The Persecuted Church | Pastor Matthew Chang

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

We hope this message will light up your day. So

the Church of Smyrna. Now Smyrna is the Greek word

for mirth. How many of you know what's a mirth?

How many of you actually have mirth in your house?

Okay?

Mirth is a sap. If you're okay, a sap, you

can go to the next light. It's a sap that was.

They are obtained from a tree. Okay, you know when

you can't. It's like you get rubber SAPs from the

rubber trees and you can't, and you obtain it, and

then they actually harden it, and then they actually sell

it for different places. And it's a very unique kind

of substance. You can't smell it unless you crush it. Okay,

you can't smell it unless you crush it. It's very expensive.

It's in terms of weight, Okay, it's more expensive than goal,

so the same amount of weight. It's actually more expensive

than gold. And the reason why it's so expensive is

because it can only be found in two places. It

can only be found in Somalia and Yemen.

Okay.

It's very hard because of the unique tree they actually have.

So it's very expensive and it was.

Used for sometimes for incense, but most of the time

it's used for burial.

Of course, it has in parts of a very unique

kind of fragrance and preservation properties as well. And so

a lot of times when you know, when you see

mirth inside the Bible, and you will see two times.

First time, when Jesus was born, you know, they gave

him frankincense and mirth. Okay, so, and then also in

Jesus when he died, he was what they call it buried,

and he was wrapped Joseph of eremeers with mirth as well.

Okay, So it's embounding property. Okay.

Now, Smyrna, it's quite interesting because it's very expensive to

get and you can only be crushed, only can get

only get the smell when you crush, And you talk

about persecution.

Isn't it like that?

Isn't it sometimes to get the fragrance, you need to

be crushing or you know, God allows certain things to.

To to happen.

But the city itself is actually a very important city.

Now a lot of the history of the city will

play a role, a big role in interpreting this scripture.

Okay.

Now, Smarna is unlike a lot of different cities, because

a lot of the different cities they already have.

A long history.

Smarana is considered quite a young city. And I say

a young city means that a lot of the is

a city that that was planned, that was built with purpose.

Uh.

And so because of that, they don't have the history

of pagan worship or this, you know, like some places

like Ephesus is with Diana in all certain places, Athens

with Athena, in certain places with like Zeus. So their

pagan worship it's there, but they are not tied so

much with that. But instead they were planned, okay, to

be built. They were planned by the government, especially by

the Rome, to build very rich, a lot of trading,

a lot of a lot of commerce, and libraries and

so on and so forth. And people were generally quite rich.

And it's funnier it's a rich city. But yet the

Christians were very poor, Okay.

And it was planned.

When I say it's planner, it means that the main

religion when they planned it. Okay, the influence came not

from religion, but came from the government. When I say government.

At that time, the Romans instituted, okay, wanted to institute

what we call the imperialist cult. Okay, how me you

heard this before, the imperialist cult. Here you can go

and we keep ita. Okay, you can learn about it.

It's called the imperialist cult. Basically the beginning of the

worship of emperors. They started viewing emperors as gods and

have deity attributes as well, so to worship. Okay, some

of the places they have, but they were not above

the pagan worship on top of the Greek and Roman gods.

They were just optional liner optional. But the new cities,

imagine like that, were planned, right, they could institute there

and put it as one or formed as part of

the new city as well. So Smyrna happens to be

one of the new plan cities, okay, And so the

imperialist count was not just introduced, was enforced in that place.

Okay.

So you'll be wondering, like, hey, but at the same time,

a lot of churches also, you know, they got.

Christians and God grace they go in place.

But why is Smyrna the only one that experienced the

most persecution compared to all of that, and it has

to do with the.

History of the city.

They were the first. But eventually, okay, this imperialist car

will become more and more common and the scapegoading of

Christians become even more prevalent. Eventually the persecution spread away,

even from Smyrna, all the way to other parts of

Europe and to other cities as well. Okay, So Smyrna

was known for that. Okay, they started, uh, they not

just started, but they imposed the imperialist cow at that place.

Everybody Okay known so far? Is it boring you? I'm sorry? Okay,

let me see my slides. Okay, Now, so what were

the challenges for the Christians? Let's go through some of

the challenges. So first of all, they were poor. Okay,

Jesus says that in verse nine, I know your works,

your tribulation and poverty, but you are rich. Now, like

I said before, Smyrna is actually a rich city. But yeah,

the Christians were very poor.

And why were they poor? Okay?

And we're gonna study a bit of here, and then

after that, towards the end, I will start to link

a lot of things to our current life as well.

