God Has A Plan For You | Pr Alvin Keng

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

How many of you here have asked this question before? God,

what is your plan over my life? Have you asked

that question before? I'm sure when you're younger. For those

of you who you know signs, you hear no, God

has a plan for God, then you're like, oh, God,

what's your planner? You know, you keep saying that you

have a plan for me. What's your plan? I don't know.

And in the context of Christian faith, we do believe

that God has a plan for each and every one

of us, right and sometimes we also don't have a

proper understanding of the plan because you know, with the

little understanding that we think, we think that God's plan

is for all of us to become pastors and join

full time ministry. And you know, that's sometimes the perception,

you know, when we say, oh, God has a plan,

He has a call for you that he has to

do if ministry want actually kinder but not full picture,

you know, And and and you hear like, thanks so

much Wesley for sharing your testimony, and you hear him

share about like, oh, you know he believes you know. Uh,

And and he commits his game to the Lord and

he's able to glorify God. And he's doing that now.

He's glorifying God with whatever that he's sharing, and not

just that, he's honoring God with pickleball. And it's always

my thing, like huh pickab so such a big deal,

you know, But it's a big deal to Wesley. It's

a big deal to the people around him, you know.

And I want to share if you hopefully this truth

that you'll catch today that God does have a plan

for each and every one of you here right. God

has a plan for me. God has a plan for Isaiah.

God has a plan. But or that's a bad but.

But just because there's a plan, it doesn't necessarily mean

that we are following the plan. Just because there is

a diet for me and there is an exercise plan

for me, doesn't mean that I'm following the plan exactly.

John just ask me just now. When I came here,

it's like how many kg you lost? It y? I

tell him like, oh, I haven't lost but I've reached

a stage where I don't read jagau so in a way,

you know, because sometimes when you chill ready then you're not, so,

you know, diligent because it's not as scary and it happens,

you know, But I hope through the youthn I will

get back on the plan. How many If you are

joining youton today, yeah, I hope you are. If not,

I pray that you will. You will jump on board

because it's just a time we come together as a

church to fast and pray to you know, not say

that we don't think God seriously, but even more serious

in this time, and we do believe that as we

do this corporately as well, it is also a form

of encouragement to one another, you know, a form where

you say, hey, you know, you encourage each other. You

try to know what different people are fasting or bring for,

and then you try and pray for each other as well.

And it's quite good. So I would really encourage you

to do that. Okay, So let me go to scripture.

I think you've heard this just now as John shared it.

If you remember Jeremiah twenty nine, verse eleven, it says,

for I know the thoughts that I think to it.

You say, it's a lot thoughts of peace, are not

of evil, to give you a future and hope. This

is scripture that you know, a lot of people like

to use, you know, and it is also a scripture

that shows you that God does have a plan. You know,

if you go deeper into the context of the scripture,

I don't want to borrow you with it. But basically,

God gave this word to Jeremiah when the people was

in bondage and they were suffering, and they say, don't worry,

I'm not forgotten. In the midst of the suffering, you know, say,

I've not forgotten you guys. And the plan at the

end of the day is going to be good. How

many of you are suffering today, going through suffering? Definitely

go online? You know you're not emitting, right, okay, suffering inside,

dying inside, Okay. No, thoughts of peace are not of evil, right.

Probably sixteen says a man's heart plans his way, but

the Lord directs his step. Okay. So let me give

you some statements, okay. And these are statements of truth. Right,

whether you believe it or not, or whether you fully

buy into it or not, it doesn't deny that it's truth. Okay.

That's something I need to share with you. So the

first point is that God has a plan for all

of us here, right. You might not know what their

plan is yet, you might not be sure what their

plan is yet. I think you will kind of find

out what their plan is that the older you go.

Right now, as I look back, I'm like, oh, God,

you actually had a plan for my life. I'm really

for the wife to come for the tree this year.

I hope I can live for another thirty years, hopefully

fingers crossed thet plasta. Okay, we'll see, we'll see how

how that happens. And when I was young, you know,

if you ask me last time, when I was younger,

when I was younger, oh you know, passe Elvin, did

you had you had a dream? You know? Did you

knew what way you're going to end up now, what

you'll be going to do? And all I will tell you,

I had no idea. I had no idea that I

was going to plan a church. I had no idea

that I was going to do different things. I had

no idea or well, I had a plan. Right if

I had my way, I would have been sort of

like doing animation for Pixar really by now, and we

all know now that's probably not a good career path,

you know, honestly, go and see what's happening right now

in that part of the world is messed up anyway,

So that was my plan, but God changed the plan.

And of course where I am right now, it's God's plan. Right.

If you ask me, you know, I've been introduced before.

It's like, oh, you know, he's very involved in special needs.

You know, honestly, that was something that was not plan

at all, you know, you know, and in fact, if

you ask me now, I can tell you that that's

still not in the plan. But that's God's plan. And

I'm just submit to God's plan to see where he

leads me, you know. But God does have a plan, right,

He has a plan for each and every one of

you here in ex right. Well, that's what I believe,

and that's what most of us believe us and follow

us of Christ's belief right. And we receive the guidance

on God's plan and purpose from where from Bassa Stephen, right,

because Pasta Stephen always speaks to the Holy Spirit, and

whatever he says, come we we receive guidance of God's

plan from where from his words we receive a vision

and prophecy from Vasquna. But we receive God's plan in

our life from his word, He's word. Why do I

say that? Well, it is true. How do you how

do you get guidance? How do you get guidance? Well,

from God's word. Everything we do here is aligned to

the word of God. Right, Yes, Wow, there's like something happening.

