Faithful-ness | Pr Alvin Keng

You're listening to a message to go from ex Church. We hope this message

will light up your tea. I've got a few questions for us this morning

as we close the year. And by the way, thank you so much

for the honor leatin. Thank you again. I'm looking. I'm quite thankful

to be here because I know I've been sent everywhere, but I kind of

miss me Jaila, I miss you guys. So it's quite an honoring to

be here, to be able to close the service and not rush through another

chug. But you know, so I quite quite thank thank God for that.

I don't know what will happen next year. We'll see, you know,

maybe we have most beacause I had Alin did a very good job in

Bloom, so I'm trying to see we can put in her application to speak

more here, so you'll be blessed with whatever. I'm sure she got a

lot of stuff to share. Good to have raise up more speakers. So

a few questions for us as we close twenty twenty three. Okay, how

has your twenty twenty three been? Don't have to answer, just think about

it. How has your twenty twenty three been? You know, I asked

some questions myself as well. Next question is did you manage to do what

you needed to do? My son said no, okay, he didn't manage

to do what he needed to do. Uh? Did you manage to do

what you needed to do? Maybe I can go a bit deeper. Did

you manage to do what God asked you through? Do you may should do

what God asked you to do? Did God you do something this year?

Do you may should do it? Not yet? Maybe Heaven started U still

debating. We've got I don't know. Okay, everybody's on your own journey.

There's no judgment here. Okay, guys, were there anything which distracted

you from doing what God asked you through? Did something happen? Did someone

say something? Uh? Did something that no one had any control over happened?

And somehow you're quite in the middle. Did you get steered off course?

Maybe in the beginning of the year, you're like, oh, you

know, because if you're going to gold, think about that, right,

Like, you know, looking forward to twenty four, what is the thing

we're looking forward to do we get steered off court like halfway then suddenly,

you know, oh, sudden happened and then we got stayed off course and

this one. Were there any challenges or discouragements which affected you. One of

the things that I've been learning a little bit about uh, well people leaders,

about life itself, is that discouragements is a very powerful thing. Encouragement

is powerful. So is discouragement a person can uh and I observe from the

side, and I think, reflecting my own life, it might have happened

a few times, has almost happened a few times as well. We can

actually be discouraged so much so that we will steer off the destiny that God

has us, or we will make decisions because we don't want to, you

know, or because you want to. And it's a very powerful thing.

Actually, it can be something that can affect us in the long run,

not just today, not just tomorrow, but forever. One you will change

our destiny forever, change the cost of our trajectory forever. You know.

That's the power of discouragements. So, friends, as we move on to

twenty twenty four, let's take a bit of time to reflect a little bit

on twenty twenty three. Maybe it's also good to reflect on what we can

do better and what we can prepare. Preparation is very important. I was

just talking to a young person that day, and the young person just shared

me something about you know what happened and basically hang out a bit too late.

And it's actually a quite funny storyline, okay, because you know a

friend came over. It was very late really, and then the friend just

came from far and then decided to continue talking, you know, and talking

until then. And then the decim was Liken is off the tea and the

person they don't leave, and I look at it. I said, just

ask the brother leave flower it's so late, and encourage the young PERSI I

said, you know, I think I understand why you couldn't, and it's

not your fault because you're a very agreeable person. But do you know what

will help you? If you already have decided that pasture of midnight, no

strangers in my house. We're not stranger as as a friend, but nobody

beyond family in my house. If you have already decided that, then you

wouldn't have that problem because you have already decided, and then you're just enforcing

the decision. But if you have not decided, like in life, if

a lot of us here we have not decided on certain things in our life,

certain values that we want to hold. Then when every time you face

the decision it is a yes or no, it is a not sure.

But if you've already decided that this is what you're going to do, then

it's just a method of following true and then sometimes you will succeed or most

times you will succeed, and sometimes you might fail fail in following truth,

and it's okay. It's not about perfection, guys. So preparation. As

we go into twenty twenty four, can I give you a revelation? You

will have problems. The bank account is going to go to close to zero.

You might get COVID right, you might fall sick, you might get

in a car accident. I tell you this year is very exciting for me.

Ms Sole Hospital connec accident. And the most recent scare was that I

swallowed a shot of shell in my throat and it will start there over night.

Yeah, dramatic, and you all know the scary bit about that is

I'm want bloodiness. Don't cut me in now, I will bleed. I

know there's kids, but yeah, again, things will happen in your life.

Are you prepared? People are going to hurt you. Someone's gonna say

something that will offend you. Somebody you trust. It's going to hurt you.

Somebody you love. It's going to break your heart. They're gonna say

something wrong. Your spouse is going to irritate you. Are you prepared?

See? All these things will happen. God, am I speaking sense?

It will happen. So why are we surprised when it happens to us?

Maybe because we are not prepared, Maybe because we do things for granted.

So maybe it's good for us to think about how we can prepare our hearts

for what's going to happen in twenty twenty four. You know, how are

we going to weather the storm? How are we going to stay faithful?

And that's the title my message today. Let's stend to Matthew chapter twenty five,

and we're going to be reading the scriptures. It is basically the parable

of the talents. You guys, okay, you hope you guys are okay.

I'm just gonna read the whole thing, ah okay. For the Kingdom

of Heaven is like a man traveling to a far country who caught his own

servants and delivered his goods to them, and to one he gave five talents,

to another two, and to another one to each according to his own

ability, And immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received

the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

And likewise he who had received to gain two more. Also, But he

who had received one went and done in the ground, and hid his lord's

money a long time. The lord whose servants came and settled accounts with them.

