Fasting That Pleases God | Pr Alvin Keng

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to a message to go from ex Church.
We hope this message will light up your day.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
So today I'm going to share a little bit about fasting.
Are you guys okay? With that? We grow and we
learn about fasting. So if you got your bibles, well
sorry not if, but I'm sure you got your bibles,
either physical or digital. If you don't have a Bible,
please get one. You got no money to get a bible?
Talk to passa Gloria and Edward we a sponsor and ye,

(00:32):
yesterday I know, no, yes, it was yesterday, last few days, right,
and you guys are here. Book excess KL Eastmore was
giving out three books. You know any of you went?
And yeah, I think do any of you went? No,
you didn't go. Can I tell you something? They're giving
out three ten books per person. And my wife was
looking at the pictures and she saw NKJV Bibles there

(00:55):
you know, letter B one And I'm like, hey, but
you were specler. So anyway, if you got no Bible,
I'm just letting you know you can get free bible.
Pick up some other books on the way, uh and
kell Isma Sonia here I was we were contemplating should
we go. Should we go? But where far? But for
us we were off our just fi. Okay, you learn

(01:16):
a lot of things in church. Please turn to Isaiah
chapter fifty eight. Isaiah chapter fifty eight. We're gonna do
a book study. Okay, are you guys okay to do
a book study? Anyway? I got no choice. I have
the mic, so, but we're gonna do a book study.
And about Isaiah. I remember the first time I fasted.

(01:41):
I was seventeen years old, and I understood the concept
of fasting, but I've never done it before, and I've
never really participated, and a first thing has always been difficult.
But right before SBM, I felt like, hey, I want
to try. I want to go all out, and I'm
a little bit extreme the way I make decisions and

(02:01):
then later regret. So I said, you're not going to
fast for two months? Not the smartest thing to do. Uh.
And how many of you who we've gone through first thing?
You know, the moment you say you're gonna fast, suddenly
you're invited to all the meccans. And I fasted, I
basically Daniel fast for two months. Suddenly I don't know
why everybody so friendly in me invite me for all
their birthdays. And then of all the things they served

(02:24):
in the birthday party is fried chicken only. So I
was standing there and everybody are you okay, I'm like, yeah,
just eating mesh with.

Speaker 3 (02:34):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
But I helped my fast. So that's the party. That
was quite cool. And and I'll tell you the interesting
thing that happened. The reason why I fasted was because
I wanted to study gegle grades for for sbm. You know,
it was very selfish, you know, some nice you know,
I'm okayma, very selfish in your fast. Think oh God,
I wanted so I fast for it on one direction,

(02:56):
so I fast for it. But the interesting thing that
through the fast, the results wasn't as important. Yeah. I
don't know whether you guys are following me, but I
hope you'll follow me through the fast. The interesting that
happened was there was a heart change for me through
the fast. I grew deeper in relationship with God. Through

(03:20):
the fast, I recognize how to hear God. It's very
interesting because the fast started with a very selfish, not
selfish that your prayers, yeah, uhould first expreme example. You
should first, you know, to study hard and all and
focus and pray, you know, because you want something now.
I remember someone told me before, oh, I don't fast
because it feels that I'm twisting God's arm, you know,

(03:42):
to force him to give me something. And I thought
about that. I think it's a very shallow perspective, but
fast thing, and I think it's also a very shallow
perspective about God. What you think can tea Scott's arm?
Any of you here things you can tea Scott's arm?
I hope you don't know, because if you think you do,
then you are greatly miss second right. Because God is God.

(04:04):
You know. None of us can twist God. None of
us can come and say, oh God, you see how
all the things I've done for you? He doesn't need
that right, even tis and offerings, Oh you see how
much I give. See that's the human way of looking
at it. But God, that belongs to me. So it's
different perspective. So I hope that today we will catch
a certain perspective about fasting. Because when I was fasting,

(04:28):
one of my youth leaders said, hey, if you want
to learn about fasting, read Isaiah fifty eight. And Isaiah
fifty eight will teach you everything you know about fasting. Damn,
what do you mean now? Because Isaiah fifty eight, and
if you you have my Bible, the title says fasting
that pleases God. You mean there it's a fast that

(04:49):
don't please God. Yes, and there is a fast that
please God. Right, just because we fast doesn't mean that
things happen, so, you know, because first thing is like,
oh I abstained? You know sometimes that that that I
don't know, child attitude we have? You know, if we've
that it got God? You see I did this, sir God,
You see I did that? Now you know God, you

(05:11):
see I I you know qualify you know. And then
the Bible says that we are not we are not
safe because of good works, but we are safe to
do good works your cash. That so in a way,
all of our proving to God and our showing God
and credit and married all doesn't matter at all because

(05:32):
we should do good works anyway because we are safe
your cash. That is, as a really counterculture, it's not
an easy concept to understand. Right, you are a good
person because you're doing good because you are a good
person your catch That not because you want to get
any married or at anything, but the way the world,

(05:53):
you know, It's not our fault because the way the
world qualifies things are and the way the world evaluates
things is by married. Right. That that's how the whale,
the whale plot the world functions, right, some wales function
that weigh as well, But that's how the world functions.
Second Chronicles seven fourteen, So what is fasting? Second Chronicles

