Fasting That Pleases God | Pr Alvin Keng

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

So today I'm going to share a little bit about fasting.

Are you guys okay? With that? We grow and we

learn about fasting. So if you got your bibles, well

sorry not if, but I'm sure you got your bibles,

either physical or digital. If you don't have a Bible,

please get one. You got no money to get a bible?

Talk to passa Gloria and Edward we a sponsor and ye,

yesterday I know, no, yes, it was yesterday, last few days, right,

and you guys are here. Book excess KL Eastmore was

giving out three books. You know any of you went?

And yeah, I think do any of you went? No,

you didn't go. Can I tell you something? They're giving

out three ten books per person. And my wife was

looking at the pictures and she saw NKJV Bibles there

you know, letter B one And I'm like, hey, but

you were specler. So anyway, if you got no Bible,

I'm just letting you know you can get free bible.

Pick up some other books on the way, uh and

kell Isma Sonia here I was we were contemplating should

we go. Should we go? But where far? But for

us we were off our just fi. Okay, you learn

a lot of things in church. Please turn to Isaiah

chapter fifty eight. Isaiah chapter fifty eight. We're gonna do

a book study. Okay, are you guys okay to do

a book study? Anyway? I got no choice. I have

the mic, so, but we're gonna do a book study.

And about Isaiah. I remember the first time I fasted.

I was seventeen years old, and I understood the concept

of fasting, but I've never done it before, and I've

never really participated, and a first thing has always been difficult.

But right before SBM, I felt like, hey, I want

to try. I want to go all out, and I'm

a little bit extreme the way I make decisions and

then later regret. So I said, you're not going to

fast for two months? Not the smartest thing to do. Uh.

And how many of you who we've gone through first thing?

You know, the moment you say you're gonna fast, suddenly

you're invited to all the meccans. And I fasted, I

basically Daniel fast for two months. Suddenly I don't know

why everybody so friendly in me invite me for all

their birthdays. And then of all the things they served

in the birthday party is fried chicken only. So I

was standing there and everybody are you okay, I'm like, yeah,

just eating mesh with.

Uh.

But I helped my fast. So that's the party. That

was quite cool. And and I'll tell you the interesting

thing that happened. The reason why I fasted was because

I wanted to study gegle grades for for sbm. You know,

it was very selfish, you know, some nice you know,

I'm okayma, very selfish in your fast. Think oh God,

I wanted so I fast for it on one direction,

so I fast for it. But the interesting thing that

through the fast, the results wasn't as important. Yeah. I

don't know whether you guys are following me, but I

hope you'll follow me through the fast. The interesting that

happened was there was a heart change for me through

the fast. I grew deeper in relationship with God. Through

the fast, I recognize how to hear God. It's very

interesting because the fast started with a very selfish, not

selfish that your prayers, yeah, uhould first expreme example. You

should first, you know, to study hard and all and

focus and pray, you know, because you want something now.

I remember someone told me before, oh, I don't fast

because it feels that I'm twisting God's arm, you know,

to force him to give me something. And I thought

about that. I think it's a very shallow perspective, but

fast thing, and I think it's also a very shallow

perspective about God. What you think can tea Scott's arm?

Any of you here things you can tea Scott's arm?

I hope you don't know, because if you think you do,

then you are greatly miss second right. Because God is God.

You know. None of us can twist God. None of

us can come and say, oh God, you see how

all the things I've done for you? He doesn't need

that right, even tis and offerings, Oh you see how

much I give. See that's the human way of looking

at it. But God, that belongs to me. So it's

different perspective. So I hope that today we will catch

a certain perspective about fasting. Because when I was fasting,

one of my youth leaders said, hey, if you want

to learn about fasting, read Isaiah fifty eight. And Isaiah

fifty eight will teach you everything you know about fasting. Damn,

what do you mean now? Because Isaiah fifty eight, and

if you you have my Bible, the title says fasting

that pleases God. You mean there it's a fast that

don't please God. Yes, and there is a fast that

please God. Right, just because we fast doesn't mean that

things happen, so, you know, because first thing is like,

oh I abstained? You know sometimes that that that I

don't know, child attitude we have? You know, if we've

that it got God? You see I did this, sir God,

You see I did that? Now you know God, you

see I I you know qualify you know. And then

the Bible says that we are not we are not

safe because of good works, but we are safe to

do good works your cash. That so in a way,

all of our proving to God and our showing God

and credit and married all doesn't matter at all because

we should do good works anyway because we are safe

your cash. That is, as a really counterculture, it's not

an easy concept to understand. Right, you are a good

person because you're doing good because you are a good

person your catch That not because you want to get

any married or at anything, but the way the world,

you know, It's not our fault because the way the

world qualifies things are and the way the world evaluates

things is by married. Right. That that's how the whale,

the whale plot the world functions, right, some wales function

that weigh as well, But that's how the world functions.