So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents,

saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Look, I have

gained five more talents besides them. His lord said to him, well done,

good and faithful servant, you were faithful over a few things. I

will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

He also, he also who had received two talents, came and said,

Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Look, I have gained

two more talents besides them. His lord said to him, well done,

good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things. I

will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord.

Then he who had received the one talent, came and said, Lord,

I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not

sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid

and went and hit your talent in the ground. Look there you have what

is yours. He gave back to the Lord what is his, But it's

not answered, and said to him, you, wicked and lazy servant.

You knew that I read where I have not sown, and gathered where I

have not scattered seed. Basically, the Lord is being sarcastic. Okay,

this is what happened. So you ought to have deposited my money with the

bankers, and and my coming I will have received back my own interests.

Therefore, take the talent from him and gave it to him who has ten

talents. For to everyone who has more will be given, and he will

have abundance. But from him who does not have even what he has will

be taken away, and cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness that will

be weeping and mashing of things. Okay, so this is a parable,

and Jesus uses parable to explain the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven. Right,

and why did Jesus needed to do that. Let's bring let's read this

in context. It is an important scripture to understand how God works, how

his kingdom works, and what is important to him. That is why this

was shared. And of course Laton you'll also share. I think before that

it was the parable of the wise and foolish Virgin. So you know,

understanding Jesus trying to give us a concept of this is what is important to

God based on the scripture. My understanding is God celebrates faithfulness. God celebrates

faithfulness. He didn't celebrate success. He celebrated faithfulness. Why two times ready,

he said? In twenty one and twenty three he said. His Lord

said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful

over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter

into the joy of the Lord. Five talents okay, the two talents guy,

same thing. The one talent guy didn't do anything. And you know

the interesting thing about it, the Lord was not cruelal He even gave a

solution and say, hey, even if you put this none in the bang

and I earned interest. Now I'm thinking myself, actually, if he really

did that, I think the Lord will still say, my good and faithful

servant. The bye is so low, guys, the bye is so low.

But of course he didn't do anything. He hid it in the ground.

There was no interest, nothing happened. So he tells me this,

I think God didn't call us to be successful. Well, of course you

can equate success with the five talents, and no, no, I I

let me clarify that a little bit. I think God didn't ask us to

be successful in the eyes the way men looks at for example, in men's

eyes, not Kingdom of God, men's eyes. We will celebrate the five

talent guy. We will celebrate the five talent guy. We will lift him

up. We will say he's the best person ever because he had five talents.

The two talent guy probably won't get celebrated. If you compare, correct,

that's how we compare men. We will compare. And it's very natural,

almost automatic. When we look at a person, we were immediately leads

down certain things, how the person dressed. Automatic. It is just the

way we work. Right And in the Bible you read time time and time

again. When King David was being chosen, he was forgotten. He was

tending to ship doing his job, and the Father brought all the all the

what most eligible candidates to be king. And then God said, none of

these guys. And then he's like anyone else, the guy in the field.

God wants that men sees the outside, God sees the heart. Right,

we are very clear that, okay. So he tells me God,

at the end of the day, he will celebrate all of us for being

faithful. Amen. Don't you think that it's quite releasing? He tells me

that you don't have to be a millionaire to go to heaven. This sounds

very funny, right can using these examples, if God called you to be

a millionaire, please go ahead. Not against that. But that doesn't define

that doesn't define your identity in God. You'll catch that. Not so you

have the pressure away. It's not what car you drive, it's not how

you have, it's not how big your church is. It is just being

faithful. It is just being faithful. That's what God calls to do.

Don't till never and ask them are you faithful? Friends? As we move

into twenty twenty four, don't measure your success upon others. As you reflect

on your life, don't compare, measure it towards what God has entrusted you.

You know, in the Bible constantly, even in the Disciples, the

Sons of Thunder, you know, the mother Mother come to Jesus and say,

can you let one son sit here? One son? The mother actually

came now to talk to Jesus. So since those days are Jesus said to

do with Chinese Mother city, I'm just your king. Noah, okay,

last time in school, I remember my year, my hate prefect, and

we heard this. After we heard this, are we lost all respect for

him? My hate prefects. Mom came and talked to the Guru discipline to

ask him to become hate prefect. Yeah, it was so bad. You

know, I'm like, hey, what's this man? Mothers you have a

lot of power. Please remember that, even as can said, the prayer

of Mother is very powerful. But Jesus said, you know what, I

have no authority who set my left and who said my right that belongs to

God? By your sons will do whatever they need to do. Peter himself,

the hate hauncho of all the Disciples, the quote unquote leader of the

Disciples. Okay, we he's note okay, but him as because Bible says,

on this row will be my church. He came in and said,

pointed to the Jesus beloved even in the Bible. They got in fighting.

He let he, how is he? What's he going to do? Our

Lord Jesus say, nothing to do with you, None of your business.

How he served me is him? You serve me? Your catch, Diana.

So why do we compare? Let me tell you why. Because we're

human. So my reminder is, don't compare. It is not about how

much you do. It's just about being faithful. Being faithful. Amen,

do you know that each person is different and we are all running our own

race. Everyone here, we're running our own race. You know, it's

very unfair to compare. That's something I've learned, Thank God, I've learned

in the past. You know. But with the way our life are,

with the way we look at social media, we always have this yearning emotion

that we have when we look at other people. It is very natural,

so much sure that recently I told myself I'm just gonna go less on social

media because I don't want it to affect me. Because the Bible teaches me

to be contented. The Bible teaches me to be thankful, and the Bible

teaches me to be faithful, so I shouldn't compare. You know, don't

compare. You're running your own race? Amen, But what is God asking

you to do? Is he asking you to do more next year? Is

he asking you to do something specific next year? Whatever God is asking you

to do, please be faithful. Has He given you one talent? Please?

