Acts 16 | Pr Matthew Chang

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

will light up your day. I decided to go on a sort of like

a series, and it was on Paul's missionary trip. And I know that

it's not easy to do a series, especially when I come in and out.

I apologize for that as well. But I thought about it and I

prayed about it. I feel that it was It's still worth doing it.

It may take, you know, a certain time, but it's good because

it's in alignment with the theme that we're covering about all men you know as

well. And instead of just having one sermon, I thought of taking you

guys on a series and not just a series. I call it a road

trip. How many of your light road trips? He like road trips?

Right, I enjoyed road trips. To take you guys on the road trip.

Okay, you take different stops, and the good thing about is that

you don't just focus on one stop. You after you've done, you look

the whole picture and a whole series. Right, you start to see like,

wow, you know there is a pattern, there's something that you can

learn. There is you know certain things that you continue to encounter in the

life of Paul and also in your own life as well. And so when

you start to you know, take things and you start to observe and study

it in the longest span, you start to realize that, wow, actually,

what Paul went through, what the church went through in the earlier times

very similar to what you go through in your life as well. It's not

very very different. It's just that when you look at one event, one

event, one if anyone event, you think like, hey, something wrong

you know, or very hard to identify life as well, isn't it.

When you go through a very difficult patch in life, you start to think

that maybe there's something wrong with me, Maybe I'm a failure, maybe I

made a mistake, Maybe God doesn't like me, maybe these people don't like

me, and you get me start to blame yourself. Then after that you

grow a bit older, you grow a bit wiser, you grow a bit

more patient, and you're like, oh, it's still one event. You

look at your one year, five years, ten years, and you start

to see things happen. Yes, but instead of like, hey, there's

something wrong with me, right, your perspectives start to change and you ask

did I grow true? Now did I grow? Did I learn something?

You know? I realized that I can't control certain things, and I realized

that I do make certain things. But did I change? Did I grow?

Did I better? What is God speaking to me? And so the

way that things become more meaningful and its proper context happens when we learn to

stretch a bit. So everyone in your seat right now, stretch a bit.

Take off your hands, stretch. Some of you have a stretch in

the morning. You know it's good to stretch, you know. You know

now in my forties, I need to stretch a bit more and more.

So I hope I stretch I can come back up in Okay, So today

we're gonna turn to X chapter sixteen. Okay, X chapter sixteen, and

I won't go through everything with quite a lot and some parts will summarize for

you guys. Okay, So I give you a very quick introduction. Okay,

break quick, breakground. So Paul here in X chapter sixteen, is

on the beginning of its second trip. Okay, how many trips did Paul

go together? How many missionary trips? Three? Well done, you guys,

learn very well. We went for three missionary trips. Okay. So

the first one is done ready. The first one was the shortest, okay,

So he's on his journey for the second one. Okay. There's something

happening in between there which I won't cover. Between the first and the second,

he actually had to attend sort of hearing, and you know, in

Jerusalem, and it was a big who about between the Jews and the Christians

they had, okay, and it was a regarding circumcision and then regarding hey,

do you need to still observe the old Jewish traditions and stuff like that,

and so it was such a big thing that all the apostles and the

elders had to come together to convene and to decide as well. And one

of the key witnesses for all this hearing was actually Paul and Barnabash as well.

Then then eventually Peter came into as well, So Paul, Barnabus,

Peter okay, apostles, and then lastly James, which James, This James

the Brother of Jesus. The leader of that Church of Jerusalem at that time

was not Peter, although Peter was very very powerful and he left for a

while. Eventually James the Brother took over as well. Hey, James,

the brother of Jesus took over. And it's quite amazing, you know,

because if you study the life of Jesus's family, right, Jesus was not

well liked in his family. Do you want to know? You know,

the mother loved him, no doubt that, but the brothers are kind of

like, you know, gave him a hometown discount, you know, as

a hometown discount. Okay, you know, as a hometown discount. It's

like if you become successful or become popular and you go back to your old

friends in your hometown, do you think that they will recognize you or believe

you or your own family you are I remember you when you were five years

old. You run around naked, you know, without writing your penua you

can be successful. I cannot be like you last time you fail your subject.

I remember also, I cannot be like you. I can't even hold

properly a chopstick on that you are sure not. This is probably called a

hometown discount. You know what I'm talking about here. That's why the Bible

say are not profit. It's welcome in their own hometown, you know.

Oh, so when Jesus went back to his hometown, Okay, he you

know, his brother laughing you you can perform all the miracles, performed the

miracles here as well. You know, so he was kind of childed and

ridiculed even though he was the son of God. He experienced the same thing

as well. But through it all after the whole incidents, and then Jesus

died on the cross, right the brother himself, James believes, no believe.

You know, it's quite amazing believe and served. You know, you

imagine the brother that you grew up with, this is the son of God.

It's quite an interesting family. Say, oh my goodness. Every time

I try to, like now when I sleep, I kick my leg.

