Focusing on what's important | Pr Gloria

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a hit for you, godless.

I'm going to share this morning from the book of

First Timothy. Yeah. As we have been in this series

of discipleship, Okay, we've been talking about the heart of discipleship,

how Jesus sees it and how he did it on

land when he was here, right, and you've been hearing

from different speakers that has been coming as well. Yeah.

And as I was doing my study, I was reminded

of First Timothy because this is a letter that is

written by Paul to Timothy, Okay, and it is it

represents or it shows us the heart of a discipler. Okay,

what kind of a leader Paul was, okay? And what

was he trying to pass on to the guy that

he was discipling, Timothy? Okay? And he really loved Timothy.

He saw such potential in him, and that is why

he wrote these letters to just remind him of his

purpose of his calling. Yeah. And so as we study

this book, I pray, and I hope that all of

us will be able to understand a little bit more

about our calling.

Right.

And when we speak about discipleships, sometimes we may have

the idea that, oh, it's only about a leader leading others. Well,

it doesn't always have to be that way. Father's here,

you lead your children, right, or some of you are

called to lead in your schools, in your marketplace. Right,

So the whole concept of discipleship works there as well.

You know, we are called to impart were called to

impact lives. Right. So we're going to read the book

of First Timothy here and then I'll give you a

little bit of context, right, and this particular first chapter Okay,

there's only about seventeen Okay. You're gonna read verses one

to versus seventeen okay, and let's all read this together. Okay,

So can I maybe get the mic just to pass.

Maybe we'll start from Chloe, and then we'll pass the mic.

Everyone just take one worse o. Yah, you know XTV

can help us. Yeah, on the screen. You'll all read

from the same version. Okay. So First Timothy chapter one

versus one to seventeen. Okay, Chloe, you can start.

Christmas.

That's tree, as as when I range into Macedonia, the

many emphasis that your main charg they teach no other countries, nor.

Give him to be both and less genealogies which causes

which caused discus, rather than body edification, which is to

the faith perspite not.

The purpose of the commandment is learnt from a real heart,

from a good consciences.

Are conscious and proxensive. Those sis for which some have

excret have turned aside to other time.

We're s designed to be teachers of the law, understanding

reader what they say, nor the means.

Of their affirm.

They see.

But we know that the law is good if you

if what uses love you, that'st for me. This that

the w is not me for the frantious person, but

for the loves and for it. But alcoli as all

singers for Ancoli, and I think for the lawyers of others,

and manorials of others, from mens.

Persent, or for tepus, for solidits of the apres, the lias,

for didds. And if there is any other, then thing

is country to some docting.

And that's a level apparently buryers prosper of the past,

that which one is communicate to my fast, and I

think christ Us is our lot who has an evil,

because to these people relies the thing.

Although I ask for my reader pleast month's less FeMn,

but first to compresscutor and in solemn.

But I octaver I seen because I did it in

mon and living and believing in the days about Lord

process in attendant to praise them health, which are cos.

Ferscut.

This is a faithful thing.

The wording of.

All types of the Christ is prayed into.

The world of whole fire chief. I think for this

reason I have taken to see that in me first

Jesus Christ might showed all from something.

No.

Amen, All right, thank you, thank you for reading God's word. Yeah,

it's good to hear different voices. If not, you get

too bored of my voice. Right, okay, So as we

look at this book here, okay, I just want to

encourage you. If you have not read the first Timothy,

please read it. It's a very short book. Yeah, there

are a couple of things just to give you a

bit of context. If you have not read this book,

we can see the way Paul leads Timothy.

Right.

Of course, the context is that he's trying to encourage

him in the way he's leading the church and the

kind of issues and problems that the church face, which

was very much similar to the times that we are

living in as well, and the things that we hear. Yeah.

So what Paul's does here is that he lives Timothy

up as he was leading him, right, So the way

he spoke to him, the way he encouraged is all

about lifting and leading him with love. Yeah, that's something

that we can see. It's also a reminder us we

look at how Paul led is that it's to remind

us to step out of just ourselves and to lead

the younger generation. Again, that is exactly what he did

for Timothy. He also talks about an urgency okay, that

we've got to make it right again. It's important that

the church is in place because you're not just impacting

one life, you're impacting a community. Right, That's the message

that he's trying to bring. And in fact, when we

read the first Timothy, it's a it's a very important

letter where it talks about the holistic vision of the

purpose of why we have church, Okay, the very reason

why we need to come together. Yeah, so what a

Jesus community believes will directly shape how that community leaves

and behaves if you think about it. Right, So it's

teology and beliefs must be constantly formed by the scripture

and the good News about Jesus. More so, now that

there is an increase of knowledge, Okay, there's more you know, perception,

there's more opinions, right, and if you're not careful enough

as a church, we can be so caught up with

people's opinions, right or suggestions, that we forget to lose

focus on the Word of God.