Something' is like opening. He's aligned to the word of God.

I give you some Okay, let me try and help

you think about it a little bit. Now. I think

God is a practical God. I think God is a

very practical God. He's very practical. I know he he

A lot of things are written. If we really dive

deep into the mind of God and character of God,

you know he has a plan for everyone. He has

a redemption plan. I think that's what I shared the

last round I was here about how why is discipleship significant?

Why is Jesus significant to us as believers? It's not

just a religion we follow, a way of life we follow,

but it is significant because it is God's redemption plan

for us and one of the more effective ways to

initiate the plan. If true discipleship Right, But where do

we get our direction. God's word. That's where we get

our direction. That's where I get my direction. That's where

you get your direction. I hope you do, la. I

hope you don't get direction from me, you know, honestly,

because I'm not God. I hope you don't get direction

from Puss Stephen Cus. It's not God. You know. We

need God's word to get direction, right, the infallible word

of God. Right. It is not just a book that

makes me happy or a positive thinking mantra. It is

not just a you know, sometimes we get into that.

The whole thought process is not that. God's word is

not just important, it is central to our faith and life.

Let me go deemer, I'm gonna go philosophical on your

We understand that all things for our form true the

word of God. How do we understand that? Turn to

John chapter one. Let me get philosophical with you, guyss.

You'll know what philosophical is not philosophical just means the

way you think what life is. Right. First, John says,

I'm going to read from verse one to verse five,

that which was from the beginning, which we have heard,

which we have seen with our eyes, which we have

looked upon, and our hands have handled concerning the world

of life, the life was manifested, and we have seen

and bear witness and declared to you that eternal life

which was with the Father and was man manifested to us.

Of course, he's talking about Jesus lon that which we

have seen and heard. We declare to you that you

also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship

is with the Father and with the Son, and with

son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you

that your joy may be full. That this is the

message which we have heard from him and declared to you.

That God is light and in him is no darkness

at all. So when we talk about knowing that the

the Word was there, it's as simple as understanding that

when God created the hands, heavens, and the earth, he

spoke and it was his word. I give you this

thought process. How important is someone's word? Have you talked

through this before? How important is past Stephen's word? Okay,

if faster Stephens say he will do it, will he

really do it? You'll catch that. If you say you

will do something, your word, hey, I will be there

at ten am sharp? Is your word carry that carries way?

No No, that's when we talk about word. Is that

now do we actually follow the word? Or or the

word is flippant? I say then, but actually then or

five on the way, on the way maybe later twenty

minutes I'm there. Then you cannot trust my word because

my word doesn't carry away. But friends, the word of

God carries a lot of weight. That's why we quote it.

That's why we believe in it. That's why we practice it.

That's why we say it carries weight. O catch that.

That's why when we say God has a plan for you,

he has a plan for you. See, whether you believe

it or not, it doesn't matter, because it's true. You'll catch that.

So the word is important. God's word is important right.

Second Timothy three sixteen to seventeen says all scripture is

given by inspiration of God, and it's profitable for doctrine,

for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that a

man of God may be complete currently equipped for every

good word? Do you want to be complete? Do you

want to be equipped for every good word? It's not

talking about just ministry, you know, it's talking about every

good word. You want to be complete? Study Gods word

study God's word. You want to be wise, go to proverbs.

Read proverbs. You want to learn how to pray, read Psalms.

You want to learn how to be good in your marriage. Wow,

Corinthians call a low of think about marriage and love

and all these different things. See, God's word is an

instruction for us. See it's very interesting because so we'll

be like, yeah, I know all this city good, are

you practicing it? It's one thing to know, it's another

thing to practice. It's one thing to have to hit knowledge.

It's another thing to actually do. I know that I

need to exercise. I know that I need to eat right.

I know, But am I doing it? Because it's the

doing and the application that brings fruit and life. It's

not in the knowing. You know, you can be an

expert in the human body and health, but if you

don't exercise, you might not going to live long. You

can know nothing. Well, maybe you know a bit like

exercise is good, eating healthy is good. You might not

these only two things, but you do it every day,

we have a better chance of being more healthy. You

see how interesting that thought process is. I'm not even

talking about God's word specifically, No, but when we go

into God's word. How important it is for us Proverbs

Tree one to six. Let's go there. It says, here,

my son, do not forget my law, but let your

heart keep my commands. For length of days and long

life and peace they will add to you. Let not

mercy and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart. And so

find favor and high esteem in the sight of God

and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding. And in all

your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your path.

See this line just now. A good application of in

all your ways acknowledge Him was the testimony we heard

from Wesley. In all your ways? No no, no, no, no.

Only when we're on Sunday, when we're talking about CHURCHO,

you acknowledge God in all your ways? In all huhpik

about tournamentos can acknowledge God? Can't? That's why he did?

Right in all our ways? Acknowledged God? God? Are you here? God?

Can you guide me? Do we know that Christ's word

and God's word has no expiry date? Meant you? Twenty

four thirty five, says Heaven and earth will pass away.

But my words were by no means pass away. Well,

I tell you that is such a comfort to me.

You know, you know why listening to the news things changed.

I was just talking to John just now about parenting

right now, God, gentle parent. Thing now got all kinds

of different concept of parenting, you know. And then I

told you, and I say, you know what one the

one thing that I read I learned right being a parent.

You got to be very careful with what you read

online because it sounds good, it looks good, but it

might not be true. It might be written by some doctor,

but the doctor might not might not have kids, or

might not apply it, or might just want to be

famous as I They sell different things. Now, I mean,

I'm not I'm not knocking doctors and study law, but

please do your research law. Don't just see a real

like it and then after that straway follow that does

Therefore this is my life. No guys read dangerous. No,

if you want to use anything, please use God's word.

