Allen Jackson - A Change of Heart

September 27, 2025 | 28:35

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 - A Change of Heart | September 27, 2025
  • ...
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  • Allen jackson: hey, i've got a new book.
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  • I think it'll be a blessing.
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  • It's "my friend jesus."
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  • You know, i've had the privilege of a good education, a lot of
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  • Formal training, years in church world.
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  • I've learned big words and definitions and
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  • Formal dialogues.
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  • I wanna peel all that back.
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  • At the end of the day, i wanna live my life as jesus's friend.
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  • I want to trust him with who i am, with what i'm doing.
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  • I wanna invite him into the circumstances.
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  • I want his opinion.
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  • I want his perspective.
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  • I need his help a lot of times.
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  • I'm not trying to hide anything or compartmentalize anything.
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  • I wanna live my life as jesus's friend.
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  • I've talked about it, i've preached about it, and now i've
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  • Written about it and the real goal is to help jesus become
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  • Your friend in a new way.
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  • I wanna talk about more than going to heaven or being saved
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  • Or being good or keeping the rules.
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  • I just wanna be jesus's friend.
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  • I believe that's the best lane in life.
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  • I think it's the best opportunities.
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  • It's the most fulfilling, the most rewarding.
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  • My hope is the book will change your faith and give a new
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  • Momentum to your own spiritual life.
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  • I believe it'll be a blessing.
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  • Allen: if we want to be participants in this moving
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  • Of the spirit of god that we say we're so anxious for, we're
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  • Gonna have to be the ones willing to embrace change.
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  • We're gonna have to have a change of heart.
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  • We're gonna have to move out of that kind of petrified place
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  • Where we're pretty certain we know all the important stuff.
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  • I mean, after all, peter, james, and john just spent 3 years
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  • With jesus.
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  • They were in the boat when he walked on the lake, they fed the
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  • Multitude with that little boy's happy meal.
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  • They were at the wedding when he made wine.
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  • Peter, james, and john were on the mountain when jesus was
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  • Transfigured and he hung out and had a little chat with moe.
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  • I mean, they had front row seats for the whole thing.
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  • And they're the ones that have to change.
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  • They're not going back to their fishing businesses.
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  • They're not going back to their routines.
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  • They're not going back often to the synagogue in capernaum.
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  • They're gonna be reviled, mocked, and rejected.
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  • And experience the presence of god and the power of god and
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  • Learn new things and you'll watch them scramble to figure
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  • It out.
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  • They're gonna argue amongst themselves and go, "i don't
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  • Know, can we do that?
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  • I don't know if we can do that.
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  • We've never done that but the lord sent me there.
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  • I had a vision.
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  • I know, three times i had a vision.
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  • Then they're knocking at the door and so i went, but i didn't
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  • Know what to expect and then god poured out his spirit on them
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  • Like he did on us and we don't even like them."
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  • You know, god's gonna move in the lives of the people that you
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  • Don't like.
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  • And there's people that you've been praying he would touch
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  • Because they're such good people, and they're just not
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  • Gonna respond.
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  • And you'll be going, "you know, there's some really ungodly
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  • People doing some godly things."
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  • Verse 22: "but the fruit of the spirit," this is the contrast.
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  • The fruit of the spirit, and there's nine things listed:
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  • "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
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  • Faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
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  • Against these things there is no law.
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  • Those who belong to christ jesus have crucified the sinful nature
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  • With its passions."
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  • God will not crucify your old nature.
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  • You're praying for god to take it away from you, you're
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  • Ignoring the counsel of scripture.
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  • He said you have to execute it.
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  • You have to say no.
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  • You have to stand against it.
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  • I will not yield to you.
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  • I will not give you first place.
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  • "but i want to."
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  • Okay, duly noted, shut up.
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  • Well, i can't say shut up at church.
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  • That'll bring my mom back.
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  • It'll be bad.
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  • There are rules.
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  • Did you know that?
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  • You can't say, "shut up."
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  • Don't say that. that's true.
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  • We have to crucify that old nature with its passions
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  • And desires.
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  • You say, "but that's what i want.
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  • I think, i feel."
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  • Okay, i agree you have feelings and you have thoughts and you
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  • Have desires.
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  • That does not mean they're all godly.
