Church of Philadelphia | Pr Matthew Chang

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

So relations, chapter three, we're gonna go from verse seven

to thirteen. Okay, now, I mean let me read now.

The title here is says the faithful Church. All right.

Such a good thing, isn't it to hear from the

Lord to say that the faithful Church? Now it says

verse seven, And to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia. Right,

these things says he who is holy, he who is true,

he who has the key of David, He who opens

and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.

I know your works. See I've said before you an

open door, and no one can shut it. For you

have a little strength, have care my word, and have

not denied my name. Indeed, I will make those of

the Synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and

are not but lie. Indeed, I will make them come

and worship before your feet, and to know that I

have loved you because you have kept my command to persevere.

I also will keep you from the hour of the

trial which will come upon the whole world to test

those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly,

Hold fast what you have, that no one may take

your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him appealer

in the temple of my God, and he shall go

out nor more I will write him. I will write

on him the name of my God and the name

of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which

comes down out of heaven from my God. And will

write on him my new name. He who has an ear,

let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.

Now when I when you hear the word Philadelphia, what's

the first thing that comes to your mind? Quickly? I

went to three churches. They say the same thing. Okay,

everybody said cream cheese. Really, it's the whole the only

thing we can remember Philadelphia. Not a sports team, not

cheese steak, but cream cheese. Wow. You know that's the

only thing we can think of. Okay, So how many

of you know what Philadelphia actually mean? The word itself.

There's nothing to do with cheese. Really, and I know

you may be disappointed, but it's nothing to do with cheeseer.

Philadelphia And if you go to the States right actually

has a nickname. Okay, it's all the city of brotherly

love brothers. You know, hey, you know when you walk

in the streets, you know people with you. Hey, what's up, bro?

My brother from another mother, you know, hey, sister. You

know everybody was like welcoming, you know, like you know,

like this, like you know, we know each other for

so long, and they brotherly love. It comes from the

word Philadelphia comes from the word root word phileo. Okay.

So Phileo is one of the loves that we find

in the Greek word. You got the agape love, okay,

which is the love of God, the unconditional love. You

have the eros love, the erotic, sensual love, and you

have the Phileo love, which is the brotherly love. Okay.

So so at that time there is already a church

called the Philadelphia City and the town or and then

there is a church that called the Philadelphia Church. So

it's kind of nice I had to come to a church,

say hey, the church is you know that has the

brotherly spirit. You know, hey, you know you go there,

you're gonna get welcome. Okay. So and then it says

here these things says he who is holy, he who

is true, and he who has the Key of David,

and he who opens, and no one shuts and shuts

and no one opens. Now this is a bit of

a what they call it basol because it's so different, right,

isn't it You're talking about brotherly love. Then suddenly Jesus

comes and introduces himself in such a mysterious way, you know,

talking about him being holy, him being thrue, and suddenly

talk about keys, you know? Or what is this about?

Is it like the matrix or something? You know? People,

what is this key has to do? Okay? So, how

many of you have joined an association before? Okay, I'm

not talking about just like boys Brigade Leo Club, you know,

I'm talking about like your parents in the older generations

have joined like a hockeyen of society, no Commas club

or you've gotta some form of society before Leo Club

or not and not like really although of you don't remember,

isn't it you have no itea because now we joined

an online club social media, you get, I mean? Right,

but back in the days when they don't have internet,

hardly need mobile phone. We're talking about seventies eighties, right.

If you go to Klang or certain paths they are older,

you will still like see like big buildings with like

Hockeens Association, Chinese association, you go to typing or yo

whole day. I still see a lot now how this

operator was that when people came it was so important

that as a young family or a new family, when

we come to a new place, we need to be

able to find school, we need to find work when

we find community as well. And how do you do that?

Sometimes people is not like you go in you think

every place is a church. Everybody just well comes out. No,

people don't operate like that. People look at you sometimes

can be a bit suspicious, don't know what's your intention

and stuff like that. And so a lot of times

at that time people you require the help of a

friend or a relative to introduce you to a group

or a society and they will vouch for you. And

then you get to be a part of you know,

visiting this club and sometimes this club is very big.

They have swimming pool, sometimes they got karaoke, you know,

different things as well. Very big and once a while

every month they might have a show, I have a

dinner and stuff like that. Tell me, if you remember

those days, it shows how old you are. Okay, when

you say yes, it betrays you already. You're like, some

of you have no idea, right, you go back and

ask your parents. Your parents probably were like, oh, yeah, no,

I know. Okay, it's not just for Chinese. I'm sure

I'm not. I only know the Chinese court. I'm Chinese.

I'm not sure familiar for the Indians and the Malays. Okay, So,

but most of you will know what I'm talking about.

My dad joined the field and and so it was

important to join a club at that time, like I said,

to be ingratiated a lot of times. Sometimes you know,

you want to go into a school, you also get

where they could get connections from there as well. Sometimes

you find a job, you want to have favor, you

want business deals, you go to a club as well. Okay,

so society people with a common interest, something that brings

them together as well instead what I'm saying. So that's

why they call it. You know, certain societies and stuff.

Now back in the days in the early churches, societies happen,

but they you can't callate societies or clubs. They call it,

you know, they gathered by religion and so mainly they

have the Roman and then the Greek and they have

the Asia Minor, the Northern Africans, the Ethiopians, uh, and

then you have the Jews. Then the Jews they have

they are they are they they are everywhere a lot

of times in in Greece, Turkey and different places. And

so if they have more than ten Jews in one

particular location, they will pull their money together to build

a synagogue. Okay, if you've got more than ten men,

they will pull their money to build a synagogue. And

the synagogue is very important because there is the place

where they have all their activities. When I say all

the activities, that really all the activities. You must understand,

at that time there was no primary school. There was

no secondary school funded by the government. No, that synagogue

is the school. You get what I'm saying now, is

the school. Ready, you come to a place like Philadelphia.