They were marginalized because mainly they didn't participate in the

uh imperialist count in the in the in the in

the worship. So every year, once a year, so everyone

will be gathered before the magistrate or sometimes in other

places is before the marketplaces.

Before you enter in. There are many requirements.

So for one of the first requirements for you to

be considered a citizen and stuff like that, to be lawyer. Uh,

you know all these different things there will require in

they will require you to come before the magistrate. And

then before the magistrate there will be like an altar

and another two authors. One altar saying mia, there is

the burning altar with fire and on the senset there

will be another altar where would they be grounded incense.

So you come before you guys a magistrate okay, everybody

will observe remore remssages. You have to take a pinch

of the incense. It's in powder form and you need

to drop it sh okay before everybody. And then as

you do it, you have to say what exact what

you have to say, Uh, Caesar curios that means Caesar

is louren Okay, drop a pinch like that. You can

this is all quite quite quite cold, well known historical

things on it's known, but in Simrna it was before

the magistrates. Other places, you need to do that before

you enter into certain temples, into certain marketplaces as well.

And because and the other thing is that a lot

all in places like Mana, all the people will required

to do it, okay, except one group of people who

were exempted. Do you know that one girl people were exempted.

The special growth people they were exempted were the Jews.

The Jews had a special exemption. It's like a text exemption.

You know.

All people needed to do that. It's man in other places.

Some places they don't enforce a stronger but generally you're required.

But the Jews were exempted everywhere in Mani, in every place.

And the reason they were exempted from all these religious

sacrifices and worship, okay, it's because they when Israel was conquered, right,

they had a special arrangement with Caesar as well, and

the arrangement was that so basically, the Jews say that

we are monotheistic, we only worshiped one God, we don't

worship many gods, and because of that, we can't do that.

It cannot be we believe in our God. And then

also Caesar is also Lord. So the agreement is that, okay,

we were exempt you as long you don't cause rebellion uprising,

and you pay your taxes from the temple. Okay, so

Temple Texas we get to collect. So that was the agreement.

Okay. So the Jews were happy with that.

So everybody will look at the Jews like not happy

that also that I know the rest of the people

say how can they get exempted?

But the Jews will feel very privileged.

You know, you know, we get exemptions even though we're conquered.

So they have this very parasitic and very unhealthy, unholy

alliance between the Jewish and the Roman uh what do

they call it? What they call the government as well? Okay,

And so we must understand because of that, when the

Christians came into the picture, they disrupted not one party,

they disrupted two parties.

And that's what I'm saying.

First of all, they disrupted the Romans, okay, because everybody

was supposed to do it. You don't want to do it, okay,

are you saying? She says, it's not Lord? All the

rest of the religions are doing but you don't do it.

So offended the Romans, the second Girld people. They offended

and caused a lot of trouble world Jews because we

already have a proper arrangement with them, but you are

not exactly jew And if they look at us, and

they look at you, and they're Jewish, but you don't

believe in the same thing we killed Jesus. You believe

in the reason Christian, in the reason Christ Are we

the same? Are we all going to be turned to

be like you? You get what I'm saying, As it becomes

the Christians were caught in the middle, and really in

the middle between the Romans and the Jews. And so

the Jews look at them, and we are very upset.

You are gonna make us lose our exemption, our privileges,

and the Christians became a threat to both the Jews

and the Romans as well. A lot of politics, are

you know, say what I'm saying very unique, you know,

And you must understand this is a very powerful exemption,

you know, because for the Jews, I get exempted from

all these things, from all these but yet I get

to do business, I get to buy, I get to

set up shipping routes, I get to have property and

all these things as well. But the Christians were neither Romans,

were neither Jews. They got caught in the middle and

because of that, they couldn't enter into many places. Okay,

they couldn't mentor to buy things. You know, they were

dependent on the on the mercy of some friends or

Christians who were in hiding to help them, so they

couldn't do a lot of things. And not only that

they were poor because they were. The second thing is

that they were constantly under suspicion okay, slendered and betrayed

as well. Okay, there was constantly slendered and betrayed.

Okay.

And one then they because the Jews didn't want to

identify with the Christians, they're saying that they were a cult.

And so they started having a lot of weird stories

coming out about the Christians. They were even sort of morbid,

even for the Romans.

And one of.

The accusations was that Christians were cannibals. And the reason

why canniebird came out is because they heard that we

were doing communion, that you know, we drink the blood

of Jesus, we partake of the body of Christ. And

you must understand when they did it, they couldn't do

in public because a lot of times they do it

in very very dark and secret places because they didn't

want to be known. And so that adds to the mystery,

the slender, the rumor and all these things as well.

The second thing they were being accused of there was

the worship Satan and Beelzeberg Okay, Satan worshippers and be

about they accused the Christians because they were saying that

all the powers of speaking in tongues, of prophesying and

everything came from Beelsburg.

