My Grace is Sufficient | Elder Wong Kien Yiak

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

will light up your day. Just wonder the start of this message is with

this thought. You know, all of us here have been there before.

Whereby there are different trials and challenges that really come away. I spoke I

think two weeks ago, whereby there is no way we could plan our trials

and challenges. It would just come on. You know what I mean,

Things just come you know our wagh uh and pre we can't pre plan it.

There's no such thing as at once booking. You know, this month

the quart or trials intelligence is up, so can you keep push for for

next month? It's it's it's hard so and therefore the Lot do know and

don't understand you know that what we have to go through. How may you

understand that? That's why scripture is given to us or encourage us really to

persevere on in life, to hold on to his promise that it's not over

until the Lot says it's over. It's not the date end until the Lord

causes home. And therefore I want to just want to encourage an exampound really

that you know, although trials and challenges can come and drain us. It

does. I think none of us here could be like in the Book of

James, Chapter one, County all joy when you fall into various trials and

challenges, because you need to understand that it takes a certain mindset to really

to come to a place whereby we can find joy in the midst of a

trial. You can find joy in the midst of a right challenging moment.

You can find joy in the midst of persecution. You can also look towards,

you know, a future and a hope. It makes us really trust

challenges and the of the day if we have been through it before. Really,

the summary of it all makes you want to give up on living,

makes you want to give up on moving forward, makes you want to give

up on the word is you know, like like excitement, the joy of

what the law has to stop us. So ultimately it cause us to the

word is disconnect with our friends. Think about it when you go to trust.

I'm not talking about you cannot into your pants this morning. Some of

us here you see have clothing that you have. You know, you really

tried to maintain the figure, and so happened that today is the day whereby

the button couldn't work anymore. I'm talking about the one on the pants.

It just couldn't work anymore. And you felt like, oh no, So

I'm not talking about that. I'm not talking about your favorite you know,

whatever foodstore is closed down for good. But I'm talking about this life challenges

that caused us to disconnect from community. I'm talking about life challenges that because

of disassociated with the faith and ultimately disconnect with the Lord. It doesn't you

know. So this morning, if you have a Bible, which we do,

you look at Second Courenterge chapter eleven, chapter I think, chapter My

Mistakes, chapter twelve, verse nine, I believe, Okay, So Second

Creators Chapter twelve, verse nine says that my grace yeah truth. Uh.

And he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, amen,

his grace. Yeah. So it's wrong. I made a mistake, right,

I was. I was typing it and stuff like that. So my

grace is sufficient for you. The Bible says, my strength is made perfect

in weakness. Therefore I mostly say I rather boast in my infirmities than the

power that the power of Christ may rest upon me. So this one,

I just wanted to bring a wad of encouragement to all of us. Here

Paul wrote this just to encourage us that you know, he says that my

grace is sufficient for you. God's grace is sufficient for us. Many times

when we go through challenges, right when we go through uh trials, you

find that it is tough. You don't have the means to solve a problem,

you don't have the means to resolve an issue, and because of that,

you'll find yourself really asking for God's grace to bring you to First of

all, when you go to trous isn't it true that we pray that the

trouts to go away. I've removed this, You've removed the excellent circumstances that's

causing this, right, Well, sometimes it does happen things that get removed.

Then the smooth sailing. Look, it's like the traffic jam kind of

thing. Right, it was your past that particular roadworks, then it's clear,

or the accident then it's clear, smoth cailing all the way. But

sometimes it's more than that. If we ever get start in a festival traffic

jam, whichever part Okay, you live from Ko, you live from Pnine

back to Quala, you get started all the way for eight hours. I

think the worst gem I ever heard was from JB to Singapore, JBI to

Singapore. Right, a person took six hours door to door JB to Singapore,

six hours door to door living from j BE at eleven I think or

ten something, and I thought it across the costway, just just across that

that monsterrat. Sorry that the streets right there, straights and you get to

the house there six hours if I'm not wrong, the person told me,

and arrive back home at forum in the morning. What the journey can take

less about an hour just to if there's no traffic jam, it's long.

So sometimes God doesn't remove that. They allow us to go to certain things.

So I wanted to speak about us going to certain things because it's not

as simple like, for example, if you have like a situation office,

right, you can't just resign today and you know that's it. I know

how you're right the way, it's full of faith. You can just try

the letter forget it loud. My look, one kid, I'll say that

my lift not approved of resigner. I heard that before. My live wasn't

approved. Throwing the letter. Wow, I'm like, okay, praise God,

that God will give you wisdom. Right. I'm not talking about that.