You you have your children, You want to go you

go to the temple. You get what I'm saying now.

You want to start a business, you go there, you

get to help someone help you. You go there. You

want to even find food sometime to buy anything. You

go there. You want the trip, a viral run, you

go there as well. So it was the not just

a temple. It was a source of community activity. Everything

happened around there. You get me. So if you're a

Jew at that time, every family wants to be get

The first thing you do is you go there. Okay,

now this we don't you know, because now the world

is so connected and they're not so and strange. We

don't feel that difference, you know, anything problem and we

just go to a mobile phone check you know, you know,

find your GPT or Google. Man, we already connected it.

But that time was very, very difficult. So the temple

was everything now, but to get included into the temple

you need to be recommended, and not only recommended. In

front of the temple you before you enter it, there

will be someone who will watch over the temple or

the god, and in front there there will also be

a ledger or a guest list. So when you come in,

they will say, oh who are you from? Are you visiting?

You're not visiting? Oh which family are you from? Gones? Oh? Yes,

gone going ready? You know you're wont okay, Yes, we

know that you have you have two you have two

daughters and two sons. Right, they know everything about you

and you mentioned some not all the details to day

is a ledger there you have written everything. Now the Christians,

mostly most of them, the Christians early on world Jews.

But as I preached before, you will know that I've

preached before about how the Jews were being as strange

and ostracized firstly by the Romans and the Greeks because

of their unique faith and their belief they believe in

multiple gods. The Jews they believe in one God, so

they don't practice that. So the Jews were really unique.

They get exemptions and certain things. But then Jesus Christ

comes and Jesus Crimes becomes a very divisive figure that

will say, comes to not just preach peace, but also

to bring a sword and to cause a division as

well those who were believe in him. In what he claims,

some people will reject him, and a lot of the

Jews reject not because they have experienced him directly, but

because of all the news they get from Jerusalem. They

didn't have firsthand, so they rely on people messengers telling

them and unfortunately, like modern times, like we have right now,

we rely on modern mainstream media news to tell us

the truth about what is happening in the world as

well and yet they paint a very wrong picture about

what is happening, including what happened about Jesus as well.

But thanks be to God, we have one happening in Jerusalem.

We have the Pentecosts. Isn't it first hand witness Christians

who there received the Holy Spirit after Peter preached a

powerful message. So there themselves they come from everywhere, isn't

it on the day of Pentecosts. So after the Pentecost

and when the persecution came, they were dispersed north, south, east, west,

and a lot went up north. Okay, So you have

two groups of people climbing up from Jerusalem all the

way up to cities like Effsus, you know, to Qoranth

you know, even to Philadelphia as well. One group were

the radical Jews who hate Jesus, and then the other worthy,

devout Jesus believers who went up. Soe, so you have

two witnesses, one carrying the false news and one caring

the truth about Jesus. Or how who are Jesus always

works God so working? Then so the Christians came, and well,

they initially existed well with the Jews, but then when

the news start to come in, they start to despise

the Christians, you get mean, right. They start to having

the divisive issues, saying like, hey, Jesus is not who

he said he is. I don't think he's that holy,

you know, and then they come up with more and more.

It gets worse and worse, you know, you know how

gossip works are it gets worse and worse. They started

saying things like, hey, Christians are cannibals. Did you know

that they accused Christians as cannibals. You know, you say,

you look at them Christians they always meet at people's

house and not what they're doing. They don't eat bread,

but they say they have communion. They eat people's body

and drink of people's blood. After Jesus Christ their leaders

and all they are cannibals and all you get mean right,

This was what they were thinking, you know. And they

were torturing people. They were dunking people in the water

and then come up again, you know, torturing people to

into faith. You know. So all this thing, you see,

one thing after another, you can just snowball into a

ball of perverted news. Okay, so it's and then someone

like Jesus can be you know, not twisted into an

offensive figure. Okay, so because of that, the Christians began

to be ostracized. Then one day some of them will

know there are not many of them. They're very small

in number. That's why Jesus said, though you are weak

and small. A few of them when they come to

the synagogue they start to realize, Hey, how come their

names are not there anymore? Hey, how come you know

all their parents are bringing their kids. You know you

got them everybody. Oh, then when you bring your children,

you drink cann't go in? No, Nope, you're not go in.

Your names are not there, Your parents' name are not

not there. Why they don't tell you why, you know,

but we know why not? You know, can't go in.

But but that's our life. You got men. Sometimes you

take away to school, you take away your entire life.

You know, you don't take away that. They take away

the future. You know, you want me to find job

outside there. But this is supposed to be the city

of brotherly love. You know, you can't, I mean right,

supposed to be accepting one and no, but they can't

even go in, you know. And then they tries us

so much as well, and then they just see the

door shut before them. One door closes the city of

brotherly love. Wow painful? Can you imagine the heartbreak you

go through? Something is sometimes it's not just that, it's

sometimes it's the betrayed by the people that you, you

yourself want to see and then you see the door closed.

That is why you see here when Jesus says, he says, know.

When Jesus comes to introduce to the church, he doesn't

just introduces himself copcydentally one. He always addresses, introduces himself

according to the need and the encouragement that the church

needs and is going through. You mean right, he knows.

That is why Jesus says in verse eight, I know

your works. I know your works, I know what I

know what you have done, I know what you have

gone through. Okay, it is not what you say people

saycond thing, but it's what you work. It is what

you produce that tells me who you are. Get me right.

I can give one thousand and one theology, you can

justify you are the sons and daughters of Abraham. But

it's not what you say. It is what you do

that matters. Okay, So what did We're going back one

verse again, what did Jesus introduce How did Jesus introduce himself?