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  • It doesn't mean they're all generated by the holy spirit.
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  • "you can't tell me my feelings aren't real."
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  • You're right, i can't.
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  • They're real, but they could be real ungodly.
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  • There's probably a country song in there if you just got
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  • Somebody to help you craft those words just right.
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  • "since we live by the spirit, let us keep in step with
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  • The spirit."
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  • To keep in step you'd have to pay attention to how the spirit
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  • Is moving, where he's going.
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  • That's what the book of acts is about.
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  • I need you to go here, not there.
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  • Or there's pressure in jerusalem, so we're gonna have
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  • To leave for a while.
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  • It's not an easy thing.
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  • "let us not become conceited and provoking and envying
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  • Each other."
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  • Again, if it's warning us not to be conceited and not to provoke
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  • One another, i assure you we have a tendency towards
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  • Arrogance and provocation.
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  • Because when you're arrogant you start telling everybody else how
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  • They're not enough.
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  • I mean, not you but somebody you know.
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  • In that same book, galatians chapter 6 and verse 14,
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  • I thought it was a--it's a bit of a summary statement of all
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  • That paul's been saying.
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  • He said, "may i never boast except in the cross of our lord
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  • Jesus christ, through which the world has been crucified to me,
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  • And i to the world."
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  • In order for paul to accept the assignment that god had for him,
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  • He had to walk away from a lifetime of training and
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  • Professional momentum.
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  • He had to completely realign his friends.
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  • He had to establish new associates and the new friends
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  • He needed didn't want to have anything to do with him because
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  • He had such a bad reputation.
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  • I mean, there's nothing about that that's easy.
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  • Most of us think, "oh, i'd love to have a fruitful life for the
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  • Lord," but read about the people that have fruitful lives
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  • For the lord.
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  • Again, i'm suggesting to you that we have to have a change
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  • Of heart.
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  • And what for too long, you know, we said a change of heart is i'm
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  • Gonna stop saying profanity.
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  • But we haven't had a very high bar for serving the lord.
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  • We really haven't, folks.
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  • I mean if we really get up amongst it.
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  • If we read the story in the book of acts and we pay attention to
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  • Our friends, there's a total realignment of their lives and
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  • They're already following jesus.
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  • They've already walked away from businesses and friends
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  • And family.
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  • They've been willing to be identified.
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  • Now, they've done it in a rather haphazard halting way: when they
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  • Arrested him, they couldn't find much courage, but they found it
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  • When they needed it not long after.
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  • This false gospel, false church thing, it's not a new problem.
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  • And on this, we need this in order to put a little bit more
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  • Stiffness in our spines.
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  • Because we wanna act like it's the end of the age and because
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  • Of that, there's some new ferocity and some new intensity
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  • And so our cowardice is kind of excusable.
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  • I brought you a couple of passages.
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  • 2 corinthians chapter 11.
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  • Paul writing to again a church that he's been very instrumental
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  • In its formation, he said, "i'm afraid that just as eve was
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  • Deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow
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  • Be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to christ."
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  • If paul thought the churches he were coaching could be led away
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  • From devotion to christ, i think it would be in our best interest
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  • To imagine that we could be led away.
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  • "for if someone comes to you and preaches a jesus other than the
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  • Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from
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  • The one you received, or a different gospel from the one
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  • You accepted, you put up with it easily enough."
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  • This is the same paul that wrote to timothy, and he said,
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  • "they're gonna have a form of godlies, but deny the power
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  • Thereof, have nothing to do with them."
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  • And now he's saying to the church in corinth, he said,
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  • "you're tolerant of some things you shouldn't be tolerant of.
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  • You're inclusive of some things that you should not
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  • Be including."
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  • A different jesus, a different spirit, a different gospel.
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  • It's not just the corinthians.
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  • In galatians chapter 1, he said, "i'm astonished that you're so
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  • Quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of
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  • Christ and you're turning to a different gospel.
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  • It's really no gospel at all.
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  • Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and
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  • Trying to pervert the gospel of christ."
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  • This is not a 21st century occurrence that's unique to us.
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  • It's as old as the church because the adversary of the
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  • Church is the same.
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  • The adversary has been trying to get the people of god to kill
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  • Their children for as long as we've been recording the story.