Okay. And this is not the first time it happened. Now,

remember who was was accused of that, Jesus Okay.

So they were having a lot of accusations against them.

And the third thing that they had now, okay, so

you can so one. You know, if you're a Christian,

you can't turn to It's like you're Christian Malaysia, but

you can't turn to You can turn to your Malaysians,

but you're in your foreign country. You can't turn to

the government as well. So you're a person who have

not you said you go. You're starting in the country

with no embassy, you know, and the government is after you.

Where do you go?

Right? Right, nontally, if you're starting in Australia, you don't

have lost your passport, you can you can go to

the embassy. Right this embassy is like gon gonna turn

you over women. Your own people are going to turn

you over women. So they will really start in the middle.

At the same time, the Romans also didn't like the

Jews are the Christians because because if you because you

didn't worship and do all these religious so one of

the things they do, they're sacrificed to the Emperor and

to all the different gods. Right, were to obtain favor, okay,

favor from the gods, favor in terms of harvests, in

terms of calamities of birth and everything. So in any

months or any years when they have a poor harvest, anything,

there's a drought, there's a flood, there's a calamity, who

they will being Christians. So Christians became the problem of

every single thing.

That they brought over as well.

So okay, so a lot of it is steep in

religious belief and also what they call it, what they

call it bondage of the belief as well, so Christians

became the scape God. Now, so the Christians were struggling

so much, uh that when they got outside, they you know,

it said, for example, if I were to or so hungry,

you know, it's so poor, you know, And and I

can't trust anyone. Can't trust Malaysians, I can't trust Chinese.

I can't trust anyone any rais anyone at all. And

I'm walking, I'm hungry, and I and I also want

to share the gospel. And I walk along BJ you know,

you know, say, Ja, I one here and I saw Elvin,

look familiar. You look for familiar.

Then I walk beside me. And if that passed away

and come up for a wi, this is good. Okay?

So how do I communicate? How do I establish.

Trust with you that I can trust you, that you're

gonna not gonna report on me, that you're not gonna

betray me. Maybe you're not a Roman spy, you're not

a Jewish spy. You know, how do I know that

you are of the same faith?

Okay?

So what they will do. They will go to the marketplace.

You don't look at me, You cannotok at me, you

look at me. Everybody will suspect very day. So I

will go around and I walk in front of you,

and then there's sand on the ground and I will

draw with my feet and arc. Okay, then I walk away.

Then after that you step in front and you draw

an ark as well to complete the arc.

And you will find this art on the next light there.

So this ah is actually a Greek saying called eat this.

Everybody tell you na say this ick this okay, means

Jesus Christ, god Son and Savior.

So that symbolism. People will say it's fish. Yeah, I

can say, but.

This is how So I would draw the first acc

and if he is a believer as well, and his

of good faith, he would draw the other archists were

to complete it, okay, and from there I will know

that this encryption has been solved. I can trust you.

And then you always say say yeah, we're a partner.

So by the way, you got food or thank you

so much fast having thank you so much. So there

is the origin of how this symbol came along as

well came through persecution.

Everybody look at this year fisher man, fisher man. Yeah

you can look at it, it's a fish.

But actually this was how the Christians and during the

persecution they communicated. You understand why, No, they don't have

they don't have WhatsApp, telegram, you know text, you know encryption? No, no, no,

that was how they're actually communicated. Okay, tell us how

much fear they had living in in persecution. And the

persecution went not even higher until one of the main

bishops of that place, his name was Polycarp p o

l Y.

You can see the next line.

Eventually, because of the he refused to worship. He was

eventually burned alive. It was an old man burned alive. Okay, martyred. Uh,

And the Christian persecution continued, came from Smyrna into other places.

When you read the scripture now right, they say that,

oh you know that the persecution would last for ten days.

You must understand days, okay, not always, not consistently. Days

can mean very many different terms. You must understand English.

In our English, it's very limited in interpreting the richness

of the days.

Okay.

So the day, some people will say, I don't know, okay,

I can't say for certain. To the sundand day people

will say, oh, is it times by ten years?

You know? One way?

No, but a lot most people will believe, and I

think that it's most it refers to the reign the

periods of ten kings of the ten Caesars, which is

quite accurate. To are ten Caesars from the first what

do you call it? Emperor at that time all the

way ten. And you must understand that the time the

emperors are delve very short one now some of them

three years, two years, one year or so already. So

ten years can be like twenty years, thirty years, okay,

very short one so ten years ago. So but in

this time we know that the persecution went on for

a long time. Some people will even say that the

seven churches represent the seven periods of the Church as well.

