WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:09.000 Welcome Just hand Away Tagalog Sermon podcast. Your daily does 2 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:13.439 of inspiring, heartfelt tagalog sermons from different factors and speakers 3 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:16.480 all over the Philippines. We hope that this podcast finds 4 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:22.760 you in good shape. And now here's your message. Are 5 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:26.199 starting our sers entitled on a Journey because we know 6 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:29.879 that life is a journey. It's not something that we 7 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:33.640 do on compartments. It's not something that we switch on 8 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:37.520 and off. It's something that we encounter in a journey. 9 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:41.159 It's a road trip. And when we talk about a journey, 10 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:46.000 we know this that our Christianity is also a journey. 11 00:00:46.039 --> 00:00:48.759 And that's why I like this quote. I couldn't find 12 00:00:48.759 --> 00:00:51.280 the author of the quote, but it says here, my 13 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:55.560 life is a journey with God. It may be hard sometimes, 14 00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:59.560 but I'm assured it will all be worth it. How 15 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:03.280 many of you agree with the statement that our life 16 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:08.439 with God is all worth it? Amen? And when we 17 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:11.159 talk about our life with God, we know it's not perfect. 18 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:14.400 You know it will be full of trials and challenges, 19 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:16.760 but we know that we are in the blessed best 20 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:19.760 place when we are with the Lord. And so for 21 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:22.000 the next three weeks, we will be talking about our 22 00:01:22.200 --> 00:01:27.000 journey as people of God. When we say people of God, 23 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:29.840 most of us encounter God in a very personal way. 24 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:35.840 Someone who would actually share their testimony about meeting Jesus 25 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:41.040 is always very personal. It's unique from everyone, right. It's 26 00:01:41.560 --> 00:01:44.719 how I remember. No, when I was twenty years old, 27 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:48.000 I was attending Victory Galleria for the first time, and 28 00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:50.840 I was just there curious. Somebody brought me there. But 29 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:54.359 for some reason, the preacher was preaching a word as 30 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:59.480 if nobody was sitting except me, as if everything that 31 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:03.840 the preacher was saying was all about my situation. Naphila 32 00:02:03.879 --> 00:02:10.599 bayonagan it zeros in on you, and Matai sabimo ubig 33 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:16.080 and Cobananak invites a quastor at etima casalan and go. 34 00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:20.800 It's something that is personal and something that when we 35 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:24.080 encounter we know that it is between us and God, 36 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:27.560 and so it starts with an encounter with him. At 37 00:02:27.560 --> 00:02:30.400 the same time, what happens after the encounter with God? 38 00:02:30.479 --> 00:02:34.479 All of us have that there is an invitation from God. 39 00:02:35.159 --> 00:02:39.400 Matthew chapter four, verse nineteen and twenty says, and this 40 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:43.080 is when Jesus was actually walking by the Sea of Galilee, 41 00:02:43.319 --> 00:02:46.800 he sees two brothers, Simon who is known also as 42 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:51.000 Peter and his brother Andrew. And when he sees them Nasalazilla, 43 00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:54.840 he says this, what is his invitation? In verse nineteen, 44 00:02:55.280 --> 00:03:00.159 follow me and I will make you fishers of men. 45 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:05.520 What did they say? Immediately? The response was immediate. They 46 00:03:05.639 --> 00:03:11.520 left everything to follow Jesus. They followed him. You know, 47 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:15.319 in this day and age, when we say follow, what 48 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:19.639 does it mean? Think about it? What do you mean 49 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:25.439 when you say I follow someone? You know? Recently? Matthew? 50 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:31.199 You know Matthew the oil Ambario. Do you guys know Matthew? 51 00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:40.199 Who's Matthew? Matthew is one of the friends. Anyways, you'll 52 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:44.199 get that later. Anyway, Matthew Perry actually started an Instagram account. 53 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:47.159 Do you know this? For those who know this, he 54 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:52.319 actually started an Instagram account and news came up. You 55 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:56.919 know why because in twenty four hours he actually had 56 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:06.520 four million followers. Grab grabno, okay or thank you for today? 