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  • We used to call it molech, and they'd offer their children as
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  • Sacrifices to him so their crops would be better.
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  • Imagine that, sacrificing children for an
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  • Economic opportunity.
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  • That couldn't happen in the 21st century.
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  • We have a whole variety of new gospels that are flourishing in
  • 00:09:33.565 --> 00:09:36.368
  • Contemporary christendom.
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  • We have a gospel without consequences.
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  • This one is very prevalent in american evangelicalism,
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  • A gospel that really doesn't have any consequences, sin has
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  • Been rendered irrelevant.
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  • Grace has become all-encompassing.
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  • God's grace is the triumphant message so that whatever sin you
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  • Can imagine, dabble with it, engage in it, pursue it.
  • 00:09:56.955 --> 00:10:01.359
  • Because when you decide it's not the right path to walk any
  • 00:10:01.359 --> 00:10:03.728
  • Longer, you can kind of glibly say, "oh, i'm sorry," and the
  • 00:10:03.728 --> 00:10:06.197
  • Grace of god will cover everything and there's
  • 00:10:06.197 --> 00:10:08.233
  • No consequences.
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  • It's a false gospel.
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  • I believe in the redemptive power of god and the redemptive
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  • Work of the cross, and i believe in the god of forgiveness, but
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  • If you imagine there's no consequence to sin, you haven't
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  • Paid attention.
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  • We forget a generation who dined on manna every day and drank
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  • Water from a rock and then died in the wilderness because they
  • 00:10:27.352 --> 00:10:32.157
  • Didn't want to continue to walk with the spirit of god.
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  • We often forget about moses, recruited at a burning bush and
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  • Spent the remainder of his life serving the people of god, but
  • 00:10:40.665 --> 00:10:43.601
  • God said, "because of your disobedience, you will not enter
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  • The promised land.
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  • You will not."
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  • But i parted the red sea.
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  • "you're not going into the promised land."
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  • But i went up on the mountain and got those ten things for me.
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  • My face glowed.
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  • "you're not going into the promised land."
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  • We forget about david, a man after god's own heart.
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  • So many things to celebrate about his life and god said,
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  • "you cannot build a temple for me.
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  • You disqualified yourself."
  • 00:11:11.362 --> 00:11:16.868
  • We forget about people like ananias and sapphira who
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  • Forfeited their lives because they chose selfish ambition.
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  • Folks, the bible resonates with the consequences of sin.
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  • Now there is forgiveness provided.
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  • I believe in that, i'm a poster child for that.
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  • But we have to tell the truth.
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  • There's a consequence for sin.
  • 00:11:37.021 --> 00:11:39.157
  • We have to have a change of heart.
  • 00:11:39.157 --> 00:11:42.093
  • See, we don't grieve.
  • 00:11:42.093 --> 00:11:43.461
  • We watch our children walk into ungodliness and we kind of wink
  • 00:11:43.461 --> 00:11:45.497
  • At it and nod at it and go, "well, they're gonna sow a few
  • 00:11:45.497 --> 00:11:47.699
  • Wild oats."
  • 00:11:47.699 --> 00:11:49.033
  • No, they're gonna forfeit things.
  • 00:11:49.033 --> 00:11:55.440
  • We have a social gospel.
  • 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:57.308
  • This one's very prevalent.
  • 00:11:57.308 --> 00:11:59.711
  • We gather in our churches.
  • 00:11:59.711 --> 00:12:01.045
  • They're like civic clubs except we have a little music.
  • 00:12:01.045 --> 00:12:06.317
  • We may throw in a few more prayers, but we're really
  • 00:12:06.317 --> 00:12:08.286
  • Gathered to do good things.
  • 00:12:08.286 --> 00:12:10.388
  • We wanna show benevolence and kindness and help those less
  • 00:12:10.388 --> 00:12:13.458
  • Fortunate and all of those things are worthy things to do.
  • 00:12:13.458 --> 00:12:15.693
  • I'm grateful that civic clubs do them.
  • 00:12:15.693 --> 00:12:17.529
  • The church holds a message: a message of a gospel of
  • 00:12:17.529 --> 00:12:22.500
  • Transformation that we are sinners and we need a savior.
  • 00:12:22.500 --> 00:12:28.873
  • That there is objective truth, there's right and wrong.
