The Lord Will Provide | Pr Kenneth

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

All right, let's turn now to Genesis twenty two, and

we're gonna read some verses there. We're gonna talk about,

you know, how blessed it is to be a generous person,

to be a generous church. But I want us to

turn to God's word, prepare our hearts for the days

to come, even for the anniversary giving. And let's turn

to Genesis twenty two and read the precious word of God,

and let the word of God speak to us today.

Genesis twenty two. Everybody, now, Genesis twenty two is a

very popular chapter in XS church because we use Genesis

twenty two, verse five to talk about worship. It was

the first time worship was ever mentioned in the Bible.

And if you are a student of the Bible, you

will know that the law law of first mention is

very important, meaning to say that if you want to

study a word in the Bible, you gotta study from

where it first was mentioned. And so worship was first

mentioned in Genesis twenty two, verse five. And it had

nothing to do with music. He had nothing to do

with lyrics. They had nothing to do with sound or lines.

Worship had everything to do with God wanting Abraham to

give his only son Isaac, meaning that worship is always

about giving our best to God. That he doesn't just

mean singing, It means surrendering and submitting to God.

Can I hear good? Amen? Worship is from the heart,

not just from your wallet.

It is from your life, not just from things that

you could materially offer to the Lord. The Lord is

more interested in your heart that he is in your money.

Do you believe that? Now?

When I came in this style, Sister Erin, you know,

she was trying to put the envelope into her pocket,

and she and May was trying to like it cannot

cannot fit, No, cannot fit. And then I think he

tried to fold it. You know, I think they trying

to prepare that for next Sunday. So they folded it

very big on this envelope, and Sister Erin said, oh,

I think what's more important is what's inside. And then

I say, what's more important is what's inside our hearts.

Once is our hearts, It's even more important than what's

inside this envelope. Okay, So let me put up the

slide for for the first Uh. Well, okay, fine, you

can put up the scripture and let's read it together.

Let's read the word of God.

Are you ready?

The Bible says, now we came to pass after these

things that God tested Abraham.

Somebody is start, yeah.

And said to him Abraham, and he said, here I am.

Then he said, take now your son, your only son,

whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah

and offer him there as a burn offering on one

of the mountains of which I shall tell you. So

Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey.

You know, I wonder why he woke up early. You know,

in my mind, I'm thinking about a few reasons. One

it could be that, you know, when you are faced

with such a dilemma, I think you can't even sleep.

Don't talk about wake up early.

How many of you have had a dilemma in your life,

tough situation, a challenge so.

Challenging that you can't even sleep.

Maybe you have like exam, yeah on Monday, and exam

is tough, and you wake up early. But maybe you

did even sleep. There's one possible reason why he woke

up early. Second reason is a little bit chicky. Maybe

he didn't tell his wife, because I don't know how

you can tell your wife that you're about to give

up your son.

And she gave birtha at ninety This is not easy.

You know, some of you in this room, you've worked

hard for something, very hard to give up. And there's

only one time I didn't tell my wife about something.

But the only one time I confessed to you right now.

I went and got a dog, a golden retriever. Has

been always my desire to have a dog, all right.

When I went to this place where they were breeding

golden retrievers, this guy brought it, brought one out to me.

I only found out later that this one was a

sick dog. All the best of his litter or his

pup pups was all beautiful, extra beautiful. But anyway, this

was the only one he brought out. Didn't let me

go into the kennel to see the rest. You know,

later on he confessed. So that's why I know. Later on,

when I was talking about Spring, my dog, my god

in retriever, he actually came out and confessed. Past, Actually,

I gave you a sick dog, and I want to

confess because I'm hearing you speak in church, and I'm

convicted that I did not give the servant of God

the best. Uh would you please take another beautiful golden

retriever pup from me? And I said Spring might be sick,

but she's mine. You know, I know how that sentence

came out. Also, that was one of the best centers

I've ever seen in my life.

And she was sick actually, you know when I got her.

She was on Ampti biotics for the next two years

because of a blood problem, right, and she died at

travel half.

And I never cried so much before maybe.

Just the other time I cried was next to my

sister's bid when she passed away, before she turned to

any one.

I think I cried more then.

But after that, I never cried so much until Spring, uh,

you know, passed on.

But uh what what what? What was I going to

say to you? Yeah? So I went. I got Spring

in my hand, put her in my car.

Don't know when to put her because I didn't bring

any create any cage, any nothing, no, no, no lesh.

Just put her at the front of my car and

she beat at the front of my car. Good thing,

not on my my seat, but not on the rubber man.

And you know when their baby, when the eight weeks old,

their pido smell very bad, just like water, you know.

And so I brought her back. I put her into

a box, uh and uh brought her in the house

and my wife came home. And my wife, you know,

hurt a little bit of a yelping kind of callie about.

So what's that? And I was not around. I was

upstairs praying.

And guess what, you know, year's later, my wife just

fell deeply in love with Spring and it became like

her dog, you know.

Uh.

And you know with all these breeds that are a

little bit special breeds, right, you can't offer them any

kind of food. You have to only feed the dog.

