Church in Pergamos | Pr Matthew Chang

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

So we will relations chapter two.

We're gonna start from verse twelve all the way to

verse seventeen.

Okay, I have your bibles. You can go there.

Chapter two, verse twelve, and it says from the title

the compromising Church, Okay, some of you, the title will

be the Church in Pergramas. Okay, now verse twelve and

to the Angel of the Church in Pergramos. Right these things,

says he who has the sharp two edged sword.

And Jesus says.

I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's

throne is, And you hold fast to my name, and

do not deny my faith, even in the days in

which anti purse was my faithful martyr who was killed.

You where Satan dwells. But I have a few things

against you, because you have there those who hold the

doctrine of Baleen, who taught Ballach to put a stumbling

block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed

to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also

have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which

things I hate repent or else, I will come to

you quickly and will fight against them with the sword

of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him

hear what the spirit say is to the churches. To

him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden

manner to it, and I will give him a white stone,

and on the stone a new name written, which no

one knows except him who receives it.

That's the reading of God's word. Wow.

Ay, a lot of things to be unpacked here. So

so some of you, if you have gone through some

of the series that are the first two churches that

I talked about, you know when all these letters have

some similarities, have some pattern that we can observe. The

first thing we can observe is that the introduction of

the author. Notice that it is the same person but

a different title that Jesus gives to the different churches. Okay,

same person, but different title. Jesus assigns a different title

to different churches. Okay for himself. Okay, So what kind

of title did Jesus carry when he addresses the church

in pergramas?

Okay, he didn't say I am.

Jesus, lover of your soul, Jesus, the good Shepherd, Jesus,

the one who heals. No, he specifically chose the title

as the one who has the sharp two edged sword.

How many of you like Jesus to appear before you

as the one who appears with the two shop.

That's not my Jesus, That's not my Jesus.

My Jesus is the one I listened on Spotify music,

the goodness of God, who loves me, who will never

forsake me. But Jesus says, I'm the one who has

the too sharp edged sword. You know why this is

important to teach ourselves and to teach uh You know

those who are you have influence with, you know under

your care your children. Why because nowadays Christians only have

room for one version of Jesus. I'm not saying that

Jesus changes, but I'm just saying that Jesus in the

Bible does appear with different titles and with different purpose.

You understand why I'm saying not, because if you do

not understand who Jesus revealed himself at that season and time,

you will miss the message, as the most of the

Israelites miss Jesus when he appeared in the flesh.

They were expecting someone else.

Still were expecting a ruler, a conquering king, but they

didn't expect someone who would right on the donkey and

be re crucified on the cross, and then missed the

entire message. You didn't say what I'm saying now, it's

so important to understand at that season, how is Jesus

revealing himself? You know what I'm saying. It's so important. Okay,

So it's not jesus fault. It's not the Bible's fault.

It's our fault because we did not see. We cannot

perceive the time and the season. So this church or

the church in programmers, Jesus has revealed himself as the

one who has the sharp two edged sword.

So what does it symbolize? What does it?

What kind of Why did Jesus reveal himself as a

person who is carrying such a lethal weapon. And if

a person shows up in your life and carrying a

two edged sword, how would you feel. You must understand

that sorts have different types. You know, when you cut,

when you use a sword to cut sashimi, it's only

one edged.

You don't see a two edges? How many if you

have two edges sort in your kitchen. One.

No, you're gonna hurt yourself. Ah, it doesn't work. You

only have one edged sword in the kitchen because you

only need one side.

But a two edged sword is for wa. Okay.

If someone carries a two edged sword to you, means

this war means Jesus is doing battle.

You get mistand I saw some of you.

If you understand that, Wow, the Jesus is appearing to

the church and it's gonna do battle.

Is it against the church? Is it with the church? Ah?

There's another question to answer, isn't it. It's a very

important thing.

You know.

If Jesus appears in your life and says that, hey,

this is the word that I want to release to you.

I'm appearing in your life as the one with a

two edged sword. What does it mean? Is it to

do to wage war? The two edges so also means

one thing to cut.

And to divide.

There's a season that Jesus will cut and divide those

who are with me and those who are not with me.

Division.

God from day one is in the business of division.

Make no mistake division and separation.

Do you believe me? Oh?

Yeah, there cannot be I thought God is one and

united and all, we're not separating. Look at Genesis Day one?

What did God do separated light from darkness?

Then what else?

The firmaments among the firmaments, the lands and the seas,

always dividing, separating. Before there's division, there will convey no life.

Oh there's a very deep thing, isn't it. There must

be separation. So as Christians were called to separate as well.

You can't mean right. You live in the world by

a not office world. But if you do not consecrate

the life that God intends for, you cannot come to

life as well. You can say what I'm saying now,

how many of you try to plan things in your gardener?

What your soil and the water all missed together, completely

submerg one? It doesn't they cannot You can mean right,

There must be a division light and light, day and day.

Even your own life you separate it. So all your

things you do in a nighttime, you're doing at nighttime.

The things you do in the daytime you do in

the daytime as well. So separation is very, very very important.