You know I didn't realize that. You know, God will humble himself in

a human form. So James became a really amazing testimony of a sibling who

came to believe by faith. And sometimes when we think about our family members,

are you know with it? Your brothers, your sisters, your spouse,

your parents are God will never change them one, you know, because

because they're your family, because they're your friends, You're like, oh,

they will never change. I tell you, God can turn things around.

It's our belief and our doubt. That is the problem. That's the big

stone in front of the grave. That's our own unbelief. God can do

it, you know. So that's why you must not stop praying for stop

believing for your family members as well. Okay. Then I always detour.

Sorry, yeah, I had an understop. Okay. So now the first

trip is done, we're entering into his second missionary trip. Okay. And

so there's a bit of change in people. Okay. Initially there was John

Mark. Okay. John Mark is the actually the author of the Book of

Mark. Okay, he's not apostle, but he was one of the main

followers. Okay. But he these you know, he Barnabas and Paul had

a disagreement where to include him or not not just you know, eventually they

decided to part ways, you know, peacefully, you know, over this

disagreement. And then Paul and Silas decided to join to be one team together.

And he says that Timothy joins Paul's and Silas. So let's read here

from X chapter sixteen, verse one, and then we continue there from there,

okay, verse one, and he says, then he came to Derby

and Lystra and behold a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of

a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. Okay,

he was well spoken off by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.

Paul wanted to have him go on with him, and he took him and

circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all

knew that his father was Greek. And as they went through the cities,

that delivered them to the decrees to keep which were determined by the apostles and

elders at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in faith and increased in numbers

daily. Okay, So we learn of a person here, Okay, his

name is Timothy, and Timothy is the result of God's first missionary trip.

Okay, Paul came back from his first missionary trip. In his first missionary

trip when he went there, he was not without fruit. You know.

He actually raised a lot of disciples, He planted churches, he appointed elders,

and one of the great fruits that he received was he met this lady

and the grandmother. Okay, this lady and grandmother, Okay, they were

very caring and very hospitable to Paul. But they also but the lady also

had a son, and the son was Timothy with her great father. Okay,

although his mother is a Jew, he is not fully Jewish. And

it was and it actually is this determined that Timothy was almost like a teen,

you know, like you know, sixteen seventeen, you know, we're

not raitional, but around very young, only very very early early in age.

But he was so well spoken of Brider advert okay, who were Elistra

and Iconium as well. So something we learned here, isn't it when you're

younger doesn't mean that you don't have it. You don't you can't have a

good reputation. Okay, But Timothy stood out very well, I stood up

very among the Greeks, stood out very well among the Jews, so much

so and that Paul decided to bring him along for his mission trip. You

know. So the reward of being a good boy is that you got on

missions. You know, just go missions now. And then he says that

Paul decided to circumcize him. Oh, discipleship requires you know, takes a

coumisition. How me, are you want to send up for discipleship right now?

Like I just kidding, Okay, but last time, man, we

don't have passport. You know, we don't have passport. What was the

passport? That was the passport. It's your nationality, your heritage. You

see. Why did Paul circumcise Timothy? Why do you do things you do?

Some of the things you do? Why do you go for courses?

Why do you take up certain things? Why do you start a business?

Why do you do Sometimes God tells you to do certain things, interesting things.

Why you don't have to It's not it doesn't add to your salvation,

It doesn't make you more blessed in a way. But why God leads us

to do these our things? Why? So there you have, you earn

the right to speak to people. Some of you here you have jobs,

whether you're a teacher or a parent, mother, mother, father. Some

of you can speak different languages. Some of your own the business. Some

of you, you know, have an opportunity to have something unique that connects

you to a group of people. It's why I call a spiritual passport.

Okay, a spiritual passport. You don't you don't have to travel out Malaysia

or not, but if you want to travel, you need a passport.

I don't don't. It doesn't matter who you are. Manation passport very good.

You know, the relation passport is very good, one of the best

in the world. You know. Don't don't don't trowere your Malasian passport,

very very good. Okay. So I call it spiritual passports. Okay.

And somewhere along the life you have this opportunity to be have spiritual passport.

For Timothy is the form of a circumcision. You know, some of you

is jobs or take up a course to start business. But when when when

when Paul you know, he didn't force Timothy, he like invite him.

You want to join me. Missions is about talking to people. It's about

being able to speak to people, and that includes your own people, the

Jewish people, which comes from your mother's side. But the Jewish people are

also very particular if you do not if you're not circumcised, they don't consider

you a jew younal you get I mean right by right, Actually, when

you were born out on the eighth day, you're supposed to be a circumcised

one. Okay. So Paul allows and invites Timothy, and Timothy is such

a young age understood that message. You know that. Hey, I'm doing

it not because I like it. I'm doing this because I believe in the

mission that I'm called up to do. That I have a purpose that in

my lifetime. Right now, me, myself, my mother, and my

grandmother met this guy called Paul, and he's speaking to me. I have

a purpose in my life and I'm willing to do whatever it takes so that

I have the opportunity and the right to speak to these people. Okay,

So spiritual passports and spiritual rights are very important. So my question to you

