January BIG Sunday - Fasted Life

Welcome to Go Church Beirut, your place to love, grow and go.

Get ready to hear an inspiring message recorded during a Go Church Beirut gathering.

So I'm excited to be with you today.

I want to take just a few minutes before we get started in our Bible lesson

and talk about what the Lord has done in 2023,

because He's done some amazing things.

You know why?

Because that's who He is.

He's awesome.

He's Lord.

He's a giver.

He's a rewarder.

He is an increaser.

He will add to us.

He makes us more than we could be on our own.

In 2023, I just jotted some things down.

We shared these with some of the team, and I wanted to share it with you.

In April this past year, there was an inspired utterance.

We see that as called prophecy in the New Testament.

It just simply means that the Spirit of God inspired a servant of God

to say something in a known tongue and something that we could understand.

And this prophetic word was emerge.

That word emerge means to become visible, to become prominent,

and to recover from a difficult situation that's in the dictionary.

This word emerge, this prophetic word for emerge is for, go church Beirut.

That means it's for you and I.

And when I say it is for you and I, it's a command.

It's a command for us to emerge, to become who God needs us to be in this nation in these days.

I mentioned Proverbs chapter 11.

Proverbs 11 · chapter mention

Just a few verses before the verse I quoted about sowing sparingly and reaping sparingly

says that when the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.

The way the Lord, the answer for Lebanon from the Lord is in you

and will come through you, the church.

And in this word emerge, we studied this for two months this year, we studied the word able.

And that word emerge is all the ability to do it.

When he said go church Beirut emerge, there's all the ability to do it.

And we're pressing into that.

So I want to share some notable things that happened in 2023.

At the beginning of last year, we started with just three groups.

We're a group-centered church.

We gather like this just once a month.

And when we're able to, we also gather on the fourth Friday for a time of believers that just gather

and we just give ourselves to prayer and worship, following the Holy Spirit.

But primarily church for us happens in groups.

And so at the beginning of 2023, we just had three groups.

In fact, the reason we had three groups is I forcibly divided two of them to a lot of kicking and screaming.

But we finished 2023 with seven groups, including the most important one, and that is one just for kids.

So how many groups will we finish 2024 with?

I believe a lot.

We're pressing into that.

And I'm going to come back and ask that question later.

But this is just what happened in 2023.

We had more than 50 people make decisions through Go Church Beirut ministry in 2023 for Jesus.

That's the part where we all say, hallelujah.

Thank you, Lord.

Glory to God.

Do you know what Luke 15 says happens when one person receives Jesus?

We studied this.

Somebody tell me.

There's joy, right?

There's joy.

So there should be joy in Beirut when 50.

Right?

If there's joy in heaven for one, there should be some joy.

Let's practice.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Lord.

Thank you, Lord.

So how many will this number be in 2024?

More.

How many more?

What could we believe for?

What could we believe God to do together?

More than 22 people were baptized in the Holy Spirit.

I almost put it on here to show you, but I have a video on my phone of a guy from a Baladiya officer.

With his hands up, praying in tongues and saying hallelujah.

Because a Go Church family member brought him to Jesus and said, let's not stop at the cross.

Let's go on to Acts chapter two.

And here's this guy in his uniform outside, praying in tongues, saying hallelujah.

How many more?

I'm believing for a thousand people in Lebanon to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

And if you have any of these videos on your phone, share them with me.

I love them.

OK.

You know who I'm talking to.

We had more than 40 people experience an alpha.

We just started a new alpha.

We're starting that I know of.

We're starting two more.

We have an average of 63 people every week that listen to our podcast, which is a great privilege.

And this month, this podcast series, I'm going to encourage you to listen.

There are some things that were said that I think are important.

They're important for you.

And while we may be always encourage you to listen, I would I would encourage you to take the time to listen.

And we average about one hundred and twenty every big Sunday, about 48 people on our average come to the the believers gathering.

And a number that I'm really excited about is we have 34 that are part of Go Church that are also part of Rema.

