WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:09.080 Welcome Just Handaway Tagalog Sermon podcast, your daily dose of 2 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:13.439 inspiring from 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 --> 00:00:23.039 you in good shame and now here's your message. 5 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:28.879 You're listening to a podcast from Victory. Jesus taught us 6 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:33.200 to pray with perseverance. Learn more about asking, seeking and 7 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:37.759 knocking in Week fourteen of our series Redefined. 8 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:46.280 And today we'll look at Matthew seven verse seven to twelve, 9 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:50.280 So do not judge. Verse tieve is the famous Golden rule. 10 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:55.119 And in between those two is a sermon on prayer. 11 00:00:55.960 --> 00:00:58.159 That's what I said, don't look at a sermon on 12 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:01.520 the mount as divided sermons. It's one sermon. So this 13 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:03.960 is actually tied up to the Lord's prayer on how 14 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:07.000 we should pray, because he was now going back again 15 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:09.879 to the theme of prayer. And so we go back here 16 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:13.519 in verse seven and we look at prayer now before 17 00:01:13.560 --> 00:01:17.280 we jump off to the text. Here are one of 18 00:01:17.319 --> 00:01:20.319 the things that we've noticed among Christians is that a 19 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:25.239 lot hesitate to pray. We're very hesitant to pray, Okay, 20 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:28.760 not a lot of us are into you know, prayers 21 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:32.359 and long prayers. And there are a couple of reasons 22 00:01:32.439 --> 00:01:36.400 why we hesitate to pray right. One of the things 23 00:01:36.439 --> 00:01:38.920 is because for Sunday, I think prayer doesn't really matter. 24 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:42.560 Why would I pray doesn't really matter? Somebody is doing it, 25 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:46.560 so might as well not pray. I had that same 26 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:51.239 inclination when I was young in the faith. I would 27 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:53.719 remember every time we would have missions, we just finished 28 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:58.200 our missions Sunday, where people would ask for prayer partners 29 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:02.879 and financial partners. In my mind, a prayer partner is optional. 30 00:02:03.079 --> 00:02:06.359 What they're really looking for are financial partners. Until I 31 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:09.840 became a pastor and I entered ministry, and I realized 32 00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:13.240 how much I covet prayers to people, how prayer is 33 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:15.719 such an important aspect of my life that I need 34 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:18.280 to build my own prayer team because it is so important. 35 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:22.360 I'd rather have a lot of prayer partners than financial partners, 36 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:26.360 because that's how important prayer is. It has shifted my 37 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:29.479 perspective about prayer. But for some days, saying you a 38 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:32.199 prayer doesn't really matter for some of them, and they're thinking, 39 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:35.599 you know, I hesitate because I might be praying the 40 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:38.560 wrong way and unlike the others. When I would hear 41 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:41.240 others pray or a pastor would pray, it's so eloquent, 42 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:44.159 it's so nice, it's so powerful. It gives you the 43 00:02:44.199 --> 00:02:46.759 goose bumbs. But when I pray, I stuttered. That's why 44 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:50.120 I hesitate to pray. But remember, prayer is just talking 45 00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:52.639 to God, right, you don't need to be so formal 46 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:55.240 in prayer. So a lot of people are afraid to 47 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:57.479 pray or hesitant to pray because they think they might 48 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:00.120 pray the wrong way, or for others, they're thinking there 49 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:02.479 are more important things to do than pray. Have you 50 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:04.280 heard the phrase pray time and pray well? And I'm 51 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:06.800 a tying inga go up because we think prayer is 52 00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:10.240 not as important and doing is more important. I believe 53 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:12.759 in the balance of both that when I pray, I 54 00:03:12.759 --> 00:03:14.879 need to do something about it. That's why I'm praying. 