So okay, so the seven periods and then what they

went through at that time, the church's manner was a

persecution age of the Christians before Emperor Constantine came in

and make Christianity the main religion, the non declared as

a religion for Roman as well. Okay, so about two

hundred and fifty years. How many have you ready for

persecution for two hundred and fifty years. It's quite amazing,

But yet God delivered his words. It doesn't make sense

to be ten days, isn't it? Because when when John

wrote this he was in the anant part most now,

but this red letter arrived at the finish.

Radio, so it doesn't make sense. Okay, So the ten days.

That's why when you read interpret things, you had to

have a bit of what they call it. You had

to give a bill of a room that it may

be a bit more than that as well. Okay everybody, okay,

so far so now I'm gonna switch a bill of gear.

Okay, So how do we apply how do we see

this world?

How does the Church of s Man affect us as

a church as Christians in this world as well? So

when you wrap it the whole art, the persecution comes

about because of what we call the anti christ agenda. Okay,

can't your neighbors say the anti christ agenda?

Okay? The anti christ agenda? Okay?

The word is the anti means whatever that Christ stands for.

The devil wants to undo and always want to deflect

from Christ, from Christ, from the Father, from the Holy Spirit,

unto himself. Many ways he can do it either he

a lot of times, he twists, he blessphemes, or he

reflects as well. Okay, Now, so when you look in

this world, first of all, I want to let you

know that as much as we are enjoying a lot

of religious freedom that we have right now, there will

come a day when Christians will be the one that

deemed what do you call it, unnerving and hated and

all these things as well. So let me just share

a scripture John from John fifteen, verse eighteen to verse nineteen.

Jesus says it very well, Okay, if the world hates you,

you know that it hated me before it hated you. Okay,

so the word is hate. The world will hate you

because the world hates Christ. Not just not compatible. You

must understand, the world hates Christ.

Abhor and pushes away.

So you cannot downplay this relationship, this animosity that the

world has with Christ.

Hates Okay, they hated you.

Because they hate Christ with fervent favor, you know, with

fever you know. Okay, they hate they hate Christ whatever

that he stands for. Okay, Yet becase costs you out

not of this world, but I chose you out of

the world.

Therefore the world hates you.

And now the attention because the first target and the

fire of the hatred of the world and Satan word

now towards Christ. Right, But as their eyes are focused

on Christ, Jesus looks to you, and Christ chose you

to be its ambassadors, sending you out as ships among wolves.

And so because of that, the world's eyes turns to you, okay,

And so because of that we're gonna get If you

are close to Jesus, and if you are really chosen

by Jesus, if you are really safe, washed and cleans

and redeemed and accordance to the work of Christ, the

world will hate you. How many of you like that status? Yeah,

you know, instead of price, but are how many of

you've got likes? Are You've got many hates? When?

Okay? Isn't there the world is always the finish? Isn't

there the words? How many likes you? God? Isn't there here?

How many hates one? How many one hates? Okay?

So the how the Christians towards the end days will

be similar to how the Christians in Smanna will be perceived.

And towards the end I put a slight Christians.

Will be hated.

The people will be suspicious of us, everything that we

say we do. They will think that we are very exclusive.

How dare you say Jesus is the only way?

How dare you say that so insulting? So exclusive?

Don't you think? Don't you know that I'm not? I

think me and not as a non Christian, as an atheist,

had done more great works than you as a Christian,

And you think that your religion puts you better than us.

They will say many things, How there you judge other people?

They have love, you have loved. I think they have

more love than you.

Okay, they wire, they will. They will say that you

are judging. Didn't say that you shouldn't judge another person,

and yet you are always judging us?

But what does judging mean?

I'm not going to unpack all of it along the

years a long, the times and years, okay, none of

the teachings. If I can, I will slowly, you know, Okay.

They will say that you are corrupt. Look at all

the leaders and preachers and not all have fallen as well?

What makes us? What makes you unique? That we should

trust you and give you a chance. But yet they

don't look at your own corruption. They will say you're

unloving because you don't accept all other forms of love.

You are unaccepting because you know, if people come through

the back of your house, you deem them as illegals.

You deem them as you know, robbers and thieves. Aren't

you supposed to open up your house and accept everyone

in your life? Why are you so unaccepting? And you

are a curse? All the problems of the world, COVID earthquakes, floods,

financial crisis, it's because of Christians, the same way that

the Smyrnach officials and the whole entire will blame the Christians.

Eventually we will head into that as well. Sata, this

I tell you a persecution will come like that one,

not because a random bad people heard you are they

will actually hate you.

Okay, I think.