And if you don't know what Rema is, there's still time, just a few days.

And is it tomorrow?

There is not a few days.

You have you have some time until tomorrow to apply.

And if you're interested to be part of Rema, you can apply and join the final intake.

We won't do another intake for new students until after we graduate this current class.

That's our plan right now.

And the new one may not be in Beirut.

So if you know someone that's interested, encourage them to apply.

And if you don't know how to apply, all you have to do is contact Joseph.

Joseph Joseph is the point of contact for today.

Another thing I want to share with everyone, this is something that we should rejoice and and thank God about is

I remember when this number was zero.

Right. In our leader meeting, I mentioned that there was a time that Go Church Beirut were just two mats, two jewelies and a whiteboard.

But today, after twenty twenty three, Go Church Beirut tithes and offerings, that's the money that is given to Go Church Beirut to help everything that we do.

All the groups help put on these meetings.

Forty one thousand dollars, one hundred and eleven dollars was given in twenty twenty three by you.

Glory to God. Glory to God.

Hallelujah. That's awesome. That's great.

Now, you spent fifty seven thousand dollars, which is more than forty one thousand.

And that's OK, because all of these numbers are just going to go up.

The one that's in red there, the difference was actually covered by Club 1040, which is the ministry that Pastor Matt and Julie Beamer ahead.

And I can tell you what this number is going to be in twenty twenty four, which is.

Zero, because Go Church Beirut is emerging and will stand on its own.

And we're excited about that. I'm excited about that, because that means that you're increasing.

This is good. This is very good.

And these numbers are just going to get bigger.

So in twenty twenty four, Go Church will be self supporting.

And I also want to say, you know, we're thankful that we get to use this place, but we're actively looking for a new home.

And it won't be our forever home, but it will be a place.

And I'm going to talk about that in just a minute.

But in twenty twenty three, we had sixty five thousand dollars given just for a Go Church building or Go Church hub.

And if you think what's a hub, I'm going to tell you in just a minute.

But I wanted to explain that is all from here.

That's all from Lebanon. That's not some big organization from outside.

That's just from the Go Church family.

And you know what? This is going to just keep happening. Why?

Because you are increasing. Go Church Beirut is growing and we're emerging into all that God has called us to be.

Let me say that another way.

Lebanon will recover from a difficult situation because God blesses you and prospers you and causes you to increase.

And you live here. That is good news.

That is good news for this country. And that is good news for your family.

So Psalm one hundred twenty six.

I love this. I love this song, the whole song.

But just for time's sake, I just put this part out.

This is from the Passion Translation.

It says all the nations saw it.

Saw what?

Saw what God did.

What am I talking about?

Emerging.

The things that Jesus is going to do in and through Go Church Beirut,

the things that Jesus is doing in and through you are meant to be visible and prominent.

Visible and prominent. Why?

So that they say the Lord has done great miracles for them.

That's my prayer for you.

I want the things that Jesus does in and through you to be so shocking

that people who don't yet know Jesus say only the Lord could have done that.

They couldn't have done it. They're not that smart.

They couldn't have done it. They're not that strategic.

They couldn't have done it. They couldn't have known.

But the Lord has done great things for them.

And when they, the nations, those that don't yet know God say that,

you know what we should say?

Yes, he has done good things.

Not, yeah, you know, I'm really, I pray a lot, so I know what to do.

No, we just say, yes, the Lord has done great things.

He has done great things.

And this is my favorite part.

Now, Lord, do it again.

If there's one thing that you can point to in 2023 and say, God did that for me,

then apply this phrase.

Now, Lord, now, Lord, do it again.

That's 2024.

Now, Lord, do it again.

Hallelujah.

He's doing great things. He's doing them in you.

He's doing them through you.

And that's my prayer. Now, Lord, do it again.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Well, I'm going to just mention this briefly.

We'll just run through this because I want to get into our message.

But hubs, I mentioned hubs.

We talked a little bit about it on the podcast.

We've we've experimented this idea.