Second Chronicles seven fourteen, So what is fasting? Second Chronicles

seven fourteen says, if my people are called by my name.

You see, the first point is very important. He talks

about your identity if my people are called by my name.

So if you are not God's people, and you're not

called by his name, then this doesn't apply to you.

You'll catch that if you're not if you don't identify

with've God, you thought about identification now, right, it doesn't

affect you. But if you are God's people and you say, yes,

I'm a believer, I believe in Christ Jesus. I believe

there's a living God. I am saved by him. He's

redeeming from my sins, and we are his people. Right,

the gentiles, if my people are caught by my name,

will humble themselves. See first thing is a very humbling thing,

because we're abstaining and saying I'm gonna stop doing something.

I'm gonna stop doing it. I'm gonna abstain, I'm gonna

not eat. I'm gonna tahn my desires for a certain

period of time. Humble themselves and pray and seek my face.

Pray and seek my face. Why do we pray? Do

we pray because we want something? Or do we pray

to seek God's face? See's different, it's a different posture.

Or why do we fast? Do we fast because we

want something? Or do we fast to seek God's face?

That's why we also say, and you've probably heard this before, Pascna, say,

if your time first thing without praying is just diet,

it is, They're just die a thing because you're not praying,

you're not seeking God's face. You just dire. Think there's

no meaning in it. It's not the act of fasting,

but it's the posture of our heart right and turn

from their wicked ways. God, how can you say a

wicked Actually, if you do some reflection, you realize that

we are not perfect. There are some things you do,

small things then you might not be proud of. Then

I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin

and heal their land. Work powerful man. You guys want

that well forgiveness of since we know that God has

regiven Christ. But the healing land pipe is quite cool. No,

you know the significance of land healing. I don't know

how to explain this because it is such a supernatural thing.

If you want to experience land, there is healed. No

he go to Barrio. You know, one of the best

mountain riser grown. I would argue worldwide is in Barrio.

Why is that name Barrio so familiar? It was where

revival happened in Malaysia so long ago. You don't know

Barrio is going to read that about it? Right? If

you go to Israel today today, you will see that

God bless that Leno. I saw a documentary by Anthony

boudin the late Antibodin and he went, you know, and go,

of course you go Macca and travel right. It was

so start because it was so clear. This part, which

is Israel, it's all greenery and lush greenery. The other

part is all desert. I won't say you were the

other part because I also don't know Ela. Well, I

kind of know Ala, but I don't want to say Ala.

It's so crazy. There was like clear border and like

huh oh here the tanama not okay for those that

don't understand. Here the ground is more fatal. That ground

is not fertile. Why is the ground fatal? God bless

the land, God bless the land. Do you know that

God can bless exter us? Do you know that God

can bless you and your house? The moment people walk

into your house is different, really different feeling. Really they

can only say feeling, but we know it's God's presence, DESI.

The significance of seeking God's face and humbling ourselves is

very powerful if we catch it right. But if we

think we are God, if we think that no, no, no,

you know, we might not catch some of these things.

That is very significant. I guys, okay, So first question,

why do we fast? Different ones were fast because of

different things, and of course during Luton we also encourage

people to believe God for different things. But you see,

it's not I pray and twist God's arm. I seek

God for an answer for this thing that I have.

So I'm seeking God. I'm seeking the Creator to help

me with my challenges. I'm seeking the Creator to help

me with a direction. I'm seeking the Creator to help

me with healing. But it's not the healing. It is

the Creator that I'm seeking that is the reason why

we fast. And this son I'll probably need needs help

because I don't give people to read scripture. Okay, So Nick,

you just choose one person to read the first verse

and then we will do I say we're gonna do

by the study. Right, we'll do by the study. You

pick anybody, Okay, read the first, first and second verse? Come, yeah,

read a loud first and second Isaiah fifty eight one

and two can read loud, so always can hear? Amen?

So Nick, you hold on firsta. So let's go verse

five verse. So what does he say? Okay, cry aloud,

span on, lift up your voice like a trumpet. Tell

my people their transgressions. I like her version. Tell my

people to you know, repent right right, and the House

of Jaca there says okay, and then it says, yet

they seek me daily, see God knows no, Hey, this

is are sicking me daily? This? I want to know

my ways? Isn't it a good thing? It's good?

Right?

They kind of got the concept right, right, They kind

of got the concept right right. Okay, But let's read further,

let's read just a verse three.

And you have seen?

Why have we in fact.

Pleasure? Okay, let's hold that for now. Isn't interesting? Didn't

they fast for the right things? They see God's face,

they want his they want to delight in his face.

Right?

But you know, they say, I know that's a saying

about good intentions. I cannot remember what is it. We

can all have good intentions, but actually our actions can

speak louder than our intentions, right, And it says, yeah,

yet they seek me daily and okay, do you like

why have we fasted? They say? And you have not seen?

