Walking With Jesus | Elder Ang Peng Hoe

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Paul sayes imitate me as I imitate Christ. So the benchmark,

the ultimate benchmark, is is that person imitating Christ first

and foremost? And then what will happen too? Then what

will happen then instead of disobedience, your life will be

a life of love. If you are an imitator of God,

you will learn how to walk in love. And again

I told you this walking is not spectacular. It would

just be one step at a time, one day at

a time. But love is concerned not with grand gestures.

It's not concerned with doing things which are like already

be so flamboyant.

Let it know.

It's really in action, one step after another, of loving people.

That is how one can actually gauge what love, what

true love really is. You know, if you want me

to gage true love of a parent, it's not in

the wonderful things, not giving the children everything that is

in the day today. No, I live with my mom

until today, and I'm so grateful for the little things

that she does, and she has been doing for me

step by step, day after day since the day I

was born. And that's how I look at That's how

much I know she really loves me.

And it's the same thing. That's what love is.

And remember I've told you the thing that ties together immorality, impurity,

and convirteousness is basically the desire to grab, the desire

to get, the desire to acquire, the desire to attain.

But if you imitate God, your desire will actually be

off the opposite. It will be a desire to give,

no longer getting bud, giving, no longer selfishness, but sacrifice.

Because God does not grab, He gives. That has been

his nature right from the very start and right from

the very beginning. And so you notice that Paul says this,

be imitators of God as beloved children. And I will

tell you this, the more a child is loved, the

more that child will imitate the one who loves them.

You agree in that. I believe it. I believe it.

I mean, my dad was a tough man. I think

I've shared this with all of y'all and with different ones.

He's not one who knew how to express himself, and

usually more often than not, he expressed himself in like

really wrong ways. Like, Okay, his values, his principles sometimes

can be a bit what I mean, that's my understanding.

But underlying all it, you know, it was I believe

it was only after I became a believer and my

dad at that time was not a believer that I

could see beyond the externals and understood how much he

actually loved his family and his children and the things

that he did, even though sometimes it seemed extreme, and

he is extreme. He's a type that can take things

all the way, but he did it out of I

really am concerned about the well being of my family

and I want to make sure that they don't go

through any kind of hardship, et cetera, et cetera. So

the intentions were real and we're pure. It was something

that it took me as a child growing up a

while to fully understand it. But when I realized how

much he actually loved me, that's when I was able

to say, you know, when I grew up, I do

want to be like my dad, especially in some areas

where he is religious. He religiously takes care of the family,

scare of our needs. Yeah, there are some things that

I don't agree with the methods but the heart is there.

And so I didn't grow up one thing to not

follow after my dad at all, because again, a lot

of people, a lot of my relatives and all they're like, oh,

your dad's an interesting correcter.

You know, they.

Themselves can't get long, and he can get along with

a lot of them as well. And that's the truth

of it. But I didn't grow up with a complex way.

I never want to be like him because I understood

that ultimately it was love. And you see, if a

parent loves a child, the child will imitate the one

who loves them. If you are loved by someone, if

you will love by your parents, you want to be

like them. You want to follow the pattern of their life.

Without realizing it, you will begin to mimic them. That's

why I say, monkey see, monkey do. And so God

says that if you walk in love, then just like Christ,

you will be to God a fragrant perfume. It's so

important for us to imitate Christ because then our entire

life becomes an offering, our offering that is pleasing and acceptable.

Because God actually has a sense of smell, and he

loves a sweet smell, and he loves anything that smells good.

And that is why the two primary commandments that is

given to every believer is one love God and love

one another as you love yourself. It's so important for

us to remember that it's love that really drives us

to walk in accordance to God's plan and purpose.

Amen.

That's the first principle imitation. Okay, I'm doing good for time.

Let's look at the next principle, and it's the principle

of illumination. And the principle is this, if you're going

to walk properly, you need to walk in light. You

need to see where you're going. That path we all

know is a dangerous path. And I've learned this is

one of the things that now annoys me a little

bit more in certain places where there is no street lights.

