Birth of Jesus - God with us! | Pr Joel Vijay

You're listening to a message to go from acts church. We hope this message

will light up your tea this morning. We're going to look into the book

of Luke one verse twenty six to twenty nine. I'm gonna talk about the

birth of Jesus. But there's just a process of it, and I'll read

it. I read it here Luke one, verse twenty six to twenty nine,

God with Us. That's the semon title. But I'm just gonna read

that here. It says here now in the sixth month, the Angel was

sent by God to a certain city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin

betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David. The

virgin's name was Marian. Having come in, the Angel said to her,

rejoice, highly, favorite one, the Lord is with you. Blessed are

you among women. But when she saw him, she was troubled and is

saying and considered what manner this greeting was. We'll take a pause there and

we'll see that God send an angel to the city of Galilee, to Nazareth,

to virgin betrothed. And the virgin's name was what's her name, Mary?

Right? And who is she? What was her role here? She

was a virgin? Right, how many of you Okay, I'm not gonna

ask you, guys, how many guys are virgins? Put up your hands

and no, we're not going to do that here. Okay, just for

everybody's sanity, and we will go to here. We will pray for you

guys later pray for me. But that virgin came to my mind, and

I think God is speaking to some of us that there's something about being set

apart. There's something about being set apart for God. And when you do

that, God can use us. And I'll take you on this journey.

And so to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the

House of David. The virgin's name was Mary Mary. And yesterday we were

at a wedding of Timothy and Minjo. Some of us were there and Timothy,

we had Timothy and x Melbourne for a couple of years. Great guys

serving just like many of you, doing everything from chairperson to this to that,

just doing everything. I saw some of the musicians here, I go

like, hey, I thought that guy was a drummer. I disguisaid this,

but you guys are like multi talented here do everything to keep the house

running. And that's what God is wanting to maybe to challenge you that if

you would set your life apart. The word virgin just means being set apart,

being pure, being pure and rare to be used. I'm gonna give

you a verse here. It says in James four, verse ten, humble

yourselves in the side of the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James four vers ten, Humble yourself. So humbling does not mean like,

oh Jesus, I'm not good. You are good, that's in your speech.

But humbling means Lord here, I am, use me, Lord here,

I am. If you can do anything, use me. That's that's

being set apart. So you set yourself apart. In Philippians four, verse

forty five, humble us. Rejoice in the Lord always. Okay, I'm

gonna get you guys to wake up. Now say rejoice, rejoice in the

Lord always. And again I say, how many have y'all know that song?

Put up your hands now. Yes, I'm not the oldest person here,

yay, okay, so rejoice When I said that. In ex Melbourne,

there but there much younger crowd and then they go like A, I

don't know this song bus the joke? Yeah? Fine, So rejoice in

the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice, let your gentleness be

known to all men. The Lord is at hand. The Lord is at

hand. Just means not the Lord will come and smack you. But the

Lord is near enough to reach you. As you come to you, you

rejoice as you can need to set your life apart. As you avail yourself

always, God can stretch forth his hand and you reach out to you to

use you. Where is this verse found? Right? We read Philippins four

vers five. You go like, ah, rejoice in the Lord. You

know Philippins four versus six or seven. I think all of you, most

of you have heard it before. It may not be on the screen.

It says, be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication and thanksgiving

your heart make a record you may known to God and the peace of God.

It surpasses all understanding. Regd your heart and mind to Christ Jesus.

That's Philippins four overs sixty seven. But this comes before that, This comes

before that. Where am I going with this? God is trying to get

us to rejoice first and then the peace will come. Rejoice first, and

then your breakthrough will come. Rejoice first, and then your miracle will come.