So they also realize, no, he were first. But God,

why are you're not moving? God? Why you're not moving

in my life? How many of you have been there before?

Don't raise up your hand. I've been there, God, I

fast know. Look, I'm suffering here, I'm suffering. Why are not?

You're not doing anything? And then it says, in fact,

in the day of your fast, your find pleasure. Hello,

what do you mean by find pleasure? Yeah, you're FASTI

but you stare enjoying yourself? Are you seriously not? I'm

not saying you guys are talking about the people here

In fact, it says, in the day of your fast,

you find pleasure and exploit all your laborers. You know

what exploitation means. They I mean when they say laborers

meaning they are the people that work with the people there.

They are a lot over right, they exploit them. Okay,

can we just read a verse four continuing them? Wow,

he highlighted a few key things. Okay, yes, you're fast,

but you're still enjoying yourself. You're still pleasure. Pleasure batman,

No pleasures not bad. But your first thing man, right,

not just that, you know? Okay, I give you this example.

I remember last time when I was younger, and then

we will say, you know and I was. I mean

when we were teaching the young fellus how to fast.

Okay again, Elvin, let's I'm not past it. You know

our fast, our fast, vegetables. Of course the person don't

like vegetables. No, no, no, can again our fast? School

can again? How fast? Our fast? I'll fast all these

different things. Just yesterday my son said, Okay, Deddy, I

want to change my fast. I mean trying to teach

her still younger. Okay, so my son said, I want

to I want to fast. Shue girl, and I'm like,

are you sure not? And I think he doesn't know

what he means because things just a sugar that he likes.

And then then later when we were going to buy,

then you can't have this drinks, I'm like, can you

please read the ingredients? Sugar? Oh I cannot drink this,

you know, literally cannot find any drink without sugar. And

then he brought this all the time, don't have them

like boys. Su cross is the sugar and he's like,

oh man, so sonia okay. And then and then he

wanted to change his fart. I said, okay, sure, you know.

I mean I also ask you you please reconsider, you know,

because you want them to decide. So he said, I

want to change my fast and he said what, oh,

I'll change my fast to I don't want I don't

want ipet and I do want something. I'm thinking to myself, yeah,

but you don't do that anyway. You have to give

up something that you like and give up something. Then

he's like, okay, yeah, I don't do I petla totally okay,

that works, you know. So just trying to teach may

not fully understand, but just trying to teach so some

nice sometimes just do it first, right, teach them do

it first right. I want to encourage them. How many

of us are like that? I hope you're not noun

or with other intentions? Are fasting? Actually are? First thing

will help me become slimmer. God reveals why we fast

and the condition of our hearts in that scripture is

why it talks about a fast thing. It's a good reflection.

Not okay, am I am I exploiting people? You know,

am I? He says here, indeed you're first strive for debate.

How many of you in the past one week because

first thing has quarreled with someone? Don't say, don't lift

your hands? How many of you have? I know I

had right strike and to strike with the fist of weakness.

See strike with the facet of wakedness just means that

you want to wag someone with not good intentions. It's

not saying you're wicked. It's just that your intentions are

not good. You want to get back at someone vengeance. Right,

you will not fast as you do this day to

make your always hurt on high. It's a good reflection

on our hearts. Right, The conditions we have in our

hearts that spurs so fast, finding our pleasure, exploiting others,

fast as a way to get even Lord, look at

what she did complain to God with weaker intentions fasting.

So God takes notice. Let's read on the next verse,

verse five is fast, he said, and spread out. You

call this a fast and acceptable way? Okay, this verse

you kind of can't. You kind of got to understand

the cultural context behind what God is saying. So so

in those days I won't give your research, but in

those days when they want to mourn and went to fast,

basically when they fast is for bad, not not so

good things like like if you read because it's Jewish culture,

when you when you read Jewish culture, when they fast

write they only fast on a few occasions. One they

fast on, young keeper is the day of a tonement, right,

and they fast for twenty five hours. Uh. And when

they first they will wear sack cloth. Okay, you'll know

what set cloth look like. It's the latest balance siaga

for those of you who understand that joke. Recently, I

my wife say, oh, Balania, they're now selling a tap tape.

You know, three thousand dollars US dollars tape before that

they created like a gear back. I don't know. Maybe

they'll reach until they need to feel like poor. Let's

watch this video on what is set cloth s cloth.

Sand cloth is a strong, big material work with black

guns or sometimes stiff People made sense to the same

cloth to carry grown and good. People also made guns

out of sackcloth to wear. Sackcloth had a rough texture

and was uncomfortable and scratching to wear. Sackcloth was black

and loose fitting, drank and the room for the body

below the knees, and had short sleeps. Shepherds in Israel

warps and cloth because it was cheap and lasted a

long time. In the Bible, people often wore soapcloth when

they were sad because someone had died. Jacob tore his

purpose a warsmopcloth when he thought his son Joseph had died.