  • 00:12:28.873 --> 00:12:32.777
  • Civic clubs don't often have to grapple with that.
  • 00:12:32.777 --> 00:12:35.280
  • They just see needs and try to resolve them.
  • 00:12:35.280 --> 00:12:38.550
  • The church has a higher calling.
  • 00:12:38.550 --> 00:12:41.553
  • And we can be embraced more broadly by the culture if we'll
  • 00:12:41.553 --> 00:12:44.722
  • Leave the calling out and the uniqueness of jesus out and
  • 00:12:44.722 --> 00:12:48.426
  • We'll just serve needs.
  • 00:12:48.426 --> 00:12:49.828
  • We can be celebrated and we kind of like the applause so
  • 00:12:49.828 --> 00:12:53.298
  • Sometimes we just want to turn down the volume on jesus
  • 00:12:53.298 --> 00:12:55.533
  • A little bit.
  • 00:12:55.533 --> 00:12:56.901
  • It's a false gospel.
  • 00:12:56.901 --> 00:12:59.404
  • We have a happy gospel.
  • 00:12:59.404 --> 00:13:02.841
  • God wants you to be happy above all else.
  • 00:13:02.841 --> 00:13:06.611
  • He will be happy.
  • 00:13:06.611 --> 00:13:09.013
  • I'm not opposed to happiness.
  • 00:13:09.013 --> 00:13:12.517
  • But i prefer to be pleasing to the lord.
  • 00:13:12.517 --> 00:13:15.620
  • We have others, this one's flourished and it's taken
  • 00:13:15.620 --> 00:13:18.423
  • Several decades.
  • 00:13:18.423 --> 00:13:19.757
  • This one's entrenched in our theological schools.
  • 00:13:19.757 --> 00:13:22.527
  • It's a socialist gospel.
  • 00:13:22.527 --> 00:13:26.130
  • Got a lot of momentum from south american liberation theology.
  • 00:13:26.130 --> 00:13:30.635
  • Then feminist theology kind of got interwoven along with it.
  • 00:13:30.635 --> 00:13:34.539
  • And we focused more on injustices and how we're gonna
  • 00:13:34.539 --> 00:13:38.076
  • Level the playing field and then we find words like equity.
  • 00:13:38.076 --> 00:13:42.380
  • Not equality, not that the ground at the cross is level so
  • 00:13:42.380 --> 00:13:46.251
  • That everybody can approach and acknowledge there's inequity,
  • 00:13:46.251 --> 00:13:49.354
  • That somehow we should all get equal outcomes, even god--
  • 00:13:49.354 --> 00:13:52.190
  • That's not biblical.
  • 00:13:52.190 --> 00:13:56.895
  • When he handed out talents, he didn't give the same number
  • 00:13:56.895 --> 00:13:58.897
  • Of talents to everybody.
  • 00:13:58.897 --> 00:14:01.733
  • Every one of us is different, we're created uniquely
  • 00:14:01.733 --> 00:14:04.535
  • In god's sight.
  • 00:14:04.535 --> 00:14:06.170
  • We have different gifts and abilities, the scripture says.
  • 00:14:06.170 --> 00:14:10.808
  • God, because he's just, will hold us accountable for the
  • 00:14:10.808 --> 00:14:13.544
  • Gifts and the abilities we've been given.
  • 00:14:13.544 --> 00:14:17.682
  • Equity is a godless construct used to manipulate human beings.
  • 00:14:17.682 --> 00:14:24.389
  • Don't teach it to your children and don't tolerate anyone else
  • 00:14:24.389 --> 00:14:27.025
  • Teaching it to your children.
  • 00:14:27.025 --> 00:14:30.261
  • Allen: hey, i've written a new book.
  • 00:14:34.032 --> 00:14:35.400
  • It's called "my friend jesus."
  • 00:14:35.400 --> 00:14:37.235
  • You know, i'm a pastor, a lot of ritual, tradition, a lot of
  • 00:14:37.235 --> 00:14:40.605
  • Formality in the way we know god.
  • 00:14:40.605 --> 00:14:42.840
  • It's not bad.
  • 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:44.175
  • There's some good things in that, but when i'm in real
  • 00:14:44.175 --> 00:14:46.010
  • Trouble or i have something i wanna celebrate, i call
  • 00:14:46.010 --> 00:14:48.313
  • A friend.