I don't know why now this, I get a bit

annoyed when there's no street lights. Yeah, I don't know

where any developed, but I just don't like not knowing

where I'm going. And I'm someone who wakes up early,

and sometimes if I wake up really early, I've got

the early start, early start to the day. I will

still like to run, but I don't run as often

because especially if it's really early in the morning because

it's done and if the street lights are not working.

I've encountered strange things, okay, strange things on the road

if you run at five am, six am, strange things,

strange people, people who I can't see. I remember there

was once a running at four am in the morning

and someone actually stopped me in my taman to ask

for directions, and I was like, the first thing I

did was a look at the see what the look late?

So he's floating or it's just one of those things

with the company. But that's the true. And then the

other thing I hate is I really don't like stepping

on stuff. Uh, and when it's dark, you will step

on stuff. And Malaysia, unfortunately, we are not as civic

minded with our pets yet and so we allow our

pets sometimes to roam. Really, if you have a plant

and you allow your pet to roam, really, please pick

after your pet. Please please do that, okay, Albert, everless

is a pet room?

Freely?

Is it?

Cat? Okay? Okay? Okay?

Like actually cat, it's worse because they hide their stuff

and you can't see it anyway anyway, like you see Actually,

if if you are walking around in darkness. Chances are

you'll walk around in circles. If he's pitch black and

you just walk aimlessly. Most of us will actually walk

around in circles because they say, apparently your feet one

is actually a little bit shorter than the other one.

Uh.

And if you just walk back, you go.

Around like that, round and round and round and round

and so okay, fun fact, like okay, fun fact. But

Paul tells us uh something in these uh scriptures. Okay,

And it's important because there is an association between good

and light and then evil and darkness.

That's an association.

And it's interesting that most sin is actually committed at

nightment most scene, most vices are committed at night because

people don't like the light. People like to stay hidden.

And I can testify, all of us can testify a

lot of things. Nonsense that we do is usually at night.

That's the truth of it. And Paul does not say

you used to be in the dark. He said you

used to be darkness. That's what he calls us. No science,

we think or I used to be in the dark

now or I just know he's saying that you actually

used to be darkness. He does not say you are

now in the light. He says you are now light.

There's a difference in what it means. This means that

every one of us is either making this world a

darker place or a brighter place. We are changing the

degree of light in the world, all of us as

Christians and as believers. Basically we are thermostats. Okay, but

thermostats is used to talk about temperature.

Okay.

You are not just a thermometer to gauge whether, okay,

what's the temperature of this, nor what's the temperature you

are supposed to set it. And that is what light

and darkness is. Either you are light or you are

darkness and pulses that. Two things we can see from darkness.

The first thing is it's unfruitful. The second thing is

it's unmentionable. It doesn't like to be mentioned. I'll explain it, Okay.

It is unfruitful because darkness never produces anything. It is

the light that produces something. You can plant the seeds

in your garden, but it is the light that is

needed to produce thing. And that is something that's very

very important. Darkness is always negative. It kills light produces,

it becomes fruitful. The next thing is is unmentionable. See,

when we are in darkness, there are things that we

cannot talk about because it's embarrassing, and that is the

reality of it. They become things that we don't want

to talk about. It's unmentionable. Whereas the things that are

done in the light, you talk about it. It becomes

the topic of your conversation. Right, It's the same for

all of us. And so the basic question is this,

what does light do about darkness? Ever thought about it?

What does light do about darkness? And there are two

things mentioned here. Again, go back to the scriptures. Really,

don't take my word for it. Only read the scriptures

and you will see it clearly. I believe the one

thing that it says it must not be done. And

then there is another thing it says it must be done.

So let's be clear on which is which. Okay, Number

one he says this, do not associate with those in darkness. Okay,

Now that doesn't mean I don't have any contact with them.

They will never be saved. If you have no contact

with people who live in darkness. That is the truth.

Sometimes we are like, oh, scripture says, don't associate don't bother.