But in the spiritual rem as for separation, it's really

really important as well. Jesus comes to wage better, but

he comes to wage better because there must be a

clear separation that happens in the church, not just in

the church, in your our own lives as well. So

one of the things I want to ask in twenty

twenty five is there gonna be a clear separation that

God sees in our lives? You know what I'm saying? No,

what did you learn in twenty twenty four? That's going

to get you to clearly separate what is meant for God?

And what is all the world? Did you see anything?

Did you learn anything? Is God teaching you something? He's

warning you something? Don't get mixed up? Makes sense? Ah,

so serious, and he twenty five her. But it's true,

isn't it. You gotta really is when you it's not

about making new your resolutions not it's about learning what

twenty twenty four, twenty twenty three, the years passed, the

twenty ten, like you make sure that you separate. You

want life, you want blessings. Make sure there is separation.

Make sure there is a separation. It's very, very, very important.

So God comes into this church in Pergoms and he says, see,

I bring a shop to edge your sword and inverse

thir thing.

He says what he.

Knows your works and knows you do see when you

clear separation, you have become very aware. God is so

aware of where we are. He aware we are aware,

you d well what your circumstances. He knows exactly what

you and I do. When he says he knows, he's

just not all away. He knows what is right and

what is wrong. Do you you know what you did?

But did you know what is right and what's wrong

intentionally and intentionally?

You see?

There are things that were seeing intentionally that we know,

but there are also things were seeing unintentionally that we

don't know about.

But has it been brought to your attention? You get

mean right?

So when David prayed, I said that I forgive me

for the since I've done and also those things that

I do not know of.

You know, you know I mean right?

The things that we were foolish that we do, that

they were sinful. You can't mean right. And if you

continue doing things ignorantly they were sinfle means you have

not grown up. You know what I'm saying. That's why

parenting we teach other. Do you know that you did wrong.

You don't know, so don't do it now. You get

me right. Parenting doesn't stop just because you were ignorant enough,

true or not. God, the children are up, but we

have to tell them so that you don't continue acting foolish.

I did not pulling this thing because no, I'm gonna

tell you what it is right now that you do wrong.

Stop doing it.

No, just because I didn't know, I can do Supuma,

No such thing one you got mean? Right, So we

gotta build awareness. You know what we did, what we

did know, and what we didn't know. Have you grown

in their understanding? So?

God?

He says here in verse thirty, God says, I know

your works. That's the first clear separation happened in your lives.

I know what you do and where you dwell, okay,

And he said, where you don't miss your circumstances that

surrounds you. God knows the circumstances that surrounds you, whether

it's difficult, whether it's full of dumb, whether it's full

of persecution. God knows exactly where you are, and he

knows what kind of spiritual state there is. So much

or so much sag is. God says that this is

where Satan's throwne is. There's a spiritual historical reference okay,

where Satan's thrown is. Okay, and he says there in

the next verse, and you hold fast to my name

and did not deny my faith in it, even in

the days in which Anthropus was my faithful martyr who

was killed among you, where Satan dwells that God knows, okay,

what you did that's faithful. There are things that we

do they are coming out of pure faith.

Makes sense or not.

God knows, God separates, God examines, and he knows. Even

the most critical thing that happened to this community was

that that one of their leader was called Antipas, was

actually martyred. Programmers again, now this I try not to

go too much into some of this nerdy stuff, Okay,

that I know.

Okay, Okay.

Programs is a very famous city. Okay, it's just not

too far off from Ephesus, Okay. But the more important

thing you should know is that it's a very religious city,

very very religious, so religious that you know, and it okay,

let me drop it. It's really rare religious and it's

set up on a heel for military purposes. And if

you have my slide. You can see some of the

picture there. Next one. Ah, So that programs still exists

today in modern Turkey. Okay, it still exists today in

modern Turkey. You can still go and check it out

on this are actually exact ruins. So it's situated on

the hill.

Very nice. Oh, how many of you wouldn't mind a

house on the hill?

Wake up and then everything is everything and you just

you wake up the first day in just looking down

everything else. But they were like that beautiful Okay, and

any more lines that have the next one?

Okay.

So Pergamos was known uh uh for a lot of

religion and also the pagan worship and one of the

famous day uh pagan gods.

The worship of course was Zeus.

And this thing. How many of you are familiar with that?

How many of you have seen this before? You know

what there is?

It's not library, it's not a university. Okay.

That is actually called the alter Altar of Zeus. Okay,

Alter of Zeus. Okay, this is a replica. They actually

have an actual one.

Okay. The Order of Zeus was where.

There were was actually the main place of the heart

of the city where they were offered a lot of sacrifices.

Okay.

At that time they didn't have jaya grocer, village grocer. Okay,

the food. First, all the food was brought up to

the top of the hill, all for every cattle because

their pagan wasshi, most of the food were brought up

to the top of the hill before they were so

they will first being killed and sacrificed on this altar

and then distributed to the lower to the different places

to be sold. So that was the first place they

would do it. Okay, So that was one of the sacrifices.

There are many other sacrifices, so.

They will do that.

And this altar of Zeus is also called by the

Bible as the seat of Setan.

