To Live By What We Believe In, Not By What We Feel | Pr. Yvonne Chong

You're listening to a message to go from axt church.

We hope this message will light up your day.

Just appreci and share what God does join my heart

for us here today. And you know it's about living

by what we believe in, right as believe us here.

I think I'm not just speaking to us just Christians,

but not a Christian today, So I believe this is

can be for us as well, because you know, every

single one of us human beings here, we need to

live by a certain conviction right uh and and and

our conviction will steer us and make us who we are,

all right, So my title for today for XTV to

help you is tolieve by what we believe in, not

by what we feel. Okay, uh. You know, as human beings,

naturally we are a very feeler. Sorry, I take slightly

my works back, Ladies, we are more feeler than men,

but generally generally, but I do know my dad is

one of them, you know. He he's a very very

I use the word uh positively. He's an emotional guy.

He's a very feeler guy. Uh and and and and

because of that, he's always a very very different soft

spots and hard for for for people. Uh, he has

this logical and of course guys, you know, they are

very clear and the segmented parts of their brain. Uh

and and you can carry it up more in science. Uh.

Their compartmentalized things very well. For us ladies, every day

is just like the highway and Clan Valley right now,

everything just intertwined. Uh And and emotions help that with

the intertwining a lot. But as as humans generally, we

are creatures of links. Right. But today, you know, I

want to share that we are not just uh motivated,

you know, a really whole at the end of the day.

What we'll bring back is that we are not just

motivated by feelings, but to continue to live by what

we believe in. All right. So the key text, okay,

a key message is actually from the book of Daniel

one of a very very clear example of a young life.

All of us here are still young below ninety nine.

We can still be very very young. At hard you know,

she's just a number. She's a number, just like at Samantha,

you know versus Steven. You know, introducing and be here

for a long long time made me feel like, yeah,

how I am I But you know, still uh, you know,

just you know, I enjoy uh. And I grew so

so so much just being part of x Church and

just so much as well, so going into you know

Exley Lie and and the young people age which is

below ninety nine. Yeah. So Daniel, okay, Daniel, he was

young literally young, ahsl youth. Uh. And but he stands

true the trials of time and especially the trials and

when he had to face a persecution, right Uh. Some

of us, you know, simple persecution. Uh, we could have

already crumbled, but Daniel stood firm. Okay Uh. And and

one of major things you know, at this at the

point of his time was, you know, the ruler of

the nation, right, what what was the command that actually

bow and worship you know him, and and and and

the sound of you know, the call. And the other

day is you know, to protect as well to eat

of the king's delicacy. Everyone here, I want to have

the food of the king, right Uh. And I remember

once you know, one of our very very prominent leader

of this country. Uh, because we're talking about inflation and

you know, economy not doing well. Then you know, he

mentions like yeah, yeah, yeah, you should start eating good

schools because it's cheaper than rice. Yeah. Uh, and that's

the Kings de licacy. You know, we can you know,

manage with white rice. Yeah. Not good schools every other meal,

but you know, Kings delicacy was amazing. But Daniel and

his friends right, who his friends should go? Right? Uh?

The three of them decided, okay, that's from Daniel chapter

one versus eight. We could actually turn to the scripture

and I'll get xtivy. Sorry, sorry today I don't have

any slight, so XTIV can help with the versus. So

then we can read it together Daniel chapter one versus eight.

If you're there, you can say, yes, all right, let's

read it in one two and three first in his

heart not to self with amen, all right. Then let's

turn to Daniel chapter three, verse sixteen to eighteen. And

if you're there, you can say you're amen. All right,

that's red. You guys can read it together at one,

two and three. Al right, course, thank you so much

for reading, so you can see the four verses that

you know I just refer us to. Daniel said, no, okay,

I will not conform to what you want me to do.

I'll not giving to what you want me to do.

And then it comes on with the other three verses.

Right says even if you show me into the fire,

if you show us into the fire, we still refuse.

We will still refuse. You know how many of us

you know today we are able to say that, oh,

would be compromise. Uh, you know, if you're throwing the fire.

And and I remember one we used to have a

campus student and now she's a young cared out one

major things. So she was a first gen in her family,

decided to give her life to Jesus uh in a

in her university year. And I somewhat got to know

her then at the early stage as well, because that time, uh,

extra she was still one. You know, we didn't you

know when with church planting yet h ex Cyber wasn't

birth or so, so she gave her life to Jesus.