Yeah.

So it's about focusing on what's important that Paul reminds

the church and Timothy. And if you think about it,

sometimes you may have conversations with friends or people around you.

You Right, it's either they have a good impression of

Christians because of the things that they have seen them

doing or talking, or it could be other way around. Okay,

Christians are like this. This is how church is. Yeah,

So we've got to be very careful because we are

not just representing ourselves, but we are also representing our

faith and who God is in our lives. Yeah. So

that is why Paul reminds us from this. So when

we read the Book of First the Matigious. To give

you a bit of a structure, Okay, there are six

chapters all the way, okay, and we can see that

chapter one, as you read just now, he talks about

the purpose of the Bible, which is not a torah.

Back then then we have chapter two to three that

talks about the problems of the corrupted teachers okay. And

these corrupted teachers were those who were in the church okay,

and they were creating havoc, you know, with the things

they believe in, the false teachings. Yeah. And then from

chapter four to six, beginning of chapter six, we can

see that it about again addressing false teaching, and the

last chapter talks about us called calling to be generous

and helping the poor. Yeah. So for today we're just

going to focus on chapter one, okay, and glean from

what we can learn from this particular passage. Yeah. So

as we read this this book just now, you know,

or this chapter earlier when we heard different ones reading,

the first thing that we can draw from okay, chapter

one is that God's godly instruction is rooted in love. Okay.

That is the main key in the way we see

Paul speaking it to Timothy, the way he speaks it right,

and the message that he brings as well. Yeah, always

remember that we ourselves are the message, okay, in two ways,

the thing, the way we see something, and the way

we carry ourselves. Sometimes we can mean well, but if

we don't, right, it doesn't get across as well. Yeah,

and so it's very important for us to check the

intentions of our hearts. We want to bring a message out, Okay.

So in the beginning of this chapter we can see that.

First Paul gives a you know, a beautiful introduction right

where he says, grace, mercy, piece that come from God,

the Father or Lord Jesus. So it starts off by

first establishing that it all starts with God first.

Right.

He gives the praise to God, It gives the glory

to Him before he can even tell anything else. Yeah.

And this is just a reminder for all of us,

you know, as we lead others, as we even speak

to others, it's God the first emphasis.

Right.

Sometimes you are so caught up with our human wisdom

that we forget that all of this is because of Him. Right.

He enables us to do what we are doing. Yeah.

And then Paul transitions to verse three. Okay, but he

reminds Paul, He reminds Timothy that this is why you

at Ephesus, you're at this church because I can only

imagine Timothy was a young leader. Okay, it could be

in his mid twenties at that time, right, and the

kind of oppositions that he would have been facing from

the congregation. Okay, you can imagine the kind of questions.

So the false teachers back then were people who were

constantly in debate when it comes to the word right.

And I don't know what's your thoughts. You know, when

someone debates with you about the Bible, what do you do?

Do you try to win across them? You know, sometimes

it's good for us to discern right, so you can

be just so you know, we go into the theology,

we go into all this reading, but we don't discern

the heart of the person that you're talking to. Yeah,

And so this was the kind of people that Timothy

was engaging with. So you can imagine the kind of

questions that he was receiving. How they were judgmental about,

you know, the teaching right. So, as a young leader,

you would have chose to give up Okay, but that

is when Paul gives him the encouragement.

Right.

We can see this in verse three, as I urged

you when you went into Macedonia remain in emphasis that

you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine.

Right.

So if someone is asking you to remain, there's a

reason that, okay, because there could be that you know

that that disappointment of feeling law as a leader. Right.

And so Paul is there too encourage him. So the

particular problem for the church at Ephesus was about false

doctrine that was certain myths, yeah, certain genealogies like we

read this now and you know, and all of this

caused confusion among the people.

Yeah.

And so the particular problem that the church was facing

is what Paul was trying to address and come to

a solution to that.

Yeam.