They are kind of food, very expressive, like to keep

a good dog. But my wife will always feed ice

cream by the under the table because she just really

so young this dog. So that was the only time.

But I can tell you, Abraham, you're not talking about

dog now, You're talking about your only son, the son

of your own age.

Only one. You cannot get another.

One idea after this, and God says, I want this,

I want your best. How to tell your wife. I

don't know, so I don't know that. I don't know

the story. When I get to heaven, I'll say, Abraham,

can you tell me or not? I used to preaching

shar that maybe you didn't tell your wife. And then

hopefully Abraham will said no, of course I told her.

I'm a man of God. Of course I told her.

Or would he say, hey, how you know her? I'll say, Abraham,

I knew it by revelation. So he woke up a

ready early, a little bit can chung, a little bit excited,

a little bit scared.

I'm not sure.

Benny's a little bit lost a lot. And he takes

his son son.

Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, and said, oh, yeah.

Dad, Remember I told you that I'm gonna thank you

for outing.

Remember, yeah, you're dead. I'm so excited. Okay, let's go.

How about mom?

Mom still sleeping? You see her later? And uh. He

goes with the dad, and the dad brings two servants

with him, and first three says, Abraham rose early, yep,

and uh he split the wood. Yep, he got a wood.

He got a wood. Some hours will give to God, right,

we give to God. But sometimes we just bring the wood,

and maybe the knife, maybe the fire. But I want

to just make sure you understand the power of giving

is found. And those of you who may not have

met me before, because your first time to church, I

need to.

Tell you the background.

The background is I have lived by faith for thirty

years now means thirty years no salary. So when I

talk to you about faith, I think I know a

libya about what I'm talking about. And I think I

know a libya about how to please God's heart. And

when you see my size, you know that God has

been taking care of me. Amen, Praise God. You see

the car I drive outside, or you see the house

I live in, you know that God has been good

to Kenneth and his wife. But there's a secret in

falling the Lord. There's a secret in pleasing God. And

God cannot be pleased without faith. Can I hear good?

Amen? So just a little bit.

I mean I don't know a lot, but I know

a little bit about how to open up the treasures

of heaven. I know a little bit about how to

make sure there is open heaven over your life, so

that whatever you do, even though you don't get a

salary on the monthly basis. God provides. God provides, and

he's always into testing our hearts so that we can

walk into his blessing, so that we can come into

the so.

Much more of God. God is a god of so

much more? Do you believe it?

He's got so much more? You think the last time

he gave you one hundred thousand, that's a lot. No,

there was peanuts for him. You did the last time

he gave you a house, that was a lot for him.

Not there.

He snapped his finger, he gave you the house. He

snapped his finger, and he gave you good health. Oh,

our God is great. Somebody say, amen, don't let me

be the only one excited in this room.

God is great. He's good. It's good all the time.

And so what are we bringing him? So?

The first secret I want to give you about giving

her is don't just give to God what you want

to give.

Give to God what he wants of you. Very important.

Some people think they're very good at giving idea because

I've decided to give to God what I want. And

sometimes the decision that we make to give is not

the same as what he wants. Very important. Sometimes you

want to give God money and then he wants us

to ask for forgiveness from our wife. For example, I

told you is before you ruthe to your wife, you

ruth to your wife as you No, Mama, I give

you one million dollars to God. God said, I don't

need your one million. I need you to go and

ask your wife for forgiveness. You want to, said, so,

what he wants and what we want? It's very different

when no, So, the secret is find out what he wants.

When you find out what he wants.

How many of you are like to get gives or

what people want to give you, not what you want

to receive? Come on, how you are smiling because you

know what I'm talking about. You know why there is

recycling of gifts or from Christmas? Yes, recycle, that's what

you do. Recyc your Christmas gives, to recyc your birthday

gifts that you don't really like.

Don't raise.

Don't raise because somebody wants your waist somebody Father's day

huh sucks? Tie Why the father's want getting it?

I don't know. I don't know what to get for

Della because dad has everything.

We spend a little bit more time with Mom's give

my auntie once upon a time I stood in front

of the door.

I remember my cousin young my.

Coather was only sixteen seventeen, came to Auntie's house, not

one door, very excited. Sometimes sometimes you come to God out.

We're very excited to give to God, right, very excited,

and my Auntie opening door.

Hi. My cousin says, Hi, Auntie, she's holding this give

room so excited.

My Auntie look at the giver and started to cry,

are you poor cousin of mine? Know? I was at

the back of her, like stroking her back, like don't worry,

don't worry. I also don't know what's happening. I also

don't know what's happening, but don't worry. You know, I'm

here for you. I'm the older cousins, the six years older.

I'm here for you. Don't worry. You know why anti crying?

She cried, and then she said she says something like.

Why you why you rap? The gift with packs and rapper.

A big deal for all of us, know, but for

her it's very big deal because she bought something rush

and got the free rapping.

Right.

That's why these days I tell you when I go

and get free repping when I asked, don't put your

brain you know the rapper. So you I know some

of you are probably you know, not walking up yet

because you're like, what's wrong with that? We do that

all the time. But my Auntie was very particular because

then you know what she did not She went in

and got my cousin's gift.

