Getting out of a Rut | Jason Martin

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

will light up your team. The title of the sermon today is getting out

of a rut? Getting out of a rut? Have we how many have

you all heard about a stuck in a rut? We are? Do you

all know what is a rut? What is a rut? Have you driven

your car and then you drove off road and you got stuck in a mud?

You're stuck in the mud. Then they will get on and push right.

And the deep the more you spin the wheels, the deeper the car

goes in, you know. And that track right where the car gets stuck,

that is a rut. So that's why you say you're stuck in a

rut. So last time in olden days as well, when they have the

cart, when they push the cart and then the cart is stuck in a

rut and you cannot move right And a lot of times we feel stuck in

the rut. How many of y'all have felt stuck in a rut before?

Right? And it's not a nice place to be, okay, So you

may have seen this thing before. So your plan, what is your plan?

Your plan is to get from point eight to point b very easy,

very easy, right, your plan? But what is the reality? So

the reality is your cycle. And then you go into a hole, and

then you go into a hole. Then you come out and then you get

sully there, you get lost in a forest. You get lost in the

forest, you go there, and then he starts snowing. You have to

take the cable car. After that, you meet with a tiger, okay,

and then there's sharks in deep water, there's fire, there's a snake,

there's a bear, and then finally you reach your goal. How many

of you you you feel your life is like your plan exactly like your plan?

Or how many of you all your life is like the reality? Right?

Reality? To be honest, I mine is like I feel like a

reality that you go into a pitfaller anymore. It's like, Okayla, we

just go through lay. But a lot of times we have our plan and

we want to keep our eyes on the finish line. But what deters us

from the finish line? Some of us we get stuck in the first valley

already. You know, you get stuck in the first valley, and then

you're like, hey, I'm stuck in a ruck, I don't want to

continue. Okay, some halfway and some we go the full way. Right.

So the goal for us is how do we get to the finish line

without getting stuck in a right? You will go through valleys, you will

go through challenges, but how do you get through them? Right? So

there are actually four killed joys in life? Legs like, so there are

four killed joys in life. If you have a plan that goes from point

A to point B, I reassure you that you will face these four bears

or tigers or lions or pits or snakes. What are this four? The

first is pain? How many of your experienced pain before? Right? Next

one treasure? How many of y'all are stressed? Isaaca is stressed? Not

Isaac yesterday already says life at thirteen years old is very difficult? Okay?

How many experienced problems? Yeah? And people? Right? So there are

four killed joys or pitfalls that will stop us from reaching our finish line.

And I wanted to introduce us to a character in the Bible who will help

us and give us pointers how to get through. Okay, so the games

have not ended. I give you a special bonus question. So can you

guess which character is this Paul? Correct, it is Paul. So Paul

was stuck in a prison. He has been in prison countless times. When

he's been in a prison, he's been beaten. After he's been beaten,

right, and then they transported to him to rather transported him to another place.

They put him on a ship. What happened to him? Shipwrecked?

After a shipwrecked, they went into an island. They got into an island,

so we went to an island. They were cold, They started a

fire. You know what happened, Yeah, snake came and beat him.

After the snake came and beat him, he survived. But then after that

they took him to Rome. They took him to Rome. They changed him

to a guard for twenty four hours. That's right, every four hours they

will change guards. So he's changed to a guard twenty four hours. He's

under house arrest for another two years plus. So do you think Paul had

all these pressures in life? I hope that none of us have this emoticonslaw

in our life, right, you do not want these emoticons. But do

you know that Paul wrote one of the happiest chapters in the Bible even though

he went through all this. So today's lesson is we will take three points

that we can learn from Paul. And Paul was very clear. He had

a starting point, he had an end point, and he had so many

challenges, but he still finished. Well. Okay, so let's go into

the first point. So the first point. First point is we have to

give control to God. Right, gave control to God. So if it

goes to the reverse, let me read it here. So this is Philippians

one. Philippians one was written when Paul was in prison in Rome. He

was in prison in Rome, so this is what he wrote. But I

want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have

actually turned out for the futherance of the Gospel, so that he has become

evident to the whole palace God and to all the rest, that my chains

are in Christ, and most of there and most of the brethren in the

Lord, having becoming become confident by my chains, are much more bold to

speak the word without fear. Okay, So you think about this, right,

Paul in prison, picture yourself this a lot of times. Right,

if I put myself in Paul's position, if I'm in prison. Right,

would I be still so on fire? Would I be still being so on

fire? Because the worst says here that things which have happened to me have

actually turned out for the furtherance of the Gospel. So Paul's mission was what

to go into all the world and to preach the good news and make disciples

of all nations. That was the great commission that Paul was undertaking. And

it's the same commission that we had. So he never lost the track of

that, okay, but he was thrown into prison. Can you imagine,

right, if we get beaten, some of us, we somebody come in

like say something to us already we offended, and then we leave. For

Paul physically beaten, but he says that, hey, everything is for the

furtherance of God's kingdom, all right, So he surrendered it to God.