And I think it's important that when we read this

chapter we can see that, you know, it is important

how we handle the Word of God. Yeah, And if

we can think about the way we live our lives

and the way we understand the Word of God, do

we fully understand it right? Or are we so caught

up with what people tell me about the Word of God?

And this is my understanding, right. I think it's very

important for us to be able to take ownership when

it comes to the Word of God. Having a devoted

time of reading that it's one thing for sure. But

when I read a chapter, do I take time to

actually ask the Lord, what are you speaking to me?

Instead of sometimes we get so caught up going into

another plan, into another website and okay, what is this

meaning of this chapter?

Right?

I mean those things are good to just expand your understanding.

But what I'm trying to say here is I think

it's key that we know the Word of God ourselves, right,

because sometimes He may be speaking to you individually in

the seasons of your life which others may not be

in to relate, right, And so taking ownership of the

Word of God is important. And that is why we

encourage the church to bring your own Bibles, to have

to have one, okay, to know how to flip. Let's

not be a generation where we forget what are the

name of the books? You know, where we are just

looking at whatever you can filter, right, but you know it,

you know how to flip it. Okay, let's be just

happy to carry our bibles. It should be a joy,

not a burden. Yeah. And so this is the concern

that Paul had because people were losing out of focus.

They were so caught up of getting things right instead

of thinking what is God telling us? Yeah? Sometimes we

are just wanting to prove right, I'm right, I'm you

are wrong, you know, and we get so theological about it.

But taking time to discern and know the word of

God is key. Yeah. And because of this it was

causing a confusion in the midst of the people.

Right.

So when discipleship takes place, I think it's important that

we need to teach the truth of God's word, Okay,

and it should be done with the act of love.

Whether where's right just now, We should be done from

a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith. Okay, good

conscience and a sincere faith. Anyone can preach, anyone can

speak about the word. But do we do it out

of a pure heart?

Right?

Do we do it with out of a good conscience?

Or am I just taking up the pulpit or talking

to someone because I want to correct you? Yeah? Do

I do it out of faith? Because sometimes when you

see something it doesn't mean it is well received, but

you do it nevertheless, because that is what God told

you to do.

Yeah.

So I think it's important that we all have a

heart check every time we speak about the word of God,

not just in the context of church, even at home.

Sometimes we do our sharing when we have our one

to one conversations with others, right, and they're talking about God.

What is the intention behind it? Because if it is

done out of love, it's easier to do it. We

don't find it as a trouble, right, We don't find

it as a burden. But you just want to keep

doing it, even though it will be hard to love

the person you're talking to, but you still want them

to know God's word, right, and you still do it

with love. Yeah, And that is what Paul was reminding Timothy.

The message of God is a message of love. If

you think about it. If all of us are safe today,

do you think it's because we are a good person,

perfect person? I don't think so. Yeah, And I think

of my shortcomings and you know the mystics I did.

We all don't deserve, right, But that is the love

of God. You know He still send this one and

only son because it is love and nothing else. Yeah.

So my encouragement for all of us today as a

church is that let's not forget the main core part

of church, which is love. Yeah. Love is the key,

the very reason why we are here and why we

are alive, you know, and why we are walking in grace.

It's because of love. Okay. For those who are serving,

I hope we are doing it out of love. Okay,

no matter what dream things, whether you're in the front

or whether you're at the back, I'm doing it because

I love God. I'm doing it because I love God's people.

Yeah.

And if we can get this concept right, you don't

stop serving, you know, or you don't feel like it's

a chore, but you just want to keep doing it.

Right.

So love, So we should value Godly instruction and we

should do it in the act of love.

Right.

So that's the first thing that we can see from

the Book of from chapter one of First Timity, okay,

where he says that you know, Godly instruction is rooted

in love.

You know.

When I think about discipleship, of course, the first role

model or the person that I can think of is

pass Can and passa CenTra right being under their leadership.

And I think all these years being under them or

under their care. They've always act with love, okay, And

I think that gives them the very reason or or

the very you know, what motivates them to do what

they're doing. You know, I've seen them going through the

hard time, you know, the hard conversations that they had

to have with people. But I think one thing I

can fully testify. I'm sure the leaders here who have

known past us as well, everything comes out of love. Okay.

They have never been the ones who criticize. Okay, I

mean they're just humans. Of course, there are times when

they were upset and down right, but never have I

seen them saying things out of being you know, judgmental

or you know, the human wisdom.

Yeah.

And I believe that's because they have experienced God's love.

