Cross the line | Pr Steven

You're listening to a message to go from AXT Church.

We hope this message will light up your tea.

Yeah. So coming back talking about vision and mission. Uh,

do you guys know what's the vision of X Church

helping people believe? Close but not quite there's a motel,

a tech line vision vision. What's the vision is a scripture?

Hint we quote it quite a bit close but not

quite close. It's in the old estament. Okay, leaders, help

me out here, yes, hypercok two fourteen. For the whole

earth will be filled with the knowledge of glory of

God as the waters covered the see all right, So

this is actually the vision of X Church, right to

see the whole field with the knowledge of gloria of

God as the water's That means to want to see

every single one of us here who call ourselves part

of this church, to bring God's glory to wherever we're at,

whether it's your marketplace, your class, your family, your neighborhood,

to bring God's glory, to bring the love of God

to the people around. There's the vision of EX Church.

Any one of you know the mission of EX Church.

Every every every organization we have vision and mission so

that we'll know where we're hating, right, So X Church

we also have So there's vision mission. Why is the

mission of ex Church to make disciples? If fifty points

it's halfway there. Helping people believe not quite in our

nation is not really the disciplepose is the theme for

the year, it's not the mission. Okay. I'll tell you guys.

Our mission ex Church mission is to make disciples that

make the difference. That is our mission statement. Okay. And

so why do I share this because for those of

you who have been coming, If you guys don't know,

it's good to know because this actually determines what we do.

We follow this tightly. Every initiative, every plan that we

pray and we receive from the Lord ll ties in

to our vision and mission, which is the mandate that's

given to ex Church by God himself. All right, So

this is what we believe, This is what we stand for.

This is what we do to make disciples that make

the difference. And when we say to make disciples, all

of you for the believers here, you're all disciples of Jesus, right,

That means our goal is to help you make the

difference wherever you're at. And that comes with your purpose,

knowing your purpose, finding your purpose in the Lord, and

living out your God given purpose for His glory. All right,

So there is our vision mission for those If we

have new friends here, this for you to know as well.

Introduce a little bit of access to you. This is

what we believe in our vision and our mission. Okay

are we doing? Okay? So far? A little bit quiet today.

I hope you guys are all right. Okay. I want

to start off with a question. Okay, when you look

at a Christian and I want you to look around you, Okay,

your friends, the brothers and sisters in Christ. Okay, Now

I want you guys to look forward, the look the

left right, so that the one thing that you're judging

them with the next statement, okay, all right. The next day,

I'm gonna ask is this, when you look at a Christian?

What will make you go like this? This Christian? It

is an embodiment of Christ, a true Christian. Let me

repeat that question again. When you look at a fellow Christian,

what makes you go like this? Is it a true Christian,

a true child of God, a true disciple of Jesus.

I'm gonna throw this out as ys any answers from you?

What makes you go like, yeah, that that that is it?

This person? Yes, Christian, imagure a true image of a Christian.

Help me out here throughout trout and don't give textb

answers that your answers, your answers, no right or wrong?

Me oh yoh, thank you, thank you in humility, praise God? Okay?

Uh any more? More? Uh? What makes you go like, yeah,

that's a When you see that person, you go like,

this person is a true Christian? What do you see?

What the are the things that he or she does? Praise? Yeah?

A person who praise anymore anymore? Anymore? Encouraging when they

don't they mentioned God anymore? Kind anymore? Sorry, meekness, Ah,

meekness okay anymore? Huh, don't have a dear loving others

anymore anymore? Say hello, got a lot of work to do.

What makes a good Christian? I'm making their statements in blood, fruits? Okay?

Fruitfulness anymore, always giving glory to God anymore? Daddy anymore?

Come on, help me out two more? Then we proceed

very from in the Bible. That's what she said, knowledge

that knowledge okay, one more, faithful, awesome, Thanks for sharing. Hey,

nobody say attends every Sunday at church. Huh, that's okay,

but hey, not attending prayer every single prayers of Issa

without missing attending homes with Hey, you guys didn't say

that serving every Sunday. Let's go. No, really, are you

should not? Isn't that? That doesn't mean that person is

a true Christian? Very good? It was a test we

are getting somewhere. I asked this question with an intention

and it will it will later it will start to, uh,

you know, unravel itself and you'll understand why I asked

this question. One of the things that so what I'm

going to preach about today is actually something that Passa

kind of share with the key leadership a few days

ago at our retreat. I share this with the leaders

as well yesterday at our leadership training. But today I'm

gonna of course, on the leadership level, we are talking

about the church as a whole, and today I'm gonna

break it down for us as disciples on as individuals.

