The Voice of the Father | Pr Alvin Keng

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

will light up your day, today's world. We're gonna go back into the

Old Testament and we're gonna study a little bit about Elijah, Okay, the

prophet Elijah. And the story starts off like this, where you know the

people of Israel. You know the thing about people, right and well,

you can feel free to agree or disagree with me. But the thing about

people that I've read in the Bible, especially the Israelizer, is that uh

and and sometimes not just them, but also us. You know, sometimes

we have a tendency to forget things. Let me go deeper a little bit.

Sometimes we as believers, right, you know, God can do something

for us, and can do something really awesome, maybe when you're younger,

maybe ten years ago, maybe last year. But then but then as we

progress in life, and as we do better, as we you know,

have a bigger bank account and have a bigger family, as we are in

the place of a maybe we are manager now science is very easy to forget

God, you know. And when I say that, I'm not saying in

a bad way. I'm saying, like, you know, those days when

we were younger or like very old at it. Just now. I mentioned

me and my wife we were having fun because Evan y and one of our

ships was singing all the old school songs when we were you know, younger

at the time. You know, one way Jesus and we're like transported back

to our teen years, you know, and uh, and we see all

the younger ones struggling, like because you know what song they were singing.

But but you know, when we were really young, we really believe God

for all lot of crazy things. Also because we had nothing loved. You

know, sometime when you're nothing, it's easier to believe, right, but

we have everything out You're like, yeah, you know, I'm not saying

you do it on purpose. I'm just saying that's a tendency. And if

you read the Bible, unfortunately the Israelies a lot of times that that you

know, uh and uh and and and and el Like the prophet Elijah was

also considered one of the power profits. Why. I say that because if

you if you study the Bible and uh, well maybe if you talk to

Jews, they will recognize certain key profitts. One you know, Moses,

why because he brought them out of Egypt, and Moses did crazy things in

God. Of course, Moses said, not Mila, God asked me to

do, you know. But but they recognized him as the person that you

know, brought the plagues. You know, got frog and then blot become

water, and they got snakes and all these different things. Right after that.

They don't see such miracles on the daily basis. Ready And in fact,

he let them with a pillar of fire and cloud, know, in

the desert. And they still they still complained, oh whoa, whoa,

whoa are we as people? And and that happened. And Elijah was another

prophet because he literally called down fire from heaven. No, guys, how

many of you will love that? You know. I know some moms here

you can call down fire from heaven because when I was growing up, my

mother constantly called down fire from heaven on my life. And although I was

say this was a bit scotch, but I thank God somehow you guys get

the joke. When I said it, pid they didn't laugh at all.

I don't know why. So anyway, Elijah, okay, and uh and

and you know, as human beings, sometimes you can come to a place

where God did something really awesome for us. And and then something else happened,

and it can totally circumvent one God did right, Maybe we experienced a

supernatural thing. Maybe And and then quote unquote life happened. Well, life

happened, God happened, and then life happens again, and you can come

to the place or discussion. And unfortunately Elijah was like that, you know,

the people turn away from God. They kind of forgot who got worse

and and and not just that, you know, forget near mine, know,

go and get involved with another person. How can man right? Those

of you here who broke up your ex girlfriend don't let you near my la,

but want to get you another guy. I know you feel it,

man right, you feel even more right. At least you're single and I'm

single. But now you're not singing anymore either you're still feeling the hurt or

I just later passes steer ministers to you. They they and the king and

the queen, you know, King Ahab, King Jezebel. They they worship

the God, the God Bell and not just that. Now, w I

tell you the showdown right where Elijah so so God had to kind of remind

the people who their goddess. So there was a drop and a famine in

the land. And then Elijah came in the picture. And Elijah is such

a confident guy. How confident was he was so confident he actually went up

to the king and say, hey, you know what, let's have a

showdown. Okay, you get your people, I get my people, which

is just chim alone actually, because he was him against everyone else, right,

I mean got him and godla okay, And he said, let's do

this, okay, I'll set the terms of engagement, right, dig a

whole, said an author? Put a sacrifice, because the sacrifice, you

know, offer offerings, so sacrifice, how many are happy? We don't

do that nowadays we offer sacrifice of praise. But even that's some nice,

very hard. I want to leave him, very hard. But it's okay

to give me understand. But they had to, you know, prepare author

la put stoner, put you know, a sacrifice there, and then put

fire. But I say, don't, don't, don't lightly on fire.

Okay, let God lightly on fire. And the god there is alife will

be the one that will bring fire to the author. So they say,

okay, Ken, they're so confident, and and they had three hundred I

think three hundred right passes, even three hundred prophets or bow no. Three

hundred and one Elijah three hundred. And they were, you know, worshiping

chant thing. Do you all kind of things? Day and night? Guys?

How many of you here right will be very intimidated? You one person

believe in Jesus, and you got three hundred people that said you are crazy,

or you know you you shouldn't do this, or you know it's not

true, and and and they and no need that. Now they are committed

enough to cut themselves. And look at how confident Elijah was. He actually

mocked them, you know, he said, hey, maybe a God is

sleeping. Wow, how many of you there say that? You one person

against three hundred people, go and say your cry louder or cry louder,

maybe God is sleeping, cry louder. And he was so chill, He

was just chilling there. And then he came his stern. He didn't pray,

He didn't do any like mumbo jumbo. He just said, Lord,

I'm your servant, right you asked me to do this. Can you show

that you are the real God? You know what happened? Fire came down,

ate the sacrifice, ate the althar ate the water, and people knew

who the real god was. Then and then what happened? Well, men,

can I share something to you? Please? Don't make women angry,

because that's what happened. Queen Jezebel got so angry she said, I'm going

to kill this swellow. And Elijah ran for his life. What happened to

the confidence? What happened to one man against three hundred? We endures new

sputtered movie already Elijah versus three hundred? What happened to all these people?