You got no time or so put it in the bank. Has He

given you five? Then, be faithful with the five? Has He given

you to same thing? Be faithful with the two? Right, So don't

compare, and don't covert someone else's life. Do you know when you're on

social media and I've shared this before, it is the spirit of conveteousness.

I'm warning your why I've also fought pray to that, young people, it

is very apparent coverting something. So please don't cover someone else's life or wife.

Yo, didn't get the joke. It's okay, then, commandments.

Don't covert your neighbor's wife. It is there, okay, wife or life?

Don't cover run your race? What is God asking you to do?

What is God asking you to be faithful with friends? Be faithful in that.

Let me give us five steps. I got five steps as I'm thinking

about it, you know, five steps, five steps to stay the course?

Can okay? Hopefully all cash this. I normally don't do five steps,

two step three, step one because I don't know that lack. But

as I'm doing this, I'm like, okay, now maybe this will help

people remember, right, So I give you five steps, five steps to

stay the court as we prepare for twenty twenty four. And hopefully if you

do these five steps and more. If you've got ten steps, please go

ahead and do your time step. But this is the five steps that're offering

to you. Okay, Hopefully with this you will stay the cost and be

faithful throughout the year until we reach twenty twenty five. Amen. So what's

the first step? Target? I'm trying to put everything in tease. You

will laugh because I couldn't do well. Target. What does that mean?

Focus on the goal? What is the goal? What is the focus?

I give you another word, purpose? What is the purpose? Next year?

Focus on what God has asked you to do. If you don't know

what God has asked you to do, ask him lah get on. Sometimes

people come and say, oh, but I don't know the meaning of my

life. And I'm like, why don't you talk to God more? You

might find out No some of us here. I know you're very clear with

what God has called you to do. You're very clear with your calling in

life. You might be called to be. I know Evan called to be

an educator and he's doing really well in that. I know Jason's doing that

as well. I remember Jason wants doctor Jason sharing me his heart. He

wants to get involved in policy and the Lord has opened up doors for him

to do that. But that also means that he's like you, Buzilla,

you know, but God has brought him a wife to be his support.

Okay, praise God for that. So what is your purpose is here?

If you don't know your purpose, ask God? Can I encourage you to

do that? And if you want, hey, your home leaders are here.

I'm here talk to us la. I might not know what your purpose

is and can I be honest you? So far, God has not given

me any specificsir on this. This person's purpose in life is this. I've

not got the net from God and I dare not declare that because I will

have to take responsibility if it's not right. I'm not a prophet, but

I know that if you ask God, God will reveal it to you and

you will know because God will speak to you. That's the God I serve.

So my encouragement is what is your purpose? What is your target?

Right? If you don't know what God has asked you to do or what

God is asking you to do for twenty twenty four, then it's time to

ask him. How pray give a little plug first day of the year.

Why Master church prayer? Guys, isn't prayer good? Isn't speaking to God

good? We have never done washnight services in external so this is a deal

breaker for us. And I know what's going to happen roughly, Okay,

I don't have the full thing, but as what they said, I think

Past is going to declare blessing on everyone. It is significant, it is

powerful. As a church, we come together to receive something not from the

pastor but from God. Your catch it. We are just being faithful to

what God is asking us to do as a church. So as we are

faithful in what God is asking us to do as a church, we know

that when people are faithful, the Lord will bless you. So pray,

ask God. If you have a desire, Lord, what's the purpose?

Next year, come for prayer and ask him there he don't say anything.

Then time to do devotion now, because as you seek the Lord and you

knock his dog, he will answer. Promise in the Bible, Matthew,

is there or read his word the Bible? Haasevan boringla. These two things

you always ask us to dorule. There's not a solution, guys. Is

this only two things? Very lying on? But you want to know the

wonderful thing about us. When we do this, it is not just an

action. The holy spray will lead you. The Ramma word will speak to

you and you will know that this is God, and you will know who

your God is. That's why when you seek him you will find him.

That is my belief Matthew twenty six, thirty nine. Do you know that

Jesus was very focused on what his father entrusted him with. He was here

for thirty years. Three years later after he was faithful to his earthly father,

then he started doing his heavenly father's job. And for three years he

did in ministry. All the way to the end. He was clear on

his purpose. Do you know that it became hard for Jesus. How do

I know that it is written here? Matthew twenty six thirty nine, He

went a little father and fell on his face and prayed, saying, Oh,

my father, it is possible. Let this carp pass from me.

Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. So if you

think that Jesus some superpowers, super hero, not tempted, not fearful,

He's like the man that went to the cross and he, guys, he

has second thoughts also, but he was faithful. Thank God, he was

faithful, because if Jesus didn't do what he did, we will all not

be here. So as I'm asking you to focus on the target, am

I saying that you'll be smooth sailing. As I'm sharing that the Lord will

bless you. Am I saying that your twenty thirty four is going to be

perfect. Guys, life happens, but we be faithful because Christ was faithful.

It's going to be hard, but we will have Jesus with us,

We have the Holy spirit us, it's going to be okay. Next point,

So first point, target, What is the target? You know what

you need to know the target? When you don't know the target, how

are you going to be faithful anything that comes your way? If you're not

confident on the target, now you will just break you. If you think

that, oh it's a then change mine b No, on the target?