You know, how do we apply? All right? So, so

there is something and that the Passa can share, and

we really believe this will really push us forward as

a church when we get this right. Okay. So the

title for the message I have for us, if you're

taking notes, is this cross the line. There's a weird

statement to say. We usually say don't cross the line.

All right, again, these will make sense at the conclusion. Okay,

so stay tuned. Okay, So let's look at scripture real quick.

All right, mark chapter one, verse two to thirty nine.

One us, if you have your bible to just please

flip open your bibles. I'm gonna read through this and

at certain part I will mention certain things, and I

want you to just maybe put your finger at where

the verse ends so that we can continue after I

asked you to hear mark certain things. Okay, mark chapter

one verses they two to thirty nine. I'll be reading

from the NKJAV version. Okay, it's okay, John, we don't

show this first. Yep. Mark chapter one, verse they two

to thirty nine. All right, are you guys there, Yeah,

I'm gonna read this. Okay. So at evening, when the

sun had set, they brought to him all who were

sick and those who were demon possessed, and the whole

city was gathered together at the door. Then he healed

many who were sick with various diseases and cast up

many demons, and he did not allow the demons to

speak because they knew him. Wow, I'm gonna pause here.

Isn't this a picture of a successful ministry? Think about it?

Isn't this a picture of how we want our church

to be? Imagine every Sunday, people flooding the doors the

whole town of Banda, Utama, and I'll steps one thing

to come in, to be prayed for, to be healed,

to be delivered. Isn't that a picture of success? Man?

Wouldn't that'd be amazing? But I want us to pay

attention to what happens next verse thirty five. Now in

the morning, having reason a long while before day lie,

he went out and departed to a solitary place, and

there he prayed. Jesus went to pray. Okay, I'm gonna

pause it again. Jesus, Okay, I'm gonna ask this question.

Have you ever woke up at three or four am

and pray? Some of you, yes, some may be no.

For those who say yes, what caused you to wake

up at three or four am to pray? Some people

will call this the ungodly hour? No Godlin what I pray?

Funny right, But yeah, three four am. For those of

you who woke up to pray at such timings? What

caused you to do so? Suddenly cannot sleep? Woken up anymore?

Trouble anymore? Anxiety, nightmares? Okay, Okay. My experience is I

rarely wake up at three am to pray. I usually

sleep through quite well, but usually when I wake up,

I feel troubled and I'll pray. I will pray at

such early timings, so it's so quiet as no one

else because I feel deeply troubled. That's for me, and

I believe for many of you who have woken up

at three or four am to pray before, who have

experienced the same thing. Based on people I talk to

so far, it has been the same thing that we

feel deeply troubled. Now. Jesus did the same thing. He

woke up after day of successful ministry. He woke up

a tree or thereabouts to pray. But the Bible, of

course then say what he prayed about. But it's quite interesting.

I want you to notice what happens after, okay, because

the prayer that time of prayer shifted something. And want

us to pay attention to this. Okay, So verse the

the six. Okay, So this is after Jesus has prayed.

I have prayed, and Simon and those who were with

Jesus search for him. When they found him, they said

to him, everyone is looking for you. Wow, what a

successful minister. Everyone is looking for Jesus. Everyone is looking

for Josiah. I think about that for a moment, Sharon.

Everyone is looking for you, Joel and everyone is looking

for you. Christina, everyone is looking for you. Hey, imagine

that for those of us who are Christians. Wow, everyone

is looking for me to pray for them. They're hungry. Amazing, right,

isn't that a true mark of a believer. But hang

on there verse thirty eight. But Jesus say to them,

a funny thing. Let us go into the next towns

while people are all outside waiting. The whole town is there.

Jesus said, let us go into the next towns that

I may preach there also because for these purpose I

have come for. Now you can put that slight. Just now.

I highlighted that for these purpose I have come forth.

And he was preaching in the synagogue rug Galilee and

casting out demons. Now hang on day one of really

whole town. There so many salvations, healings and deliverance. Day

two is about to happen. Everyone is still hungry and ready.

But then Jesus goes, Nope, Jesus, ever, I'm looking for you. No,

I don't care. What can you imagine? Simon Peters and

Peter is very prescious. Huh Jesus, what you're talking? Are

you sure? People are waiting for you to go? And minister?

And Jesus, I can't imagine. Jesus, Nope, we're going. We're leaving.

Something must have happened when he was praying that caused

him to go. Yes, full day of ministry, second day,

getting ready. Everyone is hungry for God. But no, I'm leaving.

Funny right, I don't think any of us here naturally

would do that. We will continue, minister, because their needs.