What happened to his confidence? Didn't he believe a god? He? Hey,

we call him five from heever? Now women get angry, He run

away, and we're gonna pick up from there. Okay, I guess,

okay, okay, pretty good storyteller. Hey, let's read First King's nineteen

First Kings nineteen, right, So what happened? Okay? But he himself

went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom

tree, and he prayed that he might die. I'm reading from verse four.

Okay, he might die and say it is enough now God take my

life, or I'm no bother than my father. Isn't it interesting how he

just had a wonderful, supernatural god moment. God came true for him.

You know, God came true. He obeyed God, he did what he

had to do, and God came true for him. But then now he

said he want to die. How many of us have been there before?

I think a lot of us have been there before from a God moment.

Then we get discourage and we're like, ah, just ended, la,

just give up, lah, just just let go of everything. And then

he lay and slapt under a bloom tree. You know, when you're discouraged,

you will you want to sleep. And suddenly an angel touched him and

said to him, arise and eat, and he looked up. There by

his head was a cake bait on coals and a jar of water. So

he ate and drank and lay down again. I'm just thinking to myself,

this guy that just did this great thing, Sonny got discouraged. That's why,

friends, can I share you a truth? The Bible says, hope

the foot makes the heart sick. When you are discouraged, you be careful

with your discouragement because your discouragement can cause you to You know your Discouragement can

cause you to give up, can cost you. Do you want to die?

Hey? You he did something so awesome, but he was discouraged.

Something great happened about he was discouraged. It is. It shows you how

powerful discourage man can be. You can get discourage, and you can you

can want to totally give up on life. You want to totally go against

not go against that, but totally give up the destiny that God has no

But you know how wonderful God is because God didn't say, what are you

doing? You just did No. God fed him and let him sleep,

fed him and say, no, what happen? Let's let's read some more.

And the Angel of the Lord came back the second time and touch him

and said, arise and eat because the journey is too great for you.

How kind God is this guy want to give up? Really? This guy

say I want to die? Really? And then the journey say, arise

and eat. There's some more a journey. You need to walk some more.

So he rose and eat and drank, and he went in the strength

of that food forty days, forty nights, as far as the mountain of

God. And there he went into a cave and spend the night in that

place, and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and

he said to him, what are you doing here? Elijah? He went

to the cave, and there was a question, what are you doing?

How many of you are thinking? What? God? Don't you know why

you're asking that question? God, you saw what happened, right, the

lady wanted to kill her. Well, why are you asking a question?

What do you mean why you're doing here? You let me hear in the

cave. Right, Remember, God, you let me, You fed me,

and you asked me to go here. I'm here. I'm here because

of that. And really said, I've been very zealous for the Lord,

God of Hosts, for the children Israel. Have forsaken your covenant, torn

down your authors, killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left,

and they seek to take my life. Where did that confidence go?

Now? He's like he's re kepting everything, and he said, I want

to give up. And a lot of times, a lot of us are

there. I want to give up. Oh, but XBU is doing so

great, right, I want to give up. Oh, but then your

family is awesome. Right, I want to give up. It doesn't make

sense be careful of discourage. Man. The Bible says, the devil goes

out and roll, you know, and and rolls like a like a like

a lion, seeking to devour whoever that will allow. Right, be very

careful of discourage. Man. Do you know what's an answer to that?

Faith is the substance of things hope for and the evidence of things not seen.

It counters that. I think the scractor, I say, what hobe

stuport makes a heart sick? Right, So you lose hope, you are

discourage, you becomes sick. The answer to your sickness is to have faith,

because then faith will abound, hope will abound in faith. You got

to believe, that is the answer. Do you still believe? Do you

still believe? And then he said so, he said, God, you

know this happened, and I'm stuck here, right? And then God said,

go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, and behold the

Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and

broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord. But the Lord was not in

the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not

in the earthquake, and after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord

was not in the fire, and after the fire, a still small voice.

How do you qualify to be a prophet? Anybody want to try?

How do you qualify to be a prophet? It's not true question, it's

raising answer. Got give it answer again. A prophet is someone who is

a messenger of God. Correct, So the messenger kind of got to know

that God is speaking up. If not, then you won't qualify to be

a You only qualify to be a prophet when you are giving God's message.

That means you recognize God's voice. Right, You know how You're going to

be a prophet. That's your job. You only only had one job.

That's why in the Bible, God lot and great prophets, because it's not

about what you like to hear, it's about what God say in your tobeate.

That's not Jonah not happy, right because he didn't want to do what

God asked him do. But the thing that he is good at is hearing

God. Your catch that real catch that So their job is to hear God.

So they recognize God's voice, But that doesn't determine whether or not they

like what they do. And that doesn't show you that if you read the

Bible, it doesn't show you that everything God asked you do you'll be happy.

On right. You might not be happy with what God you're asking you

do or no, but that doesn't mean that God stops speaking. You know

something, you're not happy with what God's all. Get behind me, Satan,

he reckoned Nicescott's voice. It's not Earth, it's not wind, it's

not fire. That's the band. I think I got it from this scripture,

the name earth in fire. It's not that. It's a still small

voice. Let me stretch it a bit further. Sometimes we look for the

big things in life. Show me the earthquake, Nola, no of us

your on earth, greame nature, ky, Show me the big thing,

Oh God, I want to see you know. Maybe it's this event.

Maybe it's no. We search for all these big, big things. But

friends, if you are a believer for many, many years, ready you

will agree me. And you don't agree me, you can talk about it

later. It's fine. You probably understand where I'm going when I say that.

A lot of times, even for myself, the pivotal moments in the

milestone in my life, it is the still small voice of God. Yes,

have I been to concerts, Yeah, I've been before, but I

kind of don't remember the concert. Now I have to kind of look at

the picture to remember. Okay, this was the concert that I was in,

and this is with a few people, So I don't really remember the

concert. I kind of know and something cannot even remember where I stood,

and because a lot of things happening. But every time I want to think

about the time where I received a still small voice from God, I can

remember where I was sitting, what he say, what was it about?