So big.

Oh, anyone of you curious, are you know that we

actually have modern leaders, world leaders who are very fascinated

with this this particular throne. You know, you want to

know who is it, who you know who is actually

very interested in this particular seat, who actually historically when

it actually visited and wanted replica of this. Okay, I'm

not some conspiracy theories now, Okay, I don't want to

say conspiracy theories, but I just read it but you

can make up it. Barack Obama was very interested in this,

very interested. Okay, I'll stop there already. I don't want

to go into conspiracy theories and stuff like that. People

excuse me past the Okay, I'm gonna stick to it. Okay,

I don't want At the end of the day, nobody knows.

Only God will review in time.

Okay.

I can expeculate it as much, but only God review.

I'm not saying that he's the anti crisis at PIASA.

Far from it. Actually, in my opinion, I don't think

he is. In my own personal opinion, he's someone else.

I think it's a stronger candidate. But anyway, there's another

time someone else is someone I feel it is. But

we will see a lot more clearer in the next

five years. The next five years is a very crucial year.

The next five years. All eyes not on the never

put your eyes on the US. Always look at the

Middle East, Always at the Middle East. Everything comes from

the Middle East.

Okay.

The Bible was written North Americans, Okay, Nor for European

norm Malaysias. Always for the Israelites, okay. Always see things

from dead lens always now, Okay, anyone saw this distracted. Okay.

So there was the altar of Zeus. Let's move on, Okay,

let's move on.

Okay.

So Antipus was one of the martyrs, okay, and who

was killed because they will not participate in some of

the rituals, and Jesus actually accused them what they actually

did wrong. And then in verse fourteen, it says, but

I have a few things against you because you have

there those who hold the doctrine of baalim. Okay, I'm

gonna spend most of the time talking about this who

taught Ballad to put a stumbling block before the children

of Israel, to eat things sacrifice to idols, and to

commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those call the

doctrine of the Nicolatins, which things I hate.

Okay.

Let's pause there for a one. So let's just get

something out of the way first.

Okay.

So the first thing is some of you like what

you know, why is there a contradicting teaching, because Jesus

is clearly accusing them and saying that what they did

wrong was they eat the things sacrificed to idols.

Okay.

I thought if you read in the book of a

Book of Corinthians and the Book of Romans that Paul

said that eating full sacrifice the eid is not wrong,

but if your conscience is okay, technically you did not

say it, But yeah, Jesus is putting guilt on them

for eating it.

So can eat? Or can I eat? How? So okay?

It cannot eat? How do we reconcile? Anybody asked that

question and reconsilt it before? Or you like, just leave

it to the pastor they reconcilting hal you have you

thought about it before? Hey, Paul, say okay, now Jesus

say cannot what cannot?

Cannot eat? Can? Or can?

Don't?

Some of you you, maybe your family is dipped into

Chinese traditions, maybe some of these ghost festival you know,

there's things like that.

How eat or not eat? Oh? That's your home faster

too much like you? How can I eat? Can you not?

Who says can it? Who says can I eat? Who's

too scared to eat? They're scared? Who wants to know? How?

Okay?

Technically you can't eat. Technically you can eat, but there

are two ways that you eat.

That is wrong.

It's not just about what you eat, but how you

participate into it. Okay, that's very very important. The first

way that you eat food that is offered poorly state

that is wrong and simple is that when you eat

even though it's okay, but someone is not okay, and

that's one falls because of your liberty. Then what you're

doing is not technically wrong, but it's stumbling to others.

You do not do an immediate scein or a primary scene.

You committed a secondary scene causing someone to stumble.

That is not good. That's not edifying.

Because your responsibility as believers, it's not just to edify yourself,

it's to edify others as well.

Understand or not.

It's very very important, en, now you know what I'm saying. No,

it's very very very important. Now someone said, oh I

can drink wine, but I can think and find my

kids all the time. Then my kids are so tempted

to give my kids.

I don't dream.

You cat mean right, You can't mean just because you're okay.

Then you let your kids like that. There's a fault.

That's your fault. There.

You have, you have you are irresponsible.

So if some if my brother, even though he may

not understand, he may not go into full maturity. You're

understanding the liberty, the Christians and joy. There's only one God.

I do a nothing, That's what Paul says. I just

a nothing. Whatever they we eat, will we thanks to

the Lord? It belongs to the Lord. Already I have

this faith, I've grown to this understanding. My conscience is clear.

But if someone is not there, I'm not. I am

not slave to my right. I meant slave to my

brother's welfare. I understand I'm not beholden to my rights.

A lot of people are just carrying about my rights,

my privilege. No, God said no, you're not safe to there.

You're stave to your brother's welfare. God holds us accountable

for that. So that is the first instance where what

we do, even though permissible, it can also be wrong.

And that's saying why I'm saying now, it's good, it's acceptable,

but it's not perfect, and if you go far enough,

it can be wrong and stumbling as well. That's the

first instance makes sense makes sense now, So if you

so when you eat, it's not just about so what

it teaches that you don't just consider about who you

are the people around you are.

Wait, No, my first priority in this world is to love, to.