People wore sackcloth and covered themselves in fire ashes as

a way to say sorry to God the things they'd

done wrong. People who followed Jesus no longer wear sackcloth

or ashes to show they are sorry.

Pray Scott there. We don't wear set cloth now right.

So if you don't know what setcloth, go to any

grocery shop, those like Grayroom chat and go and look

at how they carry the the yead, the potatoes and

their sect cloth and they wear it. And then you're like, hey,

why they wear it so that they afflict themselves, you know, afflicktments,

so you suffer not comfortable, right, it's itchy, it's scratchy.

Some of us who got exma problems in my fare

up right. But they do it to punish themselves. They

do it as a way to to mourn. So it's

it's it's negative one. It's super negative. It's super like,

oh'm on a wear cloth like now we we we

we mourn. We wear black black shirt. Now even better one,

just white T shirt. Quite comfortable actually, But they want

to wear seck cloth, right, And when they fast, they

fast to humble themselves. They're fast and they wear sack

cloth to humble themselves to show you that I'm you know,

I have good intentions to show you that I am.

You're doing in my suffering. And yet God said in

this scripture, is it a fast that I have chosen?

It's so interesting the first line he asked, the question,

is it a fast that I have chosen? A day

for a man to afflict his soul. Do we really

think that we are doing fasting so that you can suffer?

I hope not? Right? Right? Is it to bow down?

He said, like a bull rush? I mean, is basically

just planted, you know, bow down the head and to

spread out sackcloth and ashous. The other thing they do

to affect themselves is they take the yeah, so sack

cloth en drama or okay, right? They do that right?

And when they fast, they fast like that young keeper Atonement.

And then the other key things they're fast is they

you know, remember when Queen Esther in the Bible says

fast and pray. They also practice that. There's another Jewish culture.

And then there's one more. I can't remember what, but

it's all not so good stuff like it's to remember

not so good stuff like okay, right? And God asked,

would you call this a fast and acceptable day to

the Lord? It's a real hard check, you know when

we first call I want to you know, uh, fast

for days so I suffer a bit for you God.

That's not the right intention. You're not gonna please God

that way. It's very clear here. Don't don't have to

read anymore between the lines. It's so clear. It is

not the fast that God has chosen. Right, and yet

God teaches us a fast he has chosen. And we'll

read verse six and seven, next person, do go?

And then.

Seven?

Is it not to share the hungry? And then you

your house the you see the naked color, and not

hide yourself from.

The old flesh. So what is the fast that God

chose to free the people from bondage, to undo heavy burdens.

You'll feel very heavy, that's what. That's the fast that

God chose to let the oppressed go free. What are

you oppressed by? What are we oppressed by? Is it

your bad habits? Is it addictions? Is it stuff that

you don't want to do? Is this stuff that you're

trying to deal with for a long time? Well, God

can set you free. First thing, to break every yoke,

to share our break with the hungry, To bring to

your house the poor who have been cast down, bring

your house, meaning open up your house for people who

are downtrodden. So it's not just for usenal, it's also

to cover those who are naked. Right, We of course

can read into this and look at it literally, and

we can also see spiritually, because there are people who

are afflicted, people who are downtrodden, people who may not

be fasting right, people who may not know who God is.

And what is the fast that God chose? He chose

a fast is powerful, not a fast for us to

crouch in and and oh who with me? And look

at my problems? And that's it. No, it's so interesting

that God chose a fast and his perspective and not

others say yes, we are fasting, Yes we are humbling ourselves,

seeking in face, and God say go and do all

these things. What is the condition of our hearts? Is

it just for us? Or it's for others? God, God

is asking us to humble ourselves to serve others in

our fast? Who so interesting? So interesting? Let's read on.

We read verse eight and nine and nine then and

you will see.

The speak.

So interesting right, the dynamics of this old thing that's happening.

The first started with me myself, and I feel my

problem set on my issue. No, I'm suffering. But then

it progress to the fast that I choose. It's the

fast where yes, you fast, you seek me, but you

minister to others. And then all the good stuff happens. God,

Are you saying that if I fast and woe's me

and everything all the good stuff not gonna happen. Let

me give you the revelation. Yes, it's quite funny, right,

it's true. Yes, it's clear as they So what do

we want? God checks our hearts? Are we seeking him?

Because you know what happens in this fast You are transformed?

You are transformed first, the transformation happens with us first,

that we set our selfish desires aside and we serve

others even as we fast and seek God. And then

the promise happens. And the promise is amazing. Right, your

light will break free like morning? Wow, so poetic. I

will try to explain a little bit more this, you know,

but we'll read it for now. Okay. So it says

your life shall break free like morning. Your healing shall

spring for speedily. See, not just healing, what happens. Healing

will spring forth faster? How many if you want to

be healed faster? Right? What else did they say? And

your righteousness shall go before you? Very poetic? But it

talks about reputation. You want to have a good reputation.