And there was an encouragement to me? Right? Are we looking for the

still small voice? Today's title of the message I'm just starting on. It's

the voice of the Father. How do we hear God, our Father in

heaven? Thank God? Elijah could hear, and of course later you read

he bounced back. But God spoke to him in a still small voice he

could recognize. He imagine if he couldn't recognize that, he would have seen

the wind and the fire and the fire. No, how come you got

fire passing one there? One is really amazing. I would think that that's

God. But he knew God was not there in the fire. It was

a still small voice. He knew which woice to listen to. He knew

and he knew how do we hear God, our Father in heaven? Do

you want to know? Do you want to know how to hear God?

Well, I'll give you some points. Okay, First you need to listen

actively that okay, you need to listen. How what do you mean by

that? Well, let me go deeper a little bit. Devotion. Why

do we encourage people to do devotion? Why? Because it's time focused on

God. Time we've got you know, devotion, you know, focus on

God. Okay, I use this example. Uh. A relationship is something

that people is used Okay when you first well maybe not like that. Okay,

when you first meet someone now and they call you on the phone,

right, I know you guys don't talk on the phone, especially your younger

ones. Right nowadays? Last time it's different. Now, last time,

we have to recognize girus. You got no phone numbers, so you can't

landline. You need to recognize the voice. You're not the mother pick up.

You think that's the girl, right, and then you get in trouble.

Don't do that. How do you recognize someone's voice if you hear it

a lot of times. Right, How do you know someone is someone true

time span? Right? Coronal? How do you be a relationship true time

span? Right? You know we understand that. Right. When you see

a couple, you know so in love with each other, right, and

they know each other well, Okay, when you see a married couple,

when you see a mom and a son, it's time to spend, right,

That's what devotion is. That's what devotion is. It's time spent.

How do you recognize God's boys? You need to spend time with him.

Honestly, guys, If you don't spend time, we got right, you

won't know his wife. That's the true Unfortunately, that's how we build relationship.

If you don't spend enough time with him, you won't know don't talk

about God. If you come here to this church plan, if you only

come once a year, you won't recognize Persus even as the pastor of the

church because you're not familiar. You don't spend enough time. I mean,

just using one example, Okay, it's not a good example. How many

of you like her? Okay? Parents, how many you like this,

sir? Right? Your kids? Right? They only see you once a

year and every time they see you, they ask for something. They don't

even say hello good bye. They say mom, dad hello, no,

no even hello mom dad, I need this And they only see you once

a year. Do you like that? Kids? Let me turn the tables

around. How many of your kids? Right? You like this? If

your parents say unless you get are for the exammer, you don't come home.

Parents, if you're doing this, please repent right now. That's not

what you should do it to your kids. It's not about the age.

You should love them career not but you like they kind of relationship? Could

you even call it a relationship? You can't? Parents, You should love

your kids no matter what. Right ABCDE hopefully not fla for effort. Right.

It takes time right to be a relationship. It takes understanding to be

a relationship. Right. We need to build relationship that way. If you

don't invest in the right thing, it's going to be hard. If if

you just go according tother mother like that kid friends not fun? Now I

would I enjoy meming in that family at all? Do you know that we've

got it's the same thing. How are you being relationship with God? Once

a year see him and then ask him for things once a week see him

and I see how things. That's not a fun relationship. And we gotta

you know, meditation Godsworth, So that's devotion. Why we encourage you.

That's your phone call. We gotta that's your connection God. That's there's spending

time. We've got to you don't spend time, you won't know. I

mean even if, like for me, I'm married for many years a day,

I still need to spend time my wife. No, I cannot take

for granted that, oh we're married, it's fine, you know, she

start me forever and that's it. No, I say, have to invest

in the relationship. That's how they say, hash that relationship goes right,

go out for dating once a week. Honestly, for me it's impossible.

But yeah, those of you who are doing it, praise the Lord,

go and do it. Okay, we find other ways, okay, but

investment, investment, right, that's why we encourage youble to do devotion,

meditation of God's word. Why you read God's word well, because you gotta

draw and understand his word. You know, I know a lot of preachers

say this, Oh you know, God's word is like a love letter to

us. I'm so sorry, I'm a guya. It doesn't my heart.

Don't keep a bit when I say it's a love letter, Okay, this

is the way our prayl So, girls, I know you will love it.

Oh yeah, God's love letter as well as you read it. Good,

good, good, good for you. Guys. I don't know how

you feel that way. I don't see it as a love letter. I

see it as a manual. A lord, guys, don't read men as

let me. Let me put it this way. I see it as words

of wisdom from my father in heaven. I love reading proverbs, right,

Proverbs bring so much life, Guys. I'm speaking to believers. A.

So know that I am steering and be very biased towards this. Oh you

know, but shouldn't we have wisdom in the world, you know, Basi,

there's so many people who are studying more thing yea, yeah, yeah,

yeah, yah, yeah yeah. I understand that. But the Bible

teaches you about marriage, teaches you about relationship. Why we're not reading it,

why we're not understanding it, why we're not saving our pain and hate

it? You mean we should go and get relationship advice from a book that's

written by a man A love us? Do that? Or can we go

and drop from Godsworth? I challenge you, a lot of headache can your

solved by just reading God'sworth? Honestly, it teaches you how to handle conflict

resolution. That's why it teaches us, not just in just you need me

read Byelah outside No no, no, you Knowlvin it's not relevant at all

the word no, No, It's very relevant because God talks about life.

It's very relevant. In fact, if you compare a lot of principles that

a lot of people out there use, and you compare and do study with

the Bible, you will see that it's the same one. So who is

correct Bible or them? I go Bible? Why Bible is so long ago?

Return readly copyrighted? He wasn't copywriter God's word? Why do we read

God's word? Because when we read God'sworth we understand him more? Right?