We've talked about it.

We've been experimenting with Rafi and Patricia's Go Cafe in Ashrafiyah.

And the first hub that we actually move into from here will look a little weird

because it'll probably have a big auditorium like this and things.

But what a hub is, is just a place that helps groups grow.

A hub is simply a place that helps groups grow.

What am I talking about?

I'm talking about a place that groups can use to come together and build relationships.

And throughout the year, we'll talk more about this.

You'll hear more about it.

But I just want to kind of put this in front of you.

It's designed for groups to gather.

It's going to be prominent.

It's going to be visible.

And it will be a place where Go Church Beirut can help our community.

And I'm excited about it.

All right.

So I want to switch gears and we're going to talk about fasting.

How many of you like the idea of fasting?

So the fasted life, I first wanted to call this life in the fast line.

Gilbert said that was a bad idea.

But the fasted life.

Now, I'm going to talk today maybe about fasting from a little different angle.

If you have questions about what the Bible teaches specifically about fasting,

my recommendation to you is go to the podcast and follow along.

And then obviously in our groups, in our grow groups,

we're going to dig more into that aspect.

But today we're going to talk about it from a little different angle.

And many of you got to meet Brother Tokes when he was here.

Brother Tokes worked with Pastor Matt Beamer in Raymond, Nigeria.

He's the director of Raymond, Nigeria.

He has this saying.

He says, if you and I are close enough to walk together, then it's probably true

that we're close enough to step on each other's feet.

So if you find today that I'm stepping on you, just keep your eyes looking forward.

Big smile.

No one will know I'm talking about you.

Okay.

I don't have anybody in mind.

I'm not talking to one person.

This is just some things that are on my heart for us together to grow up into.

Okay.

So I'm not talking about anyone specifically, but I'm talking to all of us, all of us.

Okay.

So Matthew chapter six, verse 18.

This is a great passage about fasting, and when you're up here sharing,

I will tell you to not do what I'm going to do because frequently today,

I'm going to turn around and I'm going to look at the screen.

I'm going to point.

But that's because I've chosen some specific translations that have some phrases

that I want us to look at and key in.

All right.

So here, Matthew chapter six, this is Jesus talking and he says this.

He says, and when you fast, don't make it obvious as the hypocrites do.

Nobody likes hypocrites, right?

Hypocrites and tourists are hated globally.

Don't get Julie started about tourists.

Jesus said, when you fast, don't do it like hypocrites.

Do hypocrites fast?

They must.

Hypocrites fast.

Uh-oh.

I didn't think that was a thing, right?

Jesus said, when you fast, do it this way.

He said, don't do it like the hypocrites do for when they fast,

they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for fasting.

Imagine.

How are you?

I'm so weak.

I haven't eaten for almost two hours.

I actually met someone years and years ago.

They put themselves in the hospital and had to undergo medical treatment

because they tried to fast for 40 days.

I know that because they told me and everyone else what they were doing.

I'm on a 40-day fast.

The Lord told me to fast for 40 days.

I'm not going to eat anything.

I'm not going to drink any water.

Just no food, no water for 40 days.

They made it a few days and then they wound up in the hospital.

Since we're talking about it, please don't do that.

If you had a dream and the Lord told you to don't eat or drink for 40 days,

no, he didn't.

Okay?

In fact, just go ahead and eat something right then.

But Jesus, he said, when hypocrites fast, they try to make themselves look miserable

so that everyone will admire them.

Look how spiritual.

Look how spiritual this person is.

Look how spiritual this person is.

They missed breakfast.

I could never miss breakfast.

Can't miss breakfast.

If I miss breakfast, there's no telling what I'd do.

Jesus didn't like to miss breakfast either.

Look what happened in Mark chapter 11 when he missed breakfast.

Mark 11 · chapter mention

The fig tree, there's no figs.

He winds up at the temple.

He turns over all the tables.

Maybe I'm missing something.

Jesus said, when you fast, when you fast,

don't do it like hypocrites do.