Canon not right. Is it coming from the world of God.

The word of God teaches us how to discipline our kids.

The word of God teaches us about how to raise children.

In the way of the Lord. What does that mean?

You mean just come to church and lift up hands

and you know know how to say amen? No, No, that's

not the ways of the lot only. Yes, you teach

them that so that they can worship and know who

their God is. But the ways of the Lord is

what so many other things that we have to practice

as human beings. Right, don't be envious of your neighbor,

don't lie, don't cheat, don't hold a crush against someone else.

This is all God's work. No, if you all didn't know,

please read, please read more. God's Word. God's Word guides us.

Do I get everything correct all the time? Nola? Can

I be honest with you? Right? In fact? Some sometimes

and this streesful, I know, feels like I cannot make

any mistake, make mistake right if you look at you like, oh,

I can't believe you did that. You know, don't you

have Holy spirit in you? Wouldn't the Lord go and

convict your heart? So he Lord, we say, human lad Yes,

we have ahavior burden of leading people, and we cannot

say the wrong thing. But I tell you, I say

the wrong thing all the time. So I'm so used

to saying sorry. Most of the time, I'll be like apologizing. Right.

Just yesterday at home, you know, I jumped to conclusion, right,

asked my youngest son to do his homework, you know,

and naturally he's more expressive, right, And he expressed his frustration.

But he wasn't frustrated because I asked him to do homework.

But I assume that that was why he was frustrated.

In fact, he was frustrated because he wanted to do

the homework, but he didn't know how to do it,

so he asked my wife, but my wife was busy.

She asked him to wait. Then he expressed his frustration

all that but me being triggered happy and assuming that

it was because he didn't want to do his homework, Kamara.

And then it went through a whole spiral. And then

my wife had to text to me and I have

to go and have a chat with him, and I

have to go and apologize to my son and said sorry,

I didn't know. Can you forgive me. I'm not perfect.

I still need God's word, I still need the Holy

Spirit to guide me. Right, all of us are dead,

but that's the thing. Are we relying on his word

to guide us, or do we think we've got everything right.

That's very dangerous, know having pride. Psalms nine says, your

word is a lamb unto my feet and a light

to my path. Hebrews four twelve says, for the Word

of God is living and powerful, and shopper than any

two aged sort, piercing even to the division of soul

and spirit, and of the joints and mirror. And it

is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Let me dwell on this a little bit. When you

come to church, when a strong message is preached, and

when you feel convicted, everybody say, ouch, it's not me

a we just read here. The Word is living and

powerful and shoppered than any two aged sort. Now, let

me give you a thought process to the response. How

you respond to that ouch is very important because you

canna respond one or two ways. You can ouch, Okay, God,

you're speaking to me, God, thank you. Let me try

and figure out how we're going to do this. Let

me try, and you know, come to you again and say, Lord,

help me. I felt it. I felt that ouch. That's

one way, and hopefully we are how to say our

hearts is molded more and more or an other ways.

This past that you know, trigger happy again? Ay, the

message is not encouraging enough. This church don't preach from scripture,

just want to wag people in me. You see the difference. Ah,

then you reject the word. The Bible says. The seed

is sown everywhere. Say some fall on good ground, bare

fruit ten twenty one hundred and four. Some fall on

tony ground where the cares of the world chalk the

seed down. Some fall on the wayside where the crows

come and eat and take the seat away. Nothing wrong

with the seat, no guys, nothing, only the seed. It

is the ground. Who is the ground? We are the ground.

I tell myself that all the time. Now. Why because

just because I'm a pastor, and just because I sit

there and maybe I know a little bit more, doesn't

mean I cannot receive from anyone. Every time someone comes

up here to share, whether it's a testimony or word,

I always ask God, God speak to me. I want

to grow, I want to learn. I am not so

big that I cannot receive from anybody just because this

preacher is boring, right, pass Steven boring? Just because he's

boring doesn't mean I cannot learn, you know, and I

remember when I was growing up. This is not mean.

Pastor Kadja said, you will understand this. We were taught

that God's word is sovereign and that we have to

pay attention. However boring the preacher is confirm can receive

something on right? Confirm? Can one? You try very hard, La,

and it's true, but don't know why now they are well,

not funny enough, that's it, La, not interesting enough, that's it, La.

Don't speak quite little Isha, that's sila kilo kilo accent.

You know. Sorry, I'm Chinese, right, how I try it?

So I listened back to myself. I'm like, oh my goodness,

he's so Chinese. Maybe I should go for like vocal lessons.

You know, God's word is powerful. Friends. The only way

we know about the plan God has for us, it

is true his word. It's true the alignment of his word.

You want to ask God, God, what is the plan

for my life? Yes, being your own plans are but

aligning to God's word. I acknowledge God, then you know, right,

alignment to God's work. That's my next point. So the

key to our purposeful living is to align ourselves to

God's word and the leading of his Holy Spirit, to

apply it to our lives and to live it out. Joshua,

when it says the Book of the Law shall not

depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it

day and night, then you may observe to do according

to all that is written in it, For then you

will make your way prosperous, and then you will have

good success. So it's actually a lifestyle we embrace, you know,

it is. We are embracing a lifestyle. You know when

you I'm not sure that how many of you remember?