Everyone is looking for more of God. What caused Jesus

to go? Nope, we're leaving while people waited. Something must

have happened there. I really believe allow me the license

to imagine this a bit, all right? That we have

said that when we wake up at tree and pray,

it's usually when we are borthered. So imagine for a

moment that maybe Jesus was also bothered after a full

day of successful ministry, or he was bothered, which leads

me to think to challenge myself to think about the

very idea of success. What does it mean to be

a successful church, a successful disciple, a successful minister. Because

Jesus was bothered, he did everything that what the world,

what all of us would think in success. But yet

he's saying, no, I'm not staying here. I'm going I'm leaving,

even though they even though they two was there getting

ready for Jesus to minister. He had what everyone would

have described on day one as a winning day. But

yet he woke up early, probably something on his heart,

to pray and seek the Father. And then he responded

to Peter, Nope, we're going elsewhere. You see, Peter said,

everyone was looking for Jesus. Isn't that good feeling? Is

everyone's looking for you for good reason and live for

good reason, not looking for you for trouble or alah. But

can you imagine everyone looks for you for help? Wow? God,

I'm really leaving out being a believer. But you see,

if we just go by what everyone was looking for,

we will be pressured into doing things they want, doing

the things that they want, and that is the danger

sometimes as Christians, Yes, we ought to love people, but

sometimes we get swept up by expectations and demands of

people and we forget about God. That God says in

a sea of needs, which is the need that God

wants you to meet. We talk about our mission statement

to make disciples that make the difference, not just a

difference that anybody can make, but the difference. Give you

a picture, and this was what we read in the

Experience Book recently for homes. Imagine there are two needs

one need. Recently we don't person who have no source

of income and no money versus an organization that's raising

funds to help an orphanage. We write that in the

Experience book, right, which do you give two? I'm not

saying that any of it is both. I'm not saying

any of it is not important. But it's these decisions

that we need to seek the Lord Lord. Where should

this money go that will help the most, that will

help where you want to help? And as Christians, especially

for leadership, especially for those of us here who are

serving out, I can tell you, especially if we serve communities.

We serve people. Their needs are there every time. But

who do you care for first? And I tell you

for me? Many times I really have to ask a

holy Spirit. There's so many people to meet. Lord, who

should I meet first? Which one is urgent? Which one

needs a rama word from you that you want me

to deliver. Sometimes we are so step up by needs,

we just go one thing to the other, but we

forget that the most important thing is that you need

to see seek the Lord first, and that was what

Jesus did. Jesus before the second ad ministry. The needs

are already there, but yet Jesus went to a solitary

place nobody can find him, took a while from the

disciples of finding. He went into pray, and I can't

imagine the prayer. God, is this what you want me

to do? If not, how else would he know that

he has to go to another town. I really believe

it is in that pray that he received direction from

the Lord. No. I know this has been a what

looks like success, but I want you to go elsewhere,

and that was what Jesus did. So believe us. Why

I do I share this, my fellow dear brothers and

sisters in Christ. When we leave out our life as Christians,

we can appear to do all the right things. But

my question is is that what God wants you to do?

And I have to confess as a leader some last

time when I wasn't as I'm still learning when I

I'm still learning now. But back then, when I was

a much younger leader, I would immediately put on a

lands of people who skip church. I have a subconscious

attendance sheet in my head. Does a means church again?

Begslide late for homes two times in a row? This

person needs Jesus more. If you're not careful, we will

have that right now. I'm not just saying just leaders

are sometimes all those of us regular in church. Sometimes

we may if you're not careful. There's the kind of

maintrix that we put in terms of seeing whether a

person is a good Christian or not. But based on

what you guys share just now, what is the true

image of Christian? You guys didn't mention any of that.

So if you really dig a little deeper and think

a little deeper, you will start to realize, Hey, how

we feel success has to change. Really, it's not just

performance based you know, it should be relationship based. When

we see someone in church, the way we put on

our lands should be, hey, is this person drawing near

to God? And then the follow up question would probably be,

how can I help this person draw near her where

he or she is at? And that's suddenly it's not

about church attendance. Ready, you will realize, suddenly it's not

about all the things that you would think is subconsciously

on the surface level is important, because we are it's

about discipleship. And that's what extra really believes in meeting

people where there at and bringing them along towards Jesus. Right.

And I think if Jesus didn't seek the God the

Father that night, he will probably go on into the

second day of ministry law the whole town or the

whole growl of people waiting for him law. But yet

he did something counter natural, right, counter culture where yes,

great first day, second day suppose to happened, but nope,

I'm going to the next town. And you know what,

I really believe him being where Jesus, him being where

God the Father wants Jesus to be. He was effective

in his second day of ministry where he went. So

are we hearing God's voice daily on what he wants

us to do. Are we hearing God's voice daily on

what we should or we should not do, or we're

just going by routine or what we think is right

or what others perceive as right. There's something that's very important.