(06:14):
seven fourteen says, if my people are called by my name.
You see, the first point is very important. He talks
about your identity if my people are called by my name.
So if you are not God's people, and you're not
called by his name, then this doesn't apply to you.
You'll catch that if you're not if you don't identify

(06:36):
with've God, you thought about identification now, right, it doesn't
affect you. But if you are God's people and you say, yes,
I'm a believer, I believe in Christ Jesus. I believe
there's a living God. I am saved by him. He's
redeeming from my sins, and we are his people. Right,

(07:01):
the gentiles, if my people are caught by my name,
will humble themselves. See first thing is a very humbling thing,
because we're abstaining and saying I'm gonna stop doing something.
I'm gonna stop doing it. I'm gonna abstain, I'm gonna
not eat. I'm gonna tahn my desires for a certain

(07:22):
period of time. Humble themselves and pray and seek my face.
Pray and seek my face. Why do we pray? Do
we pray because we want something? Or do we pray
to seek God's face? See's different, it's a different posture.
Or why do we fast? Do we fast because we

(07:43):
want something? Or do we fast to seek God's face?
That's why we also say, and you've probably heard this before, Pascna, say,
if your time first thing without praying is just diet,
it is, They're just die a thing because you're not praying,
you're not seeking God's face. You just dire. Think there's

(08:03):
no meaning in it. It's not the act of fasting,
but it's the posture of our heart right and turn
from their wicked ways. God, how can you say a
wicked Actually, if you do some reflection, you realize that
we are not perfect. There are some things you do,
small things then you might not be proud of. Then

(08:29):
I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin
and heal their land. Work powerful man. You guys want
that well forgiveness of since we know that God has
regiven Christ. But the healing land pipe is quite cool. No,
you know the significance of land healing. I don't know

(08:49):
how to explain this because it is such a supernatural thing.
If you want to experience land, there is healed. No
he go to Barrio. You know, one of the best
mountain riser grown. I would argue worldwide is in Barrio.
Why is that name Barrio so familiar? It was where

(09:12):
revival happened in Malaysia so long ago. You don't know
Barrio is going to read that about it? Right? If
you go to Israel today today, you will see that
God bless that Leno. I saw a documentary by Anthony
boudin the late Antibodin and he went, you know, and go,

(09:33):
of course you go Macca and travel right. It was
so start because it was so clear. This part, which
is Israel, it's all greenery and lush greenery. The other
part is all desert. I won't say you were the
other part because I also don't know Ela. Well, I
kind of know Ala, but I don't want to say Ala.
It's so crazy. There was like clear border and like

(09:53):
huh oh here the tanama not okay for those that
don't understand. Here the ground is more fatal. That ground
is not fertile. Why is the ground fatal? God bless
the land, God bless the land. Do you know that

(10:14):
God can bless exter us? Do you know that God
can bless you and your house? The moment people walk
into your house is different, really different feeling. Really they
can only say feeling, but we know it's God's presence, DESI.
The significance of seeking God's face and humbling ourselves is
very powerful if we catch it right. But if we

(10:36):
think we are God, if we think that no, no, no,
you know, we might not catch some of these things.
That is very significant. I guys, okay, So first question,
why do we fast? Different ones were fast because of
different things, and of course during Luton we also encourage
people to believe God for different things. But you see,

(10:58):
it's not I pray and twist God's arm. I seek
God for an answer for this thing that I have.
So I'm seeking God. I'm seeking the Creator to help
me with my challenges. I'm seeking the Creator to help
me with a direction. I'm seeking the Creator to help
me with healing. But it's not the healing. It is

(11:18):
the Creator that I'm seeking that is the reason why
we fast. And this son I'll probably need needs help
because I don't give people to read scripture. Okay, So Nick,
you just choose one person to read the first verse
and then we will do I say we're gonna do
by the study. Right, we'll do by the study. You
pick anybody, Okay, read the first, first and second verse? Come, yeah,

(11:44):
read a loud first and second Isaiah fifty eight one
and two can read loud, so always can hear? Amen?

(12:17):
So Nick, you hold on firsta. So let's go verse
five verse. So what does he say? Okay, cry aloud,
span on, lift up your voice like a trumpet. Tell
my people their transgressions. I like her version. Tell my
people to you know, repent right right, and the House
of Jaca there says okay, and then it says, yet
they seek me daily, see God knows no, Hey, this

(12:38):
is are sicking me daily? This? I want to know
my ways? Isn't it a good thing? It's good?

Speaker 4 (12:43):
Right?

Speaker 2 (12:43):
They kind of got the concept right, right, They kind
of got the concept right right. Okay, But let's read further,
let's read just a verse three.

Speaker 4 (13:01):
And you have seen?

Speaker 5 (13:04):
Why have we in fact.

Speaker 2 (13:16):
Pleasure? Okay, let's hold that for now. Isn't interesting? Didn't
they fast for the right things? They see God's face,
they want his they want to delight in his face.

Speaker 5 (13:32):
Right?

Speaker 2 (13:33):
But you know, they say, I know that's a saying
about good intentions. I cannot remember what is it. We
can all have good intentions, but actually our actions can
speak louder than our intentions, right, And it says, yeah,
yet they seek me daily and okay, do you like
why have we fasted? They say? And you have not seen?