is what are some of these things in your life that God has blessed you

with? And as you identify them, you must also be careful not to

give them up as well. Okay, Well, is one example in the

Bible of someone who's given up his spiritual rights Isaul, isn't it Isol gave

up his spiritual rights. Yeah. God works by legality. God doesn't see

seem he works by legality. You want and a Jacob was appointed although it

was prophesied, eventually it had the legal thing has to transfer to Jacob before

he became the first born. God saw it happened, but heso had a

choice. He gave it up. Ah, he gave it up for what

for the ball of lentosual he gave up for just kidding serious, because you're

hungry at that moment, when you're tired, at that moment, you feel

like you're gonna die already, you don't understand the significance, and you gave

it up. Things are like that in your life as well. Your opportunity,

your jobs, your ministry, you know, your these are things that

you don't simply give up. And because you are depressed, you are you're

tired, you get You'm saying, I'm saying, these are things that God

has given to you. Now let's move on a bit more from verse six.

Now out when they had gone to Perugia and the region of Galicia,

and they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia oh

okay. Underlying that part, forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word

okay. And after they had come to Malaysia okay, Mayesia, okay,

no Malaysia. Testing whether you guys are listening or not, they just keep

quiet. Earlier they tried to go into Bithynia, Bithynia, and the Spirit

did not permit them So, passing by Malaysia, they came down to Travess

Okay, and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of

Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, come over to Macedonia and help

us. Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go

Macedonia, conclude, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel

to them. Okay, so what can we learn from there? By the

way we are sticking, sticking to the team that no, no, it's

good. Then you have the further desire to go and want to preach the

word. But just the beginning, you know, how does God equip us?

How does God lead us? So doesn't mean that you go to every

place there is always a yeares one know, doesn't mean that that you're ready

and you're filled with fervent. Doesn't mean it's a yes one know what is

required for every disciple, every Christian? Now, the most important mission is

obedience, you know, the most important mission is submission. You know you

can mean right. You cannot send people who cannot obey you one, you

know, don't send soldiers who don't follow allders want to know you mean right.

It's very very very very important one. So that's the first order.

A lot of times when we see we do encounter people, you know,

whether they come to church or they come to any place I want to serve,

but it's on their own what they call it terms stuff like that.

It's not that we don't support you and your vision, but there has to

be a submission on coming under any entity. One. You get mean right,

because there is covering and God God is really for you. He will

speak you get mean right. You don't have to be afraid that you're gonna

miss out, you know, or because of you, I missed out on

my life. I tell you, if it's really God's plan for you,

God can work through any man, whether he passed them, by pass them

or for down the word, He will passing through them. You don't have

to be afraid one or all. Okay, And so what do we learn

here? Okay, Paul wanted to go to this place called uh. He

wanted to go to Asia, not Asia and Malaysia okay, but more like

the western Asia near the European side there okay, Turkey places he got desire.

But what did the Holy Spirit say? No? Huh? No one

but for a good cause, you know. But holy spirits say no,

okay. And then again they said they went to they passed by the place

and they went to Berthinia. But the spirit, holy spirit against it that

no twice no. And so we see Paul being breakfast, very sensitive.

How many times when you pray? Are you hearing clear nose one? In

your life? A lot of times that people say yes, yes, yes,

yes. Only God only say yes to me everything I feel like,

God say yes. We only look for affirmations only. But suddenly God say

no, all that must be from the devil already. Oh, how can

they be a It's very important, you know, because all the decisions in

your life are come back to are you able to listen and discern the voice

of God? And one key thing I always say that do you really pray?

Of course? Secondly, are you patient you hear? Like? Oh,

you really feel it? Do you have someone two or three people in

your life that you can account to and they also confirm things like for example,

for me in my life, I give you an example if I like

thinking of no, I have a lot of great ideas. Want you know

I have a lot of great ideas Okay, I'm sure many of you have

great ideas in yourself. You know, secret ideas you don't tell people whether

someone puaching. I think I got great. I also got a lot of

great ideas, and sometimes my great ideas are balloon up. But I feel

like I want to tell pastors and share this revolutionary plan to change do things.

You know I've got great ideas. Want to know, but I've learned

along the way before I say, I wait two weeks, at least two

weeks. Two weeks not enough. I wear another one month. That's always

the key. I can tell you. This planner has saved me from so

many things. Ninety percent of my great ideas are turned out to be very

bad ideas. It's true. How many if you agree with me, true

or not true or not? Ninety percent of your great ideas it turns out

to be wrong. When I thought I heard from God, I realized it's

not wrong from God. I heard from myself. Somehow you can make your

inner voice sound very divine. One do you know that you can make your

own voice sound very divine? You know there's a commandmenter? What is it?

Do not take the Lord's name in vain? You know, what does

that actually mean. It doesn't mean that you just don't swear with God's name.

That's one thing. But the more important thing is do not claim divinity

for what is yours. That is what truly it means not to take the

Lord's name in vain. You know, not claiming divinity for what is your

own, means that if you have a planner, if you have a desire,

you don't immediately tell people I think this is God's will for my life.