What's the image of success of a believer? What makes

a successful Christian in God's side? See, Jesus wasn't concerned

with the crowd or what they think. Jesus was more

concerned with the reason he was there. He was there

because God the Father says so, So I'll be here.

If God the Father said no, I will move on,

even if everybody else thinks it's a great idea. We

need to learn to live by the spirit, because if

we don't listen to the Holy Spirit, we don't listen

to God. We will live by pressure, by the demands

of the world. We will leave by what everybody wants. Oh,

I think this this area, we need to we need

help to support this area. If we don't pray, we

will go Apollo. See good idea. Then next thing you know,

you're you're trying to hit everything because everything is a

good idea? Or is it what God wants for you?

Is it what God wants for you? That's very important

for us to question and ask is this what the

Lord wants? Because you see, if if you're not careful,

right like for example, if we stop we keep having

the lends of church attendance, is it's gonna define whether

a person is a group Christian or not? Then two layers,

the leaders will always feel pressure or are your church

attendance drop we are filled? I don't think that's a

very good matrixer or as believers, when we come to

church we miss churche one time because maybe we're sick.

We feel like we are a failed Christian. I a

miss Sunday service. I'm a horrible Christian. So then what

happens is that you'll be it will become a performance

because you'll be pressured to perform, to hit the attendance

every time. But I don't think that's how That's what

God wants for us, all right. I don't think that's

what God wants for us. So we got to be

very careful. We got to live by the spirit and

by the spirit, meaning we got to listen to what God,

what God says, and not just look at what everybody's

doing and follow along. All right, Okay, we're gonna move on.

My second point. I only have two points and a

long conclusion. Second point is this. Look chapter seven, verse

twenty to twenty eight. I want to flip open and

I'm gonna go through this quite quickly. But at some

point I will ill market and want you to mark

that as well. Look chapter seven, verse twenty to twenty eight.

If you're there, say I'm there. If you're not there,

say wait for me. Okay, waiting, wait, wait, wait wait, okay, good, okay,

let's read Luke. Chapter seven, verse twenty eight. This one

I'm reading from the NLT translation. John's two disciples found

Jesus and said to him, John the Baptist Saders, to us,

are you the Messiah we've been expecting? Or should we

keep looking for someone else. At the very time, Jesus

killed many people of the diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits,

and he resorts sight to many who were blind. Then

he told John's disciples go back to John and tell

him what you have seen and heard. The blind seed,

the lame walked, those with leprosy are cured the death.

Here the date that I raised the life, and the

good news is being preached to the poor, and he added,

God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.

After John's disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to

the crowds. What kind of man do you go into

the wilderness to see? Was he a week read straight

by every breath of wind? Or were you expecting to

see a man dressed in expects and save clothes. No,

people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are

found in palaces. Were you looking for a prophet? Yes,

and he's more than a prophet. John is a man

to hone. The scriptures refer when they say, look, I

am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will

prepare your way before you. I tell you, of all

who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet

even the least person in the King of Heaven is greater

than he is. I want you to Earmouk. The partner says,

what kind of man did you go into the wilderness

to see? Now? John? At this point, if we were

leaving at that time, we'll probably go John, that's the man.

Successful minister. So many followers baptizing people left right center.

The whole river field with people being baptized. John is

the man. John is the man. So but the amazing

thing you see? When John's messengers left Jesus, Jesus addressed

the crowds that were with him. He said, who are

you expecting to see when you go into the wilderness?

Funny question to ask John is in a word, in

the wilderness. So he asked the multitudes, who are you

expecting to see? That leads me to believe that actually

different people may have different expectations of who John should be.

John must be the greatest preacher of our greatest ministers,

and greatest minister must carry themselves a certain way. And

you see the next question Jesus asked us, are you

expecting to see a week read? You know as a

read l la, every small gass of winning moves. It

looks great in the bunch when the wind blows, But

he has no backboneler in a sense, right, and anything

that goes goes. So yeah, some of you are swaying

with me. Very good, right, So Jesus Us ask them

this question? What a weird question to ask about John?

