Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Breakthrough... Immovable Barriers (Part 1) | January 2, 2025
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- ♪♪♪
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- Allen jackson: we're walking through a series
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- On breakthroughs.
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- The real goal is to try to understand the components that
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- Are present when god brings breakthroughs because i'm very
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- Certain that in all of our lives, there are places where we
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- Need god's help.
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- Circumstances or places or relationships or decisions where
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- The only acceptable outcome will involve the supernatural
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- Engagement of god.
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- It's not a matter of effort or thinking or knowledge
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- Or contacts.
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- We need god's help.
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- It's a breakthrough and so, it's worth studying and considering
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- Biblical patterns so that we might know how to
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- Align ourselves.
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- I don't believe god is against us.
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- I believe he's for us.
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- And i--but frequently, i believe we have to change in order for
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- The purposes of god to emerge in our lives.
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- So, we're on a bit of a learning curve in this season.
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- We're gonna look at some immovable barriers tonight and
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- How we can move them.
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- I know that's a paradox.
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- If they're immovable, they can't be moved, but god can.
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- But i wanna start with our little paradigm i've been
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- Inviting you towards and i'm gonna do it a bit more
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- Consistently because i think it's necessary, this whole
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- Notion that we began back in covid.
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- It seems like at least a lifetime ago now of watch,
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- Listen, think, and act.
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- Sometimes it's good news, but when you see the truth presented
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- Or the wisdom expressed, it puts in stark contrast the
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- Foolishness that's been present.
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- And this week, president-elect trump said, i hope you heard,
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- That if the hostages that were taken by hamas were not released
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- Prior to his inauguration on january 20th, i quote, "there'll
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- Be hell to pay."
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- I think that is a very appropriate statement.
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- I had a couple of interviews yesterday with friends in israel
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- And i can tell you the tone in israel changed with
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- That statement.
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- But it's not broadly accepted.
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- There are people that say, you know, "it's insightful rhetoric.
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- It's ratcheting up the tension."
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- I'll give you my opinion. it's at least an informed one.
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- I've lived in the middle east and i've been in and out of
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- Israel since i was a boy and that's been--it's been at least
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- A decade.
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- When the first hostages were taken--when the first american
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- Hostage was taken, i looked to the president of the united
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- States to say, "they'll be released tomorrow or we will
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- Come for you."
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- Forget the israelis' response.
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- There'll be no negotiation, there'll be no humanitarian aid.
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- You turn loose our hostages.
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- And that's been absent for well over a year and the suffering is
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- Beyond imagination.
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- So i thought it was an appropriate statement.
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- In a season when it's necessary we will have to see what god
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- Will do with that.
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- Another expression that i think that surprises me, but i keep
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- Bumping into it and i'll take just a moment with it.
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- There's been a conversation in our community for some time now
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- About appropriate and inappropriate books in our
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- Children's libraries and i'm continually asked about that.
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- And the answer that is often given to me or the reason that
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- People say they remain silent is they don't want to support the
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- Banning of books.
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- And i appreciate that perspective.
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- I think it is misplaced.
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- There is a handful.
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- There's 2 or 3 dozen books in the libraries that are
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- Beyond reprehensible.
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- I mean they're vile.
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- They're indefensible to put them in the presence of
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- Small children.
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- And i don't understand the conversation to be about banning
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- Of books at all.
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- I understand the conversation to be around age
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- Appropriate learning.
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- Those books are inappropriate for children of that age.
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- Certainly beyond parental involvement and supervision.
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- It's nothing to do with the banning of books.
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- It's age appropriate learning.
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- We understand this.
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- We don't sell cigarettes in elementary schools.
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- You have to have parental consent if you're under 16 to
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- Get a tattoo.
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- And these books are awful.
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- But i think clarify the conversation, express your
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- Point, and then there's business that needs to be done if the
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- People that are serving on the school board are determined to
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- Keep those books.
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- Once the case has been made clearly and concisely and
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- Cogently, then i think they'd have other business to do.
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- But i think you forfeit your right to lead long term in our
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- Community if you want that kind of vile and--material in
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- Our schools.
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- But i don't think it needs to be the point that chokes every
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- Meeting from now until.
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- But you have to be wise enough.
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- Don't bring lists of 400 books that aren't appropriate for
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- The library.
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- And bring the books that aren't your favorite or you don't like
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- Or have some expression of witchcraft in them.
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- You're not trying to bring a total worldview change to
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- The library.
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- You're saying there are some books that are so inappropriate
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- They don't belong before small children.
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- And we've got to be more mature.
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- More than one person has come to me and said they will ban
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- The bible.
