Discipleship | Elder Wong Kien Yiak

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

will light up your day. Mark chop day. It was today fall all

right, Mark chap lay, it was today four Mark chapter eight, verse

thirty four. We'll speak about discipleship this morning. Not a very favorite topic

to we speak about, but you know, really was. It's so important

for us to be discipleship right. Mark chapters four says that when he Jesus

called the people to himself with the disciples, and so he said to them,

whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up

his cross and follow me. So Jesus was addressing the disciples. He wanted

them to come closer. He's the invitation was given out to them for them

to have a closer relationship with God. How many, how many all do

they want to have a closer relationship with God? Friends, So Jesus was

addressing disciple, He said this to the disciples, whoever desires to come after

me? Friends, it starts with desire. It starts with desire. See

many times in our life, with our journey, we thought that God wants

us, that he will come after us. The Bible says James Chapter four.

Draw near to God first? Who drawn near first? Come on,

who draws to God first? You and I today have a choice whether or

not we want to follow God, whether or not we want more of him.

It's always starts with a desire. You know how powerful a desire is.

When you desire for something, you move heaven and earth to pursue it.

No traffic Jeb will stop you if you desire to get something from Ko.

No traffic Jeb will stop me because he saw a sale. Right,

Some of you try to get Copley concert tickets, uh huh, and you're

still hurting from it because you didn't get it. I was talking to somebody

yesterday. Oh yeah, yesterday I went for the concert. Okay, what

do you do? I was thinking, photograph they hired? Uh, my

friend. My friend asked me want to be a part of it? So

I was in the concert that didn't pay. I said, okay, cool,

So what do you do? Oh? The ODI allow us to take

the first three sounds on me? Okay? Subsequently, are you supposed to

leave? No? Then we just stayed through the whole thing, okay,

And I went like I beg of my mind, was just thinking that.

I wonder how many of people in our church we hear this, they will

applied to become a photographer for the day. You know what I mean?

So really, first, it starts with desire. So what do you desire

of God this morning? What do you desire from God? In your quiet

time? When you re good? So? What do you desire? What

do you what do you want to get out when you read God's word?

It starts with desire because when when there is no desire, friend, there

is no interest, there is no addition energy that you not pull. The

word is extra effort into pursuing something you don't desire. Any guy that likes

a girl will putting extra effort to get the whole better. True or not?

We say true? Region was region? I tell what? I want

to tell you something about region. I was just I want to tell some

region. Right, my wife does this cow something about him? He goes

to Subana to get his close altered. Right, he gets close altered.

So my wife and region goes to the same tailor, same tailor. Now

the tailor told my wife this that there is a church member from extra She

comes every something comes on Tuesday only to get this close alter and that This

is how the Taylor described it. He is very handsome. She used the

word swiker. All right, she's very handsome, every fair like COVID like

that. For the longest time, my wife was thinking who is dead?

She went, or she almost went to every guy in our church plan you

know, yeah, and you I've been promoting him to some people in am

service, some people actually considered all right. So anyway, so it starts

with come out, it starts with desire. I won't say desire because there's

no desire. There is no additional strength or that you want to pursue.

See many times we put the word this is that we make goals. We

make goals for our life. Right, we just make goals for our life

because it sounds good, true. Not we just see the amount of January

you put this year. I want to lose weight, and right now it's

really the weak you actually forget about that, really, right. We make

good statements and say I want I want more of God and I just want

this and stuff like that. But we get the word is this that we

stop after a great statement. I won't be a good student, but we

just stop after good the good statement, and we live from statement to statement,

not having a desire to move forward, and many times our journey gods

asking us if anyone desires to come after me, come on right now.