Do you see John the Baptist as a weak Read

that again, leads me to believe that people are having

different expectations of who John should be. Why did you

just ask that question? And then he follow up the

question by asking are you expect expecting to see someone

who has very expensive clothes? Maybe that was the image

of success that people back then have towards a successful minister,

or they have to be of high status, God's God's

messenger man. And back then you have to know that

the society back then is highly religious, okay, so they

view ministers, they view religious leaders very, very highly. So

their expectation probably for John the Baptist is like, hey,

he must be a statue carry himself. Well, right, But

if you read the Bible, you would know that John

the Baptists never wore expensive clothes. He wore clothes made

of animal animal hide, so old fashioned, out outdated fashion

of Adam and Eve. But there he was wearing probably

clothes that he made himself out of animal hide. And

you know what he ate no nor buffets, no good food.

He ate locusts and what honey in the wilderness. So

he was questioning the people that go like, hey, are

you sure this is a jump the Baptist that you're

hoping for There's no he's not wearing expensive clothes. You

can fight it in the palace, but not John the Baptists.

And by the way, John the Baptists, it's not gonna

bow do whatever you want him to be. That's what

Jesus was telling them. Because you see, now I want

to flip to John the Baptist. Jesus is actually saying,

John the Baptist is not a reed. Don't expect him

to sway according to what you want him to be. Contacts.

John has been far ahead in ministry longer than Jesus.

Jesus just started his ministry, and John has had many followers.

Many they're talking about hundreds and thousands. Okay, man looks

like a very successful minister. But yet do you know

that this is the same man at the peak of

his ministry that will still send two messengers to Jesus. Hey,

are you the Messiah? If you're the Messiah, please let

me know because I got to prepare the way for you.

Hold on, this is a successful minister talking to someone

who just started ministry. You see, if John the Baptist

was a lank and a read easily sway it, he'd

probably go like, who is this guy competition Jesus coming

to compete with me. I've been in ministry for so long,

I've got so many followers. But yet he was not

a read but a rock because he stood by his

purpose and he will only know his purpose if he's

close to God. He knew his purpose was to prepare

the way for the Lord Scripture, prepare the way for

the Messiah, prepare the way for Jesus. He was to

baptize with water, but Jesus had to baptize with the spirit.

He remembers. He didn't allow popularity. He didn't allow his

mass following. He didn't allow the expectations of those following

him to sway him to think his purpose was otherwise.

Now where I'm getting with this? Why did I ask

about in the beginning? Like why you know, what is

your image of a good Christian? Is? This is your

image of a good Christian determined by what other people think?

Is your image of a good Christian? Determined by what

other churches or even I would there say our church portray.

Why do am I bold enough to say this being

a leader of this church is because you have to

know what makes you a good Christian? It should not

be determined by anyone else, and you will only know

if you seek the Lord daily. And this is my belief.

A truly successful Christian, successful disciple of Jesus is someone

who follows God one step at the time, every step

of the way. The Bible says what in step with

the spirit, meaning to say, when the Holy Spirit moves

one step, you go along. You don't wait for the

hold st brillity goal ten steps and you go like

you wait for me. I graduate from my studies first,

I enjoy college life first. Wait, let me earn my

first million. Then I'll get there. No, the Bible says

what in step with the spirit, And I really believe

that it's the true image of a believer. There walks

in accordance to what the Lord says. God, Oh turn left,

okay okay. If but success looks good, that oh stay stay,

stay life okay okay, okay, then live again okay okay.

God you know best, Lord, your ways are higher, your

thoughts are higher. I follow you. Your will be done, Lord.

I really believe that's a true math of a true

believer of Jesus. Not church attendance, not how many times

your serf not how well you present yourself, not how

I even there says say this, not even how many

people you pray for and God here, a true believer

is marked by their following of Jesus, one step at

a time wherever the Lord. If God, you're leading me

to somewhere that is not going to be even if

I pray for someone in that person is not healed.

But Lord, you let me hear I'm just gonna obey.

Doesn't mean I'm a failed believer. I think it is.

On the contrary, you're following the Lord. That's the true mark.

And that was what John the Baptist was doing. He

wasn't sweet, he was He stopped to his mission and

his vision and his purpose. So do we know our mission,

vision and our purpose? Do we know what the Lord

wants us to do today? Do we know what the

Lord wants us to do in our marketplace? Again? If

God send you to that officer, I want to tell

you there's a divine reason there. It's not for you

to earn MOLLA one and get promotion. Great, but there

is always divine reasons to where He places you. You

heard my gym story. It was not by coincidence. I

go to the gym and I get to share the

Gospel with someone there is wherever you are, there's always

a reason God sends you there, and seek the lot

for that reason. Therein you will find your purpose. Daring

you will understand what is the mission that God is

sending you for. And I'm going to close by sharing this.