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- Okay, tell me who you are that wants to--i wanna know who that
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- Is that thinks that's a good idea because i wanna remember.
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- That we're bullied, we're intimidated, we're frightened,
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- We're reluctant.
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- I'm not--there's a lot of motivations around it, but don't
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- Get caught up in the drama and the emotion.
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- There's a set of those books that are
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- Completely inappropriate.
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- Make the presentation, stand up for it, and then let's get on
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- With the business that we need to make the decisions.
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- Makes sense?
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- Watch and listen, pay attention.
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- I'm tired of the distractions and the subterfuge and the
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- Fear-based decisions.
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- Make the right decision in the moment to the best of your
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- Ability and then we'll make the next right decision when we
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- Have to.
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- We can do this.
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- We get way heated up about washington dc--folks until we
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- Can bring changes to middle tennessee where we live.
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- We want somebody to change washington dc.
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- We don't have the courage to change where we live.
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- You understand that is backwards, right?
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- Change the entire federal bureaucracy, but i don't want to
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- Invest the time and energy to change--
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- There's the hebrew word "mashuga."
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- Means you're crazy.
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- In a god honoring, jesus loving sort of way, so.
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- All right.
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- Keep watching and listening and thinking and engaging we're
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- Gonna make a difference.
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- God is moving.
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- We're not doing everything the way it's always been done.
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- There's change afoot and we're gonna need the wisdom of the
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- Lord and it's not simple, it's confusing and there are
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- Professional confusers amongst us.
- 00:08:19.591 --> 00:08:22.694
- Tremendous manipulation, deception, lies--rampant and you
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- Need to know the truth.
- 00:08:26.865 --> 00:08:28.233
- You need the scripture, you need to have it in your heart.
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- You need to know the voice of the holy spirit.
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- And my topic is "breakthroughs."
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- We gotta go.
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- It's the time when god intervenes in our lives.
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- Acts 9:3, i'm gonna continue to bring you some samples--examples
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- Of this.
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- The scripture is filled with these breakthrough moments.
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- This one happens to be saul of tarsus as he neared damascus.
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- On his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him
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- And he fell to the ground and heard a voice say, "saul, why do
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- You persecute me?"
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- This is god initiated.
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- Saul wasn't looking for jesus.
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- He was looking for jesus's followers and he intended to put
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- Them in prison.
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- He had no intention of serving jesus.
- 00:09:08.473 --> 00:09:13.278
- And jesus stepped back into time.
- 00:09:13.278 --> 00:09:15.680
- The last time we saw jesus was in acts chapter 1 at the
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- Ascension on the mount of olives.
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- We have a little window when stephen is martyred and he looks
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- To heaven and he sees the lord.
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- When we get to acts chapter 9, jesus is on the road to damascus
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- Doing an intervention with one saul of tarsus.
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- "just exactly what is it you think you're doing, young man?"
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- "well, i'm not sure, lord."
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- I think we could all agree it was a breakthrough moment in
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- Saul's life.
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- We say we want breakthroughs.
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- It's a complete career change for saul.
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- Means he's gonna lose his friends.
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- He's not gonna be trusted by the community of believers because
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- He's been one of their chief prosecutors.
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- It guarantees at least a season of isolation.
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- I mean there's nothing easy about it.
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- We talk about breakthroughs and we think when breakthroughs
- 00:10:19.644 --> 00:10:21.479
- Comes it'll all be easy.
- 00:10:21.479 --> 00:10:24.816
- It'll be like everything gets simple and everything that was
- 00:10:24.816 --> 00:10:26.885
- Confused will become clear and opposition will melt and--.
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- That really isn't the biblical pattern typically.
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- There are some places where that's true.
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- I've defined breakthroughs rather broadly.
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- There are those points of deliverance, revelation,
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- Insight, understanding, redirection.
- 00:10:42.233 --> 00:10:45.336
- Those times when god's purposes and plans are initiated in and
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- Through us, around us.
- 00:10:49.474 --> 00:10:52.210
- Brought to completion, revealed, advanced, welcomed, understood.
- 00:10:52.210 --> 00:10:56.347
- Our ideal breakthrough.
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- I think the one that we pray for, that we imagine, that we
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- Dream about are those points where god intervenes.
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- He responds with a complete solution and the imagined future
- 00:11:03.655 --> 00:11:09.194
- Is delivered whole and intact.
- 00:11:09.194 --> 00:11:15.200
- It's like god's showing up at the burning bush in exodus 3 and
- 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:17.836
- Say, "i've come down to deliver my people and i'm gonna take
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- Them to the promised land.