(13:54):
So they also realize, no, he were first. But God,
why are you're not moving? God? Why you're not moving
in my life? How many of you have been there before?
Don't raise up your hand. I've been there, God, I
fast know. Look, I'm suffering here, I'm suffering. Why are not?
You're not doing anything? And then it says, in fact,
in the day of your fast, your find pleasure. Hello,

(14:18):
what do you mean by find pleasure? Yeah, you're FASTI
but you stare enjoying yourself? Are you seriously not? I'm
not saying you guys are talking about the people here
In fact, it says, in the day of your fast,
you find pleasure and exploit all your laborers. You know
what exploitation means. They I mean when they say laborers
meaning they are the people that work with the people there.

(14:39):
They are a lot over right, they exploit them. Okay,
can we just read a verse four continuing them? Wow,

(15:02):
he highlighted a few key things. Okay, yes, you're fast,
but you're still enjoying yourself. You're still pleasure. Pleasure batman,
No pleasures not bad. But your first thing man, right,
not just that, you know? Okay, I give you this example.
I remember last time when I was younger, and then
we will say, you know and I was. I mean

(15:24):
when we were teaching the young fellus how to fast.
Okay again, Elvin, let's I'm not past it. You know
our fast, our fast, vegetables. Of course the person don't
like vegetables. No, no, no, can again our fast? School

(15:44):
can again? How fast? Our fast? I'll fast all these
different things. Just yesterday my son said, Okay, Deddy, I
want to change my fast. I mean trying to teach
her still younger. Okay, so my son said, I want
to I want to fast. Shue girl, and I'm like,
are you sure not? And I think he doesn't know
what he means because things just a sugar that he likes.
And then then later when we were going to buy,

(16:04):
then you can't have this drinks, I'm like, can you
please read the ingredients? Sugar? Oh I cannot drink this,
you know, literally cannot find any drink without sugar. And
then he brought this all the time, don't have them
like boys. Su cross is the sugar and he's like,
oh man, so sonia okay. And then and then he
wanted to change his fart. I said, okay, sure, you know.

(16:26):
I mean I also ask you you please reconsider, you know,
because you want them to decide. So he said, I
want to change my fast and he said what, oh,
I'll change my fast to I don't want I don't
want ipet and I do want something. I'm thinking to myself, yeah,
but you don't do that anyway. You have to give
up something that you like and give up something. Then
he's like, okay, yeah, I don't do I petla totally okay,

(16:47):
that works, you know. So just trying to teach may
not fully understand, but just trying to teach so some
nice sometimes just do it first, right, teach them do
it first right. I want to encourage them. How many
of us are like that? I hope you're not noun
or with other intentions? Are fasting? Actually are? First thing
will help me become slimmer. God reveals why we fast

(17:09):
and the condition of our hearts in that scripture is
why it talks about a fast thing. It's a good reflection.
Not okay, am I am I exploiting people? You know,
am I? He says here, indeed you're first strive for debate.
How many of you in the past one week because
first thing has quarreled with someone? Don't say, don't lift
your hands? How many of you have? I know I

(17:33):
had right strike and to strike with the fist of weakness.
See strike with the facet of wakedness just means that
you want to wag someone with not good intentions. It's
not saying you're wicked. It's just that your intentions are
not good. You want to get back at someone vengeance. Right,

(17:57):
you will not fast as you do this day to
make your always hurt on high. It's a good reflection
on our hearts. Right, The conditions we have in our
hearts that spurs so fast, finding our pleasure, exploiting others,
fast as a way to get even Lord, look at
what she did complain to God with weaker intentions fasting.

(18:21):
So God takes notice. Let's read on the next verse,
verse five is fast, he said, and spread out. You

(18:42):
call this a fast and acceptable way? Okay, this verse
you kind of can't. You kind of got to understand
the cultural context behind what God is saying. So so
in those days I won't give your research, but in
those days when they want to mourn and went to fast,
basically when they fast is for bad, not not so
good things like like if you read because it's Jewish culture,

(19:03):
when you when you read Jewish culture, when they fast
write they only fast on a few occasions. One they
fast on, young keeper is the day of a tonement, right,
and they fast for twenty five hours. Uh. And when
they first they will wear sack cloth. Okay, you'll know
what set cloth look like. It's the latest balance siaga
for those of you who understand that joke. Recently, I

(19:25):
my wife say, oh, Balania, they're now selling a tap tape.
You know, three thousand dollars US dollars tape before that
they created like a gear back. I don't know. Maybe
they'll reach until they need to feel like poor. Let's
watch this video on what is set cloth s cloth.

Speaker 3 (19:47):
Sand cloth is a strong, big material work with black
guns or sometimes stiff People made sense to the same
cloth to carry grown and good. People also made guns
out of sackcloth to wear. Sackcloth had a rough texture
and was uncomfortable and scratching to wear. Sackcloth was black

(20:12):
and loose fitting, drank and the room for the body
below the knees, and had short sleeps. Shepherds in Israel
warps and cloth because it was cheap and lasted a
long time. In the Bible, people often wore soapcloth when
they were sad because someone had died. Jacob tore his

(20:33):
purpose a warsmopcloth when he thought his son Joseph had died.
People wore sackcloth and covered themselves in fire ashes as
a way to say sorry to God the things they'd
done wrong. People who followed Jesus no longer wear sackcloth
or ashes to show they are sorry.