First, your desire must have a target, must have a goal, You

must have a direction. Many times I just desire to be good, not

specific enough. So Jesus is saying to us this morning, if anyone desires

to come after me, let him deny himself. The word desire is in

Greek meets one W eight one do you want God? Come on? Do

you want God? Many times our Christian journey we thing, so this is

my desire. Right we're just saying this, this is my desire, but

we have the beyond the song. Come on right now. You have to

go beyond a song, because our Christian journey, our Christian faith is more

than just a song. You must put it to the Actually whoever desires to

come after There is an action, friends, after desire. You're not going

to get married just because I desire to get married. And many times some

people I just start just having a top process. I want to so God,

this one wants to encourage us that you and I need to move beyond

just having the word I want having this a top process that is so good

to be with the law, but putting it to action now it means to

follow Christ, friends, It means to follow Christ. It means that following

Christ is a decision. Come on right now. Following Christ is a decision

if anyone desires to come after me. It is a decision that you and

I have to make this morning. I know you have said that, you

have maybe said the salvation prayer before. I want to make him my lord,

my master, right, But that is that moment in time whereby you

make the first decision. Following Christ is a daily decision that you and I

have to make. It is a daily decision. Someone asked me before,

how do you know that the person you marry is the right one? Of

course it m how do you know the person you marry is the right one?

She write this question? Huh? Only still can answer? How many

years? At three years? A three years? Her? How many years

to marry? Three years? Half? What year? It's still greenler?

This this is what I'm gonna enter my twentieth This is my twenty feth year.

I got married in year two thousand and four. Someone asked me,

what is you got married or right or my wife? I said, I

don't know. I think twenty nine. Then my wife says, see,

you cannot remember. It's training nine. I got married training nine. My

wife was twenty seven. But someone asked me a question, how do you

know this is the right one? I just replied, and this one passes

taught me. You know you cannot be hungdred percent. Sure the person is

the right one one percent, But you make a daily choice, a daily

choice in your life every day to make the person the right one. It's

a daily choice that you make the person is the right one. Why floors

so whever? Like I didn't know you're like that. I didn't know that

you squeeze the two paste in the middle, not at at the end.

Not to some squeezing the two paste is really a big deal, right,

it's life and death one, all right, seriously, But to people like

me were excuezes from the top for the media of the backgunner as well as

you come out from the battle. It's fine, right, But my wife

this is different, all right. She has you must roll the two paste

nicely. You need see nobody's going to see. In fact that Jesus won't

ask you did you get us squeeze the took past. So you make the

person on the daily basis that she's the right one by choices that you make

in your life, just like following Christ. I've decided to follow Jesus.

The first time you said the Salvation prayer, great feeling, you feel God

feeling your heart. But subsequently after death, it's a choice that you make

on the daily basis. When you wake up, it's still your Lord,

Master and Savior. When you wake up there is a Bible in front of

you, and there's a telephone. There's a phone right now. What do

you choose? Obviously the Bible right right now. You make a choice on

the daily basis that reaffirm the is this ship that he is your lord that

you want to follow. If you are dating, come on, if you're

every guy here, I'm gonna speak to you right now. If you're dating

friends, you got to meet your good friend, the special someone. It

meets. All the other girls in your telephone book are almost like I'll pray

for you with it. You can know for the radio, you know,

for the radio. Okay, mm hmm, shoes I have the SI guys

say out there, you know I don't sell my goodfriend so and oh my

other best friend are good friend? A girls? I say, you can

only have one, but there so hard that I see who's the special one

someone? Then if anything happened in your life, who do you tell?

I tell all my friends are my good friends? You know where where you

will lead to? Right? How much? Arguably it so? Friends,

Falling Christ is the decision you have to make, and the decision first you

will change your life and your destiny if you choose it, well, think

about it. If you choose to follow Christ on a daily basis, that

decision will cause you to change the trajectory of your life. I accept the

christ age of fifteen. I was God safe with FG A and FJ.

Back then meets still meets in the cinema, it was about seven hundred plus

people. And back in those days, when you save Christ, the speaker

will ask you to raise up your hands, like right now. But on

top of it, they will ask you those who raise up their hands,

could you please right now? Walk now, walk to the front, walk

to the fraud because I want to pray for you. Do you know how

scary it is when you're the only person walking to the front. I was

walking down the hour there, I'm like, come on, someone walk with

me? What mean? What with me? Right? Literally? I want

to just go back, you know. Maybe I just like I scratched my

head or something and bag that I took a hair So I was in front

of it, another little king behind me, pretty age of fifteen. But

the journey to where I am today right now requires a daily, daily choice

that I have to make whether he's my lord, master or savior. So

what does it mean to you, friend? When Jesus say that whoever desires

to come after me? What does it mean to you that desire? Is

this just I play one worship sound, that's my desire ready? Or is

a desire deeper than just one worship? Of your desires? Deeper than just

sudday? The word is singing a few sort opening by the word once a

week? What does the word desire means to you? How you define desire

in your life will deter me what you do? Actually when we say this

this is my desire, friends, how you interpret that lyrics? Who actually

shows what desire you want? Because many times we interpret things and we miss

the math. So Jesus say here that whoever desires to come after minime.