Why I talk about John the Baptists not being swayed

by popularity, not being swayed by the demands or expectations

of people. He's stuck true to this course. Why I

share this is it's very important for us to remember

heroes of the of all like this because we are

living in a time today where the world expects Christians

to operate a certain way. The world expects Christians of

the ever loving God to love everyone and to be

all inclusive. This is the way I am. You're supposed

to love me for who I am. I can be

whoever I want to be, and you're supposed to love

me for who I want to be. That's what the

world is expecting of Christians today. That's their image of Christianity.

But you know the true image of Christianity is what

is this God wants us to live by truth, and

that command to live by truth is actually came out

of love because when we bring truth, truth sets people free.

They experience and love of God. So, friends, are we

swayed by how the world wants us to be? Are

we swayed by or sometimes even silenced by the world

because I don't want to offend people. The world wants

us to accept the fact they can have their own

version of truth, and we are supposed to just leave

my own version of truth. That's what the world wants.

But is that what the Lord wants for us? The

Lord asked us to go and make disciples of all nations.

Making disciples means delivering God's truth, sharing the Gospel, the

full image of the Gospel, not just hey, you receive Jesus,

then you go to heaven and hell heu Yeah. No,

repent of your sins and you will be forgiven. That's

the gospel. You know. The past three weeks I was struggling.

I have never struggled in my spirit as much as

the past three weeks my whole life. I was deeply

disturbed by the state of the world. Suddenly there was

awakening in spirit, and I certainly had the sensitivity to

just look at the different things that are happening around

the world, and I felt so broken. I felt like, God,

how in the world am I going to continue living

as a Christian in such a state? I saw how?

I mean, you guys know it. I don't need to

talk about the news, right. So many things happened in

the past, man, Governments were overthrown, riots were happening right

a Cerdadin. Something happened in the States that rocked the world.

So many things happened that I just I couldn't sleep.

You know, guys, I could not sleep. I was so

deeply disturbed. And I know that this disturbing wasn't because

something happened to me nothing, But I was just deeply

disturbed by the state of the world that I knew

came from the Lord. I was so disturbed that on

one day I felt I was gonna implode. I really

felt like I was gonna implode. That I had to

go to talk to Pasa Matt in the Church of

a Passa Matt, I didn't talk to you, do you

have time for me? I need some counseling. I went

to him and I share I'm like, oh, man, the

words in such a say I've also broken. How am

I gonna continue to live my faith? I got so

many questions, how am I gonna? Am I ready to

die for my faith? Am I ready if if even

my loved ones disagree with the truth I believe in?

Am I ready to be okay with that? Am I

okay to lose friends those close to me? Am I

really that ready to stand for truth? And the ultimate

question that but me was this is my faith really genuine?

Because it seems like the rubber is hitting the road

when I say, Jesus, I follow you all the way?

Do I really mean what I say even if it

means offending everyone around me by the truth that I

believe in? Wow? I had all those questions in my heart,

and I wrestled so hard. It's almost as if the flaff,

the cushion around my Christian faith has dissolved, and the

whole state of my faith, the real state of my faith,

was brought to light. And God was addressing that Steven,

when you say you follow me all the way? Is

it true? Is it really true? And I had to

confront that reality for the past three weeks, and I wrestled,

I really really wrestled. I had to tell Sharon this.

As I say, Sharon, you gotta give me, you gotta

forgive me if it. There are some days I zone out.

It was that bad because I would just be in

that state of brokenness, so fairly feelings so broken, broken well,

and a broken self because I realized that, man, my

faith is being challenged. But I've come to recognize and

I got the encouragement from passa met He said, Stephen,

it's good that you're going through this address it. Don't

hide it, dig deeper, confronted. And that was what I

did for three weeks. I prayed, I prayed, I saw

the Lord. I prayed, I read the Bible, I prayed,

I saw the Lord. I prayed, I worship and then

the Lord revealed some truth to me. And I'm going

to share this with you, and I'm going to give

a disclaimer. This is going to be heavy, but I

just want to be in full obedience to the Lord

to share this with you all as his messenger. What

the Lord revealed to me is this, there is no

longer room for moderation in our faith, no more room

for being just a nice Christian. We're coming to a

place where the line drawn between the world and God

is getting clearer and clearer. We're getting to a place

where the vision it's happening. What a god, that that

that that is that believes in unity, a God that

is full of love is causing division. I don't think

it's the lot causing it. It's what Seine has brought forth. Yes,

it is prophesy in revelation. When you really you realize

there will come a time there will be a division

between two groups of people, even amongst believers. Scary, but

this was the These were the things that I was

wrestling with. I cannot go like, I love Matthew, Mark

Luke and John, but I ignore revelation. I can't because

when you talk about faith, you got to accept the

full thing. You cannot accept half truth. You got to

accept the full truth. If not, we're just living in delusion.