  • 00:14:48.313 --> 00:14:49.681
  • Well, i wanna live my life with jesus of nazareth as my friend.
  • 00:14:49.681 --> 00:14:52.951
  • It changes everything in both celebration and when there's
  • 00:14:52.951 --> 00:14:56.054
  • A problem.
  • 00:14:56.054 --> 00:14:57.388
  • I wrote the book to help.
  • 00:14:57.388 --> 00:14:58.723
  • I think it'll open your life to god in a more personal
  • 00:14:58.723 --> 00:15:01.092
  • Transformational way than ever before.
  • 00:15:01.092 --> 00:15:03.561
  • Enjoy the book.
  • 00:15:03.561 --> 00:15:04.929
  • Female announcer: in his book "my friend jesus," pastor allen
  • 00:15:04.929 --> 00:15:07.398
  • Shares how friendship with jesus brings clarity, strength, and
  • 00:15:07.398 --> 00:15:10.868
  • Peace in every part of life.
  • 00:15:10.868 --> 00:15:12.804
  • This isn't about following a religion or religious rules.
  • 00:15:12.804 --> 00:15:16.107
  • It's about cultivating a cherished relationship that will
  • 00:15:16.107 --> 00:15:18.810
  • Help your faith become more personal, more joyful, and more
  • 00:15:18.810 --> 00:15:22.380
  • Powerful each day.
  • 00:15:22.380 --> 00:15:23.982
  • Request "my friend jesus" with your donation of $25 or more
  • 00:15:23.982 --> 00:15:27.885
  • Today at allenjackson.com, or by calling...
  • 00:15:27.885 --> 00:15:33.157
  • Allen: we have a universalist gospel.
  • 00:15:35.493 --> 00:15:40.164
  • It says jesus is not essential.
  • 00:15:40.164 --> 00:15:43.201
  • God's revealed in nature and in the majesty of creation and all
  • 00:15:43.201 --> 00:15:46.371
  • The things that are around us.
  • 00:15:46.371 --> 00:15:48.806
  • Again, these are not new things.
  • 00:15:48.806 --> 00:15:51.709
  • Look at revelation chapter 3.
  • 00:15:51.709 --> 00:15:53.945
  • The book of revelation is
  • 00:15:53.945 --> 00:15:55.380
  • Written to seven churches today in modern day turkey, but seven
  • 00:15:55.380 --> 00:15:59.917
  • Churches and to every one of the churches, the pattern
  • 00:15:59.917 --> 00:16:02.153
  • Is similar.
  • 00:16:02.153 --> 00:16:03.521
  • God said, "i know what's going on with you.
  • 00:16:03.521 --> 00:16:06.391
  • There's some good things to be celebrated, but there's some
  • 00:16:06.391 --> 00:16:08.793
  • Corrections you need to make."
  • 00:16:08.793 --> 00:16:10.528
  • Again, a change of heart.
  • 00:16:10.528 --> 00:16:14.499
  • We've lost this notion.
  • 00:16:14.499 --> 00:16:15.900
  • We think the pagans need to change.
  • 00:16:15.900 --> 00:16:18.803
  • We think the immoral or the ungodly.
  • 00:16:18.803 --> 00:16:20.471
  • We need--think somebody else does.
  • 00:16:20.471 --> 00:16:22.340
  • For the book of acts to unfold, peter, james, and john and the
  • 00:16:22.340 --> 00:16:25.777
  • Crew they rolled with, they had to change.
  • 00:16:25.777 --> 00:16:30.615
  • "to the angel of the church of laodicea write: these are the
  • 00:16:30.615 --> 00:16:33.251
  • Words of the faithful and true witness, the ruler of
  • 00:16:33.251 --> 00:16:35.753
  • God's creation.
  • 00:16:35.753 --> 00:16:37.989
  • I know your deeds."
  • 00:16:37.989 --> 00:16:40.058
  • That's a very--do you know god knows our deeds?
  • 00:16:40.058 --> 00:16:44.195
  • He knows our deeds.
  • 00:16:44.195 --> 00:16:51.002
  • Spiritual forces shape history.
  • 00:16:51.002 --> 00:16:52.637
  • I'm about out of time.