- 00:11:20.672 --> 00:11:22.040
- And if you'll snap your fingers, we'll all be there."
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- That i believe is our preferred, the ideal breakthrough, right?
- 00:11:25.043 --> 00:11:32.383
- I don't want any process.
- 00:11:32.383 --> 00:11:34.886
- I'm not really looking for any learning moments.
- 00:11:34.886 --> 00:11:38.089
- I want out of pain and into peace now.
- 00:11:38.089 --> 00:11:46.998
- I mean, if i have to wait till tomorrow.
- 00:11:46.998 --> 00:11:50.568
- But life is seldom ideal and the bible shows us that we are
- 00:11:50.568 --> 00:11:55.473
- Frequently delivered out of something, but not brought into
- 00:11:55.473 --> 00:11:59.010
- What god has for us immediately.
- 00:11:59.010 --> 00:12:02.347
- We're delivered from egyptian slavery, but we're not
- 00:12:02.347 --> 00:12:05.850
- Immediately in the promised land.
- 00:12:05.850 --> 00:12:07.352
- We've got some steps before we get there.
- 00:12:07.352 --> 00:12:09.454
- We're delivered from our murderous rage against christ
- 00:12:09.454 --> 00:12:12.891
- Followers, but we don't become an apostle that impacts the
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- World the next morning.
- 00:12:15.560 --> 00:12:18.329
- We're delivered out of something but not always brought
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- Immediately into something.
- 00:12:20.498 --> 00:12:21.866
- We're delivered from something, but typically--frequently our
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- Adversaries aren't removed.
- 00:12:25.303 --> 00:12:26.704
- You see, i think we believe god should deliver us from the
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- Pressure of the person, whatever, and they should be
- 00:12:29.073 --> 00:12:31.709
- Totally humiliated, eradicated, eliminated, neutralized.
- 00:12:31.709 --> 00:12:37.015
- And sometimes god delivers you from those things and
- 00:12:37.015 --> 00:12:39.350
- They flourish.
- 00:12:39.350 --> 00:12:42.887
- And then you have to forgive because you're standing over
- 00:12:42.887 --> 00:12:48.893
- There saying, "god bless him with the botch and the itch and
- 00:12:48.893 --> 00:12:51.029
- The scab."
- 00:12:51.029 --> 00:12:56.234
- Sometimes we need physical healing and god heals us, but he
- 00:12:56.234 --> 00:13:05.376
- Actually uses a healthcare professional.
- 00:13:05.376 --> 00:13:09.013
- "well, i didn't wanna go to the doctor.
- 00:13:09.013 --> 00:13:11.916
- I don't wanna make a co-pay.
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- I don't wanna meet my deductible.
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- I don't wanna deal with that.
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- I wanted god to heal me."
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- Duly noted.
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- If you pray then you're better.
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- There may have many points of contribution, but i believe god
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- Brought healing.
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- He is our healer.
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- I will gladly pay the doctor's bill, but i will very
- 00:13:33.071 --> 00:13:37.208
- Purposefully give thanks to the lord that he restores my health.
- 00:13:37.208 --> 00:13:43.815
- Or sometimes god brings healing to our lives, but it doesn't
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- Mean that, you know, we're removed from the arena of aging.
- 00:13:48.052 --> 00:13:51.890
- Christians get weird.
- 00:13:51.890 --> 00:13:55.059
- It's like we lose our balance.
- 00:13:55.059 --> 00:13:59.430
- And when we talk about the supernatural and then we just
- 00:13:59.430 --> 00:14:02.433
- Shut down and go, "well i just don't believe in that."
- 00:14:02.433 --> 00:14:05.236
- Because we don't want to deal with the messiness of doing life
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- With people.
- 00:14:08.206 --> 00:14:09.574
- We've gotta have the courage to invite the supernatural power
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- And presence of god into the midst of our lives.
- 00:14:12.310 --> 00:14:19.851
- Female announcer: if you look, you'll find good
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- News everywhere.
- 00:14:25.490 --> 00:14:27.358
- Female: our baby was born healthy and strong.
- 00:14:27.358 --> 00:14:31.229
- Female: we have the groceries we need.
- 00:14:31.229 --> 00:14:33.798
- Male: another year cancer-free.
- 00:14:33.798 --> 00:14:37.168
- Female: we bought our first house this year.
- 00:14:37.168 --> 00:14:41.105
- Female: the raise came through when i needed it most.
- 00:14:41.105 --> 00:14:44.742
- Male: i have a working car.
- 00:14:44.742 --> 00:14:48.346
- Female: my husband came home safe.