Because if someone comes to you and they saying that this is God's with

for my life, what can you say to them? If you say against

them, you're saying against the authority behind them, you know. So when

they claim like that, they are claim they are coming to you and telling

you with authority, with God's authority, that God that my plan and my

thoughts is divine. So it removes any right from any pastor parent or any

friends are to speak to your life. Yeah, I mean right, this

is using God's name in vain. You know. It's like you work in

the company and you go and sign a check. Okay, you can't even

sign, but then someone why you're going to approve this check? Or because

you know, I you know, I you know, because my boss I

come in my boss's authority. Then your boss come out. I give did

I tell you this? No? Whose fault is? It is the employee's

fault. You cannot simply use your employer's name in vain one and all.

Yeah, I mean right, you think about it in professionally, you can't

do that. Now. You don't simply use if you say anything using a

company's account, and you also jeopardize their honor interpretation. But yet we do

it all the time, and sometimes I believe us how cannot But why do

we like to use God's name? Why is it that with as humans we

like to use God's name because we want to be right? True? Not

we want to be right. We want to win, isn't it? The

truth is we want to be right and we want to win more than anything

else. The moment I say this is gonn wish for my life. You

can't win. No ready, put full stop ready, it's like put chop

there every day, So don't do that. And the end, then the

one who loses out is you. You committed a fraud. No, no,

gets me ourst God and you use his name in vain and you short

change yourself. You can I'm saying. I'm saying, do not use God's

name in vain. I know this is a very heart teaching. I like

to God. I like to go beyond the surface right now, and I'm

sharing from my own life. I go through that as well. A lot

of times I think, like, this is God's will form my life.

I think all and hard because there are many times when I think this is

God's plan. I realize that, oh my goodness, and I have so

much fear in my life a day, God, if this is really your

will, can you confirm like big decisions, I will confirm through two persons.

I will download and I will share with my wife. Whether then my

wife agrees or not, it's up to her. I said, if this

is God's will, go speak to you. I will speak to you,

I believe. Initially sometimes you will tell me no, cannot be. You

know, after day you come back. Actually, what you're sharing me ca

I've been thinking about it. But you see, my job is just to

put it there. You know. Then and then you irritate her the crap

I can't sleep. We might are like that at the moment. Give them

my idea like a I can't get it out of my head. Why why

are you tell me this day? No, I'm worry not. I keep

thinking, you know, I'm pregnant rather and not like and you hold it

for months, you know. Then it's like, Okay, I think what

you say maybe from God. This is first confirmation, second confirmation. If

it's related to ministry, I will tell Pastor, I will you this is

God, I said, Pastor, this is what I feel leaning on as

well, prayer together as well, know and observe if it's a witness.

But I don't want to do this. I don't tell everybody. I say,

if this is really God's will, then let it be. If it's

not, no, you get me right, there's covering forever. It took

me a while to become like that. I didn't become like that because I'm

so used to making my own decision, you know. But now in my

time, I'm so I don't want to make mistakes. I really don't want

to make mistakes. Okay. So, so what I'm saying here is that

it's so important to hear the Holy the Holy Spirit God. The Holy Spirit,

Yes, is as important as the Holy spirits. No, and Senna

Holy spirits. Yes, as is important as Holy Spirits know in your life

and you are faithful to it, it shows that they. Eventually Paul received

a vision. Wow, and he received a vision of someone in Macedonia calling

to him and pleading him come come see. God is faithful. No,

no, no, But before he he continues to display his faithfulness or there

are different levels of God's faithfulness like what he did. He allows us to

go through a time of no. What is striving being a bit confused?

Right to see whether we trust him? And when we do trust. When

we see Paul trusting the Holy Spirit, God re releases revelation. You want

revelation in your life, You want vision in your life. Before that comes

obedience, God must be able to trust you with his years and no before

he reveals things to you. Can God say no to you? Can God

say yes to you? Then? When you God, when you are able

to handle that, God releases his vision to you. I'm saying what I'm

saying, love, you want one vision? No? Where's my direction?

No go? Where's no? What do I do? Can God say yes

to you? Can God say no to you? Not? You know?

Why why should God give you revelation. Hear me what I'm saying here?

Why give you a car if you cannot go left and right? True or

not? Why Why is the point of giving you a car? If you're

gonna go left, you can only go forward in time because it will not

let you steer the vision in such a way Gods be able to say yes

and know to you. Okay, let's move on. Verse eleven says here

therefore selling for troas we ran straight course to someone threast. You see,

notice that the word the verses has changed. Instead of saying there, you

start to say we. It means that the author has joined Paul. Okay,

who is the author? Luke? Luke began to join Paul in his

journey, you know, so instead of hearing people right now, he's actually

writing his own experience in that road trip right now, okay. And the

next day to Neapolis, and from there to Third Part, which is the

formal city of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city

for some days. And on the sad day we went out of the city

to the riverside where prayer was customarily made, and we sat down and spoke

to the women who we met there. Now, a certain woman who was

named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of

Thieteria, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things

spoken by Paul, and when she and her household were baptized, she begged

us, saying, if he had judged me to be faithful to the Lord,

come to my house and stay. So she persuaded us. See they

come to Philippie, okay, and Paul was like, wow, God's giving

me a revelation. He went there, went to the synagogue, which is

the temple of the Jews where he goes to. Every place he goes to,

he always goes to the synagogue, the temple because this is where the

Jews are. But he arrived in Philippie, he realized something. There is

no synagogue. It's like God send you on a mission, you know,

to go and push the gospel. Okay, you went, They acheo.

