clearly right and uh many many

a time I remember this.

This man came up for ministry. Uh uh. There we

have a visiting speaker, and he came up for to

be prayed for.

And uh he the speaker asked, you know what what

what what do you mean to pray for you? He said,

he pointed to his ears. He's heart of hearing. The

speaker to him, he doesn't know him from Adam, He said,

you know him? He said, I know you.

Uh, what do you mean you know me?

He said, yeah, because you know why you're deaf, because

you don't listen to your wife. Every time your wife

speaks to you, you shut off.

Now go back. You don't need healing, you need this.

Go back, listen to your wife, then you can hear.

Go back, listen to your wife, Go back, listen to Jesus.

Hear his voice, No, his voice, and then when we

go across is something quite unique, even though it's unknown

in the days of old.

The Old Testament is like this too.

Abraham Abraham was told, I want you to peck your backs.

I want you to leave your comfort zone.

I want you to leave your relatives and go to

a place that I will show to you.

Did he know where? He didn't know. In Genesistep twelve

urs one, and this is.

What's going to happen, because you're gonna be a great nation.

Your name will be great Exeter. I didn't even have

a son then yet. And then he says, nations to

be blessed to you.

Wow.

And today you and I are the recipient of the

obedience of Abraham.

He went and sold Jesus.

God gave the covenant that nations would be blessed to you.

Another person who spent forty years in the palace. He

did well, but you know, he did something wrong. And

because he did something wrong, he had to flee for

his life. And he went to look after sheep every day,

talking to sheep every day, talking to until he didn't

know how to talk. Because when God called him, he said,

I stabber's Maybe he spoke like a sheep.

I don't know, but whatever it is. Then he saw

this burning bush.

When he saw this burning bush, was very curious and

he heard his voice, and God says, take off, take.

Of her shoes. Where you are is holy ground.

And in anxious chapter three, chapter three, where where he

heard this, this u the voice and so on, and

this is what the Lord told him that you need

to go. He says, that you need to I'm sending

you to Pharaoh.

That's a place where I escape from.

Is that difficult? When Jesus calls us to go across?

It can be difficult situation. And yet there was another

man who was his assistant, Joshua, one who is really.

Loyal in every way.

Now Moses is dead in Joshu chapter one, and he's

been told, now you lead the people into the Promised land.

He was quite quite jittery about it. That's why every

time we reach chapter one, let's don't look at Joshua

as somebody very young.

You know.

Yeah, he's already eighty years old. All right, He's already

eighty years old. So if you say Joshu generation, don't

think he's young because he lived to one.

And twenty.

But he had assignment. That's why I say, hies, he's

just only a number. As he heard what God said,

and he began to bring this confidence and faith into

his people, and this is what he told them, we

are going.

To cross this.

For forty years, Moses took us around and round and round,

and they saw many miracles.

But this was a new generation that didn't know the

crossing of the Red Sea. And here they are. He says,

in three days, we're going to cross. Consecrate yourself.

In chapter three, verse wife of Joshua, and I would

do amazing things about it.

But in verse four it says like this, Now I

want you to this is what the Lord says. Look

at the arm.

The arm was a symbol of God's presence. Look at

the arm and follow in. I always follow the presence

of the Lord. Let us go across to the other side,

Jesus said, And he was there with them, right, and

so as you were told, because you have never gone

this way before, which is true.

There's a whole new generation.

What I'm trying to bring across is that there are

so many, many, many other incidents like this. Yeah, and

even to Jesus' disciples, it's the same. Jesus was going

the last week of his life, what he was going

to do. He's going to be crucified, et cetera. But

he told them I'm not going to be with you

for long, and they were all quite sad. And chapter

fourteen of John, which he says, let not your heart

be trouble.

You believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father's house. There are many places I go

to prepare a place or you. And when I go,

I will come again, and where I am you will

be also the way.

Very puzzle, I said.

Thomas, very good, good, good student, he said, but we

don't have GPS how to go. If we were living today,

you will say that disease. But we don't know no

ways how to get there. And then Jesus said, because

if you know me, you know how to go.

I'm the way. If you know me, you know how

to go. I'm the truth. If you know me, you

know how to go.

Because I'm alive. Those who want to go to the

Father must go through me. You understand that. So there

are many unknowns. One when Jesus is telling them, they

really don't quite quite it didn't quite general with them.

So this is the situation when unknown stands us in

our face.