- 00:14:48.346 --> 00:14:52.216
- Female announcer: philippians 4 tells us to, "think about
- 00:14:52.216 --> 00:14:54.052
- Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable,
- 00:14:54.052 --> 00:14:59.657
- Excellent and praiseworthy."
- 00:14:59.657 --> 00:15:01.926
- All of these things honor god and when we take time to notice
- 00:15:01.926 --> 00:15:05.229
- Them, we welcome god's presence and experience his peace.
- 00:15:05.229 --> 00:15:09.100
- Allen: you know, the two most critical junctures of any
- 00:15:10.868 --> 00:15:13.404
- Enterprise are how we begin and how we conclude.
- 00:15:13.404 --> 00:15:16.841
- So, the beginning of a new year is a tremendous opportunity.
- 00:15:16.841 --> 00:15:20.778
- We've prepared a tool we want to share with you.
- 00:15:20.778 --> 00:15:22.580
- It's a good news journal.
- 00:15:22.580 --> 00:15:24.449
- We wanna help you set a habit this year to do something with a
- 00:15:24.449 --> 00:15:28.486
- Bit more intention than perhaps has been our pattern in
- 00:15:28.486 --> 00:15:31.456
- The past.
- 00:15:31.456 --> 00:15:32.790
- We wanna start our year with an attitude of appreciation and
- 00:15:32.790 --> 00:15:35.827
- Gratitude for the blessings of god in our lives.
- 00:15:35.827 --> 00:15:39.063
- So, we've designed this journal so that you can use it as a part
- 00:15:39.063 --> 00:15:42.066
- Of your devotional.
- 00:15:42.066 --> 00:15:43.401
- It's something you could include the children, the grandchildren.
- 00:15:43.401 --> 00:15:45.636
- You could take it to work and create a good news journal for
- 00:15:45.636 --> 00:15:48.072
- The people you work with.
- 00:15:48.072 --> 00:15:49.674
- Wherever that may be, let's start our year out purposefully,
- 00:15:49.674 --> 00:15:53.444
- Intentionally saying, "thank you," to the lord for his
- 00:15:53.444 --> 00:15:56.447
- Goodness to us.
- 00:15:56.447 --> 00:15:57.915
- I know there's challenges and we have places where we need god's
- 00:15:57.915 --> 00:16:00.651
- Help, but we're gonna begin with gratitude and walk into the
- 00:16:00.651 --> 00:16:04.555
- Blessings of god in this year.
- 00:16:04.555 --> 00:16:06.924
- I think you'll enjoy the journal.
- 00:16:06.924 --> 00:16:08.659
- God bless.
- 00:16:08.659 --> 00:16:09.994
- Female announcer: when you keep a good news list, you'll notice
- 00:16:09.994 --> 00:16:12.096
- How god is constantly at work all around you.
- 00:16:12.096 --> 00:16:15.366
- Our new 52-week, good news notebook gives you a place to
- 00:16:15.366 --> 00:16:19.303
- Record your good news, prayers you saw god answer, and your
- 00:16:19.303 --> 00:16:22.907
- Current prayer requests.
- 00:16:22.907 --> 00:16:24.675
- As you look back on your lists over the weeks and months to
- 00:16:24.675 --> 00:16:27.545
- Come, you'll find a personal record of god's faithfulness
- 00:16:27.545 --> 00:16:30.481
- To you.
- 00:16:30.481 --> 00:16:31.816
- Allen: we are trusting god for a year like no other for his
- 00:16:31.816 --> 00:16:34.218
- Breakthroughs this year.
- 00:16:34.218 --> 00:16:35.586
- I believe the good news journal can be a part of our journey in
- 00:16:35.586 --> 00:16:38.556
- Each of our lives.
- 00:16:38.556 --> 00:16:39.891
- Female announcer: request your good news notebook when you
- 00:16:39.891 --> 00:16:41.492
- Donate $20 or more today at allenjackson.com or by
- 00:16:41.492 --> 00:16:45.630
- Calling...
- 00:16:45.630 --> 00:16:49.500
- Female announcer: we are committed to helping you grow in
- 00:16:52.503 --> 00:16:54.038
- Your faith and have tools for your journey, no matter
- 00:16:54.038 --> 00:16:56.274
- Your schedule.
- 00:16:56.274 --> 00:16:57.608
- Get daily encouragement and insight with pastor allen's
- 00:16:57.608 --> 00:16:59.944
- Daily devotion right in your inbox.
- 00:16:59.944 --> 00:17:01.712
- Just sign up on the website.