Love God as you love yourself, than to love your neighbors.

More important, It's not about enjoying what whatever you cannot.

Oh go you I eat? I know.

No, it's about my neighbors. There's multiple even if they

don't share. Even there they're lacking.

It's okay. I read the go down, I ride a

step down. You get what I'm saying. That's why.

Why do you think our parents are sometimes that you

don't get to eat what you like to eat with

your with your kids.

Why not? You know? Like, for example, I give you

a I went to Thailand.

I think this one time. I win there for a holiday.

You know, when I went there, I came back. You

know what I wanted to eat came into measure. I

want to eat high food. You what it just came

back from Thailand, Yes, I came. I came back from Tilant.

I wanted to eat high food. You're like, why because

when I went there, my kids don't want to eat

high food, so they eat.

Just efficient chaps and pizzas.

So I went to Thailand to eat western food and

I came back wanting to eat high food.

You don't saying what I'm saying. You're all like, yeah,

I know what you mean. I did that to my

dad for my parents. Also, you don't say what I'm saying.

You don't say what I'm saying.

You know, it's like, oh, I like to eat the backrap,

you know, whatever you want to eat, but I cannot

eat because why because your love for children? You don't

want to suffer or be dragged alone.

I don't. I watched that eat. I don't want to eat.

You know, so you hear what they eat, I suffer.

I was like, oh, I feel like when theyre I

didn't wain to Thailand or I went to another country.

You know, I was eating hotel for not tigphood. And

know it's like you don't say what I'm saying, but

you go down to their level so that they enjoy.

No I enjoy.

Ah.

That is the life of a Christian. It's not about

you enjoying. It's about artists enjoying. But because a lot

of times we want to enjoy so much, why is

it that I might sacrifice for other people to enjoy

that I don't enjoy. But when you suffer, you party

in christ you don't understand it. Life is a lot

about suffering. But in suffering you connect with God. You don't

say what I'm saying. No, in suffering we drove closer

to God. There is a point in that. Now you

understand what God gives. Now you're under Strength's heart. By

giving up something that you you are entitled to, you

can I can go there and you all the typhoon

I want. I said you, guys, I do you feel

some money? You can and buy your own food. It's

a parate table, a different timing. You can do whatever

you want. It's entirely within my right. But yet I

missed the point. You seeing what I'm saying now makes sense.

I don't take to what's the second one? That's clearly wrong?

What's the second way of eating the idols? Met?

That was wrong? Okay? See ya? What we just now

weed communion?

Right? If you take this bread and you put it

give it to a non Christian friend, okay, and he

didn't know about it, and they ate the bread, maybe

like maybe we didn't have the small bread, locky, Maybe

he's imagine we have a bigger bread lacking and then

they were hungry as like all they just quickly took

get it does they made him a Christian? Why not

you just say grace already, Selina, Mikey, holy bread? Does

that make that per person become a Christian?

Ready? No? Right, no way make them a Christians? There?

But if your friend comes here, here's a sermon. Touch hey,

I want the bread, and the person eats the bread

in that everyone, here's the non the confession, the prayer,

and identifies himself or herself when eating the bread with

every meaning of it?

Does that make them a person a Christian? Yes? What's

the difference in eating the bread? Then? Is the bread holier? Here? No?

You see, there is a way when you eat you

just want nourishment, but there's a way you eat when

you identify yourself. Totally different. It is when you eat.

And then you said commit sexual immorality. They go together,

and I said, not always, but it's when you eat,

when you party together to identify yourself with them. It's

so diff go to become a Christian, to be excluded

for everything. You can do a lot of things. I mean,

I thought before you guys, the Christians cannot do a

lot of things. At that time they were poor. But

the only way you can accept is to identify with them,

so eating becomes not just about eating. Eating's about I'm

trying to, you know it being as a Christian, So

I'm trying to maybe partly identify with them so that

I can have access to a lot more things. It's

a different thing. So that is the one that God

has a problem with. As God has given us bread,

we also have to understand the communion with the world

as well.

Understand it.

Not it's the eating that is in communion with the

world that is wrong. Understand not because God has given

you communion, you know, not unidentify with the world. You

identify with Christ, who died for you, whose broady was

broken for you. You all, how can you substitute that

with the world.

You get me, right?

It defiles what He has done for you. Understand what

I'm saying. That is why it is wrong.

It is evil. It defiles what God done for us.

Makes sense? Y? Yeah, I didn't want teaching or READI

want y Yeah. Can I'm convinced on us and not. Huh.

It's how you eat it, Okay, it's how you eat it.

Very very very important conscience, you know, even if you

That's why I say you take the break, you give

it to your friend doesn't mean that immediately. A Christian,

you know understand I'm saying. You know, it's the same way.

It's the communion and how we identify it's very very important.

So you cannot eat it out foolishness as well.

Oh I don't know. I was just having they're having

fun their ritual and stuff like that. Ah, I just

think it. No, But being in there you are also

part of them as well. You can't mean right. So

how you attach yourself willingly, unknowingly, you know, voluntarily or not.