That must mean that hypocrites fast.

And then he says something interesting.

He said, I tell you the truth.

That is the only reward they will get.

Wait a minute.

Why did Jesus say reward?

Here's a question.

What is the reward for fasting?

Is there a reward for fasting?

Jesus just said, hey, when you fast,

which is we're going to talk about in just a minute,

when you fast, make sure that you don't do it like hypocrites do.

Why?

Because there's a reward for fasting that they're missing out on.

Okay. You have my attention.

What is the reward for fasting?

So we talk about this in the podcast, and we go into some details,

and we'll dig into those details about the reward of fasting specifically in our grow groups.

But today, I want you to hold that in your mind,

and I want to ask you a question.

Are you familiar with this expression, my plate is full?

It's an idiom, is the way we would describe it in English.

My plate is full.

This is often, you hear this a lot when someone like Julie is saying,

hey, we need, we're thankful for all the help that we have.

If you're not helping, here's how you can help.

And sometimes the reply to that is, sorry, my plate is full.

Have you ever said that or something like that?

Yeah, I can't really take anything else on.

My plate is full.

Maybe you have attended one of our Go Church meetings in the past

where we've done like a buffet lunch or food, and you say something like this.

My plate is full of food, and I don't know what to do,

because I'm only halfway through the line.

Just so you know, Julie worked in restaurants for years.

If you go to a buffet, all of the cheap food is in the front,

and then the proteins are at the very end, so that by the time you get there,

your plate is full.

That's science.

So my plate is full of food, but there's still more food that I want.

Fasting often is related just to food.

The reason for that is the word fasting in the Bible means to close your mouth.

If you want to grow spiritually, close your mouth.

But I want to look at fasting from a little different angle.

In fact, I want to ask this. Do you have a lot on your mind?

Does it feel at times where if someone adds one more thing to you,

you're just going to pop?

You get off the phone, your email goes off,

and you're afraid to look at the email because you think,

holus, my plate is full.

I can't take one more thing.

Look at this image.

On one side we've got a one-man band.

If you would like to see Gilbert in one of these, take out your phone.

I'm kidding.

You see the one image of the person trying to balance everything on their plate.

The other person is literally just doing everything.

They're hooked up to a cymbal and a horn and a guitar and a kazoo and all kinds of things.

Does this look like you?

Let me ask it another way.

When you open your Bible reading plan for Go Church Beirut, the U version app,

is this what you look like?

Your Bible chapter is playing in the background.

Meanwhile, you've got your guitar and your kazoo and your drum and your,

I'm busy, I'm working, I've got a lot of things.

Whoa, it's quiet.

What does your plate look like?

I shared all these numbers and this plan and a little bit of what's happening and what's going to happen.

That's all good.

It's also going to require some space on your plate if you're going to be part of it.

Let me say that another way.

If you are going to participate in the plan of God for your life in 2024,

there might be some things on your plate that you need to remove.

And that's why I want to talk about fasting.

So let's look back at Matthew chapter 6 and notice in the context of what Jesus is talking about,

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

he mentions three things with the phrase, when you.

When is an adverb.

It describes an action.

He doesn't say if you.

He said when you.

When you give.

When you pray.

And when you fast.

Followers of Jesus are givers.

Followers of Jesus pray.

Followers of Jesus fast.

Well, this is a good message.

This is going to get a lot of downloads.

Christians sometimes read this and say, when I have extra money, I'll give.

When I have extra time or a super big need, I'll pray.

When ever I feel like it, I might fast.

There are no Bible translations that render it that way.

Jesus said, when you as a follower of me do these things, that tells me I'm supposed to be doing it.

When I pray, when I give, and when I fast.

So when I fast, I say no to me.

Fasting does not convince God to do things for me.

Fasting helps me change me.

Fasting is when I tell me no.

Fasting is when I look at something that is occupying my plate and I say, I need that space for him.

So I'm going to take the cinnamon roll off.

Or I'm going to take the two and a half hours of Instagram reels off.