How do we respond?

And even when unknown can have unexpected situation. Let's read

the next part okay, next, okay, let's read together. And

a great windstorm arose and the waves were breaking into

the boat, so that the boat was already feeling next

next life, okay. But he was in the stern, Jesus

asleep on the cushion, and they woke in and said

to him, teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?

Do you not care? We're perishing? So the question is, you.

Know, it seems like the day before when they were

with Jesus, Jesus taught them about the parable or the soler.

Jesus taught them about what it means to be a

witness for him. Jesus taught them about how to have

failed like a mustered seat. It was all amazing teaching,

and so on we read in March of the Tree,

and as sore with them, as Jesus was with him

with them, and they were with Jesus and they heard

all these things, it would seem that, wow, that's amazing.

But when the storm hits them, all the teaching went

into the storm. Teacher, don't you care, teacher, don't you

realize we're perishing? And that's a lot of times what

happened to Why me, what do you say to her,

to a young lady where at the ceremony when they

are signing the register the husband just collapsed three days

in the hospital and he passed away within three days.

She became a widow. What do you say to.

A pastor who did so much for the lord and

so on? And discovered his grandson two not just one

grandson as Hodgkins Slipphomer had to go through four rounds

of chemo, and then with that finish the next boy

with the elder one suddenly felt very dizzy and wanted

to collapse. And when a check got tumor in the brain,

immediate operation.

What do you say to that? How do you say?

What do you say to this young man? Did I

know all these people? I know?

I'm just telling you, And how do you say? How

do you handle it? The storm has come?

What do you do? The unknown may be there. So

when we go through. Jesus didn't promise that everything will

be fine.

He didn't say that there will be no hindrances he

himself had. He didn't say there will be no challenges

he himself had. And the garden of gets so many.

What they say, oh, take this cup away unless you

know not my will, but yours be done.

Three times he said that three times.

The people were supposed to support him in prayer or

sleeping soundly. Can you imagine how lonely Jesus was, And

yet we all know he went and fulfill what God

said he should be doing. When he could say it

is finished, it's because he's completed. As we begin to

revel unravel this these situations, it's on what is it?

There are many hindrances.

That that will come away the challenges, and they could

be internal, they could be external. And illness can hit us,

death can hit us. Sudden loss, okay, fear and doubt.

What do we do financial loss, et cetera? You know,

And we asked this question, why me?

Why me? Hm?

My wife has a nephew on her on the on

the mother's side, and he's a pastor. September he was

told first stage cancer and he had to be colon

cancer and he had to be dealt with and so on.

But he writes very very amazing journal.

I'm up, I'm also down, I rejoice, I'm also said.

He writes all that. Again, he was transparently telling about

what's happening.

But in all these things. He says, I'm more than

conqueror in all these things. If God is for me,

who can be against me? As he handled this thing as.

He as he has, as he has this sta stomach back,

et cetera, and he has to go to the worst

of pain. And one he said, I cried to the Lord.

And then he said, my only victory, the only and

one and only victory. He said, I rejoice in the

Lord every day. You know, I he's founding someone on

in verse twenty four. This is the day that the

Lord has made. I choose to rejoice and be glad

in it. And that's how he handled it.

It's not Master, don't you care?

A lot of times were there, and I confess that

it will happen to me too. And yet, as I

think back, as I begin to understand how Jesus was

dealing this for them, the hindrances and the challenges are

meant to be overcome.

And so how do you come? Don't you know?

In some forty six years one, I'm your refuge when

you are going to the storm. I'm your strength when

you are going to the storm. I'm your helper when

you're in crisis.

Do you see it? Do you know it? You say,

pastor you can see so glibly?

No, Because I've gone through it myself. I know what

it means to go to the pain or what I

don't expect should be. And he says, happened, And when

it happens, how do I handle it? I remember coming

back from my mission trip from India. It was an amazing,

amazing time of sharing and so a lot of people

come to know the Lord. But in between there was

a hit on me and I felt very sick. I

came back just lie down. Every day I couldn't get up.

And my wife said, he, you remember, we set one principle.

Every time we're down, we rejoice. Every time we're down,

we will be glad. Every time we're down, we'll sing praises.

And I remember I was lying down there.

Very weak.

I got up and we started singing and so on,

and strength came upon me. Strength came upon me enough

for me to be able to on that Sunday to

be with the congregation and see stand and say, God.

Is my victory. Look, I've gone to that.