And if we go to the next verse, when you go through challenges,

it's not if you go through challenges, remember Romans eight twenty eight. And

we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God,

for those who are called according to His purpose. Do you believe that

this is a promise of God? So do you believe it? All things

work together for the good of those who love God. Right, So do

you know what happened to Paul during that two years in prison? What would

you be doing if you were in prison for two years? How many of

you will change your status from Christian to eighties? How many of us will

start being depressed or discouraged? You know what they Paul do? Paul wrote

the New Testament the two years he was in prison. He wrote all the

letters to the Philippians, to all first Timothy, second Timothy. So many

of the Gospel was written when he was in prison. And if you read

all those letters when he was in prison, all were exhorting, all were

saying, hey, keep the faith, keep on going. And how can

How was Paul able to do that? Because he gave all control to God,

and he says that all things worked together for the good of those who

love God. Right. Next verse this is from Psalm's Study four. This

was written by King David and Kington. David was on the run from the

Philip Palestinians. He was on the run from Saul and on the run from

the Palestinians. But he can still say I will bless the Lord at all

times. His praise will continually be in my mouth. Can we do that?

Can we do that? You know? Right? To be honest.

Before coming to Kecho, I've had like I'm not the only one, but

a lot of people came to Kecho right, came to this camp. We

have had a long week, a long month, or a long year.

We had so many challenges, so many things. But then right, I'm

preaching, so I to practice what I preach, and this was on my

mind. But all the challenges came my way. And you'll know, right,

my dad on Friday then suddenly, so Friday was Spots Day for Jude.

So I took Friday off. I say, I need Friday to prepare.

I told Jazz, sorry, it don't tell me to do anything out

on Friday. I need to prepare. One No, so I said,

I took Friday off. I'll prepare because I before that I had long weeks,

I really long weeks in terms of what you couldn't have enough time to

prepare. But then spent for Spots Day. So Spots Day right, then

I did the Father's Son race with Jude, and then because of my ego,

I got injured. I don't want to lose to a lod heads then

injured. I'm like, what in the world. I'm like, I got

injured, like limping, And after that, I went home, so I

say, okay, I'm going to get ready. Then suddenly I get a

text, Hey, my father was breathless. They need to go to IGN.

Hospitals are like, okay, okay, let's rush him to the hospital.

So when a hospital got him admitted and then we came back. We

left hospital at one o'clock one thirty in the morning. There is a half

an hour gem on NKV what thirteen. I'm like, what in the world

is this? What is happening? You know, there's like if things could

go wrong, they would go wrong, you know, those kind of things.

And I felt that, but I told myself a this, I am

not going to submit. I'm going to let that affect me. All things

work together for the good of those who love him. And I said,

Okay, whatever it is, I'm just going to do it right. So

I went home and then next day woke up and with that right, I

sort of like, Okay, I'm not depending on my own strength. So

God, this is your message, your servant. You all will be done,

you know, And that's why that that's the thing. So I said

that, Hey, whatever it is, God, I will still praise you,

you know. So that is the approach which Paul took, and it

is a thing that is constantly trying to remember. Right, so when you're

going through that as well, remember that. Okay, if I go to

the next verse. So this is again Philippines one. So it says here,

right, h some indeed preach Christ even from envy, and strive some

from also good will. The formal preach Christ from self ambition, not sincerely

supposed, supposing to add affliction to my chains, but the latter out of

love, knowing that I am appointed for defense of the Gospel. But what

then? Only then, in every way, whether in pretense or in fruit,

Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice, Yes, I will

rejoice. So whatever happens, right, Paul is still happy that Christ is

being preached. Although he reached, he was receiving a lot of opposition.