Let's just do things in the church only don't bother

other people outside. No, it doesn't say don't be in

contact with them, he says don't associate. Associate just means

don't have regular company with them. Because Scripture also reminds

us in first corinthis and this is call himself. He says,

do not be deceived. Bad company ruins good morals, and

nothing could be clearer. A Christian cannot afford to be

associated in regular company with those in darkness, even if

he may do it with the best motives in the world.

And that's why we always tell believers as well, be

careful who you hang out with. Association, I'm not talking

about contact. It doesn't say don't be in contact with

them at all. If they are not in content, you're

not in contact with it. How are they going to know?

And how is the rest of the world going to know?

But again, association is a whole different thing. So do

not associate with those in dukness. But rather it says,

expose them. And Paul tells us quite definitely that it

is not up to us to judge the outside. The

God will judge them. That is God's prerogative. We are

rather to just expose them. Let our life shine. Paul

is talking about light. Light comes to the eye rather

than the ear. And so the simple fact is that

if there are secret things going on in ducness, you

don't need to say anything. Just switch the light on

and he will be exposed. Let your life be the

light that shines, because Jesus say, let your light shine

before men, that they may see. It doesn't say that

they may hear, but that they may see. So how

can you let your light shine? Well, the answer is

you have no light of your own. But light has

a peculiar quality. Everything that light strikes becomes light. And

that is what Paul is saying here. And therefore when

anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, it

becomes light. It's like the moon. The moon has no light,

But don't you thank God for the moon. I actually

thank God for the moon on the dark day with

no straight lights, because really there are days when even

the light from the moon is enough to illuminate my path.

And remember that the moon has no light of his own.

It gets all his light from the sun. And the

bright moon can expose a great deal of things in

the dark.

Amen. And so how can you let your light shine? Well?

You do that by seeking to learn what is pleasing

to the Lord. That's what Paul s is. Basically, every

decision that we make, it's a choice that will allow

our lives to illuminate God or to engulf ourselves in darkness.

It's a choice. Don't try to please yourself. Don't even

try to please others, because you never will. What I'm

saying is seek to please the Lord. That is the key.

And I don't think we need more Christians shouting. We

actually need more Christians shining. That is the truth of it.

And so I hope to encourage all of us as

we read the scriptures. Let us be reminded the principle

of illumination is that our life can shine brightly for Christ,

but we must first allow Him to shine on us.

Because it is either we are light or we are dark,

which of it? And every choice and every decision that

you make in life, is it one which imitates God

or imitates the children of this world wish ah, and

we know are the children of disobedience. Right, Let's move

now to the third principle. Still clear, I didn't lose

anyone Okay, it says this. Now, if you want to

walk straight, basically you need to get intoxicated.

That's what the scripture says. Okay, I'm not making this up. Uh.

Not with alcohol though we've got because we know the

ways of this world is we get intoxicated with other substances,

and usually that will never enable us to walk straight.

Okay.

If you can be fully imbibed with alcohol and walk straight,

I ubbe you to you Okay, most of the time

we'll be walking say it wrong, okay, left, right, right, left.

But the scripture says, don't get drunk with wine, but

be filled with the spirit. And what is so funny

I find this scripture is really when we are intoxicated

with God, with the spirit of God in our lives,

we actually learn how to walk the straight and narrow

path that God has given to us and presented to us.

And you see, a man needs to be filled with

something good, otherwise he's just full of air. We need

we are we are. We are vessels, that's how we are.

Our lives are vessels. But this is also why so

many people get drunk with other substances. Why do you

think people all over the world continue to fill themselves

out with things which are not good, because it's the

quickest way out of a miserable situation. That's why the

world is so addicted to substances, because again, as vessels

we are, we are, we need feeling, we are empty.

It is either you fill yourself with the goodness of

God or you feel yourself with the substance of this world.

And really, it is the quickest way out of a

lot of problems. And that's why alcoholism is such a

big thing. You know, I remember that someone said, I

don't know where I read it. You know, the quickest

way out of Manchester is through the pub. When you

go to the pub and then you're out of your sorrows,

you're out of your worries, you're out of your concerns.