No, people, they call me a mistake. You know. It's like

you know, you check Google map, you know, or YouTube, or

I got this nice placed location to eat it. You went there at there

no restaurant. So he went there. There's no sinner God, And sometimes

you think that, oh, God has given you a revelation. God has

given you a purpose. You arrived there, He's like, hey, nothing

is ready, nothing is to be there. And you get discouraged. Did

you hear wrong? Did you listen wrongly? Would you this obedience? Maybe

God is angry with you, maybe you were not faithful. Also to think

camera is in it. These are things that happens in our lives as well.

Okay, So what did Paul do? Okay, Paul, without being

discouraged, she decided to go on to the river side. Now, why

did he go to the riverside? Because he wanted to experience the explanat it.

I want to go and see if you start seeing. No, there's

a reason why he got to the river side. Okay. Normally, when

you go to a Jewish temple rite Actually, you know how many of you

have gone to a gone before? All right, I would assume. So

before you go to a synagogue, right, there's a few things you need

to do. One and one of the things is that you have to cleanse

yourself. And if you go to a synagogue, right before you enter the

door, there's actually a staircase or something. They actually lead to a pool.

Of water, and the water normally is we call it living water.

Okay, why they call it living water because ancient times they don't have pipes

right now, they don't have ice, Alan Moore and coming, you know,

go water one, you know you don't have one. You know,

water is from nature one either from river, from you know, from rain,

and a lot of times the best source of water is not from river,

you know. The best source of water, actually the cleanest water is

actually from the well or from the rain one. Okay. River water is

considered stale water, dead water case murky. A lot of things that rain

water and their roofs are actually concave one, and so when they collect water,

it will actually drip down all the away from the roof, all the

weather down. And if you are very rich, you actually have a hole

that goes underneath your house into a local system. It's a pool of water

as well. Okay. So and this system water is what we call it

living water. When Jesus says I am the living water, right, he

says, I am the water that comes from Heaven. There comes and stays

inside of you, and you will never thirst. That's why he calls right

living water. Makes sense or now there's the pure source of water. Not

so God's living water comes from by stays inside you. You know, you

don't need to look for outside water. You're supposed to draw from the cystem

inside your water. Ah, that's why he says, I am the living

water. You never thirst again. To the lady, that's what he really

actually means. Okay, So they need this water in the temple so that

when men and women they come, they can to wash their hand, wash

their face, and sometimes you know, really cleanse yourself before you enter into

the cinder? Got one should we do that for extras? So before you

come, you know, we put a bathroom there. You all wash yourself,

put your shampoos here, no shuit, your hair, you know,

take a few. This is what they do. They really cleanse yourself before

they enter. Nowadays, how we come to not just oh tiyet' sweaty.

You know you're not ready. It's not about the outer clean cleanliness, you

know, it's about your heart. Do you come with a pure heart today?

Some of us come so long this past the mat preaching again, take

up my time. You know, I could be you know, having them

you know, playing golf, you know, watching a You know, whatever

it is, your heart is not pure. You're not really here to seek

God. You know what I mean? Right, It's not a physical clean

it's a spiritual cleansing. Okay. So okay, there's another story. Okay,

so temple they have water. So but to have a synagogue you have

to have at least ten men in the city. With not enough men,

you cannot Jewish men, you cannot form a synagogue. Okay, it's what

we call it for forming a quorum. Do you know that where I come

from Cebul? Okay, we don't celebrate the Pavali. You want to know?

Do you know that that's right? We know whether we don't celebrate the

PAVERI not enough Indians. It's the truth. It's like in Malaysia, not

enough indians' is that serious? Yes? Not in Sebula, not enough Indians.

Then I because one day, you know, it's like, oh tomorrow

holiday. You know, I was younger, my dad said, there's not

Like. I was so devastated the why they say, not enough Indians?

How many Indians you need? You need fifty Indians? I was like,

what seriously any Indians? Yeah, I'm not I'm not being racist here.

Okay, I'm just I'm just telling you relieving my young Lias. So I

realized, actually, yeah, I don't if any Indian friends at all.

I think about it. It's true, No, I hardly see any Indians,

you know. So I determined, But I cannot be like Sebu not

that small as all, not determined not to get in the karma that I'm

going to count the Indians one, little, two, little three the Indian

not just kidding. That's how the song came about us kiding. Okay,

but it's Thrue was like, oh, no, enough in this so we

cannot celebrate it. Papali I was like, oh, it's got such a

thing. Okay. For the Jewish people, you have massive enough Jewish men

they count men on the other time to form a synagogue. So when they

don't have enough men. So when you realize that when they don't have enough

they have a synagogue, it means that that are not enough Jewish Men there.