And Christians sometimes we are very good with that. Do

you know that Satan is working over time right now

to make you feel that everything is okay. It's not.

The past three weeks have revealed to me that everything

is not okay. And if we continue to leave thinking

that everything is okay, the world is going to be happy.

We'll be fine. We are in danger of being strapped away.

That is a distraction, and that is something that will

pull us away from our purpose. The devil is making

us feel comfortable. That's what he wants. Yes, be comfortable. Yes,

everything is okay. Oh, he hasn't touched Malaysia yet. You'll

be fine, Malayious. It's a safe country, freedom of religion.

If you're not careful, we'll be like with the Bible

mentioned about the parable of the virgins that don't have

extra aill when the bridegroom comes, we'll be caught off

God again. A division is happening. I sense this very

heavily in my spirit that I have never sensed before,

in a form of urgency that I have not sends before.

And this is my heart. I hope you guys will

forgive me for sharing this, but I'm sharing my heart

and I felt that as someone who is shepherding you

in Xbu, I have to tell you the truth. I

cannot pretend like everything is okay because it's not the

state of the world. It's not and we have to

be on guard. And why do I put the title

across the line, Because there's no longer room for us

to stand at the center of the line. It's coming

a time where we have to pick a side. Are

you going to choose God's side? Because I'm going to

tell you this, God's side is going to offend a

lot of people. Look at Jesus, you offend all the

religious leaders of the time. God's side is going to

cost you to maybe even lose friends. God's side is

going to cost you to be unpopular. Are you okay

with that? I have to address that for myself. And

I'm saying in the process of working it out, being

very honest and vulnerable here, I want to look at

us to look at the final bit of scripture, and

we're close Revelation three fifteen to nineteen, and I'm going

to read this to us. I know all the things

you do that you're needed the hot no hole. This

is what God is saying to one of the churches

in the bo Revelation. I know all the things you

do that you're neither hot knock hole. I wish that

you will want all the other. But since you are

like loop warm water need a hot knock hole, I

will spit you out of my mouth. You say, I

am rich, I have everything I want. Guys, don't be

deceived by the comforts of this world. This is what

the Lord is warning you. Say. I am rich, I

have everything I want. I don't need a thing, and

you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and

pull and blind and naked. So I advise you to

buy gold from me, gold that has been purified by fire,

and we know goal is not material wealth that God

is talking about. Then you will be rich also by

white garments from Me, so you will not be shamed

by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you'll

be able to see Verse nineteen. I want you to

pay attention to this. I correct and discipline everyone I love,

So be diligion and turn from your indifference. One of

the things that's happening to the church today is that

we're being indifferent. We have our own image of everything

is okay, God is good, and what happens is that

we're jaded and we're indifferent to what is really happening

in the world. We're not seeing the broken world. We're

not seeing that this broken world needs Jesus, and this

broken world needs us to bring Jesus in. So we

have this fun holy party at church every Sunday. This

warning in Revelation is happening to our church today all

around the world in difference. So friends, don't be indifferent.

I want to challenge you if any point last time,

whenever I feel something bugging my heart, on my spirit,

I was just like I had this to just distracting

me from ministry. God removing, removing lot this feeling of

this comfort, this eek feeling when I witness something, observed

something Lord is distracting me from ministry, take it away.

But I've come to realize that God wants us to

address this and confronted and acknowledged our hearts feeling disturbed.

That is you got to ask the Lord, Lord, is

this from you? And if it's from the law, I

want to tell you it's Holy Spirit one thing to

bring you somewhere, because I've come to a point where

I have to address this discomfort in my heart. And

it is true that that my faith, the real condition

of my faith is brought to light. So friends, I

also want to challenge you if you ever felt like this,

there is an uncomfortable feeling of comfort. Huh, why do

I feel something funny even though everything is okay? Why

do I feel a little bit uneasy. I want you

to encourage you to dig deeper and find out where

that is coming from. Question it, confronted those super under

cupboard and pretend that it's not there, because that's what

will cause you to be indifferent. That's what exactly the

enemy wants you to do. Confronted again. For many of us,

agency are confrontation is not natural. We hih, we pretend,

But don't pretend anymore when it comes to matters of

the faith and tress. Ask yourself the hard questions. God,

do I really really really love you? Or are their

idols in my life? Do I treasure comfort more than

what you want me to do? Lord, you got a

question that because we are coming to a place that

you cannot stand in the middle. I'm telling you the

world will come to a place where it will force

you to pick a side. You won't be able to

choose to stay in the middle. Staying in the middle

means you are off the world, and even more so,

the world will lose respect. I'm telling you because they

will question you this. Imagine this someone comes to you, Hey,

do you accept me for who I am? Let's say

the person is practicing something that is unbiblical. And if

you go like, yeah, God loves you, and then the

person's follow up because I'm telling you they're going to

say this, but the Bible tells you that what I'm

doing is wrong. What will your response be? You're stuck,

So which side would you choose? These are very real

conversations that are happening every day everywhere, maybe in Malaysia

not as much. But do not be deceived, my friends.