Speaker 2 (20:54):
Pray Scott there. We don't wear set cloth now right.
So if you don't know what setcloth, go to any
grocery shop, those like Grayroom chat and go and look
at how they carry the the yead, the potatoes and
their sect cloth and they wear it. And then you're like, hey,
why they wear it so that they afflict themselves, you know, afflicktments,

(21:14):
so you suffer not comfortable, right, it's itchy, it's scratchy.
Some of us who got exma problems in my fare
up right. But they do it to punish themselves. They
do it as a way to to mourn. So it's
it's it's negative one. It's super negative. It's super like,
oh'm on a wear cloth like now we we we

(21:37):
we mourn. We wear black black shirt. Now even better one,
just white T shirt. Quite comfortable actually, But they want
to wear seck cloth, right, And when they fast, they
fast to humble themselves. They're fast and they wear sack
cloth to humble themselves to show you that I'm you know,

(21:57):
I have good intentions to show you that I am.
You're doing in my suffering. And yet God said in
this scripture, is it a fast that I have chosen?
It's so interesting the first line he asked, the question,
is it a fast that I have chosen? A day
for a man to afflict his soul. Do we really

(22:19):
think that we are doing fasting so that you can suffer?
I hope not? Right? Right? Is it to bow down?
He said, like a bull rush? I mean, is basically
just planted, you know, bow down the head and to
spread out sackcloth and ashous. The other thing they do
to affect themselves is they take the yeah, so sack

(22:41):
cloth en drama or okay, right? They do that right?
And when they fast, they fast like that young keeper Atonement.
And then the other key things they're fast is they
you know, remember when Queen Esther in the Bible says
fast and pray. They also practice that. There's another Jewish culture.

(23:02):
And then there's one more. I can't remember what, but
it's all not so good stuff like it's to remember
not so good stuff like okay, right? And God asked,
would you call this a fast and acceptable day to
the Lord? It's a real hard check, you know when
we first call I want to you know, uh, fast

(23:24):
for days so I suffer a bit for you God.
That's not the right intention. You're not gonna please God
that way. It's very clear here. Don't don't have to
read anymore between the lines. It's so clear. It is
not the fast that God has chosen. Right, and yet

(23:44):
God teaches us a fast he has chosen. And we'll
read verse six and seven, next person, do go?

Speaker 3 (24:01):
And then.

Speaker 2 (24:04):
Seven?

Speaker 4 (24:07):
Is it not to share the hungry? And then you
your house the you see the naked color, and not
hide yourself from.

Speaker 2 (24:18):
The old flesh. So what is the fast that God
chose to free the people from bondage, to undo heavy burdens.
You'll feel very heavy, that's what. That's the fast that
God chose to let the oppressed go free. What are
you oppressed by? What are we oppressed by? Is it

(24:40):
your bad habits? Is it addictions? Is it stuff that
you don't want to do? Is this stuff that you're
trying to deal with for a long time? Well, God
can set you free. First thing, to break every yoke,
to share our break with the hungry, To bring to
your house the poor who have been cast down, bring
your house, meaning open up your house for people who

(25:02):
are downtrodden. So it's not just for usenal, it's also
to cover those who are naked. Right, We of course
can read into this and look at it literally, and
we can also see spiritually, because there are people who
are afflicted, people who are downtrodden, people who may not

(25:25):
be fasting right, people who may not know who God is.
And what is the fast that God chose? He chose
a fast is powerful, not a fast for us to
crouch in and and oh who with me? And look
at my problems? And that's it. No, it's so interesting
that God chose a fast and his perspective and not

(25:48):
others say yes, we are fasting, Yes we are humbling ourselves,
seeking in face, and God say go and do all
these things. What is the condition of our hearts? Is
it just for us? Or it's for others? God, God
is asking us to humble ourselves to serve others in
our fast? Who so interesting? So interesting? Let's read on.

(26:14):
We read verse eight and nine and nine then and

(26:38):
you will see.

Speaker 5 (26:42):
The speak.

Speaker 2 (26:46):
So interesting right, the dynamics of this old thing that's happening.
The first started with me myself, and I feel my
problem set on my issue. No, I'm suffering. But then
it progress to the fast that I choose. It's the

(27:07):
fast where yes, you fast, you seek me, but you
minister to others. And then all the good stuff happens. God,
Are you saying that if I fast and woe's me
and everything all the good stuff not gonna happen. Let
me give you the revelation. Yes, it's quite funny, right,

(27:30):
it's true. Yes, it's clear as they So what do
we want? God checks our hearts? Are we seeking him?
Because you know what happens in this fast You are transformed?
You are transformed first, the transformation happens with us first,

(27:55):
that we set our selfish desires aside and we serve
others even as we fast and seek God. And then
the promise happens. And the promise is amazing. Right, your
light will break free like morning? Wow, so poetic. I
will try to explain a little bit more this, you know,

(28:18):
but we'll read it for now. Okay. So it says
your life shall break free like morning. Your healing shall
spring for speedily. See, not just healing, what happens. Healing
will spring forth faster? How many if you want to
be healed faster? Right? What else did they say? And

(28:39):
your righteousness shall go before you? Very poetic? But it
talks about reputation. You want to have a good reputation.
Do you know that your reputation precedes you most of
the time, it does, right. What do I mean by that?
When you apply for a job, your resume go first, right,
when you meet friends, have people heard about you before?