You got said this is for you, and.

It was red with reburns even from the inside out.

No, not the one you can you know what, not

one can see outside one.

No, she said, I spent almost, you know, twenty minutes

just wrapping your gift.

You know what you know?

So I took my dear cousin aside, and I say,

it's okay, it's right. But the reason why I'm telling

you that is that that there is a there's a

difference between us wanting to give somebody a pair of

socks a pair and and and and then of course

somebody in this world came out with that statement.

Is the thought that counts and it saves you from everything. Yeah.

I know a lot of you now are very quiet

in this room because either you go like I don't

agree with that, or you're very quiet because all of

us have done it before. We have bought a rush

gift on that day, a rush gift. I'm telling you

right now, there's a very there's a big difference between

giving a person what they really want and giving the

person what you want to.

Give them, very very different. Now.

I think, as human beings are we are very gracious

and and we are very merciful to each other. We

just received the gift and say thank you because at

least they brought you a gift. They did think about you.

So it is the thought that counts. You know, we

managed this. But I tell you a lot of us

practice the same spirit and the same attitude with God.

God wants Isaac. He doesn't want anything else, Isaac.

Sorry.

Abraham could have given money. Abraham could have given his

wife Abraham, excuse me, sorry. Abraham could have given a

sheep and lamb and goats, and you know she could

given him cow. No, he wants Isaac. And a lot

of Christians miss this, miss this, miss this. What is

God saying to us this morning? Okay, so let's go on.

On the third day, Abraham lifted his eyes and saw

the place afar off. Then Abraham said to his young men,

stay here with the donkey the lad and I will

go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.

I love this scripture because it just shows you that Abraham,

although he knew he was going to sacrifice Isaac, he

knew he was going to come back with Isaac. Okay,

we all know that. We all know that, Oh what

an amazing faith. I'm going to kill my son and

give him to God. But look, I know with all

my heart that I serve a good God, I serve

a great God, and I'm going to come back with him.

Somebody say amen.

So Abraham took the wood of the burn offering and

laid it on Isaac his side.

I love it. As I read more and more, I

smiled because I cannot.

You know, I've been in uthed ministry now for thirty

five years, and when we read the Word of God,

we got to read read imagination. Otherwise we won't appreciate.

We must put ourselves in their shoes. So the Isaac

spoke to Abraham, all right, or before that, lady on

Isaac his son and a knife, and the two of

them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father

and said, my father, and he said, here, I am

my son. Then he said, look the fire and the wood,

but where is the lamb for a bird?

Offering? Ah? Wish he didn't ask, right, have you ever?

You know, set out yourself to do something and it's dangerous,

it's risky, it's something that people won't understand, and you

hope that nobody asked you the question. You know, when

I was studying law, and you know, some of you

here know that I graduated from the University of London

my law degree.

But you know, when I.

Was not prepared for exam, I just hope to go

to the exam hall and just wing it up.

The worst is to have somebody come up to you,

as it.

Was Kenneth, have you read? Have you prepared you? Rather

than not ask you, just don't ask you. Let me

just go ahead wring it.

Okay.

But now there's one boy who is asking the question

that everybody should have asked. Okay, and what should have

Abraham answered? Come on, what would you have answered?

Isaac said? Father? Father?

The would father, the knife, father, the matches, the fire,

the lighter?

Where's the sacrificer? Why will you answer you? Right? Will

they be answered you? No?

No, Abraham said, the Lord will provide. So that's my

title for today because later on, when we read further

down the line, you will realize that Abraham called that

mountain the Lord will provide.

Can I ask you a question? What would you have

caught the mountain? Sorry? Is somebody answer? Sacrifice?

Nice, the Mountain of sacrifice, the Mountain of secuity?

Anyone else? Kenny? What would you have caught the mountain? Huh? Tryer?

You're going you're going through all this journey, right, you

know it's not been easy. You haven't slept two nights and.

You now right, you woke up, your Stid is with you,

your son, Just ask you.

Right, where's the sacrifice?

That?

Okay? The Lord will prove. What would he have called

the mountain? What would you have caught the mountain? Okay?

You're thinking, he says, he's thinking Mountain of Trial. Yeah.

Yeah, you would have been wrong though, because you're under testing. Yeah,

mount of Tests, mount of Trial, mount of SPM, MOUNTA PhD.

A levels. Oh okay, what else?

What? Come on? Give me two more names? Mountain surrender

someone says, surrender you are okay, moundl Surrender?

What else?

Mount of Miracle? Okay, what else one more? Anybody h

mount of Giving? Would you have called it mount of Isaac?

Call after your sudden? You read dedicated him Mountain of Isaac?

How about Mountain of Worship? Is that a good name?

I think this is the word, But Abraham think about it?

I think about it now I should ask another question. Now,

what you call something is probably what was on your

mind throughout the whole time. How many of you are, well,

maybe those of you who are married and got children

are Maybe you can answer. How many of you thought

about your daughter's name? May only when she was born?

She came out only of you and they said Megan a.