For those of you who are believers, you know, the

first time you say a salvation prayer, Lord Jesus, I

believe in you. Thank you for dying on the cross

and for washing my sins away. What's the next line

after that? I commit my life to you? Remember not

I commit my life to you. Lead me now, Lord,

we pray this message, but we don't even straightway after that.

We you know, Okay, God, this is my planner. Can

you please bless my plan? Huh, you're not blessing my planner.

It's Okla. Let's be very careful how we leave our

lives believers. God's not a center Claus that just bless

everything just because it's nicer. Let's be very careful. Let

me caution you a little bit. Okay, It is a lifestyle,

a belief system, and we allow the Holy Spirit. So

it is a supernatural thing because when we commit our life,

we believe that the spirit of the Lot resides in us.

The Holy Spirit starts staying here and start leading us.

That's why after believer, after being a believer, there are

some things you kind of naturally know what to do

and why not to do it you want. It's very

interesting because as it's a natural response, but it's a

supernatural transformation. Speak to anybody here who has been a

believer for a long time. You'll be surprised at the

way they make decisions as actually if it's led by God,

because it is contrary to what they will normally do.

You'll catch that right. You hear the simonis about that

all the time. Why where's it coming from? It's a

holy spirit. It is a supernatural thing. Naturally, you won't

do it one but because the spirit of the God

convicts your heart, because the word of God convicts your heart,

then you change your mind. Because the spirit of the

Lord convicts your heart, then you know how to forgive.

Is it easy to forgive? Of course not. But God's

spirit convicts your heart and you respond to you see,

there's a response that happens. There's a response that happened.

You can respond abi ways I said. You can respond

or reject. The danger is the more you reject, the

more numb you become. And the more numb you become.

You know, we use the term are you sensitive to

the Holy Spirit? Not after a while? Right, even like moms,

I don't know. I don't want moms are But maybe

that's fall into this. We tell once we tell to

you don't listen, right, we won't bother telling ready. That's

one way, now you know how how yeah? Yeah, true?

It is that. But sometimes but I learned something signs,

but it is not enough because you don't listen. But

you know, it's like that after once, twice, two, three times,

you're like, Okay, don't need to say it because tell

you ready, Ma, you don't listen, then you just deal

with the consequences. Are friends, Are you catching something today?

Our minds are renewed and it's perfecting us to be

ready when the time Christ comes to receive us. Philippines

one twenty one says for me to leave his Christ

and to die is gain. Galatians to twenty says, I've

been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live. Wow,

this very strong messages are I've been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives

in me. Easy to say, how to do right? But

I have all these dreams. But God, I want to

get married before I will reach twent ty. But God,

I want to be a billionaire. But God, I have

this perfect life that I want to build for me

and my family. I now live in the flesh, and

I live by faith in the Son of God, who

loved me and gave himself for me. Friends, am I

saying that all these things that I use as examples

God won't bless No, That's not what I'm saying. But

maybe I'm saying is those things God? Or is God? God?

Which is God? Which is more important? Let's say I

use your example. Is winning the pickleball game more important?

Or is God more important? We have to be a

careful you know when you come to this, because we've

also been taught. Well, I hope if you've not been taught,

let me teach you nalah that we don't put the

gift above the giver it right, God, is you gonna

he don't give me mess? I'm not ready for Ela.

How are you so able to accept it pass away? Well?

Because I know God is still going in my life.

And yes, I've been praying for Tesla. No, I'm just joking. Okay,

I'm not praying for Tesla. Just just use an example. Okay,

praying for Tesla and he got They don't give me

a Tesla yet or no money by a Testa yet.

It's okay. My car works, my car runs very well.

You know my car, which is a Toyota Venza, which

I kind of like, right, still like ten year city,

still running well. And the joke is I found out

from my homie that Toyota is the car of choice

for I don't want to use these examples for certain

people in the Middle East. Extreme mess, okay, extreme what

don't know? You'll go and find out yourself car of choice?

You know why, because it doesn't break down no matter

how many bullets you want through it, it does not

break down. I'm like I didn't know that. Wow, I'm

driving such an awesome car. Testa does it? I don't know. See,

we want things thinking that it's good for us. But

wouldn't your father in heaven know what is good for you?

Think about it? Think about it? Very important? So, friends,

purpose understanding the important of God's word means I hope

you don't just rely on the message on Sunday. I

hope on Monday to Friday you go right now because

if you just want to get if you just want

to ask wasyte right how to get there, and you'll

need an ways for the first five minutes, and then

the next you just you know, close the app and

drive blind. I think you get lost. So every week

have to recalibrate again. Friends, I hope that you are

aligning yourself to God's work daily because sometimes you need that.

Sometimes you need that. Is he a devotion? Is it

just you know? I have a friend who told me

very interesting. He said one of the things that he

started doing because he wanted to sort of like up

his devotion time. And it's very difficult, busy and all,

but one of the things that he started doing is

that on the way to work, he started on switching

on the app, the Bible app and Bible app some

Bible versions. That's actually a voicing, Henry. He just twitched

on here listen, and he just said, I just do that.

Sometimes he's paying attention. Sometimes he's not paying attention. Right,

But it's become such a habit. Now that he doesn't

do that, he feels weird, and then he does it,

and it's come the habbit has come to a point

whereas he's listening to it, very interesting listening to it,

he starts saying, he started noticing different things that's happening

in his own life about God. How he noticed start

noticing the way he thinks, the way he makes decisions,

and how God is moving in his life, even through

a simple thing like that. And of course there's progression,

you know, later, progression to other things. So I don't know, what,

is there one thing that you can do this week

that will cause you to align more to God's word?

Sometimes just at one step. Don't think so, don't think

so hard, la right. Exercising every day is not easy.