Speaker 3 (29:01):
Now?

Speaker 2 (29:02):
Of course, when you totally go to a totally new
place and no one knows you, then you've got no reputation. Now,
then you can start afresh. Right, A lot of people
like to do that. Oh, I start fresh. But our
reputation precedes us. The righteousness that God will put on
our lives will go before us, and the glory of
the Lord will be our rare God, how powerful is that?

(29:24):
Let me explain this a little bit more. We have
no control in our lives in reality about what happens
behind our backs. Correct, We have no control how you
try your best or so you have no eyes at
the back of your head. I mean, although we do

(29:44):
say moms here have eyes at the back of the head,
and I do believe that that's true because God give
them those eyes. So what you're doing, your mother will
know that's not right. Especially I got funny, sorry, but
I won't share that here. Um. But when God says
my glory will be your red God means that you

(30:07):
when that is a promise, you know how like even
if people want to plot against you, God has your back.
That's that's quite cool, right, the Lord will be your vindicated.
That that's why sometimes when bad things happen to Christians
created by other people, you know, ask my advice to them.

(30:28):
It's okay, forgive. God will take care of it. You
don't have to do anything. But if you feel like
you don't know anything that I think you know God
more right, you don't have to do anything. You are
not going to be because God doesn't. God will give
you the ability to overcome. But human beings we want to,

(30:52):
you know, stand for us right. We want to do
our own thing. We want to fight, we want to,
you know, get offened out on the behalf of other people.
That's what happens most of the time now. And God says, forgive,
it's not your problem. You know how path that can
be to advise someone that and the person is still angry.
What even if it's not my problem, but this person, this, this, this, this,

(31:13):
this is he deserves to X y Z and whatever
else you want to say. And then you go back
to the scripture and God say, don't worry, I work
out him for you. How many of you like that?
You know? Having this understanding right has changed my my, wow,

(31:33):
my countenance a lot now because even if someone has
malicious intentions to mess with you, having God as your
red God is so powerful. It's so powerful because there
are a few times ready in my life where I
was accused of something that was not true, right, and

(31:58):
I didn't really have to defend myself. So weird, right.
In fact, the way I found out also, it was
quite weird because the way I found out is like
by the way I want huh. And then when it
was revealed, I remember having this experience in college ashery
studio where you know, I mean college law. It's not

(32:18):
nothing serious law. And what happened was we had an
intervention intervention, so I like golo. You know. It was
actually the second I went for some for intervention, right.
So it was an intervention emergency meeting by friends, you know,
uh and uh. And one of my friends called it right,
and let me let me tell you it was it
was not so serious one okay, but this friend was

(32:39):
very frustrated so called the meeting. And then after that,
what happened was we all sat down and then and
then the talk to talk about what is the meeting about?
And my friend just said, we need to solve this
problem out because every time I want to arrange for
a group, I have to make sure that Elvin is
separated from this other person. And I'm like, huh, you know,

(33:02):
and then it was revealed later that this person got
probably me and I have no idea, right, and I'm like, huh,
that's so weird. Suddenly now my problem. No, I went
for the meeting too participate, and then now suddenly it's
my problem. And then well, basically when then intervention is
everybody share. Of course it's the first time I'm hearing this.

(33:22):
I'm like, I share, like, I'm sorry, you know, maybe
it's my face, you know, sorry, right, So I would
just sit that listen, and the other person, of course
had a lot of issues with me, but it was
not valid or like. The more the person share, the
more everybody go like, ha, so what's the problem. So

(33:45):
the problem is no problem? No. So what I'm trying
to say is that when the Lord is your regard,
when he takes care of you, you gotta have the
confidence first that God is with you, unless you'll be
not tela, then do you not right? But if you
are with the Lord, and if you seek him, he

(34:07):
will take care of your back. That's powerful. What else
is the promises? That's here? Are you guys catching something?

Speaker 4 (34:15):
Um me?

Speaker 2 (34:19):
Then you will call and the Lord will answer. You
shall cry and he will say, here I am. If
you take away the yoke from your midst the pointing
of the finger and the speaking and speaking weakedness. How
many of you like it that when you call God
answered Lord? Yes, Elvin? Wow, don't you pray so long? No? Right? Wow?

(34:44):
Let's see what sex. Isn't that a cool promise to have?
See how powerful a fast can be if you do
a fast that pleases God? So powerful? Okay, next point,
let's read ten and eleven. We're gonna bring this home.

(35:05):
Thank you for all that I've been reading so far.

Speaker 5 (35:09):
And then you.

Speaker 4 (35:10):
Spend yourselves in the press. Then your light will rise
dunes and the night will become the love will write.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
In the sun's and.

Speaker 4 (35:31):
You will be a well watered like the screen.