Who is important pray? Or why do we pray? Because we engage with

him? We engage with God to prayer, it's not just wishless. It's

praying. And the Bible says when we pray in His will, it will

be done. You need to know God to pray his will. Know if

you don't know God, you can't pray and his will right. And you

know I thought about listening activity. Okay, friends, for those of you

who are very organized, you've got devotion, Bible study, right, you

will start your your devotion half an hour. The first ten minutes is worship,

and then the next ten minutes read near Bible. And then the last

ten minutes you're going to tell God God, I need abcd da da da

da da. Then after that and okay, by God, see you,

I've got to start my day. And then God's like, hello, Hello,

hello, Steven. Are you stay there? Stevehen you he left with

me. I was gonna tell him for the prayer need that he needed just

now. All he needed to do is stop to this person. I was

going to tell him, hey, you know you're believing for this, right

and you've been praying for the past three months. Um, it's gonna happen

soon. But he left. Really, friends, we've got to be still

sometimes, actually I would say we've got to be still most times. Be

still and listen. Don't just no, no, no. Imagine you get

a phone call from someone, Sharon, call one of your students, call

you, hi, dis how are you doing everything okay, okay, see

you bye, and you're like one word or so cannot come out? Are

you listening and hearing God's voice? God knows your woice very well. He

always sees you constantly. But do we know God's boys? I pray that

today we will learn how to know God's woice. So we got to listen

actively. Amen. You know, when you have a daily practice of engaging

God, you build relationship. And unfortunately, friends, there's no shortcut loud

to build relationship, just time invested and experience together, building memories together and

spending time together. And can I clarify this, I've been a year.

I've been a Christian for many, many many years. Yes, by your

role and title and acceptance to you believing in Jesus. But how many years

have you worked We've God? How many years have you invested talking to God?

It's not just attendance in Chestia, it is engagement with our Father in

Heaven. Amen. And if let's say you don't believe in me, can

I just give you one more thought? All of us here are believers,

right, well, most of us here. Okay, maybe you're not a

Christian yet, let me go by definition definition is we are followers of Christ

okay, disciples of christms. We follow Jesus right right, follow Jesus right

his practices, the things he teach us. Do you know that Jesus engages

God daily? Well, I wouldn't use daily by he God. Mark one

three five says, now in the morning, having risen a long while before

day, like he went out and departed to a solitary plis and a place,

and that he prayed Jesus and you just God constantly, not just that

Jesus knows his father, you know. John fourteen seven eleven says, right,

if you have known me, you would have known my father also,

And from now on you know him and have seen him. Philip said to

him, Lord, show us the Father and his sufficient for us. Jesus

said, have I been with you so long yet you have not known me?

Philip, He who has seen me has seen the Father. How can

you say show us the father? That means son. Jesus is clarifying that,

Hey, by the mere fact that you're walking with me, seeing me

talking to me, you will know who I am. You will know who

my father is because I am my father's son. Right, I am my

father's son. We believe in the same things. We practice the same things.

I won't do things the things he won't do. I will encourage you

the way he will and catch you. So by seeing me, you see

him. That's why we say, imitate me as semitech Christ. Guys,

when people see you, do they see the Father? Oh? Oh,

I don't know if you're hurt. I'm just encouraging you. Guys. What

is the values we have? What do we practice? How do how are

we? Jesus is like that, so we know the Father, Himen and

Jesus. And then he said, do you not believe me that I am

in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I speak to

you, I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who

dwells in me does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father

and the Father in me, or else believe me for the sake of the

works themselves. Doing life together. We've got working together, side by side.

Are we walking with God? Do people recognize that we work? We've

got When we walk together, we've got we will know him? You know

how to work together. We've got every day every day. You know,

I'm very, very thankful. I'm very thankful for learning this. Uh No,

I'm d I want to say youngish, but I'm very thankful for learning

this so much. Sure that you know. I think I'm shared before how

God will speak to me a lot of times nowadays. You speak to me

in the morning, four clo. He'll wake me up, He'll say this.

And the last time I shed before, how God said, you know,

say sorry to your son in the morning. Why do I say it's

God, It's not me. You know I will never do it. No,

I was still at the stage of like, do I really need to

her? I was having a conversation with well, if you're not believer,

you'll say myself la. But I don't think. I'm not so scared of

ola. Guys, I'm quite consistent. I think it's God. He's another

person telling me do the right thing, the Holy Spirit, putting it in

my hand and saying do that. Having that conversation and I still struggle do

I And I did it? And then I experienced Okay, God, thanks

thanks for encouraging me to do something I will naturally not do. It's a

daily walking, daily walking. We've God right. Can I give you another

encouragement sometimes because I'm sharing you how do you build relationship God? Sometimes our

view we've God also determines the way we build relationship with him. Right,

you know, how do we view God? Okay? Do we see God

as a celestial being that's far away? Because if we do see him that

way, then you won't do all this that I mentioned to you. How

you meet God will be you come to Sunday service and that is your God

meeting because he's a selester being. That's what we understand. I come to

church, I see God in church. I go back home. He's not

there anymore. Well, he's there, far far away, But I have

done you you gave me. Not the way you look at God will be

the way you treat him. Right. Do we see Him as a strict

judge? That's how to catch us. And you know it says, you

know, the Bible says that God is our father, right a lot of

times, psychologically, a a lot of times. The way we view our

dads and our relationship with that can also determine the way we feel God because

we treat God as father. That's what the Bible teaches us. Right,

So we look like our dad, I mean, unfortunately, I didn't really

have a good relationship my dad growing up. So I also last time used

to see God as oh God, far far away, you know, and

God had to teach me. And now the thing I'm very thankful for is

because my dad is staying with me and I have had an opportunity to rebuild

a relation or build a relationship my dad, and I'm constantly doing that,

you know. And I also am a father now, so I have that

perspective as a dad, like, oh wow, God, this is what

you mean when you look at this Like for example, right we talk about

Elijah, when you look at the question Elijah, what are you doing here?

So in the context of a celestial being, if let's say that's a

context, then the way that questions come up, you're very different. Yaja,

what are you doing here? I really asked you? Do you know

there will be the tone that we hear it from. But if it's in

the context of a father, this is how it will look like. Okay,

if we say God our father, right, if I am God and

I'm a father, Elijah's father and I am my son, is Elijah and

I asked him to do something and he obeyed and he succeeded, but half

he got discouraged and he come back. I will be asking this question,

Elijah, what are you doing here? That is the tone I will ask.