They've gone through their hups and downs, their hardships, and

that is what es mate who they are.

Yeah.

And that that is the only thing that I felt

that I've caught. You know, we can be very different

people sometimes, you know, those who are carrying you are

carrying or you're under their leadership, different personalities, different people,

but you can carry the same spirit, which is the

spirit of God's love. Yeah, And so do we have

that when we care for those surround us? Okay, when

we are out there. You know, sometimes in church it's

easy to love because everyone is nice and smiley and happy. Right,

But when you're out there, when you are facing with

people who are tougher to love, that's the real tests.

And if you can still love nevertheless, then it goes

a long way. Yeah. And this is how Paul reminds them.

So if you think about it, it is a very

difficult situation. The church is facing false teachers, people who

are stubborn, right, but yet he emphasizes on love and

not rebuke. Okay. The human way would be Okay, you're

just gonna correct them, tell them they're wrong, right, That's

how the world looks at it. But Paul approaches it

by teaching them true love. Okay, And that is when

we don't miss out on the real message of God himself. Amen.

Are we catching something here?

Yeah?

Right? And the second point that we can learn from

chapter one is that sin is rooted in lawlessness. Okay.

It gives an equal emphasis on that, and this is

where we can see the balance. There is a time

for compassion for love, but at the same time we

all know that God doesn't mess around when it comes

to holiness, right, when it comes to being able to

honor right to honor him. Yeah. And so Paul speaks

of law and sin and how the two interact. Okay,

in verses eight, he says, yeah, but we know that

the law is good if one uses it lawfully. Yeah.

And we can see this as you read on a

book of Romans to know further. The Book of Romans

talks it all about the purpose of the law and

what is being righteous and sinful? What's the meaning of

it as well? Yeah, and if you think about it,

you know, the law is like a speedly midst sign.

You know, when you're driving on the highway, you wouldn't

know if you are going way beyond the speed limit

until you see the sign, right, or sometimes we reminds

you that you're going beyond and you've got to slow down, right,

And that is exactly how the law of God is

as well. It shows us what is right and what

is wrong. And so if any time of your life

you need a direction, just go back to the Word

of God. It shows you whether you're doing it the

right way or needs to improve. Yeah, that is what

the Word of God tells us it lists a couple

of sins.

Here.

We can see in Versus nine, okay, where he talks

about lawlessness, rebellion, ungodliness, unholiness, yeah, sexual, immorality, lying, Okay.

He adds on which all of this contradicts the sound

teaching from the Word of God. Yeah. So when we

take up talk about sin, okay, there is no gray area. Okay,

there's no such thing as you're doing fine, you're in between.

It's either a mistake or not a mistake. Okay. And

as a church we have to be very clear about that.

As believers, you've got to be clear about that that

God is all about holiness. Whatever that is against his word,

it's just not obey him, simple as that.

Yeah.

And I find that you know long enough being in

church and doing ministry. This is something that we don't

talk enough as Christians. Why because you want to please others? Right,

I don't want to offend. I don't offend you. You're

making a mistake, but I still want you to be here. Right,

So how do I tell you?

Then?

Lamella, let God reveal it to you. But God uses

us to speak the truth. Yeah, And I pray that

each one of us that as we grow in our faith,

let's not be okay with everything. It's okay to be spontaneous,

it's okay to be to be able to get along

with others, but not with sin. Yeah, not with sin,

especially if you're leading others. If you're a parent, I'm

sure you want what's best for them, right, and the

best will not always be taken right, taken well. When

you correct someone, it's not always taken in well, but

you've got to say it anyway. But remember, do it

out of love. Yeah, And that is what Paul reminds Timothy. Okay,

it says in verse eleven, do that which confirms the

Gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God. So when

we reject God's ways to do what we want to

do instead, that is sin. Sin is rejecting God's ways

in favor of our ways. In a simple lamentum. Yeah,

though it's not the easiest to hear, but that's just

how it is. You know, if you want to honor someone,

if you want to love them, you listen to them.

But if you don't listen to God, it's just going

way beyond his ways. Yeah, sin is rejecting holiness for unholiness.

Sin is rejecting honoring our parents for dishonoring our parents.

It's the opposite. Yeah, sin is rejecting the honoring of

life for murder. Sin is rejecting God's design for marriage

towards sexual immorality. Yeah, sin is rejecting truth for lying.

That is what God teaches us.

Now.