57 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:11.439 I know it's hard, no, but yes, you're here to 58 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:15.280 worship God. And so he starts his Instagram account and 59 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:20.680 for only twenty four hours he gets twenty four million followers. 60 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:25.439 Some of us are followers of Matthew Perry the guy 61 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.920 from Friends Ossi Cherish is also a follower and Jay 62 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:34.519 name and so how many of you have Instagram accounts? 63 00:04:34.920 --> 00:04:44.639 Can you raise your hands? Okay? Facebook friends their none 64 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:48.079 no friends. You know, when we follow someone now, it 65 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:51.800 may seem that you just watch from afar right. It 66 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:54.480 doesn't mean you know them personally, doesn't mean you believe 67 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:57.319 in what they say. It doesn't mean you're friends with them. 68 00:04:57.639 --> 00:05:00.279 It doesn't mean that you're close with them. And to 69 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:05.399 follow nowadays seems to be detached. It's something that is 70 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:08.959 far from you. It's something that is not very personal. 71 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:13.680 But the Bible talks about a different kind of word follow, 72 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:16.720 and today this is what we want to talk about. 73 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:20.519 What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus. 74 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:24.920 The Greek word follow is a colotheo, which means to 75 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:29.720 be a disciple. To follow means to be a disciple. 76 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:31.639 And we know this because this is who we are. 77 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:34.480 What do we say here in victory we honor God 78 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:39.519 and make disciples? Why? Because we are disciples? We are 79 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:43.920 followers of God. I assume that we are all here 80 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:48.759 because we are all followers of God. And so the 81 00:05:48.839 --> 00:05:53.360 question is if it is defined differently today compared to 82 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:56.439 the Bible. A good question to ask each and every 83 00:05:56.439 --> 00:06:00.199 one of us today is are we truly a follower 84 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:08.560 of Jesus? Ab I considered a true follower of Jesus. 85 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:14.920 It's a good time to actually think about it. Do 86 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:18.800 I consider myself a follower? I attend church, I give 87 00:06:18.839 --> 00:06:23.600 my dith, I read the Bible. I am considered a 88 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:28.040 follower of Jesus. You know, it's scary when it comes 89 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:32.040 to whenever I read the Book of Matthew, because there's 90 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:36.920 always this part that says Jesus said, Lord Lord. Not 91 00:06:37.160 --> 00:06:40.920 everyone who calls me Lord Lord will enter the Kingdom 92 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.800 of Heaven. And so I don't want to live my 93 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:46.560 life as if I think I'm following Jesus, but I'm not. 94 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:53.120 Why because when I call him Jesus, what does it 95 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:56.360 really mean to follow Jesus? And our word for today 96 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:58.560 is found in John. If you have your Bibles with you, 97 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:03.160 please open it to John chapter eight. We're only going 98 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:09.720 through one verse today, John chapter eight, verse thirty one, 99 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:13.920 And so I want you all of us to read 100 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:18.920 it all together if you're ready. Verse thirty one. So 101 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:23.279 Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him. 102 00:07:24.759 --> 00:07:29.759 You you are truly my disciples. Can we read that 103 00:07:29.800 --> 00:07:35.120 statement from the encircled part. If in my word you 104 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:40.040 are truly my disciples. It's a very simple statement. It 105 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:43.480 says here, how do you be a follower of Jesus? 106 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:46.800 And he says it straight. All you have to do 107 00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:52.360 is abide in his teaching, abide in his word, and 108 00:07:52.439 --> 00:07:56.600 now you are truly a disciple. First is we need 109 00:07:56.639 --> 00:08:01.160 to believe, says here. We believe in who he is 110 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:05.600 and what he does. It's hard to believe someone and 111 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:09.399 hard to follow him if we do not believe him. 112 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:12.879 How many of you here believe in who Jesus is? 113 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:24.680 In Senatata, Nina, Manihan and Kama Cinema. All of us 114 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:29.000 I believe believe in who Jesus is. What do we 115 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:31.560 need to do? We need to abide in the world. 