And I understand my own weakness in that, in that

weakness of lying down there, and said Lord.

Where are you? It's not Lord, where are you? Lord?

I rejoice in you. And I've learned this again and

again through all the different situations that I've gone through.

That's why Paul told Timothy. He says, young Timothy, you're

a pastor. Young you have got a lot of issues.

But I want to tell you God did not give

us a spirit of fear.

But God is given what a spirit of love, a

spirit of power, a spirit.

Of sound mind.

We need that power to extend it about who God

is in our lives. We need that loved to overcome. Ah,

there's a there's a bassa song said uh Manala khans Gala.

God's love conquers everything. And I remember this very young

man who stood at a pulpit and and and said

I will never never never. He said three times, I

say you sound like some like Peter never never never.

And he was giving his testimony. He said, his.

Father passed away, his mother in six months. I passed away,

he said, within six months.

I became an often and I was angry with God

even though I believe in him. But you know, do

you know why I can stand up here talking to you?

He said in his testimony, I would tell you because

even though I never, never, never believe in God anymore,

but my grandma believe in God ever.

Ever, ever. And that's that's how I came to know

the Lord.

She loved me without any strings attached. She loved me

all the way despite my anger and all that. She

knew how to praise God, she knew how to look

up to God. The hindrances and challenges are there, but

she didn't see the challenges. She saw Jesus in the

midst of the storm. And I pray that this would

be so for you as we look into this. And

because Jesus, because of the unknown, because of the hindrance

and challenges, I want to say to you, every challenge

will have assurance and promise. Let's get onto the next

next slide. The assurance and promise comes when we go

on to the other side. There is assurance.

Jesus said, come, let's cross over in others. I'm there,

ma ah, So what what? What? What happens there? Because

Jesus cares. Yeah, he cares.

Don't you care, No, he cares because if the ship,

if the boat goes down, he goes down together with

them too. They're assured in Jesus' presence number two, then Jesus. No,

only Jesus cares. Jesus was there with them. His presence

need to be Sometimes it is not like just like that.

I remember going across a huge bridge over in Bangladesh

and there was a big storm. We could literally feel

the vehicle moving with the wind and so on.

That's how scary it was. I told the driver, let's stop,

and all of us, the whole team.

They won the mission trip, and we say, let's pray

as you pray, well, rejoice as you pray as we rejoice.

It's not that we did what Jesus did. Later on,

we're going to read that, you know, be still and come.

We just did that because we declare the name of

the Lord. The vans stopped. There was no more movement, not.

Because of us, because Jesus was with them, and Jesus

was with us, and because why do we look to him?

Because he is in charge of everything, He is in control,

and he is a lord of all.

Amen.

So if he's a lot of all, then what have

we to lose in understanding who is in Colossi stepter

one sixteen. This is what he says, you know, and

let's look at it. In all things that were created,

includes everything things in heaven, on earth, visible invisible thrones, powers, rulers, authority.

All things have been created to him and for him.

He's before all things, and in him all things hold together. Okay,

So that's how the Lord is teaching me and teaching

I pray as disciples of Jesus to trust him. Even

after three and a half years they went back on him.

You know, they didn't they didn't do what he expected.

He never lost over them.

And because he didn't lose hope, we can also identify

he doesn't lose hope on ass he still cares and

so on.

My boy is ministering.

You know when God God gives this situation by always

helping a widow.

That has got three children. They call it Huntington disease.

I don't know whether you know. It means you lose

all control.

Half the time you're shicking checking all the time you

know you're shacking is on. I remember the Father also

has this Huntington. He came to know the law because

he came to our church and we pray for him.

He was not here. He died having Huntington, but he

came to know Jesus.

But this widow, looking at all this and all her children,

said why am I you know? She said, why am

I pim pimer.

Bad liver, bad luck? Yeah, she is like almost cursing.

God is on And my wife said, I have not

given up on you.

I refuse to give up on you.

You know why, because God is in control and he

doesn't give up on you, and I cannot, and I

refuse to give up on you. And today some things

have happened. There is steps to healing and freedom.

That's because why we don't give up.

Jesus, never give up on you, and so we do

not give up on those whom, especially those whom we

think we don't like. You know, I like this this,

this song. He says, you know, my love is love unknown,

love love to the lovely that I'm that sorry, my lord.

Love is love unknown, love to the lovely, shown that

they might lovely be. Wow, that's very very in this

old English love loveless shown that they might lovely be.