What is the purpose? What is the one call that God asked you to

do next year? Asking for that? Because when you have that now you

will be stayed fast. Hey, this isn't God asked me to do it.

No, this I go asked me to do it. I will not

let it go. That's why that is important. Have that first if you

don't know, seeking for that first, and when you have that, that's

the first step. What's the second step? The hand? See, I

couldn't find anything words persevere, stay the course. You gotta target right.

Imagine going to the target and then change courts cannot larn if you want to

go to Banang, you gotta keep going to Benig. You can't say,

oh I got Binanga. Uh it's okay, I think I go Little Pang

enough today? There is Binang right because Binan chuck with that? Is that

meaning? Correct? Right? They have? So if you go to Little

Pinang, the restaurant in mid valley is good enough? As I'm going to

benign in dream world. Maybe long stay the course. James Chapter one,

verse to do four says my brethren, counting all joy when you fall into

various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patients. But let

patients have this perfect work. That you may be perfect and complete, lacking

nothing. You want to like nothing. When God problem be happy, Oh

my goodness, then you will like nothing, persist and persevere even when it's

difficult. Guys, Yes, this day in Asia, a little bit cannot

change change this change that you know this. This is the resilience of the

people we have now. Not your fault, not your fault. It is

just the way the culture is. They say it's a thirty second generation,

right, and do you know that all of us are in this generation,

not the young ones. Don't just say young people are all of us.

Why don't moment your phone slower or your noliner. You get irritated, right,

That's that's the way it is. When that's difficulty, we get irritated

immediately. And we don't like none of us would like to feel irritated all

the time. None of us like to be in challenges. But the Bible

ask us to persevere when you have a clear cost, when you have a

clear target. I think it's easier to hand. I say easier, but

we all know tahunting. It's not easy. Okay, Persist and persevere even

when it's to pickle. Do you know that you cannot build anything lasting without

time and investment? Right? Let me give you a perspective. I was

entrusted thirteen years ago, eleven years ago, eleven years ago. Yeah,

I was entrusted by my leadership eleven years ago along with five the Young Working

Dogs to plant a church in Battaling, Jaya. The eleven year journey taught

me a lot of things about God, about faith, about people, about

being faithful friends. I am still here and I think I'm going to be

here for a long time. Smore. Have I felt like my greating?

Oh? Of course Australia is very nice. Now? Can I be honest

with you? Have I felt like giving up? Of course? You can

talk to my wife many times, especially when people hurt you, especially when

people who are close do you hurt you? Do you know the amount of

times that people have walked up, stray through my face and tell me that

the preaching meets more meat? And who is preaching me? Of course,

compassa man allah, But they talk to me la. If I've given up

there now, do you think XPG will be where it is right now?

It's not easy, guys, It's not easy. But I'm staying here.

I'm saying the course because I know that if you want to build something,

and we want to help people, one meeting not enough, one even counselingly,

at least six sessions before you even properly unravel things. It takes time,

It takes perseverance, It takes faithfulness. Do you know that building a

strong family takes effort and sacrifice. It takes two different individuals committing to one

another and closing both eyes. Sometimes it takes all these things. That's what

we need to build something meaningful. We got to be faithful. We got

to be faithful. Do you know that? Paul? Let me use as

an example, Paul said he ran his race second Timothy four sixty eight,

for I'm already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of

my departure is at hand, And I have thought the good fight. I

have finished the race, I've kept the faith. Finally there is laid up

for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge will

give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also

to all who have loved his appearing Paul. Every time I go through a

challenge in my own life, I remember this scripture. I go back to

the word. I ask God, I want to run my race. Well,

I don't want to give up. I know it's hard. I know

it's tough, but I want to be faithful. Please help me. No

one else can but you. You can help me. Paul has run his

race? How about us? Do you know? As can I give you

another insight? And it was we're interesting as I was reading the scripture,

like, oh wow. Right after he shares the historians race, he shares

the challenge he has in Second Timothy four nine to sixteen, let's let's let's

go there. Oh I didn't turn today. I actually has the Second Timothy

for are you guys? Okay, we we learn a little bit now,

Okay, we learn a little bit about faithfulness. How much cam I have

on? Okay, ken, I think I'll do well. Okay, maybe

I'll just rear XTIV. So Second Timothy four nine to sixteen, let's read

that. Okay, be diligent to come to me quickly, for Damas has

forsaken me, having left this present world and has departed from Thessalonica Crescens for

Galicia, Titus for del Meesia. Only Luke is with me. Get marked

and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry and

tie, Oh my goodness, like teachers or taikiekers, however you want to

pronounce it. I have sent to emphasus. Bring the clock that I left

with Tappers at Truers when you come, and the books, especially the patchments.

Alexander the copper smith did me much harm. Well, Coppersmith did him

much harm. Made the Lord repay him according to his works. Full powerful

liner. So if anybody did you any hammer, you can use this line.