In John chapter sixteen, verse one to four, let's read

the scripture there. John chapter sixteen, verse one to all.

It says, these things I have spoken to you that

you should not be made to stumble. They will put

you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time is coming

that Releasa, whoever kills you will think that he offers

God service. And these things they will do to you

because they have not known the Father nor me. But

these things I have told you that when the time comes,

you may remember that I told you of them. I

tell you they will persecute you. They will do all

these things because they firmly believe with all their heart

and with all their soul they are doing the right thing.

Serious.

They will feel their hatred, all their anger, all the

things they will say accused and allow things, bad things

to happen to you because it is God's righteous wrath.

They would think you deserve it. They will say Christians

deserve it, You deserve it. And they will say this

comes directly from God. But Jesus says, they will do

this because they do not know the Father. They think

they know, but they do not know me. They do

not know the Father. They do not know me. That's

why they are doing these things. You see, even unbelievers

want to be righteous before God unders time. What I'm

saying now, what the world truly hungers and thirds more

more than food, more than money, more than anything else?

Is what right sciousness for us as crimes as believers?

With us for righteousness? Okay, it's the be attitudes. But

we get our righteousness from what from the cross. So

I'm not good, I know, even if I'm safe, all

the good I do I can I cannot save myself

to the end of my days. Only the Cross I

will hold on to. But those without Crist who there

they will they will do whatever it is. They will

justify all they want to do. I gave, and I serve,

and I do this and know that as well. But

you understand that Christians do this, not be case save

you know we do this. And because God first saved us,

and they are doing this trying to earn it all.

Why because they are longing for righteousness. The day will

come if I close my even if I do believe

them that in case there is a God, I can say, hey,

at least I mean well, at least I did this.

Everybody wants to be righteous, okay, everybody wants to be righteous? Okay,

So how do we get there? How are we gonna

get How do we see some of these what they

call it persecutions coming closer and squeezing into our faith

as well? I'm gonna I'm gonna don't go don't show

the slight say I'm gonna propose one or two things

that as you observe right, you will see the anti

christ agenda happening to the now in the world. Why

is it anti? Why is it a reversal? And how

we must respond very clearly and very firmly. It's not

the time that we have to be half hearted. How

many of you know about the issue of abortion. Don't

show the slight heayer, I mean, if you're not about

the abortion for us Christians, it's very clear, isn't it. Oh,

I think it is lat at least we are the

more conservative, so called conservative people. You know, we don't

believe in abortion, whatever term they may be, unless and

unless and unless you know, it comes to I don't

understand the situations, and I don't know what's to call

okay by where where you know your mother's life is

put wesk and stuff like that. Even me and my wife,

we had been cases where we've seen that. Like doctors

will tell us there was one time and say, hey,

at this age, your child may be more high prone

to a certain kind of thing. And then doctor actually

asks us, ear if I didn't say it, but he

implied it, if you want to change, have a second plan.

We also provide the same services as well. Yeah, they

will tell us these other things. So it's okay to abord. Okay,

So abortion is not something very far off. It's as

near as your neighborhood, very near. People are practicing, hospitals

are practicing it, and they will say that, oh, it's

only for emergency. I tell you the emergency cases are

zero and zerius one percent. Most of the cases people

have to abort because it's not according to their plan.

And whether it's our wetlock, our cell marriage, maybe you

didn't do family family planning properly because it was not

according to your plan, true or not. That's why I

want to book, because having a child is a huge burden.

It's a huge responsibility to raise someone art and to

raise someone ut you pause your life, you know, you

suspend your life, my dreams, my hopes, my plans, my

comfort and everything for someone else. Okay, so what is

that is the agenda of the world. What is the

opposite of abortion in Christianity? You mean there's an opposite

of abortion?

Abortion? I tell you.

Abortion is the direct antithesis, an opposite of communion.

Communion. Let's look at this chart thinking about it. In abortion, what.

Do we hear people say, it's my body, I decide

for myself, for you decide for someone who's not even born.

What does Christ say, my body given to you totally opposite?

You notice or not?

My body pierced and broken for you. You decide whether

you want to accept ownership by my body is mine

and I have the right to control it. Christ gave

up his body selflessly for others, even for sinners like us,

those undeserving.

You can have it use of body, okay, uh?

Sorry, avoid burden of inconvenience by terminating the unborn. But Christ,

what does he do instead of avoiding the burden?

He takes on the burden okay, and suffering for humanity?

True or not? We see the un as a burden.

Christ looks at us, I will take your But you

didn't plan on that life and sacrifice?

Okay? Uh? Your abortion?

What is in your mind when you want to abort

and or board? What drove you into the invento that place?