Do you know that your reputation precedes you most of

the time, it does, right. What do I mean by that?

When you apply for a job, your resume go first, right,

when you meet friends, have people heard about you before?

Now?

Of course, when you totally go to a totally new

place and no one knows you, then you've got no reputation. Now,

then you can start afresh. Right, A lot of people

like to do that. Oh, I start fresh. But our

reputation precedes us. The righteousness that God will put on

our lives will go before us, and the glory of

the Lord will be our rare God, how powerful is that?

Let me explain this a little bit more. We have

no control in our lives in reality about what happens

behind our backs. Correct, We have no control how you

try your best or so you have no eyes at

the back of your head. I mean, although we do

say moms here have eyes at the back of the head,

and I do believe that that's true because God give

them those eyes. So what you're doing, your mother will

know that's not right. Especially I got funny, sorry, but

I won't share that here. Um. But when God says

my glory will be your red God means that you

when that is a promise, you know how like even

if people want to plot against you, God has your back.

That's that's quite cool, right, the Lord will be your vindicated.

That that's why sometimes when bad things happen to Christians

created by other people, you know, ask my advice to them.

It's okay, forgive. God will take care of it. You

don't have to do anything. But if you feel like

you don't know anything that I think you know God

more right, you don't have to do anything. You are

not going to be because God doesn't. God will give

you the ability to overcome. But human beings we want to,

you know, stand for us right. We want to do

our own thing. We want to fight, we want to,

you know, get offened out on the behalf of other people.

That's what happens most of the time now. And God says, forgive,

it's not your problem. You know how path that can

be to advise someone that and the person is still angry.

What even if it's not my problem, but this person, this, this, this, this,

this is he deserves to X y Z and whatever

else you want to say. And then you go back

to the scripture and God say, don't worry, I work

out him for you. How many of you like that?

You know? Having this understanding right has changed my my, wow,

my countenance a lot now because even if someone has

malicious intentions to mess with you, having God as your

red God is so powerful. It's so powerful because there

are a few times ready in my life where I

was accused of something that was not true, right, and

I didn't really have to defend myself. So weird, right.

In fact, the way I found out also, it was

quite weird because the way I found out is like

by the way I want huh. And then when it

was revealed, I remember having this experience in college ashery

studio where you know, I mean college law. It's not

nothing serious law. And what happened was we had an

intervention intervention, so I like golo. You know. It was

actually the second I went for some for intervention, right.

So it was an intervention emergency meeting by friends, you know,

uh and uh. And one of my friends called it right,

and let me let me tell you it was it

was not so serious one okay, but this friend was

very frustrated so called the meeting. And then after that,

what happened was we all sat down and then and

then the talk to talk about what is the meeting about?

And my friend just said, we need to solve this

problem out because every time I want to arrange for

a group, I have to make sure that Elvin is

separated from this other person. And I'm like, huh, you know,

and then it was revealed later that this person got

probably me and I have no idea, right, and I'm like, huh,

that's so weird. Suddenly now my problem. No, I went

for the meeting too participate, and then now suddenly it's

my problem. And then well, basically when then intervention is

everybody share. Of course it's the first time I'm hearing this.

I'm like, I share, like, I'm sorry, you know, maybe

it's my face, you know, sorry, right, So I would

just sit that listen, and the other person, of course

had a lot of issues with me, but it was

not valid or like. The more the person share, the

more everybody go like, ha, so what's the problem. So

the problem is no problem? No. So what I'm trying

to say is that when the Lord is your regard,

when he takes care of you, you gotta have the

confidence first that God is with you, unless you'll be

not tela, then do you not right? But if you

are with the Lord, and if you seek him, he

will take care of your back. That's powerful. What else

is the promises? That's here? Are you guys catching something?

Um me?

Then you will call and the Lord will answer. You

shall cry and he will say, here I am. If

you take away the yoke from your midst the pointing

of the finger and the speaking and speaking weakedness. How

many of you like it that when you call God

answered Lord? Yes, Elvin? Wow, don't you pray so long? No? Right? Wow?

Let's see what sex. Isn't that a cool promise to have?

See how powerful a fast can be if you do

a fast that pleases God? So powerful? Okay, next point,

let's read ten and eleven. We're gonna bring this home.

Thank you for all that I've been reading so far.

And then you.

Spend yourselves in the press. Then your light will rise

dunes and the night will become the love will write.

In the sun's and.

You will be a well watered like the screen.

Those waters never fail.

When we reach out to others, who are these others,

those who are afflicted our light shell don in the darkness.

You know it took me a while to kind of

understand this scripture. How many of you have woken up

before and it feels very dark. I'm not just talking

about whether everything is so dark. It's so depressing, right,

That's why they said the weather in your case that

you know it's always raining, there's no sun. Our light

shall dawn in the darkness. Your light shall dawn in

the darkness of the lives of other people, and not

just that your darkness. World is as bright as today.