116 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:36.200 You know, the word abide means so much more, and 117 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:39.279 I want to concentrate on that word today and for 118 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:42.399 the next few minutes. What is it to abide? And 119 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:45.799 so today to follow Jesus is to abide in him. 120 00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:49.279 This is the formula, this is the text. If I 121 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:51.960 am a follower of Jesus, I need to abide in Jesus. 122 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:54.799 And so the question is what is abide? If you 123 00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:58.639 are here and you do your devotion on a daily basis, 124 00:08:58.679 --> 00:09:04.600 I'm curious what Bible do you use? ESV, NIV, NLT. Okay, 125 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:10.039 and so I use ESV usually and NLT. But whenever 126 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:13.360 I study the word, especially when I need to preach 127 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:17.039 and understand the word carefully, I have I want to 128 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:20.639 share you a tip so that you can also learn more. Okay, 129 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:25.200 on and so later not now, please keep your phones 130 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:28.399 moon nap. All you have to remember is this website 131 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:32.559 called Bible Gateway. I always go to Bible Gateway, why 132 00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:35.960 because I can actually look at a verse side by 133 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:40.279 side with different versions, and this is how it looks like. 134 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:42.960 All you have to do is look for that icon 135 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:47.399 so that you can put multiple verses and see it 136 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:51.080 in one sitting. You will see the difference on how 137 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:55.480 it is in the NIV, with the difference words in ESV. 138 00:09:55.759 --> 00:10:01.080 And So today I was studying the word abide for 139 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:03.840 a few days already, and I've been saying, Lord, what 140 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:07.519 do you really mean by abide? Because for me, the 141 00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:13.679 first concept of abide is just to follow law abiding citizen. 142 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:17.399 And so I narrowed it down and chose three things 143 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:19.639 that I want to share with you today on what 144 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:22.360 it is to abide. And this is the first one 145 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:29.279 and the complete Jewish Bible, it says so Yeshua, this 146 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:32.639 is Jesus. So Yeshua said to the Judeans who had 147 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:36.120 trusted him, what does that mean? To believe is also 148 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:39.600 to trust? And so he said this, if you what 149 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:44.440 is the word obey? If you obey what I say, 150 00:10:44.600 --> 00:10:49.080 then you are truly my disciples. So what does the 151 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:55.799 abide mean? Now? Abide means to obey. When talk about obedience, 152 00:10:56.360 --> 00:11:01.679 we know it's not easy, Tamaba. You know I as 153 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:06.600 a preacher, I've heard this feedback, even from people I 154 00:11:06.679 --> 00:11:10.840 know that are close. I mean, Alamo, bro. There are 155 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:15.919 people who say I Parana preaching, Nayanan preaching paul it 156 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:21.480 ul it. And whenever I hear responses like that, I 157 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:26.919 actually feel sad, not because I sometimes preach the same message, 158 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:30.720 but because how the person receives the preaching. You want 159 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:33.559 don't know why, because number one, we are people who 160 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:37.279 easily forget. Number two, there are things that we really 161 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:40.960 need to hear and hear. And so the question that 162 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:43.399 I wanted to ask the person who said this feedback 163 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:49.120 is did you obey the first time? The second question 164 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:51.639 I want to ask is in the preachings that here, 165 00:11:51.799 --> 00:11:54.639 once in a while, it may be repeating, are you 166 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:59.240 still obeying the word of God? You know, we're not 167 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:04.519 here to all just learn. It's good to learn, but 168 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:08.279 if we do not obey the word, there's a problem. 