How many are you? How long? How long do you

think about Megan before you call her? Megan?

Way before, way before, way before. So when it happens

there's a name, how long do you take for you

to call Kenny? For those of you wh don't know,

a daughter is sitting next to her and her son

is sitting next to her daughter.

Okay, how long plan plan? So it was it was sometime?

Yeah, yeah, we call something in our lives that has

occupied our minds. The very thing that you focus on

is the very thing that will come out of your

mouth when it happens. Abraham did not call the mountain

by any name. But the Lord will provide, because I

tell you what that will. Probably that was probably on

his mind for a long time before he did it.

When God says, give me Isaac.

I think he thought, Okay, God, this is tough, but

I think I believe you will provide. And then he's

thinking about his wife. Maybe he did tell his wife,

Dear Sarah, God wants Isaac. She cries, no, no, not Isaac,

anything else, Abril ha please, No, God wants him. I'll

do it tomorrow morning. But Sarah, don't worry. We serve

a good God. I'll bring him back. Me and the

lad will come back. I'll bring him back.

Are you sure?

Are you sure?

God sometimes can take away good things from our lives

right now? Don't worry about it. I know this God. Sarah,

stop crying. Don't worry about it.

Okay, I'll get up very early in the morning, and

I'll come back to you as soon as I can.

Are you sure the Lord will provide? Sarah?

What's on his mind? He gets to the two servants,

stay with the donkey, Me and the lad will come

back to you. Why in his mind. The Lord will provide,

and he continues to go on until he takes the

knife and it's about to stab his son. He's in

his mind, I'm gonna this dagger is gonna go down

straight to his heart. I'll make it fast. I'll make

it fast. I'll try to not to put too much

pain on my son. I will strike his heart. He

will die immediately. I will strike his heart. I will

strike his heart. The dagger's going down. Stop Abraham. The

Lord will provide. And then finally he calls the mountain,

the thing that has occupied his mind from the beginning

till the Let's continue to read on Abraham, my son.

God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering,

so that two of them went together. They came to

a place of which God had told him. Abraham built

an altar there and placed the wood in order. He

bound Isaac, his son, and laid him on the altar

upon the wood.

I want to say something else about Isaac. Many times

when we read.

About Abraham, we talk about Abraham, but very few of

us talk about Isaac. Bible scholars say that Isaac was

probably about twelve by the time he went on his journey.

He wasn't three, he wasn't two, he wasn't five.

He was smart enough to know that there's the fire,

there's the wood, there's a knife, where's the sacrifice.

So listen, ladies and gentlemen. When they finally came.

To the altar, Isaac stood there, and Abraham, according to

the word, began to bind his son. Let's read on.

He bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar,

upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and

took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel

of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham.

So he said, here, I am a twelve year old boy.

If the scholars are really right on this, a twelve

year old boy will fight his father. I didn't those

of you who have twelve years old before know that

your son or your daughter can have will be of strength.

No dad, crazy or what?

No, no son, God wants you. No dad. You know

the Lord will provide son. You know, I don't know

where he's cheasing of things. He's cheesy of things around

the author. Son come here, no dad, come, may your

son one hundred year old man? Or now maybe a

hundred and twelve because he got Isaiah one hundred. Now,

now Isaac's chelf one hundred and twelve, your old man, come,

come and tell you. No, I don't want I don't

Malaysian kid, I know what the Bible doesn't say that

the Bible says. Isaac knew that if his father was

doing this, then his father must have a reason. And

a twelve year old boy allowed his father to bind him.

Speaking to us about submission and sacrifice surrender, Isaac was

willing to submit his life to the plan of God.

How many Isaacs in this room? You know, the questions

sometimes will be how many abrahams, I'm going to ask

you how many Isaacs in this room that will come

before the Lord? Says God, I don't understand. I don't understand,

but your will be done. And Isaac was laid on

the altar, and the angel said, don't kill him for now.

I know that you fear God, since you have not

red Hell your son, your only son for me. Then

Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him

was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns.

So Abraham went and took took.

Went and took the ramp and offered it for a

burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham called the name

of the place the Lord will provide, as it is

said to this day, in the mound of the Lord,

it shall be provided. Then the Angel of the Lord

called to Abraham a second time out of heaven and said,

by myself, I have sworn, says the Lord, because you

have done this thing and have not withheld your son,

your only son, blessing.

I will bless you, ah man, and multiplying.

I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the

heaven and as a sand which is on the seashore.

And your descendants shall possess the gait of their enemies.

In your seat, all the nations of the earth shall

be blessed. Because you have obeyed my voice. Abraham ended

better than he started. I want to bless all of

you right now in the name of Jesus. Lord, May

every single person in this church and better than they started. Lord,

may every person in this church who are here within

the sound of my voice, I confess, I declare, I

decree that they were all and better than they started.

In the name of Jesus.

May they be greatly blessed, more than they have ever been,

a blessing in Jesus name, we pray.

Amen.

Now let's look at the slides that I've prepared for you,

and let's draw towards the finishing line. And I hope

not to take too much time. That is afterwards will

be allotted to the second service. But let's look at

the first point. Every giving is a test. I asked

you to repeat after me this now Genesis story two,

verse one, God tested Abraham.