Are you in darkness today? Are you in the dark

You won't be any more. You'll be so bright it's

like afternoon sun hot until you're like, oh, so hot.

That's the promise of the Lord. I want to encourage us.

You know, when you read scripture, please go deeper. Know

there's so much can draw out, and the Lord will

guide you continually and satisfy your soul in drought. You

know how powerful that is. When you come to church,

you get encouraged. Correct, When you listen to worship music,

you get encouraged. Correct. How many of you here have

been in spiritual drop before? Do you know that you

don't need a program, You don't need a CD, you

don't need a person to fulfill and refresh you. All

you need is gone anywhere, anytime. One day there will

be a time where there were people that worship me

in spirit and in truth. Truth. No, it is not

whether or not our worship leader can sing off key

or not. No, that determines your worship. That's so shallow.

Sorry if you feel that way, and I'm scolding you

right now, I'm not scoding you, just sharing you my

own opinion. Isn't it so shallow that we only need

a band and we can worship? How shallow are we?

Is it so shallow that I must have excellent novnia

can listen to this pasta? How shallow are we? Friends?

Our faith is alive, So you are spiritually dry, Seek

the Lord. He will feel you up. Of course he

will clear all the other thing. Now, you know, sometimes

we're drier and the spring of living water within us

is not you know, flowing. You know why a lot

of rubbish they stuck ready, have to unclog it, pour

some un crogger, pull out all the rubbish, Clean the rubbish.

Then the rivers of living water will spring. Have to

clean the rubbish. How to be filled with the Holy spirit? Angry?

How to be feel with the Holy Spirit, being angry

as someone else or hating someone very hard noise. It's

all the rubbish in our lives. How do you feel

we feeled the Holy Spirit when there's another thing feeling

your heart? Think about it away, right, we shall be

like a water garden whose waters do not fail. I

picked up gardening after the pandemic. It is quite nice

to have a nice garden. To have a garden that

you never water and dying is very depressing. Ah, but

it's quite nice now. I mean, I know maybe some

of you are not into gardens, but it's actually quite

nice to hang out in the garden. They sign now

a lot of cafes for garden. Right, it's so cool

imagining your life like that. That means when people hang

at you, so do you want to hang at you

because you're like a water garden? Cool? Right? I like

this other part. Let's see okay, this one I will.

We are now ten eleven. Okay, let's let's read everything. Okay,

read all the way from eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

continue continue unless you want to lock you know you

have the power.

Mm hmmmm.

Amen. This next part is quite cool because it feels

like a fantasy thing, you know, because it says here

that it says here that we will build always places. Okay,

what what what did you say? Bill? You shall raise Yeah,

from those those from mong you shall build the all

way spaces. You shall raise up the foundations of many generations.

And you shall be caught the repairer of the breach,

the restorer of streets to drilling. Okay, let me let

me take some time to explain this a little bit more.

Have you seen a house? Have you watched those videos?

Those cleaning videos where the house is like horder stay

one many years of rubbish you've seen, right, and then

you see how they clean the house. You're you're something

you'll probably like you. I like to watch six sometimes,

you know, especially like those tides like the house and

it's really a lot mess inside, not just that there was.

Once I was buying a house, I literally went to

a holder's house, I kid you not, And I was

in my mind, I'm like, why would the agent think

that he can sell this house to me? The person

was still there, No, and and literally it was just

like that space. Not from the moment we went in

the house and then it smelled weird, and then I'm like,

how am I gonna you know, it's like how how

what in your minda thinking that you can put this

house on sale and you can show me the house,

expecting me to imagine. So you've seen those videos, right,

God is saying that you will have the ability to

be able to clean and to restore all waste places.

You know.

The thing about always places, right, is that when we

look at it now, we're like, no way, no way.

It's either going to take a long work, it's going

to be tough. You know, most of the time we

have that perspective, right. I'm sure those that hort runner,

they don't want to leave that way. It's just that

after a while they give up, right, And it will

take a lot to clean. You know something here, I

know you like to clean, Like I'm the type that

will clean on right. I feel very happy when I

finally clean this corner my house that has been left

like that for the past five years a day. Oh

so happy, you know. And I'm on this mode of

like minimalism, you know, less things don't buy you know.

And my wife, the Lord, you know, it's so good,

gave me a wife that loves to keep things anyway,

We'll leave it at that. So Nick, you're from three

science book. You have not opened it up in the

past ten years. Here anyway, you will build always spaces

places that people think no hope ready will be built.

And then got titled someone you will raise the foundations

of many generations, you know that another line that is

so powerful. A lot of times when we live life,

we only have a perspective of us and now, but

we don't think about future. We don't think about you know,

maybe you start thinking about future when you have kids.