You you don't even need to think about anything. But

that's not how we are supposed to live our lives,

because you just end up throwing your life away. You

end up wasting time, you end up wasting money. It's foolish,

it's careless, it's todless, it's reckless, and above all, it

chows away what God has given us. When we allow

ourselves to be filled with the things of this world.

It is the same word, know that, the same word wasteful,

and we allow our lives to waste away. It's the

same word that you see in Luke chapter fifteen, the

Prodigal Sun, the parable of the Prodigal Sun. You know,

there was one who decided to go out again that

give me everything that you have, and I'm with a body, Hey,

I'm going to party everything away in the far country.

And then he came back with nothing to show for it.

It's wasted and wasteful. Living is not what we are

supposed to do. That's why intoxication is something that we

need to know. What is it that we are called

to be intoxicated with? Because if not, we will allow

the world to fill us up again. We are vessels

and we continue to take things, We continue to absorb things,

we continue allow things to influence us. What is it

that we allow to influence our behavior and our actions.

That's the part that we got to be really careful.

And Paul is saying here that we have to be wise,

we have to be guided, and then we have to

be feeled. Very very important. Realize that you have got

to rescue each day for good. Otherwise it will just

be evil and wasted and lost. And that is the truth.

Really. You give me free time.

Sometimes if I'm not wise about it, I will end

up doing a lot of stuff, pit things. There's a

reason why sometimes people ask me why you don't take

off days. Why don't you just stay at home and rest.

Know you, you seem to be always on the go.

And and sometimes I'm so honest with you. I tell him,

I know myself and I know what I can possibly

be doing if I'm at home alone on an off

day with no one around me. And that's the reality

of it. And so that's why sometimes I got to

make decisions like that. And we are all like that.

So don't allow our lives to be waste. We've got

to redeem time. We've got to seize the opportunity. And

that's what a wise person does. A wise person sees

this the day. That's the Lettin phrase. I can't remember

a cup of dim or something, that is it? Okay, Yeah,

seize the day. Very very important. And Paul is saying

be wise. The second thing is he says, please seek

the will of God. Be guided, because God has planned

your life out. He knows what you can do with it.

He has a plan for you that is just right

for the length of your life. Do you believe that

if you believe in all those scriptures on predestination and predetermination.

Sometimes we argue so much about it, but do we

believe that God has a plan for our lives. If

we do, then you know your life is just long

enough to fulfill his plan and it's really too short

to waste any of it. And that's why the scripture

always tells us, don't live wastefully. Don't live like as

though you're thinking, I got another twenty years to redeem myself. No,

each day, choose to do God's will and choose to

do what pleases him.

Amen.

That is what That is why we need the guidance

of God. We need to seek God's will in our lives.

And that's why Romans twelve versus one to do says

we have to present ourselves as a living sacrifice unto God.

Worship him, and then you will cause our minds to

transform and change, and then you will know God's perfect

will for your life. A lot of people always ask me,

how do I know God's will form my life? How

do I know what should I do? I don't have

all the answers, but I know the process, and the

process is then present yourself as a pleasing sacrifice unto

the Lord, Worship him, let him change and transform your mind.

Then it's not someone that you go and ask God,

what's God's perfect will for my life? But it is

yourself that you ask God, God, what is your perfect

will for me?

Now?

Because I know I will walk in accordance to your

plan and your purpose. And finally, it says Paul is saying,

we feel you see a church of believers. It's supposed

to be a public house, okay, the church. You don't

want another word for public houses is actually pap Okay,

the pub is a public house in the UK. That's

how they are there. They are looked at and looked upon.

Uh.

And it's you know, a puppy is usually filled with

people who are pretty high, right, But the church is

supposed we also be filled with people who are ahi.

We are supposed to be intoxicated, but not with alcohol

with God. Because when you are intoxicated with God. I

assure you your tongues will also be losing. You will

speak freely, you will praise freely. Yes, someone say are

you intoxicated with the other kind of spirit? My tongue

is losing. But you're speaking nonsense half the time, right.

We have all sorts of labels for drunks, no happy drunks,

and drunk, crazy, drunk, dumbn drunk. But when we are

drunk with the Holy Spirit, tongues is losing. Songs come out.