Tell you one more scripture mark chapter eight worse mark not much chapter. Let

me say, march up to ten seventeen. I'm gonna speak about the rich

young ruler March chapter ten ver seventeen. Now, now as see what was

going out on the road, one came running and not before him and ask

him, good teacher, what should I do to inherit internal life? What

shall I what should I do to that I may inherit internal life? For

it's all of us here are wired really to look out for number one visions

of self? Isn't it? This is you, rich young ruler asking Jesus

what must I do to inherit eternal life? You would you would think that

the rich and rulers say that what must I do to draw closer to you?

What must I do to get to know you better? To know you

more? Because he refers to him as a good teacher, all he just

wanted was eternal life for himself. So in your relationship with Christ, why

do you want to follow Christ? What is it about Christ? It's so

compelling that you want him to make him your Lord, Master and savior.

It's so important for us try to understand this, because the days are coming

whereby you be challenged. You'll be challenged in your life rather or not he

is he worth following. You'll be tempted in your life rather he's your love,

master or savior. There will be moments in your life whereby you may

not have this sort of community around you, the church around you, to

encourage you to come to church, whereby you're all by yourself. Whether do

you still want to follow God not? We have talked to all lot,

lot of our spouses whereby they married non Christian believers right, and many times

in the in their journey, they will just say that I have to reach

a compromise with my husband and my wife to allow me to come to church.

I still want to come to I still want to come to church.

Yes, I marry a un believer, that's one personal choice. But yet

at the same time I told my spouse that I need to go to church.

He's still a choice and it seem worth following this young rich, young

Weller approached the teacher as Jesus, as a good teacher. What must I

do to inherit eternal life? The day is a coming? Why you be

challeished wom when you don't have a church around you. We used to go

to church where you don't have a leader around you to encourage you to call

your Are you coming to churches today? Do you need transport when you're all

by yourself? We used to make the decision to pursue or not. Because

this young, this rich, young ruler of all the thing he asked for.

He asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Could you

see the selfishness in the answer? Not what must I do to get to

know you more? What must I do to understand God more? And many

times when you approach God, God, I want your blessing, but I

do not want the lordship. I have to explain this to somebody in Manchester.

I say, look, I understand where you're at right now. I

know you want God's blessing. Friends, nobody will reject blessing. Come on,

just like coming. Nobody reject and power. Right now, you cannot

receive. I'm power with you. You have to give it. Nobody will

reject, But then comes with the decision, comes with the condition. Then

you you're decided whether you want to or not. Isn't it right? So

the reach of Walers right, approach Jesus as a good teacher. And this

is what Jesus city, Where do you call me good? No one is

good but one that is God, frien, It's only God is good.

If someone say you're a good man, they miss your God like right worse

united. You know the commandments. You do not commit adult tree, do

not murdered, do not still, do not matter fore forse witness, do

not defraud, honor your father and mother. You know the commandments, Jesus

said to him, And this is what the rich ruler replied. He answered,

teacher, all these things I've kept for my youth, isn't interesting?

You can keep all the commandments yet feel empty. You know, it's very

scary, you know. Friends, some of us say, don't even know

the Ten Commandments by Harla frights. So I'm not gonna know anyone on that

somebod if we can forget one. But this guy knew the commandments and he

kept it since he was a youth. Yet feeling empty. It really reminds

me today whereby we do so much feeling empty. It's like eating MEGGI me.