Dad was really furious. Guess what. The dad decided to

take the car away from her. H decided not to

fund her studies not, decided not to give her pocket

money as well. And I thought that was a very

very clear fire for her. Uh did she stand for

the trial times? Yes, she did with a lot, a

lot of prayer and definitely with a lot a lot

of tears as well. But you know, God brought the

whole church, you know, the community to come around her

to support her. And now you know today she's one

of our very very key leaders uh in ex church.

She's one of a harder one. Uh. You know teammates

as well. Uh, you know, were in harder one together also,

that's one of it, you know. Then. And and because

of her stand that she made, you know, now her

whole family has decided to give her their lives to Jesus. Uh.

And that's really really amazing, you know. And maybe in

this modern day age, she will not be literally turned

into the fire. But you know, your your your stance

and your belief definitely will be challenged. Yeah, you will

definitely be challenged to compromise, very very clear. Uh. Easy,

easy challenge to compromise. Uh. You know, if you're stopped

by a policeman for being on the phone, right and

now Malaysia, if you use your phone while you're driving,

you have to immediate so they won't issue they will

issue a summon on the spot issue you're a ticket.

But then uh, you don't settle it in a police station,

you have to go to court. Uh. And it's expecied.

I think you have to pay a thousand ringgate or

somewhat along that lines. Okay, so a lot of people, uh,

and so now you know about it, you'll be like, okay,

if I get caught and stop number one, you shouldn't

be driving and texting or on the phone. Uh, not

driving and drinking, driving and texting. But now you'll be thinking, okay,

I have to take a day off from work or studies.

I have to go to court, and then definitely I'll

be guilty. Right, there's no way for you to to

you know, bugging your way out and you have to

pay a thousand thousand ring gates, so you'll be challenged definitely.

The compromise like okay, now let me just give the

policeman I had it and then get it all settled.

Or people might think I think you know, they sometimes

collect you know, our speeding takers over time. I know,

no people, Then they're like, oh, I know this friend

who is a police in this place. You know, can

I get this friend to help you or to have

extra discount and stuff like that. So all this kind

of extra extra measurements. You know, sometimes you may think

like okay, Okay, you know, I just cut down on

the hassle of things, but actually it does speaks a

lot on on on our conviction as a person, you know,

and for us believers here today. You know, our conviction,

especially as Christians, should be rooted deeply on God's truth.

And what's God's truth? It is this word right uh?

And it is his word as well that actually will

determine our decisions, should determine our decisions regardless of what

successes that we have to go through whatever pressures.

Uh.

You know, pressure cooker that we are in. All the

presis pressure cooker is good. But sometimes when we cave in,

that's where you know, the outcome will not be nice. Uh.

You know, we sometimes can give in to our feelings

and emotions. Yeah, it can be not just giving. You know,

we can be led by our emotions not led by

the truth and the word of the Lord. Or you know,

we can also our decisions can be determined by by consequences, right,

the fear Like okay, you know our decide based on fear? Uh?

And then you know is that the way what how

the Lord wants us to live today? Yeah? Uh? Why

do some you know my question for us. You know,

why do some Christians always I am talking to Christians now,

why do some Christians actually compromise while others stand from

what what's the difference? Okay? Why do some believers still

remain faithful to all the trials, to all the tribulations

and some just decides to give up because of offenses?

And I have friends, you know, because of offenses, not

willing to work things out, decided to live church or

sometimes just leave God as well. So God's truth and

principle is to always to reconcile first with the Lord,

with others and sometimes ourselves, right, a lot of things

that we can reconcile within, uh, and then you know

it kind of manifests in the place of you know,

bitterness and and and and hurt and stuff like that.

But you know, my merria with concile, forgiveness flows always,

you know, sixty or seven twenty whatever all around. Okay,

forgiveness flows, and that makes us different from the world. Okay, God,

it's not just looking for converts people who are just okay,

like a convert in the faith full stop. But God

is actually looking for people of conviction, okay, ah, And

and conviction can only come when we are being a

disciple of Christ, all right, Uh, a disciple. Why because

a disciple follows after the word of the Lord, the disciple,

a disciple leaves out the word of the Lord. All right.

Our prefaces okay, can definitely change. Okay, as human being,

our prefaces can change.

Uh.

And and prefaces also change according to circumstances, all right.

But conviction will not change all right. Uh. And it

remains because our conviction is grounded on the word of God.

The word God. Word of God is consistent. It does

not change, and it's forever okay. Uh. And and you know,

for for us here to think as well, what our

convictions still remain when the cost changes, uh, or when

it caused us everything, we will still stand on our conviction.

You know. Daniel and friends, right, Uh, it will cost

them their life okay. And literally the King did show

them into the fire, literally did show them in You

have costed them their lives. But because of the conviction

understand they made. Uh. You know, history changed, right, So

our feelings can change, our prefaces can still change, our

opinions can change. Cultural change as well. Cultures change. Uh.