  • 00:16:52.637 --> 00:16:57.175
  • Look at isaiah.
  • 00:16:57.175 --> 00:16:58.543
  • I pulled more than one because the perspectives change.
  • 00:16:58.543 --> 00:17:02.747
  • I think we have undervalued the significance of
  • 00:17:02.747 --> 00:17:05.049
  • Spiritual forces.
  • 00:17:05.049 --> 00:17:07.118
  • It's one of the reasons we don't pray like we might, we tend to
  • 00:17:07.118 --> 00:17:10.288
  • Trivialize them.
  • 00:17:10.288 --> 00:17:11.622
  • We'll talk about maybe they can change our eternity.
  • 00:17:11.622 --> 00:17:13.391
  • We could be born again and our eternity would be completely
  • 00:17:13.391 --> 00:17:16.394
  • Different, but beyond that we don't think much about spiritual
  • 00:17:16.394 --> 00:17:18.930
  • Forces impacting us, and i assure you they do.
  • 00:17:18.930 --> 00:17:22.567
  • What we're watching unfold in the earth is more about
  • 00:17:22.567 --> 00:17:25.803
  • A spiritual conflict than it is about nation states or
  • 00:17:25.803 --> 00:17:29.907
  • Geopolitical realignment or economic forces.
  • 00:17:29.907 --> 00:17:35.913
  • There's more to do with a group of people in davos who think
  • 00:17:35.913 --> 00:17:39.117
  • They're gonna run the world.
  • 00:17:39.117 --> 00:17:41.185
  • There's a spiritual conflict.
  • 00:17:41.185 --> 00:17:42.653
  • In isaiah 4, the lord said, "we'll wash away the filth of
  • 00:17:42.653 --> 00:17:45.523
  • The women of zion.
  • 00:17:45.523 --> 00:17:46.858
  • He will cleanse the bloodstains from jerusalem by a spirit of
  • 00:17:46.858 --> 00:17:50.228
  • Judgment and fire."
  • 00:17:50.228 --> 00:17:53.464
  • I've been saying that little prayer for a bit.
  • 00:17:53.464 --> 00:17:57.168
  • "god pour out your spirit in a way of judgment and fire.
  • 00:17:57.168 --> 00:18:02.673
  • Cleanse us.
  • 00:18:02.673 --> 00:18:04.775
  • Purify us."
  • 00:18:04.775 --> 00:18:07.111
  • Judgment doesn't have to mean it's something that's
  • 00:18:07.111 --> 00:18:08.980
  • Against you.
  • 00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:10.348
  • Judgment can be for you.
  • 00:18:10.348 --> 00:18:11.682
  • Did you watch "the people's court?"
  • 00:18:11.682 --> 00:18:14.152
  • Long before judge judy was a thing, judge wapner was a deal.
  • 00:18:14.152 --> 00:18:19.690
  • They never rule against anyone; they always pronounce judgment
  • 00:18:19.690 --> 00:18:23.194
  • For someone.
  • 00:18:23.194 --> 00:18:25.496
  • You want god's judgment for you.
  • 00:18:25.496 --> 00:18:28.966
  • It may bring realignment.
  • 00:18:28.966 --> 00:18:32.403
  • A spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire, it's a prayer
  • 00:18:32.403 --> 00:18:36.174
  • Worth praying.
  • 00:18:36.174 --> 00:18:38.543
  • It feels to me, it's language is very reminiscent of that
  • 00:18:38.543 --> 00:18:41.412
  • Wilderness generation, led by a pillar of cloud and a pillar
  • 00:18:41.412 --> 00:18:44.215
  • Of fire.
  • 00:18:44.215 --> 00:18:46.584
  • Reminder of both protection, but the power of god.
  • 00:18:46.584 --> 00:18:52.390
  • In isaiah 19, there's a different spirit that
  • 00:18:52.390 --> 00:18:54.659
  • Is prevalent.
  • 00:18:54.659 --> 00:18:56.694
  • Says: "where are your wise men now?
  • 00:18:56.694 --> 00:18:58.262
  • Let them show you and make known what the lord almighty's planned
  • 00:18:58.262 --> 00:19:01.199
  • Against egypt.
  • 00:19:01.199 --> 00:19:02.800
  • The officials have become fools.