I'm not talking about just removing the media. I'm talking about what's going

through a particular season. Season, So we can understand that the Bible says

that My grace is sufficient for you. Right. So I'm speaking this up

from my experience because for the past one two weeks just you know, I

think that the last I spoke, it was two weeks ago, so that

that that Sunday, my dad was admitted the hospital. Right, So it's

it's a it's a miraculous journey throughout the whole the whole season. Ah,

and it causes me to change the bit of perspective. You know, when

it rains, it really paus on. Friends, I'm not talking about what

it rains, It just just shovel miss. You know, what does you

get in the concert? Just miss, just be squirted out on your face.

But when he raised, it really does poor recently been pouring. And

the Bible, the promise here says that My grace is sufficient for you.

My power is made perfect in weakness. So therefore, friends, how can

we experience these grace is? First of all, we need to rest in

God's promises. We really need to rest in this promise. Although the circumstances

around us remains the same, the environment around us remains the same, the

situation remains the same. Sometimes not just remains same. It could have it

could have gotten a bit more worse, It could have given more challenging,

have gotten the place whereby you just can't take it. But whatever the circumstances

would be, is that before anything could change, you and I need to

find peace and rest in the world of God. Very important because circumstances,

you know, it's will change for the better for the worst. Some like

for example, Tomorrow could be good, tilsday could be bad, then Thursday

could be worse. That goes back up again. So if you follow that,

that the trend and then your mood will be going off fantastic. Happy

thatess said said said happy said said it that it goes up and down.

Do you know it's very tiring to continue to live like that? Just up,

then they go all the way down, then you drink trenches, then

you go off the way up again. It's very hard. So for first

a word that Paul is encouraging us in the midst Paul is a champion who

went through challenges, persecuted, put in prison, right, being accused,

being whacked, everything right, he enjoyed the best of everything. Yet at

the lowest point of his life. We say that, you know I can.

I also can rejoice when I don't have as well. So Paul understands

hardship. Paul understand challenges all right. Paul is not writing in theory alone.

You need to understand. He's not writing from a theoretical point of view,

you know, not like someone who would never been to hartship. So

he understands people go too. But he's encouraging us to rest in this promise.

Second Corite is one verse trenty second creenters one worst trent. He says,

and for all God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding yes.

For all God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding yes.

And thrue Christ our aimen, which means yes, a sense to God for

his glory. So Paul is before challenges kicks it. He understood, and

he's so assured that whatever God says he will perform. I think it takes

a certain posture of our heart. Even before we get into a challenge of

our child. We know that God is able to see us Throughe. We

need to rest in God in this promises, Yes and amen. And many

times the scripture is being given to us. Sometimes thing is optional or maybe

well not fully convinced. I was talking to Pasta yesterday and you know we're

just talking about physical Bible, the importance of a physical Bible, and how

these days because of technology that you know that the word what you read with

the app some that could be change and we don't even know it. Have

you heard of uh animal friendly Bible whereby there's no sacrificers. Yeah, animal

so sacrifices involved of a life, animal right being offered up to God.

Right, So there's one that's written there is no sacrifice instead of a ram

to God. I think he adopted one because there's no killing ma. So

if you are animal friendly, you cannot cure right, you know those animal

associations, You cannot kill animals and stuff like that. So they had one

Genesis. I think the Book of Genesis rewritten whereby it is friendly that means

you cannot kill any animals. So it's almost like we're gonna so could you

imagine re return your friends, So it causes us not to fully trust in

what's what's there. China is rewriting the Bible, that that that that say

Jesus is with sin. So everybody is going after the words, the words,

trying to rewrite it and change it right. But that's why physical Bible

is so important. Friends. So if you don't have a physical Bible,

pray, I pray that you get one. Really can afford this speak to

me. I will try to get you one. But really it's so important

for us that a physical Bible because the Bible here says God's promises has been

fulfilled in Christ. So you and I need to know God's promise. You

and I need to be rest assure that all that we have in the world,

the coward is yes and amen. Right it all so says in numbers

twenty three was ninety. One of my favorite scripture numbers, the tree was

ninety. God is not a man, friends. God is not a man

that he should lie, not a sounden man that he should repent. Has

he said and we will not do has he said? We not do Whatever

God says he will perform. When the children of visual chill to God,

please deliver us from Moses. From Moses Egypt, Pharaoh got hurt. God

hurt the cry of his children. And you and I need to rest in

God because God hears. Although we want it, immediate deliverance about God does

here. So the assurance is this that God is not a man, that

he should lie, not a sudden man, that he should repent. Has

He not said we not do, has not spoken We'll not make it good.