And I pray that you and I as we want

to follow Jesus. This is what it is that he holds.

Everything in his hands.

Let's get onto the next next reference, yeah, next life.

And he said to them, why are you so afraid?

Have you still no faith? Was Jesus holding them? No.

Jesus is saying, you have been with me, You've seen

what's happened, and yet you still say I don't care.

Of course I can. I care. And this morning he's

saying to you if you are going to some storm,

Jesus saying to you, I'm with you.

I care.

Because I care, you can be rest assured.

I like the way Paul shared with the Romans, and

almost in conclusion for all that he has said in

the Letter of Romans in Romans, chapter fifteen, verse thirteen,

he says.

Me, the God of Hope fill you with all joy and.

Peace as you overflow with hope and trust him by

the power the Holy Spirit.

And I want to say to you even this morning,

whatever that you're going through, where.

Is your focus?

A lot of times we focus on our cells, and

then that's our folly. We focus on our own problems.

I like when I was sharing with the whole grow panuns.

I remember over a thousand of them. Yeah, over in

long Kavok in Barram and there's a great revival going

on there. But that day when I was supposed to

share power cut, no no electricity, so no even mike.

How do you speak to a thousand A thousand group

people were in an open hall, you know, with a

roof but all sides open.

How do you speak to them? You can't, So I say, said,

Holy Spirit, you take over. I don't know what to do,

but I know that you can do it. So I

just said, everyone, if you if you.

Can hear me, yeah, okay, now you keep quiet. I

only want the people.

At the back.

So as I said, if you at the back of

the last room you can hear me, put up your

hands and they all put up their hands. Walk thank you,

thank you for the re enactment. And they all put

up their hands. I said, oh, come, we can go in.

And then I said, I look at your faces. I

know you you are waiting for me to share something,

but you're worried. You're h muka camu sum mass allah

with problem with your power cut.

How is it going to share her? They're all more

worried for me than I'm worried for them.

As I look at them, I said, ah, you talk

pakatan mass allah mass Allah. When we focus on problems

mass allah. Then we only are caught by the massa Allah. Now,

don't look at massa allah, look at massa Allah.

It's okay.

One decide, massa allah, massa allah, masa Allah. Suddenly the

whole audience all shook up and said, this is the

time of the Lord.

This is his time for such a time as this.

We may have hindrances and problems, but God is there.

This is God's timing. And massa allah, I hope you

catch it so that every time we begin, why have

you no faith? It's not because of this is God's timing.

The unknown is there, the hindrances are there, but the

assurance that I am with you, okay. And so the

focus should be where am I looking at? The focus

should be who am I looking at?

Yeah.

So that's why Jesus when this thing happened, when he

calmed the storm and so on, they.

Were wondering who this person is.

And as we look at at what God is saying

to you, to all of us, and so on, you.

See you.

When the Summi says like this in Some one to one,

verse one and two, he says that like this, when

I look at the hills, some of you you're gone

onto the mountain, and he's like, if you have climb

up monk and abado, Wow, the.

View is amazing.

If you've gone down Grand Canyon, the canyon seem to

change face all the time. Yeah, it's amazing talenty. Right

as you look at the creation, what do you do?

You look at.

The creator, not the creation. I said, look, lift up

my eyes to the heels. Where does my health come from?

My Habit comes from the Lord who has made heaven

and earth.

He has made you, he has made me. He knows

you wonderfully and fearfully from he knows me, and you

as apple of his eye.

You are special to him. He died for you, passionately.

He died for you obediently. He died for you so

that you don't need to take that punishment that you deserve.

And that's mercy. And now he says, come, you should

receive me.

You believe me. You have the right to become a

child of God. That's grace. God takes you and me

as the children.

Can you catch it? If you catch it, then you

begin to understand. There was a king in the Old

Testament called King Joseph. King Joseph was his kingdom was

surrounded by a vast army, the Bible tells us in

two Chronicles of the twenty and when he was up,

the scripture says industry, he was alarmed. Alarm is an understatement.

He's probably peeing in his pens. You justn't know what's

going on, what he's going to do. And so, hey,

what do you do? You didn't say, oh y, this

is bad? Why how come you this thing's happening now? No, no, no, no,

Call the whole people, every from children, run up to

the leaders and so on. Let's worship the Lord and pray.

And in verse twelve of two Chronicles of the twenties

is God.