I know. I'll just record one about fifteen packets of Magimi, fifteen

packets of maggimi. That was his record. I think so right now he

holds the record. He was a Campra student back then he said, my

record was fifteen packers one meal, one meal, fifteen back as he was

so hungry. But no, you know, Meggi me right. If you

ate Meggi me before, if it instant, do this before. No matter

how many packets, you still feel that something didn't hit. If you know

what I'm trying to say. Come on, right now, you know that

you are fool by that. Not fool, yes, but you know what

I mean. And this rich young would have kept every commander. But yet

still feel empty. Why It's because of relationship. Come on, if there

is no relationship with God, you feel empty because it's just about showing up

by not having a connection with God. It's about showing up just doing things,

but not having a relationship with him. That's why coming to church is

just the first step only. But having a relationship with God at the end

of the day, it's what really matters. The reach out. Really just

kept for it, tew. Many of us keep all the commandments heard imagine

right now, fifty two Sundays every preacher preach and a message to you all.

You kept every message, you remember every message. Yet at the same

time I feel empty. Why relationship? Come on right now? None of

us here are wired to be alone. Isn't it true when someone did not

show up at an appointed time in your life? Let's say, for example,

you go, you arrange a dinner, someone did not show up to

come for the meal. Do you get upset? Now? Come on right

now, in genuine you'll get upset one Why? Because relationship matters to us.

That's how God made us. God made us a fellowship with him in

the guard that God put us together to talk to him, Adam, and

if talk to God on the daily basis, that's how we were wired,

and that's how we were made. The rich old Will kept all the commandments

without having a relationship with God. I pray that today before I end the

message, that you have to make a choice whether you want this to keep

the commandments or you really want a relationship with the Lord. Because the rich

young ruler kept all the commandments. Let me just go and just show this

to you right worse twenty one then Jesus look at him, loved him,

loved him. Come on right now. Jesus is not fought him to not

Jesus will condemned him. You just say that he hello. You miss out

the great Jesus loved him even though he was wrong, he miss interpreted.

Jesus still love us even though we make mistakes. Come on right now.

Some of us can't even pick ourselves up because we made a missic last night.

Don't thinks you should have done commit something we should have committed to do.

We made mistakes in our life. But Hamel can accept the fact even

though we make mistakes in the life, God can still love us. Come

on right now, HAMI, okay, sure. The word this is that

we know we're not perfects. Therefore we make mistakes. Some of us here

are very hard on ourselves because of mistakes. When we say someone loves you,

I'm not worthy enough, I'm not good enough. That's why sometimes the

word appreciation is the word is it's so rarely used. I was. There

was a guy in our church, tough guy, very tough guy. You

know you The word this is that you talkt to him, you will not

cry on those life he's and he liked to be challenged, you know,

he liked everything physical and didn't say that you place spart with him. The

tough you are with him, the more excel So on his bachelor's night we

got him sat down on the media. I said, let's not torture him,

because you can take torture. Let's not you know, time to the

chair something. I said, let's now, let's be get to appreciate this

brother. We went one round say that, Butte, we love you.

You know you're so reliable. You know how funny feeling it is right now

or not? If you were to write something to your leader said, I

really appreciate you every time I see you coming to church every Sunday, opening

up the place, take up the chairs. I admire your commitment. First

of all, the person is writing if you like you right, because no,

naturally come on, somebody are writing natural, come on something a natural

encourager, you encourage very naturally when right. Some of usinits writing that I

appreciate you, right and you and sing reading it you got wow, thank

you so much. Some of us are mealing like who is this person?

Every time they introduced me to when I speak at church and really say please

just say my name and that's it. Passing my microphone something like that.

You know, this guy has been here from the south of the church,

right, if I please cut all that out because there's I'm not wired like

that. But yet God wants me to the words, to be encouraged by

people's words. And God is saying here that Jesus loved him even though he

missed them up. Think about it. Jesus loved the rich young ruler even

though he misinterpreted. And some of us here do they need the words?

Is rests on his forgiveness and receive his love. To receive God's love in

your heart, that he loves us no matter what mystic I have done.

To receave is love, even though you misinterpreted the scripture. To receave is

love, even though we make mistakes of the past. It's very hard.

I pray that you know later after the announcement, you're going to hear announcement

called love out loud. Love Your leaders write our leaders, and the reason

why we're doing it. The reason why we are doing is because we really

want to encourage our leaders. How many of you can do with some encouragement

here you can run and the power of encouragement goes a long way, friends.