So every giving is a test. You must understand it.

When I go to speak in other churches, you know

I've given my tithes and offering in acts. But when

I go to Methody church to speak, when I go

to a presbytery in church to speed, when I go

to a Baptist church to speak, where I go, I went,

I went to do it, even a Catholic church camp.

When the bag comes round, I have one or two

things I will say, I've given it ready, I already

give to my church. But every time the bag is

about to come round, it's a test to my heart.

I feel the holy space saying, will you also do this?

Will you also give?

And I said, you know nineteen nine point nine percent

of the time, I'll say yes, Lord, because you are

not just testing me, You're testing my heart, which is

uh the next point after that?

Right? What a test for? Let's look at tests? What

a test for? Any answers here? Can you help me?

Any teachers here? What a test for? To me? Your

life miserable? Yes? Come on? I from your heart? Did

understanding the sillibers? Who I like that? Are you a teacher?

Your dad made you write an essay? I tell you?

What's he testing you? Cheg? Why you test me? Why

you make my life so difficult? Isn't life better without test?

Com on?

Of course, of course, yeah, evenhen life is so much

better without test?

I know.

But how will we ever know? How will we ever

know that you know that one plus one is two?

How will we ever know?

How will we ever know that you know that the

plane can fly if you're a pilot? How I ever

know that the building can withstand? All right? The way?

If how will we ever know that you know that

lift can go up with two cables and not snack

even though there's one hundred whatever, not even one hundred

kilograms is not not heavy, not not that heavy?

Disease.

You know, one thousand kilograms. Okay, what's what's the next slide?

To know where we really are? My day is up there.

When was the last time you went to the guy

for tests?

Not yet? Yeah? When was the last time you went? Yesterday?

Why you went? Where you went?

H I think you will go for tests to find

out how the how is the baby really doing? Why

does God test? Because the Bible says our heart is deceiving.

We think we are doing right, but you know, until

the test comes, you don't know. I know that Jason,

you have a company that does RFID. Uh, And I'm

sure you go to a lot of tests because your

r ID goes onto the hospital bit sheets, your r

ID goes onto the hospital towels.

You got to test whether it works or not.

I'm sure your whole computer systems and all that kind

of do you have to know right one percific towel

out of the hotel or out the hospital. You know

that towel is now in oh this hospital that is whole.

Nicely know, I don't want anybody to use this tower goes.

You know, I wipe myself and you know, I just

don't want anybody to this bit sheet, no where, so

we have to test it. Yeah, and now, of course

right Jays is going around the world with this technology.

You know, even to Europe praise God, but only because

we do. You know that even church, whether it works

or not, is a test. And after the test succeeds,

you can then go and have branches.

Because you know it works. Here. Go what works here?

His word works here?

And you're confident now too spread and by the grace

of God, now we have fifty five churches in eleven nations.

But he had to be tested here does it work?

Do you really know who you are? Do you really

know what you have? Do you really know your heart?

You don't know until you know. You don't know until

the offering back comes.

You know your heart, but you don't know until you know. Ah. Okay,

and if you know and you are lacking, then do

something about it.

Amen, do something about it. Let's move on. What's the

next life. It's a test of our hearts. All of

you agree with The first point is a test, Yes,

test of what pastor you might ask, is a test

of our hearts, because our hearts is where life flows from.

It is where truth flows from. You as a young person,

your heart is not yet trained. You will talk about.

Whatever is on your mouth or mine.

You talk, and then when you grow older, your heart

begins to be trained. And now you might not be

saying everything is on your heart? How's my food?

Ah? Edible? You know I mean, but you know, when

you're a young person, the heart is just.

Not trained, and so you go like, oh, I remember

one time there was a cam and there was a

young boy in that cam who don't to talk.

He's just silent. And so we had a group.

We had a group of all bring into small groups,

and this boy was in my small group, in our

small group. And what happened was to encourage a boy

to speak. They thought, they'll talk about the food. Hey,

you had the food not here in this camera? Lousy

right then the persons oh, before they didn't didn't talk

right now, But down they're talking about food and everybody

agrees the food. One person said, oh, you can take

the breaker this morning's wat. I could take it and

throw it the windscreen and.

Break it all. So they laughed.

They laughed, Then are they talking about the food? He

talking about food? And this boy was so silent, he

was silent for the last two days of caberdine. Now

the third day break him, will break him and cause

him to speak.

Hey can give the person a good experience.

And then one of the guys says, hey, come on, hey,

do tell me. You don't have anything to say about

the food. They told the boy who was quiet, and

the boy who was quiet and said, finally, the cook

is my mom. The leader of that group. I don't

know where to hide his face. All the rest stopped laughing.

He spoke, finally, put the good out of your heart.

You you just begin to speak.

So God is after, He's after a heart. Out of

our hearts will flow the rivers of living waters, either

for good or for bad.

So we have to constantly test our hearts.

Oh my word, this year I'm married for thirty years,

you know, and every Monday I try to go for Monday.