  • 00:19:02.800 --> 00:19:05.503
  • The leaders of memphis are deceived.
  • 00:19:05.503 --> 00:19:08.372
  • The cornerstones of her people have led egypt astray."
  • 00:19:08.372 --> 00:19:11.542
  • Gee, that sort of thing sounds kind of familiar to me.
  • 00:19:11.542 --> 00:19:16.113
  • And what's happening?
  • 00:19:16.113 --> 00:19:17.448
  • What's the motivation for it?
  • 00:19:17.448 --> 00:19:19.183
  • What's the power or the authority behind it?
  • 00:19:19.183 --> 00:19:21.752
  • Says: "the lord has poured into them a spirit of dizziness; they
  • 00:19:21.752 --> 00:19:26.290
  • Make egypt stagger in all that she does, as a drunkard staggers
  • 00:19:26.290 --> 00:19:30.962
  • Around in his vomit.
  • 00:19:30.962 --> 00:19:33.564
  • And there's nothing they can do."
  • 00:19:33.564 --> 00:19:37.501
  • You see, we're seeing symptoms of a spiritual problem.
  • 00:19:37.501 --> 00:19:42.340
  • And we have hope for resolutions that aren't spiritual, and we're
  • 00:19:42.340 --> 00:19:46.911
  • The church.
  • 00:19:46.911 --> 00:19:50.181
  • I believe god would bring to us a change of heart.
  • 00:19:50.181 --> 00:19:54.318
  • And then isaiah 61, i'm out of time.
  • 00:19:54.318 --> 00:19:56.254
  • We'll look at that in a later session, but that's the--that's
  • 00:19:56.254 --> 00:19:59.457
  • The passage, the prophetic passage, jesus quoted when he
  • 00:19:59.457 --> 00:20:02.994
  • Went to the synagogue in his hometown of nazareth.
  • 00:20:02.994 --> 00:20:07.498
  • He stood up and said, "the spirit of the lord is on me.
  • 00:20:07.498 --> 00:20:11.035
  • He's anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.
  • 00:20:11.035 --> 00:20:14.472
  • He sent me to heal the brokenhearted."
  • 00:20:14.472 --> 00:20:17.575
  • It says he closed the scroll and he looked around and he said,
  • 00:20:17.575 --> 00:20:21.145
  • "today the scripture is fulfilled in your ears."
  • 00:20:21.145 --> 00:20:25.549
  • And they tried to kill him.
  • 00:20:25.549 --> 00:20:30.087
  • Can you imagine?
  • 00:20:30.087 --> 00:20:33.324
  • I don't know which words you prefer: how hurtful that
  • 00:20:33.324 --> 00:20:35.993
  • Would be.
  • 00:20:35.993 --> 00:20:38.029
  • How disconcerting that would be.
  • 00:20:38.029 --> 00:20:40.865
  • How painful that would be.
  • 00:20:40.865 --> 00:20:42.233
  • He knew those people by name, not because of some
  • 00:20:42.233 --> 00:20:45.036
  • Supernatural revelation.
  • 00:20:45.036 --> 00:20:47.605
  • As a kid he played with the young people, his peer group, he
  • 00:20:47.605 --> 00:20:51.175
  • Knew their parents.
  • 00:20:51.175 --> 00:20:52.543
  • He knew the story of the community.
  • 00:20:52.543 --> 00:20:54.145
  • He read them from the book of isaiah.
  • 00:20:54.145 --> 00:20:57.381
  • And he extended to them an opportunity.
  • 00:20:57.381 --> 00:21:01.986
  • And they were so angry at him they wanted to kill him.
  • 00:21:01.986 --> 00:21:09.927
  • I promise not everybody you share the good news of the
  • 00:21:09.927 --> 00:21:13.431
  • Gospel with will embrace it.
  • 00:21:13.431 --> 00:21:17.034
  • There'll even be times it will be awkward and uncomfortable
  • 00:21:17.034 --> 00:21:20.204
  • That people you would imagine would accept it may choose
  • 00:21:20.204 --> 00:21:22.540
  • Not to.
  • 00:21:22.540 --> 00:21:26.010
  • But jesus said we've got to go to all the towns and villages.
  • 00:21:26.010 --> 00:21:30.281
  • We've got to go wherever there's an open door.