And that's why Paul says, don't get drunk with wine,

but do be filled with the spirit. And then he

goes on to say, make melodies in your heart.

Amen. That is what the church should be.

Filled with the spirit, because if you are going to walk,

be intoxicated with God first and foremost, and He will

keep you walking straight. You know it was John Wesley

that at least say this, No, I want a bunch

of God intoxicated men, and I can turn England upside down.

You know, I am grateful for the Methodist movement. I

really am. I attended a Methodist church for four years

in my life when I was still studying, and how

methodical they were in their teachings. But the Methodist movement,

the Methodist churches have been a blessing to the world.

And John Wesley, you know where he used to minister

to the early days in Bristol. Anyone study in Bristol.

Here Bristol is the home of John Wesley. He used

to minister coal miners, coal miners. He was a big

thing aarg. Okay, think about it. In Indonesia it's called

Batubarah and these are places which are dark and dingy.

But he brought the light of Christ into these areas

and the day turned England upside down.

I believe they did.

In the eight seventeen eighteen nineteenth century, the church was strong,

and that's why today we've got Methady schools, we've got

Anglican schools, we've got hospitals that are set up by

the churches. And Christianity really came in true these churches

that were started by faithful men and women who believed

and allowed their lives to be filled with the spirit.

And they went on singing and making melodies in their hearts.

And there are three sort of Christian songs that can

be sung. Is in the scriptures. Okay, I'm just highlighting

it because you'll read it and you'll say psalms, hymns

and spiritual songs. So if you want to know what

you should be singing well, saying psalms, sing hymns, and

sing spiritual songs, and every day give thanks for everything.

And that is enough to sing about to your God.

Trust me, if you give thanks every day, it's more

than enough. You can pick any sum almost and you

can just recite it, and that's a song unto the Lord.

Amen. When we invite the band, I'm done for me.

It's so important. That's why that we need the Holy

Spirit in our lives. Be intoxicated with the Spirit, because

that's what allows us to live in accordance to God's

plan and purpose, to allow ourselves to be shining brightly

for God. And we need the strength to follow after God.

It's not easy. I know sometimes we're like, oh, talk

about following God, but there's so many other things in

this world that I want to follow. It's so easy

for us to follow after different kinds of influences, different

kinds of people. In fact, that is the truth and

that's the reality. But we need the Holy Spirit. Really,

if it's not for the Holy Spirit, it's going to

be so hard to walk this earth. We are all

in a vulnerable and dangerous thing because really, if we

don't have the Holy Spirit. In this there is no

power and there is no purifying factor. That's the two

things that the Spirit of God does in our lives,

power and purity. And these two things are essential to

a clean walk in.

A dirty world.

I keep you not if any of you all think

that this world is perfect it's unblemish, you are mistaken.

It is not. And so to be able to walk

a clean walk through this dirty world, don't deny the

Holy Spirit. Receive the Spirit of God into your lives.

And Christians need to be constantly reminded of the need

to grow and mature. Grow and mature because maturity. How

do you think maturity comes from It actually comes from walking.

You keep walking, one day at a time, one step

at the time, and you will end up going where

God wants you to go and walk with one another.

It's never called us to walk in isolation. That's why

I reminded us. Chapter five starts off where it is

verses one to twenty, and then you go on to

read after that. It's all about how we relate to

one another. How do we relate to each other husbands

and wives, parents and children, employers, employees. It's so important

that we walk with one another. You see the fruit

of the spirit. It's actually made evident in our lives.

It's a singular fruit. No fruit is not science. We

like fruits of the spirit. No, this is it's fruit

of the spirits. It's in a singular form, but it's

got nine flavors that appears together. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness makes us self control, you know, you know how

I look at it. Love joy, peace actually relates to

God us and God. Patience, kindness, goodness actually relates to

one another. Are you patient in one another? Are you good?

Are you kind to one another? Faithfulness, makeness. Self control

relates to yourself. And that's why the scripture that says

and the most important commandment that Christ has left behind

with us is to love God and love others as

your self.

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