Do you see the difference? Which one easier to be a relationship?

And the Bible says God wants to be a relationship us, right? Which

one? Do you think it's true? The way we view God will determine

whether we want to be a relationship him or not. Or do we see

God as a father who gives us guidance, but he also has authority of

our lives. He's still in control. No, like how our dad's right.

They will help us. They won't tell us everything, but then sometimes

things are there taken care of for any one. That's how that are.

That's you know what I'm talking about. You will do that for your kids,

right, And that's how God father in heaven. What more our earthly

father does? The scripture says, our earthly Father also know how to take

care of us. No, but more God, don't you think God want

to care of you? He's our heavenly father. And for those of you

who may not have a father or like me, unfortunately, our dads also

didn't really have good father role models and cannot function the way you know.

Then God said, I am a father of the fatherless, so we're not

left alone. That's his promises. He man. Friends, we need to

recognize God's voice. We need to recognize God's voice. How do we recognize

God's voice? Well, the first thing is God's voice doesn't contradict his words.

I am so confident right what he already said is what it is true.

You know he won't go back on and constantly the word says that he

doesn't contradye himself in the Bible is written so long ago, not relevant now

ah, now ah, A lot of people are thinking about different. Hello,

then it's true or not. I believe that the Bible is true,

true, last time, relevant until now. Just because now we've got internet

doesn't mean that whatever the Bible say is not true or No. Just because

we have internet and different people like to practice different things doesn't mean that the

definition of marriage, which God intended since Genesis for those who when marriage counts

thing genesisa is the scripture of us know not later on no Genesis no,

where a man shall leave his fam father and mother and cleave to his wife.

That is marriage as God intended. That rings true today. Godspel is

true today. So are we deceived by what we hear outside? Or do

we hold on strong to the truth and the thing our truth isn't is well.

They like to use the word facts. This to me is fact right.

Just because it came out from a scientist's mouth doesn't mean it's fact.

A lot of times it's jory unless proven. And nowadays, just because you

read a research paper, it doesn't mean that a research paper is We also

know that research paper can be reatten according to opinion. Just challenging some of

the super scientists tinkology before here, you can do your study. It's fine.

I'm not knocking anyone. I'm just saying we've got to be very clear

what is truth right? Because truth will come out true will be proven right.

So God's why it doesn't contradict his word. You can go back and

read John seventeen fourteen nineteen. The other thing that we need to know is

that God doesn't change the one that changes on us. We change the way

we grow up, cause us to change right and hopefully change for the better.

But God doesn't change. Revelation twenty two thirteen says I'm the Alpha and

the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last numbers

to treat eight nineteen says God is not a man that he should lie,

nor a son of a man that he should repent. Has he said and

will he not do? Or has he spoken? And will he not make

it good? He doesn't change, same last time, same today, same

tomorrow. Can I give you another encouragement? It is an encouragement to me

that God doesn't change. I'm so thankful he doesn't change. Because if he

says he cares for us, and he has a plan for us, and

he loves us, and he's the author and finished our faith, no matter

what we do, he won't change. And that's the truth. That's so

cool, right, is such a comfort that whatever he says is true,

he don't change. Then no matter what happens, he'll forgive us. He

will still love us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

That is a comfort to us. So, however, however bought them,

you hit, You've got to remember this, God don't change. If I

go to him for forgiveness, he will amen. God's word remain and has

no expiry there four thirty five says heaven and earth will pass away by my

words, will by no means pass away. A lot of people in the

history have tried to change the Bible, change the name in the Bible and

all. No. But until today we still have the Bible. Until today,

God's word still remains. So until today the sun is up and the

moon is down, well not sun upon down, but not until the way

of day night according to Genesis. Ye, that's not changed one bit.

Another thing, God confirms his word. Mark sixteen twenty says, and they

went out and preach everywhere, and the Lord working with them and confirming the

word through the companying of science. Amen, let me talk a little bit

about prophecy. People can ask me for pasai owain, how do I know

prophecia right is true or not? And my simple answer, which is the

truth is when it happens. Are you know? When we receive prophecy and

we received word from Lot. Now, it's not for us to do anything

about it, you know. Oh, how do I say this? It

is for us to know. Okay, God said it, So if God

said it, it might be true. I just need to wait for you.

It happened. It's not for me to start. Okay, pass seven.

You know God asks me to do this. Now I'm gonna start changing

my life. And guys, guys, chill, chill, chill, chill.

God gives it as an encouragement to us. God gives it so that

we can believe and trust him. He didn't give it to us so we

can start making plans, right because men can plan. But God directly said,

God can give you a promiser, but the way he fulfills the promiser

cannot be according to what you think. But a lot of us are.

We want it now, we want it fast, we want it this way.

This, Oh Lord, I've received this. Therefore, no, guys,

chill, trust your father in heaven. Don't you think your father knows

what's best best for you? So the thing is, it will be confirmed.

How do you know that God's word is true? It will happen.

This is why we pray for healing, and when healing happens, it was

confirmed that God heals. That's why you believe when testimonies happen in your life,

God confirms his word your cash there on, he confirms his word right.

Another thing that God's word does if it brings out faith. Roman tens

seventeen says, So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of

God. So when God's fixed, you will be brave, you will have

faith, You'll say, okay, it will happen. Right, So we

need to obey his voice. That's what we need to do because when we

obey, you'll see the fruit. And he doesn't ask us to do anything

contrary to his will. God say, I have a plan for you,

right, and it's an awesome plan. Right. He won't ask you to

do something hard that is off his plan. On No, but how many

of you know that as children so nice, we misbehave, we can do

things, and then we get in trouble and then we blame God. Imagine

your father really say please, don't do that, because if you go that

direction and you do that, you're gonna get hurt, You're gonna fall down,

you're gonna get burned, you're gonna suffer. He's gonna take you longer.