And this assurance that we have whatever God says, he will make it

good. At the end of the day. Friends, as believers, there

is no such stake as it did end in the midst of the trial,

in the midst of the challenge, you can still draw strength from God.

Very very important for you and I to understand this. Psalms one nine was

eighty nine Forever, Oh Lord, your word is setter in heaven. Forever,

Oh Lord, your word is setter in heaven. And this is assured

as believers that you and I can have that the word of God is setter.

No one and nothing can really change God's word. He didn't leave.

He did not leave an instruction manual in terms of like zero point one two

entry. He left his love letter for you and me for us to know

him right. So therefore, friend, God uses the word grace, My

grace is sufficient for you. It's not. This grace is not achieved by

words. In other words, it's not one of those things that you earn

coins. And to read God's grace so many times you think we have to

be good first to enjoy. My grace is sufficient for you. God's grace

is given to us true us believing by faith. God's word says that it

is not by work that you can achieve this grace, but it's by believing

by faith. Romans chapter four wards. The thing says, clearly God's promise

was given to the whole earth to abram and send it not based on this

obedient to God's law. And this is a mindset shift that you and I

have when before already, when you're in a trial, in the midst of

a challenge, the midst of vary, the word is pressed on all sides

that we think that I must have done something wrong, and that's what I'm

in this situation. Sometimes you're in this situation because God allows us to go

through it, because His powers can be manifested for his glory. Times we

try to God remove it, because we don't like to be pressed on all

side, right, not unless it's a massage. But they were there.

But we don't like to be pressed on all sides. We don't like to

be persecuted on all sides. Right. So God's Problemly, God's word says

that a decided did not get this grace by obility to God's law, but

on the right relationship with God that comes by faith. Friends, you and

I this morning to understand how we go to how to experience God's grace is

to get our relationship right with the Lord. I'm not talking about friends just

having a belief system, or rather I have faith in God just coming to

church on Sunday. I'm asking us to re look at our values that we

hold on so dearly. We we look at what governs us. We look

at the way with we use our time, talent, and treasure, because

really the time is coming is so short right now, right, never before

in the history of you know, earth as being alive, that we hear

so many rumors of wars, actually wars that's happening. We heard so many

earthquakes right nations against nations. Back in the eighties, Golden years. Back

then, all we all we was looking for in Malaysia ninetet eighty five was

McDonald's first. If you're alive. Back then, in the eighties, McDonald's

first opened in pg or Kl. I remember there was a long line,

long line. Every were like hoping to get our big mac back then.

Now the worry is beyond that, the worries about wars and rumors of wars,

our job security, our future for our children. But friends, we

do not put our trust in just in governments, but we put our trust

in the Lord. Roman Chapter forwards forty says, if God's promise is only

for those who obey the Lord, then faith is not necessary and the promise

is made pointless. If God's promise is only made for those who the law,

it means you just attendance wise, attendance all check, check, check,

check tennis or check. I did that? You want me to do

that? They do that. They means you want me come to trich,

I come to tach. You want me to give them, I give them

percent. If all those words we're done without faith, without faith, then

it's pointless at the other day. That's why a right relationship by faith is

so important. That's why a right relationship by faith is so important. Many

questions, I know, just go by the words. Let me use the

word loosely. Attendance, base performance based quiet time was a good one that

they means. Check I've done it. Oh every year, Wait the Bible,

check I've done it right. Remember scripture, Remember scripture. Check,

I've done it. I remember one scripture a day. All those you it's

good. But without faith, without faith, friends, it is just memorizing

textbookers. No transformation, because all this must lead to transformation for us to

depend and love God more. That's why I write relationship the Bible says by

faith is so key for us to experience His grace here on earth. Many

times you go through life, we just said why. I don't understand.

I was hearing one particular song written in Taiwan for their singer past The singer

pastor was diagnosed with cancer. I'm not sure whether they passed away or not,

but the whole, the word, the worship them came together wrote the

song and the song I think it was entitled that I stopped asking God?