He says these things, says he who is holy, Jesus

is blameless. They will say all sorts of things about

Jesus by just that, you know from the very beginning,

I am holy. I do not mess around with these

type of things. I'm in the world, but I'm not

off the world. But they are of the world. You

got saying no, and Jesus says that he who is true? Okay,

Jesus who is true? Why Why did Jesus say who

is true? Because everybody will come and say that, Hey,

Jesus says, he's the way. How do you know he's

the way? Everybody can claim truth? No, no, no, I can

suddenly come up and say that, hey, I know this truth.

Are you going to debate me about it? Is it

an objective truth? Is it a subjective truth? You see, young,

like give you an example, like say, for example, me

and then now okay, then has been to Australia and

none of us have, including me, okay, and he's selling

a ticket to Australia and I am selling a ticket

to Australia. And then we'll come up to you guys

and say that this is how you go to Australia.

You buy this ticket, you take this plane, you do

this centluicity and you arrive. This is how it looks like.

And I will come and say this is how you

go to Australia. You buy this dike from it, so

and so and so and so on different from him. Okay,

this is how you go to Australia. Now which one

will you trust? Why is it cheaper? Is it? God?

This coount? Is it? Why do you trust in him?

Because he has been there and before you know, I

mean right, he has been there and come back. Okay,

I have not been there. I can claim whatever I want.

I can claim I am the way I am right.

It's not what you say, it is what who you

are and where you've been. So Jesus says what says

what I am the Way, the Truth and the life.

It is not called marsenal. It is actually a sequence.

You know, the way, the truth and the life is

not all I am the way, by the way, I

am also the truth. Oh, by the way, I am

the life as well. No, it is a sequence of

how to know someone is speaking the truth? How do

you know someone speaking the truth. You said, I am

the way. There are many ways, but jesusid I am

the way. I am the way because I tell the truth.

Now you said that, how do we know that you

tell the truth. I tell the truth because I am

the only one who has died and risen again. You

cat mean right. No one can claim the truth unless

you've been there, No one you get mean right. I

am the way, the truth, and the life. That is

why in Christianity, if Jesus never rose from the dead,

we are all. We have all believed in. We have

all been wasting our time. We are all fools. You

know you know what I mean, literally fools. You know

Christianity cannot stand without the resurrection of Christ. This lifetime

and what we enjoy, what we go through. We know

it is not the final destination. Sometimes some of us

will not get our answered prayer. We might not find

our breakthrough. But what keeps you holding on? What keeps

you still praying, What keeps you still persevering, What keeps

you still showing up, still believing in God, even when

doors are shut in your face, even when your children's

and your future get doors shut in their face. What

keeps you going on. It's the fact that you know

this life is not the end game. People, This life

is not the end game. We believe firmly and wholeheartedly

that there is another life. You know what I'm saying.

You know that there is another life. If there's no

other life, whatever there we are going through doing all

these prayers and worship, we're all fools, really fools, you know,

really fools. It's really there is no if this is

the end game, we are all fools, really, And that's

how the world sees us as fools. We have not

catch up with time. They are so called say, you know,

we are not caught up with time. The world has changed,

but Jesus says he does not change. You get me right.

They look at us as fools, But there is an

endgame that Jesus has taught us before. That is why

even when we don't get our answer prayer, we don't

get the healing, It's fine. The glory is on the

other side. That's what we are investing in. That is

why death has no power over us. I'm saying no,

not when we are sick, not when we are poor.

Even right now, when we are suffering death has no

power because Christ has conquered it all. You believe that,

yes or no, it's so so important that Jesus. We

believe that Jesus is true. Now let me repeat it again.

He says he these things, says he who is holy,

he who is true. Then it says he who has

the key of David, and he who opens, and no

one shuts and shuts and no one opens. So because

of your belief the reality of the world, the physical

world that you enter in, that promises a broadly love

and acceptance world that will accept you. Yes, the world

will accept you if you follow certain things. May no mistake.

The world will accept you. The world is looking to

accept you and I more than happy to accept you

and I. But you must follow their rules, their sets,

their behaviors, their belief system. But when you choose the

other way, they will close the door. But Jesus says,

don't fix your eyes some of them. Look at me,

Look at the one who is true and holding the

one who has conquered death. Look, a door has been opened,

and Jesus comes and discloses himself as the one who opens,

and no one shuts. Oh, this is a very powerful prayer.

Isn't it when you call to Jesus next my prayer.

They're looking for a favor, and you're looking for a

favor in your life. You say, God, I call to you,

the God who holds the key to everything in my life.

I believe that you are the God who opens and

no one shuts. And you say, let my eyes be

fixed upon you. We can begin praying this tonight prayer.

Don't pray powerful? Isn't it? Your prayer according to the scripture?

Prayer according to what God has revealed to us. You

know what I'm saying, no declaring who Jesus proclaim himself

to be. And you're taking hold of that. Okay. Jesus says,

look at me, I am the one who opens and

no one shuts. At the same time I will shut

and no one can open as well. So scary, isn't it?

So we pray at that when we meet Jesus, he

Jesus will open the dollar, not Jesus. We will all

meet Jesus. Then Jesus shuts the door. Man krydel. It's scary,

isn't it. It's a scary It's a two edge It's

a two edged thing, you know. He said, Lord Lord,

you know. Then Jesus say that you know who are you?

At one point Jesus will accept because we do the

works of the Father. So when did we do this?

When you fed the poor? You know, when you clothe

the naked. But then when Jesus said, I do not

know you at one end there, what do we do

when I was poor? You know, you didn't feed me,

when I was naked, you did not clothe me. So

the least that you do for the brethren, you did

it onto me as well. So that's why it comes

back to our works, comes back to our works. And

in verse eight it says, I know your works. See

I have said before you and open the door, and

no one can shut it, for you have a little

strength and have kept my word and have not denied

my name. So we'll learn something here. They were small,

They were of little strength, and that is how we

will see most of the time, if you go through

something challenging your life, you will feel like it's small.