And then we're like, no, cannot be that. I'm gonna do

it. This is the way you sit, this is the way therefore you

look like this, and then you do it, and then what your dad

said, happens, and now you blame your dad. I thought you promised

me that I'm gonna hello. Your father said, don't do right? Why

are you going to do something right? So he doesn't ask us to do

anything contrary to his will? How do I know God's will? A passelben.

Reading the word of God reveals and helps us to under that, understand

God's wiel. And beyond reading the word, when you build a relationship with

him and you work with him, then you will recognize his voice. Sure

you How I'm very thankful because I just used another funny example. So two

days ago, like yesterday, actually yesterday, no, Two days ago,

I was telling my wife like, oh, I know I'm preaching for a

PGMB and I'm like, oh, I've been praying no, Lord, give

me a word, give me a word. And I got two possible messages

lah okay, And I was like, oh, dear, I asked my

wife, la, I know I would just check your her out, like,

hey, you know we should try pressure. Should I preach a Father's

Day message? Or should I presh a message with a testimony? You know,

we should enjoy do And then she's then my wife being chicky. She

like do bo fla And I'm like, it's not so easy. I cannot

just combine it like that, you know what. You know, it's either

oh you know, and I'm like, you're not helping. I said,

okay, can you like, oh Lord, can you please just give me

a revelation? Right? Nothing? Then I know on Saturday I'm going to

be busy four a m. God gave me the word. I woke up

and everything like you know download like Matrix said it, you know, damn

like, okay, God, thank you, thank you. You know this

is not me gave gave after that, like I think what the right is

for get course later, I have a long day. So I got up,

I wrote, I wrote that everything, and he gave me the messages

to come by. As what my wife said, I show her now.

I'm like, Lord, dear, I'm irit it anyway, and I'll show

you the testimony after this, Okay, I end with the testimony. I'm

so thankful that God has led me to this place of walking with him that

I can recognize his voice. You know, we thought about obedience, right.

I shared before that. I shared before that God asked me to apologize

to my son, before you know, and the first time I did it

is so hot. You know, a lot of thought start. How can

a forty year old man a lot of pride? How can a forty old

man apologize to six years old? But do you know that when you continue

to obey your father, it gets easier because you see the benefits children.

If your parents speaking sense right and you listen to them even though you don't

understand right, the next time they ask you to do something, it's easier,

right, It is. It is because it just last week I had

opportunity to go to expect Fields and share with them, right, and the

same thing happened. Okay, I confess it. What happened, Well,

basically, my my son was, you know, acting up in the shop

and I did something that well now I know I should have done, but

just to be strong and strict, I went and I said, boy,

stop it. If you break anything here, I will leave you at the

shop Chinese la. Okay, So I have said it before, so you

know. So I was like, yeah, you know, because I knew,

teach him you shouldn't do that. Okay, So I said it.

That went back and then true enough, six am, you got likes to

with me at six am. I think you shouldn't have done that last time.

I struggled. Right now, I'm like, should have done that?

Okay, okay, God, I apologize. So I went and I apogized

with my son. I said, boy, remember yesterday I mentioned that the

shot. I want to say sorry. But I didn't just say sorry.

I said I want to let you know that although I said that, I

didn't mean it. I was a bit angry, and sometimes when you're angry,

you say things you don't mean. I'm your father and I will never

leave you. Right done? It was easy, Yeah, because I obe

it before I saw the fruit, and I can do it again. Is

it something that I would think about it? No? I thought I was

correct by saying, please, don't consequence, Ma, you break it,

you stay here at right? And then I had to reveal something else,

like what are you trying to do giving your child emotional trauma? And all

these things are okay, look you know so I'm so thankful to be able

to hear God that way. But I see friends, oh, and I

use this example to explain it is it only comes from a lot of experience

together married couples. Okay, Okay, yeah, I use the example.

I know I got to watch them, but I'll just say to just help

you with this understanding on building relationship. So me and my wife, we

had a chance to talk to merried couples. You know. So we're leading

one married couple through their PMC now and they went through a difficult Uh it

was the second time, and they brought up an issue, and I remember

telling telling them, I said, hey, you know what, it's something

basically wanted to do something and then something happened in your fighter okay, their

first fight. And I said, it sounds like you need to trust each

other more, right, And again I had to clarify. I said,

but don't worry. It's not like, uh, trust is immediately or once

you're married in love automatically you trust. I said, it sounds that you

need to trust each other more. And it's good that you went through this

so that you can learn how to trust each other more, because that's what

the marriage is. You got to trust each other. Yes, you have

different views, but you got to trust that both want the same thing.

Right. And I said, it's good that you're going to this challenge because

it's teaching you how to learn to trust each other. And I use this

example which I'll share with you. Now, me and my wife, are

we really trust each other? Right? If someone come up to me and

look at me and say, hey, you know I saw your wife that

they are she was very lovely the way with this guy and she was holding

his hand. No, you know what I will do. I'll go look

for it. No, no, I will. I will look at this

brother or sister whoever, and I say, I'll laugh at the person.

I said, my wife will never do that. Why because I trust her?

But why do I trust her? Oh? Because you're married right now?

Because we went through a lot of tough times together. We suffered a

lot together through our years in marriage. That's what do you know that?

Do you know? You're not right? When you suffer more, you're closer

one. The more you suffer, the closer your relationship. We're funnier.

It's very funny. But it's true. Decide the Bible teachers count it all

joy in trials and tribulations, right, because it's true. The more you

suffer we've got in the picture, the closer you are, you will him.

I trust my wife fully, you know, and I know she will

trust trust me. If anybody come and talk to her, I know she'll

love because you know that you will never happen to me one right, I

will not. Yeah, anyway, she knows she will never get this kind

of textile. But my wife is an awesome person and yeah, but I

fully trust my wife. But the trust comes, the relationship comes from the

years and years of going through half times. Friends. Can I give you

another thing. Let's use the context of a church. Oh, I know

something say, oh you know me, myself and Jesus enough ready, right,

but you know being in the church right and building relationship one another.

Do you know it helps us to learn to build a relationship We've got Okay,

let me give you to motivators, one good one, one nice one,

one not so nice one. Okay, I'll share a nice one first.