Made the Lord, not me, made the lot. I don't you

do anything. Let the Lord repay him. Okay, Next you also must

be aware of him, for ye has greatly resisted our words and my first

defense. No one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it

not be charged against them. This line is quite important because as you can

see, everybody for sake Paul, but he has forgiven them. He has

forgiven them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that

the message might be preached fully true me, and that all the gentiles might

hear. Also. I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion,

and the Lord will deliver me from every evil word and preserve me for his

evonlea kingdom to him be the glory forever and ever. Amen is there for

eight nineteen. Yeah, great Briza and a quilla in the House of only

sperous. Okay, So if you want kids' names, golong, cool names

here, but pick the good ones are okay, No, they're not so

good ones. Paul was betrayed and hurt by people. There now so many

we of course we don't know the context. You read all the names,

but it's like some Chinese rama happening there, you know, sorry, Taiwan

drama. That day I had a staycation of my wife. She was laughing

at me because we were watching Taiwan drama. I don't know which channel,

and I was trying to learn my hockin. You know, I'm not going

to attempt to hear. Okay, Paul was betrayed by people. People did

him harm. He forgave them. He didn't seek revenge, and he was

confident that God will be with him. God will be with him for seventeen

eighteen. His side was on the lot and his confidence with him. Where

is your side? Is it still on people? Or is it on the

lot? Where is outside? Is it still on your boss? Is this

still on your spouse? I don't know you, he has spouse problems.

I pray for you, okay? Or is he on the lot? Because

the Lord will be the one that indicates us. We don't have to do

anything, you know. Do you know that you don't have to do anything

if you're wrong by people, you don't. You don't have to do anything

because the lot will indicate you, especially if you are very confident that you're

his child. Uh maybe sometimes as we're not confident there his child. That's

why you got to go closer with God and know that he will vindicate you.

So the hand guys to hand. But you're not the handing alone.

You're the handing we got by your side, right, and things will happen.

Things will happen. I tell you, Let me tell you the story.

I I think I've shared this before, but I don't think I've shard.

I don't think a lot of people here. So when I was going

to get married, okay, I was supposed get married on a Saturday,

and I had to you know, and you know when you get married,

you want to have groomsmen bridesmaid So my wife very happening. She had four

bridesmaid right, four, So I had to find four people. No,

no, I also got friends are so I So she had four bries maids.

And then we say, okay, I know you want to be balanced,

right, So I got four grooms men. Law, so I asked,

I asked both my brothers. Sorry, I asked, uh se,

both my brothers. Oh my god, I'm trying to remember. No,

no, no, no, I did ask my brothers. Okay, anyway,

let's not go there, okay. I asked some good friends okay,

and it is one friend which I know from standard one best friend, best

friend? Okay, best friend? We say best friend, you know?

Uh? And what happened was you know we we because you know, I

was in acts different church from Klang, and I said, hey, you

know, can you be one of my groom's friend? You know? And

I got three other guys that are from Aksana I'm like, yeah, sure,

you know. And on Monday, they organized a stag night for me,

okay, a bachelor party, and it was the dawn of Twitter and

passidave. I still remember this live Twitter. Everything that happened. I just

had to mention pad name right. Anyway, that's not the point. So

the point was after all the yeah, all the stuff that happened. Basically,

they put me in a Spider Man costume and I run around Sunway Pyramid

dancing anyway. Okay, so after that, yeah, after that, after

that, we get it at and about I think about twenty guys came.

Okay, twenty guys came. I think last time our hoddle quite so,

twenty guys came, uh and they sat around uh Starbucks, and then uh,

they all had something nice to say, even my this one friend whom

maybe even not so close for a few years, you know. And then

that ended. Wednesday morning, I got a text from this friend, Elvin.

I'm very cheesed off at you. Exact words, sir, don't try

to contact me, don't try to ask what happened. Just that. Of

course, I'm like, what happened? I text, I call, no

answer, no reply, damn like, what do I do? Here's my

girls friend? You didn't even tell me what you're coming on my wedding Damn,

Like T think, what did I do? What do I do wrong?

Okay? The only thing I could think of was maybe because I haven't

decided who were my best man? And I kind of think I asked him,

but later I changed my mind. But guys, we are guys,

you know, can talk right? Sorry, Yeah, I'm not being sexisier.

I'm not being sexier. But all the guys who understand what I mean,

what's come to us? You just call me La. I can take

you on. No show on my wedding day. My wife, of course

not happy. I was like whatever On that Wednesday, I had to make

a decision. Am I gonna let this affect? We are best friends and

guys, sorry, we were best friends? Are let me tell how close

we were. I can go to his house, he's not there. I

can talk to the parents. That's how close we were. Apparently we're not

as close as I thought we were twenty over years friendship until today, I

don't know what happened until today. We never keep in touch. I tried

to reconnect few yars later after all I realized no point on that Wednesday,

I had to decide what to do. Am I gonna let this incident with

my best friend affect my marriage? My Saturday. I think some of you

will be like, man, this is messed up? Yeah, it was.

I had to decide. I have to say, you know what,

I'm just gonna release it. I'm just gonna have a good time. So

have I been betrayed? Of course I've been betrayed. But you want to

know the cool thing. The Lord is my vindicator. The Lord is my

communicator. It was no loss for me. I just have an interesting story

to tell. Things happen, guys, Things happen. Third point, thankful

the peace, Please please please your life James one two, My brethren,

count it all joy when you fall into various trials. Rejoice in persecution,

loving God under trials. James one child to twenty. Can we read that,

James? I guys, Okay, I hope you guys are catching something.

Blessed is the man who and your temptation, for when he has been

approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised

to those who love him. Let no one say when he's tempted. I'm

tempted by God. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he

himself temp anyone. But each one is tempted when he's drawn away by his

own desires and entice. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to

sin, and sin, when he's full grown, brings forth death. Do

not be deceived, might be loved, brethren, don't be deceived. Okay,

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from a birth and comes down

from the Father of Lights, with whom there's no variation or shadow of turning.