Because it's your autonomy, your life, your plans, your hopes,

your dreams over the life of the unborn.

Have you ever thought about the umble Christ? What do

you do?

Sacrifice his life thirty three years over, give up radia

credit a more ministry?

Are so there? Why we who were not even born

can have a future?

Complete opposite you know you know this or not completely opposite?

What is the world saying? You see, without without the scripture,

if you just look at abortion, it looks like very empowering,

you know, that's what they're saying there, empowering women. You

see how deceptive is the lie of the enemy.

How deceptive you never know?

When I saw this, right, I heard this quite a

while ago, and I was like, I was thinking about

it was like and I think I was like, wow,

the more I realized it is, and it's more evil,

so evil because it's not evil when you just look

at it on them, but when you put Christ at

the sider, it is completely opposite.

Do you notice that completely? That's what we call the

entie Christ anti Christ agenda. So you want to solve abortion?

What is the what is the what is what is

the remedy to solve abortion? I mean you can go

and tell them, a, you are simple, you're killing alive.

You know that's what we're doing, and you become activist?

Is that not what you do? It's very hard one

because people don't know Christ.

The root, the cruel method, the true way to solve

abortion at the at its core, it is not to

treat the fever. It's to treat the cause and not

the root problem. The root problem is that they need

to experience Christ. Why would you give your life for

someone if you'll never experience someone giving their life for you,

Life becomes more meaningful and powerful, so precious when you

learn to see through God's eye. We try to solve

abortion through the Fleshmen argue and platform. People get even

more furious. You are denying my right. The true way

to solve abortion, Jesus gave up is right. I've loved,

I receive, then I can give. How can you ask

someone to give when they have not received? You?

See who my man? No?

That is why if you fight abortion on this way

is a losing battle. People will always follow their way around.

It is when we come to before Christ we have

an encounter that God, everything you need is opposite how

I have.

Now.

I'm found in you. Before I was born, You died

for me. You gave for me so that.

I have a second chance. I can choose.

But we deny that for the for those, but they

will never be we don't have. We deny them from

this painful world so called God deny. They did not

deny you from this painful world.

But he gave you Christ.

I'm saying, you know how many of you are shocked

to see this. It's evil, isn't it. That's why anything

that you look into life, whether it's the world, whether

it's Israel, whether it's Black Lives Matter, ll this, any

agenda bring up by the local municipal bj Malaysia or whatever,

it is always looking in comparison.

To the scripture.

Always always in comparison to scripture. They don't have the solution, crisis,

the solution. And I said, second one, let's look at

another problem that is prosecuting upcoming up as well. They

don't turn the slights again.

You know, you know.

What is war agenda, work, agenda, work, agenda plus LGBTQ.

You know what you see what is happening in the

world is that it's like you know, see, the Christians

were caught in between the Romans and the Jews. The

own people was betrayed them and they were surrounded the Romans,

the Jews, and all the other Greeks, all the other

pagan worship but all closing in on one people, the Christians. Okay,

because the Christians were completely incompatible with every part of

the world. It's like you go to a shopping and

you couldn't find anything that fits you, incompatible in every.

Form a facet.

Okay, but then the world, but then the world because

they hate the crimes. In the days of joshua Is,

all the kings gathered together to form unholy alliances. The

other day we saw LGBTQ partnering with people with the Palestini.

Do you know what they believe in?

The Sharia law and the Sharia Lord does not tolerate

LGBTQ stuff. I know, it's not that one saying chickens

for KFC. You know, there's that chickens are supporting KFC.

Yeah, yeah, we believe in KFC.

Yeah, but you don't understand what you're supporting. The KFC

actually cook and fried chickens, you know, but the chickens.

Are supporting Yeah, I'm not. This is not my statement now,

this is an official statement from Benjamin natania Hua. People

are forming unholy alliances because their beliefs are so parasitic

and so cancerous. They will latch onto anything. But they

don't know that they are killing themselves as well. Parasitic

and unholy alliances forming in the world.

Juice with Romans, Romans with Greeks, and everything against Christianity.

In this world, you will see so many groups of

people that will have formed and holy alliances that will

come against you. The world, all the different communities, identify,

all the activities, the schools. I tell you, they will

come and form and only lenses. In the last days.

You will see yourself outnumbered, truly, truly, you will see

yourself outnumbered. You will find yourself incompatible in any form, okay,

And one of the ways they will make you and

one and how when you look at warkners right, what

did they or they're mostly call talking about? Oh, you know,

I get to choose my identity. You know, you know

I'm non binary. They them call me, we call me,

I call me. And then the ideadea I saw something

very interesting. A mother k has a son who identifies

as a cat. And the mother and this is what

the worlds are. The mother being extremely loving, understanding, want

to respect and believe that that's the right of my son,

honest and confuses a self and brain watches herself thinking

that the sun is really a cat. The sun became sick,

but because of her belief and shifting foundations, instead of

taking to a human doctor. She took the sun to

her that.