He did this with Mary as well. It says, rejoice you highly

favorite one. The Lord is with you. So in this place, God

is speaking to some of us here that he's got your breakthrough ready, he's

got your miracle ready. He's got that thing that you're dreaming about that maybe

you're afraid to share when you break into prayer time, you're afraid to ask

someone for that prayer about God saying, rejoice, rejoice first, thank me

for it for us, Praise me for it first, even though you don't

see it. Even Mary was a virgin. How on earth can a virgin

have a baby. Nobody knows, But rejoice, rejoice first, and then

that favor will come. And God's challenging us as a church, not just

in Melbourne, but even here that even though you don't see it, believe

it, have faith, step out, rejoice, proclaim it. And that's

what I think this church is known for. That. I think basic Kenada,

if you know him, you know that he's always the dreamer. He

says, go forth, go do this, and then we go like ah

bussir, this is crazy and the amount of time said. We are in

that room and we hear this plan, we go like, how is this

possible? But we see it in the Bible. Now that faith comes by

hearing and hearing of the word. So rejoice, Tell your neighbor, rejoice,

amen, Joshua Tree five. Joshua said to his people, to the

people, sanctify yourself for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. How

many of you are ready for wonders? Yes, in this place, who's

ready for science and wonders? Wonders come if you're ready for it, if

you're ready yourself for it. And I'm going to take you through this.

The next miracle, I'll say, the wedding yesterday. I'm like man.

John two, verse six to ten speaks about the first miracle that Jesus performed.

Anyone wants to know where that is, Come on, shout it out.

Wedding right, and what happened there? Turn water into what we sang

that verse this morning, Let's read that together. Now, there were set

there six water pots of stone according to the manner of purification of the Jews,

containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece Jesus said to them fill the water pots

with water, and they filled them up to the brim. And he said

to them, draw some out and take them to the Master of the feasts.

And they took it. And when the master of the feast had tasted

the water that was made to wine, and did not know where it came

from. But the servants who had drawn the water new. The Master of

the feast called the bridegroom, and they said to him, every man at

the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests that well drunk,

then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now. But

it's God. But that word, God's just telling someone here that God's keeping

the good stuff on there. Just would you hang on? Would you set

your life upont And I love this verse because it spoke to me personally,

and I want to share this with you in my journey as well. And

I hope you can catch that and apply it in your life as well.

That there were six water pots. Jesus was the seventh. Jesus was that

one that poured life into this place, into this water. So there were

six water pots that were set apart. And I told this to the church

in next Melbourne. I said, I always picture whenever Jesus this kind of

things. I'll picture myself in that story. But like the servants, like

Jesus, this is a crazy thing, like water. You want me to

serve water? Yes, say we're at the wedding. Imagine like, okay,

take this water and go and serve everybody. It's just gonna be something.

It's gonna be wine. Right. I'll be like if I was a

servant, I'll be really real. I'll be like, this is not gonna

be my last day at work, right, bring it to the master,

right, the Master of the feast. How am I gonna go? And

the whole way I'll be mumbling. I'm like, I'm just gonna walk out

this door. Guys, I'm gonna save myself because it's it's unheard off,

like what he's asking you do, and sometimes that's how he works. What

he's asking you to do may not make sense right now. What the word

of God is through this house as well, may not make sense in your

thoughts. But as you walk in obedience, what does God do? God

draws that out. God draws it out out of your life, out of

your life of obedience, God would draw it out. I'm in Melbourne.

I've told our church there that I used to serve in the worship team here

and stuff, and we when I got shipped off there, they kicked me

over and they said, oh, buzzado, go to ex Melbourne ankor there.

I'm like cool, and I've been serving, I've been helping out.

We serve where we can as well. And I've parked this this this part

of me which I songs, and I'm like kind of like, okay,

write one or two songs, but I kind of left it out and I

felt like, okay, God, my job on that is done. Dust

it who that is twenty fifteen right? I parked it a side And then

COVID happened, and I think all of you all like, COVID is still

happening, guys, what are you saying? Right? COVID happened and we

were all in lockdown. Melbourne went through the longest lockdown, I think one

of the longest lockdowns in the world, and it was like so insane,

and then God was saying that you know what can go forth? Songs and

it was like songs in this place, like what do you do? And

Dylan and I went. We went through a tough labor in twenty twenty,

twenty nineteen next Uday, and we came out of it. Many people don't

notice, but Delier had to go through this post like she had to deal

with this part of her where she nearly died in labor and the doctors actually

gave us, gave me like thirty minutes. He says, your wife may

not make it. You might want to spend thirty minutes because she's lost so

much blood. And so we've kind of blocked out that part in our lives,

like we just blacked it out, like right, no time, but

but it hits you. And so for the longest time she could not talk

about it. So every time we go to your pictures of your kid and

stuff, right, she can't go back to the day that Sophia was born.

She just couldn't. She said, I can't look at that. I

said it's okay. I said, hey, won't you share your testimony.