You can't move the needle. It feels like you have

no authority. Okay, it feels like you have no authority.

But Jesus commends them for what matters is not your strength.

What matters is that have you kept his word? And

so again I teach you guys, how do we pray? Say, Lord,

even in this circumstance, I know that out of my

own strength, I can't move anything. I know that whatever

that desire is committed to your will as well. But

the Lord, there is one thing that I pray, and

I pray above all else, that despite all that happens

to me, whether you shall answer yes, whether you shall

answer no, I pray that you will help me and

give me the strength to keep your word. Amen, this

is how you pray. Help me to keep your word

and have not denied my name? Wow, that means what.

There's a temptation, you know. I can imagine now that

when they go in front of the door, say hey,

your children, you're coming here for one week, ready, two

weeks ready, you're hoping God will somehow opened and on

the door coming just just be just be one of us, lah,

You know what I mean? Right, it's always to say

just be like one of us, Lah? Why go through that?

You get mean? Right? Why go through the harder road?

That's God want you to suffer? You know? It starts

to get theological God really you're living. God wants you

to suffer. God so good and all God such a

good girl would let his own son to self. God

cares for you, well, will you let you go to suffering?

He's that a God of love. It's like how the serpent,

you know, deceives starts begins that you threefold deception of

if you know, did God really say? Why did not

God really say you cannot eat of the fruit of

the tree? Why did why? Why? Why? Why? Why is

he saying something? Why is the serpents asking something very obvious?

Because Adam and Eve were considered to be the most

blessed of all creation. It's like you just got promoted

to become CEO, but your boss tells you you cannot

go to the main owner's office. But you've got promoted,

see or and then one of your colleagues said, he

I heard you are favored by God. If God really

cares for you and loves you, why doesn't he let

you go into the office. You get me right? Why

if you are so special and so blessed, then why

is it that God will stop you from certain things?

So the so it exaggerates, you know, some of the

serpent says that I cannot eat of any tree. You know, exaggerates,

you know, you get me right. He exaggerates, trying to

diminish someone, trying to diminish God. And then after that

he tries to say, you will not surely die. So

what is the tactic? The tactic is what, first of all,

exaggerate to create mistrust. The second is what to remove consequences?

You know how many times are we say, hey, gambling,

we go, I don't worry gambling. You won't lose money

you want. You can stop anytime you want to want.

And then we see how you see, you see what's

the psychology When you remove the consequence and you increase

the probability you will indulge in one man, if you

lose the money and say, don't worry, play a few,

you can win it back one. Oh, you don't know

you're laughing because yeah, appear in my mind before. Isn't

it the consequence? You see? When you play with consequences,

it's so powerful. Playing with consequence means while playing with reality. Ah,

make it, it's playing with reality. You will gamble one

more time because you can almost taste the reality that

you got back your money you want to gamble one

more time, even though you're want a bit ready because

you can taste the reality that you might become outra

reach is that you are playing with reality. You got

I mean right, So changing the consequence is very powerful.

You drink ready or three cups? Five cups? Ready? You're

not that drunk. You know. I was there there Chinese

New Year vistation. And I have a good reason because

you know, I can't tell alcohol. I have ellergy. But

I have one family member who came into this house,

this uncle. I didn't know him that well, but then

when I went him and he just realized that this

guy can drink. Man, he can drink. He's like the

moment he found out that I can't drink, and he

was so disappointed, and oh it's just I just fall

off his tear. Listen, this is from star to like

d T. You know, just crumble already, you're not my

favorite nephew. Ready. Then after but then I got a

new he's got a new nephew in law. Just come in. Oh,

I drink a bit. The moment he did, I tell you,

he opened within a three hour hour, he opened three,

four or five bottles. You know, whiskey and everything whack,

you know, pouring, and then I saw my member of

the cup. I never never went down, always full one.

You know he still fool still fools too, because the

guy was behind it every two three minutes, pouring and pouring.

You know, it's okay, just all the crab oney. You

don't need to worry about your car. Cock can leave

it here. See how he plays consequences. Sometimes you drink

and stuff like, hey can dry bad one, You're not

that drunk one. Drunk people never tell themselves that drunk one.

They always say thecay can drive on, true or not?

And you play with consequences a true know some of

you like, no, I know, You've been there before. I've

been there before. I've seen people family members who are drunk.

It's a horrible scene, you know, horrible scene. Not see

that scene. It's a scene ever scene. You know, horrible scene,

you know, very bad. I know someone who was you know,

he he know, he he knows that one of the

most vivid times of his life was seeing his father

drunk in the middle of I think it was like,

you know, in the middle of Copedia. You know, so

the people call him her to come and drag his

father and put in the car in front of everybody

back to his house. You know, it's a very hard

thing for him as a young man, you know, to

watch it and remember this for his life. You know

so much shame and everything as well, but you don't

know the consequences. You play with the consequences, you play

with reality and the because of that. It's not because

you don't love God. It's because you make unwise decisions

in life. It's not because of the lack of love.

You know, it's unwise decisions. Okay, well another I will

have another session. We talked about and unwise decisions in life. Okay,

you love God, but you make unwise decisions. The ten

foolish virgins, I'm sure they probably loved God, but they

were a reason, not because there were the ten non

God loving virgins. There were the ten foolish virgins for

a reason, for a reason. Okay, okay, everybody ceps over. Okay,

let's move on. Where am I right now? Okay? Then

he said, for you have a little strength, okay, in

verse A, have kept my word and have not denied

my name. Indeed, I will make those of the Synagogue

of satan. Wow. One moment, this synagogue so justified, so

self righteous in how they have treated their own brethren,

call themselves sons and daughters of Abraham. Okay, read the scriptures,

do all these things, probably give to the poorest, or

do all these things. But yet at the root of

it all, Jesus que called Synagod satan. Wow. I don't know.