How do I say it? By being in the context of a church,

anything, people and your your relationship GOP would be better because let's say

it, I don't know anybody share tessimony? Just now got who Sharon said?

Okay, I don't know what he So Sharon shard testimony like, oh,

you know, God bless me and brought me a new car for example,

and then one of you here will be like, wow, Lord,

he did it. Okay, Uh, just claim it, just claiming.

Ah, you know that's that's uh. And then one of you will be

here and you'll be like, huh, hey if she cannot as one,

then you go back to your father and say, hey, God, if

you give her as one, wouldn't that strengthen your relationship We've got because you

engage him because of the testimony, hurt the encouragement. So that's the nice

one. Let me show you that not so nice son. You come to

church and then you sit down and then can I don't use someone here?

Someone here? Right? Uh? You know I did something? And then

are you I cannot believe. I can't believe why puss severe will do that?

Right? I cannot don't understand. And then you go to God and

you say, God, I don't understand why passus Steven will do that?

You know? And I go speak to you. So even in good and

bad, you engage God. Isn't it good? Isn't that? Now?

Now do you see why God ask us to be together as a church,

Because if you're not supposed to be in church, the motives operandi for Christian

will be. You get safe, you go to the mountains, you stay

alone, read the Bible, pray and that's it. No, they say

start church church man. See you know you stap on each other does now?

But you go to who God? So no matter what happens in your

life, difficult time, go to God. Good time, go to God.

Isn't it good? So being in the context of the church encourages you

to connect with God more. And the moment you're out of the fall,

that's where the problem happens. Right, I'm just just it could be this

church where any church. I guess, as long as it's the church of

believers, your engagement with our Father God is more when that happens. You

know, I just shave you two instances of my own experience hearing God' so

it's still small voice. One is when I was considering full time ministry,

and I very clearly can remember a summit level two. Right, John will

remember this. We got four pillars one, two, three, four,

Okay, And I like to sit on this pillar at the background because very

easy you can just disappear after that. And I remember I had this thing

about, like, you know, an opportunity to join full time, and

I was like worried, and I remember clearly during worship, God spoke to

me and said, Elvin, don't worry, I'll take you of your family.

And I'm like, huh, I'm not even I don't even have girlfriend.

What family you're talking about? God? And then he gave me a

message, No message, He gave me a scripture meant two sixty three sicky

first the Kingdom of God and all shall be added unto you friends. Until

today. I hold onto that scripture because it's a promise from God. Until

today. I remember that, and that is an encouragement in my own faith

as believer and go aheads takenicare of my family. Second time, God spoke

to me very clearly, right yes, when God asked me to pray for

my family, you know, and again I have to do it. My

wife was so because I was gonna get married, and I'm like, oh

no, my family sow dysfunctional how And it wasn't even in church. I

was driving back home from Cyberjaya and I was driving past a very dangerous bed

and the moment I heard the word the voice pray for a family, I

almost swerved the cardinal okay, right, and I had started to pray for

my family and in two years got restored my family. We need to hear

God's voice, you know. Sometimes God doesn't speaker, you know why because

maybe he readid it and you're not listening, you know, Like how I

mean I used the example of a father. Just now imagine if you're given

the advice and then your kid just don't want to listen, still want to

do the same thing, and then you tell again and then stay how you

just stop giving advice? Please don't read there, guys. Or sometimes we

should really know what to do according to his word. Okay, we should

already know because his word is here ready. That's why. Right when I

talk to Christians, right and I say, hey, you know what you

need to serve the house? And they come and they tell me, no,

I need you pray first, I'm like, can please to your Bible

some of these things? Don't you pray? Or not? Sorry? I

can? I ask this question? Do you need to pray to God to

ask him whether or not he will forgive you? God? Will you forgive

me or not? You want one? Right? Why? You readly know

it's in the Bible. He'll forgive you. So you just ask for forgiveness.

But why some things you can be selective? Friends, God not speaking

because he really spoke. Sorry, the word lah no, the practice right?

Oh, God never speak to me. Hello here la read la other

things he will speak to you, Okay, he will. I'm very confident

on that. And I end with this testimonyal okay, And I hope you

guys catch something about God speaking and about about everything, right, so just

share you some context. So I'm looking. I'm full time right now,

okay, I'm looking for this awesome company called a Ya okay, And for

those who you don't know, I have managed the video department. Besides that,

I'm also kind of involved in our specialists AMLA, the society and all

that kind of stuff. Right verb zer readly okayb zer read right. And

one more thing that I do that a lot of people don't know is that

I'm sort of like having to take care of our Volunteer Internship program, the

VIP program. Okay, we developed it for one two years ready, and

I'm solved like the person looking into it. And basically, anybody that wants

to volunteer in an organization or group, they will come to me okay,

And as they come to me, I'll interview them. You know, I

mean I'm not doing a lot. I have some help, we have a

team. Uh. And there are two things I will ask them. I

will say, hey, you know, number one is a non paid internship,

okay, because we're non profit and uh, it's not paid. So

you come and but you get experience. And we've heard through the years that

a lot of interns that have come, even for a short while, they

really gained stuff. I think right now, Grace is in our weird program,

right, so so it's not about money, it's they really gain more

things, okay, pray Scott. And the other thing I will share with

them is that hey, we are we are very closely connected to a church.

So we're gonna do church stuff. Are you okay with you or not?

Because the the internship program is not just Forocuasis is for anybody, and

we don't come learn uh and and learn things from us, So we do

get people who are not believe us. And a lot of times they will

say yeah, I don't mind, or they so far we've not got eny

rejection cost. They were roughly know a city. And then you'll join us

at you're joining us for all like it or but but you know that they're

not believers lat okay, right, they're not believe us. So and and

most of the time when we get people coming in, uh, it is

very erely. We get like random or now very rarely. Most of the

time it's like either True Church or through VA or through our campus ministry.