Speaker 5 (35:35):
Those waters never fail.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
When we reach out to others, who are these others,
those who are afflicted our light shell don in the darkness.
You know it took me a while to kind of
understand this scripture. How many of you have woken up
before and it feels very dark. I'm not just talking
about whether everything is so dark. It's so depressing, right,

(35:59):
That's why they said the weather in your case that
you know it's always raining, there's no sun. Our light
shall dawn in the darkness. Your light shall dawn in
the darkness of the lives of other people, and not
just that your darkness. World is as bright as today.
Are you in darkness today? Are you in the dark

(36:23):
You won't be any more. You'll be so bright it's
like afternoon sun hot until you're like, oh, so hot.
That's the promise of the Lord. I want to encourage us.
You know, when you read scripture, please go deeper. Know
there's so much can draw out, and the Lord will
guide you continually and satisfy your soul in drought. You

(36:46):
know how powerful that is. When you come to church,
you get encouraged. Correct, When you listen to worship music,
you get encouraged. Correct. How many of you here have
been in spiritual drop before? Do you know that you
don't need a program, You don't need a CD, you

(37:07):
don't need a person to fulfill and refresh you. All
you need is gone anywhere, anytime. One day there will
be a time where there were people that worship me
in spirit and in truth. Truth. No, it is not

(37:30):
whether or not our worship leader can sing off key
or not. No, that determines your worship. That's so shallow.
Sorry if you feel that way, and I'm scolding you
right now, I'm not scoding you, just sharing you my
own opinion. Isn't it so shallow that we only need
a band and we can worship? How shallow are we?

(37:50):
Is it so shallow that I must have excellent novnia
can listen to this pasta? How shallow are we? Friends?
Our faith is alive, So you are spiritually dry, Seek
the Lord. He will feel you up. Of course he

(38:13):
will clear all the other thing. Now, you know, sometimes
we're drier and the spring of living water within us
is not you know, flowing. You know why a lot
of rubbish they stuck ready, have to unclog it, pour
some un crogger, pull out all the rubbish, Clean the rubbish.
Then the rivers of living water will spring. Have to
clean the rubbish. How to be filled with the Holy spirit? Angry?

(38:38):
How to be feel with the Holy Spirit, being angry
as someone else or hating someone very hard noise. It's
all the rubbish in our lives. How do you feel
we feeled the Holy Spirit when there's another thing feeling
your heart? Think about it away, right, we shall be
like a water garden whose waters do not fail. I

(38:59):
picked up gardening after the pandemic. It is quite nice
to have a nice garden. To have a garden that
you never water and dying is very depressing. Ah, but
it's quite nice now. I mean, I know maybe some
of you are not into gardens, but it's actually quite

(39:19):
nice to hang out in the garden. They sign now
a lot of cafes for garden. Right, it's so cool
imagining your life like that. That means when people hang
at you, so do you want to hang at you
because you're like a water garden? Cool? Right? I like
this other part. Let's see okay, this one I will.

(39:43):
We are now ten eleven. Okay, let's let's read everything. Okay,
read all the way from eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
continue continue unless you want to lock you know you
have the power.

Speaker 5 (40:00):
Mm hmmmm.

Speaker 2 (40:40):
Amen. This next part is quite cool because it feels
like a fantasy thing, you know, because it says here
that it says here that we will build always places. Okay,
what what what did you say? Bill? You shall raise Yeah,

(41:01):
from those those from mong you shall build the all
way spaces. You shall raise up the foundations of many generations.
And you shall be caught the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to drilling. Okay, let me let
me take some time to explain this a little bit more.
Have you seen a house? Have you watched those videos?
Those cleaning videos where the house is like horder stay

(41:21):
one many years of rubbish you've seen, right, and then
you see how they clean the house. You're you're something
you'll probably like you. I like to watch six sometimes,
you know, especially like those tides like the house and
it's really a lot mess inside, not just that there was.
Once I was buying a house, I literally went to
a holder's house, I kid you not, And I was

(41:42):
in my mind, I'm like, why would the agent think
that he can sell this house to me? The person
was still there, No, and and literally it was just
like that space. Not from the moment we went in
the house and then it smelled weird, and then I'm like,
how am I gonna you know, it's like how how
what in your minda thinking that you can put this
house on sale and you can show me the house,

(42:02):
expecting me to imagine. So you've seen those videos, right,
God is saying that you will have the ability to
be able to clean and to restore all waste places.

Speaker 4 (42:21):
You know.

Speaker 2 (42:22):
The thing about always places, right, is that when we
look at it now, we're like, no way, no way.
It's either going to take a long work, it's going
to be tough. You know, most of the time we
have that perspective, right. I'm sure those that hort runner,
they don't want to leave that way. It's just that
after a while they give up, right, And it will
take a lot to clean. You know something here, I

(42:43):
know you like to clean, Like I'm the type that
will clean on right. I feel very happy when I
finally clean this corner my house that has been left
like that for the past five years a day. Oh
so happy, you know. And I'm on this mode of
like minimalism, you know, less things don't buy you know.
And my wife, the Lord, you know, it's so good,
gave me a wife that loves to keep things anyway,

(43:10):
We'll leave it at that. So Nick, you're from three
science book. You have not opened it up in the
past ten years. Here anyway, you will build always spaces

(43:30):
places that people think no hope ready will be built.
And then got titled someone you will raise the foundations
of many generations, you know that another line that is
so powerful. A lot of times when we live life,
we only have a perspective of us and now, but
we don't think about future. We don't think about you know,
maybe you start thinking about future when you have kids.