This is like you know, Jesus went for honor, you know, unfiltered,

you know, really you know give why. It's not because

they were practicing witchcraft. But at the root cause it

all is is the blindness. It's the self righteousness. And

it is the religious heart that has blinded them and

not loved their own brothers who say they are Jews

and are not but lie. And indeed I will make

them come and worship before your feet, and to know

that I have loved you. Wow. So one day God

will come and expose them. Not only expose them, He's

gonna what direct them to worship before your feet, okay,

and to know their of you. They will know that

who is the one that is truly beloved. You are

not the sons and daughters of Abraham because of blood.

You know, no, you are the sons and daughters of

Abraham by your heart? How does one become a son

and daughter of Abraham according to the Old Testament? How

do you know there's a son and daughter of Braham?

Do you wear a name tag? I believe I come

from the lineage Abraham. You're a son and daughter of

Abraham by one true marc circumcision? You know, I mean right, circumcision.

Why is circumcision? What is Why is it so that

you can go through a child suffering? Is it? Oh? Yes,

I suffer now I earned it. No, there's not the point.

Circumcision has a symbolic symbolic meaning. What's the meaning? The

all has gone and the new has come? There's always

been so the symbol that God gay to Abraham say

that now you are my people and I am your God.

The day when you renounce your past is gone and

you enter into a new relationship with me. That's why

you are my people. Amazing, isn't it. That's what I'm

saying now, It's like a marriage. You know. God said,

I'm your God and you are my people. This this

the sign the all has gone and the new has come.

Not because you are children, but you must so the

all is what it's your sin, it's your unbelieved You

know what I mean. Right, you're saying your former life,

your unbelieve, the gods of your father's house, and all

these things are gone anymore. You forsake so much so

you are willing to come out of your father's house.

Ah you mean right. You don't just say you are

willing to come out. That's why I say if you

are a sound right, you were circumcised, and then you,

your family and all the rest circumcised. The all that's

gone and the new has come. But after all, while

this generation, just because their fathers and they were young

and they were circumcised, they said, I am a son

of Abraham, I am a daughter of Abraham because of

the circumcision, because of our lineage and stuff. But they

don't realize that circumcision is not of the physical. True

circumcision is off the heart. The heart is what needs

to be circumcised. In the old times, they're circumcised with

razor and ah no, it sounds very painful, vivid, okay,

But in the New Testament, circumcision is performed by the

Holy Spirit. You mean, right, So there is always a

shadow of the former, and Jesus comes and brings new

so that the compliment one another, Jesus brings the better govenant.

You know what I'm saying. So those who have been

convicted by the Holy Spirit to repent of their sins,

to live a new life, and to live by faith

and their works. This play works of faith and belief.

These are the sons of Abraham. You got? I mean right?

So you and I quiz right now? Are you all

of us here? Are we sons and daughters of Abraham? Yes?

Or no? Are you confused? After after I teach all

this one, are you sons and daughters of Abraham? Yes

or not? Yes or not? I'm not sure? Yes or not? Yes,

it's a confident. Yes, okay, it's a confident. Yes. The

all has gone the Newest Come. That's why you get

that tie. People. It's the same thing we went through

as well. The all has gone in the Newest Come.

But you take hold by what by faith? Abraham was

deem righteous by faith. God gave him the sign. Oh

it's gonna But how do I possessed it? By faith?

And you also, after baptize you confirmed chop to get

release it, checking and release it. No, you continue holding

on to the ticket until you check into that door,

into that plane by faith, and you can. You never

let go. Let go Suddenly a new concert cold Play,

you don't go as well? Okay, you hold on. This

is the ticket that you must go. You cannot miss

this flight. You got me right. Everything else you let go.

This is the life that you work for by faith.

Makes sense or not, I don't care. Cold Play or

whatever play comes in co play, hot plane doesn't matter.

You go, you can. This is the flight you cannot miss. Okay,

now says that verse ten. Because you have kept my

command to persevere, I also will keep you from the

hour of trial, which will come upon the whole world

to test those who dwell on earth. Behore, I'm coming quickly.

Hold fast what you have that no one may take

your crown. He who he who over comes, I will

make him appealer in the temper of my God, and

he shall go out no more. Oh wow, how much

time do I have lever? Okay, let's do this. Okay,

him a second, I mean, just order my thoughts for

a while. Okay, So two things here. First thing we

learn is that Jesus tells them to do it to

hold fast, Okay, to hold fast. So we must accept

and be prepared that the world will not accept us.

We must be prepared and accept that there will be

many doors. They will be closing out in front of

our face without sometimes could be our extended doors of

our love once as well. And it's important that we

frame our mind to understand what is happening, because there

are two ways you can. I become a warrior or

you become a victim in times of war. You got mean, right,

In times of war, there are two types of people.

You know, there's a survivor. Okay, there's a you know, sorry,

there's a survivor. There is a The first one is

a victim. A victim is caught in the war and

you're hiding there. You're like, I don't know what's happening.

Bullet shooting around, bombarding, You're looking at your loss, You're

looking at things that happened, things that are destroyed. You're

like why. And the question you'll be asking why am

I here? Why is this happening? You get me, you

get preoccupied. You know, you have a victim mentality, you know,

so I was like this starts with that starts with that,

why why am I here? Why is this happening? In

wars like that one now, why is this happening? But

at the same time, when there's a gunner and their shouts,

it means what there's a battle going on there and

there's a batter what means they are soldiers want to know?

So on both ends means the people are opposing you.

There are forces, spiritual forces opposing you, but there is

also those around you and someone within you that wants

to fight. You are not there by a coincidence. So

you can either be a victim or you begin to

become a survivor. And then a soldier, A soldier doesn't

say what is happening? Why is this happening? It's more like,

how do we win and stop this? You cat mean right?