55 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.240 And so a lot of people hesitate to pray. Now 56 00:03:18.360 --> 00:03:22.159 in discerment, Jesus goes and tells them, aside from the 57 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:26.919 Lord's prayer, here's how you will now pray, he says. First, 58 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:30.800 ask and it will be given to you. See, and 59 00:03:30.840 --> 00:03:33.960 you will find knock and it will be open to you. 60 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:38.360 For everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks fines, 61 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:42.360 the one who knocks, it will be open. If you 62 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:45.759 look at this two verses, there was an emphasis on 63 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:50.879 asking and seeking and knocking right when Jesus was saying this. 64 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:54.400 This was not three levels of prayer. Level one, you ask, 65 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:57.159 level two you see, level three you knock. No, this 66 00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:00.479 was an attitude of prayer that when you to me 67 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.039 as your heavenly father, I want you to ask, seek, 68 00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:06.960 and knock. And let me emphasize this again by saying 69 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:10.879 that when you ask, you'll you'll receive. If you seek, 70 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:13.400 you'll find, If you knock, the door will be opened. 71 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:16.560 There was an emphasis on what we need to do 72 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:19.079 when we come to God in prayer, the attitude, the 73 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:21.879 spirit behind the prayer. We need to learn how to 74 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:26.040 ask with persistence. We need to ask in faith, so 75 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:28.959 we look as and it will be given. Seek, you'll find, 76 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:32.439 knock and the door will be open. As he says 77 00:04:33.639 --> 00:04:38.519 Minika as verbally, Lord, can I have ask and it 78 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:41.680 will be given? Now Again, I want to tie this 79 00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:46.240 up with Matthew five and six, when Jesus says asks, 80 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:49.279 not saying just ask anything you want, what he is saying, 81 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:52.879 as with the Kingdom of God in mind, and it 82 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:55.639 will be given to you. That was the thread of 83 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:58.560 the whole sermon of the mouth. If you ask anything 84 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:01.839 according to the agenda the Kingdom, it will be given 85 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:06.319 to you as will be given. There's so many promises 86 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:08.800 in the scripture that we don't tap into because we 87 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:11.560 don't read the scripture, do not in alum. We don't know. 88 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:14.560 That's why we don't know what to ask for. That's 89 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:16.920 why a lot of our prayers are no because those 90 00:05:16.920 --> 00:05:20.879 are not in scripture as in faith, as with the 91 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:23.720 Kingdom in mind, and the Bible says it will be 92 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:26.639 given to you. Just a story. When I was a 93 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:29.879 campus missionary, there were things that we were believing God for, 94 00:05:30.759 --> 00:05:35.519 but in the natural there's no way we could. That's 95 00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:37.759 why we have to find ways to make it happen. 96 00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:40.120 I remember if there was a time my kids were 97 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:42.920 asking that can we go to Disneyland. We really want 98 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:47.079 to go to Disneyland. We go to Distine, and we 99 00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:50.480 were saying, you know, let's pray, let's ask God in 100 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:52.800 faith that we can go to Disneyland, so that you 101 00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:56.839 can enjoy Disneyland and meet Mickey Mouns and Donald du 102 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:01.680 Chinese right version and weld and again that's what I said. 103 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:04.199 It's hard for us to do it because of the 104 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:09.399 funds that were coming until God, in his goodness gave 105 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:12.319 us piece of air. And with the piece of air, 106 00:06:12.360 --> 00:06:14.759 we were able to get a flight to Hong Kong. 107 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:18.680 It was very cheap flight. And then we scouted around 108 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:22.959 for a hostel that could fit the four of us. 109 00:06:23.319 --> 00:06:26.920 So I started crowdsourcing on Facebook. Guys, do you know 110 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:30.240 any hotel or hostel that's sheep that could fit four people. 