That is a kind of perspective that is amazing. You know, a lot

of times, I'll tell you what I wanted to The message I wanted to

bring across also was in line with joy. The four kill joys, they

kill the joy withiness. But Paul's joy was not governed by external because he

had the worst things happening to him, but he still had joy. How

come, because the joy of the Lord is my strength and we need that

kind of joy. We need that kind of joy. Church. Are we

exclaimed? Are we a joyful church? Because right? To be honest,

I mean I was thinking, exclaim, we have the best talent, we

have the best people. But do we have enough joy? Do we have

enough joy? Are we depending on God for joy that when the storms come

our way we can still be happy and know that God is in control because

us. Only when we can do that, we can take on territory in

Klang. This is amazing, you know. That's seeing so many people here

in Cho. Y'all have taken time, have paid the price to be here.

So right now, let's let's take it and let's when we go back

to Klang, let's say, no matter what comes my way, Church,

I want to go and take territory, go into all the world and make

disciples of all nations. Right, So that's the first point. The first

point was give control to God. Okay, second point after you give control,

the second point is you have to take control, Take control of my

attitude. Okay, take control of my attitude. So if I go to

the next light, So this is the same verse that I read earlier.

Some indeed preach even from envy and strife, and some also from good will.

The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely but supposing to add

affliction to my chains. But the latter out of love, knowing that I

am appointed for the defense of the Gospel. What then, only then,

in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached.

And in this I rejoice, Yes, will rejoice. Okay. So I

want to introduce you to there are four that just now I mentioned kill joys,

right there, four kill joy How many of you you have dealt with

difficult people before? If you haven't dealt with difficult people before, maybe you

are the difficult person. So just just check it. But so in this

verse year right, there are four different types of people that Paul was dealing

with. Okay, so let me introduce them to you next life. The

first one four groups of people in your journey. First one is the critics.

So the critics verse one to fifteen. Is true that some preach Christ

because they are jealous of us, and they like to argue Philippians one to

fifteen. So you know what's the picture I put there, right? Keyboard

warriors? You know they are keyboard warriors. How many you all know?

Keyboard warriors? All right, we will continue to argue until the argument is

one. Whatever it is you posa, they will sure say something one just

to criticize you. And in your journey you will face critics. You will

face critics. Paul face critics, David face critics. Jesus face critics.

So what makes you so special to think that you won't face critics? Right,

So this is critics first one you face? Okay, next one?

Second one is companions, people who care. So these people are the people

that you want on your side and you treasure them. So others preach from

genuine goodwill. These do so out of love and they know God's who given

me the work of defending the gospel. So these are the people and acts

plan. I hope that we can be companions to each other here as well.

Right, let's cheer each other on. Okay, companion. Next one

competitors, So you have competitors, right, So the worst year is others

preach Christ incs incisurely from a spirit of selfish ambition. So right, some

people they just want to compete against you. They see that you are successful,

so they purposely want to compete against you. But you know, right

the meme here you can't beat you can beat the competition if there isn't any

who are you competing against? Church, who are we competing against? All

of us are running our own race. We are not running somebody else's race.

Don't try and run somebody else's race. So last time I used to

go to fitness first, there was a tagline there which I loved when I

when I thought, and I remember it till now, be yourself only better.

So you keep on competing with yourself. Don't compete with others, you

know, because if you compete with others, what happens. It's like what

ad line Share shared in the panel yesterday. When you're on a race track

and you are competing with others, you will look to the left and to

the right. You will not look at the finish line. So who are

you competing against? Jesus says that you must run the race. I have

run the race. I have thought the good fight, Right, that's what

Paul says so, and Paul is very clear who was Paul competing against.

I think nobody wanted to compete against Paula, but there were people competing against

him because they wanted his popularity, but without paying the price. So who

are we competing against? Okay, and the final group the challenges. So

the challenges is others just want to still up more trouble for me and to

add to my pain while I'm in prison. So you know, right,

they were saying, there are ten people. For example, if there's ten

people, there'll be six that like you, There'll be three that's on the

fence. There'll be one that doesn't like you. No matter what you do,

what do you do with the one person? Most of us will focus

on the one person and we ignore the six that are on our side.

Instead, what we should do is ignore the one. We focus on getting

the tree on our side and getting more companions. So that's why they say,

right, be a panda and ride a hossler. Do you you don't

care what people say? If God has called you to do that, don't

care what people are saying, because that's what Paul did. Paul was very

clear on his purpose and what God wanted for him, and that's why when

things came his way, whatever challenges it is, he still had his eyes

on the finish line, all right. So I just wanted to share a

short testimony as well a shot. So I went for a mission trip.