Hold on to this. Every good gift comes from a birth. And

God does not shot change. You. Don't think your life is being shot

changed because God doesn't shot change. You. Don't be deceived and covered and

compare whatever God has given to you. It is his full generosity. Amen,

catch that, catch that next of his own will. He brought us

forth by the word of His truth, that we might be kind, a

kind of first fruits of His creatures. So, then, my beloved brethren,

let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to

rough, For the rough of band does not produce the righteousness of God.

One of the things that I've learned through this scripture, through growing up is

that when I face a challenge, the lad the well, you will feel

like you want to say something to someone, do something. I've learned not

to do that anymore. I've learned to be swift to hear, slow to

speak, slow to get angry. Why because all these things doesn't produce any

righteousness. It just produced I want to prove myself. I'm right. I've

done so much for this church, I've done so much for all this person.

Why if I start doing that, don't you think I'll be rambling like

a mad person? Do I have a right to do that? Well?

Maybe in a way, yeah, by say it right to do that?

No, it's not. God has always us to stick the humble, rude

right that we trust him. We trust him. We don't be so fast

to say things, Oh, you know, and this person like that,

that person like that, or this person like that, or this guys slow

to speak, Oh you know why y'all don't respect me? Slow to Ralph.

God is in the picture. Don't forget that God is in the picture.

Don't forget that all of a sudden journey, someone might be unreasonable It

doesn't matter. It is not for us to judge that person. Pray for

that person, made the peace of God be on his life all her life.

But we don't sin. We don't get angry for what you take your

own ole. No trust God, God, Hey God, this thing happened

to me. I was wrong. Can you take care of it? Let

me go and deal with my anger. Now I will have to forgive this

person. You know, don't when you go to trials, what do you

do? Swift to hear? Why here? Discern here? Who? God?

God? What are you saying? Why is this thing happening? Right?

And sometimes you might not even get an answer. It's okay, but

be slow to speak and slow to rap, because it is your testimony is

affected. Be wise, be wary. That is how we deal with challenges.

Amen, I'm gonna continue all and I'll have time. I'll try and

see if I can share testimony. So that's thankful. Be thankful, you

know the Bible teaches us to be thankful. Why thankfulness is so powerful?

Thankfulness is powerful? It's because you know this thing about coverting not happy?

You know, I see this. I want write all these emotions when you

look around. Now you know something is very funny because I'm telling you not

to compare, but in a way, if you compare yourself to someone lower,

you'll be thankful. Some funny, right. You know my kids the

amount of people or a young person that I've heard them say to my kids,

and I know my kids will might not fully understand this. Wow,

they are so blessed to have an intech family. I am thankful for that.

I am thankful for that. Other people see you see what you don't

have, and you yearn for it. Can I encourage all of us here

to see what we have. Yeah, your family might not be intact,

but you have other things that other people don't have. Be thankful for what

you have. You know, Yeah, you might not be the best,

it might not be what we hope to have. But when you are thankful

for what we have, we can appreciate life a little bit better. Amen.

Yeah, be thankful because they are you know parents, or it's this.

You know the kids in Somalia got no food to eat? Do you

know that your kids will never understand that? But the heart is correct to

be thankful with what we have, to be contented, Amen, And when

we are faithful with what we have, the Lord will bless us you more.

That's how it works, are you guys? Okay? So let's be

thankful. You know. Another way to be thankful that God reminds us constantly

is that he says when we come to worship him. So coming to church

is an opportunity to be thankful. Enter He gates with thanksgiving our hearts and

into his courts with praise. Do you know that if you're nhappy your life,

he's very hard to praise God because you think that your life is bad

and you know that God is in control of your life so he is better?

Or how can you say that? It is the condition of our hearts.

But if we can learn to be thankful despite of what we have or

what we experience, I think we'll experience his peace knowing that He's there for

us. And you know that God doesn't short change you. He doesn't.

He has never short changed me. Yes are the things that I'm happy about

in my life? Yes? God? But I can tell you honestly,

God has never short changed me. As I reflect on my life, I

am thankful for my life. I am so thankful. Amen, So be

thankful? Four point time out pause again, Just a reminder five steps to

help us stay the course. Okay, So why do we need to pause?

Because it's good to once in a while take time to rest and reflect

because if we get stayed off cour city, when you pause and rest,

it's easier to steal back. Okay. So res If you are going at

full speeder here now all the way and you're feeling frustrated, maybe it's time

to chill. Maybe it's time to wait, Maybe it's time to like Okay,

you know what, let me store down a little bit. I think

I'm going to be too far day. You know, rest and when you

rest, it's not just oh okay, let me get in zenmod no,

no, no no. The Bible teaches us how to rest. Let me

just read some Scripture fifty five to me to cast your burdens on the lot

and He will sustain you. Friends, you talk about people burning out in

ministry, can I give you a very strong statement. I don't believe in

burnout. You know why you burn out. You didn't cast your burtons on

the lot. Here in scripture is telling me cast your burtons on the lot,

and he will sustain you. So, if someone is doing ministry,

here and you feel like you're burning out. My challenge to you is this,

are you going with your own strength or are you going with God strength?

Please don't go your own strength, because when you go your own strength,

you're creating something out of your own self. But when you go in

God's strength, he will create something that you cannot do. So cast your

burdens on him, and he shall sustain you. And he shall never permit

the righteous to be moved. No, that's God's promise. You know we

got a hold on the God's promise. First Bitter five five seven says,

in the same way, you who are younger, submit yourself to your elders.