So what do they do for the rest of the Jewish community, For

the ladies, what do they do They go to? They must establish a

meeting a small group okay, nearby a water source. Okay, they go

by a water source because even when they get they cleanse themselves as well.

So where do they go and cleanse themselves by the riverside? Makes sense?

So I don't just tell you to go to the river. I actually explain

to you the significance. Okay, So then you realize that Paul actually went

to the river, not by coincidence. You know he was so determined because

to to meet someone of the same faith or at least from the same background,

because you know he was sent When you realize that when you go into

a situation or a place with purpose, right, nothing is going to deter

you want to not you didn't see like, oh, there's no singer.

Maybe this is my holiday right now? You know what I mean. We

tend to do it like there, you know, like maybe you can go

fishing with it. Maybe Paul when the reverside to fishing. No, he

was determined. If I cannot find the man, I will find the women

you can be like and he just received a vision. He believed it,

you know. So poor God can trust this vision to a man like Paul

because he know he is a determined person. He's submissive, he's determined.

There's why if you put the place where there is no very clear path.

Paul will find a way, right. Can you be a guy and it's

like Paul put you in a situation where there's no clear path, no clear

mission field, but yet you will still determine to fulfill God's plan. Cannot

go for one, I go for two. Cannot go for two, go

for tree, go go for for four. You are always resource for our

church as well. The same thing is there. You start a plan,

maybe extra rize, you find something. Oh I cannot reach these people.

Oh so difficult. Continue on, continue on. It's difficult, isn't it.

Things are live in difficult one. But you gotta continue on. You

think you cry that people want come and cry with you. No, no,

no, I started my own business before. There's one time we're supposed

to do our first road show and we put all our products in the fridge,

you know, on the morning, like six o'clock in the morning,

before you know, I'm supposed to deliver this to somewhere, okay, and

then after that I go and preach one. Now see God there ready ready

before we load up and the lottery, the whole thing is smashed Now,

I tell you, when the whole thing smashed down, when my heart smashed

down together as well, you know what, And then there was like no

one around, you know, don't want to help me. You know.

For five minutes, I just look at it. I didn't do anything.

I just set the cup there, just like pour me. Yeah, man,

I just poured me. But then I realized what happened After five minutes,

nothing changed, nothing change. You know what I learned on that day.

I can go on pitying myself and nothing's going to change. So the

lesson is things happen. You got to stem back up again. You got

to stand back up and got to keep moving on. Fine, find something

fine? I called like thinking how and stuff like that, and I call

back my workers and then not do another batch all this smash And I called

my neighbor. We found another smaller fridge. But we men surely deliver up

there as well. See life cannot stop one and all. You gotta keep

you cry. Also, how you pity yourse? How I need mini street

time now? I wish I could if there's but there's times like it's just

gonna stand up and walk and do and do makes sense, makes sense?

Don't give up? Okay? Don't you mean you want you want to feel,

said, okay, take five minutes. That's my room where my children.

I know. When they feel like, oh maybe I feel a subject,

I say, come, come cry all your heart out. I say.

Sometimes I say five minutes. Sometimes I say one day tomorrow, you're

gonna move on. You're gonna move on. Nothing else, school's gonna change.

You know, five minutes or one day? You want one day?

I give you one day, or give you two hours. Don okay,

are you ready to move on? You have to move on. So the

key is to move on. It sounds very harsh like, but it's true.

We must have the habit of moving on. So he went there and

look who he met. He met a lady named Lydia, and Lydia was

a seller of purple. Purple means she's a very rich person, okay,

because most difficult color to come is blue and purple, because they only come

from a certain kind of flower, okay, that you have to get from

certain regions already. An Thyatira when I research, actually was a region known

for this plant as well. And they come and they sell these colors.

If you're selling this this one, you actually are quite well known and quite

rich and Lydia eventually proved to be a very important person for Paul because she

became sort of like, you know, the main person who gathered everyone into

their house where there was no church. Lydia came into a picture. She

was quite well to do, and her house she opening up for everybody.

Hey, she opened up for everyone to come in to have fellowship even when

there has no church. Actually, I believe in the future, moving on,

they won't be like this anymore. It's not gonna be like this.

But then will the gospel still spread true or not? Okay, I want

to continue into Paul and Silast, but I don't think at the time because

it's quite long, and I don't think if I got on any further,

I don't think you guys can digest, you know. So I'm going to

stop here, okay, So and I'm gonna summarize up a few things,

so learn a few things in it. Met Timothy, then experience the Holy

Spirit, and now Paul along the way now meets this you know, interesting

encounter where he can't find a synagogue, but yet he found a lady because

he was resourceful. You see, when you hear this right, when you

study the life of a missionary. Okay, and you start to realize that,

Wow, actually sharing the word of God is like an adventure, isn't

it. It's really like an adventure. You know. Sometimes you see things

very clearly, sometimes you don't. Sometimes God tests you. Sometime God allows

challenges to happen in your life. But God is trying to see how passionate

you are to really share the word of God their own man. Know,

really, Notice my brother used to tell me this thing. You know,

there's only one full time job in life, and the rest is part time.