- 00:17:01.712 --> 00:17:03.281
- Join us on one of our live stream services right from your
- 00:17:03.281 --> 00:17:05.950
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- 00:17:05.950 --> 00:17:08.820
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- App, perfect for a commute.
- 00:17:11.522 --> 00:17:13.124
- And make sure to follow pastor allen on social media to stay up
- 00:17:13.124 --> 00:17:16.227
- To date with everything happening here with allen
- 00:17:16.227 --> 00:17:18.763
- Jackson ministries.
- 00:17:18.763 --> 00:17:20.364
- Allen: or sometimes god presents opportunities to us.
- 00:17:24.235 --> 00:17:26.971
- They're clearly god opportunities.
- 00:17:26.971 --> 00:17:29.273
- God-initiated, circumstances line up.
- 00:17:29.273 --> 00:17:31.342
- There's something that presents that is most unlikely and most
- 00:17:31.342 --> 00:17:33.911
- Improbable, but in order to accept the opportunity, it will
- 00:17:33.911 --> 00:17:38.182
- Require significant investment of energy.
- 00:17:38.182 --> 00:17:40.585
- We call that work and often the investment of resources, we call
- 00:17:40.585 --> 00:17:45.656
- That spending money.
- 00:17:45.656 --> 00:17:48.593
- And i meet people all the time who say, well, you know, "if god
- 00:17:48.593 --> 00:17:50.661
- Had done that, it wouldn't have been difficult and he would have
- 00:17:50.661 --> 00:17:53.664
- Provided everything."
- 00:17:53.664 --> 00:17:56.234
- Well it's a wonderful thought.
- 00:17:56.234 --> 00:17:57.568
- It's just not biblical.
- 00:17:57.568 --> 00:18:01.639
- I mean, sometimes god will do that, but to demand that god do
- 00:18:01.639 --> 00:18:05.776
- That all the time would make him your benevolent uncle.
- 00:18:05.776 --> 00:18:11.249
- You'd just be a spoiled kid.
- 00:18:11.249 --> 00:18:14.719
- We've had enough of those in the media lately.
- 00:18:14.719 --> 00:18:22.326
- I want to look at a breakthrough.
- 00:18:22.326 --> 00:18:24.795
- The biblical one.
- 00:18:24.795 --> 00:18:26.164
- I didn't take this one from the christmas story.
- 00:18:26.164 --> 00:18:27.498
- We'll do several of those characters, but i thought it was
- 00:18:27.498 --> 00:18:30.034
- Helpful not to limit it to the holidays.
- 00:18:30.034 --> 00:18:32.470
- I want to look at joshua's life.
- 00:18:32.470 --> 00:18:34.405
- Joshua begins his life--when we find joshua initially in
- 00:18:34.405 --> 00:18:37.441
- Scripture, he's a slave in egypt.
- 00:18:37.441 --> 00:18:41.279
- He knows the sting of the whip from the egyptian taskmasters.
- 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:46.184
- He knows the humiliation of being a slave.
- 00:18:46.184 --> 00:18:50.021
- Joshua was there when moses comes in out of the desert and
- 00:18:50.021 --> 00:18:53.824
- Says, "you need to get ready, we're leaving."
- 00:18:53.824 --> 00:18:56.961
- He sees all the plagues visited on egypt.
- 00:18:56.961 --> 00:18:59.163
- He crosses the red sea.
- 00:18:59.163 --> 00:19:01.432
- He sees the egyptians drowned.
- 00:19:01.432 --> 00:19:02.867
- He's at marah, in exodus 15, when the bitter water is turned
- 00:19:02.867 --> 00:19:08.206
- To sweet.
- 00:19:08.206 --> 00:19:10.208
- Joshua is moses's aide de camp.
- 00:19:10.208 --> 00:19:12.577
- He becomes his assistant.
- 00:19:12.577 --> 00:19:15.413
- So, he spends decades with moses, following
- 00:19:15.413 --> 00:19:17.782
- Moses's leadership.
- 00:19:17.782 --> 00:19:21.018
- He sees moses when he's been spent so much time in the
- 00:19:21.018 --> 00:19:23.421
- Presence of god that he has to put a veil over his face because
- 00:19:23.421 --> 00:19:26.524
- There's a glow.
- 00:19:26.524 --> 00:19:28.993
- He knows moses when he goes up the mountain and comes back with
- 00:19:28.993 --> 00:19:31.295
- 10 commandments.
- 00:19:31.295 --> 00:19:33.631
- I mean, he's had a front row seat for one of the most
- 00:19:33.631 --> 00:19:35.833
- Remarkable leaders in all of the presentation of scripture.