She's like, I can't do that. I would just break down. It's

just something in me like died then. I just don't know. But she

says, someday I will. And during that time, God took that time

to heal us to give us a new hope, and so I shared with

her. I said, hey, there's this song that I wrote as a

lullaby. While I was holding Sophie and they were telling me bad news about

you. I was saying, like, I'm holding here, I need to

be there, Jesus. What do I do? And then God spoke to

me and says, speak it to your child, and I said, Sophie,

you need to hold on to Jesus. It's like this crying baby there,

but you need to hold onto Jesus. I may not be able.

I'm holding it now. I can't hold mommy's hand now, but you need

to hold onto Jesus. And so I wrote that song not thinking much.

I put it on my Instagram just so that not for anyone to yag cake

like and stuff. I put it there so that I'll be reminded. I

write songs because they're milestones of my journey in Christ. So when I put

it there, this guy came from nowhere on Instagram. He messaged me and

he goes, I think that song should be shared. I go like,

who's this guy trying to make money on Instagram? Right? How many of

y'allre like that this me skeptical me, like trying to make money on me

during COVID guys seriously, So I said, yeah, I said, this

is a personal song. I don't know whether it's ever going to be written.

He says, you know what, Just come in, and he gave

me a He said, I'll give you a price. That's I'll cover the

major part of it. Just come in and record it. I think it's

the story there. Cut that long story shot. I go in and I

was thinking in that studio, I've written so many songs by not sang them

or I'm being in the recording. Ellie knows this. I produce. I

write with the songs. So when you put me in front of Mike,

he says, okay, girl, I'm like, ah, this is not

me, this is Jesus and this is the Holy Spirit, going like,

you know what you need to sing it? You need to sing. I

go like, no, I'm so uncomfortable. I'm like I can lead worship.

I'm not used to doing recordings. And then God challenged me. He

says, which you set your life apart, put your pride aside, put

humble yourselves, and then he will lift you up. And so when I

did that. The long story short, when we were flying to Sydney last

week, we did a wedding there as well, And just a testimony is

I've got family members who have yet to know Jesus personally. They know Mary

if you know what I mean. You know what I mean. So they

know Mary, and they know Mary's amount of Jesus and they pray to Mary,

but they don't know Jesus personally. And it's sometimes toughest to reach those

who are closest to you. And when I went into full time industry,

they said, you're wasting your life and this is like where you're going with

this. But I've always prayed it someday I can reach them. And so

when we were in the Sydney we landed there, we met our extended family

and stuff, and then we got to the car and they were playing the

song that I wrote on the Spotify. I'm like, oh, right,

the Asian Malaysia and me a switch off, don't guys. I thought they

were mocking me, right, And they you go like then the kid goes.

Their kids go like, Uncle Joe, we listen to this every time,

and we listen to you other songs too, and they're really good.

And then they start sharing this and then my cousins starts sogging and my arms

starts sogging, and go like, God, that's what you do. You

draw out as you're setting your life apart. I don't think much. I'm

just a water pot. You set your life apart, and God draws it

out. He changes it in ways. We don't know how did it turn

from water to wine? Did he put it into your test tube and do

this and that? Nobody knows. But when the miracle happens is when they

taste it. And that's that's the same in our lives. That you don't

know how God's going to use you. But when people taste and see that

the Lord is good, they will know that it is God. And I

go like, hey, you know what, it's not me, and I

share it with them my journey. I said, this is why God I

use that story. I said, you know, we only go one kid.

I know how Jesus feels when he sent one of the only son.

And I said, when we went through that, I was thinking, like

I have a kid by my lost my wife. And they go like wow,

and we cod minister to even marriages because there were people who were thinking

of giving up their marriage. I said, like, you don't know what

you've got, hold on to it, and we use that story. When

am I sharing this with you, it is because if you would find favor

in him, he would say, Lord, Lord, help me not to

please other people lot, but to find favor in your sight. Help me

to set my life apart. So the first point I wanted to get us

into your heads, into your hearts this morning is find favor with him.

Set your life apart with him. God's got miracles, God's got signs and

wonders. He can do it. And we sang. He turned water into

wine, he healed the sick, heat, freed those who are sinners.