169 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:12.919 Obedience is the key to know who God is and 170 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:15.519 to follow him. Yeh, I'm my hea up than you? 171 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:22.000 How do I say it? My hea up you? Whenever 172 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:31.960 we think why? Because I believe the Word of God 173 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:35.000 is living in active, I can actually preach the same 174 00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:38.000 text here over and over every week, but it might 175 00:12:38.120 --> 00:12:42.399 be different for us. Amen, because the Word of God 176 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:44.960 is not only meant for us to learn. The Word 177 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:48.000 of God is here for us to be obedient to it. 178 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:57.360 Can I be just very honest with all of you? Yeah, 179 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:02.840 I know, I'm just waiting for the rest. Brong issue 180 00:13:02.840 --> 00:13:08.519 with Edza love and hate non yellow lane. And so 181 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:13.120 I realized that whenever I'm in the right lane, which 182 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:15.919 is the left side, that was when you see the 183 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:22.600 yellow lane empty naha yellow lane, Yes, the bae why 184 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:30.840 because we are Christians? Yellow is safe and so especially 185 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:33.639 in the area near our house in bonis Erano under 186 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:38.200 pass Malua Glagi don't and so every time I passed 187 00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:49.080 their parent don't don't don't No, okay, Kanti lam half 188 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:55.840 long so feeling on new videos now young in the 189 00:13:55.960 --> 00:14:03.039 alum lef. You know I could actually debate with everyone. 190 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:07.000 My wife would hate me for this. No, every time 191 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:17.080 I'm in this part of m MD chairman, you get 192 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:27.360 on and I realized this. When it comes to our spirituality, 193 00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:30.000 we can actually debate all we want. But the question 194 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:34.159 is are we still willing to obey the word? You know, 195 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:38.080 God is not looking for debaters. He's not He's not 196 00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:41.360 inviting us to debate with him. He's not there to 197 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:46.080 actually say a question in your what God is. What 198 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:49.559 God is inviting us to do is to be followers, 199 00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:55.440 followers of the world. To be a follower of Jesus 200 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:59.360 is to follow his word. I'm not saying we should 201 00:14:59.399 --> 00:15:03.200 not question. We may have a lot of questions. It's 202 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:06.000 good to ask God, but the question is are you 203 00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:10.240 willing to trust him and obey? The Bible says we 204 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:16.639 live by faith and not by side. What does that mean? 205 00:15:16.840 --> 00:15:20.320 We don't need proof first to do it. We just 206 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:24.080 do it anyway, why because we can trust him. We 207 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:27.240 do it because we trust him and we follow God. 208 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:35.279 Another thing about obedience is this, obedience is better than sacrifice. 209 00:15:35.320 --> 00:15:39.440 Can you say that with me? Obedience is better than sacrifice? 210 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:43.639 Do you know what that means? In First Samuel Chapter five, 211 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:49.519 chapter fifteen, rather Samuel was talking about this that a 212 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:53.159 lot of people were actually bringing stuff to God. They 213 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:55.720 would say, Lord, I would do this for you, Lord, 214 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:58.960 I would actually donate, I would serve you, I would 215 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:04.120 be an usher for all. But you know, God is 216 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:10.720 more pleased with our obedience rather than our sacrifice. He's 217 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:13.679 not looking for the things that we can give him. 218 00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:17.960 He's actually looking at the things that we need to 219 00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:23.039 obey him. Sometimes we think that we can be better 220 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:25.600 with God if we just do this for him, if 221 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:28.240 we just do that. But the reality is, is God 222 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:32.360 really asking you to do that? Is God really asking 223 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:38.159 you to sacrifice this? It means an ahinihingilani, Lord is 224 00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:43.000 stop doing that because that's wrong. You know, we cannot 225 00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:48.080 have that favor of the Lord by doing good things 226 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:54.000 and yet doing sinful things continuously. What he is after 227 00:16:54.159 --> 00:17:00.440 is our heart. Amen. It's not the sacrifice says that 228 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:05.359 we do, okay. So abiding is obeying. To abide in 229 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:10.640 the Lord is to obey. And what else? In