You you can attach yourself without being full hearted, but

yet connected when you know so, be very very careful

as well. So that leads us to the next thing

which I wanted to teach about as well, which is

it talks about the doctrine of Baylim. This is where

I want to spend the most time on. Okay, so

let's read reread Okay. It says in verst war things,

I have a thing, a few things against you which

you have there those who hold the doctrine of Baylim. Now,

how many of you who knows who Baylim is? Who

is Baylim? It's not a big boss or no, it's

not a Jedi Jeed, no star wars bat guy.

Okay, sounds like you you know who is Batim?

Who was Baylim? New Testament? Old Testament first? Okay, at

least we got that right man. At least I got

that right Old Testament?

Okay?

Who who was the prophet at that time? Getting closer?

Who was the prophet at that time?

Moses?

We're all done getting closer already. At least you're not

narrow your mind are okay? Okay, now time zone already? Okay,

you in Moses time?

Okay.

So BAYLM was a prophet. Okay, I don't go too

too much, but give you a contact. BAYLM was a prophet.

But there was also another bad guy. Was a bad

guy's name black Ballah was a king.

Okay.

Bah was a king and he was afraid of the

Israelites and he wanted he They were a dread to

Ballah and the people.

Okay, So what did Ballah do with Balim?

He heard Baylam was a guy who was you know,

whatever did he say? You know, God hears and his

word will come to pass. He's powerful, Okay, He's a

very powerful person. So he invited Bayleem okay to curse

the Israelites. Why wild Bayleim entertain that unless there's something

in the exchange that he wants as well. Okay, what

does Baalem want?

Money? Money?

He's actually greedy. Okay, Baylam was actually very greedy. Okay,

so he wanted money. But God had warned him instantly

not to curse the Israelites, so Baylim knew.

He's smart.

You know, he is a perfect case of how Christians

like too, although we are safe ready, we try to

play with flyers, play with fire as close as before

we get burned. And that same what I'm saying. He

is the perfect case study of Christians like to play fire.

How far and how how close?

You know, all these permissible doings that I can do

before I get burned? How far near it to the

edge I can work before I father? It's a perfect case. Okay,

it's a Christian that do it. It's like, oh wow, okay,

so Baylim, Okay, he knew that, you know, because God

told him, and even the donkeys spoke to him, you know,

before he knows you.

You know, even the donkeys.

You know, the donkeys saw an angel before on the

road there. Some of you will know this famous story. Okay,

God that want him not to do it, So Baylum

learn his lessen. No, I'm not gonna do it. I

think three times okay, three times okay, Ballad I invited

Baylim to curse. I think it's two times. God could

be wrong. I apologize okay, So he couldn't curse. Instead

a cursing, he blessed Israel. Ballah was so frustrated. Whah

invited you to do it? Don't you see the riches?

You know? When Ballah was very Ballah was very smart.

And when he sent for people to invite Ballad, he

sent a whole group of people. You know, hey, how

many of you want to be invited or courted by

a whole big emissary?

So feel so good? You know, all start getting you know,

come and see you.

You know, he knows how to appeal to you as well.

You know, but he didn't. He couldn't do it.

But Baalem started a new doctrine. Okay, I cannot curse Israel.

So what did he teach Ballad to do? If I

cannot curse them, get the Israelites to curse themselves? Mm hmm.

And that's what the devil will do to us as well.

The devil knows that we are Christians sanctified. Okay, no authority.

He cannot curse us, but he can tempt us to

get us to curse ourselves with the heart.

There is next level, man, there's next level of fans. Man.

What in the world get them to fall on their

own needs? You know, no, get them get the is

Rest to curse themselves. So I say, indirect tactic by

still attacking. So what did they do? So Beno said,

seduce them, the Israelites with the morbid women's seduce them

and get them to commit adult tree and then commit

a tree. Then they will worship all the different idols

I don't worship. And then they will curse themselves and

God will not be with them. That is how they

get the Israelt to curse themselves. I'm saying what I'm saying.

So a lot of times we think, hey, our attacker

comes from the enemy. You know, Oh no, no, no, no, no

no no. The enemy doesn't have to all time, don't

have to do. But they tricked us to get us

to curse ourselves. How many of us here in twenty

twenty five when you look back, what are some of

the things that we have done that got us into trouble,

or have we been blaming the wrong people for our

problems this year? If you want to enjoy blessings, have

we been wiser, smarter, more aware? See enemy, We'll not

put it. I want to say this thing is very important.

We don't actually fall into sin most of the time.

It's like, oh, don't try, we run away, so clear, clear, clear,

cart went.

Oh no, no, no, no, no no.

Most of the time, you don't fall into sink until

you start flirting with the sin. Makes sense, you don't

fall into it until you flirt with the sin. Let's

turn to scripture. Let's turn to James. Okay, this is

it's not in the slight hair. James, Chapter one, verse

thirteen to verse fifteen. James, Chapter one, verse thirteen to

verse fifteen.

This is the last part.

I'm gonna close, So I'm gonna emphasize on so that

we all learn to look at.

Twenty twenty five.

What kind of things that we need to you know,

determination and resolution we gold of make in our hearts

so that twenty twenty five will be different.