Why I stopped asking God? Why did my pastor have to go get cancer?

But yet in the midst of the why they praise God because God ultimates

in control. I think many times you want God to deliver. I mean,

God doesn't deliver for us, but if God doesn't allow us the grace

to go through it. Really, if God doesn't deliver, but he allow

his great allow us to go to it by his grace, well we still

love the Lord. When Jacob was touched by the Angel that his heap socket

was sort of change. After that, I couldn't walk properly, couldn't walk

properly. You know, when you couldn't walk properly, it's very hot.

Couldn't walk properly, very hard. But yet Jacob still follow the Lord.

That's why having a right relationship with God is so important. Friends. So

the promise is to receive by faith. It's given to us as a freeway

words sixteenth from and forwards sixteen. So the promise is to receive by faith.

So therefore, friends, if it's by faith, then we need in

the midst of the sum rest in God's promise. I know our Asian and

friends very hard. We say rest, we don't wrestle. We say rest,

we don't wrestle. But this is something the law is asking us.

He's speaking to Asians right now, He's speaking to us as humans, being

we finally rare hard to rest, fine if we have to rest, by

God's asking us to rest in his promise. The one say we still and

know that I am Lord. It's so hard to see. I mean,

just to be still, really, just to be in his presence, it

is hard. Philipp and c wrote the boat What's so amazing about Grace?

He says that grace means there's nothing we can do to make God love us

more. Nothing we can do to make God to love us more. Sometimes

we think that we have to do extra for God. God, I want

your attention, so I'm wearing psychedelic colors just to capture that that you know,

I mean, so we we we are dressing ourselves to this attention.

No, we can't. Grace means there's nothing nothing we can do to make

God love us less. There is no favoritism in God really that you know,

bad boys, So therefore I love you less. Right, Grace means

that God has really love us as much as as in finding God can possibly

live. You haven't read the book and see good book, but very dry

good book came out back in twenty years ago. But I was thinking about

it because many times when we go through a challenge reference we can take obstacle

or other. We can take challenge one, challenge two. But when it

arrange, when I'm talking about when it paused whatever, that's the time whereby

you're looking towards the Lord Lord res my deliverance because your hate or rather that

that that that the mind, the space in your brain, you just couldn't

take it anymore. And this and that was my experience for the one whole

week my dad was in the hospital, running in and our only resenting hours

half two five to seven. So there was my experience. And in the

midst of everything, job responsibility was there. I remember there was one evening

I was supposed to discharge my dad. I said, Dad, you want

to pick you up? No, no, my chist friend will come right.

But five to the tier I got the call from the church transit could

you come and pick up your dad? I want, like I tell you,

a Christian. I wanted your Christian. I thought, everything right,

you know, you want to list out everything you're, the the words that

you are, the fire back RADI though I see it, really I want

to pick you up that because it's like on the spoil of the drop everything

you know, and you know, in your midst of momentum doing something and

friends to drop something. It is a bit more challenging because you just gets

just pack your bags and just say okay, I'll be there and that I

look at I look at the app and just say it takes me one hour

to get to your h And I was like that and I'm gonna come pick

you up in hour's time, Like what one hour? Almost? I say,

you don't love your dad kind of things. I'm like, wow.

So when you ring it does pause on friends, I'm not sure you understand

Fred. So in the midst of the moment, friends, I wasn't angry.

I was just holding on this scripture because the Bible says my grace is

sufficient for you, and you never truly know unless you have to go to

something. When why would God allow you more of his grace if you don't

really need it. It's like not that hand lotion and you press extra hand

lotion, you just wite oh your body and everything like that because you want

to waste ma. I truly believe friends, that you know I was really,

I was resting. This was anger. We got to go right now.

Fifteen minutes. You know, let's pack of bags. You know,

hit there. We're still you hate out his jem. You're just wondering a

lot of things on your mind. Know a lot of things on your mind

because the love of things are setter. I'm share my journey with your So

I went and pick him up. I was like that check to get back

to his house. Another one hour and twenty minutes. Gem was that famous

z super Ran. I was just driving there. I'm like, God,

what is it? What is it that you want me to experience and hear?