God can do that. What more is all we need to do is just

avail ourselves. So tell our neighbor that make yourself ready. God's going to

do it. I wrote here that the G eight is setups often begin by

being set apart. The greatest setups begin if you set time apart. That

works not just in a spiritual life, but in every area of a life

as well. If you set time apart, if you spend more time,

just a little bit more time with your kid at which I learned. Then

I'm like, oh, maybe I understand her a bit more. And that's

where we can build on family, want more, our relationship with God.

And I'm here just to bring I said, I'm the delivery guard. I'm

just bringing that word that would just maybe encourage you to set your life apart,

because if God has done it before, he can do it again.

Amen. Let's read on in this story, in verse thirty, it says

the Angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you

have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb

and bring forth a son, and shocked call his name what Jesus. He

will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the

Lord will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign

over the House of Jacob forever, for his kingdom will be on no end.

And then Mary said to the Angel, how can this be since I

do not know a man? Right? How many of you are like Mary

in this place? Yes, it's just me those those that can relate.

When I read this, that's exactly how I feel like the Angel appears me

or God speak to me in some in in that like, Lord, how

right? The Malaysian to me will just come out, like how, how

is this going to work out? Guys, I don't see it happening.

And a lot of times we ask how, and God's reminded me that I

know it's You're gonna ask how, and Mary asks how. But depend on

the Who, who is more important than how. Who who makes it happen,

is more important than how it's going to happen. So I'm here to

encourage you. Number two, Fear not, but be filled with the Holy

Spirit. So you will get fears coming in. You're getting securities. Jesus

slept on the boat when all that was happening. You read it in your

Bible. But be filled with the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit will

help you. I'm going to give you some scripture to back that up.

Let's read Acts one, verse sixty eight. It says therefore, when they

had come together, they asked him, saying, Lord, will you at

this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And it said to them, it

is not for you to know the time since seasons, which the Father has

put in his own authority. But you shall receive power from the Holy Spirit.

When he has come upon you, and you shall be what witnesses to

me in Jerusalem and in all Jadea and Samaria, and to the ends of

the earth. We know it at verse, but it's it's so hard to

put into practice. It's like, we want to know when is this going

to happen? How is this going to happen? Lord? Who are you

going to bring in together? And when I moved to Melbourne, I think

we were getting married because it's just fresh, and like, some people met

me yesterday there and they go like, oh, how long have you been

there in Melbourne? And they go like this, has it been ten years?

I'm like, h And then we counted. We're like, oh,

it's close to ten years. It's like I think eight and a half or

nine. And then I was at a wedding and then they said like,

how has it been? I said, the first year? You want to

know, it was the most challenging year because when we landed in Melbourne,

we got married the same year, and then on that year and then the

year following that, we had to counsel three couples who are going through marriage

breakdowns. They were calling it quits, and so we were thinking, like

we're one year married, not even one year merit, and if we were

to counsel people like, do not come to me, guys. So I'm

like, how is this going to work? Where is this going to work?

And then of course text our text like all the pang Ho and and

Rose will be getting text from deal here. And we were still working on

our marriage. They know this. We were like, we're dying, guys,

killing each other. And then you trust us to lead this church so

hard. And then I text Bassandra. I said, like, there's this

couple that in this counseling and stuff that She's like, I think you can

handle it. I'm like, so right now. They didn't do that.

They would go like, go for it right, us like, no way

am I going to know what to counsel these people? Right? And then

the Holy Spirit comes in. The Holy Spirit comes in because it says,

it's not for you to know the times and the seasons, but you shall

be filled with the Holy Spirit. And God taught me that you can have

experience. You might have forty years of marriage an experience, but I can

give you wisdom and wisdom just top set. So if anyone here is praying,

Lord, give me the experience for that job. Ask God for wisdom,

vis say, because wisdom will top anything or any experience. God will

give you wisdom, not just for today, but like for tomorrow, wisdom

that has never been in your pocket of experience. God will give it to

you because His thoughts are higher, His ways are higher. And let's read.

Let's read it. Don't take it from me, take it from the

word one John two, verse twenty seven. It says the anointing which you

receive from him abides in you, the anoint thing that speaks about the Holy

Spirit. And you do not need an want to teach you. But the

same anointing teaches you concerning everybody, say all things, concerning all things in

marriage, meaning I have no experience in this, Lord, you're gonna teach

me. Lord, I don't know how to raise this toddler which is whining,

and this all things. Lord, I don't know how do my assignments

all things. Lord, I can't handle this problem or this neighbor all things.