I still haven't nailed it yet. But I didn't start

every day. I started with one day. And you know,

when you see progress, you feel encouraged, like recently, uh recently,

I I well, not recently, actually, I I you'll clarify

this because I changed program for a bit, and yeah,

I changed back okay, I changed program to power if

things that I changed back to Crosswit. Okay. So when

I changed Acrosswit, like recently in the gym, coach also

told me that he noticed I was stronger a bit

because I could finish it faster and I could live heavier.

And then when I think back the day I started,

because Facebook remind you, right, So Facebook remind you one

year ago, two years ago, right, so reminded me like oh,

and I can remember the workout. The same workout used

to take me one and a half hours. And after

that workout, I'll be like date on the floor. Now

after the workout, which is like five minutes, I'm fine,

progress good. But it took time. It took effort, it

took sacrifice, it took I don't feel like doing it

to dayla, but just do it anyway. That's just exercise.

What about God's word You Turn is a good time

to realign. It is in the you Turn booklet when

you have now, Oh, I don't want to read lab

Pas Alvin Well got devotional here for you. Just read

this lah. Oh, but then God speak to me. Surprise,

You'll be very surprised. I tell you one testimony I

had when I was well, before I was in acts,

I was a youth leader in my church, and that

one year where I was youth leader, I literally saw

my youth group die from forty to thirty to twenty

to ten. I tell you I'm the youth leader. No,

I'm in charge of the group. You know. Wow, my

confidence level is awesome after that. Do you know how

close I was to the Lord? Very close? Every day.

I remember reading this devotional Oswald Chambers my untmost woice highest.

I kid you, not every day for one year God

spoke to me. God spoke to me every day for

one year. I survived. The youth group didn't survive. By

his wife time to say here, you'll be surprised at

what God can do. You mean you mean just because

things are structured, God cannot use it. So I like

to challenge you will stop process now? You know people

like to you know, people like the mystical. Oh, you

know when I read the Bible, how many of you

have done it before? Don't raise up your hands in

the money awake, I just fleep, I stop and then

I'll read. Oh then God speak to me. How many

have done that? Can you please stop doing that? I

mean it means goolay? Yeah. Do you know that the

devil can speak to yourself? Do we put God in

the box that God cannot use structure to speak to you?

Come on, I always like to change you. Will stop process?

You mean God is so small that he cannot change

your situation just because you feel a thing stuck. Oh?

God is more powerful than that. So the question is, friends,

have we been transformed? From the day we became a

believer until now? Have we been transformed? Can I give

you another encouragement? You know, in ex church, everything we

do is not just it's not just there, you know,

but it's derived from the word of God. Our main

goal here in the church is to not just hear

and feel, but obey and do. I give you a perspective,

you know, I know, you know X. We go lot

of like nice words, acronyms and all, but everything is

derived from God's weel and homes mean think in smaller groups, right,

that's what we do. We have haddos here by sea shape.

This is another word. This is another word. And the

way we do hodoles is not a program. We literally

try to follow what Jesus did. Spend time together, do

life together, encourage people. Someone asked a question in one

of ours apparat me things. You know, Oh you know

it's hardos just for leaders, is hard for ministry and

I love person's reply. Say, if you study Jesus right,

everything he did was for ministry and life. There was

no separation. But then when it comes to us, we

have separation. We can compartmentalize. Church is church, my life

is my life, My family is my family, my business

my business. We compartmentalize everything. But when we talk about

God and committing, let's go back to the prayer again.

I commit my life only church life. Right, next time

you should change a prayer. I commit my church life

to your Lord. Every other life cannot touch No. What

life means life or life means, family, life means relationship,

life means everything, Life means speakable everything. Don't compartmentalize. God

is interested in everything in your life, and ultimately it

will rich to ministry because God wants to use you

to reach more people. That's his plan. No, not my plan.

His plan go there for make disciples. That's his plan. Amen.

So what do we do well? We believe in giving

God our best in every area of our lives, not

just in ministry. So when you talk to your people

and if you ever had a chance to be in

a hard relationship or even in your homes, we don't

just encourage people in ministry. We encourage people in every area. Right,

it's who we are and who we want to become.

Let me give you some examples, right, the things we

practice in church partnership rather than membership. I'm so sorry, friends,

but we don't have membership in next church. We believe

in partnership. Why because the moment you say I'm committed

this church, you'll partner with us and the lot to

build these church together. We're not interested in having people

who just warm the pills. Sorry, I know I'm a

bit stronger. I don't know, Paster Steven probably won't come

back here after this. Ready. Discipleship is the expression of

our hurdles, you know, our devotion and encouragement for prayer

and quiet time. We had pray yesterday. Why pray corporately?

Whator men, you should have been there. If you were

not there yesterday, you're so powerful God move, It's amazing,

you know. And I'm still believing for past I can

I pray yesterday. I do believe one day we will

see miracles happen. Our seriousness when it comes to worship,

Why do I say it's serious? Let me ask what

time do you wake up today to come here? Seven?

Seven o'clock? Do you have practice before that? Like on Thursday? On?

How long? I think? Two hours? Two hours? Is it okay?

Two hours? Practice? Come back? Come here at seven? Anyone

woke up earlier than that? I think seven or so?

Because you're started then the dealer, right, yeah, seven o'clock

because PJA will be like six five am, six, seven, eight,

nine ten, Well three hours before these are? Is that

not seriousness when it comes to worship, it's about preparation right.