the 230 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:14.720 white Cliffe version why Cliffe Bible version, it says, therefore 231 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:18.359 Jesus said to the Jews that believed in him, if 232 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:23.079 you what's the word dwell? If you dwell in my 233 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:28.799 word verily, ye shall be my disciples. He imaha texts 234 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:31.359 that are very deep. No merumpangye do you still have 235 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:36.119 a bible? That may ye? King James, I practice that. 236 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:39.799 And when I'm home and yee I need water, ye 237 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:46.519 I'm a aru usage go in there, okay. And so 238 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:51.279 to abide in the Lord says to dwell. When you 239 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:54.960 say dwell, what comes to your mind? What does dwell 240 00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:59.680 mean for you? Dwell means a place where you live, 241 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:05.359 to resign, a place where you are uh staying permanently, 242 00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:09.000 a place that you are settled in. And think about 243 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:15.799 it today. The most comfortable place that you have is 244 00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:22.480 still your home. Tamaba. How I've been invited to sleep 245 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:28.160 in other places, even in an hotel namama hi barrio bah. 246 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:32.039 Why because you feel more comfortable in your home to 247 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:35.720 dwell in your own house in your own place means 248 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:40.720 you're comfortable, you're you have peace, you're rested. This past 249 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:50.599 week now I've been having colds, so colds, and now 250 00:18:50.599 --> 00:18:54.440 I'm better, and so I decided to take the week 251 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:58.640 slow and rest. Where did I rest in my room? 252 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:02.359 You know, our place is a place where we can 253 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:06.640 actually not only experience peace, we can rest, we can 254 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:09.519 be comfortable, we can be ourselves, we can actually just 255 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:14.000 wear whatever we want. That Sando, that's buttas in nineteen seventies. 256 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:18.240 We are comfortable in our place. What does that mean? 257 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:23.839 God says, or Jesus says. If you follow me, what 258 00:19:23.880 --> 00:19:29.440 you will do is dwell in me, dwell in my word. 259 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:32.000 You know, I have a confession to make. Most of 260 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:36.079 you know this that we live in a small condo, 261 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:42.240 in a twelve bedroom condo. But we don't joke planm 262 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:45.799 talagaon and so today I want to be very honest 263 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:48.359 with you, Para. I can show you how my house 264 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:51.079 looks like. We only live My wife and I only 265 00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:54.039 live in a one bedroom cando live, but it's a 266 00:19:54.119 --> 00:19:56.279 place where we are very comfortable. You want to see 267 00:19:56.279 --> 00:19:59.440 where we live, see, so to put you on house 268 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:09.000 lamn No, huh, may picture coming Jenny tapasung Eliaga Bay. 269 00:20:09.079 --> 00:20:24.720 We see ourselves No soa beach simply wife so te 270 00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:30.839 here ye here. You know, to dwell is to actually 271 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:38.079 reside in God. Question when you are not rested, and 272 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:42.000 it's not physical ray on. The reality is you can 273 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:45.920 actually sleep twelve hours a day. But when you have 274 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:48.240 a problem and when you're going through stress, when you 275 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:52.839 wake up, is it still there? Yes? Right, And so 276 00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:57.640 you're not rested. Your spirit is not in peace regardless 277 00:20:57.640 --> 00:21:01.880 of how much sleep you have. But God says, if 278 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:07.880 you want to follow me, dwell in me, rest in me, 279 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:14.319 have peace in me. This is the offer of God 280 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:19.079 that when we follow him, his word is something that 281 00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:22.119 we will dwell in. What does that mean? We are 282 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:27.000 comfortable here, we get peace here, we get encouraged here, 283 00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:36.279 we get to feel love here. Amen. To dwell in 284 00:21:36.359 --> 00:21:39.400 the word of God is to actually find rest in 285 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:42.359 Him When we have a problem, who do we go to? 286 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:48.960 You know, in the deepest, darkest times, I hope that 287 