I'm just sharing with you that the Holy Spirit is equipping us for all

things, and it is true, and it's not a lie, just that

he has taught you you will abide in him, and we know John fifteen

says, abide in me and I in Christ. Right. Abide just means

to dwell, to depend on, to take from that sauce. And so

I really have to depend on the Holy Spirit really, really really, and

because I was like, oh am, I going to consul these people,

and then Dela goes like, I'll tell you on the story one of the

couples I was counseling. I was like thinking, like, oh, no,

is like, uh, they were calling the cops already and cops are

involved, and then call pass the Jewel. I'm like, guys, don't

call me, right, And then I said I have to go and counsel

this couple. And then she said, but but Megan and Harry at getting

married on the TV on live TV, so she was catching another marriage happening.

And I said, guys, seriously, I'm like I need some I'm

sorry. And then I went like, Holy Spirit guide me, and she

says, but they're getting married. I said, okay, you follow them,

do what you can. If I really need help, I'm gonna get

you. Right. She said, okay, I'm not too far. So

we when we're counseling this couple and then I said, hold Spirit, you

gotta intervene because when the authority involved, it's a whole different thing. You

may not get your child back in Australia because if they deemed the place is

not fit and safe for a child, they would take a child away.

And so I was like, what is passa joe when you're married? Trying

to solve this case? Just and I go there and then I say,

Holy Spirit, you got to help me. And then I walk into this

place and it was like just bamned firing plates this that I go. And

what I couldn't stand was I saw the two kids and they were just holding

their years and like just bending down, and my heart broke. I just

went in. I sat with him. I said, hey, it's gonna

be okay, and we're gonna get help. I need help. And I

was holding them and I was say God, you got to come true.

And God just gave me that bonus to preach, and he says, I

spoke. I spoke in a firm voice. I said enough enough, can

I can I have a word? And when I spoke, Postpit said awesome,

who raised the hand first? And this is such a deep question.

I said, who raised a hand and I says, and when was the

first time you raised the hand? It was a deep question. I was

like, Wow, how to ask this question in this heated moment, I

said, I walked around and I just had to go. I just said,

hey, you know what, I just wanted you to know. I

spoke to I spoke to the couple, and I said, I just wanted

to ask when was the first time that the hand was raised and why?

And so that opened up a discussion that something was buried and the marriage that

was where it stemmed from that breaking point and God used that at that moment

to open up something that was buried and it was a wound. I said,

you know what you need to forgive. You need to forgive because that

has been holding you and that has been hurting this marriage. And so when

I opened up that word and that whole spirit just delivered that, I said,

you know what, you don't want you to lose your children because of

something that you're not willing to let go. When you hold onto something that

holds and hurts, then you're going to lose something more precious. I said,

God loves you and this family, you need to let something else go.

And so when I when I went, this is not me again,

it's the whole spirit. And when I said, you just go let it

go, and I said, we're here with you, we're here as a

church, but there's something that you have to let go. And the year

after that we found out that the couple, the marriage is resort. They

were living together, they moved in together. And now we go like,

whoa God, only you can do it. So some things are not overnight.

But God opens doors that we were trying to bury and God needs to

rework that. Why am I sharing with you with this? It's because God

drops wisdom. Ask him. As you set your life apart, there will

be fears that come in, like, oh twenty four is coming. Oh

I don't know what's going to happen. Where am I supposed to be?

Is this the church? Rite for me? Ask God? Lord? Am

I right? Am I? Right before you? Before we ask Lord?

Are these people? What have they wronged me? How have they wronged me?

Lord? Am I right before you? As a vessel. Lord,

if you're gonna pour out your best that people will taste and see that you're

good, then Lord, make me a vessel that is ready. And so

I'm constantly learning that I'm like Lord, I'm not perfect, But Lord,

make me a vessel that's clean so that you can pour out. And there

are people here, you're filled with fears. God gave me just three points.

Number one is people here need to be reminded that that favor comes from

Him, but that faith is your step. That faith is your step.

