Keep Marching On | Jason Martin

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

will light up your tea preaching today. It is something that I have been

going through. So you, how has your year been so far? How

has your year been so far? How many are we all? It has

been so smooth and easy going so far? Wow? Okay, I need

you to pray for me. I need you to pray for me because for

me, it's definitely been a lot of ups and downs for this year.

And it's only March. Wow, it's only yes. Yeah, I mean

I felt I went through one year ready with all the things that had been

going through. Okay, but yes, and I think God has just been

doing something in my life. So we came just from a powerful weekend from

the x Leaders Conference, and that was really a time where it's about alignment.

It's about just because for leaders, we have to be in one accort

first before we lead right, and we also need to lead with fear and

trembling in the ways of the Lord. So that was really a powerful time.

There were some videos of hilarious performances that were happened during the ex Leaders

Conference that I think you can see on social media. And after that we

had the anniversary service. So how many of y'all were in p I cc

right, I know the service, I mean not. I know some had

to leave slightly earlier and couldn't make the photo. Don't worry. I couldn't

find my face on the photo as well. So it's okay, we believe

you were in the photo, all right. But it was actually a history

making event because it was the first time a church had service in Putrajaya Convention

Center. And that is actually we declare that, that is we are taking

new ground and God is doing a new work in Malaysia as well. Okay,

so today the thing that I'll be sharing on actually the it's uh,

it's in line with a four letter word. Okay, it's a four letter

word. Kids don't like it. Adults also don't like it. It's ok

everybody doesn't really like this word fall letter word. And but funnily enough,

it is actually a good word. But probably given it has been misunderstood.

You know, some people say that, hey, misunderstood. It's actually a

good thing, but it has been misunder any ideas what the word is huh?

Pain? Wait? Okay, okay, you're like you need some of

someone content for a future. Good God, keep it coming. Let's let's

see any any other work. Okay, someone obey? Correct, it is

obey? Well done? Chocolate you can claim it during family Sunday. Okay.

So it's actually a word obey, all right. And if you're a

parent, right, a lot of times you use this word as a track,

then you're you better obey. You know, it's a very like you

use it as a command. And it's how many of you, all your

kids always obey all the time? How many of you obeyed your parents all

the time last time? But how many of your belief that obedience is good?

Okay, so some believe, some do not believe. Depends on who.

Yeah, it depends on who and depends on what. Okay. So

this is something that I was struggling with, all right, because I actually

forgot the importance of obedience. Okay, So I know the obedience, how

to obey as a child, but how do I obey as an adult?

Because most of the time, right when we grow up, we think that,

hey, we don't really have to obey, you know, because I

decide what I want to do, and if I decide not to do something

or whatever it is, I can just do something else. You know,

no one is forcing me, you know, and when we are adults that

is usually the case, like last time, when you are a kid or

when you're studying in campus, Right, you have to follow your parents,

whatever your parents say, because you live under their roof, right, so

you have to obey in terms of But when you grow up and you're on

your own, you're above the age of any one, obedience becomes optional.

Of course, if you disobey the law, then you go to jailer.

But that's a different thing, all right, if you break the law.

But other than that, right, anything is optional. And you know,

like, for example, you know that eating help. You want to eat

ice cream at any time of the day, you can as an adult,

I feel like eating ice cream, I go just buy and eat. You

know, there is no need for like I have some rules of things,

someone imposing rules away. And funnily enough, right, that translate into my

walk with God as well. Because right when we were younger, right,

and we had to submit to our parents, we understood the concept of obedience.

But as we grew older and we didn't have to obey as much,

right, suddenly the we for myself. Obedience to God right, also became

like Okay, if I understand it, I will do it. If not,

I will not do it. You know, it became optional and it

was a struggle for me, and I think God revealed it to me and

spoke to me. So I will share with you my devotion. This is

my devotion, this is my journey that I'm going through, and I hope

that God will use this to speak to you as well. Uh and yes,

because again it's not my words that go for but it's God's words.