A soldier looks at the battlefield different. If you keep

wanting to live life, why I can tell you won't

get your answers. Why did Jesus have to die? I

tell you, Trio? Why do some people get cancers some

people don't? Why am I not the richest person in

the world? I mean right? Why in Malaysia and not

other places? You? Why are you care? So many whys, like, oh,

I need my answer. I cannot leave without why. But

there is another place where we can are called to be.

We don't live by why, We just live like Lord,

man shall not live by bread alone, but by every

word that proceeds from the mouth of God. You tell

me where and I will be there. And I only

need to look at front. I see who is running

ahead of me, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus has really gone to

the other side. And it's like, but we have to

run through the battlefield. You can, man, you kinda stopped like,

oh poor me, poor me, I need to go from prayer,

prayer to prayer to prayer. Let me prayers go on.

But if you have a victim, man, you can pray

with a victim mentality. You want to know, you know,

I'm saying, you know this pastor's hand not go enough

like anyone you not enough? Maybe go another? So this

one need another pastor's hand one and not this one

need another pastor saying by the time you already got

twenty to twenty five thirty, how many passes hand laying

on you. Yes, there is power in it, but you

have a victim mentality. People vic the mentality. You know,

if you are a parent, you don't want to see

your child like that as well. Why why? Why? Why? Why?

Things in life? In school will not go according to

what you want. If you cannot get your white you

change school. How hu you realize that the world is

so much harder than this, you know, but there is

so much for you to wait in life. You cannot

get stopped by that. You know you can. I'm saying,

you know you cannot get stopped by that. Okay, it's

like having a small pebble or stopping a whole car.

And then he says, there, you know, there's an hour,

So when we know that, there's an hour trial and

then Jesus comes to test those who there on the earth.

There's a testing that's coming. But White tests how many

of you buy houses and properties? Like you know you

have bought before? Not once in a man? But no,

maybe you are okay, you're you're a different leaguer. Okay,

he bought how many of you I bought a house before?

Or stay? Yeah? Where you buy from shoppy? Yes? Good

on you man, but you see her correct me if

I'm wrong now for things that are substantial, like for example,

like a property, right, and especially the first one you

want to stay in. You wouldn't buy on an online,

isn't it? Most likely? In fact, you will actually call

up the agent, not just once, not just twice, probably

tree four, five times. And sometimes you will even go

inside the house to inspect again and again and again.

Second time you bring in your family, The third one

you bring your extended family. The fourth one you bring

your whole village, so to see your so then your mother,

you lost everybody to see, isn't it. You go through

every house, you check everything. Every pipe you're open. You

make sure the water flows are it will actually flow

to the sinker. It doesn't blow the moment it blrowts out,

you know something is wrung. Radio Okay, you test everything,

everything you test? Why do you test? Why do you test?

And so much testing because you've got nothing to do?

Why do you test? We see when we go into

that house, we're not just buying a house in a

We go into every room. Oh, this room, this second bedroom. Ah, Hey, no,

we're expecting a child. This one will be our child's room.

There will be a baby car. You want this to

be blue color. Ah, This room will be my study room. Ah,

this is my kitchen. My wife can go and cook

different things and stuff like, Yes, this will be the plain.

You know, you're not just buying a house and all

you're investing in the future. You're projecting into a future,

and you test so much because it is where you

lay the foundation of your future on. So in me,

it's more than just a house. It is where your future,

your hopes so much so you don't need a treaty designer.

You can imagine how it looks. You know, Oh, this

is how you're like. You can't imagine it not you

think that vision came out not out of coincidence. It

is the same trait that our heavenly Father has of arsenal,

just that it's way much more like, Okay, we cannot

see into the future, but we can vision, you know,

we can envision, We can dream, and because of our dream,

we hope, we save, we invest, we test. You can't

say you not. And so however, the Father looks at

you the same way as well. He looks at you

not just as a human being. He looks at you

as what his hopes and dreams and his future is

laid in store for you as well. He has invested

so much into you. He's loved you, so much, invested

into you that he will not let anything pass but

test you in every corner so that you are ready

and prepared. Makes sense or not. If you will do

that for your own, why not, God will do for us.

He does solve for us, not to fail us. Not

because he is a statistic god. No, no, no, He

does so because He has a hope and a plan

on the future for us. You can't men right in

every manner inside all of us is this well, this

well of future that he is put into us as well. Okay,

So God desires to test us, and he is also

warning us that there is a time when the hour

trial will come upon the whole world. Now, as I

draw to a close this part, how many of you

heard about the rapture before rapture? It is not a

massage machine, okay, the rapture. Some people call it the rapture. Okay.

How many of you have never heard of the rapture before? Okay? Okay. Now,

so I'm very careful to talk about the rapture also

because I don't want to speculate. But it's good because

it gets you to think in the book of Revelations.

Have you heard about the seven year of tribulations? You know,

the enda when the Antichrist will be revealed. There will

be a seven year period. Okay, I will get to somewhere.

Don't worry. I'm not just hypothesizing and talking nonsense. Okay.

Then the seven years, it's a seven year tribulation in

the middle of the tree and a half. It's where

the Antichrist will be revealed, and the peace no with

Jerusalem will be broken, and all war will break up,

and the betree and a half year of great suffering

and great trial, and at the end, towards the end,

Jesus Christ will come back and then we'll win. Now,

in this period, the aparcel Paul also talks about this

event called the Rapture, where Jesus will come and descend

among the clouds, and he will call the saints, both

the living and the dead. The dead will rise with

their body and the living with their body as well.