- 00:19:35.833 --> 00:19:40.638
- But moses is unable to take the exodus generation into the
- 00:19:40.638 --> 00:19:45.843
- Promised land.
- 00:19:45.843 --> 00:19:47.945
- And so, at the end of moses's life, joshua is the next man up.
- 00:19:47.945 --> 00:19:52.550
- It's one of the more difficult job descriptions in the bible.
- 00:19:52.550 --> 00:19:55.720
- "i want you to do what moses couldn't do."
- 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:58.256
- "oh sure."
- 00:19:58.256 --> 00:20:01.692
- And i want to look at a bit of that.
- 00:20:01.692 --> 00:20:03.794
- Deuteronomy 31:23, "the lord gave this command to joshua the
- 00:20:03.794 --> 00:20:07.198
- Son of nun."
- 00:20:07.198 --> 00:20:09.734
- You know, there's 2 people in the bible that were born without
- 00:20:09.734 --> 00:20:14.438
- The father.
- 00:20:14.438 --> 00:20:16.173
- Jesus, you know, it's christmas time.
- 00:20:16.173 --> 00:20:17.508
- You know the other one?
- 00:20:17.508 --> 00:20:20.311
- It's joshua.
- 00:20:20.311 --> 00:20:21.646
- He's the son of nun.
- 00:20:21.646 --> 00:20:28.753
- I didn't go to comedy school.
- 00:20:28.753 --> 00:20:30.388
- I went to seminary, okay?
- 00:20:30.388 --> 00:20:31.922
- So, "joshua the son of nun: 'be strong and courageous, for you
- 00:20:31.922 --> 00:20:36.727
- Will bring the israelites into the land i promised them on
- 00:20:36.727 --> 00:20:38.996
- Oath, and i myself will be with you."'
- 00:20:38.996 --> 00:20:42.533
- It's an interesting passage in all seriousness, the way
- 00:20:42.533 --> 00:20:45.169
- It's stated.
- 00:20:45.169 --> 00:20:46.537
- God says, "i myself will do it."
- 00:20:46.537 --> 00:20:48.939
- There's a--it's an emphatic way of making a point.
- 00:20:48.939 --> 00:20:52.710
- Someone says, you know, "did you lock the door at the house?"
- 00:20:52.710 --> 00:20:57.081
- "i did."
- 00:20:57.081 --> 00:20:58.416
- "are you sure?"
- 00:20:58.416 --> 00:20:59.784
- "yeah."
- 00:20:59.784 --> 00:21:01.118
- "are you positive?"
- 00:21:01.118 --> 00:21:02.486
- "i did it myself.
- 00:21:02.486 --> 00:21:03.821
- I didn't delegate it.
- 00:21:03.821 --> 00:21:05.823
- It wasn't done digitally.
- 00:21:05.823 --> 00:21:07.291
- I did it myself."
- 00:21:07.291 --> 00:21:09.827
- And the message that god gives to joshua is, "i myself will be
- 00:21:09.827 --> 00:21:14.332
- With you."
- 00:21:14.332 --> 00:21:16.901
- Now as wonderful as that is, "i would submit to you," it's not
- 00:21:16.901 --> 00:21:19.804
- The answer i would have preferred had i been joshua.
- 00:21:19.804 --> 00:21:25.142
- I would have preferred god to say, "i will do it myself."
- 00:21:25.142 --> 00:21:32.583
- Remember the line we've looked at it with moses quite a bit in
- 00:21:32.583 --> 00:21:34.652
- Exodus 3 where god said, "i've heard the cries of my people,
- 00:21:34.652 --> 00:21:37.922
- I've seen their suffering and i've come down to deliver them."
- 00:21:37.922 --> 00:21:42.693
- And up until that point, moses is like, "yes."
- 00:21:42.693 --> 00:21:45.463
- And then god pivots and he says, "go, now i'm sending you."
- 00:21:45.463 --> 00:21:49.734
- And that's when the debate breaks out.
- 00:21:49.734 --> 00:21:52.103
- That's when the debate breaks out for all of us.
- 00:21:52.103 --> 00:21:54.972
- And when god is commissioning joshua in this passage, it said
- 00:21:54.972 --> 00:21:58.409
- The lord gave joshua this command to be strong and
- 00:21:58.409 --> 00:22:01.412
- Courageous, "you will bring the israelites into the land i
- 00:22:01.412 --> 00:22:05.015
- Promised them, and i myself will be with you."
- 00:22:05.015 --> 00:22:11.989
- Well i mean, it's good news, kinda.
- 00:22:11.989 --> 00:22:16.994
- I mean, god is emphatically asserting joshua, "you're not
- 00:22:16.994 --> 00:22:21.265
- Going alone.