Right now, you start thinking about future. So you hear

your teachers, you are involved in building the future generation, right,

And that's very powerful because you might not see the

food of your labor, right, you might not see how

people are impacted. But we've got we've got all stories

like that. I have a story of my my my

class teacher in from four. She did just biology. She

was new, first teacher. She actually set me down and said, Elvin,

why are you wasting your time? You are quite a

bright student. You need to buck up your studies. Just

that one meeting change my whole trajectory because I did

pretty okay later in Form five, I was chasing after

other things, not girls, other things. Just to be clear,

I was chasing after because my school had this like

testimonial thing, you know, like half half color full color.

So I was chasing after the full color paper, thinking

that you will help me get into UNI. Actually all

these things is a I won't I won't comment. Okay,

if you're going for it, go for it, okay, if

it works, So imagine being the foundation or building the

foundation for many generals before you. You know, when we

think about legacy, right, we make different decisions, But when

we think about ourself, we'll make different decisions. Give you

this example. If you're always thinking about me, myself and I,

then you will fight to do what you want to do.

But when you can think about your in the future,

for example, my relationship my wife, I do think about

it some nice when we were dating. Now, how am

I gonna share with my kids? When my kids asked, Mammy, day,

how do you mean?

Nah?

Oh you know, actually your mammy will sweep another guy

and then they go and grab her. That didn't happen now, okay,

but you get what I mean? Right, of course? I

was like, and I know again, not not everyone has

nice story to tell, right, But you can be confidence

and say, oh, you know I met her in church, right,

of course, she brought my heart. But then we got

together and your mommy is my first girlfriend. So you

see why, right? You crazy? You don't like other girls

before I do? I did. I few almost happened, thank

god didn't happen, right, But I was concerned about my

legacy that I'm living for my children. You get what

I mean. See, you make different decisions, though, but when

you're not thinking about that, whatever goes right. Okay. For

those that don't have this kind story, don't worry. A

lot will give you other stories to tell. Okay, I'm

not I'm not. I'm not judging you in anyway, but

I'm just telling you we think about legacy, right, because yeah,

we think about legacy and not just that. You get

title repairer of the Breach sounds like some sci fi movie,

but basically it means someone who builds and restores things,

restore it or streets to dwell in Tapyjalla. Not nice one, no,

but imagine you can restore the Tapyjalla until you can

stay there, you know, like they say, you can clean

the floor and they can eat off the floor. Right,

isn't it amazing if you have such a testimony. Another

promise of the Lord, Hey, let's bring this home. And

when we honor God Isaiah fifteen, sorry, Isaiah fifty eight

thirteen is very interesting because it also talks about honor.

As we do all these things, honor is still there

because when we honor God and don't do things our

own ways. Very very specific, he says, Heah, if you

turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your

pleasure on my holiday, and call the sabbath a delight,

the holiday of the Lord honorable, and shall honor him,

not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure,

not speaking your own words. What does he trying? What's

God trying to say? When you fast? Don't do it

your way? Do God's way? No, no, no, no a way,

I know. Stop doing things your own way, start doing

things God's way is as clear as they no need

to argue about no, just do it God's way. In

the church, we want to do things God's way. We

want to honor him. There's a way that we do

certain things. There's a way that we raise leads, there's

a way that we do homes. There's a way that

we do worship. There's a way that we pray, and

that's a way that we're fast because it's according to

God's word, not because we are heat and happening and

try new things. No, no, guys, please don't miss the

point God say, don't do your own way. You've tried, right,

you tried, and it's not worth time to do God's

way and see how it works. Not finding your own pleasure,

not speaking your own words. And Isaiah fifty eight fourteen,

the last verse is a real promise. Then you shall

delight yourself in the Lord. Wow. See when all these

things clear, no more rubbish, clear intentions, thinking about others,

reaching out to others, the promise, And then we will

delight ourselves in the Lord. And he will cause us

to ride on the high heels of the earth and

feed us with the heritage of jacob our father the

mouth the Lord has spoken. It is not just a

ritual of fasting and praying. Friends, it's our heart and

attitude towards it. That is the fast that Got wants.

That is the fast that God wants. It's not just

oh I need to you know, don't be tempted.

You know.

One of the ways to not be tempted is to

be busy, right, yeah, because they say that an idle

mind is the devil's play workshop. Right, So you don't

want to be tempted, you want to do all the

bad habits, be busy. Other things are because when you're

way free, Like King David, he was super free. Then

he started looking at all the things that he shouldn't

look at, and then he got someone else killed. Kind

of messed up, right, how the human mind works. But

when we're busy, when we're busy doing ministry, when busy

meeting people, when you're busy thinking of other people. Sorry,

no time to be selfish, No, No time when you're

looking at those who may not be as blessed as us.