Shoot some people called zombies flying on in the sky. Okay,

will be caught up in the AA and it will

be with him. Okay. The thing is people debate about

is when a lot of time people did by, when

is it before the tribulation is called it pre trip,

is it during the tribulation, called it mid trip, or

they call it post trip after the tribulation. Bible doesn't

give us a conclusive answer when is it happening? Many

people fight about when is it because so that they

can prepare. I contend that it is not the most

important thing. And I and it's why. It's because what

is the purpose of miracle? It's very important. Now, why

is the purpose of miracle? If God heals your cancer,

if God provides financial resources, if God does great miracle

in another country, what from beginning to the end in

the Bible, what has always been the purpose of miracle?

The purpose of miracle has only been one and one thing.

It is not for our comfort, not for our relief.

You know why, It's never for that, because this is

not our endgame. If you get hell cancer, you will

still die. You know, it's just a delay. It's just

a delay. Unfortunately, it's just a delay. It is the truth.

It's less tragic, but it's a delay. But we still

have the endgame. But then why in the miracle? Then

every miracle? And then you also notice that there are

places where Jesus couldn't perform miracles. Did you know that

there are places that Jesus could not perform miracle? Is

it because he lacked power? I thought Jesus is all powerful.

The purpose of miracle has always been one and one

main thing, and that is to serve as a pointer

to point people to God. Every miracle is to point

people to God. If there is a holy Man of

God that walks in here and he is known to

be able to read the thoughts of man, and he

walks here and he wants to pray for people, come out?

How many If you'll be willing to come out and pray,

you'll be scared, right, because you don't want to get exposed.

What thoughts you have in your life? You see, when

God delivers a miracle, you're thinking, like, why excited? When

God delivers a true miracle in your life, the first

thing that you experience is the fear of God, the

overwhelming fear of God. Overwhelming fear of God because you,

for once in your life, you're like, God is real,

He's real. Ye ain't right? That's why you got your life?

You know he's real and he knows everything, and there's

nothing I can hide Now, no way and nothing I

can hide. He's real, and there's over well in fear

of God gripping your heart. Even if you don't believe God,

how you believe because He's real. So every miracle is

always pointing towards that pointing. But that is why when

Jesus was at some places, especially with a lot of

those Pharisee teachers, right, Jesus was pointing the finger forming

America's pointing to God. But then the people were pointing

to somewhere else. What does it mean? No matter what

miracle they do, he does what Jesus does, they will

always say that it's not him. They will always look

at something else. So what is Jesus saying? The ministry

that God has given me is not a circus. We

don't play according to when you want, how you want,

whatever you want. We're not a jukebox or a Spotify.

I'm here to point people to God that God will

draw all men onto him. But you say, I come

from Beel's but I do all these things you point everywhere.

That is why some places they lack faith. But there

are some villages where the people is like, oh help us.

And when Jesus perform. America, the whole entire village believe,

you know, like this American woman, the whole entire belief

because they were so hungry to know God. The moment

just disppointed. Yes, they believe, you come saying not. So

there are places when it's not because Jesus cannot perform,

because people will never believe. So, if you understand that

it is the purpose of miracle, it's always to point

people to God. Let me ask you, then, what is

the purpose of the rapture. Is it to save us

from the trial tribulation? Maybe? But I believe in my

heart that the rapture is God saying last chance, last chance.

You know what I'm saying, You know, last chance. You

see her this world, you and I are today when

you're sitting on this chair, you all of us operate

under this cloud of grace called peace. You know peace

in if last night you saw a video that all

the chairs here crumbled, I'm pretty sure you won't sit

on this chair today. You see, look at COVID didn't

happen in a time when we didn't know much. What

happened to the entire world. It was the whole entire world.

The blanket of peace was taken away from them. You

know that even if you go into a liver, you

cover yourself with plastic bags. You know, you're even scared

to draw the breath out of anywhere, no true or not.

And some people are still living in that fair You

don't realize you operate under a grace of peace and

not a blanket of peace in a covering. You know.

But when one day the Christians lifted up disappear, how

will the world operate? How will the world reconcile? What

is happening to these missing people? Hey? Are you? Where

are you? Is the Bible? Right? Is there a God? Why?

So many? You know what I mean? Right? Remember the

devil knows the scripture as well, and he knows he's happening.

And I tell you, just because the miracle happens, the

deception will stop you all. The deception will continue even greater,

even greater. You know why, because it is when fear happens,

deceptions become greater. You give me a It's either repentance

or even greater deception. Because fear, people will buy anything.

You know, we buy all the we buy all the

toilet paper, or we buy all sorts of medicine. We

buy everything we can buy all the shoppy kin king

ding ding ding ding ding. You know, we buy everything

we don't need. We buy ours a You see what

I'm saying. I tell you the greater deception it will come.

But then God, then people will be so scared by

God said last chance, last chance to the world repent. Okay,

but then what would the world do. I don't know

the world is going to come out with some incredible

thing to justify why the Christians were taken up. They

are are gonna come up with some wild theories. I

tell you some of the things we're hurt five years

ago and now are coming up aout to be totally nonsense.

You know, we will buy anything. People any covid jet

will also buy. Or tell you they will sell. They

will sell. I tell you you'll be surprised. I tell

you that if the I say, for example, the enemy comes,

they were taken because Christians were evil, They were taken

away by God. They believe. Would you believe? Would the

world believe? They might believe even right now, I tell

you a lot of people believe that Christians are evil, intolerant, unaccepting,

and bigots right now, I tell you what, you don't

need the rupture to happen. They already believe that. Are

they justify why they exist? You know, because everybody want

to survive. I want to be righteous man. I tell

you they can come out with a h I tell

you for taken all the Christians. Oh, we have another being.

They're taken up ready, and they will continue under this

life so that they can live in their own fake peace.

Because people want peace. They cannot sleep without knowing what

has happened. At the end of the day, will we

all want what reconciliation with God? You want to be

right with God. When God comes, I go nowhere to run,

but I am safe by the blood of the Lamb.

Last part verse eleven. Behore, I am coming quickly. Hold

fast what you have. Then no one may take your crown.