Okay. So the title for today, uh, get slides up, keep

marching on. Okay. So it's a player words, right, it's the

Man of March. We have the match on. We got a three,

we got Yeah, it's only the third month of the year. So because

it's a heavy topic, right, I'll start with a small joke class,

Okay, So why is the why is the month of April tied? Why

is the month of April tied? A? Yeah? Correct, along those

lines, because because it comes after a thirty one days March. Okay,

some of y'all will get it after five minutes. It's okay, you know,

you can ask your neighbor. Yeah, something of y'all you get it,

April, Okay, it's okay, all right, So we, like

I said, this year, some have may have it easy, some may

have it difficult, but we have to keep marching on. Time does not

stand still, all right, Time does not stand sill. We have to

move forward in the different things. Uh So today the scripture right that I

wanted to share is taken from Second Kings, verse five. It's actually a

story that I wanted us to go through. Okay. So it's about this

guy called Nayman, right, Nayman. So he was a commander and the

army. And it was not an Israeli army, you know, it was

not. It was actually the Israel's captors, you know, a Naeman was

was actually the one of the guys that captured Israel. But there is a

lesson that we can learn from this story. Okay. So Naeman was a

commander of the army or the king of Aram. He was a great man

in the sight of his master, and highly regarded because through him the Lord

had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had

leprosy. Now, bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and taken captive

a young girl from Israel, and she served Nayman's wife. She said to

her mistress, if only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria,

he would he saw him of leprosy right before we go on. So

the one day I highlighted in yellow. Right, you can see right,

this same army captured his servant girl from Israel, you know. But he

still had the favor of God on his life, and because of that he

was very successful. All right, So there is just a point to note,

okay. But the thing is he had leprosy right next slide. So

Nayemon went fast forward towards nine after he listened to his servant girl, right,

and he went. So Naymon went with his horses and chariots and stopped

at the door of Elijah's house. Elishah sent a messenger to say to him,

go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be

restored and you will be cleansed. Okay, so to be cleansed. The

wire again leprosy right next. But Naymon went away angry and said, I

thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the

name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and kill

me of my leprosy. I'm not a banner, and far far the rivers

of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel. Couldn't I wash in them

and be cleansed? So he turned and went off in a rage. Okay,

next slide with the next slide, yes, Okay. Nayman's servants went

to him and said, my father, if the prophet had told you to

do something great, some great thing, would you not have done it?

How much more than when he tells you wash and be cleansed. So he

went down dipped himself into the Jordan seven times as the Man of God had

told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a

young boy. Okay. Next, then Naemon and all his attendants went back

to the Man of God, and he stood before him and said, now

I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.

So accept a gift from your servant. Right. So this is the story

that we will unpack. Okay, So you can see that Nayman had leprosy.

He listened to the servant girl, and then when he went to see

the prophet. The prophet told him to do something, but he was not

very happy to do it, and he because of that, he nearly missed

his miracle. He nearly missed his miracle. But fortunately he listened to his

servant girl again and because of that, he followed the instructions and he got

healed. Right. So, in a nutsheller, you can see right from

this story, I'm fast forwarding the importance of obedience, the importance of obedience,

and there are a few reasons why obedience is tough. Okay, So

this could be a parenting lesson. Oh, it could be a lesson for

us to improve our work our walk with God. Okay, So let us

go into some of the points. So I couldn't manage to put it into

a way that is into an acronym, which is easier to remember. I

mean, like I was sharing, this is really a message that I have

been I'm going through right now as well. But I want to share a

few points, okay, so bear with me. So the first point,

why is it difficult to obey God? And the first point is pride?

Right, pride, So it's easier warning ego. So a lot of us

have experienced, right, and when you have experienced it shows that, hey,

you know what it has been done before, and probably because of that,

you might think you know better, or I would think I would know

better. So let's see how it impacted Naeman next life. So now,

Naman was the com commander of the great army of the King of Aram.