Then I realize that the Bible and the Bibles is my grace is sufficient

for you. Wasn't angry, just that I'm just going for the dinnerverse because

the Gem and everything like that. But I got back home, everything was

ten. Yeah, totially this it looks like it looks like I need to

spend time with my dad. So I called my dad. I would say,

Dad, I'm coming to stay with you all night. So my dad

didn't want the movie with me. So I don't crame your style, he

says. I think he wants his own Spacelet so basically showing me this because

I had to. Really, that is change certain things I've been doing so

comfortably. So after Holmes, I drove back to my where I used to

stay before I got married. Just so you wear the work your co homes

are. Really after homestong you look forward to is the rarest to sleep.

My dad, for all of a sudden, becomes very chatty with me,

loves to talk. I can guarantee, you know, if you're Dad's here,

right, if we grant with the atypica agent that they don't like to

talk. One present but silent, you know what I mean, presence you

felt. You can sense the presence there but silent. For the first time

in my life, I engage a two hour conversation or you'll say a wour.

I was so tired my dad. Also now I love my dad all

right, so I'm not speaking bad about him. My dad also had a

bit of memory loss. Study the early early stages, same story repeated twice

in the span of like thirty minutes. Ah right, So as as a

start, I can't I can't score. I yeaes sir, that's a new

thing. I never knows. The next next day, also tell me the

same thing again. I'm like m right. So I was going through all

this, going through all this, I was holding onto this promise. Really,

you have to rest in God's promise because otherwise you you you go psycle

on friends. It's true. The question therefore, is that when we are

surrounded by things we cannot control, when you're strong, I can't ask by

that that I tell you what you need to just change your brains. You

can't. You you just can't. You can't. You can't tell your God.

If only my husband can just change. Maybe go to the factory too,

gout and some spare parts up here, come up brand new. No,

you can't. You can't. So when you're strong, up by things

you cannot control, his grace is sufficient for you. When you're surrounded by

things you cannot control. Paul was in a place wherever he was persecuted,

exeter forces he can't control. You can't tell the the the authorities back then.

Oh I got weep yesterday. Can you just let me heal first and

not let my body heal? That can take the weep again? You can't.

So when you're surrounded by things you cannot control, that's why his grace

is sufficient for you, right, So is God your sufficiency? He's really

if it's God, you're sufficient. If he if he see your sufficient,

if it's all that you that you need, that's why you can rest.

The reason why we can't rest because we think maybe there's another plan be out

there, plans. See, we can have all the plans that you want,

but at the end day, God has to be your ultimate plan.

We like to be in control because we can control the outcome, which is

good. The question is not about control. I used to think it always

about control, So the question is not about control. The question is what

values do we put in the control? What value system do you have?

So control is not wrong, but the values that drives the control is more

important. Is it God's values or not? Because ultimately God is in control

at the end of the day. But we want our values to be highlighted,

our values to be in place. And that's why we find it very

challenging because when God said ours is surrender, we can't because we are so

used and comfortable with the way we've been living. The way we've been living.

So one of my task right now with my dad, I'm supposed to

clear up stuff I got stuff. First, I tink a last or two

generations worth of tupplewares, pots, pants, everything my mum inherited. My

dad couldn't trew it away. So I told my dad Dad, I'm going

to be here. I'm going to try to stay with him three times a

month. Start clearing ourselves. So I've got two backs out already, so

that I want to go. Start chowing things away, chewing things away.

First, very boded, okay to throw stuff away in your life. So

I was there, okay, this is but okay putting stuff into the trash

bag. My dad was looking at the treashare taking stuff out. The way

is still can use? Someone can benefit out from this woven bag. MA,

still can use. No no horse, So I'll tell you. My

dad said that, look, I know still can use. Don't worry that

this woman will lend somebody who needs it on really, but if you need

one, I can give it to you. My house has got some,

so don't worry about that. Number one. Say number two, I say.

We we say really, Ma, remember at the hospital there, we

say, really, we have to clear this house, right because when mom

passed away, you don't want to try anything. I give you one year

to to grieve, one year to sim everything. But mom about that.

You can not wear mom clothes. You have to donate it the way I

know. As much as you love and you much feed the fabric, you

cannot have it. And I don't think that if I do. You know

my dad say cremate. Cremate my dad? Right, So my mom's earn

is my house, okay, because you know when my dad I passed on

the time I told I spoke to my parents really because to scattered ashes together.