111 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:33.720 One of my college friends has try this in called 112 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:38.360 the Wonderful in right. It's a very wonderful wonderful in 113 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:41.639 A and Mika look at them. They were very young 114 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:44.560 at this time, and we had to pep talk them 115 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.120 because I saw the website. The room was actually nice. 116 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:53.519 I got the family room. My college classmates said, in fact, 117 00:06:53.560 --> 00:06:58.480 the receptionist is Filipina. You will feel really welcome. It's 118 00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:01.199 a decent place. We were so happy. We went to 119 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:05.199 Hong Kong, rode the taxi. The taxi couldn't find Wonderful 120 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:09.240 in with the street with the address, couldn't find it. I 121 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:11.079 had to stop. If you know Hong Kong. Right, the 122 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:16.560 taxi is very expensive, so I said stop parah okay, right, 123 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:19.720 and I had to go long distance talk to my 124 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:24.839 sister to give me the coordinates exactly what building Wonderful 125 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:27.680 Inn is part of, so that we can find the place. 126 00:07:27.720 --> 00:07:30.240 And we found the place, and we were in Wonderful 127 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:32.800 In after more than thirty minutes. What was supposed to 128 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:35.720 be only a ten minute, right, became thirty forty minutes. 129 00:07:36.040 --> 00:07:38.519 We went there and lo and behold it was a philippinamboo. 130 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:43.040 Heeizer you Philippina. We're so happy. Family room. Here we go. 131 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:47.199 We opened the family room and it was as it 132 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:50.480 was expected. It was a family room, a family for one. 133 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:53.319 We were four, but I think the room was only 134 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:57.360 maybe a little bit bigger. Half of this not half 135 00:07:57.399 --> 00:08:00.759 of the stage with everything in it already was so small. 136 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:03.120 Maybe it was from that one to this TV. It 137 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:06.199 was like this, right, so you can do everything there 138 00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:09.040 by just one a turn, take a bath, you know, sleeep, 139 00:08:09.879 --> 00:08:12.680 you just go around. You've been through the whole family room. Right. 140 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:15.600 In fact, we couldn't take any pictures in the family room. 141 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:19.040 It couldn't fit the you know, you can't. So we 142 00:08:19.079 --> 00:08:22.120 took the picture here as a souvenir that will never 143 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:26.839 come back. Okay, so to wonderful In. But we told 144 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:29.240 our kids, young as they are, we told our kids, 145 00:08:29.319 --> 00:08:31.319 you know, our goal here is to go to distey Land, right. 146 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:34.080 We've asked God to provide for us, and God gave 147 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:36.360 us the provision for a Distinland ticket. That's why we 148 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:40.240 talk wonderful In because we thought it was wonderful. But 149 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:43.320 but it's okay, and they all agreed and they were 150 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:47.039 very happy. Everybody was happy. We actually got sick because 151 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:49.399 the pollution of the city would go to our room. 152 00:08:50.039 --> 00:08:52.960 That's how bad this in. What I'm not saying, don't 153 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:57.799 go there, do at your own risk, but it was, 154 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:01.360 you know, it was. We were happy. They were very happy. 155 00:09:01.399 --> 00:09:05.679 My two dollars were very happy. But the day we 156 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:09.279 were leaving, the night before we were leaving, my Timmy 157 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:12.720 gathered everyone and said, let's pray. I believe I want 158 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:14.960 to pray for something. I have faith that in three 159 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:17.759 years time we'll go back to Disney and we'll stay 160 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:21.960 in Hong Kong disney Land Hotel. You don't know what 161 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:26.559 you're saying. You're raising the hopes of our kids. Because 162 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:28.639 we really took time time, and I took time to 163 00:09:28.679 --> 00:09:30.759 really budget this. Wait for a piece of air and 164 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:32.679 a piece of but you have to wait until two 165 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:35.559 am because it kept crashing. Right, so until you get 166 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:38.720 your ticket right, and to go to Hong Kong diste 167 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:41.039 Land Hotel would be around nine thousand to twelve thousand 168 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:43.799 a night. That's almost six years in wonderful inn right. 169 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:49.480 The price difference would be really It's like, I don't 170 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:53.320 know if we could actually afford Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. 171 00:09:53.559 --> 00:09:57.559 It's impossible for us. I'm a campus missionary like Dave, 172 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:00.559 and I don't know if we can really afford this. 173 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:04.360 But then we're Christians. So we prayed. But she had 174 00:10:04.360 --> 00:10:08.840 the faith and she prayed. Women very specific when they pray, Lord, 175 00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:12.600 in three years time, we will come back here. We 176 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:20.159 will stay in Hong Kong. This hotels a right that 177 00:10:20.279 --> 00:10:22.639 then I think this was October, we were and wonderful. 