He was a great man in the sight of his master, highly regarded because

through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. Think about this, you

are like the man you are, the man you have conquered, lends you

have done. People know your name, okay, and because of this right,

everyone gives you respect, Everyone honors you for all your accomplishments, everything

you have done. So how would you think your self esteem would be very

good? Okay? So I will take myself as high regard. Okay,

I must have I must be doing something right, you know, see all

the accomplishments, all the results. I have, everything I have to show.

So if a slave tells me something like when the world you are the

slave, what do you have to teach me? There's nothing that you can

teach me. There's nothing that I need to know from you. You know,

what do you have to prove all right and and sometimes right. It's

that's what gets us in a way. If I go to the next slide,

Pride goes before destruction. We know this, pride goes before a fall.

And because of pride, right, we are not willing to listen because

we think that we know better, right, and a hearty spirit before a

four. Better to be of a humble spirit with a lowly than to divide

the spoil with the proud. He who heeds the word wisely will find good.

And whoever trust in the Lord, happy is he? So when I'm

talking about obedience, right, can you imagine that if one of the reasons

that we may not obey God is because we think we know better, We

have pride, we have had gone through different experiences. We sometimes depend on

our own expertise, right, And this was this was something that I was

struggling with as well, to be honest, right, And there was a

word that was sad during the leader's conference which I thought was very real to

me, and that was faith comes before wisdom. Faith, it comes before

wisdom. So think about it, right, like I probably I have been

working for quite a long time right now. Yeah, yeah, about coming

into about twenty years working and stuff like that. I've dealt with different people,

different industries, stuff like it. So I have had experience. So

I think, okay, I probably know how to do stuff or manage different

circumstances. And because of that, right, I started suddenly, right,

become more dependent on my experience. And I will honestly speak and say sometimes

that has crept in to me leading here in ex clang as well. So

I had to ask myself, Hey, am I leading out of my wisdom

of how I managed in the world outside? Am I obeying God? Because?

Right, if I it might look like wisdom in the world, but

if it is not following what God wants, then I am not walking by

faith, you know. So this is something that I had to check my

heart. Hey, am I walking by faith? Or am I walking by

worldly wisdom? And worldly wisdom? Right? It looks good one, right,

it sells books, It sells books, It creates good quotes, quotable

quotes that you can tweet and stuff like that. But again, is it

what God wants me to do? Am I walking by faith? Okay?

So that's the first point. I got a couple of points here, and

let me go through okay, second point, why is it difficulty obey God?

Disappointment? So disappointment? What is disappointment? What is disappointment? Yep,

unmad expectations. When we don't get what we want, that is disappointment.

And sometimes right, we do not obey because we are not getting it

the way we want or we are not doing it does not the results are

not what we want. And because of that, he said that I don't

want to obey, you know, So let's look at the verse. But

Naymon went away angry and said, I thought that he would surely come out

to me, stand and call on the name of his God, wave his

hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Was telling God how

he wanted his miracle. So if this is the case, who is God?

Who is God? God wanted to heal him, but that was not

enough for Namon. Namon wanted to dictate how God needs to heal him,

you know. And that's sometimes the case, you know, if we do

not get things the way we want or we do or there is delay,

right delay we know the famous quote like delay is not denial and stuff like

that, but it will cause what disappointment and if we dwell in that disappointment

and it grows into bitterness, then we will not walk in obedience because we

want a shortcut. So if Naymon wanted his way, he wanted this way,

why why do you think he wanted it this way? Correct? We

shall look cooler this one right, This is how a successful general should be

healed. A successful general should not be going into a dirty river and dipping

seven times, And that leads to pride. So because of pride, he

had unmat expectations which caused disappointment. Right next line. For my thoughts are

not your thoughts. Neither are always my ways, declares the Lord. As

the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your

ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. So God's thoughts are always higher.

You know, there's there's a story, right. I forgot the exact

name of that scientist lam, but he he was. He was a Christian

in I think the early nineteenth century. Uh, and he had a good

relationship with God. He walked closer to God. He wanted God to reveal

himself to him. More, say, reveal to me the mysteries of the

universe. Then God said No, it's too big for you. You you

can't handle it your mind. And he kept on bargaining God, then he

finally until finally he said. God said, okay, I'll reveal to you

the mysteries of a peanut. And when God revealed that mysteries of a peanut

to him, right, he came up with so many different usages of the

peanut that one peanut. Now, if you can go and google it in

terms of it, and it's so amazing. And that's just for a peanut.