We're all surrounded.

We don't know what to do, but our eyes are

upon you. And then the Lord gave them this assurance.

The battle is not yours, but the lords. You will

be delivered.

You stand and rejoice in me.

And as we begin to understand this, this is running

against the current of most what people will tell you,

a lot of people who come and see you.

I like the way this.

My friend, who had the worst of cancer already, is

almost skin and bones.

When I went to see him, I look at him. Oh,

he's a good friend. By I said, wow, what is israelly?

And then you know, in his own effort, he crossed

my hand and he said, Sen Joe.

And you couldn't speak very well too, send John rejoice

in the Lord.

Wow, I look at him.

I'm almost in tears for him. Still rejoice in the Lord.

He taught me something. Jesus taught me something to him.

My eyes are upon you. He bruised up the twelve

US two says, let us fix our eyes on him.

He's the author and the perfect of our faith. He's

the beginning and the end. And as you begin to

look at what God is saying to you, fix your

eyes upout him.

Some that this seven some thirty seventh verse I think

it's verse seven. Yeah, verse thirty seven, verse five. Commit

your way to the Lord.

Trust in him, and he will do it. He will

do it as we call on the Lord. Yeah.

He's the one who will grunt to us, and understanding

that I will answer you. I will show you great

and mindy things which you do not know. How many

of you know this man called doctor Philip Liddle. If

you have watched his podcast, maybe your should get He's

just a month ago, I was told, and then I

texted him, is it true? He said, yes, he's been

diagnosed with nasal cancer for stage's. I mean, the Lord

is used him so much. No, And I was just wondering.

But then you know in the podcast is I said,

don't look at me, no my illness, look at the Lord.

And here's a man who deliberately did that podcast to

encourage every one of us. He said, create an atmosphere

of prayer, of healing.

So that I'll be lifted up.

And this is what happened to this pastor who is

by accident now and he struggled with cancer for nine

years and this last one, he says, I'm going in

for two more operations, one on the rip and one

on the on my femur. And he said, please pray

for me. I said, pray for him. He texts me

just yesterday. I'm shocked and surprised. I said why, and

Eddie told me in two days after the operation is

a very dangerous operation. He could puncture his lungs, which

is affected by cancer and also by his He said,

I cannot sit down because I know I have cancer

all eaten up my bones.

He had the operation and within two days. He said,

I just went so painful in the WhatsApp. He's so painful.

But when I call on the Lord, and I.

Remember Jeremiah to the three Tree, call on me, and

I will answer you and show you great and mighty

things which you do not know. And as he said

I call on the Lord, I didn't say, God, where

are you?

Because I know He's with me.

And then I felt a sense of being lifted up.

He texts me, he said, I'm being discharged today.

We did two days.

I will rest at home in the presence of the Lord.

Why am I telling all this? It's not because they

are great guys. Oh God is great in them. That's

the difference. So as we look at that, then we

realize that if there are assurances and promises when we

go on mission with Jesus. Our sister shared concerning the power. Yeah,

I've been there a few few times. I know what

she's talking about. Yeah, and it's difficult. It's difficult, and

yet we know that it is in the difficulty the

opportunities are there.

And that's the opportunity. Oh how did the go down there? Yeah,

it's okay.

Yeah, the opportunities are there if you read Mark chapter five.

You see that ended, and Mark chapter five. What happened if.

They had said, ah, too late and no need to

go over to the other side.

Ah, we're tired of let's rest this side.

And then because they went to the storm, it taught

them something because opportunities I hate of you. They saw

for the first time in their own in their life,

they saw a man who was living among the tombs

and we change.

That are broken. You're so strong.

Yeah, nobody can actually control him. And the scripture tells

us when they saw Jesus, he shouted, he shouted, he shouted,

and then Jesus cast out the demons from him. First

time they're saying something like this. First time, they're saying

that somebody out of control can be under Jesus' control.

For the first time, they saw a storm that is

out of control can come under Jesus and said, be

still and the sees will come.

Who is this person? And that's why Jesus said, why

have you no faith?

It's not a chiding them, it's encouraging them to write,

He's up to this situation and understand that Jesus is

in control. And when they saw that there was an

amazing opportunity. God wants to give to us opportunities upon opportunities,

open doors.

Are you ready for it?

Because they saw and witness and mark records for us.

What an amazing testimony of.

What has happened.

All of you have got stories, if you have experienced God,

you have got stories to tell.