He who overcomes, I will make him appeal in the

temple of my God, and he shall go out no more.

Last time you were being chased out from the temple,

God says that in my father's house you will never

be chased out. I will write on him the name

of my God and the name of the city of

my God. They remove your name by Jesus says that

what matters is not your name appearing in the book.

But what matters is your name appearing in my book,

in my Father's book, in the book of Life. That's

all that matters. Okay. And the city of my God.

This city is called the city of brotherly love, the

city that calls onto people to be accepted by the community.

Sometimes the community can be so the world can be

so called. They will chew you up and speech you

out in just like a second. But even though you

are despised and an outcast in this city, God says,

what I will write on him the name of my

God and the name of the city. You will be

the citizen of mine kingdom, the kingdom of Christ, kingdom

where Christ is king. Okay, the new Jerusalem which comes

out of heaven and from my God. And I will

write on him my new name. Okay, your name will

appear there, and Christ will acknowledge you as well, he

who is he. Let him hear what the spirit says

to the churches. Amen, how do you find Today's God's

letter real? Relevant? Powerful? I pray today that is there

any one of you you feel like life has chew

you up and speed you out. You feel like doors

have been closed. I pray that you will take comfort,

take courage that God knows and sees your words. Examine

your life. You know it's in no way. Sometimes people

say that, oh, I find the word difficult, but when

you grow older in life, I find it in my

own life. Personally, you need a word more one, and

know you need the work more. Not because you need

more knowledge, but when you grow older you start to

become more careful. You start to because you succeeded, but

you also failed a lot, and you will realize that

a lot of things in your life are so fragile

that the only thing that you can consistently and communially

measure with is the world of God. That is why

I said when you say, like, wow, God, I've been

through so much my children, whatever I've been through, success

of failure. When I read the word, it's not that

I know a lot, but they said that God, have

I leave your word? Have I measured to what it is?

And if not, help me get back at it. That's

why the world is so important. You know when you

are all, when you're getting older and fragile, you need

a word more one. You know you realize everything falls,

you know, everything crumbles. Amen, Let's stand together. You know

the song I just feel like ministering and us in

a song. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. It's a powerful song.

Let's not focus on the things of the world. Let's

not focus on our own weaknesses, what we have, what

we don't have, what we lack. But we continue the

same old tradition, the same more foundational truth that our

eyes are fixed upon Jesus. Amen, nothing else matters. It's

all about Jesus. Let's close our eyes together. Let's save

up our hands. Maybe you can dedicate one minute here.

As you raise your hands here said Lord, be it

onto me according to your word, according to all that

has been preach I don't know. It's not according to me,

but according to God's conviction in your heart. Don't just hear,

but open your heart and receive it. Receive it and

be diligently to keep it and to grow it. What

you have received is just a seed. You know, it's

just a seed. You know it is not the end

and on it is just the beginning. God has ask

you to steward this truth, and he has called you

to bring it back and to begin to reflect on

your life and to measure and to come through. Have

I leave according to your word? Have I abided in you, Lord,

all this your prasure? Have I lived according to what

you desire? Or is my other feet my other hand

is still in the world. Oh Lord, Right now, I

just want to pray the Lord, your grace and your

mercy be upon us. Some of you feel like you

know there's a stirring. It's like, Wow, God, I need

more of you, not just more of you, I want

more hunger. I realize that my hunger is is not enough.

There is a spiritual person that needs to grow. But

I'm not eating. I'm not chewing. I'm not feeding like

I should. So give me a hunger. Lord, stir up

the right hunger. Some of you, the reason why you're

not hungry is because you've been consumed by some other things,

with the world, with the cares of the world, with

your need to know why, with your distractions. But God

says that there is something greater for you. For the

next thirty seconds, to continue to pray, humble yourself before

the mighty hand of God. It's like, told it, just

commit to God. God something it has to change help me, Lord,

give me your strength, grant me mercy, or have mercy

upon me. Some of you, even right now, even as

you pray, as as you close your eyes, you feel

like there is a conviction in certain areas in your life.

Maybe you know your quiet time has diminished, it's become

just a routine. But God is not asking for a

quiet time. God is asking for a quiet moment with you,

a conversation with you, not for you, not for you

to just drop an email. But God wants to speak

to you. Some of you, you've given up reading the

Word because you don't understand. But God says, it's not

just about reading and through the pages. It's about persevering.

It's about laboring, not laboring the world and all you

you take the words of God. I believe this is

I need. I need to stop here. I need to

really come down from that car and then take a

different route and really just stay in your word here,

stay in your presence. Lord. Why are you speaking to me?

And as I walk I realize you are with me

and there is a word to guide me and to

make me strong. The layer, the Louyah, the moment where

I'm we're just gonna worship the Lord, but some of

you you need to pray for your family as well. Parents.

You know you can't do this on your own. You've

been doing out of your own strength, and you're tired.

You're tired. You're tired. You're so worn out. But you

know that that the most important duty is not raising

your children. The most important duty for your life is

to be the woman and man of God. First you

your children depend on you to download from God and

to them. You know you know what I'm saying. No,

they depend on you, But how can they draw from

you when mommy and daddy is so tired. You're focusing

your energy on the wrong things. So don't sacrifice your

quiet time on the althar for your children. I have

children as well, and I can tell you there is

a temptation to justify what we do. But there is

no one that can replace God, no one. It is

only by God's grace that we can raise our children

and grant and lead them to life, give them a

hope and the future. We got to receive a generation

of parents on fire for God. They are quiet times,

their prayer times, they are worshiped in their house, evident

to their children. My dad. When my mom is on fire,

I see them communing with God. There is a reality

that I see through my parents, and I want that

that must be restored. We must have Abraham's back that

will walk up that mountain carrying Isaac to worship the Lord. Ahelujah.

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

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this week is going to be a good week, a

hit for you. God bless