So what more do we think that we know better? We know how

God should do it, We know what God needs to do. We should

come to a place where God. You are God and I am not right.

So that's the second point and third point. Why is it difficult to

obey God? Yeah, because it is uncomfortable. God is not out for

our comfort. Just to be clear, if any of you all got sold

the kool aid that you become a Christian life is easy, I'm sorry that's

not the case. God is here. God is more interested in our growth

than our comfort. So it will be uncomfortable. And again, when you

are a child, right, you are forced to obey. And because you

are forced to obey. That's why you grew. Imagine right, all of

us like went into standard one. Like, man, this is too hard,

I give up like staying and stand it once. But because we were

forced to obey, we submitted, and we forced to obey. We went

from stender one to standard two. How many of your it looked bad?

Right, It's incredible. I finished my Form five s PM exam or whatever

exams all levels A levels, It's amazing. How it's because of submission.

You submitted to the authority and that pushed you out of your comfort How many

of y'all? Right? Again before you examine? Like God, if you

let me pass this exam, I will serve you for the rest of my

life. Suddenly, right, your walk with God becomes closer and closer.

Your walk with God becomes closer and closer when you are out of the comfort

zone. But when we are not forced to, will we step out of

the comfort zone willingly? Because God will not force us. That's when obedience

comes in. God will ask us, and then it is up for us

to respond. Do I want to obey you or not? Right? And

because it's uncomfortable, a lot of times we stay stuck Okay, let's see

the verses. Nayman's servants went to him and said, my father, if

the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have

done it? How much more than he tells you wash and be cleansed.

So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordans seven times, as the

Man of God told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like

that of a young boy. So it was uncomfortable. You know why it's

uncomfortable for Namon because people be looking at him, because people will be thinking,

what is he? What are people going to think of me? What

are people going to perceive of me? It's about reputation, It's about discomfort.

You know, you have to take off all your garments and go into

a dirty river. You'll have your face, you have your physical being,

and then you're listening to someone who is not even someone that you have captured,

you know. So it was uncomfortable. But if he did not do

it, he would not be in the Bible today. His story would not

have been in the Bible. But because he was willing to step out the

comfort zone, that's how he got his miracle. So let's see the next

verse. This is from Abraham. So I share this in the devotion this

morning. Right, do not lay a hand on the boy, and do

not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God because you

have not withheld from me your son, your only son. And then jump

to verse fifteen. The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven aid

second time and said, I swear by myself, declares the Lord that because

you have done this and have not beheld your son, your only son,

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in

the sky, as sand on the sea shore. Your descendants will take possession

of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring, all nations on

earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me. Did Abraham have to step

out of your comfort zone? You better believe it. You better believe it

because he had to take his son. His son is like eleven years old

or twelve years old. That's why they I'm imagining if I carry Jerome and

say hey, let's go and wordship go up to them, and then can

you imagine carrying an eleven twelve year old tying him up and putting on the

altar. They have full comprehension or what's going on. You can see the

look of fear in their eyes. You'll be like, what are you doing?

I thought you love me? You know that kind of thing. But

that was the kind of obedience right, that Abraham had. And it says

here, I know that you fear God. So the fear of God is

more important than the comfort. Is our fear of God more important than our

comfort? Or is our comfort and our convenience more important than God? Because

only when Abraham did this again, right, something that I shed in the

morning. Right, Abraham did this with no strings attached. When God asked

Abraham to bring Isaac up to the mountain to be sacrificed, what did God

promise him in return? Nothing? He just told Abraham go and do that.