Or I'm going to take the time that I sit with my best friend and gossip about what this person is doing and what that person is doing and what this show said and what that show said.

And what do you think is going to happen in the next episode?

I'm going to take that off my plate.

What's the thing that is occupying your plate?

That you would say, this emerge thing, it sounds pretty good.

When it happens for everybody, I'll jump on.

But in the meantime, my plate's full.

Look at verse 22.

This is same chapter, same time Jesus is preaching the same sermon.

How many of you would love to hear Jesus teach and preach a sermon?

All you have to do is read Matthew 6.

Same sermon, Jesus said, your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body.

When your eye is healthy, your body is filled with light.

But when your eye is unhealthy, you're filled with darkness.

And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep is that darkness?

Do you know what's wrong with being deceived?

You're deceived.

And while that seems really simple, it's powerful.

Years ago, I was visiting a friend and this friend, he had a teenage daughter.

This teenage daughter brought this boy home that was following her wherever she would go.

And I didn't pay any attention. I was talking to her dad.

We finished what we were talking and she came in the room and she said something to him.

I didn't hear it. And his dad turned to me and said, we need to lead this boy to the Lord.

He was about, I think he was 16 years old.

Okay. I don't have to flip a switch for that.

We're always ready to do that. So me and this other man, we led him to the Lord, prayed with him.

This was on a Wednesday.

Two days later on a Friday, he was at a youth meeting.

And I was asked to come and speak at this youth meeting.

There weren't a lot of people there. Maybe there were 10 or 12 people there.

I shared a really simple Bible lesson.

Not even I remember what I talked about. It wasn't that good.

Afterwards, we're sitting around in this kid.

This is Friday. He accepted Jesus on Wednesday. He's 16.

He said this to me. He said, you know, if you stay by yourself, you think I'm okay.

But if you get around other Christians and hear a lesson from the Bible, you think, huh, I have to make changes.

He said the 16 year old kid said that after two days of knowing Jesus, not even two days.

It was Wednesday night. This is Friday night.

He said that to me. I'm like, can we put that in a bottle and make everyone drink it?

This is this is powerful.

I don't remember what I taught on, but I'll never forget what that kid said.

Deception. Comes as a result of pride. Pride.

The former pastor of Go Church Bradford said this. I thought it was so powerful.

If you haven't dealt with pride in the last two weeks, you're probably yielding to it.

So pride is something that everybody has to work on. Right.

No one has pride mounted like a deer in your house. Like, yep.

I remember back in 2013 when I shot that.

Pride is believing lies.

Humility is the greatest protection that you have against deception.

So rather than look and say, you know what, I've got everything figured out.

I've got my I've got my day ordered. This is how I do it.

This is like and I can't I can't take anything else on. This is.

Let's examine us.

We're told in the New Testament to take heed to ourself.

Take a look at how we spend our time and what our focus is on.

If you were here during the rama sessions, I was convinced that Pastor Matt was going to get over into my message because he kept talking about what you're willing to maybe die for, what you would say you would die for, but what you actually end up living for.

Verse 25, Jesus said, This is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life, whether you have enough food, drink, or clothes to wear.

The context of Matthew six is food, drink, raiment.

The whole world is pursuing this in some form.

Jesus said, There's something else.

There's something more. There's something else I want on your plate.

I want you to focus your energy on something else.

We might say it like this.

Don't consume your life.

On what gets used up.

Everything in the natural is passing away.

And if that's our focus,

that's darkness that we're calling light.

The illustration and for the rama students that were here, the pastor Matt said yesterday, many people would say I would die for the gospel.

But there's a like a funny cartoon thing that was shared on Instagram or on social media that said I'll die for the gospel, but you won't volunteer in the Children's Department.

I would die for the gospel, but I don't have time to open up the U version Bible out.

I don't have time to download the U version Bible out and follow along with the reading plan.

I would die for the gospel.

But the only time I can really spend in prayer is between the red and green light on Salome.