178 00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:27.240 In November Timey gets an email. She's a blogger. She 179 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:30.519 gets an email that the Hong Kong tourism has actually 180 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:33.639 chosen her in some other Filipinos for three days to 181 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:35.519 night stay at Hong Kong. This an hotel with the 182 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:39.480 family all expense paid trip. Okay, this was the next month, 183 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:42.840 not after three years. Okay. We got the email and 184 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:44.960 I said, no, don't answer the email. It will ask 185 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:49.840 questions informations about you to get your credit card numbers. 186 00:10:49.879 --> 00:10:53.639 Come you. Nobody gives away all expense paid trip. I know. 187 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:56.759 We prayed about this, but nobody would give that, all right, 188 00:10:57.480 --> 00:10:59.840 and so we had to wait for two months December. 189 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:03.000 We weren't answering. We actually asked one of our friends 190 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:05.480 in Carlo, who attends our church here, who's a social 191 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:08.559 media guy. You know, can you can you research about 192 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:11.080 this person in this company that told us that we're 193 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:14.639 chosen by the end of December, he said, this is legit. 194 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:17.879 You're actually going to Hong Kong Disneyland, right, And so 195 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:22.639 this was October. She was praying, Yeah, she was. I 196 00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:25.000 was agreeing. She was praying, all right. I don't know 197 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:27.159 if I was really agreeing, but she was praying. So 198 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:29.200 since we are one, we're married, it's the same. So 199 00:11:30.440 --> 00:11:33.440 right October she was praying in faith, asking the Lord 200 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:36.080 to provide. There's no way we could go. But by 201 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:39.840 February we were in Hong Kong, Disneyland hotel, all expands 202 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:44.200 paid tripped. All right, amazing. I think for this trip 203 00:11:44.360 --> 00:11:48.840 I shelled out one thousand, six hundred taxi fare from 204 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:51.240 airport to a hotel because they did not shoulder it. 205 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:56.399 I don't know why anyway, Lamoina, all right, grab this lord, 206 00:11:56.840 --> 00:11:59.639 just an amazing again. This is God. You know, it's 207 00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:01.960 amazing when somebody calls you up in the hotel room 208 00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:04.679 and tells you to go down. You can now go 209 00:12:04.759 --> 00:12:06.759 down and go to a restaurant here in Hong Kong, 210 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:09.759 Disneyland or anything you want. You know, we were ordering 211 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:14.559 anything we want. It was all expense paid. Now. On 212 00:12:14.600 --> 00:12:17.480 the first day, we had a tour guide, a cast 213 00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:20.639 member who would guide us to Disney. Everybody was lining 214 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:24.159 up for thirty minutes average. We were lining up for 215 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:27.480 a minute because we were entering the exit because we 216 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:30.480 were VIPs. Almost half they were almost done with Hong 217 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:34.879 Kong Disneyland. That was how VIP we were at that time. 218 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:37.600 You know. It was amazing. The kids were so happy. 219 00:12:37.639 --> 00:12:40.120 It was like, Wow, this is the dream. No, not 220 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:42.159 looking at the price of the men. You actually we 221 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:44.399 look so that we can order what we want, right 222 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:47.759 And it was it was God providing for everything that 223 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:53.080 we need. Now women, you know, men very different from women. 224 00:12:53.639 --> 00:12:57.919 You know that, right, we asked for well, yeah, as 225 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:01.279 a family, we asked for this trip. We were there Februari. 226 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:08.519 I was so happy. I was lording in thank women. 