(43:51):
Right now, you start thinking about future. So you hear
your teachers, you are involved in building the future generation, right,
And that's very powerful because you might not see the
food of your labor, right, you might not see how
people are impacted. But we've got we've got all stories
like that. I have a story of my my my

(44:11):
class teacher in from four. She did just biology. She
was new, first teacher. She actually set me down and said, Elvin,
why are you wasting your time? You are quite a
bright student. You need to buck up your studies. Just
that one meeting change my whole trajectory because I did
pretty okay later in Form five, I was chasing after

(44:31):
other things, not girls, other things. Just to be clear,
I was chasing after because my school had this like
testimonial thing, you know, like half half color full color.
So I was chasing after the full color paper, thinking
that you will help me get into UNI. Actually all
these things is a I won't I won't comment. Okay,
if you're going for it, go for it, okay, if
it works, So imagine being the foundation or building the

(44:58):
foundation for many generals before you. You know, when we
think about legacy, right, we make different decisions, But when
we think about ourself, we'll make different decisions. Give you
this example. If you're always thinking about me, myself and I,
then you will fight to do what you want to do.
But when you can think about your in the future,

(45:19):
for example, my relationship my wife, I do think about
it some nice when we were dating. Now, how am
I gonna share with my kids? When my kids asked, Mammy, day,
how do you mean?

Speaker 1 (45:32):
Nah?

Speaker 2 (45:33):
Oh you know, actually your mammy will sweep another guy
and then they go and grab her. That didn't happen now, okay,
but you get what I mean? Right, of course? I
was like, and I know again, not not everyone has
nice story to tell, right, But you can be confidence
and say, oh, you know I met her in church, right,

(45:53):
of course, she brought my heart. But then we got
together and your mommy is my first girlfriend. So you
see why, right? You crazy? You don't like other girls
before I do? I did. I few almost happened, thank
god didn't happen, right, But I was concerned about my
legacy that I'm living for my children. You get what

(46:14):
I mean. See, you make different decisions, though, but when
you're not thinking about that, whatever goes right. Okay. For
those that don't have this kind story, don't worry. A
lot will give you other stories to tell. Okay, I'm
not I'm not. I'm not judging you in anyway, but
I'm just telling you we think about legacy, right, because yeah,
we think about legacy and not just that. You get

(46:35):
title repairer of the Breach sounds like some sci fi movie,
but basically it means someone who builds and restores things,
restore it or streets to dwell in Tapyjalla. Not nice one, no,
but imagine you can restore the Tapyjalla until you can
stay there, you know, like they say, you can clean
the floor and they can eat off the floor. Right,

(46:59):
isn't it amazing if you have such a testimony. Another
promise of the Lord, Hey, let's bring this home. And
when we honor God Isaiah fifteen, sorry, Isaiah fifty eight
thirteen is very interesting because it also talks about honor.
As we do all these things, honor is still there
because when we honor God and don't do things our

(47:19):
own ways. Very very specific, he says, Heah, if you
turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your
pleasure on my holiday, and call the sabbath a delight,
the holiday of the Lord honorable, and shall honor him,
not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure,
not speaking your own words. What does he trying? What's
God trying to say? When you fast? Don't do it

(47:39):
your way? Do God's way? No, no, no, no a way,
I know. Stop doing things your own way, start doing
things God's way is as clear as they no need
to argue about no, just do it God's way. In
the church, we want to do things God's way. We

(48:01):
want to honor him. There's a way that we do
certain things. There's a way that we raise leads, there's
a way that we do homes. There's a way that
we do worship. There's a way that we pray, and
that's a way that we're fast because it's according to
God's word, not because we are heat and happening and
try new things. No, no, guys, please don't miss the

(48:21):
point God say, don't do your own way. You've tried, right,
you tried, and it's not worth time to do God's
way and see how it works. Not finding your own pleasure,
not speaking your own words. And Isaiah fifty eight fourteen,
the last verse is a real promise. Then you shall

(48:42):
delight yourself in the Lord. Wow. See when all these
things clear, no more rubbish, clear intentions, thinking about others,
reaching out to others, the promise, And then we will
delight ourselves in the Lord. And he will cause us
to ride on the high heels of the earth and

(49:04):
feed us with the heritage of jacob our father the
mouth the Lord has spoken. It is not just a
ritual of fasting and praying. Friends, it's our heart and
attitude towards it. That is the fast that Got wants.
That is the fast that God wants. It's not just

(49:25):
oh I need to you know, don't be tempted.

Speaker 1 (49:28):
You know.

Speaker 2 (49:28):
One of the ways to not be tempted is to
be busy, right, yeah, because they say that an idle
mind is the devil's play workshop. Right, So you don't
want to be tempted, you want to do all the
bad habits, be busy. Other things are because when you're
way free, Like King David, he was super free. Then
he started looking at all the things that he shouldn't
look at, and then he got someone else killed. Kind

(49:49):
of messed up, right, how the human mind works. But
when we're busy, when we're busy doing ministry, when busy
meeting people, when you're busy thinking of other people. Sorry,
no time to be selfish, No, No time when you're
looking at those who may not be as blessed as us.
No time to complain. God knows so. Right. But if

(50:11):
we always look at what we don't have, what we
don't have, what we don't have, then a lot of
time to complain. It's also how we express it. It's
not just a ritual. It's our heart and aptitude, and
it's also how we express it. Lord, you see my heart, right,
see my heart? No, what are we doing? How are

(50:31):
we expressing it right, and we got honored God and
meeting the need of others. So as we take on
this fasting this round, and I hope some of you,
oh well, I hope that maybe my next week when
you ask the question how many of you are fasting,
everyone will lift up their hands. I want to encourage you, guys.