Okay.

James, Chapter one, verse thirteen to verse fifteen. Says here,

let no one say when he is tempted, I am

being tempted by God.

Oh, God tempts me.

For God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself

tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he

is lured and entireed by his own desire. Then desire,

when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin,

when it is fully grown, brings forth death. Okay, so

you must understand that. Okay, there's a lot of things

I need to unpack here. Okay, how do I need

to Okay, we don't fall a lot of times, we

don't fall into the same It is always the great

areas that where the devil catches us, Always.

The great areas.

It doesn't stop you where it's so obvious, Always the

great areas. From the beginning of Genesis, the devil always done.

Then you want to see how it works. Okay, just

turn me to another scripture here, turn to Genesis chapter three,

very very quickly. I need to set this up so

that you guys know what I'm talking about. I need

to set this very very clearly. These are foundational things. Okay,

Genesis chapter three. Okay, and you know what I'm talking about. Ready, Okay,

it's talking about the devil that say the fall of man.

Let's see okay, Chapter three, verse two, Verse one, verse one.

Now the serpent was more cunning than any bits of

the field which the Lord God had made. And he

said to the woman first temptation. There are three parts

of temptation. Three deception made here?

Three part? The first part?

Has God indeed said you shall not eat of every

tree of the garden?

What is that deception? Okay? It is in the detail,

you know.

Has God in this said you shall not eat of

every tree underlie every It's like I tell my children

don't play, don't kick the ball inside the house.

And then.

Another naughty person, Daddy, has said you cannot play football anymore.

You see the difference. Yeah, it's restriction, but totally abuse.

This is what we call exaggeration. God said, or all

the trees you came through. He starts with everything you

can except this tree. But the devil starts with did

God say everything you can? Reat?

Why?

It's purposeful because he exaggerates to sold doubt in our

daily lives of how they say, ah uh, they said,

what professor said? The professor is going to make sure

that you study hard. If not, he's gonna fail you.

Then an understand that the professor hates us. He's gonna

fail everyone.

In this class.

Totally different and all you see, Ah, the first one

makes you study. The second one makes you feel like

that person has a personal agenda against you.

You know what I'm saying, So.

That this this, this, this, this question was intentional to say, hey, God,

is God trying to restrict your freedom? He's given you

free Well, are you sure he's given you free will?

Will I heard differently? You can be like intentional? And

then the second one, it's very very important. You must

understand this next time because when you have when you

have kids, when you are dealing with employees, are you

will know that it is always the case the exact

information will communicate different intention and exaggeration.

Even in politics.

Are even in politics are, oh, they can send a

totally different message one and on Oh the government will

try to make sure said certain things, say oh, the

government is gonna commit martial law and shut down everybody.

COVID can mean totally different things. Want to know fear

runs the mouth feels very very powerful. One to know

exaggeration is very very powerful one to know because it

tells a different strate, and that thing takes the headline

more than anything else. So now between if it's not

thinking about all the other trees, she's talking about that,

God don't want me to eat any tree?

What is God thinking about? Yeah? Me right. It turns

the narrative and the subject.

The second one says that, and the woman said to

the serpent, we may eat the tree or the fruit

of the trees of the garden. But the fruit of

the tree, which was in the midst God had said,

you shall not it should shall not touch it less

you die. Okay, what is the second tactic? Then the

serpent said to the woman, you will not surely die,

for God knows that. Again, let's stop the head you

will not surely die. What is the second deception? The

second deception is the removal of consequences. The removal of consequences.

That's the second biggest lie. No coincidence. Let's look at

some examples I put in the slide there. What did

the devil? What are some of the common cases of

examples of we try to tell ourselves by removing consequences.

If you drink and drive. You can handle your alcohol

better than most people. You won't get into an accident.

Removal of consequences. Gambling, you're on a winning straight keep going.

The ought will always be in your favor, Always be

in your favor. Man, don't quit now. You're going to

win back.

Your loss the next round.

Remove consequences or the illusion of consequences the moment you

see it. Drugs, it's just one time. You won't get

addicted one But you look at every person's life. You

always touch me.

There isn't it.

The removal of consequence means the violation, violation seems more

lenient and possible. Always always nowadays are people don't want

to teach talk about hell and judgment and no in

in church and no, how dare you talk about it?

I don't want to come to church anymore.

Because this person, because this person talk about it. The

person don't want to come to church anymore. You know that,

you know who else talk about about having her more

than anyone else?

Jesus. You know.

When my children are I tell them consequences. Want to

know I tell them consequences? Why not you have to

tell them consequences? You cannot just keep affirming that Hey,

whatever you do, I will always support you. And there

is no consequences, no such thing. White people, if you

jump down there where you feel like it or not,

you think, but I think you jump down, you're gonna

hurt you. Like Removal of consequence is one of the

key things that the devil does. And in the case

for the people in program or sorry, I'm thinking of

your time here. I know I'm gonna repeat everybody. I

always say that, Okay, what was the removal of consequence? Hey,

Jesus loves you, Christ has died for you. Really the meaner?