So being being chip skated, you'll put a subcollambia out there. Kept

earning the house. Okay, separate storry, but try and trol stuff away

your friends. It's so hard, but that wants to be in control.

My wants to be in control. Cannot throw friends. I still have stuff

or rather my siblings have stuff from primary school. No exercise book, right,

Pray for me, friends, please, let's try, I say,

Clive me, this cicture you got, your grace is sufficient for me.

So we like to be controlled because we control. You can you can.

The word is that you can control the outcome, but the values behind it.

So about what drives you? What drives you up in the morning.

But what drives you to do what you do for the Lord is it's just

about keeping up or just about lot I love you on the here. The

Lord just reminded me the urgency really, like you know, if now in

two thousand threes the wars is happening in Middle East and this stuff like that,

the urgency to preach the gospel, to start the church. It is

so key that if every believer can and believe what God has in stuff for

them, don't you think that the will come to because there's this urgency about

preaching the gospel, preaching the gospel. I was starting Central. About three

weeks ago, one one of the great heroes in the modern day generation,

Lauren Cunningham, passed away, founder of Missions, one of the key fathers

of missions mobilization in our era, passed away. As then we were just

chatting as it's just saying that one by one, all these great amazing generals

of faith back in the eighties studded the Lord once, I'm home already.

So it's our responsibly, our generation that was telling her that that age whereby

we are the ones that's going to pass on the next stories of faith to

the next generation. What will we pass on? What will we pass on?

And this urgency I'm sharing all this because the days will come is hard.

That's why we need to understand His grace to add to for us.

Really, at the end of the day, is this is that we need

to know that sometimes in that challenge we ask God to take it away.

God doesn't We need to trust that He will come to for us. Let's

let me just read just a few more scriptures to your right. When we

are surrounded by this, we cannot control that His grace is sufficient for us.

Second Corinthians twelve, verse seven. Even though I received so much wonderful

revelations from God, so to keep me from being proud, I was given

a ton in my flesh. Pause writing here, God has given me alation.

And sometimes we rejoice revelations. Somebody rejoice with what God has reviewed to

us. But Paul was given the ton in the flesh right, a messenger

from Satan to torment me from keeping me become proud? Was it? Three

different times? I begged a lot to take it away? Three different times?

God, please remove it from me, Please remove it from me.

How many of us here pray ask God? Me more than three times,

God, please remove this from me, and worse nine each time it says,

my grace is all that you need. Each time, my grace is

all that you need. One of the things I've understood from here is this

that sometimes lot allows us to go through things a bit longer for us to

understand better. Not rushing is not one of those like cramp the minutes you

understand the concept. We have to move from just being uncertain curry concept to

be a lifestyle. No, there are three different possibility about the torn Really,

the one got totally remove it. Once you totally remove something and you

can just go faster and quicker to do things. Secondly, it's just just

keep the tone there and just close us down. You ever get the splinter

in your hands sometimes you know this piece of wood in your your impalment and

stuff like that. It does slows you down if you don't treat it,

it manifests something else. But there's a third option that allows God allows us

use to have the torne. But yet His grace is there for us to

accomplish what we need to accomplish. It's a mystery of all mysteries, because

as I stood there I just realized that sometimes in our life, even though

it exists a tone in a flesh, if it didn't earth, but somehow

rather we still get the job done. That's what the Lord wants us to

be reminded this morning, in the midst of not having enough, it still

can be done. In the midst of that problem that we have, His

real will be accomplished. Many times, the challenge is that I wanted to

be removed. Just let me. Paul didn't abandon God during this time.

So in the midst of a trial, what the greatest challenge is to abandon

God? Isn't it true? Not working? Not working? Maybe I didn't

pray hard. Now it's not working, so therefore I have the words there's

something else out there that's working, And maybe that's the right thing to do.

But during the most challenging time that Paw is facing, Paul chose to

remain in God. Because we are remaining in God, friends, we will

not see the of the expression that His grace is sufficient for us. There

is powers make perfect in my weakness. In Luke, chapter eight speaks about

Jesus in the boat. Jesus instructed the disciples to get in the boat he

got in the boat together with them, they still half reached out. Storm

came. The storm must be so terrible because a bunch of fishermen was afraid.