This was quite so many years ago. So remember last time we had mission

trips to Talimao. It was in Cameron's Okay. So the orang Asli people

there, s us leading this a group of us. So there four of

us and this village is like eight hours hike in. So what happens is

they will drop us and then we will hike in about one two hours and

then the people will come by motorbike and pick us up. Right. So

it was just before Christmas, so our missions board had a brilliant idea.

You know, why don't we bring them rice? We bring them Rise and

extra food and all this for their Christmas. So there were only two guys,

me and another guy and two girls on a trip. So our backpacks

were full ready and we were carrying rice, okay, carrying Rise. So

all like smuggler, you know, we are all on fire, okay,

ready to go. So it really go right, uh, And then we

started hiking. We started at one pm, started hiking in. So at

two pm they're supposed to meet us and carry on motorbike and bring us in.

So came two pm nobody. So we walk, walk, walk,

three pm, nobody, four pm, nobody. It was crazy. I

was like, I'm the the team leader, you know, and i cannot

be negative, you know, because I'm not carrying the emotional well being of

the team, you know, so you must be positive. You mustn't.

And then it helped out that time my team member, right, the guy

was I'm not sure you'll know Benny. Benny, so he is like,

uh, he's like a Radiola never turned off on. So it helped.

He talked, you know, he talked for the whole eight hours we were

hiking. It was amazing. I was like, so thank god for him.

He could talk for it hours. That's no joke, Okay, you

can talk for it hour now. Halfway through, right, one of the

one of the girls, her shoe gave way, so we had to like

find some leaves, the tide the soul a few and then like helping her

and stuff like that. By the time he reached seven pm, it was

pitch black because he had to hike into the forest. It was pitch black.

I was just we were just walking by faith hopefully we will reach the

village because the path was I was there. And then finally, right I

think about nine pm, we reached the village. Imagine you're carrying extra rice

there you one guy is talking like not stop for like and then yeah,

but everyone was I mean there were no complaints because somehow we knew that we

cannot complain. We cannot. But inside I was fuming, la. I

was really fuming. I'm like, hey, what is this? You know,

we came to sacrifice and do so much and then you're like then when

they finally came up, we were like we can see the village. Then

they came I was like, what about you? So I was like fuming,

you know, I was like really angry. And then because I was

like, first of all our safety and then I was a diet and drained,

and I was I was a bit edgier with them. I was just

like sort of told them. I was I was like, hey, what

happened? What in all this? But then we had a good, nice

rest. Then the next day we did ministry. And when we did ministry,

right God moved miraculously because right they were so hungry to hear the word

of God. They came up for healing. They came they say, pray

for breakthrough. And by the end of our three days there, right,

there was so much or breakthrough and miracles, right that I felt so guilty.

I mean like because sometimes right we are influenced by what happens. Our

joy is stealing, stolen by the by the external, and by what people

have done to us. But that reminded me that I said, God,

I came here to serve you, and no matter what people say or do,

I will still continue to serve you. And there's a choice we need

to make. So that Lesson has said that, Okay, when I committed

the serf, I think it's point A to point B. But I remember

there's a lot of pits and valleys, right, So next line, quit

listening to other people's opinions. When it comes to you, it's not how

everyone else views you, but how you view yourself. Who are you?

What is your identity? Is your identity in Christ? Or is your identity

based on what people say about you? Paul's identity was so clear. Can

you imagine how people beat you up, people like throw you in jail.

The whole world is against you, and he still was so happy. How

how many of you all want to be like Paul. I want to be

like Paul without the emoji's law, But the emojis is what bring out the

real deal, right, Okay? So right now I go to the fine

I'll go to the next next line. Okay, So be fearless. No

matter who opposes you, it will be as signed to them of their downfall,

that God is with you and that he will save you. Okay.

So this is Philippines one twenty eight. Next line, for you are being

given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ, but also the privilege of

suffering for him. We are in this fight together. But you have seen

me suffer for Him in the past, and you know that I am still

in the midst of a gate struggle. All right. And the next verse

first Thessalonians, no matter what happens, always be thankful for this is God's

will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. So when you go through a

pitfall, remember the panel yesterday I was reiterated. I said, when we

have unanswered prayer, if we are just seeking the gift and not the giver.

If we don't really know who God is, then we will blame God.