Yeah.

Sure, as I said, just now, I visit death row people,

I remember Murti.

Murti is a local guy and he killed somebody.

He's been in prison for almost when I when I

saw him that time, it's over eight years already waiting.

Can you imagine on death row? Eight years waiting for

all the appeals austral etc. Court cases and finally told sorry.

No way, you have to be hanged.

He was very discouraged by He attended our chapel service

which I go to with a barrier, and uh as

I share with him. Oh, he was so good. He

will wrap up his Bible. He's a Demil speaking eye.

I learned Tamil from him, and you know and that

he will tell me.

Which worse et cetera. And one very sincere.

And he was one of those guys which I never

imagine I could do it. I baptized three guys. That

was a first and the last time, and he was

one of them, Mooty. Some time I didn't see Mooti.

I know what happened to him. And then eight months

later suddenly appeared at our meeting and I look at it.

I say, Mooty, what happened? I lost focus. I wanted

to hang myself.

He tried, by he he didn't succeed. He fell, and.

When he fell they put him in solitary confinement to

keep him away from the rest. In the prison, they say,

if you are like this, aye sudamaso or that, so

you already cannot think properly.

Or when he was well, he came and he shaid

with me this story. When I gave up on myself,

Jesus didn't give up on me. And I know why.

Today Mooti is free. He's already been given a different

sentence instead of death time sentence. And because he said

so many years he's been set free.

Why am I saying this.

I'm saying to you, opportunities are there, and you have

a God story. And Muti told the God story in

such a way to say that I will now continue

to follow Jesus the opportunities are there. Jesus said, I

will in revelation tip the tree verus a disease. I

have opened a door so no one can shut it.

And God is opening doors for you with your family.

How many of you have families which you haven't come

to know the Lord? Your family? Opportunities are there, and

when Jesus is in the storm with you, comes the

storm for you, brings you to opportunities to fulfill God's purpose.

That's who he is.

But it requires commitment to him. People don't like this

word commitment, but that's what it is. If you're not committed,

you're not accountable. If you're not accountable, you just live

very ah. Just in Basa we say, then chara siasia,

not just just routine, not really important. Sorry, Following Jesus

cannot be charasia.

Following Jesus is just what Jesus said.

If you, if if anyone comes after me and looked

at the nine verse twenty three, he must deny himself,

deny himself.

It is not sasi. I know it means that. In

another version in the Bassa say, dear mister.

Lupa Kandiri, it means we forget ourselves, and then we

deserve to carry his cross. When we carry his cross

is because we carry his mission. And as we carry

his mission, we fulfill his tasks.

That's why when.

Jesus on the cross says it is finished, it's based

on John chapter four, verse thirty four. My food is

to do the will of him will send me, and

to finish it. When we do that, we're committed to him. Then, Paul,

encouraging the Christians in Rome, said, I beseech you, therefore,

my brothers and sisters.

That you offer your body as.

A living sacrifice wholly unacceptable to him, which is your

reasonable worship. How do we show that we are disciples?

We cannot owing. God must transform us.

And when he transform us, that's like the disciples going

to the storm, transformed by the storm, seeing the opportunities,

transformed by the situation.

And it will go on and on and on.

In Two Corinthians, Step four, verse sixteen, policies like this,

our body may be wasting away, which I think it is.

Every time I think about how come all these things

are happening, It's not how come your body is wasting away? True?

But then you see, but day by day we are

being renewed.

How come we're being renewed because of the situation God

puts for us? And I end with this just understanding

that when they solve Jesus having risen, Jesus had a

lot of how shall they put repair?

What to do?

Firstly, they will restort their confidence because they're also afraid.

That's why Peter can see Jus for yourself. We all

big men.

Or big God. Yeah, that's how it is. When they

were threatened, they went back to pray.

God did threaten us, but give us greater boldness to.

Declare who you are.

The resurrection, when Jesus rose again, restored their confidence, renewed

their faith. Why because you shall be my witnesses? How

because you'll be empowered x one eight. And when they

were renewed in there in their faith, they were reassigned

with their calling be a witness for me. You are

my witnesses.

Jesus didn't accuse Peter. Why you deny me? No, Jesus

just ask him do you love me? Do you love me?

Do you love me? Jesus asking you this.

If you are committed to him, then he will reassign

your calling to do what he wants.

You to do.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit as church org. We

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this week is going to be a good week. I

hit for you. God bless