The thing about sin is that culture's view tend to change. Right,

if you think about how we have progressed over the years,

everything seems to be okay in the times that we're

living in now, right, we tend to accommodate to the changes.

It's all right. You know you're staying with this guide

or you're not married, Well, it's fine because you're just

saving up by is it right in the word of God? Yeah,

So cultures tend to change, people tend to give in

a lot. But you know what doesn't change the word

of God. What he told us back then is the

same now. So if you're thinking or you're confused, like

who should I say yes to or what say yes

to the Word of God first, and that keeps everything

right and brings things to perspective. Yeah, let's not be

just caught up with culture. Now, the culture does not

set the standard of righteousness. The majority does not set

the standard of righteousness. Remember that sometimes we can be

the minority thinking and say, no, this is what God says. Well,

the louder voice out there can be saying something else.

But don't be caught up with that. And that is

why I always emphasize that our foundation is very important.

That though we may hear many noises around us, it

doesn't mean it's always right. We've got to learn how

to discern and know what God is telling us us. Right,

So don't just be caught up with majority. You know,

the church that's not set the standards of righteousness. Do

you know that it's not the church, it is God

that sets the standard of righteousness, Because you know what

Paul was speaking about her church and emphysicist at at time,

they were consists of people who were missing the main point.

They were speaking things that they shouldn't be speaking about.

So how then do you say church sets the righteousness?

That's the problem and we look up on men too

much and not on God. Yeah, and I think it's

a very important reminder for us about discipleship as well.

You know, we can be journeying with someone. We can

love them, you know, and that is why we're doing

life together for so many years. But then again, don't

let that person be the bigger person from God. Yeah,

you can listen to your leader, but do you also

take time to listen to God. Can you discern what

is coming out of him or her is from God?

Because sometimes it can be the other way around. Right,

As humans, we all can fall shot, that is how

humans are. We are imperfect. But what we need to

go back to is God and He's word. Yeah, and

so it's not about the people, but it's God himself.

So God is our guide and his word is our standard.

So parents who are thinking about how should I raise

my kids, go back to the word of God. That

is your standard. As I grow up as a young person,

getting into a young adult or as a student, what

should be my standard? The word of God? Yeah, the

word of God. And of course it sends godly leaders

to help us and guide us. True, yeah, we appreciate that,

but the core has to be God's worth meeting the standard. Okay,

So don't forget to tea the truth of God's word,

which is actually in the act of love. However, to

reject God's law is an act of sin. Yeah, so

let's just remember that as we grow as believers in

Christ as a church, you know, and I think these

things are very important because we are setting the tone

for the next generation. And so for us here, you know,

who have been long enough believers, which I'm sure most

of us here. Yeah, you know, you've been attending church regularly,

you've been involved in serving and homes and all that.

We've got to set the standard right, which is true

God's word. If we don't catch it now, how are

the younger ones going to catch it?

Right?

They are going to miss the point as well. And

that is how culture starts off, because I pick up

from the person above me. Yeah, so let's speak the

right language, let's show the right action. Yeah, let's do

everything through the word of God. Amen. Yeah, And of course,

speaking of that, you know, if you need to equip yourselves,

please sign up for one of our Bible study classes. Yeah,

we have great classes going on. You know, it's on

Wednesday nights. You make it so convenient, it's online on Wednesday.

You can go for the Foundational Truths where you want

to know why the Bible is important. What do we

mean by praying in tongues? What do we mean by

the holy communion? All these key things sometimes that we

may not know when someone asks you about it, you

don't know how to explain. Right, So foundational truths. We

have a cause on knowing Jesus. Okay, that's a cause

that I personally have taught as well. And it's a

very good cause because you will know Jesus in a

whole different perspective from the person he was as a

young young man, you know, and he's calling his purpose. Yeah,

so it's a great module, and of course many other

subjects that you can take on as well. Yeah, we

should never stop learning, no matter what age you are,

you know, keep learning because there's always something new to

know about God's word about you know, why why is

the Bible written in such a way? The contexts? Yeah,

you know, I had an interesting conversation last week about

the Book of Revelation. Yeah, there's a lot of things

that you know, you can glean on. The very reason

why we have hope as believers is because we know

that Jesus is coming soon, right, and that is why

we have the very last chapter, the last book Revelation.