Two options for the fishermen. Number one is the jump ship. Now

I'm not sure whether there's a viable option not, because if there's a storm,

you are jumping out from the boat into the sea that was rough,

and some people do jumble because thinking that I don't really trust the people operating

the boat, and therefore I got to take my future in my own hands,

to try to navigate life challenges on my own because ultimately this is my

life, right or wrong, depending on the outcome. The other option is

to remain in the boat because you need to know who is in the boat

together with you. If you follow the law all this time and somehow rather

you hit a storm and you look at your life. You got into this

storm because you follow God, then shouldn't God bring you out of the storm.

Then many times while we are abandoned because we don't see God being agenda,

the Bible says, during the storm, I was he doing? He

was sleeping? Sleeping. If your friend drives recklessly on the road and you

happen to be one of the passenger friends. Isn't it true? You cannot

sleep on you can't sleep you cannot sleep on friends. But Jesus had this

amazing ability in the midst of the storm. He was sleeping. Everyone in

the bat was spanking a similar car as well. Could you imagine five percent

in the car, right, Jesus sleeping the other tree panicking. The driver

says, okay, right, Jesus sleeping in the car, and you're looking

at Jesus like, why is this person in the midst of that topsy driving?

Right? They can just remain so calm, so you could be like

one of like maybe like you know, want to be Tom Cruise mission,

I possible jump off from the car or the car is moving at the particular

speed taking that. After all, if the movie people can do it,

I also can do it. After he still looks tomicals no scratches, no

friends, no scratches at all on his face. I mean there's something that's

like this as well. Because I heard some people say I abandon this,

I still can make it out there. I abandoned this. I still can

make it out there. Yes, at what cost? Yes? And what

course? So it's very bother for us to remain in the Lord, friends,

because without remaining in the same board with Jesus, we have to take

our own chances in life. I've seen people have talked to people who abandoned

the faith before, once a Christian, no longer a Christian because I got

to be a master of my own destiny. By what price? At what

price? So when go Life came and challenged the armies of Israel, they

were afraid. They were afraid they've hit themselves in their own tense. But

when David hurt golife challenge, he chose to remain in God because that he

drew out faith to overcome Golfe. So the next time you're in the storm,

choose to remain in God, because without remaining in God, we will

not see the fullness of the expression. My power is made perfect in weakness.

Perfection comes when you choose to remain. Perfection counts when we choose to

remain. Very important for us to know that finally it's going to be in

this that friends, the world never celebrate with listen, never in fact overcoming

wakness and everything. But the Bible has a different take altogether. There's some

things in life, our friends, the word is that we will never be

a hunger percent the words hunger percent perfect. I'm seeing this day we will

never be having perfect one out from so many things, that there will be

certain power versu. The world is a bit more challenging. And that's why

the Bible here says that my powers made perfect in weakness. I'm just talking

thinking, right, whatever will we ever come to a place whereby we are

perfect and we don't need the Lord can't So they are part of our life.

We are being perfected in the midst of the whole journey of life,

being perfected. Friends, That's where we hold onto these problem is that the

power what is manifested in us? It says here first Condians one, verse

eight. Tonight we think we think you ought to know, dear and sisters,

about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were

crushed, overwhelmed, beyond our ability to end deal. We thought we will

never live through it. Paul was great to some massive, massive challenges whereby

he thought you would die worst night. In fact, we were expected to

die. Have you got to this place like Paul? No matter what you

do, you're just the worst that you want to resign that maybe this is

the end. Maybe this is the end, right worst night, maybe this

end. But as a reasult, we stopped relying on ourselves. We stop

relying on ourselves. God will bring us to a place whereby he asked us,

are you still relying on yourself? But like Paul, we need to

come to a place where by let's stop relying on our old strength, own

connection on the ability. Right, you do all the best that you can,

the outcome surrendered to the Lord. You still need to do one friends,

but I truly believe that some of us here need to know that that's

the best that we can do, and really trust God to just bring your

boat out of the storm. Paul, that I thought we would die.

But as a result of this whole experience, we stop relying on ourselves and

learn to rely on only on God who raises the date. As I bring

this message to a close, just wanted to just encourage you. Paul was

about to give in to die, but he looked at the Lord draw strength.