227 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:13.639 Very specific, Lord like this, Lord like that, Lord like this. Lord. 228 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:18.759 See donald too specific sometimes now, right, I'm not saying 229 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:21.080 that was the prayer request of timing, but she would 230 00:13:21.159 --> 00:13:24.240 have specific prayer requests. Like one of her prayer requests 231 00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:26.639 was in the itinerary given to us. We weren't going 232 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:30.159 to have buffet in the other hotel, which was more expensive, right, 233 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:33.720 we weren't having buffet with the cartoon characters. So she 234 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:36.080 was saying, you know, let's believe God, we would go 235 00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:40.240 and have buffet on the other hotel, right, and every 236 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:44.759 breakfast you have no cartoon character with you, right, And 237 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:47.840 but then she prayed and then out of the call, 238 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:52.759 you know, we change your plan tomorrow. You're going to 239 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:56.159 have breakfast in the other hotel with all the cartoon characters. 240 00:13:56.200 --> 00:14:01.799 So again, even to the smallest detail, ass in, you 241 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:04.799 just knew this was God. I couldn't afford this. God 242 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:07.960 knew I couldn't afford this, and that's why God was 243 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:13.159 answering and honoring the faith of my wife. It wasn't 244 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:16.440 out of excess or out of luju. We were happy 245 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:20.879 with wonderful inn. We were absolutely very happy with wonderfully in. 246 00:14:21.559 --> 00:14:24.639 But to go Disneyland Hotel, we thank God for it. 247 00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:28.600 But without this, we're actually very happy. Also as with 248 00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:32.360 the Kingdom, in mind, not with a sense of entitlement, 249 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:36.960 but with a sense of gratefulness nor thank you. Some 250 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:40.039 of the prayers we asked, God has not answered yet. 251 00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:44.440 Are you entitled and saying God, you're not answering, or 252 00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:47.440 are you grateful? Lord, I'm so blessed. If you don't answer, 253 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:51.840 I'm okay. If you answer, thank you. As with the 254 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:56.879 Kingdom mentality, as with the Kingdom, mindset to the very specific. 255 00:14:57.399 --> 00:15:01.240 So the second dayam and we were no longer VIPs. 256 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:04.080 We had three part tickets, but we had to walk 257 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:06.679 on our own. So now we were walking on our own. 258 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:09.840 And then you saw the dress Grace naal A la maya. 259 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:14.559 That's the dress of your daughters given to us cartoon 260 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:17.919 after right, And on the second day we were wearing this. 261 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:21.799 We were walking Disney and my wife said, you know 262 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:26.320 we missed the parade in the first day. Again, very 263 00:15:26.320 --> 00:15:29.480 different perspective. Man in the part marriage Simon Artona, Right, 264 00:15:30.440 --> 00:15:32.279 we don't need them on the parade, No, no, the 265 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:35.799 kids would enjoy the parade. So yeah, okay, yeah, okay. 266 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:38.480 Let's see behind the time. You know, we were trying 267 00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:41.200 to plan our day and as we were walking, a 268 00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:44.000 Chinese cast member of Disney approaches us. 269 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:51.799 Oh oh no, no, no, no, okay, it's okay, it's okay. 270 00:15:52.440 --> 00:15:57.000 But he kept persisting. He was asking, seeking and knocking. Oh, 271 00:15:57.120 --> 00:16:03.360 he's selling us something, right, al Mahir cut done, no, no, no, no, 272 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:08.720 So I didn't know what to do. And then he 273 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:12.559 just kept coming back at us and said, oh, free, 274 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:21.799 la free free. Imagine out of the thousands of kids 275 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:25.000 that day and Mika were chosen as princesses of the day. 276 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:29.240 And what's the goal of the princesses of the day. 277 00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:33.919 During the parade. You'll be in a VIP section, You're 278 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:36.919 placed there, and the princesses would stop in front of 279 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:38.519 you and they'll get you in the parade and you'll 280 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:41.279 dance with them in the parade. It's just amazing, even 281 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:43.960 to the smallest details. God was answering the prayer of 282 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:49.039 my wife, and we were very thankful. Ass in faith, 283 00:16:49.799 --> 00:16:52.440 ass and it will be given. Yesterday I was in 284 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:55.960 a child dedication of a couple who lost their I 285 00:16:55.960 --> 00:16:59.039 think three year old daughter last year. June. Last year, 286 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:03.440 June this year they had the new baby, and we 287 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:06.240 were dedicating this three month old baby as a gift 288 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:09.880 from the Lord. We were crying. June last year, we 289 