And it's kind of like easy love we know already or how you know is

trough campus. So it's kind of like this. But I suddenly got a

text from Joy two months ago to say, hey, I got this,

Uh a mom asking for a daughter. Uh. And the doctor doesn't come

to VA but the mom, but the son goes to v A and and

she said daughter looking for internship? Are we open? So I'm like,

okay, like Liana, okay, Liana Lion the mama, Okay, see

what happened now, Okay, so call her mom did an interview with the

daughter and then she was okay, and then she wanted to sign up for

Linettes and uh and v A and I'm like okay. Then I went through

the thing. Uh you know, oh you know, I okay, but

don't really know her background, right, don't really know the man's background,

didn't really ask and the first week she uh because nothing much. So she

followed us to do the legacy, to do the shoot. And typically when

you're sitting in my car, I will get to know you, Mola,

because our drima, so I'll find out. So I asked about church.

That's about how you know, And and I found out that her exposure to

Christians are because her family is mostly in Australia and they're all Catholics. So

that's her her exposure, you know, but she herself not really going to

or not really not so ram you know, she's a pre believer ready right,

No, really ship you got it at all? And I remember after

that, I thought, because as I was, Asa is one of our

teens in uh PJ and she's also doing interns. She I say, hey,

you know, maybe I can get her safe because to Mansma, I

said, it'll be nice if she can, and may you reach out to

her lot Okay joking, not joking, I'll say that load, But of

course, guys, can I can I show you something? We're not desperate

gazz pusus either gas graces, so we don't like non believer you know Jesus

every day shout with Jesus in the face. We don't do that, Okay.

We are very chill in Fega. When they come and I think Grace

will attest today, sir, they will see how naughty the buses are.

Okay, ether being homie, we were not in in office and you know

here like very holy and all go office. Oh my goodness, you're like.

So she see the real escape. So she joined in Nettes, she

joined v A kind of knows she's not believer. And then uh and and

she's enjoyed herself. And I got no interaction, haleilah. I just see,

you know, because after I released, after I do the orientage,

I can release it. You let them go. I'm sure she had a

good time in Victoria Academy and uh and and and v A sorry, I

mean Alynette. And then later and I found out she's going to camp.

I didn't find from her. I was talking to ASA and she's like,

hey, you know, she's going camp. I'm like, huh, why's

she going camp? She's not even of the teen in xteens and she's not

even a VA student. Why's she going camp? Again? The way it

sounds like very angry at that, but no, no, just curious why

she There's no reason why she knew to go. Later I found out her

mom kind of forced her to go out. Okay, fine, So I'm

like, okay, fine, you know Daddy, my mom like, okay,

hopefully she explains God. Two months on guys, two months an right,

she went for CAM and of course different leaders. I was interructing in

and m in my mind, you know, she's not a believer, not

yet anyway, but she got exposure and we don't know. So then there

was this thing about her suddenly receiving Christ and all because and it all happened

the last week was trying to affect find because so I knew as like she

don't know, but apparently in CAM she know God, right, And then

we're all trying to get the story right. Okay, I talked to Jill.

We try to get a story right. And and then later we found

out she accept the Christ in camp, but she didn't like to fill out

the form and all, but she responded and then God spoke to her.

Because what happened was we kind of found out and then I spoke to Jill

because Jill's tenderingly uns and we decided to get her bible can show the authority.

So we started to get her Bible and then yeah, that's her,

Alexander's her name. We decided to get a Bible. And then we thought

he better do you know, better do start to bite her, you know,

because she's gonna go Australia. We don't know how. And then now

we're trying to find her church there as well that she can go through,

you know. Uh. And and it's cool, guys, and you know,

the cute thing that happened was that. So we have a staff devotion

on Tuesdays and one of the things we are doing now is that we're getting

the the volunteers to like share out what do you learn? What do you

you know? What was your best moment? And then and then they chat

and then she was quite cute because at the end now she she she said

I got a question for pass because they were so said, pass us,

when are we going to start ex Perth because she's gonna go to Perth.

Right. Of course, a lot of people confuse and say she want to

start Experth that I'm like, no, she's a new believer. Chill you

go joking church first. But but I was so amazed at someone who don't

know God, don't really know God, spend time with us. And guys,

it's not like I say, every day we shot Jesus in the face.

We don't do that on her. We're just we're chill and right.

Uh and and and now you've got someone who says, and I can just

imagine she's a new believer, she's been so infected by X. She wants

to see X in Perth. I praise you'll find a good church who knows

maybe don't know whether true her. I don't know what the Lord we'll do

or say. And I actually ask the permission to share this story. I

said, I want to share this story. Can I say, okay,

go for it. Friends, A job not job about a pre believer who

don't know Christ. After two months in a ya come to know Christ.

You know we started the VIP program two years ready, I can confess to

you so that it's not easy program to do. I'm not the fairest person

in the world. Okay, and say I have to do the extra job.

And I'm like, oh, but friends, you never know when you

listen to God, what is the fruits that will come out of your obedience,

because I just obeyed, and this testimony to me is an entire for

me to continue to sow in this, to continue to sow in this area

in our organization. You know, when we hear the voice of our Father

and we work with him, God will lead you in places that you will

never imagine. It may not just be for your benefit. No, it

may be for the benefit of others. And it's such an encouragement. You

never know what God will orchestrate, but it's always for his glory. Amen,

when you obey God is always for his glory. As we obey God,

he will orchestrate things for his glory and his purpose in our lives.

And that's the wonderful thing about hearing God. Soone encourage us today. We

are in different places of our favor. It doesn't matter. All of us

here can hear God. All of us here can build a relationship with Him

as long as you want to. But of course it takes work. He

takes investment. It's like how you want to make friends with someone or it

takes that. And if you really find it hard, because God is someone

you cannot see, why don't you start with the church because God said in

his word, blessed are those who see and believe, but even more so

those who didn't see and believe. A lot of us we don't see,

but we still believe. If you can believe in Christ that died for a

scence so long ago, hey, can you believe that God wants to build

a relationship with you and you can walk with him daily. That's my challenge.

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

church, please visit as church org. We are also active on Facebook and

Instagram. We're believing that this week is going to be a good week ahead

for you. God bless