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:52.680 you dwell in the world of God because he is 288 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:55.759 the only one who can give you rest. I remember 289 00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:58.000 the story and when my wife and I were in 290 00:21:58.079 --> 00:22:01.200 Still we're still in Sibu there was someone who knocked 291 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:08.160 at our door and it was the stuff in the 292 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:16.200 managed them in a store who actually because of uh 293 00:22:16.440 --> 00:22:20.839 staffa And so when he knocked in on our door, 294 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:26.359 what emotion do you think I experienced? I actually got 295 00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:32.799 really scared people, as in I didn't know what to do. 296 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:40.240 I was in panic negal garden lobby. I was so scared. 297 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:45.000 Why because previous to this I got texts magadad treats 298 00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:50.160 someone experience and I hope you don't experience that. Somebody 299 00:22:50.279 --> 00:23:02.599 texted me nah at the interpretation okay, m hm, relation 300 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:12.680 of victory week in anyway. Then somebody texted me maging 301 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:23.799 at Kayo well boss magee at Kayo mage at kay us. 302 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:29.359 A few days after that doing kumat and I felt, oh, man, 303 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:32.079 I don't want to go home to this house anymore. 304 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:35.480 We actually stayed in my friends place. Why Because our house, 305 00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:39.519 our dwelling place, is our refuge. It's the safest place 306 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:43.720 we have. It's our safest place. You know, in your house, 307 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:46.200 it's only you who knows where the luck is, where 308 00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:49.720 the most expensive stuff are. Why because this is your fortress, 309 00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:53.400 right and once it's attacked, you don't want to stay 310 00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:56.839 there anymore. And this, I believe is an encouragement for 311 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:01.079 us that when we abide in the Lord, when we 312 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:04.799 go through trials like what I went through, when we 313 00:24:04.839 --> 00:24:08.839 go through a problem where our safety is, he reminds 314 00:24:08.920 --> 00:24:12.319 us of this word. The Bible says, God is our 315 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:18.680 refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. 316 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:23.799 Jesus offers us to follow him. Why because when we 317 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:28.559 need him, He's there to protect us as we dwell 318 00:24:28.599 --> 00:24:31.519 in the world in the Lord, as we dwell in 319 00:24:31.559 --> 00:24:35.039 his word. What we're saying is, Lord, I will remain here. 320 00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:38.839 This is the safest place that I will run to. 321 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:42.839 I will find the answers here to the questions that 322 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:47.519 seems like are impossible to get. I will get freedom here. 323 00:24:47.559 --> 00:24:50.480 I will get peace in the Word of God and 324 00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:56.039 my relationship with him. To abide is to dwell in 325 00:24:56.119 --> 00:24:59.000 the Word of God. The first one is to abide 326 00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:04.519 is too obey. Now abide this two d well, And 327 00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:09.000 the third one is this. To abide is to remain faithful. 328 00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:12.559 Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, if 329 00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:19.279 you are truly my disciples, you remain faithful to my teachings. 330 00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:23.000 It's not for a season. It's not just six months 331 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:25.599 that we believe in God. We follow him and then 332 00:25:25.640 --> 00:25:28.000 we go out and do it our own way. We 333 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:31.920 remain faithful regardless of the things that are happening in 334 00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:35.240 our lives. We remain faithful. Why am I saying this? 335 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:38.440 You know a lot of people actually find church boring. 336 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:45.319 They find it boring and they feel like there's nothing 337 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:51.079 new whenever they're here. It's just about okay, clocking in 338 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:55.160 my Christianity bandy clock time card and saying I will 339 00:25:55.200 --> 00:26:00.440 attend and I will go home. Nothing's happening. But they've 340 00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:05.880 encountered the Lord in their lives once twice powerfully. But 341 00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:10.440 at the same time they find it boring. You know. 342 00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:16.240 The problem is when we focus too much on the 343 00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:20.279 highlights of our Christianity, there will come a time that 344 00:26:20.359 --> 00:26:24.640 it can be dry. There are