00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:14.480 were celebrating, they were celebrating. June this year. We were 290 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:20.400 eating yesterday October to celebrate this gift. Asked with the 291 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:24.039 kingdom in mind. They didn't quit church when God took 292 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:27.240 away their daughter. They didn't question me, of course, there 293 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:31.000 were questions that couldn't be answered. They didn't quit on God. 294 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:34.039 They asked with the Kingdom in mind, not with a 295 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:37.680 sense of entitledness, but gratefulness. Lord, thank you you gave 296 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:41.400 us another. Lord, you gave us a son in exchange 297 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:45.319 for a daughter, as and it will be given. And 298 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:47.839 look around, I see so many people whose prayers have 299 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:54.240 been answered, miraculous, supernatural answered by God, as in faith. 300 00:17:54.519 --> 00:17:57.160 Asked with the Kingdom in mind that the Bible says, 301 00:17:57.240 --> 00:18:01.640 sekh and you will find again. Let's tide us up 302 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:04.039 to the whole sermon of the Mount. When you seek, 303 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:07.839 what do you seek, Matthew six, Seek first the Kingdom 304 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:10.640 of God and his righteousness, and all these things will 305 00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:12.720 be given to you as well. What do you seek? 306 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:17.440 You seek the Kingdom and you'll find it. Seek the 307 00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:22.200 Kingdom of God. Seek what God wants and you'll find it. 308 00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:26.559 What do we see whose kingdom are rebuilding? When we pray? 309 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:30.240 When we as of God, are we really seeking what 310 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:35.440 God wants? Jesus is saying to the disciples, if you 311 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:38.680 seek what I want, you find it. You seek the Kingdom, 312 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:42.480 you'll find it. Everything will be added unto you. And 313 00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:47.440 he says, knock and the doors will be open. Knock. 314 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:53.599 Don't just ask, don't just seek, you knock. Be persistent. 315 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:58.039 When we started our church here and we had zero 316 00:18:58.119 --> 00:19:01.640 contacts in the youth ministry, we were praying, we were asking, 317 00:19:01.960 --> 00:19:08.559 we were seeking, we were knocking. Last year, through asking 318 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:11.279 and seeking, we were able to get some one gym. 319 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:14.319 But the problem with some one gym was we couldn't 320 00:19:14.359 --> 00:19:17.519 sustain the growth because every time there's a government program, 321 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:20.240 they kick us out. He said, we can't do church 322 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:22.519 this way. We don't even know if we'll have service 323 00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:25.920 next week. So we were praying and we were seeking, 324 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:29.960 and we were now knocking, and out of the blue, 325 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:33.359 somebody had this crazy idea. Jue gym is maybe five 326 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:36.000 minutes drive away from SM. Santa Mesa. Let's go and 327 00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:39.880 ask SM. Santa Mesa. Francis went there and we found 328 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:44.319 out that they were giving us a deal. In fact, 329 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:48.599 when the door opened, Christ was there. Christ, the manager 330 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:53.759 of the theater manager. His name is Christ. Christ opened 331 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:57.440 the door for us INM Santa Mesa. No kidding, his 332 00:19:57.640 --> 00:20:01.920 name is Christ. So when when Francis went back and 333 00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:06.480 reported to us, Christ opened the door for us. Yeah, 334 00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:09.279 I thought he was being spiritual. No, it was Christ 335 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:12.200 in the holing card. Christ gave him a holing card 336 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:15.880 and told us Christ taught us to rent the cinema. 337 00:20:16.839 --> 00:20:21.200 Christ is there every week looking after us. Christ and 338 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:27.480 cashs are checks, right. It's amazing how Christ literally opened 339 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:30.359 the door for us. We now have four hundred students 340 00:20:30.359 --> 00:20:34.799 in Santa Mesa worshiping regularly. Those are four hundred new 341 00:20:34.839 --> 00:20:38.039 people getting saved and disciples. We're now looking at having 342 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:40.799 two services because they've maxed out the place, and so 343 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:44.039 hopefully by next year we go to services on a 344 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:47.880 Friday and hopefully start a midweek service in Santa Mesa. 345 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:51.640 That's close to one thousand to two thousand new people. 