You have read that book. Some was scared to read

it because there's so many images. But it's important to

know what's to happen, right, that is our future as believers. Yeah,

so equip take ownership. We're halfway through the year, and

if you have not still started reading every other day,

please do something now. Don't wait till Christmas and then

start a new resolution. Again, it never ends. Okay, you

do something today, all right?

Can we do that?

Yeah, let's be a Bible loving community, you know, who

loves God and loves his word. Right now. The last

thing that we can pick out from the chapter is

that salvation is rooted in grace. So he starts off

with talking about love, and then he emphasizes about law

again the importance of it, and then he talks about

grace and how salvation is rooted in grace. You know,

when I was reading this, this particular chapter, I found

that Paul was actually very humble in the way he

when he was when the way he was talking about grace.

He didn't just s pinpoint fingers to the church that

this is how they are. They're very bad. And you know,

but he first started with himself. He had a heart check,

because if you know Paul, you know through the other

reference in the Bible he was not an easy person. Also, Okay,

he had his fair share of problems. He was, you know,

persecuting believers. Yeah, but then he had a change God's

through God's grace, he now was bringing the word to

God to others. Yeah. And so he starts here in

versus fifteen, okay, where he says this is a faithful saying.

Not Versus fifteen. He says, firstly in versus thirteen, Right.

Versus thirteen, he says here that although I was formerly

a bleshemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I

obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. So

he had his own heart check first, right. And I

think it's a good reminder for us that as we

disciple others or even lead others in our families or communities, right,

that we remain humble and ask the Lord, what are

the ways that I need to grow and change? Sometimes? Yeah,

we don't ask that question enough. You know, we can

be because we're so quick to be in the front

line telling people what to do. But could it be

that I could change the way I speak or the

way I respond. And if you have friends or leaders

that you trust enough, you can even ask them, is

this something that you think that I could be better?

I could improve? Okay? Did I say it right?

You know?

Sometimes I know when me and Eline, when we need

to confront or speak to this, I mean to counsel someone,

we'll actually have a a briefing session after that, yes,

pre conversation, post conversation, just to make sure that we

are accountable, like, Hey, did I do you think I

said it right there? Or maybe I spoke too much?

I should have listen to them a bit more, Okay,

to have a heart check together, because sometimes when we

do it by ourselves, we have blind spots or we

think that we're doing it right because I can talk.

I've been needing this long enough. Yeah, So having the

heart check is very important, and that is what Paul

does here. He was very firstly, very aware that he

is there because of grace. He is there because only

by God I can do what I'm doing. And that

is why you were so concerned of the church and

where it's falling to. And we've got to do something

to rise up. Yeah, growing humble, right and then in

verses fifty and he says this saying is trustworthy and

deserving of all acceptance. Christ Jesus came into the world

to save sinners, and I am the worst of them. Yeah,

I am the worst of them. So he knows the

grace of God in his life. Yeah, despite his sin,

God appointed Paul to minister as an apostle, and he

received mercy and grace from God. Do you know sometimes

when you share your stories, you know, when you share

your life before knowing God, that itself can draw people

to him because then you say, wow, God actually changed

you to become the person you are. Right, you're a

very difficult person back then, but now you're just so

gracious and loving. There's so much more patient. How is

in that even possible if it was not God? Right,

So let's not be afraid to share. They're not a

very nice part of our lives as well, of course,

if you're you know, comfortable with it, because that itself

can be an encouragement to others. You know, you don't

just share the good site because it's hard. You know,

I don't see you don't see me yet. I've got

rich there. But if you can get down and say

this is where I came from, this was how I was,

and God changed me three hundred sixty degrees. How an

encouragement it could that be to someone who may be

thinking that I can't change, I can't do this. It

seems to be so impossible. Yeah, and that is something

I've learned personally from our pastors as well. You know,

if you've heard their sharings and their messages, they're not afraid.

You know, most of you would have known past the

Cannet's background, his childhood, you know, growing up without you know,

a father figure yet a father of course, but not

the best. He went through its fashion of challenges, you know.

And yet when you see him as a person now,

it is by the grace of God. Right, And so

let's be real, That's what I'm trying to say here,

all right, Let's be real, because that's when people see

that God's grace is truly in your life and he's working.

And always believe that even mistakes that we make, you know,

or hardships, it's not just for nothing, right, There must

be a reason. Sometimes it may be difficult to believe

it or to accept it, but that's the reason why

that life had to happen so that your story can

be an encouragement to someone you know. And I have

this habit of journaling from young you know, from my

teenage years. Are you studious journal And when you read

those old journals, sometimes you laugh at yourself because of

how silly you were.