Somebody say, what passes?

You created the word a Monday, and now more and

more people want Monday.

So Monday is my day off.

I try to take my wife out somewhere, you know

where you want to go today.

I try to guard it.

As I'm guarding my marriage, I'm still guarding my heart,

because the heart can really just begin to go crazy. Okay,

let's look at what it tests. Move on please XTIV

Wheen it tests our hearts, it tests what we truly treasure.

Because where your treasure is there.

Your heart will be also. You understand this. Why why

test our hearts? Why the heart?

Because where your heart is there your where your treasure

is there, your heart will be. So.

I remember a man, very rich men in Australia. He

didn't know where.

To give to missions people giving year after year, he

didn't give it all, very rich man.

Multi millionaire in Australia. True story. One day he got

so convicted.

Wow, every year I joined this missions conference, I don't

have a heart to give anywhere. I don't have a heart.

So he comes up to the passa. One day he

just comes up to the bassa after the passer phlish

pridging is the passa. I got a problem for a

few years now, I don't know where to give, so

I didn't give. You mean you don't have a heart

for anywhere? He said, no, don't have He said, okay,

I'm gonna fix it right now. He asked a guy

bring a golfing back. He said, you know, this is

the card.

For you to feel. Just choose one. Just choose any country.

But Pass, I told you I don't have a heart

for the country. Any country. He said, no, No, just choose one. Okay,

choose the wonders in the most terrible state. All right.

So he chose. He chose the country.

Let's just say I can't remember the country right now,

but let's just say he chose Afghanistan.

Aveghanistan.

Okay, right, a check right now, you gotta check you you. Yes,

I've never written for church. You know, a missions master.

I brought it every year. I have it with me,

but I don't know.

Are you sure? Pass?

I totally want to fix you. I'm gonna fix you

right now. And he said, oh, you're gonna fix me. Okay,

I want to be fixed. Okay, all right, So how

much are I write? Write something that is painful? One thousand?

Is that painful? Sometimes your dinner is one thousand? Right,

let me write two thousands. Sometimes your air ticket is

two thousands, and rites something more painful. So he finally

wrote ten thousand, and he put into the back cares

for a multimillionire ten thousands. That thing was all but

ten thousand. Pull in the back. Okay, he says, watch

what will happen? The guy said, I feel that thing.

I feel that thing after putting in the back, I

feel that thing. So he walked back. He walked back

feeling very disappointed and maybe even cheated. How many have

you come on? Come on, wake out the money? I

feel treated. You will listen to any message in church

except giving right.

Ah, yeah, so I'm very close to the heart. Ma

I work do work hard for his money?

Okay, so so yeah, I work hard for the money. Yeah,

and yet God says money is then that will really

get to their heart. You chee you seelah anything else,

they will do this one very hard, very hard, very hard.

So the man the next morning woke up right, didn't

feel anything, didn't feel anything. He went to get his newspaper,

and as he sat down to have breakfast, he opened

his newspapers many years ago, five years ago, maybe opens newspaper. Afghanistan,

he says, and he began to read. What about Afghanistan,

he said to the Pastor one week later, he said,

every time I saw Afghanistan, my heart begin to get excited.

Why because where your treasure is there your heart? Or

he never saw Afghanistan the same way you understand what

he never saw Afghanistan? And say way because he had

an investment there. When I ask you one question, where

is your investment? Where really is your investment in eternal

things or in things that can just come and go?

All right? So what else does you do as he

tests your heart? What else does he do? Look at

my watch?

Now let's run, let's go? Actually he help me? Where

or who is our priority?

Yes? Why test our hearts?

Because our hearts determine our priority? And the and well,

I was about to say the Bible says, but ex

Church has a statement that says, if we don't live

by priority, we will live by pressure.

Every day. Pressure comes from left and right and back

and forth.

But if you have priority, your heart has to put

God first. And if you put God first your life

where come together?

Next? Next? Slight? Please? Do you have money or does

money have you? Why?

Does it test your heart? Because God wants to know

who has you? Very important question. If you can't let

go of ten ring it, if you can't let go of.

Time, don't just talk about money.

If you can't let go of your girlfriend, if you

can't let go of your boy, why, what is the

reason you know I taught you before it I'll teach

you again that although Christian can be sick, sickness.

Doesn't have to have us.

I hope you understand this is a very important note.

Does money have you or do you have money?

We can have We can be poor sometimes, but poverty

doesn't have to have us.

We can be in pain sometimes, or pain doesn't have

to have us.

We can be said, even Christians are said, but sadness

doesn't have to have you.

Are you?

Are you okay with This is very important because you

make decisions in your liver and we can see whether

you have or they have you. This is this is

an important test. You might have a lack, but don't

let lack have you. No one can serve two masters

sys Matthew six twenty four, for either he will hate

the one and love the other, or else he will

be loyal to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and Mammon.

You know when I was preaching this with a Bahasa transitioner,

the bassa Bajasa translation turned Mammon into Satan, and I

asked the translator to stop. I said, translator, I'm so sorry.