- 00:22:21.265 --> 00:22:22.600
- I will be with you."
- 00:22:22.600 --> 00:22:24.735
- But he's also saying to joshua, "you bring these people in."
- 00:22:24.735 --> 00:22:31.308
- I think it's a very poignant moment for us.
- 00:22:31.308 --> 00:22:34.211
- Many of us have been praying for change in moral behaviors and
- 00:22:34.211 --> 00:22:37.882
- Trends and attitudes in education and what's being
- 00:22:37.882 --> 00:22:41.352
- Taught to our children and how we're being led and how marriage
- 00:22:41.352 --> 00:22:44.522
- Is defined and human sexuality and all these things and we want
- 00:22:44.522 --> 00:22:48.492
- Somebody somewhere to do something.
- 00:22:48.492 --> 00:22:52.530
- And i believe god is still in the business of saying, "i'm
- 00:22:52.530 --> 00:22:56.133
- Sending you.
- 00:22:56.133 --> 00:22:58.002
- Oh no, wait a minute.
- 00:22:58.002 --> 00:22:59.904
- I'll be with you.
- 00:22:59.904 --> 00:23:02.540
- But i need you to do something."
- 00:23:02.540 --> 00:23:05.075
- Are you willing?
- 00:23:05.075 --> 00:23:07.278
- I think it's a component of breakthroughs.
- 00:23:07.278 --> 00:23:10.581
- Joshua chapter 1, joshua was getting his instructions again,
- 00:23:10.581 --> 00:23:16.720
- "be strong and courageous, because you will lead these
- 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:18.889
- People to inherit the land i swore to their forefathers to
- 00:23:18.889 --> 00:23:21.492
- Give them.
- 00:23:21.492 --> 00:23:22.860
- 'be strong and very courageous.
- 00:23:22.860 --> 00:23:24.428
- Be careful to obey all the law my servant moses gave you; don't
- 00:23:24.428 --> 00:23:27.565
- Turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be
- 00:23:27.565 --> 00:23:29.800
- Successful wherever you go.
- 00:23:29.800 --> 00:23:31.669
- Don't let this book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate
- 00:23:31.669 --> 00:23:34.171
- On it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything
- 00:23:34.171 --> 00:23:36.841
- Written in it.
- 00:23:36.841 --> 00:23:38.175
- Then you'll be prosperous and successful.
- 00:23:38.175 --> 00:23:40.411
- Have i not commanded you?
- 00:23:40.411 --> 00:23:41.912
- Be strong and courageous."'
- 00:23:41.912 --> 00:23:44.515
- If you're counting, that's the 3rd time in this passage.
- 00:23:44.515 --> 00:23:48.652
- The message is given to joshua over half a dozen times.
- 00:23:48.652 --> 00:23:52.890
- Be strong and courageous.
- 00:23:52.890 --> 00:23:54.258
- You know enough about biblical interpretation.
- 00:23:54.258 --> 00:23:56.026
- If god says to you, "be strong and courageous," how do
- 00:23:56.026 --> 00:23:58.462
- You feel?
- 00:23:58.462 --> 00:24:01.432
- Weak, inadequate, and frightened.
- 00:24:01.432 --> 00:24:05.202
- If you were filled with confidence, god wouldn't say be
- 00:24:05.202 --> 00:24:08.339
- Strong and courageous.
- 00:24:08.339 --> 00:24:11.108
- If you're filled with an overwhelming sense of inadequacy
- 00:24:11.108 --> 00:24:15.713
- And you're frightened, god will say, "you're gonna need to be
- 00:24:15.713 --> 00:24:17.882
- Strong and courageous."
- 00:24:17.882 --> 00:24:21.585
- "don't be terrified; don't be discouraged," "joshua, you
- 00:24:21.585 --> 00:24:26.156
- Look terrified.
- 00:24:26.156 --> 00:24:29.026
- You're a mess, son.
- 00:24:29.026 --> 00:24:30.361
- Are you discouraged?
- 00:24:30.361 --> 00:24:31.729
- Don't be discouraged."
- 00:24:31.729 --> 00:24:33.531
- "for the lord your god will be with you wherever you go."
- 00:24:33.531 --> 00:24:36.834
- He's already said it, "i myself will be with you."
- 00:24:36.834 --> 00:24:40.538
- It has to be restated, reasserted.
- 00:24:40.538 --> 00:24:43.374
- Difficult assignments are not picked up glibly.