Oh, we all don't like to hear that. All of you clothe

yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but shows

favor to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore, under God's mighty hand, that

he may lift you up in due time. And this is my favorite verse

so far, cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Are you anxi? Yes? Today? Are you worrying today? A lot

on your mind? A note to God? He cares for you. He

cares for you, A lot to him. Cast it on him. Don't

have to carry it anymore. Matthew eleven eight that he says, come to

me, all you who are labor and are hey, reladen, and I

will give you rest. It's a promise. I will give you rest.

It's unconditional. If you go to him. Take my yoke upon you and

learn from me, for I am gentle and lonely in heart, and you

will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden

is like. One of the things we have a benefit we have as believers

is the peace of God. I know most, if not all of us

here will have experienced that at one point or another. So one of the

things that helps me to decide on things and helps me to check myself is

God's peace. Even if if things are crazy and happening, I always ask

God, is your peace with me or not? I can tell you had

the health check thing. I had God's peace. I cannot accident that time

I had God's peace. I had a little troth thing half peace, half

not peace. Amen. And I think God was testing my faith because I

was saying, Lord, please take this away, you know. But God's

peace is something we have to remember this is my yardstick, this is my

point. Got peace on her, got peace on her right? And do

you know now? The thing that the Lord has taught me, and maybe

because He's given me this opportunity to be leading this church, is that every

time I feel unrasser, I know I need to pray for the church,

especially if personally I'm fine, you get I mean in my life he's like,

oh, things are okay. But then I'm like why so, like

what's happening here? Or I will immediately pray. Lord, I pray for

the church. I pray for the church. Please do something. Please take

care of your church. Please take care of the people in PJ. Please

protect them. Please make sure that they make the right decisions. Please make

sure that they are wise. Please make sure they don't see me listen to

rumor. Please make sure that they are clear. Please make sure they don't

spread gossip, because sometimes when you talk so much, right, got no

problem, Suddenly got a problem? That is the problem. Funny, Right,

that's the power of gossip. The power of gossip means no problem also

suddenly a problem. So be we're careful. Amen, take on God's burther

and have his peace, and when there's no peace, pray, ask for

God? What's happening? That is the question I ask a lot, what's

happening? Is this something in my life that you fix? Is this something

in my lucke that you decide? Is this someone you pray for? Please

reveal to me. I have the confidence that He will speak to you.

It's not just a special only for past us. Everyone here can listen to

God on God can speak to everybody here. This a God further in heaven.

So engage him. Okay, so time out, take time out.

Okay, go for a stacation, you know, go go and do a

personal retreat somewhere. Maybe I don't know that it's good to do that.

My last point posts cheers. What I'm saying praise? What do I mean

by that? Learn to celebrate milestones? Learn to celebrate milestones. You know,

if we go further, further, further in life and we don't know

how to celebrate, no wonder lie your life so bad because you don't know

celebrate. You don't have to be thankful for the you know, take time

to lie. Hey, what can I thank God for today? You know?

You know, we need to learn to celebrate do you know that many

things you can celebrate? You know how Okay, let me give you this

dot. I've learned myself how bad things are. I'm sure I'll be able

to separate something on so you know nowadays, and this is a far cry

from how I used to be last time. Last time, I was very

passive, mistake do me in gloom? Always being that's how I used to

be? Do you know how different it is now now? Whoever I talked

to her, I always try and look for the ray of sunshine because it's

so precious anybody's life here. I don't know whether I exude that to La,

but every time someone share me something, I'm like, I'm always trying

to look for the thing to be thankful for for that person or for my

own life. You know, you know what the funny thing that happened recently,

let me tell you. Two days ago, I was supposed to go

or we were supposed to go for a trip. We had a good friend

who gave us a vouchers, you know, to say in a hotel.

And what happened was, you know, I forgot about vouchers. I can't

lost it. I think I lost it. I don't know, I don't

know it is it? So I forgot about just I went all the way

there and we were so confident, and it was late at night. Okay,

so confident land night. When they went to the hotel, here is

my reservation email. The person look at me so aware of the vouchers.

I look at the person, but voucher. I was just so busy.

Okay, we can check you in, but you need to charge your card

first and deliver the vouchers in seven days to us. But I cannot remember

whether I have the vouchers or not. And it was not cheap, so

thank god it was just beda. We decided to drive home to look for

the vouchers. Couldn't find a vouchers. Next day, I drove to the

to the office to look for the vouchers. I cannot find a voutchers.

Can I cannot? Oh no, my holiday is ruined. My kids holiday

is ruined. I to go and talk to my dear how uh and and

let me tell you the thought. Okay, God, this doesn't normally happen

to me one but maybe maybe for some reason, I shouldn't be there.

It's okay, I'm not gonna faster issue how can I still make the best

out of this time? So I was supposed to go for two days holidays

somewhere. So in the end we went on booking dot com go and look

for a hotel room. We did a staycation in Saint Jarles Inmiti Valley.

We say it one night there. It was it was fun, it was

good. We did quite a lot of things. We show up, We

did a lot of things. We did stuff that we wanted to do.

You know, am I going to tell you? Oh, you know,

the Lord has a lot now I'm not gonna go there. Okay, I'm

not owayspital. I don't towspiritualize it. But we still had a good time.