Right.

But when I read some of those, you know, statements

of goals that I used to make for myself, I

can't believe how God, how far God has brought me,

you know, when I think about it, the grace that

He has showed me. You know, some dreams that I

put in which changed you know, God didn't, I mean,

it turned another way around. Life happens, But I'm standing

because of the grace of God. Yeah, And so sometimes

it's just good to remember those times where you were

and where some of you have not known God. You know,

you didn't grow up in a Christian family, but somehow

you went through life and here you are listening to

God and it's worried and walking with him by the

grace of God. Right, So let's not keep our stories

to ourselves. Share it to others.

Be bold.

Sometimes you're so amazed to hear someone else's stories. But

we think, oh, mine is is nothing, but it is

to someone who have not heard it. Yeah, so let's

share it out loud. Yeah, because the bottom line that

we can see from this particular chapter that we read

is that focusing on the message that Jesus saved sin us.

That's what Paul was trying to say. I was a

sinner and he saved me, and that is why I'm

doing what I'm doing right, and the same thing he

wants for the church as well. Right, Jesus saves sinnerus.

Let's not be just so distracted by, you know, things

that don't matter, little things you know that we forget

that why I'm talking to this person is on to

share God's love to that person. You know the thing?

I see it, but sometimes believe us, even in the church,

we are so caught up to talk about what's happening

in the church. The music is not good enough. I

don't like this person. I have to keep finding for

another church. Do you see that happening?

Right?

But what is God trying to ask us to focus on?

Share the gospel? And when we put so much of

energy on all of these things, where is the energy

going to share God's love? Right? I was having this

conversation with another friend the other day as well. We

were talking about this. Sometimes when even as Christians will

be me then we talk, Oh, this church is doing this,

that church is doing that. How about who am I

winning for Christ?

You know?

How am I sharing the gospel? Did you? Did you

connect with this friend who doesn't know Christ? How about

those kind of conversations instead of what is right and

what is wrong? Because God has his way of bleeding

every other church, right, God, God has his way of

putting things in order. So let's change our attention. Let's

switch our attention our priority. Okay. And that is what

Paul was emphasizing your to Timothy. Okay, that God came

to save the sinners. God came to save the world.

That should be the main thing and not the things

that drains us down. Sometimes the problems in life brains

us down. But when we know our main ultimate purpose,

we leave that out for God. Yeah, So let's not

be caught up with what that is not important. Okay,

Let's focus be thankful for the grace of God. Right

as he says, Christ Jesus came into the world to

save sin us. Yeah, and that is why we are

all here today. And if God can be so gracious

to forgive us, to love us, why can't we do

the same to others as well?

Right?

Why is it so hard for us to forgive others?

If God can forgive you and me? Yeah, that's something

that's the question that I've learned to ask myself. You know,

why why is it so hard to forgive? Why is

it so Why is it so easy for us to

give up on someone when God has not given up

on me? When I'm not the best? Right, So, always

change our perspective looking at the way, Jesus es us,

if these caesars so precious, why can I do that?

If God's love is in me?

Yeah?

And God enables us to do it when we obey, right,

And so it's always about having a heart check in

Verses seventeen, okay, we can see that now to the King, eternal, immortal, invisible,

to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory

forever and ever. So he ends this particular chapter, okay,

by just giving God the glory, giving God the praise,

and saying, this is why we do what we do,

doing the church, leading the people, you know, and being

able to help them see who God truly is. Yeah,

invite the extreme forward, right. And so this is what

you know, Paul reminds Timothy, and you know within the

message that he shares to them, which is about love,

you know, about hating sin and of course being able

to share the Gospel to others. It is the approach

that he uses, right, which to me, I feel that's

how a discipler should be. Right, That's how a person

should be when you're leading others, when you're doing things

out of love, and whenever you lose focus, always get

back to that. Don't be so quick with your words, right.

Sometimes you can be so quick to say what to do,

But sometimes it's just the matter of being there for

the person, you know, helping them see God's love true

your life, and in most times they see through the

way you live your life, your actions, you know, the

way you connect with people. And it's not always about

being very loud and having a lot of things to say. Yeah,

but it's just about how you carry yourself right. And

I pray that as a church you'll be able to

cash that heart as well, because he has called us

to bring his love and the gospel to others who

may not know Christ yet. Amen.

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