Encouragement not just about putting money and envelope and just giving the person.

Right. You're extra praise a lot, all right, But it's not just

about that. It's really about appreciating the person. And person, I really

appreciate you for all that you have done. You never realize how important it

is until you really you go to another environment, you miss some of this.

You've got leaders here who actually call you up here. I did see

you at homes and you all right, is there anything I can pray for?

I put you doing this right? Right? Stuff like that, friends,

So I just got I just gotta encourage you with this. So Jesus

look at him, loved him. Say one thing. You let go your

way. Sell whatever you have, give to the poor, and you will

have treasure in heaven. Come on right now. This is why Jesus advisive,

right, go your way, go your way, so all that you

have give to the poor, and you will have treasure and have it.

Come and take up because and follow me. Friends. Jesus knew what was

capturing the young ruler's heart. He knows what is captivating our hearts, friends,

He knows think about that. Jesus doesn't want our money. He just

wants our hearts. He doesn't want your bank account. No, so the

offering is not about wanting your bank account, friends, it is not.

It is while not having anything to attached that the word is that misinterpret God's

scripture. This one, this one, how I'm gonna encourage you. I

gotta move the next point. Jesus challenged the rich young ruler because the possession

his wealth has clouded him. He will serve God everything except when you touch

this E cannot serve. Do you know how hard this is? How this

is? If you marry someone, I love you, I'll give you my

whole heart, except when this person called I will be there. It's like

that when this person car will be there, I will abandon you because I

just have to attend you. I still love you. Ninety nine percent of

a person has given to you. It's one hundred percent. So the visional

ruler, friends, come on right now. He kept all the commandments,

are kept, everything kept, everything, until when God touches one thing that

holds so closely to his heart. He couldn't let it go. Friend,

you and I have something that beholds so clo in the hearts on that you

can do everything when God touches that one subject, that one thing. You

know, Oh, I love God, but this is how much I will

follow. And many times when we speak to young people, when we challenge

the people in our church, we just tell them, is there something that

if God wants to touch you f any way I had to let go.

It's not just about the money. Friends. I challenge people that God really

sometimes wants to schedule. And though you don't understand, my schedules really packed

my calendar. Something you use, the calendar is all packed, all got

color one. There is no uncolored days on your calendar. But if God

wants to insert something in there, if God wants to insert but God,

you don't understand. I got no time to have the extra I can do

the thirty minutes devotion. I can do certain things, but I don't have

the extra you want me to be a leader in church, I don't have

the extra time. And this is what the rich young ruler faces. Well,

he was troubled in his heart. Whenever I God challenges you be troubled

when friends come on right now, If you're honest with yourself, isn't it

you when God challenges you you'll be troubled your heart because God, how coming

to the combi service? Lord so far, Lord so far, subam not

so money most of it asked us? Why Lord so far? Wake up

earlier? Now right? What is it in your life, friend, that

you find it hard if God were to challenge you to give it up?

How will you interpret it in your life? What is it in your life

that you find it hard to let go if God were to ask you?

Because if you will find your hard to let go, friends, you will

always have this bearer in front of you. You want to go deeper but

cannot. Everything else can, but you find your herd in our church.

Friends, we have never had this. The word is golden calff. Situation

that if we told God there's nothing in the church that you cannot touch,

you want to touch a service time, Go hit Lord. You want us

to move one location to another location, go hit Lord. Something can be

good for oursers to give it up. Fantastic, We'll just give it up.

We have never had this because the moment we have a golden calf,

will worship the golden Calf more than we worship the Lord everything. If we

told God everything in the church you can touch on. Lord, if ever

you want us to stop running betray Academy, Lord will give it up.

We will just give it up, Lord, because you are more important than

anything else of our church. Change the wave runs the can Lord can.

One time Lord spoke to us, say that you must allow the young people

to take more responsibility. So recently we had a mission organization using our office.

They wrote in could we use the office because we finally using renting spaces

out there for events? Very expensive. Mission organization say please use the vision

director came, saw my wife and one and another full time worker. The

first thing they say was is that I expected the older lady. Well,

my wife is like the older love friends. She's about forty seven. I

expected an older lady. This region director will saying you all look so yum.