Even though that happened. Would I know why that happened? And was

there anything that happened? I will never know. Maybe something that could have

happened if we were there. I don't know. I can tell you I

honestly don't know. Even the night before when I was actually woke up,

I couldn't sleep, write no peace, and I'm like, okay, Lord,

why why is this happen? Now? Okay, Lord, you know

what? If really not meant to be a let me not find a vout

you because I want to be sensitive to you, right, and if I

cannot find out what it means, we are not meant to go. So

I'm not going to force it. We could still book another hotel in BD,

but I'm like better note, okay, better not. So after that

I went to office. I couldn't find about you. Now, Okay,

no go on, I just want my wife. We will find another plan.

But we said a good time, my kids said a good time.

It was just a one night. So we've got to learn to celebrate milestones.

Do you know that you can celebrate milestones even in hard times? Right?

Something that was was that almost went downhill became something that we really enjoy.

My kids really enjoyed the trip and it was one night. We quite

enjoy it. Also, you know, we all here need to learn to

celebrate more. It's about your perspective. At the end of the day.

Do you know that your perspective, what do you see? It's very powerful?

No, do you see dubeg gloom or do you see God in the

picture? I always try to look for God in the picture because the reality,

guys is, if you are looking for domin gloom, you will find

it. Even in the most happening place, you will find domin gloom.

Not very hard to not finding. Salms one or three says bless the Lord,

oh my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Psalms one O six one says, Oh, give thanks to the Lord

for his good, for his mercy and yours forever. God is in the

picture. We got to give him some credit. Probably say trust the Lord

with all your heart, acknowledge Him in all that you do. Amen,

and then you will get peace beyond your understanding. We've got to acknowledge God.

We got to know that he's the third party or second party around our

lives. Don't just think that life happens to you are and you got no

no, you got no control. Yes, but God has control. So

we've got to bring God in the picture. You've got to remember that he's

around. Friends. Will end with this because remember it's about staying the cost

for next year. Okay, it's about saying the cost. You know God

is doing a great work in life. Do you know that you know that

God is doing a great work in your life, whether you realize it or

not, whether you feel your holy or not. It doesn't matter. He

is doing a work in your life. You know he is. He is

doing a work in your life. So let's work with him, LA,

don't work against him. Let's not short change ourselfs make decisions so fast,

give up. No, let's be faithful God. Is this a plan?

Okay, I'm gonna be no God, because God is doing the work in

your life. You know, right, you're backing the kike halfway. You're

biking the so freight halfway. Don't don't check the oven. You gotta wait

the two hours. You're gonna get the reference. So free. If you

hit the oven, you will compare slave. Wait for the kick to be

big, because he'll be a beautiful kick. So let's not be worry.

Let's not be impatient. Let's trust in him and know that he's got two

more las scriptures for you, sounds for six ten says, be still and

know damn God, do you know that you don't have to do anything?

Be still? No, when we acknowledge God or all we need to do

is be still and know that He's God. I will be exalted among the

nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Let me give you a

last bonus thought when you do all these things that I'm sharing, being faithful,

trusting God, finding out, acknowledging Him, staying the course, persevering,

persisting, developing yourself. Do you know what happens to day other day?

Romans child want who says? I beseech you. Therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God, that you present yourselves, your bodies a living

sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not

be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of

God. I know I've shared two testimonies. Well I call it a testimony

because it is a decimon I'm not really affected by. It's a funny story

to share people. One about my wedding, another one about I got a

few more stories about discouragement. Now, you know, every challenge I face,

it is an opportunity for me to respond. Am I going to respond

the way I respond? Or Am I going to respond the way God wants

me to respond? Every time I choose God, he makes me stronger.

Every time I choose God, he gives me no peace. Every time I

choose God. So no matter what I tell you, a lot of things

don't face me now. So yeah, I'm sharing about the hard thing.

And do you know that I've been prepared since a long time ago that even

though when I go through challenger, I'm okay, I've seen a chill because

I know God is here. I have the confidence. It took those challenges

earlier for me to reach where I am today. What is the challenging you

need to reform that you will get to be stronger? What is the one

thing that you can overcome that you can be steady and stayed fast? How

do we need to humble ourselves to trust it? Got more so that you

can use you to encourage someone else. Do you see it? He's working

a deep work in your life for his glory, not my glory, not

the church, No, for his glory, because we praise Got the end

of the day. You know, I give all God all the glory for

how faithful He is in my life. The confidence has given me, and

I wish that same confidence for all of us. Here, are you confident

we've got? Hey, it's time to engage him. Amen, It's time

to engage me. As we prepare our hearts and we close the year.

Let's start the year right, amen, Let's start the year with the right

perspective. Yeah, I tell you I've seen on social media it's doing groominal.

Oh, twenty twenty three my worst year? Or twenty twenty three the

worst year ever? Or twenty twenty two the worst? Guys? What are

you going to declare for me? Twenty twenty three was a year of God's

faithfulness? Oh, but said, I mean, you got a hard scare,

right, you got accident, right, you got all these things that

happen. Right, Twenty twenty three was the year that I experienced Heaven rules.

The bad things didn't effect how I see it. In fact, it

confirms how I see it that Heaven still rouse in my life despite the charges.

How is twenty twenty fourth gonna be for you? Next year? Our

team is that all may know, that all may know that God is real,

not just us. This year is Heaven rules, Heaven rules in my

life? Next year is that all we know? I want. I'm so

excited to declare how God good is to be able to engage people and hopefully

they can experience more of God in their lives because I personally experience it.

That's why I do this, because I've gained and as we freely receive the

Bible answers to freely amen. We hope you've been blessed by this message.

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going to be a good week. I hit for you. God bless