You know when I hope not, But when pandemic hit,

the COVID hit as well, changes everything. And now you know,

Christians are okay just being online Christians, uh, you know,

and people are okay, just I think there is an

online church. I hope they're not around already, but that

was an online church. And they said, like, okay, you know,

it's good to just remain online. But you know, the world,

God says, you know, do not forego the fellowship of

fellow believers. Right And in XT. Chapter two itself, you

know what they did, They brought break from householdhouse. So

our convictions will have to continue to remain, okay, So

I'll join it out, you know, for us believers here, okay,

what it is like to have a conviction as a Christian? Okay,

So we know that it's deeply founded on God's word

and God's truth, and it is empower by the Holy Spirit, okay,

and the Holy spirits gives us the discernment, and the

Holy Spirit will govern us in our decision, making, our

decision and how we lived out as well, all right,

regardless of the circumstance. So there are two kinds of conviction,

all right. One is we are convicted of our sins.

John chapter sixteen, verse eight. Can we read it together?

You can turn to that as well. John chapter sixteen,

vers eight. Okay, if you dare say yes, all right,

you can read it in one two entry a man.

So the Holy Spirit exposues what is wrong. He convicts

us of sins, so that what so that we can

come to a place of repentance, and also that we

can come a place on laying down our pride, for example,

and to recognize that God, you are a lot over

my life, all right, So we are convicted of that.

The second, you know, conviction is the conviction of true okay.

And the Holy spirits function and role as well is

to continue to anchor us in God's ways, all right.

So for example, the conviction to tithe, all right, as believe,

as the conviction to remain sexually pure, the conviction to forgive,

and the conviction to share the word of God, to

share the gospel, you know, because God says right in

Meti that they to go into all the world and

preach the Gospel and teach the word to baptize them

so that they will continue to follow the Lord. So

when our convictions are grounded in the world of God,

it becomes something which is not negotiable. It also thinks

in life it can still bug in. But when it

comes to the world of God, how can you subtract? Like, Okay, God,

I feel I like this verse. It is for me yay,

you know guess added you know a lot of people

like the prosperity Gospel and then other things when you

talk about conviction of sin and then we talk about

you know, living for God radically like ah, nah, I subtract.

But when we're convicted that God's word is the ultimatum

and it's the ultimate truth and we should live by it. Uh,

that is something that we shouldn't like bargain with God?

Was like God? Uh, semester break? Now, can I just

take a break as well from mere Christians for a while?

Not that? Okay? All right, So differences okay for us Christians. Uh,

we are surrounded in the world. We are submersed into

we are in the world, in the world, but we

shouldn't be off the world in a world we are

surrounded by many opinions and not right. Uh. And I'm

going to give us a comparison, okay, with in opinions

and conviction. So opinions of the world. Okay. Uh, it

will change according to pressure. Okay. When you're in a

certain community, they give you a certain opinion. Okay, how

should you be like as a working adult? Uh? And

then when you go to another community, it changes again.

So opinion changes over time, but conviction continues to remain

under pressure. All right. Opinion is based on preference, right,

but conviction is based on the truth and a word

of lot. Okay, opinion always go with convenience. Ah, you

already work in KL house in KL. Why still go

to so many just saying care convenient? Uh? You know

your community is that in KL you can just go

to you know, if it's buy, can just go to

Extravangjaya five ten minutes away drive from your home. You

got to drive another hour here? Uh? You know the

opinion of the world, very right. Petrol price increasing? You know,

why travel so far? And you know, I think I've

achieved my record not just because of traveling, because I

helped maintain our church vehicles. And also last last last month,

I by mid man already finished my kota of the

subsidized petrol. So the convenient thing we're like, Okay, you know,

first around, said I have to pay two times the

first petrol. Now maybe you said to Elila, you know

that the leaders, Okay, I'm not going to Leada anymore.

That would be the advice of the world, like, hey,

you know, just cut down. Uh, that is convenient. But

when we have to live by conviction, is costly to

travel to and from life. For eighteen years now, it's costly,

it's costly. I started working after graduation. Uh, you know,

I I started working with with a Y A or

X church, another community of church. I started one thousand three. Uh.

And the time, you know, actually like the plan has

already started. I can't remember how much was the petrol price.

But you know in kl here everywhere you go in

the baseball as well, So traveling expense was expensive. I

was living, I was staying in PG for a while

before I moved to Subang. It was still a distance.