Let me give you another thing that will hit close

to home. Empowerment to serf God, not just to practice,

but the spirit behind it. I'll show you a story

about I don't have much time. Actually maybe I won't

show your story, but basically we want to empower people

to serve God. Just have to encourage Come sign up,

sign up. Oh you know I cannot commit, Then find

something you can commit tou la, right, even if it's

one week, two weeks, even if it's a few minutes.

Come on, we'll take it because we know that when

you start serving God with the little that you have,

God will multiply it. He will, So you just gotta

jump it. Don't overthink it. Sign we think too much

for our own good. No, it's the little that has

always been God's plan. We also encourage people to rise

up and to take up servant leadership because caring for

others as a leader will cause you to grow. Why

are you so big on leadership here, Well that's the reason.

Oh but passe alvin, I don't want to be leader,

you know, too much responsibility. Yeah, since when your life

got no responsibility, you will also got responsibility. Right, come on,

don't have any mental barriers. Everything we do we do

it towards God, and we want to constantly apply the

word of God in our lives and experience the transformation

that comes with it. I'm going back to the first

part that God has a plan for you, but it

is our response that will see whether this plan comes

into play. And if you don't believe me. Well, I

want to invite someone to share her testimony. See where

you're going to come up? Everybody? Were quiet? Are guys? Okay? Hello?

Everyone? Okay to see. For those who do not know me,

I am Sylvia, Okay. I'm a December Vie, the only

child in my family, and I'm born and raised Kaijang Hey.

I studied in Saginistikott Damansarah graduated with a bachels in Education,

majoring in specialists and manoring early child education. So I

worked as a therapist before and I'm currently working with

teaming organizations with Master Elvin at the Bill Rooms in

Gotta Communing. So I came to Ask Church in twenty

twenty two, a few months after Bill actually started, and

I'm part of B two homes now. So the real

life story that I'm supposed to share today is my testimony.

Let me be real if you. When I heard that

I'm supposed to share testimony, my heart actually dropped, both

in a good way and a bad way. So let

me tell you the good part first. Just a few

days before Faster Alvin approached me to talk my testimony,

I was just talking to my head leader about not

having a testimony to share during our previous homes because

during that time I felt like I had a dima.

I want to share something, but the story was too long,

or I was going through something at the point in

time that it's not counter as a testimony yet. And

in short, I felt disappointed and frustrated that nothing to

share about God working in my life. Who knew that

the re rent on that day would lead to Paster

Elvin approaching me to share my testimony a couple of

days after thought about God's timing. Right now I have

to share it in a bigger scale, come back to

sharing it during homes.

Okay.

The bad feeling that I have towards the word testimony

is the concept and understanding that I've had of it

since becoming Christian. It was usually asked when they want

to know how you are safe or become a Christian.

Then I felt like, ha, sharing my testimony, Well, there's

nothing great about it, even words. If you heard my story,

what would you think of me? Truthfully? In mind, I

wonder how much I can sugarcoat make it seem as

good as possible. In which part of my story should

I share and not share? See now why I felt

bad when I heard I had to share my testimony

because I've always thought that I needed my story of

becoming a Christian to be impressive, and that's why all

those thoughts came to mind. Yet the more I tried

to plan out what to say, the more I felt less.

The more I felt led that I needed.

To be raw and real.

So I'll first share the testimony in the form of

my previous understanding, giving you a little background of how

I became a Christian, and then later in the form

of the new perspective I've got on what testimony actually is.

When I was in primary school, I had a family

friend who invited my cousin and I to her church activities.

We went for a Sunday school camp and we also

attended dance classes thought by one of her church members.

We perform during the church's special occasions, and that's where

I first stuck into a church building. One time we

joined them for their service, and Dad actually left a

terrifying impression on me because it was for the first

time I saw people speaking tongues and there were even

some who were rolling on the floor. I was so scared,

but I couldn't tell anyone because it would seemed like

I didn't respect the person that invited me to church.

Right.

And at that age as well, I learned that my

mom would call herself a Christian and my dad a

free tinker Buddhist. So at that age I put two

and two together called myself a half Christian and half Buddhist.

So I remember saying that proudly to my friend who

was a Christian. So let's call this friend Ray. I

think she had enough of my nonsense because when you

went to high school, she invited me to her church's

youth program. Whah, get to hang out with friends on Saturday.

Who wouldn't want that?

Right?

And then there was this handsome cock who some more

checks all the boxes of my ideal type. Like it,

I'll want to go right? Yeah, anyways, this is what

we do during the youth program. We have time of worship,

have Bible study, and then have kept them all. Though

I didn't attend the youth program regularly, there were times

that I managed to attend and listen more about the

Word and started to relate what the Word is and

what goes on in my real life. I was all

for doing the right thing, So the more I heard

about how Christians have to do this and that and

mix us look right before others. The more I started

to agree with the word. But the turning point came

when Ray told me about how during her med stution

they came across a calculation that summed up to six

six six. The attution teacher, who's one of the church members,

explained to them that it's the devil's number and is

found in Revelation. So Ray said this to me, go

home and read on revelations. I don't want to see

my friend in hell when I go to heaven. One day,

so I went home and read revelations, fearing that we'll

end up in the pit of fire. I asked my

mom should I pray the sinners prayers with her? She

told me to pray with rain instead. So one day,

during pe at the back of my school's office by

the long ung, Ray and another friend who God saved

a month earlier than me prayed for me and told

me to pray the sinner's prayer myself at home. So

there was the testimony that I'll usually share because that's

why I understand testimony to be. But now let me

share with you the testimony that you usually hear in

ex church, which I've learned after being part of the church.

Here I say that I will be raw and real.