Those lights don't work, by the way. That's why I'm saying.

Yeah, I'll die for it, but I'm not going to give my life to it.

Are you crazy? No, I love myself too much for that.

I'm using my microphone like that at my microphone trying to get off.

I mentioned a prophecy earlier. I want to share this prophecy with you.

This was in 1982. Kenneth Hagin said this. I'm just going to read it. It's very short.

Don't take up all your time with natural things.

Some of those things are legitimate, and it's right to take a certain period of time there.

But see to it that you give heed, watch, listen to, and pay attention to your spirit.

And you give your spirit opportunity to feed upon the Word of God

and give your spirit the opportunity to commune with the Father above and build yourself up on your most holy faith.

It doesn't take a lot of time. Just an hour or two out of 24. Just an hour or two out of 24.

Hour or two. Matt, I'm trying to get to 10 minutes.

Say a tithe of your time to me, says the Lord, and all will be well.

Your life will be changed and it will be empowered and a mighty force for God.

Lots of people I know like the last bit of that.

I know a lot of people that want to be changed. I know a lot of people that want to be empowered.

I know a lot of people that want to be a mighty force for God.

But I mean, two hours? Who has two hours?

Two hours to pray by myself? Who would see me and who would know that I'm doing it?

I'm glad you guys can't see what I see.

If you don't like what Brother Hagen prophesied, let's look at what the Holy Spirit said through the Apostle John.

1 John chapter 2, verse 15 through 17. This is from the Phillips translation.

1 John 2:15–17

Never give your hearts to this world or to any of the things in it.

Philip did a really good job with this translation, by the way.

For the whole world's system is based on men's desires, greedy ambitions, and the glamour of all they think is splendid.

Do you know there's a difference between what men think is splendid or great and what God thinks?

He thinks different than we do.

If you spend a little time with him, you realize, huh, he thinks different.

You'll be like that 16 year old that's like, if I stay by myself, everything is OK.

But if I get around him a little bit, I realize I got to make some changes.

All the things that are in the world, John says, or the Holy Spirit through John says, it is not, let's back up.

It's not derived from the Father at all.

All the things from this world system, it's not derived from the Father at all.

So if it is the object of my pursuit, in other words, if I look at how I spend my time,

and my time is focused solely on getting, obtaining things that minister to me,

then I am not pursuing the Father at all.

Another way for me to ask this is, if in the next 30 minutes,

everything that you are asking God for sprung into being Genesis chapter one style,

in other words, it just came into being everything, how many people would know outside of your house?

Let's keep reading.

This world is fading away along with everything that people crave.

To quote Pastor Matt from yesterday, it's a terrible thing to arrive at the top of the ladder that you're climbing,

only to find that you have leaned it against the wrong wall, you are pursuing a thing that is fading away.

What is filling your plate? What is occupying your plate? What's on your plate?

This is a great picture, by the way.

This almost seems like an American flag. No.

It's the fried chicken that does it.

But not Chance's fried chicken.

Don't consume your life on things that get consumed.

What's on your plate? What's on your 2024 plate?

What are the things that you're just looking at and saying, no, I can't take that on. I can't do that.

This other stuff that I'm pursuing, it's occupying too much space for me. It's my focus.

I want to finish with, let's jump ahead and you don't know that I'm jumping ahead, but I'm talking to Roy.

Let's jump ahead to Luke.

Luke chapter 10.

Luke 10 · chapter mention

This is from the truth New Testament.

Jesus and his disciples came to a village where a woman called Martha welcomed them into her home.

That sounds good, doesn't it?

Martha did a good job.

Martha welcomed Jesus and the disciples into her home.

You all come. You just got here. Come. Come into my house. Come on.

And this is going to be great. You're welcome.

Her sister, Martha's sister, Mary, sat listening intently to all Jesus said while Martha was busy preparing the meal.

Martha is not at the meeting.

Why? She's got a lawn on her plate.

She's busy.

Jesus and his disciples read the context. There's about 82 people in Martha's house.