You all look so yum. So in his mind, those who and

the full time are the one that you know you retire from a secular job

and the full time I'm serious, and a lot of people by those who

at the full time those or you retire really can not do. And the

full time now because this is why they accept you. So I said,

no, majority of us here are we used to be under the tears old.

But now we are all at reading older already by we are in our

forties, but look so young. Who said you can also go when you're

young? So who said that? So? The other? The other that

there was one commanded came back. You allow you allow women as a chairpersoner

friends you do not know in the Christian world that are a lot like that.

One say, yeah, why not you allow ladies to take up leadership?

We need all the help. The men are not responding. The woman

wants to respond to them. Responder if the man responded, you see more

men Slovena. If the guys want to respond, the want to respond what

you want to do? Someone asked a question, why why does church leaders

the word is that do not know how to appreciate people? Right for me,

quest say right the words they're not they're not. Oh other other people.

Other people are the faith. They are more courteous. And this is

how one pass ex way not not now church. I love this how one

perxt way let me and this guy was a former gangster. It's a passive

another church. This guy there. You know why some leaders are not very

good at replying emails and being friendly, not it's because we never go to

college or anenter university. People like me, gangster jump by fifteen years old,

enter full time ministry. How do we know how to reply? Popularly

that he looks at the crowd, he looks at cry and you say this,

you're all out there, got the degree, go to answer the call

of God. It's people like me have to answer. And I just thought,

wow, well done, well answer well, he just said, people

like me, who is broken by broken English, broken language replying email,

Because that's why they're saying, DearS, you know, really email of yours

here? So and so, I hope this email finds you well? Do

that? This the statement I hope this email finds your is a compulsory statement.

In some countries you cannot go straight. Do you do the job not?

They say that, I hope this email finds you well. I hope

your family is all right. Stuff like that. This guy just replied,

hey, you got do your job not? And the guy just answered,

look, those with degree don't answer the call of God. Then those well

degree, I saw the call of God. And you put them and you

say to them, why aren't you friendly? Of course it's not friendly,

because they did finish Schola the old form against is what you expect. And

I thought myself, Ye're quite true. So when Jesus called the fisher you

think about when Jesus called the fishermen to be the disciples? Are you think

about there where on earth? In their course of journey they spend more time?

Who spend more time? We did, fishers than people. Because the

more time you spend before you improve your people's skill. My, why not

the more time they splay fishes? The fishes? What did they do?

They get the fish off a manet? They're just throwing the ice boxer.

This is why I'm trying to challenge you all right now, some of us

here today have to decide what is it that we're holding so close in the

hearts that God even we cannot touch. Really, there's something in our hearts.

Friends, we have you and I have that God wants to touch it.

It. Don't go this, don't touch this? And God this morning

want to just ask us if you want to go deeper to me? All

that you the worst soo tightly to give it up and pursue me. See,

if we start with a desire, friends, it ends it ends with

this that anyone who desire to come after them must first deny himself. He

deny himself, becaide this all. This is my desire to come after you.

The right in the sunda new say, this is my desire, and

this is my desire. Therefore I denying myself. Do you know what?

To deny yourself just means that Lord, everyone else can, But because I

love you a lot, I would Lord everybody else can, every other Christian

can, because this is my commitment to you, I would. That's what

I deny yourself means because you meet a commitment. That's why you can deny

that sight. Anybody who at the altar there is saying I do get married,

friends, there will be aligned where a solemnizer will just say that,

would you forsake all others and be faithful? Forsake all others and be faithful,

forsake all others and be faithful. Come on right now for sake,

Because they're the author, you have to say, I do a vidiot,

could you imagine just imagine just this, and could you imagine right, I'll

pick on the I pick on the groom that I won't pick on the right

the groom very hard, very hard, my best friend is a girl.

No, god, one got seriously, got I got one? I think

I think a request came before the church rabby. The best man is a

female. The best man is a girl. And we have to tell this

said. Look, I understand, okay, because of life your best friend

is a girl. Okay, I'm said, okay, we can't come meet

the club, but you're going to marry someone. She has to be your

best, best, best of friends. Other wise your fire, your wife.