It was costly. Uh. If you ask me, you know,

along the way for the past eighteen years, I ever

have the thought of giving up. Yes, many times, all right,

because a lot of you know, very caring and logical

opinion will come my way. Definitely, because based on what

I've studied, you know, I studied accounts and finance, all right,

not doing that at all now for I doing my portfolio,

But if I got to continue and remain in that,

I would easily And actually five figures like a lot

of my friends are doing their twenties and twenty five

k's really uh So I will have. I will have,

but it'll uh following after what God wants me to do.

And the calling that you know He has for me

is costy. It's costy. Uh and and and to leave

a conviction that you know God has planted me in

their life. Uh and and you know, to do campus ministry,

it's costly as a costment. Ever usually like usually as

as working adults with out students, it's very hard to

get the students to pay for myself. So I will

always treat and sometimes although they're graduated, sometimes you know,

I'll still treat them as working adults sometimes, but now

you know, they will also treat me back, so that's good. Uh.

Sometimes were on the receiving ends well, but it all,

it is costly, and I definitely couldn't have wouldn't have

survived on that thousand and three when I started without

the support of my family as well, and with the support.

So definitely they asked, like why you have easily graduated

and work you were very started at least with a

fresh grap when their salary of three kala at that

part time. It still hasn't changed till now. But it

was hard. It was hard because I know that my

dad was also the only soul, great winner, and and

he was also retiring actually really soon when I was

almost I was done with my studies. So it's difficult, right,

one thing like okay, I don't know no children here

will one the family to continue to bear the burden

of a child, okay, you know, to continue to financially support.

So it was costly, but it was just for a

short period of time that God you know, brought a

deliverance as well, uh and worked through that. So sometimes

it all opinions is they are good, they are good,

they're not evil. But then you know, we have to

continue to go with what God wants us to do.

Uh.

And when that happened, right for myself and I shared

my journey, it wasn't just you know, my family stood

to be blessed as well. Uh. You know, my dad

then retired right uh and and uh before he retired

his his company, his boss actually. Uh So he was

the last staff to actually leave the company because they

were winding down on some financial terms. They winding down.

Uh and and you know, they gave a package assel

h it was way far beyond what we actually thought

off or could imagine. Uh And it actually could last

us for some time as a family. Uh And if

he just goes through the normal retirement, he wouldn't have.

It's just that the company that he was working with,

they shut down their Malaysia plant. So my dad had

to be helping with that love with all legalities and

and accounts and whatever not. So it was a really

big company. Uh and and and they used to hold

the copyright to for treat and uh copyright to those

of you who are around. If you know your floppy dies,

your ZIP drives, your CDs, your DVDs, okay, uh so

this company had the copyright to make that that part

in time. Uh So now everything is just cloud already

or your cloud storages. So so God provided I took

the stab. Uh And sometimes people are like, why are

you still a burden to your family? I don't rather

this thing, Like why do you want to go into full

time ministry. But if I caved into their opinions, I

think I wouldn't be able to stand here to testify

of God's goodness upon us. Okay. Opinions of the world

sometimes can be from a place of emotions and being

emotional about things, but convictions are in the lot comes

from a place and a standpoint of being spirit like

all right. Opinions of the world is temporary because although

they have the best, bestest intention in mind, but it

can change. Uh. And and it's temporary because they don't

know what tomorrow holds. Sometimes they can advise you as well,

but they don't know the next meaning what's gonna happen? Right?

But you know, our conviction is based on the word

of God. When it is based on the leading and

the Holy Spirit, God knows what's gonna happen tomorrow. H

And because of that, it will cause us to continue

to end there. Okay as Christians? Okay, why do we

need to have conviction? Why do we need to be

human beings that live by conviction? Uh? And not live

by wherever the wind blows me I will go, but

live standing strong on the word of God. Okay. First point,

because conviction gives us direction, and it actually protects us

from making choices or making compromises. Okay. Romans Chapter twelve,

verse two say, you know, do not conform to the

pattern of this world, but be transformed by the real

renewing of our mind. Okay. Without the conviction grounded on

the world of God, we were drift and we will

definitely drift. Okay, So it would help us to know

what we need to do. The word God will help

us do that. The Holy Spirit will help us ourselves

to know what we should not do and who we

should become. Okay. Having a conviction based on the world

will also protect us. Okay. The first one it directs us,

and the second one just not I say, you know,

it will protect us. The third one it actually gives

us courage to make a difference. It will give us

courage to make an influence. You know, these days, you know,

a lot of people are like I want to be influencer.