- 00:24:43.374 --> 00:24:49.813
- Christians, we should work to bring better alignment to how we
- 00:24:49.813 --> 00:24:54.785
- Share our stories because when we walk through difficult places
- 00:24:54.785 --> 00:24:58.956
- And we take those first steps of cooperating with the lord, in my
- 00:24:58.956 --> 00:25:03.260
- Life, i haven't usually taken them with great confidence and
- 00:25:03.260 --> 00:25:05.996
- Glee and shouts of joy.
- 00:25:05.996 --> 00:25:09.934
- I've taken them rather hesitantly.
- 00:25:09.934 --> 00:25:13.971
- I said, "lord, i wanna follow you, but this seems like a hard
- 00:25:13.971 --> 00:25:18.676
- Way to go."
- 00:25:18.676 --> 00:25:23.047
- God makes a series of statements to joshua.
- 00:25:23.047 --> 00:25:25.049
- He said, "you'll lead these people."
- 00:25:25.049 --> 00:25:27.351
- And then he tells him there's some things he's gonna have to
- 00:25:27.351 --> 00:25:29.320
- Do, "you're gonna have to be strong and very courageous."
- 00:25:29.320 --> 00:25:32.623
- Are you ready for that?
- 00:25:32.623 --> 00:25:34.525
- Are you ready to have to demonstrate strength and great
- 00:25:34.525 --> 00:25:37.561
- Courage for the purposes of god to break forth in
- 00:25:37.561 --> 00:25:40.064
- Our generation?
- 00:25:40.064 --> 00:25:42.232
- We want other people to be courageous.
- 00:25:42.232 --> 00:25:45.069
- We want other people to step up.
- 00:25:45.069 --> 00:25:48.439
- We've been saying for a long time now.
- 00:25:48.439 --> 00:25:49.974
- This has to start at our kitchen tables and our holiday tables
- 00:25:49.974 --> 00:25:53.243
- And then with the tables where we gather with our peer groups
- 00:25:53.243 --> 00:25:55.646
- And our friends.
- 00:25:55.646 --> 00:25:57.548
- Option 2, we're willing to tell the truth in those
- 00:25:57.548 --> 00:25:59.683
- Expanding circles.
- 00:25:59.683 --> 00:26:01.385
- Why should you expect somebody else to speak the truth in a
- 00:26:01.385 --> 00:26:03.921
- Broader way?
- 00:26:03.921 --> 00:26:06.190
- If we hide from the conflict, the disruption, the awkwardness
- 00:26:06.190 --> 00:26:09.693
- Of telling the truth to the people that we're doing life
- 00:26:09.693 --> 00:26:12.162
- With, why should we imagine someone should go bear the
- 00:26:12.162 --> 00:26:16.100
- Weight of telling the truth in a broader way?
- 00:26:16.100 --> 00:26:20.504
- Be strong and courageous.
- 00:26:20.504 --> 00:26:23.240
- "be careful to obey all the law.
- 00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:26.276
- Don't let this book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate
- 00:26:26.276 --> 00:26:29.947
- On it day and night.
- 00:26:29.947 --> 00:26:32.316
- Do not be terrified."
- 00:26:32.316 --> 00:26:34.551
- There's a theme, do not be discouraged.
- 00:26:34.551 --> 00:26:38.555
- Allen: i want to take a minute to pray before we go.
- 00:26:38.622 --> 00:26:40.824
- Father, i thank you that you love us.
- 00:26:40.824 --> 00:26:43.193
- I thank you that you, that in your great mercy and compassion,
- 00:26:43.193 --> 00:26:46.196
- You have made a way for us to be at peace with the creator of
- 00:26:46.196 --> 00:26:49.500
- All things.
- 00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:50.868
- That you're not angry with us, that you are not resentful of
- 00:26:50.868 --> 00:26:54.538
- Us, that you have welcomed us into your kingdom and made peace
- 00:26:54.538 --> 00:26:57.508
- With us through jesus christ.
- 00:26:57.508 --> 00:26:59.843
- I thank you for that today.
- 00:26:59.843 --> 00:27:01.211
- Nothing's hidden from you, no part of our past, no thought
- 00:27:01.211 --> 00:27:04.014
- Within us, and yet you love us.
- 00:27:04.014 --> 00:27:06.483
- May that love grow in us every day and bring a boldness and a
- 00:27:06.483 --> 00:27:09.620
- Courage within us to face the challenges before us, in jesus
- 00:27:09.620 --> 00:27:13.857
- Name, amen.
- 00:27:13.857 --> 00:27:15.292
- God bless you.
- 00:27:15.292 --> 00:27:16.627
- ♪♪♪
- 00:27:16.627 --> 00:27:29.173