But if we know that God is a good God no matter what,

then you will give tanks in all circumstances. All right, okay, all

right, so this is the last point. The last point is stay focused

on my purpose. Okay, stay focused on my purpose. Alright. So

I know that y'all are a bit sleepy already, So I have a shot

video clip to show you on Hi. I'm Jess. Welcome to my video

look. Traditionally sales keep look books, but you can't deprive me of screen

time of a half of you. I'm planning on being the youngest person to

sail around the world non stop and unassisted. You're a captain, should be

okay. That boat is a shockingly tiny thing. To send a child to

see it, they are waiting for her face. She cannot come lumping Bastian.

Let's go, light says A light le's sky in the morning, So

there's a warning. Oh god, it's scary. I'm often terrified and I

doubt myself. The world can be a difficult place, but it's it's also

really, really beautiful. And always young. I try to build a paper

plane. But if dyslexia takes over, are you are lost in the middle

of the ocean. This is dangerous. Okay, why don't you just give

me? I'm right, I had some time to build. I'm so alone.

It's when things go wrong that your true characters revealed. Right now,

I'm looking a trenacious young woman who will figure this out. I think there's

bravery and then winning that you're not like. Okay, So I'm Jessica Watson.

I'm tough and I'm struggling. But that's okay because women. All Right,

So, how many ho all? I got to watch that show after

this? Yeah? So we watched. I mean, we usually have a

movie nights on Friday nights, so I try and watch some inspirational movies.

You now, we'll end up with Ninja Go so so yes. So this

is one of the stories of Jessica Watson. So she was the world's youngest

solo sailor. So when she started this journey, she was sixteen years old.

Sixteen years old, but she had a dream to sail around the world

solo. And that means, right, you are not allowed to dock at

anywhere. Let means NonStop, okay, And it was crazy. I don't

have to spall a movie for you, all. Yeah, but the fact

that it's a movie, you know what the ending? Now, So she

did it, you know she did it. But you know she says that

she she has a dream, she's scared, but and it's okay. But

she had a very clear purpose. So they had so many people coming against

her. The whole media was against her, so many keyboard warriors, all

right, and then you have all the different things that is stacked against you.

But her purpose was very clear. And when she did that right and

sailed around the world and came back, when she came back to Sydney,

I didn't close to ten thousand people were waiting for her at Sydney to welcome

her back. Right. So, Church, I want to ask you,

right, you know, how did Jessica Watson be able to accomplish that feat?

She had a firm eye on the finish line. She knew what was

her purpose? And Church, right now, what is our purpose? What

is your purpose? Okay? If I go into the next line, if

by continuing to live, I can do more worthwhile work for Christ, then

I am not sure which I should choose. I'm pulled in two directions.

I want very much to live this life and be with Christ. But which

is a far better thing? But for your sakes it is much more important

than I stay alive. I'm sure of this, so that I will stay

on with all, with you all, so that I can know to your

progress and enjoy in the faith next verse. For me, to live is

Christ and to die is Gain. So if you want to know what is

your purpose, your purpose is to live for Christ. How you do it,

God will show you. But all we have to say is in every

decision that we make, am I doing this for Christ? Or am I

doing this for self? So do you want to discover your purpose? If

yes, then start saying yes to God. Start saying yes to God,

and say God, I don't know what comes my way. I don't know

if I'm doing That was a question yesterday. I don't know whether what I'm

doing is my calling? Is it correct or not? Just say yes to

God and keep on doing that. Don't listen to the critics, your competition,

or your challenges. Look for companions that will cheer you on. And

this is what we want to build here and put our faith in God,

Man and the last Light. Right now, I want to ask you,

for me to live is blank A lot of us right if you honestly ask

yourself, for me to live is riches. For me to live is comfort.

For me to live is successful career. For me to live is a

happy family. We have to ask ourselves, Church, what am I feeling

this blank? Because if you shoot at the wrong finish line, you will

end up at the wrong place. But if you say, for me to

live is Christ and that is your finish line, no matter what comes my

way, nothing can steal your joy because the joy of the Lord is my

strength. So the three points just now. The first point is give control

to God, second point is take control of your own attitude. And the

last point is stay focused on your purpose. Amen. We hope you've been

blessed by this message. For more information on our church, please visit at

church the Org. We are also active on Facebook and Instagram. We're believing

that this week is going to be a good week, a hit for you. God bless