You're laughing. This is realer you can go and it's real.

How much there there are, how much people's righteousness are

and self righteousness are will walk their illogical minder and

you mean, you think it's sillier, but I call you

this woped thing is what we call a social cocaine.

You think it's silly, but it's also very addictive, very

addictive to young people and also older ones. You see

people why because you can be anything you want without

no consequences, No one has to judge you. It's so

powerful to feel you can be anyone and you can

correct anyone in your life for once in your life.

If you're never if you're feeling very a bit small

or no powerful one, taking a word agenda can give

you a strong high. You know, it's very addictive one

and all. That's why you may laugh at it, but

never underestimated, never underestimate this world agenda. Then these are

pushed by drug dealers, are by all these politicians are

push push push pushes because it will never come into

effect unless it's coming through the media and do the

laws and the schools and the places these are the

drug pushes. It's a social cocaine. It's very true one.

And it don't need any media mine, you don't net.

You just have to look at it and then you

have to believe it's very very powerful one. So identify

with whatever that I want. And because that is not

objective nor clear right and wrong, there is only a rainbow.

You choose whichever color you want, not right and wrong key,

So your experience will tell you what is right and wrong.

My experience, wo might differ. So we're all experiential beings.

So let's explore. There is a walk agender and because

of that our eyes will be open. Everybody's eyes will

all be open.

And you know what, you look at this, it looks

very powerful and all the mother actually took the child

to the vet enough literally you know what the vet.

The vet was fearful. You all told the mother said,

I'm sorry. My training and my cleaning we are not

We are only able to handle the anatomy of a

human being. But you are bringing your child because you

think your belief is greater and more important than anatomy.

You don't say what I'm saying.

Ah, And because of that You're not just putting your

child into problem.

You are undoing the fabric of society where we come

so far because of this cocaine you took in. Didn't

say what I'm saying. No, that's how drugs destroy people,

the nations, undoing the fabrary of society. You see, it

didn't it didn't come there, It didn't arrive to suddenly.

I believe you now because it's slowly. You believe that

our rights, our feelings, our we need to be comforted

and not offended. My son needs to be protected. And

everything is more important than truth. Give me right, more

important than truth. And because of that, when you put

the wrong foundation, when you can't do as what God

did in the very beginning, dividing light from darkness, sees

from the land, the moon and the sun to govern.

So that delay the foundations from therefore on, what all

the life can bring. When you can't divide things, there

is no foundation, No life can exist, no family can exist,

no countries can exist. We have lost the way, the

evil agenda or the enemy. You don't say what I'm saying,

you know you've lost it.

So what is the opposite of warkness?

Baptism isn't it? Was it the early already? Really, I

can't surprise you, guys.

I want to talk about it is baptism. What is baptism?

Is it because the water the water special? No?

What the baptism is. I identify with Christ, enter into

the water. Okay, I die with my flesh buried, and

I rise again.

I did not die. Christ died.

I wasn't buried. Christ was buried. More important, I did

not rise from the dead. Christ rose from the dead.

But as a believer, I identify with everything that He did,

and I live.

What is warkness?

I identify with what I decide. I identify with my

flesh and my will. I live according to my flesh

and my desires. Baptism says that I am sinful. My

flesh and my desires will lead me to the grave,

and I will never rise again. My bodies are gone,

and I take on the body of Christ, which is

perfect and given to me. I identify with him. No

longer I don't identify myself.

I identify with Christ.

Okay, my identity is fixed on the truth of Christ.

But when your work, my identity is fluid, based.

On my perception.

What I see, why I think what I experience and

my feelings. When you go through baptism, it doesn't matter

when you enter it, in out, doesn't matter how you

feel when you feel like it.

No matter how you feel like it, you are with Christ.

When you become a Malaysian, did you today woke up

say you're not Malaysian? You suddenly lost your IC Already

revolt already you don't have to pay texes. Suddenly you

are a stateless citizen. No like it or not like it,

you feel like it or not like it. Even sometimes

you break a bit of a law. Also, you're still Malaysian.

You know.

It doesn't change you now, doesn't mean when I walk up,

if you don't feel like ah, I see a beautiful lady.

I'm no longer my wife's husband. I don't wear a

wedding ring. The moment I get onto a plane, I

take off my wedding ring. Ready, you see if I

go on you see it starts with a small seat

and you start to stretch it. It will undo everything

that we build, your marriage, your family, your child, everything

all the way unto society.