If you would step out one step, that favor would come. Number two

is to put fears aside, put those discouragements aside, put us past hurt

aside. Someone's here who is holding onto something like I shared, and you're

holding on You're feeling like I can't. This is so painful. By God

saying what's it going to cost you? And if you would let this go,

I'm gonna show you greater things. Amen. Let's I wrote here that

the miracle of the tomb began before the womb. Thank you XCV. The

miracle at the tomb. We're saying, just now, Oh, praise the

name of the Lord forever. Right. We know that Jesus conquered the grave,

but before he conquered the grave, it took Mary to believe Mary's faith

to go, Like Lord, I don't know how this is gonna happen,

right. How why, I don't know, But Lord, let it be

done according to your will. That's what the response should be. Lord,

let it be done, and the Holy Spirit will lead us. The Holy

Spirit will grant you that wisdom, so keep trusting in him. Let's read,

and let's draw this to a close. It says here in verse thirty

six to thirty eight. Now, indeed, Elizabeth, your relative has also

conceived a child in a son in her old age, and this is now

the sixth month for her who was called Baron. For with God nothing will

be impossible. And then Mary said, behold the mad seven of the Lord.

Let it be to me according to your word. And then the angel

departed from her. That is an amazing thing. I think God works in

so many ways. And when I read this story, I go like,

Wow, if I was married, like, I'll be freaked out right.

How many of you are like that? Like I'm engaged, I'm going to

be married to this guy named Joseph. And then an angel tells me I'm

going to be pregnant with Jesus, who is going to be great and he's

going to be the son of God, Like big news. Right, and

she's thinking like, how is this gonna work? Is this even possible?

But God brings encouragement as well, because in this verse it says that the

Angel said, indeed, Elizabeth, your relative has also conceived a son.

So God will give you testimonies from each other as well. That's why we

meet as a church because sometimes you receive a word of God and you're thinking

like, Lord, should I move forward? I don't know what I know?

And then you hear testimony. You go like, oh, yeah,

God, you did it for Elizabeth. Lord, you did it for this

person. Lord, you came to for this person. Lord, if you

did all that, God's reminding you that all this is me God saying that

if I did it for them, how much more I can do it for

you. And so God brings that encouragement. God brings the right people around

you. You hear stories of people just responding in faith, and then you

go like, Lord, do that for me. So that's why we meet

as a church. That's why we even though you feel like, ah,

it's Christmas and I should I should go on holidays? Why am I in

church? Church is a place where we gether, where our faith is built

up and then we go out and then we encourage the rest. I don't

know whether you know this already. I'm just giving your heads up. But

like the theme for next year is about witnessing again that all know that Jesus

is thorn, all know that he is the only one that we should rely

on. But how can they know if we're not convinced? How can they

know if we are like Jesus? I don't know. I told the only

I said, like man, like I'm I'm I have this boldness like ever

before to witness, and I'm catching it that people need to know me because

I don't want to reach that place where people ask me, uh, why

didn't you ask me about it? Why did you tell me about it?

If you knew good news, if you knew that God can come true for

you, if you knew that God did that for your marriage and God save

your life, why didn't you tell me? And I go like, phoo,

I better tell them now I've had to tell them, And this is

what happened. Recently. I went for this twenty one km run on a

Sunday. Guys, do not do that because you would just die. Right.

I was thinking, like I've done it before, and I signed up

for this half marathon, and I was thinking, I can definitely make it

on time, and that's the only reason why I ran so fast. People

asking me why he run so fast? So I can make it on time.

And and then I was like, okay, I need to make it

to church at ten o'clock for pre service pare ten fifteen. I said like,

lord, you gotta help me finish this race, and so I signed

up for that race got and then I was like, barely made it to

a finish line like those no running. You're like halfway running, like why

am I doing this? Right? Why am I doing this? And like

this is even worth it? And like I'm like oh, and I'm passionate

about running, but like half you're doubting yourself. You're like just just leave

it. You're forty years old, shut up, right, leave it aside.

But after finish line, I'm like no time. Like people were like,

hey, take my metal stuff I got, I got no time for

this, gonna get my suit, get no time this and there jumping the

car right and then I was like in a car, I'm having this massive

cramps right like And'm like, oh man, this is hurting. And then

I was like, oh, jump into this car. I said, God,

give me a good driver. And then when the name came up,

right, her name was Betty. You know, I was like Betty.