No time to complain. God knows so. Right. But if

we always look at what we don't have, what we

don't have, what we don't have, then a lot of

time to complain. It's also how we express it. It's

not just a ritual. It's our heart and aptitude, and

it's also how we express it. Lord, you see my heart, right,

see my heart? No, what are we doing? How are

we expressing it right, and we got honored God and

meeting the need of others. So as we take on

this fasting this round, and I hope some of you,

oh well, I hope that maybe my next week when

you ask the question how many of you are fasting,

everyone will lift up their hands. I want to encourage you, guys.

It's not just a ritual no that we do. It's

quite significant one. When we get into fasting. It's not

just thinking about ourselves, about others. And the wonderful thing

is that God has so much promises for us when

we fast the way that pleases Him. So for those

that are fasting today, good to reflect a little bit

and readjust see, that's a wonderful thing I like about

our faith. It's not about getting everything perfect. It's just

about readjusting. As long as tomorrow is slightly better than today,

you're doing fine. As long as today is slightly better

than yesterday, you're doing fine. Don't continue the same mistakes.

Just listening to Jordan Peterson share about marriage, and it's

very interesting he said, him and the wife, because they're

stuck together. They decided earlier on that they won't have

the same argument. You will argue anyway you want, but

they promise themselves that they won't have the same argument.

Imagine having the same argument for forty years. Wow, quite suffering.

So they decided that they will have new arguments. That

also means that they have to learn. That also means

that you have to grow right and you have to navigate.

And as I was thinking about what he shared, reflecting

on my own marriage, I'm like, actually, I'm quite happy

in my marriage. I wonder how many people can say

that I'm very happy in my marriage. Have we fought? Yes?

Do we fight once in a while. Now, yes, we

still do. But we worked out a lot of major

things in the early days already. And now it's you know,

when you work out the kings right, everything will just

be smooth sailing right. When you solve out different problems,

everything will just be smooth playing. That's why in the

scripture it says, then you will delight yourself in a lot.

Why are we not delighting ourselves in the lot yet?

It's because still got things to fix? Why do people

like new cars? Nothing to fix? All car a lot

of things to fix. But once you fix the old car,

once you remodelly send the engine for overhaul do and

you paying job change the seats. Yeah, it's amazing the

driving experience. Guys, catching that what is it in our lives?

Then we need to commit to the Lord and say,

Lord help me because I want to come to a

place where I will delight in you. I want to

come to a place where there's no struggle anymore. Yes,

there will still be struggle, but struggle in the right things.

The problem is sometimes we come to a place where

we do want to let go certain things are and

we constantly struggle because of the one thing. Let's suffering

one friends, let go thank God seeking which is more important.

We talk about idols, right, you know if you let

you don't let go of something in your life that

is so important to you that has become your idol.

God is saying, have no more idols. I want to

be the main one. That's why we don't do things

our way. We don't use words our words, but we're

trust in a lot. Maybe invite the extreme didn't come

up even as we pray security. I want to ask

a passive girl to maybe take over after this to

do some ministry. However, the Holy Spirit will lead her.

But friends, this morning I want to encourage you. Today

is the sixth we it's two more weeks, I think,

two more weeks where we have fasting. Another reason why

I will encourage you to fast.

Now.

Of course you can say, oh I can fast any time.

Yeah you can. But it's the power of community. When

we can encourage each other, when we can help each other,

when we can pray for each other, when we're all

doing the same thing at the same time, it's very powerful.

And now it's very powerful. Not just only leaders do,

and you know, everyone participate in the little that you can.

Maybe start small first, don't go crazy, don't go like,

oh I'm gonna do full fast only, do not don't chill.

Do something simple this year, then next year, do another thing.

Then the following you do another thing. Then the following

you do another thing, and then you see yourself grow

and grow and grow and grow and grow and experience God. No.

One of the best ways is when you experience him. Recently,

it was very interesting I was talking to a young

person and I just shad the message about God has

a plan for you, and don't I shad that here.

The young person came out with me after the service

and asked. But I said, okay, how are you so

confident right that God has a plan for ours? And

you know I mean, I asked, I asked a young person,

I said, how are you? I'm fifteen. I said, okay,

when do you receive Christ as your personal lives? Sable? Oh?

When I was the thid, So I said, two years

do his experience. So for now, you just gotta trust me.

You just gotta trust work because you got to his experience. Yeah,

I said, I became a believer when I was twelve.

That started me on my journey. I'm for two three

years old. I have thty one years of experiencing God.

Can you say that I'm speaking tough that I don't

know about. I have to be one years experiencing God,

and I've seen the up and the lower and the down,

and I cannot deny Him. That's how I know. How

you know? You have to experience him? How you guys know,

whatever I'm saying makes sense. You have to experience Him.

But you gotta start today. Don't wait for tomorrow. You're

gonna waste a lot of time. Start today, Start small,

Ask God, engage him. He wants to connect with you.

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

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

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that this week is going to be a good week,

aheit for you. God bless