So now you've heard how I came to say the

sinner's prayer. But you think, did she actually accept Jesus

as a savior or was it fear? Or was it

because she had loved for the Lord?

Ight?

Then I'll say, yes, I felt fear and I didn't

want to go to hell, and that I understand that

I need a lot to be my savior, So yes,

I do love him. Sounds like a textbook answer, but

they realized that the confession was in the wrong order.

When I first believed, I didn't know that it was wrong.

I was just desperate to not go to Hell when

I died. It was only when I started learning about

Christianity to the full up classes I started to realize

that I actually got it all wrong. But then I

had already admitted that I want to be a Christian

and I've said the soonest prayerity, So now how Moreover,

I pushed back a thought that I didn't want to admit.

When I decided to be a Christian. It was also

because of pure pressure. Remember the friend who got safe

a month earlier than me, as called her Fay. In

the back of my head, I knew that I was

actually affected by Faith's decision. She got safe a really

well about me. And then also remember the handsome cockol.

He's there. If I get safe, then get married or

a very happy family under God's direction. And then I

pushed by those thoughts and tried to convince myself that

I decided to be a Christian because of my own willingness.

But you see, because of the unwillingness to acknowledge the

truth back then. I now understand why my faith and

spiritual journey started out really shaky even from the start.

Looking back, during my years in my previous church, I

wasn't growing spiritually at all. Maybe there were times when

I really experienced God and did act on in faith,

but to be honest, my years in the previous church

was just filled with battling with inferity towards faith, Desperately

one thing or a MENTI relationship, the handsome gogall one

thing to be acknowledged and loved by the people in church.

I went all out being this good girl and good

friend towards the old, the young, and the families. So

my focus in church actually wasn't God at all. Was

I brave enough to admit it then? Even if there

were times I knew this was my real heart behind

going to church, No, what do I do? Instead? I

covered up all this built up over the year's ugly

intentions over the span of almost a decade in the church,

and no one knew. It came to a point where

things got really ugly. In that year alone, I experienced

both romantic and friendship breakups, the feeling of heartbreak and betrayal,

broken trust from arrest people that I really loved. And

because I was so focused and bothered by all of that,

the more I went to church, the more I felt

like I was an imposter and I realized that I

was just studying the word, that it was just another subject.

Everything in church for me was just collapsing. So I

left church. I thought it was for the good of everyone. Well,

that was how I wanted it to look like, But

deep down I knew that I really did it for me.

Because of everything that I went through during that period,

I actually fell into depression and had frequent anxiety attacks.

There were two significant moments that I had experienced that

made me sick for help. Firstly, when I was at

the beach and I stood by the shore, I felt

the ways calling me in fun fact about me. I

don't know how to swim, so when that thought came

to me, I knew if I went in, I would

have drowned. But why didn't I do it? My family

was watching me, and a voice told me to stalk

and not listen to that. Secondly, I was driving on

a highway and I was actually rushing, so I used

the fast Liane. When I went faster than I usually would,

I felt myself not only on autopilot mode, but I

felt like I wasn't in control of my body. I

actually imagined myself from a third person's point of view,

and in a moment, if I would to swing my

steering wheel, I would actually crash. When I realized that

was happening, I forced myself to grape the steering wheel tightly,

and thankfully I was able to collect myself back and

drove slower. Because of all that, I met with a psychiatrist,

got a diagnosis, and was given medication to help improve

my state. All I felt then was that there was

no point to exist yet I did not dare to

take my own life away, so I focused on becoming

human again. Because I wanted to focus solely on that,

didn't want anything to do with any form of relationships

and church. Moreover, I also thought starting work would put

me in a routine and it will help me to

get better. That's when I took up the job to

be a therapist, but after working for two years, I

eventually resigned. Several factors played a part to the decision.

I was facing sleep issues still, despite the number of

times I've changed medication that was supposed to help. Because

of that, I kept missing work and it didn't help

that I constantly felt like a burden towards my colleagues

and students. In my mind, I was a really bad

colleague and very bad teacher, and I told myself that

I'm not fit to be a teacher. I was even

scared to go near children after that because of how

disappointed I felt towards myself, and I had the fear

of letting them down if I were to be responsible

of them again. So at this point you wonder why

she went through all that. However, was God in all this?

I can tell you truthfully that he was in all

those moments and experiences I've just shared. When I said

the Sinners Prayer just because without knowing it's true implications

and just wanting to escape hell, he was dead. He

really knew I would make the decision, even in such

a low understanding and in such circumstance stances, because he

knew that fifteen years later I would come to a

better understanding of what it really is and what it meant,

and that I want a real relationship with him. When

I went through all the insecurities, comparisons, heartbreaks and betrayals,

he was there. All that had to happen to me

is so that I could realize that it wasn't something

that was wrong with me, but it's because he intends

to heal parts of me that I didn't know need healing,

and that it was all my immature responses to circumstances

I've encountered back then. Because what I know now, I

can help others who are facing similar situations. When I

faced those two significant experiences where a voice was calling

me to do something bad, he was there because the

other voice was the Holy Spirit stopping me from doing otherwise.

And I decided that I wanted to focus on only

being and nurturing my human side. He was there because

the soul was longing for more. When my human side

was nurtured to a better state, and that was when

I felt like I was ready to go back to church.

And while I was looking for one, I saw Sharon's

post about the planting of Xbu. I contemplated await for

a while. I wouldn't made a deal with God. If

I don't feel peaceful after attending just one service, then

it's not for me. For someone who was battling with sleep.