You always feel like, who's first? If we did you ask you

with this question? You cannot answer. What if we both of first?

Dropping to see who you rescue? Right? And of course the groom is

that I prayed both the simla, So the groom man just say. I

asked, would you forsake all others and be fitful to her as long as

you both shall live. Every bride want to here to say I do?

True or not not true? Every bride I do? Could you imagine the

bride does it? Oh? Yeah, you can choose whatever you want to.

Maybe you can answer, Maybe you can answer. Every bride was here

the husband saying I do. And many times in our life, same as

well. Friends, if we decide to follow Christ. Then we have to

at least make the effort to follow. I would say we won't make mistakes,

but say, make the effort to follow, make the effort to want

to give up certain things, give go deeper. There is no such things

that when you're married. There's no such thing in your life that some your

wife cannot touch it. I love cooking, I do. I have a

lot of nice pots and pants. I do very nice of my cutlery.

There's something I told my wife before. You cannot touch You cannot touch my

knife. You cannot because you don't know how to handle. Let me buy

you your own set of knife. I kill one. Okay, you can

use it. But my set of knife are very precious to me. One

of them is from Hong Kong. It's four figure. I saved no money

to buy it and went like, this is my golden calf, my pride

and joy. She held it one day, she said, I love the

weight of this cleaver. I said, there, put it down. Remember

that I kick clever I bought for you. Please use that because you might

cut yourself. See see how I approach it. You might cut yourself.

You don't know how to handle a lambo ginie take a Calisa took up?

Ready you used to get the point. I'm remarried. Yeah, so therefore

your things are my things, right, yeah, so I can use Laah

hear me right now? Is there anything in your leadship with God that God

cannot touch? Because if you're married, it's for excess. Even if your

spousals have money. Let's say she's shot that particular man as a husband.

You know what, See you show money your father, La, that's go

shopping the sale, eh, e level level you buy everything. Ah,

too bad, I got money I'm gonna give you. I have not heard

any husband saying that. The husband say, let me loan to you.

You pay me back next month. All right, And you understand I'm trying

to say, there's no such thing that cannot touch. And many times in

our walk with the law God, yes, if you're in a relationship,

but there's something you cannot touch. As I close right now, let me

just encourage you in worse Mark ten was ready to the rich young willer was

said, at this word, come on right now. The rich young brother

was sad at this word. Said at this word, when away sorrowful and

had great possession. What was the key issue? Friends, isn't it trust?

What was the key issue? Isn't it trust? Come on right now?

What was a key issue? Isn't it trust? As I close friends,

I know I take I love liberty interpreting the scripture here. But my

aim this morning just is that many of us want discipleship. Right, none

of us here say you do not want discipleship? Be one one. We

all start very good. We just want more of God. Yes, we

want more of the Lord. But were just the words that we stop and

just want thing more of God? We just we just the word is we

stop growing? We have to encourage people who are dating in our church by

encouraging them this. Once you find your girlfriend or boyfriend, please don't stop

growing. Don't stop growing. Don't stop growing, don't stop developing yourself.

Don't stop having an identity of your own. Don't stop growing. Friends,

the region ruler couldn't go beyond that side God, you want more of this?

I finally have to let go because I can't fully trust you enough.

Come on right now, I don't know where you are with your journey.

Friends, I'm not going to knock anybody down say that your failure knows not

about that this morning. It's really practical. It stuss with this decision.

If anyone desire to come after me, If anyone desire to come after me,

come on sus with desire first. The design must always be led to

action. Otherwise it just goes without views. You're not going to get anywhere.

Every year I want more of God. Every year you write the same

statement, I do you so fed up? Really? No change? What

the great message and stuff for January? But the word deny your stuff.

There has to be a change your lifestyle because you are in a relationship with

God you cannot manage. Many times we tell couples that how do you know

you are? And a person's ready for marriage? When a person is redy

to give up the singlehood? Singlehood? What do I mean by dad?

Then? In other words, that there's no such as going holiday on your

own anymore? Could you imagine Mary, First, the husband tell the why

I'm going on holiday? The one say yeah, when when when are we

going? No, I'm going alone because I need my meantime. There is

no such thing. Friends, very dangerous grounds. Imagine right now, husband

go alone for a holiday in Thailand? Can we we? We laugh?