Understand what I'm saying. We keep thinking of we look called career,

looking for full time job. You know, Actually there's only one full time

job in life. How many of you want to go? How many of

you have a vision of retirement as the closest as the closest part. How

many of you have a visional retirement in another planner? I start the sermon

off by talking about retirement first, you know, but now I close by

talking about retirement. How many of you have an ideal of retirement before?

Okay, we have some older folks here, there are more senior than me.

I'm sure you have some plans, but I share with you how I

grew up. My dad is a government servant, and my mom works for

our family business, not my family, her side. She runs. Her

family runs a tapioca factory. Actually, my mom is a quite amazing lady.

You know, I'll just share one story about her. That how I

thought, sometimes you don't appreciate it until you grow a bit older. She

passed already in the eighties, right, computer just hardly came in, okay,

And I remember when Cebu is a small town, you know, Okay,

when we just introduced to computer. Right, my mom bought the one

of the earliest computer. It's called the three eight six. I mean,

you don't know why. It's a three a six No, no, no,

I don't know. It's the flag floppy this one. You know,

you're put in and then you're like, oh god, bubba bubble, you

know, come and then like Prince of Pushia. You know, I don't

know if Prince or Pushia, and you know that really like night and then

the keyboard extra allot one. Okay, So the early computer. My mom

bought one. And now I started thinking, my mom don't even know English.

Know, my mom don't even know English. One, she doesn't even

do English very well. She's Chinese educated. My dad was a bit la.

My dad went to University Otawa in New Zealand. He got by by

memorizing English to pass his exam. I don't know how he did it,

okay, I don't know how he did it. He memorized English, okay,

and some other time on no Google translation and a pizza. They're just

only a thick booker, so memorized. So a lot of Chinese at that

time they study English like that, like they study Chinese character like that.

They look at not a word and they look as a character. I mentioned

how you study English like that. It's not easy, but they studied like

that way. So my mom doesn't know English, and she bought a computer.

I was like wondering why. You see in her business right, everyone

was, all the siblings and my grandfather included have no formal education and a

lot of the accounting you know that you know Chinese style and quite messy.

One. She has a degree, Chinese degree in accounting, but she doesn't

know English, and a lot of the businesses and Cebo family run and just

locally run. So she bought a computer and she installed this time at that

time, I can't remember what's the name already Lotus Lotus one two three.

Before there was Excel, there was Lotus. Someone Lotus not the car brand,

okay, but Lotus was an Excel okay. No mouths are imagined that

No mouths are the only keyboard left and right do Excel like that? It's

I was smiling, Radius like, but that's how it is. Okay,

we call Lotus okay one two three. And there was a book, so

she would try to learn how to do Lotus because she wanted to transition the

company accounting into a proper accounting. I was like, you know what I

mean, I now I understand why she did it. But then how can

someone without English learning? And now I remember last time, when I was

younger, she would ask mean, come and sit beside me. Call I

thought, okay, let me said. I was like, oh man,

I thought she's gonna score me because I played too much computer game. You

know, sit beside her, beside com and you know what. She will

ask me to open the book and she will ask me to read it out,

then ask me what this means? And then line by and this is

like three hundred plus pages, What does this mean? And what does this

mean? Which one command? And she will take oh some part two years

to learn it. No English, learn it now? No, no,

no, hard enough for someone to learn English. As she learned English and

learned to do computers, you know. And then after that she gave me

an invoice, ask me key in this number. Okay now, and let

me do and she will do properly, make sure that the five in the

four fingers are there, and then at least travel all. You know,

last time they forced us to learn how to how to properly type one and

all, so there's a there's a technique one and now this we millennial had

no understanding of how to properly type one. And now you don't even know

how to type, just know how to scroll up and down. You know

this. Seriously, you guys have no idea how that you just ROTU.

She will take an invoice, can you changed these invoice? That? So

over two years she learned complete everything, and she learned even the formulas and

everything, you know, how to do it arrays and stuff like that.

And then she was able to transition her whole company into a proper accounting system

and taught to staff there. And because of that her company, I was

one of the early tapyoca companies are with a proper financial record that I was

ready to be audited. And to be audited, you need to be financially

you need to be in English one. You want the better audiitfilms one.

And when you are properly audited, you can invite investments, you know what

I'm saying. That's why I remember there was one time when she took us

to Thailand, and I was like, why Thailand my mom never goes with

some time with my dad to me an investor, Because she actually was among

the a one of the rare companies in Cybul actually who have proper financial records

in English, you know, and she attracted a high valuation for that.

I was able to do quite well for there. Quite amazing, isn't it.

You think you think money is just about doing investments comes from just learning

English, you know. So when I think back, when I think about

how she how she did it, she's really amazing, you know, determining

all the things that you don't have, don't have English, don't have a

computer, but can still find a way as your son to do it.