That's not the right translation. So he said, oh, he

turns to his Uh. He didn't turn to his bible

before that. He thought he thought he thought that he

was Satan all this time. So he turned to his Bible,

say oh bye, Bible does say ebliss I said, I'm

so sorry. It's the wrong translation. Because money is bigger

than the devil. The reason why the devil thought that

he could get Jesus by saying all this I give

to you, just worship me is because at the end

of the day, you think about.

It, Satan can do a lot of things.

But I'm telling you right now, everyone does everything for money,

and I'm telling you right now, you will do things

for money.

That even Satan doesn't even sometimes we blame Satan.

And you know, there was a time when there was

a jobler where Satan went up to God and say, God,

you know people always blaming me for everything, bro everything

as they believe me, they're indiscipline is already blame me. No,

I'm telling you right now that money is powerful and

Satan will continue to use money. That's why he doesn't

say the love of Satan. The love of money is

the root of evil. Satan uses money or the lack

of it. But I'm telling you right now, he is

not stronger that most human beings. You ask them, they

will not tell you they are serving Satan. Most people

will tell you I'm serving because of money. And so

the Bible says, you cannot serve God and Mammon or

the love of money. What else does this test? It

tests what or who is our greatest fear? What is

your greatest fear when you cannot give, when you cannot

be generous, what.

Is your greatest fears? Less?

If I give more of me, then it's less for me.

That could be your fear. So God tests the hearts,

because from our hearts we will know what we really fear. Now,

let's move on. It is a test of our faith.

It is a test of our faith, all right. Not

just the test, not just the test of the heart,

but the test of your faith.

Let's move on. Do we really believe?

It's a good question to ask us again and again,

show me your faith without your works, the Bible says,

and I will show you my faith by my works.

Faith without works is dead. Faith without works is dead.

All right, let me give you a story before I

draw this to the last lap, many many years ago,

when I was asking the Lord, Lord, what should I

give you for the anniversary giving? And the Lord showed

me my bank account and the number that he gave me. Again,

I want to tell you, is not what you want

to give him. Is what he wants to receive from you.

Is what God wants. God, what God wants. So I

asked the Lord, say, Lord, what what do you want?

He said, look at your bad account. I looked at

my bad account and it was not very much left

a couple of thousands, but not very much. And I say, God,

what do you want to give me?

A number?

I will Oh, I'll tell you what. When I heard

the number, I was so fearful because if I gave

ninety percent of what I had in the bank, then

ten percent is not en avla to last a month, okay.

And so because of time, I don't want to tell

you how much struggle I heder okay, and all of

us would have struggled. And when the Lord ask us

for something that is totally different for what we plan

to give him.

And so I finally did.

I finally did, with a lot of pain and prayer,

I finally wrote that check out for that amount. One

month later, I'm found in Australia to speak at a church.

They invited me to a camp.

It's called Planet Uni camp and Planet Uni is part

of Planet Shakers.

And so when I was.

Doing that camp, they said, Pastor Kenneth, you're making history

because you are the first Asian speaker we have ever

invited to Planet uniquemp and you are the first Asian

speaker that Planet Shakers have ever invited to speak at

their four services on Sunday.

Okay, I say, I'm honored. God has opened doors.

So I walked into the Planet Unique camp and I

saw they told me five hundred campus students.

Wow, no fire camp students at a campus camp. Wonderful.

But I immediately felt comfortable because.

In Planet Uni or Planet Shakers, at least the campus camp,

four hundred and ninety five of the five hundred were

all Asians. Hallelujah, Praise God. All right, that's why the

Australians are very hard to release Asians back to their

own country one now, because it is because of us

that their church is very good.

I'm telling you right.

Now, it's because of the Asian fire that Australian churches

are doing very well. I'm telling you right now. Okay,

I've been to a couple of churches now in Australia.

One particular church that is doing very well. The Accous

department has about twenty people, nineteen are Asians. So I

was so relaxed. I said, wow, Lord, it's like home.

So I appreciate that.

I know, not know with the Australian accent, although I

don't have one.

I just preached my heart out and the people were

very blessed obviously. And then the pastor said, Pastor Matt

Fielder was the campus a time, Pasta Medfielder, and he said,

as I got down and there was the last day,

and he said, okay, Passcna is going to go and

pack his bags and he's going to go back to

the city. They put me up at this nice hotel

called Hyatt Hotel and and.

Uh, someone's going to come and pick me up.

Then Passa Medfielder said, you know that Passa Kenna Chin

doesn't have a salary, so we want to bless him

because we don't know how he's going to pay his

rental at the end of this month. So he has

given his life to this camp. If you think he

has blessed you. Let's take up and offering. Campus students

are so the back ran round. I was backing my room,

packing my bags and knock on my door. I went

and opened the door and passed the medfielder with tears

in his eyes, holding a white envelope, quite a thick

white envelope. He's saying, Pastor Kenneth, I've never seen my

young people give this well, this much.

So he's in tears.

Because every pastor who knows about the power of giving

know when your people give like that, that they are

stand to be blessed. They stand to open up the

windows of heaven. You know, as a pastor, when your

people give so sacrificially, they are just bound to break through.