But we understand the implication that the temptation, the choices. There's no such

a the word deny yourself. There has to be a change in your lifestyle

once you're married. The guy, Okay, let's go together. Let's go

together, let's pack our backs together. If anyone decided to come out after

me, let him deny himself and take up the cross. I don't have

enough time to explain you about the cross. Friends, all of us here

have a cross to carry on. You know, when you carry something,

it changes the way you walk, then your speed. If you ever went

traveling before, the behavior the item, the slower you walk, the pace

the cross will change the way you walk. If there is no change in

your walk, perhaps you're not carrying a cross. In other words, your

relationship with Christ changes the way you live your life. That's your cross.

Today, Sunday morning, you're in church. This could be across because how

you really the words that morning? Is you kept? The night? You

can wake up one, you can make up your love you love sleeping in

first, I'm not knocking anybody sleeping in the right. Friends, No,

please hear me out. My wife love to sleep in. We're getting her

up in the morning is almost like revival like that, all right, whereas

I'm the total opposite. I can wake up five to three the money with

alarm clock and then wake up, my eyes are awake and I'm like all

ready to go totally different. But there has to be a change in your

life. If there's no change in your life, friends, therefore evaluate across

your carrying because it must change the way you live. Amen. As I

draw this so close, I just want to encourage your friends at the start

of the year. Dude, why is it so important for us to get

destroyed? Because being running church for almost twenty four years, I've seen people

come and people go. I've seen people who are eighteen years old right now,

they're mother of two, mother of three, and they seeing how in

their own personal journey and their own life. Friends, some of them just

relegate God just on as a belief system. Yes, I acknowledge and recognize

there is a God up there, but no change in a person's life.

Yeah, So see other believers as well. The words that they trust the

Lord when when they trust a lot of me that whenever they hit a wall

or challenge in their life finances, husband going through cancer, the first thing

they do is is that, elder, would you pray together with me?

I truly believe God will come true for my family. God will come true

for my children. There are other people like that, the just trust the

Lord with all their heart and lean not all their ununderstanding. And today we

have to decide because time just fly by. The next thing you know is

December already there start another year. But let's not waste to yo two four.

We are going deeper. God wants one more of you. Whatever challenges

you have in your life this year, I want to encourage your God.

I pray right now that you turn my situation around. Turn my situation around.

Our school, Victory Academy was going down because of different challenges, possitivitis.

That this is this is God? What do you want me to do?

Turn the school around me? And passed? I told past this passive.

I'll be there review for the school for the past two weeks of what

a week reading Right now? I wake up five to three in the morning,

get get to open the school. Open the school at six twenty in

the morning, the doors and likes everything to encourage the teachers to pray with

the teachers, to see every friends this. A couple of days ago,

I talked to her, someone who is thirty one years younger than me.

You have and this guy's waiting for his results. And I have never the

words that Passive told me when you talk to young people, you either frightened

them to be closer to be with Jesus because of this look right, because

of this look. Okay, I got this right. And we look at

my wife, say smile more than young people like you are Pastmiling takes a

lot of energy, so not smiling conserve energy, right, you understand?

All right? So anyway, so I talk was talking to the people and

they say, elder, I just want to let you know. You came

to my homes one day and I always wanted to talk to you. For

the longest time. I always wanted to talk to I'm like, why do

you talk to me? Because you got this angry face. So I was

encouraging him, say, brother, if you are taking this one whole year

as a gap year, I want to carriage you. Come in and let

us train you. Let's help you with some decision in your life. This

time I'm going to close friends. You have to decide today. Really not

in motion decision. I'm not going to ask you. You in front of

nothing at all, but where you are right now, decide all the mistakes

that all the past decide today. God, you are worth for doing.

That's it you are worth for doing. It's a relationship that you always wanted.

The guy or the girl you are worth fighting for. And no matter

what these friends you have to decide today. God, you are worth for

the way You're worthy of me spending reading the Bible. Stuff like that.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more information on our church,

please visit aschurch dot org. We are also active on Facebook and Instagram.

We're believing that this week is going to be a good week. I

hit for you. God bless