Why word power needed? Because there's no more strength you will do buy

a spare battery. There's no more power. Nobody buy a spare bat tree

because I want to show my battery his battery. You buy it. You

have a spare batree because there's a need for it. God uses the word

strength power because he knows that they are. The challenge that we face drains

us, and that's why sometimes maybe it drains us. Friends, if you're

not recharged, it's very help for us to operate very hard. So therefore,

friends, the environment changed after after words ninety that environment changed. Did

Paul stop experiensive persecution? No? The thing remains. What happened was this

is that breaks to happen internally. First, you need to allow God to

have to bring it a place where my break will happen internally. First,

a mind setnit to change. Your heart needs to change a lot of times

people expect maybe a new prime minister can change a nation can't. Our heart

needs to change first, then the nation will change. Our heart needs to

change first, Friends, a priactinity that happened internally, then external will happen.

But if internally doesn't happen, the excident will never change because the excellent

is beyond your control. It's not painting your house. You don't like the

pain, you can just paint it anytime you want. But this is the

rest of the world right. So therefore the word celebrates strength, physical strength,

and pause, reminding us again that he takes pleasure and infirmity in reproaches,

it needs in persecution, in distress for Christ's sake. For when I'm

weak, therefore I'm strong. The second Courritans travels. Then as I close,

I just want to say this. My grace is made perfect. My

grace is official, feel and my powers may perfect your weakness happens when we

live according to what God wants us to live. I've seen many Christians call

the Scripture my grace is sufficient, choosing to leave their own life the own

way. They make the Scripture to adapt to the lifestyle itself, lifestyle adapt

to the Scripture policies. In second condients towards twelve standard, I take pleasure

in infirmities, reproaches, need persecution, distress for Christ's sake. In other

words, where when you choose to do things in God's way, you will

have challenges on other people. Can you cannot? Other people? Can you

cannot? Other people? Can you cannot? I was sitting with one person

and say no, the church is always well can care over and you just

tell the church members you need money, they'll give one. I say,

not true. I say that we don't have network like you, this person

of mouth. I say, if you have a network like you, but

if you come to our church and actually you give, maybe I will reach

the target. Listen, you have to be bolder friends. You know I

can be bold or not because I know the money doesn't come from me.

It comes from the Lord. When you when you understand these are friends,

you even even even if the sotal realistics in front of you are, you

don't have to be afraid. Really, just because someone got most zeros in

the bank count doesn't mean a sting on friends. Because ultimately a live so

I said up in front of me, I say, not true, said

money comes from Lord. I say, Lord doesn't want to us to have

it. No money will float. Not every project we ask people know it

is a lot that move hearts. If you don't get me the program of

the Lord, then it will never come to pass. I say, we

are not afraid. I say even either, even either we have to give

up a space because we cannot afford it. It's going to be all right.

As a church, we have been through ups, ups and down our

journey, our journey of faith, our journey of faith. We see how

the love provided for us. We see how the lot come true for us.

We see how the lot start churches around. We have seen how the

hand of Love moves. And we have this confident friends that if you follow

God's way, his pattern for you, that's why his grace is sufficient for

you. Many times it's the other way around. God, look at my

plans. Please give me your grace for my plans. No for christ sakes,

Pol says, as I close with this is why I find the scripture

is going to be this except one was eight. One will say you and

I know this scripture, but you should wait in Jusalem for power. The

Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit was given to the disciples, or to the to

the believers because one very reason to be my witnesses, to be my if

you do my program, if you do my way, I'm going to give

you the Holy Spirit for you to the Word is carry out His promise here

on earth. As I close right now, I just want to encourage Exampound

really spoke two weeks ago about having a future. The hope in Christ very

important for us to have that today. I just want to encourage you all

by saying that my grace is sufficient for you. Because we can be overwhelmed

work, work and ministry, work, ministry and wife, work, ministryr

husband, family, everything relative. Just throw everything in the same popular threads

comes up, Rojack right, tavy, it's heart, it's weighty, it's

not nice. By in the midst of everything, we can still smile.

Really, we can still smile, you know, Church, we can still

swim because His grace is sufficient for you. Really, his grace is sufficient

for you. That's the word I got for when I came uh preparing for

example, my grace is sufficient for you because in our journey of life,

it's so true. This is what we need to hold onto. My power

is made perfect in your weakness. That things you cannot control. Our friends,

it's like a weakness to you. You wish to get country or weakness

you can't. We can somethings. Really, it takes a journey, It

takes it takes some time, by the midst of sometimes to overcome the weakness.

I gotta said, My powers make perfect in your remain in the Lord.

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

church, please visit axchurch dot org. We are also active on Facebook and

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a hit for you. God bless