We are coming to a point where we have to

pick a side, and if you're not ready for it,

we'll be caught off. God, I want to challenge you

address things of the faith, things of your heart that

are disturbing you. God, am I supposed to be discomfortable?

I'm telling you when you start being comfortable, I've learned

that for myself, and I start becoming comfortable, there will

be a sense of uneasiness that comes to my heart.

And many times it's so damning to just ignore it.

But I've learned to address it and go like, God,

is it time for me to do something rare the cooking,

And most of the times when I address that, God

will say yes, time to practice your faith, time to

do something that's very uncomfortable for you. Time to go

out of your comfort zone. For friends, I don't know

if there's a word for you, but this is the

word that God has asked me to deliver. It's a

scary word. It's heavy, but I want to end with

John ten then and just now. It was something that

was shared I was I was preaching in ex That's

why I came in a bit late. I was on circuit.

I appreciate XPJA and rushed over XPJ. Josephin called the assistancy.

BC prophesied this John ten ten, for the thief has

come to still kill and destroy, but I, meaning Jesus,

have come to give you life and life abundantly. I

want to share this truth if you want to prophesy

this over you. The thief has come to cause a

lot of things, distractions, to steal, destructions, to cause you

to kill, distructions, It caused you to destroy. But Jesus

has come to give you life, and not just alive,

any life, but an abundant life. And this is the truth.

And I've shared this before. Abundant life does not mean

material wealth and comfort. Abundant life does not mean that

everything is okay, and you are excused from problems of

the world. Abundant life is this that you go through

the mountains and the valleys with God. That you don't

just go through good times, but you go through bad times.

But it is in the bad time that we will

learn to see the love of God, the mercies of God,

the grace of God. How are you going to understand

happiness if you've never understood sorrow? How are you going

to experience true togetherness and companionship if you've never experienced loneliness?

You can only experience the full extent of it when

you go through difficult times. I'm not saying I f

I'm trouble for yourself, but know this, when you follow Jesus,

there's going to be trouble. And what I'm imploring is

that don't shy away from that trouble. Go through it,

confront it, go through it with God, and you will

experience abundant life. Many of you here have gone through

really difficult times and when the Lord delivered you don't

didn't you feel like you are having an abundant life?

Think about it, Think about it, and it is true

living the abundant life that you will live out your purpose.

Some of you here seeking purpose. I'm telling you the

purpose lies in this comfort. Purpose lies in areas that

are attorney. You want to find your purpose, you gotta

go through it. You got to confront it, because if

the Lord is leading you to do so, Follow true,

then you will find purpose. Follow true, even though it's

difficult and uncomfortable. Follow true. I had to go through

that for three weeks, immense, immense discomfort. I was down

every day, so down, so down. I question my calling,

I questioned my own faith. Am I really a true

follower Jesus? I have to question all of that and

come to a point like, Lord, I need you to

help me in my unbelief. Lord, I'm weak, I'm small. Lord,

I need you one final truth. Do you know that

today's age, where information is readily available everywhere, do you

know that knowing the whole Bible is not going to

cut it? Because I want to tell you something that

the devil knows the Bible cover to cover. But it's

the devil. Follow up, Jesus. No, in such a time

as days, where everything seems to be the right thing

to do, do you know what is the discerning? What

is one thing that will help you discern the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is going to cause the logo's word

to have ramma for you, because everybody can quote scripture,

even if there's an unbelievers. That's what they caught every

day towards Christians, and many of them are better than

us actually knowing the scriptures. But what will help you discern?

You have to depend on the Holy Spirit every day.

Every day I find myself wickingum a lort. I need

you to lead me in the decisions that I make,

the things I agree to and the things I disagree to.

Lord help me. Only you can show me what this

right in your site, because the whole word is trying

to tell me what is right and what is wrong.

Everything I see social media, post news articles, things I read,

even programs I watch on Netflix or other dramas are

trying to propagate what is right and what is wrong.

Constantly bombarded. But Lord, help me to see through all

of that confusion and find truth. And I need your

Holy Spirit. We need the Holy Spirit. It's not just

about knowing the Word, It's about knowing God. Amen. I'm

gonna invite us as then I'm gonna close.

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

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

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this week is going to be a good week. I

hit for you.

God bless