What's going to consequence? Associate?

Lah? Think God is.

That heart of a you know, of a father who's

gonna punish you wor worshipping her?

Why suffer? You think God wants you to suffer? God?

It's a good God.

You know.

Things are that you know, you get me right.

Removal Suddenly you have a contorted view of God.

Who God really is?

You Now you misunderstand what communion really is, what baptism

really is? You know you I'm saying, you know all

these things. Removal consequences.

Okay.

The third one, of course is another one is okay,

and your eyes will be opened and you will be

like God, Why to tempt you? There's something behind God.

There's a third something behind God. Scared that your eyes

will be open. Why it's telling you. It's God hiding

something from you. If you rebel against him, if you

choose something, maybe you will see something that God never

wanted you to see. The world will show you something.

And see what I'm saying, you will always be tempted one. Okay, remove,

We can remove a consequence, but they must be a

desire at the other side.

Oh, he's the last one.

Okay, Oh everybody, okay, now, okay, let me just wrap

this up. Okay, So how do I want to sink

this up?

Okay?

So we as Christians, not just Christians, la with all

of us with a sinful desire. We always like to

play with fire, and before we get burned, we always

some other people come to me, come to you, come

to many, come to parents. You say, Hey, if I'm

a Christian, I'm not, I'm not this If I do these,

do these? Do this? You say, okay, but still okay

or not? How near can I get to the fire

without being burned? How near can I get to the

edge without falling, you know, but I both say, do

not say they cannot smoke. You cannot smoke. God, do

not say that you cannot have many friends with the

opposite gender. God, you not say that, you know after

you're married, And not you cannot have a treat our

conversation with your platonic friend from your opposite gender.

God do not say that.

And not you cannot drive with your lady colligue home

or a guy colleague home as well. God, do not

say that, and not when the office or I'm going

for it, man, I'm going for it. Man, I'm going

for it because as if I'm preaching, as if this

is my last one. Man, because if I don't, because

if I don't preach it, am I hoping for someone

to preach it?

Yeah?

Yeah, man, right, I have to preach the truth because

actually I have stories to tell.

You want to know.

I'm telling you because I've been there before. Can I

tell you a story, personal story? You know, when I

was much younger, before I was in the next church,

there was a girl I liked so much, I like

so much.

I was in Uni.

I liked her so much, and I like her after

I met her once only I like her so much.

And the only I need qualification for her just be

a Christian. Now my version of being a Christian is said,

she come to.

Church enough, Reggie, I don't know what she is. I

don't know what kind of background. I don't know, Oh,

come to church.

It has to be a Christian already, check dick already.

As long as there, God must be blessed. Ready alan

her so much. And I'm telling you from my own

heart for my own experience. Okay, my own experience.

I wanted so much. Hey, I will start.

I started cookie, you know, doing you know, hey, inviting,

connecting with her friend's friends and all stuff like that. Yeah, passon,

Man is not so pure, I know. Okay, I want

to and I tell you want them so much. I

found out that she actually has a long distance boyfriend.

I tell you, I go into a conflict. Man. I

was like, and I chanced out to choose what I

want to hear, what I don't want to hear. I choose,

I really, honestly, I choose want to hear. So some

friends says she has some friends she don't has. Now

a friend with the ones who says she don't has. Okay,

I want her, and I want to be right as well.

I want everything you can't mean right. I didn't care,

and she was returning the favor as well in a way,

and I was like, hey, you know, so I was,

you know, in the we're not in a relationship, but

we're kind of like in contact flirting around a relationship,

you know, and stuff like that as well. I tell you,

I was playing with fire. I was playing with fire.

And one day I was, you know, please don't do this.

Don't drop a lady off on your own, Okay. I

was dropping her off on the airport on my own.

I was younger, much younger. I was foolish, okay, dropping

her off. And I tell you that that driver seemed

like the longest hours, man. I tell you, I was

raising in my mind to tell her, not to tell

her to get officially into relationship. You know, I think

my chance is like eighty percent and eighty percent. I

don't think she has a boyfriend, and I cannot be like,

you know, even she has that guys don't good enough

for her, you know, all the things I can reason.

And then I dropped it off. I was like telling

her and she was waiting. I was like, oh, I

tell you, I can imagine that all the angels. I

think maybe like, no, that maybe a few angels. I

was like pulling the string of mad. Don't do it,

you know, And I don't know why. Out of death strength.

My whole body wants to go into it. But I

couldn't do it. And I said nothing.

Nothing. She was like expecting.

But then that so flat, so flat enough, so flat

it felt like all the plenty couldn't take off it.

Okay that they're laughing now, huh.

My wife says, I'm a good storyteller. I don't remember.

I just like the only thing I could hear, you know,

what was it? Walk away? Walk away?

Walk away, don't try to reason, don't do anything, don't

say anything, don't try the minister to her, or don't whatever, Like,

oh god, you know, I pray, you know, maybe it's

the right thing to say.

No, just walk away, walk away. And I walked away.

I tell you, oh so much regret and confusion and

stuff like that. Just walk away.