I was like, okay, if your name is Betty, here Betty,

it's the best name, right, Patty is the best name. But to

my experience, I share this in Melbourne and they laugh only because in Melbourne

I shared with them that the first person that lied to me when I was

a kid was a girl named Betty, and so I had major distrust with

this person named Betty. And so when I see it, like the uber

comes up means Betty, God, you are kidding me. The last person

that lied to me when I was a kid and first person actually was Betty.

God, you gotta be kidding me. For all names. And she's

the most she likes driver all the time. So she's like, hi,

what you're dressed good? And I'm like, Betty, I'm hurting. I'm

having crams, no time for small chat. And then I'm like then she's

like, ohe are you going And I'm like, oh, I'm going to

church and was like, oh, you're going to church. I'm a Christian

too, So I'm giving you just a glimpse of who this person is.

And so she's she's great, she's she's chatting and I go like, oh,

lady, got no time for chatting. I mean if you when you're

in pain, you know what I mean, Like, you have no time

to chat. I was like, God, no, my church. And

then on the way she goes like, so what brings you here to Melbourne?

And she starts pouring our story. He says I've been here for twenty

two years and go like, wow, twenty two years and what brought you

here? And we're going through this journey. And then I said, I'm

actually going to I'm trying to hint to actually going to go to church because

I'm serving. They say, oh, that's great. Then are you doing

something and serving something? Say? Yeah, I'm doing They are a little

serving or something to. I say, be great if I can get downtime

right, trying to drop her hint and she goes, all right, I'll

take you there, and she goes mad mode. Okay, so this is

when I'm like praying. I'm praying. Hother, I'm like, God,

Betty, we're gonna meet you meet Jesus together, this is not gonna happen.

But we're reaching the church, and I said, and God was impressing

on my heart again, like he loves everyone, even Betty. I was

thinking, I don't know how to reach Betty. Betty said, she said,

she said, she knows Christ, she's a Christian. She's got a

cross hanging in the car. And then I say, why am I supposed

to say her? Why am I? You guys know how am I supposed

to share the gospel with my friend? And then hold spirit said I'll speak.

You just listen. I go like, okay, waiting for it.

And then we reached right outside of church, and then she's dropping off.

I said, thanks, Betty, appreciate it. You got me here on

time. Thank you so much. He's like, before we go, can

you pray for me? I go like, and how many of you have

read the story of the Good Samaritan. I felt like I was gonna be

like that priest who went like, oh my girlsh I got no time,

Betty. That's how I felt, Okay that in that place, I'm like,

I have no time, Betty, pray for you. I'll pray for

the world, okay, But at this point I'm like, oh no.

And then God said, that's why you're here. That's why you're here.

And I had to pray for her in this car. I'm sitting in the

car having crams, praying, Lord, pray for Betty. Lord, whatever

her need is. They'll be thinking that you brought her in. And God

gave me. I can't remember the exact prayer, but God gave me a

glimpse of where she's at in her faith, where her family's at. And

God was dropping that as I prayed for her, I said, like,

you know what, God has so much more and so for you. Thank

you for driving me. And I said, but this is not the end

of your journey with him. This is the end of his journey with me.

But your journey with him goes a long way, and he's interested in

that journey. And she couldn't drive. After that, she was just sitting

in the carp Maybe she's waiting for another She was just okay now, I

she said, God, bless you. I ran, I want you to

know, that's why got this and impossible situations, in crazy situations. With

God, nothing is impossible. How did Mary respond, That's where I'm going

with pointree Look one verse twenty six to thirty. It says Mary said,

behold the maid servant of the Lord. Let it be according to your word,

an angel departed from her. That's Mary's response. Let's read this guy

in Luke five is five. Simon answered and said to him, Master,

we've toiled all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, at your word, I

will let down the net. And this guy is very close, he says,

saying, father, if it is your will, take this cup away

from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. Do

you see the responses of those who have gone before if you read Hebrews right,

just giving a glimpse of where this is going, that it says that

all these have gone before us, and I'm in this race and these people

are cheering me on. It says Hebrews talks about a cloud of witnesses that

are cheering us on. They're they're going like, hey, bang ho,

you can do it. Keep running the race, keep going, keep believing

they've gone before us. And it doesn't say like they were perfect. He

didn't say that. Even Jesus you reading this, He goes like, take

this cup away, meaning the weight of it could come across to you.