times that God might 345 00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:27.799 be quiet. There are times that God might be silent 346 00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:31.119 in your life. As if nothing is happening, you pray, 347 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:34.160 your faith is there, you hold onto the world, But 348 00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:37.920 there are times that God is silent. You know. The 349 00:26:38.039 --> 00:26:43.400 problem is we only focus too much on the highlights, 350 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:47.319 on that experience, on that high on that worship that 351 00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:51.200 changed my day on that word that made me alive 352 00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:55.920 once again. But the reality is our walk with God, 353 00:26:56.279 --> 00:27:01.599 our journey with the Lord, is not always exciting. Sometimes 354 00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:08.160 it's steady, sometimes it's regular. You know, we live in 355 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:12.599 a world now where it's all about the highlights. You 356 00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:16.079 can actually watch an NBA game in how many minutes 357 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:20.519 you highlights? Five? Six minutes you watch the entire thing. 358 00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:24.799 I watched the slam Down competition in two minutes. All 359 00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:27.119 that the two guys who battled for the finals date. 360 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:29.519 I didn't have to watch the rest. Why they were 361 00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:33.759 the highlights In our walk with God, it feels like 362 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:37.240 we're just concentrated on the highlights, the big things. We're 363 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:41.359 waiting for that miracle, and until it comes, we're just steady. 364 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:45.960 Now this is my Instagram account, and what do you 365 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:49.960 see here? It's all highlights. The great day that I had, 366 00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:53.079 the people that I had a great time with, the 367 00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:56.640 family reunion, the birthday, the good seminar. It's all about 368 00:27:56.680 --> 00:27:59.880 the great things. But I don't put their Me just 369 00:28:00.200 --> 00:28:05.640 drinking coffee at home without taking a bad me, just 370 00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:08.759 reading the word, me just not doing anything, Me just 371 00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:14.079 watching TV, the regular things, the mundane. You know, when 372 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:18.519 Jesus said, to do well and obey is to abide. 373 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:24.400 He was also saying, remain faithful regardless of what's going 374 00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:29.240 on in your life, regardless if you are that high 375 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:32.599 in your worship, regardless if you're dragging yourself to your work, 376 00:28:32.839 --> 00:28:36.000 regardless if you're having a hard time worship God. The 377 00:28:36.039 --> 00:28:40.720 Bible says to follow Jesus is to remain faithful to 378 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:45.599 the regular things, the not so important things. Why because 379 00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:48.559 God can still do his work even we do not 380 00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:54.200 see it. God can do things for you, even though 381 00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:58.480 you do not see it. Amen see Edie destructed doing 382 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:07.160 sa postco. What does it mean to abide and remain 383 00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:11.279 faithful in the Lord? Hebrews Chapter ten, verse twenty three says, 384 00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:15.720 let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for 385 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:21.480 he who promised is faithful. You know, we are called 386 00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:25.559 to be faithful and to remain faithful in our journey 387 00:29:25.559 --> 00:29:29.000 with the Lord. It's not about the times that we 388 00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:32.200 get what we want from Him, but it's also during 389 00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:37.759 the times that we just wait on him we remain faithful. 390 00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:41.519 We are called to remain faithful. So what does that 391 00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:46.160 mean in our lives? How do we see a picture 392 00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:51.920 of a life that followed Jesus. Follows Jesus. To follow 393 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:56.279 Jesus is to to obey in him. What else? To 394 00:29:56.519 --> 00:30:00.920 dwell in his word and remain faithful to him. This 395 00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:03.119 is a picture of what it is to be a 396 00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:06.680 follower of Jesus, and I'm going to allow you to 397 00:30:06.759 --> 00:30:13.119 take time to read it and assess. Am I a 398 00:30:13.160 --> 00:30:20.720 true follower of Jesus? Am I faithful to my journey 399 00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:26.079 in life with him? Am I actually obeying his word? 400 00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:31.960 Am I dwelling in his presence? Do I dwell and 401 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:34.920