Mean, I remember telling some of those I don't know. I just wanted

to look and tell. I didn't realize why I was doing that. Sometimes

I like I dreaded and ah to go and do it. I just want

to sleep. I don't do things like that. But when I think that

this is what it takes to to really you know what they call it,

to make things work okay, and and in in life, and when we

talk about sharing the gospel, it's like that, it's about being resourceful.

If you're willing and you're resourceful, things open up, especially with people.

You know, you think some people are like, oh, I will never

receive the word for you'd be surprised. You know. As I closed his

part, I will share one one more, one more story, how to

share the work now during the m c your time, you know, as

we are transitioning from m c R. You know, there is one period

remember that sports were allowed. Remember non contextports were allowed. I think some

of us really flaunt. I decided to go and shoot basketball. Okay,

I missed basketball. Oh, let's go shoot. So I met with a

local community ass as to that. Now I saw quite a young young students

and adults. Yeah, I play play. Now I got to connect with

this guy then now asking normally asked them, oh, what do you do?

You know? This guy was saying that he's applying for a job,

trying to apply for jobs, like what are you going to apply for?

I want to do text? You know. But then people say, all

did very hard, you know all these things? You know? And oh,

I say, who do you look here from? Oh? From my

friends? Oh say, okay, have you talked to anyone in the industry

before? I said no, no, no, I said, I said,

I applied for all these companies. Never reply me. I said,

oh, actually I could have gone back, you know. Just then I

told him Keller, maybe I felt I should go a step for them.

You know what I did? I said, if you don't mind her you

know I've worked in audio before. You don't mind that. I can you

know, I can have a look at your resume. You don't mind I

have a look at resume, maybe give you an idea, and maybe if

I know someone, I can part of the regiment with them. So so

is I really said, yeah, I say, this is my number tonight,

if you're free, you dooom call me. I went to the extent,

I mean, I know the guy's okell, you don't call me,

call me, and so somehow I didn't get any replier. I really done

my part redialer eight o'clock. I reminded him again, sometime you're nicer people.

Thank you for granted. I decide to be extra nice. Remind you

this awful give me right. Sometimes you feel like you've done enough. Readay,

you feel entitled. I know God wants you to go all the way

because I'm serving God, I said, Okella. Remind him, Oh yeah,

yea, yeah, yeah yeah. Think he gave me a resume that's

like really half bade one to know. Then I look at it, It's

like, no, wonder lie you know what I mean? Right? Your

photo are you're not even dressed in a shirt and not your photo from your

you know, you know you need days, you know, like that submit

for like then I was like, ah, you know, But then I

look at it. Then I said a review, and I gave him a

few ideas what you should write and stuff like that. Then I gave him

a long talk about what do they call it about career? About like why

your friends are there? They are a good beginning, but if you really

want to have a strong idea or what you should You should talk to people

who have at least worked for a few years ready you can mean right,

not people who are beginning, because you don't have a vision of great clear

understanding of what the industry and tells and how your career path could be as

well. So I talked to him for a while and then convince him and

then eventually then after that I told him to a planner. Then after two

about one month later, he texted me, you know I got a job?

We did you know? I was like, we're where I just had

to go with all you know, Oh I never got it. He can

go already, Praise the Lord. They said, hey, I want to

treat you for lunch, And I say it's okay, is this I do?

Or? You know? I just want to see you succeed on Inla.

Then after that I stopped going there because now I got a lifeline.

I go work, I go working family. You know I can't go there.

Yeah, the idea I just dropped by. About one and a half

or later, he saw me again, you guys keep coming there. Hey

man, you know I have time. I come here. I always want

to see you one and I was like, oh, it's like, you

know what's really yeah, not I get to see you like wondering where have

you been? They said, thank you, thank you for compart me.

Then he said, you know what until now, I still want to take

you because where I am now, I'm he's like senior level already, Senior

one or senior two already. He maybe promoted the four times Avery day I'm

here. I tell you this is the best issues I've ever made. You

know, I have no regrets because or because of you. And I was

like, oh, come for church, church, lad, because you know

why. It's not sometimes people don't believe. They need to believe that you

are sincere. You get me? Then you want you want them to follow

you, You want them to listen to you. They need to know that

you're sincere. You get me, right? So and I realized that hey,

all I ever did was just one night reminding him and then sharing whatever

that I have to him, just to let him know that, hey,

actually there are people in your life who actually will care to tell you the

truth or to tell you what really matters to you. You get what I

mean, right? So, I'm these are ways are that you build friendships

wanting you really you build friendships and I said, hey, when you're a

timer, hey, let me know that you know. Hey, it's a

problem you go praying not it's okay, it's okay. I want you remind

me pray for you well the summer, the things. You let them know

that what you want to pray for, and they'll tell you, these adults,

okay this you must pray what this want and you share them that the

results of praying for other people. Then you're like, oh, you're still

telling me, you know, throwing down theology. No, people need to

know that you care. By caring, then people will believe and saying how

I'm saying here. Everybody has the resource to share the gospel. One's whether

you care and then you want to work hard on it. Amen. We

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

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believing that this week is going to be a good week, a hit for

you. God bless