Then God said, cut off, cut off. See after that,

I never even spoke to her. Do you want you

want to you wanna flood? And I say, oh, I'm sorry.

I was like that nothing. There's a saying, Dawn, witness

to someone you're attempted with. You know, he don't witness

to someone you're a tempted with. You here in your

relationship that you are not going to convert that person.

Trust me, you will never convert that person.

Don't.

It's a very it's a cardinal ruler for ministers and

for creation. No minister to someone you're tempted with. Oh,

it's not gonna work. There's too much complice. You are

not responsible for the conversion and salvation belongs to the Lord.

It is God. You are not God.

If you try to enter in the relationship, you have

a messiah complex enough. You think you are the Messiah.

You're competing with Jesus to try to save the guy.

It's wrong and all. Well, that's a lot of teaching. Yeah,

it's very hard thing. I know.

I'm I'm thinking like because I want to say it,

because God actually told me to minister to people. I

really want the minister to people. Here most of the

time it's a prayer, but no, I really want a minister.

I'm telling you this because I've been there before, and

I tell you this more than one situation when I

started working before I met as then that people I

dropped off and because they misconfused, misconstrue my intention. Now

they started showing favor as well. And you can flirt

with temptations when I tell you it's so dangerous and all.

And these people are, I tell you are a very handsome,

a very beautiful one. More of medic Sometimes can you

encounter with you know, and you can catch you off. God,

your heart can be stolen in just one night. I'm

giving you a warning right now. Serious, don't trust your heart.

I'm scaring all the whole this is. This is just

one incident that we you see it.

It's nothing wrong to.

Do all these things, but the thing that leads to

sin are the things that are and wise.

It's not wrong, but it's a wise you know what

I'm saying. All. It's not wrong to say all, but

it's and wise.

So many of us getting too, probably not because we

see one, but we keep making and wise decisions and

wise and wise and wise and wise. It's like it's like,

you know, like a It's like if it's a connatinal

and you have something holding that this network you make one.

And wise one a wise one am wise one and

wise not wrong. No wat cut then drop.

You see, it's a series of unwise decisions that you

make that you get into trouble. And so in twenty

tive it's not about making one big resolution and not

getting a bigger net or anything. And all is what

are some of the unwise decisions that God is speaking

to you to undo? We gotta be you want to

reading twenty twenty four and for twenty five, make wise decisions,

Make make wise decisions things not wrong to go to Klama,

it's just a premise.

Man.

You want that lifestyle, you want that music. Yeah, I'm

not saying one blanket. Different people have different things. I

have to cut things off of this year. Beginning of

this year that God speaks to me personally, I'm winning

all certain things. I was like, well, God had to

speak to me in dreams and more like like, woke

up this morning, I had a very vivid dream I

can't share with you guys.

So I hit my wife. You know, when my wife

work on what did you do? Like? I?

Then my wife knew I had a vivid dream. I

had such a favid dream, I tell you and I

have I have had three vivid dreams.

This year. It's just this one week. God telling me things.

Oh, I want to do things like yoga, opening spiritual

portals for your life. Is nothing yoga, nothing spiritual. Tell you,

I go teach you another timer. There's a spirit world.

But going to the spirit walm without holding that this's Hannah.

It's like going to Amoa and your mommy and you

and your mommy are separated.

There's a spiritual world.

You know, you go into that, into that shopping mall

without holding that this Hannah. You're in trouble. You will

experienced a lot of things peace but not peace. But

you are outside without God's hand. It's very important. It's

better you don't go into the moel.

You get me in right. It's very dangerous. Things that

you play with.

You go around, but you're playing with fire, one after

another after another, after another after another.

You play with things.

You should not be watching channels. You should not be

subscribing things after another. You're hours. How you spend your

night's times is someone you need even need to change

to your rooms. I tell you because you know a

lot of things happened in that room.

I'm very real.

These are the real resolutions that we need to make,

not losing twenty if I keep those.

You know what I'm saying or not? What kind of.

Conversations are you saying? Always implying but not directly saying

rumors and spreading fears huhm, experimenting with different substances gambling?

Are not gambling?

Are you know? Just trading?

You know, but you don't realize one trade can lead

to one another another another. I met one friend who

say they they were never gamble, never gamble by stops

on me bye Now I just made him last week?

Who am I doing now?

And this guy I was an IBM consultant and doing

a lot of figure end up now a full time

stock trader, losting a lot of money, struggling to pay

a lot of things. It's not wrong, but a series

of n wise decisions, a lot of just looking for

everybody is asking for pastors for black and white, looking

for a harder leader ever reading for black and white? No,

it's a series. Remember these are the ten foolish virgins

that didn't get into it. Not because they sin, No,

because there were foolish You see, seem to not put

your oil into your lamb yard. You can delay a

bit later, but it was foolish. So let twenty twenty

five not be a year you made foolish mistakes like them,

do foolish mistakes that they can say, Ah, these people

they're doing okay.

Not ignore.

Then Jesus comes with a sharp two edge of sword.

Separate from Me in your life.

Amen.

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

information on our church, please visit as Church RG. We

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this week is going to be a good week, a

hit for you. God bless