As well, it could be burdening you. And God's saying that some people

here, you've got impossible situations, impossible like I can't even think of,

like what situation you might be in. But God saying that he sees you,

he knows where you're at, and if you would respond in that way,

say nevertheless at your word, even though you can't see it. God's

saying, trust me in this, and I'm going to get the worship team

up and we're going to pray together. But what's your response? Because Mary

responded in faith even though she had doubts. There are times where I go

like, Lord, I can't do this, I can't do it on my

own. But Lord, your word, you're loved for these people. And

there's someone here. God saying that you might be thinking that you've tried Christ.

You tried, maybe you tried Christianity before you felt like I followed.

Maybe you came from another church, maybe you visit it and then you felt

like, oh, I've tried this before, been there, done that.

But God saying that he's a God of new beginnings, He's a God that

birth Jesus true. Someone who feels like I don't know who I am,

I am Mary? How is this going to be? Not the perfect situation?

And God brings about Jesus that name that we sing every Christmas, but

we should be singing every day. We only sometimes we focus in on Christmas,

but we've missed that message. There's there's someone here. I was just

penning it down just now that if it's your life that is breaking down.

God saying to someone here specifically, why most marriages don't last is because we

don't put Christ first. So if you're doubting, you're like, I don't.

You could be a single person, or he could be someone who's like

married and you're thinking like I don't think my marriage is gonna last, Or

he could be thinking like why should I get married? Marriages don't last anyway,

I'm just trying to act going the Aussie way of you know, Australia,

it says one in two marriages fail, so why get married? Just

live together? Farewell? Why? And we were there at my cousin's wedding

and we were like, okay, let's journey together. Let's journey together.

But beyond all this is putting God first. Say Lord, if this is

me, Lord, use my life and pour it out, pour it out,

so that as I walk, I don't know where I'm going. Lord,

I don't know how this is going to be a miracle. But as

you bring it to the people, to the right person, Lord, even

as they taste Lord, that miracle will happen, that breakthrough will happen,

and people will go like, wow, how this happened. And you go

like it was Jesus. He just told me to feel it. And God's

saying to feel feel life with this holy spirit because it's the spirit that gives

us the anointing, that spirit that would carry us true. In Genesis,

it says before the world was formed, his spirit hovered across the land,

and then he called for things before they existed. God's going to call for

things even though you don't see it. But you need to step out and

believe it. You need to trust God that he is the God of miracles.

Halle I wrote that song all three years ago or was it four years

ago, and it was never finished because I wrote with all my with all

my soul, I adore you worship. But where there's that song come from,

I'll give you just a glimpse. That story is actually from that woman

with an alabasad alabastajar. She didn't have much. She was broken and all

she had was this alabastajar. All she had was this prized channel perfume for

the ladies that know iticed it's like really expensive. And when Jesus, she

knew who Jesus was, she knew that only Jesus can save me, only

Jesus can set me free. And she just walked. She didn't care what

people thought, she didn't care if people were judging her. She just walked

across that room and she went to Jesus. She was walking through a breakthrough.

And then she poured it out on Jesus feet and she started wiping his

feet with her hair. If you're a lady here, I don't think that's

what you do normally, right, you don't white people's legs with your hair.

But it's because you feel like Lord, I would do anything to be

walking with you. I would do anything, Lord to be at your feet.

And I think that's when you really know that all He needs is for

you to come to him with all you have. And God is able to

do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask. And I said, I never

finished that song until last year when I said, Lord, what is it

that you have for your people? And he says, remind me, remind,

remind them who I am to them? And I go like, who

are you? Who are you? Jesus, you let me know? And

he says, I'm the one who turned water into wine. I heal the

sick, the blind. I am the Lord your God. He told the

Israelites as they were journeying in the wilderness, I am. And God wants

you know that if you're here in this place you maybe you trusted God one

time and he says, Lord, I trust you, and he was your

God. God saying today I am sue your God. I am see the

one. Maybe you're campus student and you go like, Lord, when you

came through my campus exams, I God hasted. But now in my working

years, I'm crumbling. And God says, I am sue your God,

the God of your break truth, the God of your marriage. For those

year in a tough situation in your marriage, God, you can do that.

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

church, please visit aschurch Do Org. We are also active on Facebook and

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I hit for you, God bless