Abraham was promised nothing in return, but he still went anyway, and

because of that God blessed him. So sometimes is our obedience contractual or is

our obedience unconditional? Because if our obedience is contractual, then it is tit

for tad God, what's in it for me? But you can see that

for Abraham he was willing to do whatever it takes and you know that now

he's the father of manchinations. You know the blessings of Abraham, all of

us one of the blessings of Abraham. Are you willing to have the faith

and the obedience of Abraham right next night? Why is it difficult to obey

God? This sort of summarizes it. We doubt God, if you really,

If I really trust God, I trust that he is a good God.

He only wants the best for me. He has a good plan for

me. I will just go wherever he tells me to. So let's look

at a verse. Nayman's servants went to him and said, my father,

if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have

done it? How much more than when he tells you wash and be cleansed.

So he went down and dipped himself into the Jordans seven times, as

the Man of God told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean

like that of a young boy. So Naymon right doubted. He doubted because

of what he had to do. But again, it's not about the what

it's about who asked you to do it? Who are we listening to?

You know? Who is the God that we are asked to obey because right,

sometimes we obey the law because we fear the law. He don't end

up in jail. But obeying God is optional because you're not falced to.

And then because probably we have pride, we think we know better or it,

we want to be comfortable, and then we doubt that God is God.

We have to put God in the place where he deserves to be,

which is the center of our lives. And then with doubt, we should

not doubt that God is a good God. And God has a good plan

for me. His plans are always good. Next slide, Trust in the

Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding in all your

ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your pawer. You know,

it's a very popular scripture by it's not easy to live out, but it's

something that we have to do. If we trust the Lord with God with

all our heart, we will have no issues with pride, we will have

no issues with discomfort, we will have no issues with what was the other

one? Doubt? Yeah, because we put our trust in God. Right,

And I think I got just a couple more points, and this is

the last point on why it's difficult to obey God. Right, who are

we listening to? Are we listening to God or are we listening to culture?

Are we listening to God? Or are we listening to our experience?

Because right, who will listen to will determine the direction that we take.

So let's look at the worse. Next line, So Naymon went with his

horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elishah's house. Elijah sent a

messenger to say to him, go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan,

and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed. This was the

voice of Elishah, and Elishah was speaking on behalf of God. Right.

So Nayman heard this voice. But because he had pride, he had doubt

he had all this. He walked away angry. Remember that verse. But

next line, Nayman's servants went to him and said, my father, if

the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done

it? Can you imagine if Naymon was surrounded by other generals saying that,

hey, why are you listening to this? They are our captives. They

do not know anything. If Naymon listened to him. I mean this kind

of voices, he would have lost out on God's promises for him. But

by God's grace, he listened to the voice of the servant, and because

of that he got his miracle. Right, And what does the words say?

Next line? So, Galatians five, you ran well. Who hindered

you from obeying the truth? Who hindered you from obeying the truth? Who

is stopped us from obeying God? Who are the voices there will listen to?

Because we have to tune our ears to what God has to tell us.

And sometimes it may not make sense to the world, but if it

is God's word for our lives, then we have to obey it. So

the supernatural will always trump the natural. If God speaks right, man's wisdom

is like nothing right, okay? Next, my sheep hear my voice and

I know them and they follow me. So are we following Jesus' voice?

Do we recognize his voice? The only way? You know? Like sometimes

right you pick up your phone. If take up the phone and I hear,

hey, what am you coming back? I know whose voice ready?

So I know whose voice ready? Right? Because I hear it often.

I hear it often, and I can recognize. But if you like,

hello, am I speaking to Jason Martin, please, I'll be like cautious.

I'll be like, Okay, this person I do not recognize, he

does not recognize me. I have to be this thing, and I have

no relationship with this person. So I'm going to be cautious about what this

person tells me. So in our lives as well, we have to recognize

God's voice. God's voice in our lives, and we have to give precedence

to that. But the less and less we listen to God's voice, we

may come to a point right where we cannot recognize it, and that is

dangerous. Okay, Next, so we covered why it's difficult to obey,

right, But what happens when we obey God? What happens when we obey

God? God is glorified. There's a type of there. God is glorified.