(50:52):
It's not just a ritual no that we do. It's
quite significant one. When we get into fasting. It's not
just thinking about ourselves, about others. And the wonderful thing
is that God has so much promises for us when
we fast the way that pleases Him. So for those
that are fasting today, good to reflect a little bit

(51:14):
and readjust see, that's a wonderful thing I like about
our faith. It's not about getting everything perfect. It's just
about readjusting. As long as tomorrow is slightly better than today,
you're doing fine. As long as today is slightly better
than yesterday, you're doing fine. Don't continue the same mistakes.
Just listening to Jordan Peterson share about marriage, and it's

(51:39):
very interesting he said, him and the wife, because they're
stuck together. They decided earlier on that they won't have
the same argument. You will argue anyway you want, but
they promise themselves that they won't have the same argument.
Imagine having the same argument for forty years. Wow, quite suffering.
So they decided that they will have new arguments. That

(52:01):
also means that they have to learn. That also means
that you have to grow right and you have to navigate.
And as I was thinking about what he shared, reflecting
on my own marriage, I'm like, actually, I'm quite happy
in my marriage. I wonder how many people can say
that I'm very happy in my marriage. Have we fought? Yes?
Do we fight once in a while. Now, yes, we

(52:23):
still do. But we worked out a lot of major
things in the early days already. And now it's you know,
when you work out the kings right, everything will just
be smooth sailing right. When you solve out different problems,
everything will just be smooth playing. That's why in the
scripture it says, then you will delight yourself in a lot.
Why are we not delighting ourselves in the lot yet?

(52:44):
It's because still got things to fix? Why do people
like new cars? Nothing to fix? All car a lot
of things to fix. But once you fix the old car,
once you remodelly send the engine for overhaul do and
you paying job change the seats. Yeah, it's amazing the

(53:09):
driving experience. Guys, catching that what is it in our lives?
Then we need to commit to the Lord and say,
Lord help me because I want to come to a
place where I will delight in you. I want to
come to a place where there's no struggle anymore. Yes,
there will still be struggle, but struggle in the right things.

(53:31):
The problem is sometimes we come to a place where
we do want to let go certain things are and
we constantly struggle because of the one thing. Let's suffering
one friends, let go thank God seeking which is more important.
We talk about idols, right, you know if you let
you don't let go of something in your life that

(53:53):
is so important to you that has become your idol.
God is saying, have no more idols. I want to
be the main one. That's why we don't do things
our way. We don't use words our words, but we're
trust in a lot. Maybe invite the extreme didn't come
up even as we pray security. I want to ask

(54:20):
a passive girl to maybe take over after this to
do some ministry. However, the Holy Spirit will lead her.
But friends, this morning I want to encourage you. Today
is the sixth we it's two more weeks, I think,
two more weeks where we have fasting. Another reason why

(54:45):
I will encourage you to fast.

Speaker 5 (54:46):
Now.

Speaker 2 (54:46):
Of course you can say, oh I can fast any time.
Yeah you can. But it's the power of community. When
we can encourage each other, when we can help each other,
when we can pray for each other, when we're all
doing the same thing at the same time, it's very powerful.
And now it's very powerful. Not just only leaders do,

(55:08):
and you know, everyone participate in the little that you can.
Maybe start small first, don't go crazy, don't go like,
oh I'm gonna do full fast only, do not don't chill.
Do something simple this year, then next year, do another thing.
Then the following you do another thing. Then the following
you do another thing, and then you see yourself grow
and grow and grow and grow and grow and experience God. No.

(55:28):
One of the best ways is when you experience him. Recently,
it was very interesting I was talking to a young
person and I just shad the message about God has
a plan for you, and don't I shad that here.
The young person came out with me after the service
and asked. But I said, okay, how are you so
confident right that God has a plan for ours? And

(55:48):
you know I mean, I asked, I asked a young person,
I said, how are you? I'm fifteen. I said, okay,
when do you receive Christ as your personal lives? Sable? Oh?
When I was the thid, So I said, two years
do his experience. So for now, you just gotta trust me.
You just gotta trust work because you got to his experience. Yeah,
I said, I became a believer when I was twelve.

(56:10):
That started me on my journey. I'm for two three
years old. I have thty one years of experiencing God.
Can you say that I'm speaking tough that I don't
know about. I have to be one years experiencing God,
and I've seen the up and the lower and the down,
and I cannot deny Him. That's how I know. How

(56:31):
you know? You have to experience him? How you guys know,
whatever I'm saying makes sense. You have to experience Him.
But you gotta start today. Don't wait for tomorrow. You're
gonna waste a lot of time. Start today, Start small,
Ask God, engage him. He wants to connect with you.

Speaker 1 (56:52):
We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more
information on our church, please visit as Church Do RG.
We are also active on Facebook and Instagram. We're believing
that this week is going to be a good week,
aheit for you. God bless