Not a lot of kids. You ask them when they

grow up what they want to do. Their ambition no

longer fireman, no, no longer policemen know her soldier right,

They want to be influenced. A lot of them social

mediacause I see a lot of them in primary schools

in our victory academy, right, a lot of them. I

want to be influencer. I want to be a TikToker

A lot of them so so not that kind of influencer,

but a courage to influence and make a difference. Uh,

to lead when nobody wants to lead through the stance

that you make. Uh. You know, nobody wants to follow

a wavering leader, right. Nobody wants a president or a

country that keeps changing his mind mm hm uh and

don't know what he's doing right or not. Some we

want to follow a leader that is grounded, Uh, A

leader that is confident, a leader that is courageous. Fear

will always ask us, you know, what will happen to

me if I make this decision? What will happen now?

But when we are courageous, you know, uh, the question

that will come out from our hearts. You know when

whenever we have to make a decision, what does God

want me to do in this? Uh? You know? Like direct?

So I think you have heard his story, yes, deary

talking about you. You know he graduated, you have all

settled in Penang hometown there, very very good pay off

for there's all right for you, Derek. Uh. Sorry, good

food definitely benign, good food, still very cheap. And where

he's from, you all luggy cheaper the food he's he's

from mainland. Uh, mainland peeny, but across the bridge, not

the island. Sorry to clarify that he's not from mainlandland. Yeah,

good food, but he decided to stay stay on here

and and you know, because he knows that God wants

him to be here. Took took a pay cut, took

a food cut, so many got good foot sol go

for claim he got. But it's just different pricing on it,

okay uh, and no fresh seafood, but it's okay. We

can manage. So what does God want me to do? Esther? Okay?

Queen Esther in Esther, chapter four, verse sixteen. I will

summarize it and say, you know, she said that if

I perish our parish. You know, conviction gives us the

courage to go just beyond fear, beyond fear of the world,

beyond fear of consequences. The world needs more people like that,

not the aimless courage and fear that goes around and

shooting people down, not that right, but the courage to

bring a good change into our society. Okay, so O're

close with this and even extreme up right. Now, how

do we then continue to cultivate and develop this conviction,

all right, to leave by what we believe and not

by what we feel. Definitely, Definitely it comes back to

the world of the Lord. Second is for us to

continue to depend on the Holy Spirit. And that's all,

you know. Uh. And and sometimes you know, I have

this chiky conversations a lot. It's like, God, do I

wanna anything? It's you know, but it's not like out

of the disrespect, I say, it's your God. You know,

you call for the food, you pay the bill. Okay,

I would just be your faithful servant and instrument. And

and God has never felt over time. Uh, he hasn't

never ever felt. You know. Sometimes we place a certain

expectation of God. God, you know, I already live by conviction.

This is how you should move. God is not boxed

up like that. Yeah. Uh. And he and and our

human minds are are limited, seriously very limited of even

our imagination and creativity of what God can actually do.

By God who is still faithful and He's still good

and and his faithfulness remains across time. So my encouragement

here for us today. You know, what are we living

by as Christians, as human being? What determines our value?

All right? What determines our choices? And I pray and

I hope today you know that all of us here,

you know we can, you know confidently say every decision

I make is based on what God wants me to do,

not the consequences or what other people are expecting of

me by making this choice, Because this is what God

wants me to do. And if I perish, I perish,

if you throw me and the fiery ferners, I will

still not bow. You know, that's what creates. And Daniel

said as well, Lord, I pray that Lord, even for

your church today, may they continue and maybe continue to

be grounded in you, that Lord. Our convictions come from you,

the Lord. We will not leave even by the pressures

of this world, of the opinions of this world, but

we will leave transform and be renewed in our minds daily,

the Lord, as you're come into your presence daily, may

you renew us to be more like Jesus. And I

pray for church today that Lord h some money will

continue to grow to be a better place, not just

as a church, but every single individual here. Whatever baggage

is that we came with, Lord, it asks that Lord

may be Lord. We ask that Lord, you'll be exchanged

with your yoke and with your baggage that is light

and easy. That I pray the love for forgiveness to

flow in the name of Jesus. Now, I believe that's

going to be a restoration that's going to happen. And Lord,

you know, a reconciliation first with you, and second with

the people that is around and last third, lot of

reconciliation even with ourselves as well. I believe that the

Lord you know, a few people here will continue to

have to come to a place of that reconciliation. A

lot of pray. May you continue to help them, grant

them the grades too, and the ability and strength to

be able to be more than an overcome us. In

the name of Jesus. And Lord, just thank your Lord

for our service today. We give you all the praise

and all the glory in Jesus name.

We pray, Amen, we hope you've been blessed by this message.

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I hit for you.

God bless