That's why he was tearing.

He was like, my word, That's why Paul said, right,

I'm not looking at the gift. I'm looking at the

fruit by which your gift will bring about. Oh, pasta

befuder is saying, Paster Kenneth, I surrendered to you this

offering from our young people. I said, it looks like

it's quite a lot past So, yeah, every dollar I

didn't change it. Every note speaks of their love for

you and for God and for what you've done here.

And I was about to take it in and then

count it right and then.

Give him accountability.

He said, I know the amount recounted for you ready,

all right, it's twenty four thousand Aussie dollars. And I

came back after he told me that eyes was starting KLA,

you know, because I didn't come here thinking that I

will receive something like that from the from the campus students.

And so when I came back to Malaysia, converted it

and it was about seventy seventy one thousand ring it

and that was the amount I really needed for a

particular renovation that God told me to do. And so

I want to say to you right now, God is

Noman's debtor. I didn't know that.

Of course.

When I spoke at Planet Shakers for the forced reasons,

they gave me an offering as well.

There. So I came back with that offering and really is.

At least ten times more than what I had given.

When the Lord. See, when the Lord asks you for

something he's not, he's not not because he's poor that

he asks you. He asked you to test your faith.

Would you believe? Do you really faith without works is dead.

Let me look at it. The next slide please, our

giving shows and this is how I'm gonna close today.

Shows Number one, I know where this came from and

who gave it to me. This is point number one

where you give. You're saying, Lord, I know where this

came from. It actually came from you. You gave it

to me. You gave me Isaac, you gave me. If

you have given to me before you can give to

me again. I want to state my confidence that I

know where this came from and who gave it to me.

Number two? What else that this show?

It shows that I know that he who gave it

to me can and will give it to me again.

And even more can somebody say amen, he said blessing,

I will bless you. You know I will cause your

descendants to be like the stars in heaven. Oh the

way we end is so much better than the way

we started, and it gives God the opportunity to do

that work according to what I've done with what He's

given me. Is very important to do today what God

has put in your hands in the way that will

please him. The last point, I think is the last point.

See well, okay, what we reap is what we saw.

We understand this verse next one. Please, I know what

pleases him and I'm willing to do it now. My

time is up, So I'm gonna pray with you right now.

Okay, I know what pleases him and I'm willing to

do it.

Life and giving and generosity is about pleasing God.

Passor Kennethy is not here to tell you how much. No,

you know. Even the woman with the two copper coins,

please God. She please God.

Our desire, as your eyes are closed and your hat's about.

Our desire is to please God. And nothing pleases God

like giving. And it's not just only money. It's your time,

is your talent. If you are in this church for

the last two years, three years and you still haven't

started serving the Lord, it is time to don't be

so stingy with your time. Don't be so stingy with

your serving the Lord. Why do you come to church

only every Sunday and warm the seat. You are not

a spectator, you are a servant of God.

It is time.

Yes, your pastnor is bold to say it. I am bold.

I'm here to disciple you, not to impress you. So

I want to say to you right now. If you

really want to see a brick through in your life,

start being a generous man, Start being a generous woman,

Start serving the Lord. You know there is a particular tool,

a musical instrument here called the shaker. If you don't

know how to do anything else, ask the worship team

whether I can play the shaker and play well? Okay,

don't just play funny? Okay, ask somebody. Can I sweep

the floor? Can I mock the floor? Can I clean

the plates? Can I serve in hospitality? Can I serve

with the children? Come on, It's time to be generous

and and and the reason is to please God.

I want to please God.

Now, if you're here for the first Sunday, or you're

here for the last six weeks and you haven't served yet,

never mind, It's okay. Maybe it's time that you just

sit down, relax, and receive. But the time will come

and your heart will be tested. You and I will

be tested. And will we fail the test or will

we pass the test? Every time we pass the test,

we will be graduated. Nobody finishes center five and go

back to center four. Nobody finishes Tenna six and go

back to center five. Nobody finishes Form three and go

back to Form two. Nobody finishes Form five and go

back to Form four. Nobody finishes a degree and go

back to diploma. Nobody finishes a masters, oh and going

back to a degree. Nobody does a PhD and goes backwards.

We keep graduating.

As we pass the tests, and the.

Lord wants you to graduate. The Lord wants you to

break through. The Lord wants you to go higher and

higher with him. Can I hear a good amen?

Wow?

I don't even believe that I'm doing two services. Of course,

the way I give to one service sounds like, you know,

I'm giving it all. But I'm going to do another

service after this, and I will continue to give my

all because.

I'm not giving just you who are hearing me.

I'm giving to the Lord, and I pray that all

of you in this room will do the same. The

test is our hearts, and it's unto the Lord. Stand up,

everybody to your feet, please, because we're closing. And yeah,

go ahead, Jason, lead us in a song and let

us worship the Lord here in this place. Remember Genesis

twenty two is about worship. It's about giving your best

to God. Would you do that right now, wherever you stand.

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

information on our church, please visit aschurch dot org. We

are also active on Facebook and Instagram. We're believing that

this week is going to be a good week. I

hit for you. God bless