Yeah, I'm saying, you know, it's.

Very, very very powerful. Next night, as I go door

to close. Ready in baptism, we say my scene is

the problem.

I need Christ.

That is why my body, my righteous and minds cannot

be used. I need to identify with Christ.

But whatness says? Society and religion are the problem? Did

you know this that they say we are the problem?

You are pointing out seeing.

You are bigoted, you are judging, You make us feel

better about ourselves.

You are offensive. Oh how could you? You made me

feel broken like a toy, broken that cannot be saved.

You know, but we as Christians, we only come to

Christ because we are broken. We are broken, you tell them,

I know the message will break you.

I'm also broken. That is why we need Christ. You know,

see what I'm saying?

Not does it make Do you see the parallel there?

Do you see the direct opposite? Or what it is?

The transformation baptism? Okay, I do baptism, not.

Too so that the water will transform me and suddenly

I come out and all longer hair or anything. You know,

it doesn't do anything. You know, it doesn't mean I

get married. On the wedding day, I become more in love.

You know, I really love my wife. I wanted to

enter into a future it is an outward expression of

an inward transformation.

Gave me right.

I really believe my baptist is just an outward expression.

But the worldness is an outward transformation.

You even change.

Some people change their physiology as well. What you project,

don't say me she or her. I'm num binary okay.

Some people say, don't call me anything, call me awesome, okay,

Hi awesome.

Okay.

And outward transformation based on the world, not why it's

truly inside. And last one, I repent on my always

and I follow Christ, leave behind and I follow Christ

as he writes, I rise now, I.

Follow after, I walk with him.

But in work, there's nothing is wrong with me. Instead,

we need to have gay pride.

We celebrate.

It's that's why it's a cocaine now, because it's so

freeing for one moment and so addictive to think there's

nothing wrong with you. To really think if you got

cancer for a while and suddenly find a doctor who

tells you actually got no problem. But how many if

you don't want to see the doctor, I say.

What, this doctor's so good? You know? To solve batter

that doctor?

I want you to want to charge me money on

me you know, so freeing to believe in life. So convenient,

isn't it. But this is what the world will be.

It's the anti Christ agenda being pushed. Let me close. Okay,

so how can you know? Yeah you know, so we say, yeah,

no one of the agenders. How can Jesus be the

only way? So exclusive, biggert offensive and disrespectful whenever time

I call this okay, you know why people use this question.

They say that, hey, Buddhism okam, Hinduism. Ok okay, I'm

not trying to start war. I want to let you

know that it's illogical to say that they all lead

to the same mountain. Doesn't mean that you touch an ear,

you touch a tailor, you touch your feet. They're all

the same animal or the same elephant. A lot of

people like their story a lot. If you go to

the airport that you think you just because there's an

airplane and they go to the same location, you are

fool you know what I'm saying.

That doesn't mean they have a wing, there's the turbine.

They go to the same place.

No, people, you are confused, don't believe in all this.

Like the truth is they all believe in earth what

we call the truth claim. They all started a religion,

have a one because they believe in their truth. We

have Christians have our truth. That's why Jesus.

I am the way.

There are many ways, is that I'm not one of

the only ways. The way, the truth and the life.

It's offensive, yes, it's exclusive, yes, but it will live

to life.

The way, the truth and the life.

It's not about many ways, you know, It's about which

one leads to life. All that matters are people. When

you diere doesn't matter all this not. The only thing

that matters to you is the whether there is life

after death. And as we close here, Christ says, you know,

and I mentioned to you earlier, I do really close ready, okay,

mae five minutes okay. Jesus says these things, says the

first and the Last who was dead and came to life.

Why did you say that? Why did he call.

Himself and presented himself to the church as the first

and the last? Because they can all say what they want.

At the end of the day, when prosecution is over,

Christ remains.

Christ remains.

That's why he said, you know, all this plane, sometimes

you will go through, some of us will go through

difficult times, we may notice what remains, the first and

the last, He will always remain. You may be poor,

you may be surrounded, you may be outnumbered, misunderstood. You

may have lost many things. They lost a lot of things,

but remain member. Be eternally minded so that you know

what remains. This is the only thing that matters. To

consider yourself, your life.

What remains, what will truly remain.

And when you have that perspective, everything will begin to

make sense. The persecution will seem a lot smaller because

you know what's waiting on the other side.

You know what I'm saying.

I'm saying what gets you through the other side is

knowing what remains. Okay, to have courage, to be faithful,

to overcome, and when you are eternally minded, you will

reach the other side with Christ to receive what He says.

Here the crowd of life untouched by second Death. We

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ahead for you. God bless