God is glorified. Right, So let's see the verse. Then Naymon

and his all his attendance went back to the Man of God. He stood

before him and said, now I know there is no God in the world,

in all the world except in Israel. So accept a gift from your

servant, Namon, who is a pagan who does not believe in God.

Because of obedience to God, he experienced God's goodness. Even someone who did

not believe in God. But because he followed the words of a man of

God for his life, he experienced God's goodness and because of that he glorified

God. He said, here, now I know there is no God in

all the world except in Israel. And that ties into the theme of this

year for ex church. What is the team for this year in next church?

Right next line? That all may know? Why do we obey God?

That all may know that he is God? Regardless of what happens.

He is God. We are not. We are not here to obey condition.

We are here to obey him because He's a good God and he is

God. Right. So I just wanted to close the sermon before I go

into my last life. So I told you, I mean, it's a

journey for me, right. So I was thinking whether I should share this,

but hey, uh, I guess I'll just share this because this is

my journey, is my devotion. So I've been here in Klang doing this

CPC role for and in two years plus coming yeah, coming to about two

years, coming to about two years here. It has been crazy. I

tell you, if you feel your life is boring, take this role.

It has more ups and downs than a roller coaster, I tell you in

terms of that. And when I took it on right there, I mean

I just said, okay, God, I'll take it on. But a

lot of times right when I look back, as I was relying on my

own strength, I was relying on my own wisdom. I thought I know

how to do things better, and I was leading in a way that I

probably thought that, Hey, I think I know better. Don't really have

to depend on God. You know, it's not malicious, And that's the

danger. It's not malicious because it becomes to a point right where it's comfortable.

You know, I think I know what to do, so I'll just

do it, and stuff like that, and slowly right seeking God for every

single thing became optional, became optional. And then in the past, so

there were a lot of things that happened here in Klang. We we celebrated

a lot of testimonies. God's God's grace and mercy is still here in Klang,

regardless of how imperfect I am. So I'm so God's grace and mercy

is still here, right. But what opened me opened my eyes to this,

right, was that like in the past couple of months, so people

who were close close to us, I mean some of us would know them

as well, right from from our church. They decided to move on to

for a different season, to different places, which is great because they are

obeying what God has called them to do. And then they move on,

you know, uh, and and we pray for them, we released them

and great. So so that part of things was fine. But I was

thinking to myself, It's like, what in the world I'm like here trying

to do together with Jaz, together with the whole team, trying to build

the church. But no matter what we do, it seems we are facing

like different challenges and different ones are like moving on or stuff like that,

Right, And then I said, hey, is it all worthy? No?

Is it all worthy? Why am I doing this for? What?

You know? It's like, I think without this my life would be much

easier. Lot to be honest, it will be much easier. And then

God just reminded me of Abraham. Abraham obeyed God unconditionally. Is your obedience

to me to take this role unconditional? Are you evaluating your obedience to me

based on what your eyes see versus faith. Do you walk by faith or

walk by side? And that is the eye opening thing that God spoke to

me. So honestly, this morning, right I came to church, I

was like, God, if no one turns up, I'm going to do

it because that's what you call me to do. And yeah, so it's

it's a it's a tough journey, and it's obedience easy. It's not easy,

but it's what God has asked us to do. So this morning,

right, even as we walk in obedience, I encourage you that there is

no better way. There is no better way, there is no other way.

Well be easy. It may not be easy, but it will be

fulfilling. And God's God your back, right, and we have each other's

back as well. So let's continue to walk in the way that God has

called us to walk. And my last life is this being a disciple of

Christ is long obedience in the same direction. That's all. It is long

obedience in the same direction. No matter what comes my way, no matter

what people tell me, no matter what I lose or what I gain,

I will continue to be in long obedience to what God has called me to

do. And this is a quote by Eugene Peters. So even as I

get extreme up this morning, I know I told you it's a tough message,

but it's a real message because if we want to march on, if

we want to march on, we have to obey God because there's no other

way. There is no other way. God's ways are better, God's ways

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

on our church, please visit as Church RG. 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