At a point in time, I was able to get

up to get ready, and while driving to be you,

she felt so much peace that had not felt in

a while. He didn't only just give me peace, he

gave me warmth as well, because when I came, everybody

greeted me so warmly and so well. When I thought

I thought that I would never be near kids again

because of my fear and expectations, he was there. He

led me to volunteer for one of the fun days

held in Blue Rooms just last June. I thought I

would just stand by the side, help with the material preparations,

just observe. But when I had to interact the children.

At that moment, I felt like my love for children

and passion for specialists just came back to me naturally,

and he covered the fear that I once had. I

was genuinely surprised by that experience when I realized what

was happening to me, when I thought I would never

work again.

He was there.

Last July, I sun up for all costs, thinking of

getting more understanding of what abay THEYPY is and hopefully

with the qualification it'll be easier to get a job

in the future. Around that period of time, it was

past Earvingston to share the wood in view. He went

to a current restaurant in one Dama for our lunch.

Because it was a huge group, they arranged the table

so that it becomes one long table, and of all

the seats that had to be empty, was the one

right in front of me and Paster Elvin and passed

Stevens actually came later, but throughout the whole time no

one sat in front of me and Paster Elvin did.

So we started talking about some things, and I mentioned

about the cost that I just signed up for. He

just trained the thought in a joking manner when I

can't worked for Timmy. I was surprised because my plan

was to start studying first, get into a routine because

I haven't been working, and then when I'm ready, I

will look for a job. A few months later, he

came back to me, laying out all the carts of

how the work will be like in Timmy and how

how it'll helped my field work. Since I need supervision

and I'm done with the studying part, he asked me again,

this time in a serious manner, one to come and

work for Timmy during Christmas play rehearsal last year with

fistbum and set the deal. Lastly, when I felt like

a lost cause for the many times I've doubted my

faith for not seeking a relationship with him throughout all

the years of being a Christian, he was there, and

in fact he is here, still changing me. He knew

I would be lingering around the Christian labor for years,

but he also knew that he would give the revelation

that this has to stop. He started working in me

when I was willing to come to XP you, when

I surrendered my broken pieces at the author, when I

realized that because of ego and shame, I didn't want

to go back to the basics, but I have to

let it down so that the truth was set me free.

And when I realized that there's so much to unlearn

and relearn in both the spiritual side of me and

also whatever that I've been true, I can no longer

do it out of my own strength and wisdom, but

allowing Him to take control and heal me. So remember

how I mentioned about God's timing in the breeding of

my sharing, that one day I was complaining that I

did not have a testimony to share to being asked

to share a destiny just a few days later. I

can tell you right now that even in this testimony,

it is God's timing. And from whatever that I've shared,

I hope that you can catch that it's really just

God's timing.

Man, man, thanks Syliah. So let's just give got one

more around loss. Hallelujah. Thank you Lord, Lord. We thank

you because we know that you are good. You know

that you do care for each and every one of us. Friends,

It's not just Sylvia's testimony. There are many many more

stories like this, you know. And it was actually I

didn't know what she was going to share, you know,

I just said, oh, this is my plan. Why don't

you share? You know, because in PJ I got one

of our partners said to share because you know her

as well. But it's just so amazing, right that when

we say God has a plan, he really does have

a plan all the way to the little details, you know.

And I can tell you honestly, I never planned any

of this. You know. Now we are colleagues, now we

work together, and see what's just amazing when it comes

to kids. But you know, God knows, you know. But

at the same time, you also see and I want

to highlight that, you also see that see where the

didn't give up on the church, See where the didn't

give up on God. She came. It was just one post,

she came. Yeah, of course there were you know, discussions,

but she said, yes. How many of us here would

say yes? That's my question. I always say, oh no,

not for me. How many of us here would say

yes to that simple thing? Yes God, Yes, I will

commit yes though I will so yes, thod, I will

commit myself to homes yes. So yeah, yeah, yeah, my

life is but yes, that one thing and you see

a life change. Let's pray Hallelujah. I know the time

is a little bit extended. I want to apologize for that.

I also believe that the Lord wants to speak to

different ones here. Oh Lord, we thank you. Lord. Can

I just encourage all of you here to just quieten

yourselves down and to just commit to the Lord? Is

this something that you need to commit to today? Is

there something that you need to change in the way

you think? Maybe you've been afraid to say yes Lord.

Can I encourage you to say yes lot today? Yeah,

you've not gotten everything figured out. It's okay, none of

us here I've gotten everything figured out. See where they

didn't get things figured out yet? But God is there.

God is always there, whether we meant to say the

Sinners Prayer a lot or not. God is always there.

Such a powerful testimony we've just heard, and I know

some of us here we've also experienced that. We've also

experienced God's divine coordination in our life, his divine plan.

We've seen it. So can I encourage you to just

continue to say yes to the Lord, continue to commit

to the Church, commit to him, continue to be involved,

because more will happen in your life when you do.

But the more we sit by the side. And the

more we just be a spectator by the side, and

the more we just say no, it's not for me

and I don't want to get involved and I just

want to sit friends, the more things are going to

pass you by. The one thing I always tell people

now is that science we've got to be careful with

what we want because we might just get what we want.

The fear is that when we get what we want,

God's not there. We will get what we want, but

God's not there. Can I encourage you today? Can you

desire for what God wants for your life? Lord? I

just want to pray for everyone here. Lord. We want

to thank you for your word. I pray that your

word we'll speak to us. You will continue to dominate

in our hearts. I pray that all who are here

will be good ground to receive your word. But I

also want to pray O God for realignment for you.

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

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

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that this week is going to be a good week.

I hit for you, God bless