Plus Martha.

And Martha's little Pomeranian. I don't know why I think Martha has a Pomeranian. Martha has a Pomeranian in my head.

Maybe not.

Verse 39, but Martha, this is the Wiest translation, Martha was going around in circles, over occupied with preparing the meal.

That's a literal translation from the Greek.

Going around in circles. Now think about it. Martha has welcomed everyone into her home.

Come on in. And then Martha has decided she's going to make something for 82 people and the Pomeranian to eat.

And so she's busy.

She's busy. Maybe she's busy because she didn't know they were coming.

Maybe she's busy because she didn't know all 82 of them were coming. I thought some of you people were in Samaria. Why are you all here?

But she's running around in circles preparing a meal.

Mary, on the other hand, is doing what? Sitting intently listening.

Now I love the Wiest of this translation, this literal translation.

Verse 40, it says, and bursting in upon Jesus, she assumed a stance over him and said, Lord, is it not a concern to you?

Imagine. Jesus is speaking. It's probably important.

If Jesus is just talking about the weather or what the road was like, I want to listen.

But he's teaching. Mary's listening.

And it says that Martha comes in, bursts in, and assumes a stance over him.

Now, if you're single, you may have not had this experience before of a woman coming and assuming a stance over you.

Imagine Martha. She comes. She's probably, everyone is seated and she comes in.

And there was, I'm sure, quite a bit of banging before she made her entrance, right?

The cabinet door slammed. She's talking to the Pomeranian. Get out of here. Go get on your carpet.

And there's lots of, lots of that.

I imagine. I don't know. I see this in movies. I have no idea. This is what it's really like.

And finally, Martha comes and she says, Hey, hey, Jesus, don't you think that you should tell my lazy, no good sister to get up and help me?

Let's look at a picture of Martha.

Over occupied, busy, going around, lots of things, lots of things.

And you know what? None of them are bad.

Martha was not upset that she couldn't focus on her internet gambling.

Martha was upset because she's busy pursuing something that is going to be consumed.

Martha is upset because all of her time is focused on spending her life energy and this few moments with Jesus on something instead that is going to be consumed.

And Jesus says this.

Martha?

Martha.

One of our instructors at Bible school said, If the Lord says your name twice, just start repenting.

Martha? Martha.

You get so easily anxious and upset.

Matthew chapter six, Jesus said followers of Christ should be givers, should be prayers and people that fast.

Not so easily anxious and upset.

So if you find that you easily get anxious.

Because I've got so many things on my plate.

And you're easily upset.

And you want to say, Lord, it's not right that I have to do all of these things.

And look at this other person.

All they do is just focus on you and they're just have all this extra time.

Oh, this isn't right.

Martha?

Martha.

No one's named Martha in here, right?

Isn't that good to talk about other people?

Because we've gone to all this under control.

Right. We're really talking about other people.

Martha, Martha, you're so easy to get anxious and upset.

Followers of Jesus should not be easily anxious and upset.

Do you know why?

Because we give, we pray, and then we look at our plate and say, this doesn't need to be here.

So I'm going to get rid of it.

Jesus said, only one thing is really important.

If you find that you're in the middle of a situation and you're getting pulled in one, two, three directions, guess what?

There's only one that's important.

Jesus said, listen to what I say.

My challenge to you is I considered like all of us together starting today and we'll fast, you know, sugar candy or baklava until the end of the month.

I don't want to do that.

I want all of us to look at our life and just start saying no to things.

So fasting isn't an event, but it's how we live our lives.

So we make room for all that Jesus is going to do in and through us.

Amen.

Now, you know, I'm praying for you and I love you.

And I want to encourage you, don't let this just be something that we talked about today.

Examine yourself.

In fact, I want Roy to come now and let's just make this practical.

Thank you for joining us at Go Church Beirut.

Go Church Beirut exists so that everyone can experience the unconditional love of God, grow in his love and go with his love to their world.

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And if no one told you yet today, we love you and expect God's best for you.