346 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:56.920 Because we knocked the persistence gone. I know you want 347 00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:59.400 us to do something, Lord, You want us to reach 348 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:02.720 out to more people and disciple more people, not as 349 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:05.359 citizens of the Kingdom of God. In the door will 350 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:10.799 be open persistence. Martin Luther said, the reason why Jesus 351 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:13.400 said this verse is that he knows that we are 352 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:17.119 timid and shy, that we feel unworthy and unfit to 353 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:20.119 present our needs to God. We think that God is 354 00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:22.200 so great and we are so tiny that we do 355 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:24.880 not dare to pray. If you ever felt that way, 356 00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:29.799 When you ask prayer for others, you're in faith. When 357 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:33.000 you pray for the church, you ask for millions. But 358 00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:38.759 when you pray for your personal needs, is Lord, OK? 359 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:43.440 Why do you do that? Why do you believe God 360 00:21:43.480 --> 00:21:46.599 in faith for others but they're not believe for yourself? 361 00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:53.240 Sometimes there's a extension we feel like because it sounds selfish. 362 00:21:53.640 --> 00:21:57.440 Remember when you ask with the Kingdom in mind, selfishness 363 00:21:57.440 --> 00:22:00.799 will not be a problem for you. You're thinking about 364 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:05.519 the Kingdom you're thinking about God. You're thinking about his glory, 365 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:09.240 not your name. Selfishness would be a non issue for 366 00:22:09.319 --> 00:22:12.799 you when you ask a faith, when you ask for 367 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:17.039 open doors, when you ask for business breakthrough in career advancement. 368 00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:20.119 With the kingdom in mind, it will never be selfish 369 00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:23.599 because it's not about your kingdom. It's God's kingdom, and 370 00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:27.680 so I can ask boldly. We dare not ask because 371 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:30.920 we're timid, and sometimes we have the wrong perspective when 372 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:34.160 we ask in prayer. That is why Christ wants us 373 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:37.920 to lure us away from such timid thoughts, to remove 374 00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:42.000 our doubts, and to have us go ahead confidently and 375 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:47.000 boldly ask see not. The stacking of these words that 376 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:52.480 Jesus was using was extremely forceful. He was founding, He 377 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:56.640 was hammering a point ask see not. By the way, 378 00:22:56.680 --> 00:23:01.160 if you ask, you'll receive. If you seek, you find, 379 00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:04.440 you knock, the door will be opened. Twice in one line, 380 00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:09.680 he repeats the same words as emphasis to the church. 381 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:15.440 Don't be afraid to ask. We are to passionately persist 382 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:22.319 in prayer as seek, knock. See. There's a difference between 383 00:23:22.359 --> 00:23:27.880 a fleshly stubbornness and a godly perseverance. Fleshly stubbornness insists 384 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:32.039 on getting one's will done in heaven. The latter determines 385 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:35.279 to get God's will done on earth. When I ask, 386 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:38.279 sek and not with the kingdom in mind, it's not 387 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:48.079 flesh stubbornness. It's persistence. There's a godly motivation behind my prayer. 388 00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:53.359 Why I ask, I seek, and I knock. Firse John 389 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:56.839 five fourteen to fifteen tells us this is the confidence 390 00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:59.599 we have in approaching God, that if we ask anything 391 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:03.039 according to his will, what he hears us. What do 392 00:24:03.119 --> 00:24:07.960 we ask anything according to what his will, not your will, 393 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:11.480 not your kingdom? According to his will he hears. And 394 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:13.880 if we know that he hears us whatever we ask, 395 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:17.119 we know that we have what we ask of him. 396 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:22.519 He's happy because we're asking his will to be done 397 00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:26.759 over our lives. His answer is, yes, I'll do it, 398 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:31.119 because you ask according to my name and ask according 399 00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:34.400 to my will. Let's go back to Discermon the Mount. 400 00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:38.319 Verse nine, he says, or which one of you, if 401 00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:41.119