  • 00:21:30.281 --> 00:21:34.919
  • Folks, we need a change of heart.
  • 00:21:34.919 --> 00:21:38.689
  • The good news is god is helping us.
  • 00:21:38.689 --> 00:21:41.726
  • He called us to this most remarkable season.
  • 00:21:41.726 --> 00:21:45.696
  • Don't be angry at the darkness, don't rage against the darkness.
  • 00:21:45.696 --> 00:21:48.032
  • We're just gonna turn up the light a little bit.
  • 00:21:48.032 --> 00:21:56.073
  • I've said it to you many times before and i'm gonna continue to
  • 00:21:56.073 --> 00:21:58.609
  • Say it.
  • 00:21:58.609 --> 00:22:00.010
  • We're the 21st century edition of the book of acts.
  • 00:22:00.010 --> 00:22:02.646
  • There's no conclusion to that book because it's not
  • 00:22:02.646 --> 00:22:04.582
  • Finished yet.
  • 00:22:04.582 --> 00:22:06.817
  • We're still living it out.
  • 00:22:06.817 --> 00:22:08.552
  • We're the current generation of disciples of jesus and we're
  • 00:22:08.552 --> 00:22:11.555
  • Learning and growing and if we will cooperate with his spirit,
  • 00:22:11.555 --> 00:22:14.859
  • If we'll try to keep in step with the spirit, if we'll say no
  • 00:22:14.859 --> 00:22:18.262
  • To our old carnal earthly adamic nature and its passions, if
  • 00:22:18.262 --> 00:22:25.302
  • We'll stop excusing our sin, god will move in the most
  • 00:22:25.302 --> 00:22:29.974
  • Remarkable ways.
  • 00:22:29.974 --> 00:22:34.512
  • One day we will gather with those people that we've read
  • 00:22:34.512 --> 00:22:37.348
  • About in this book.
  • 00:22:37.348 --> 00:22:39.717
  • We've spent much time reading their stories and thinking about
  • 00:22:39.717 --> 00:22:42.853
  • What they've done and wondering how they could have been so
  • 00:22:42.853 --> 00:22:46.257
  • Stupid in some occasions.
  • 00:22:46.257 --> 00:22:49.493
  • But it's gonna be a little awkward when they get to ask us,
  • 00:22:49.493 --> 00:22:52.930
  • "what were you thinking?
  • 00:22:52.930 --> 00:22:56.233
  • We were in that great cloud of witnesses and we saw you making
  • 00:22:56.233 --> 00:22:59.170
  • That choice and we were all looking at one another, going...
  • 00:22:59.170 --> 00:23:03.808
  • 'what are they thinking?'"
  • 00:23:03.808 --> 00:23:10.214
  • I brought you a prayer.
  • 00:23:10.214 --> 00:23:12.683
  • I borrowed actually a prayer from david.
  • 00:23:12.683 --> 00:23:15.719
  • Psalm 51 is david's prayer of repentance, when the prophet
  • 00:23:15.719 --> 00:23:20.591
  • Came to him and said, "your sin of adultery and murder has not
  • 00:23:20.591 --> 00:23:23.961
  • Really been hidden.
  • 00:23:23.961 --> 00:23:25.963
  • God knows."
  • 00:23:25.963 --> 00:23:29.867
  • For people that think that the gospel shouldn't engage culture,
  • 00:23:29.867 --> 00:23:32.603
  • What do you say to the prophet that has to go tell the king,
  • 00:23:32.603 --> 00:23:34.839
  • "you're a murderous adulterous wretch"?
  • 00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:39.743
  • There's just not very many people that would like
  • 00:23:39.743 --> 00:23:41.345
  • That assignment.
  • 00:23:41.345 --> 00:23:44.849
  • But david chose to repent and i brought you a portion of
  • 00:23:44.849 --> 00:23:47.518
  • That prayer.
  • 00:23:47.518 --> 00:23:48.853
  • I think it's appropriate for us.
  • 00:23:48.853 --> 00:23:50.221
  • I think one of the keys to--and we're gonna look at some things
  • 00:23:50.221 --> 00:23:52.256
  • That enable that change of heart in us to gain momentum.
  • 00:23:52.256 --> 00:23:56.527
  • But spoiler alert, one of them will be a willingness of us to
  • 00:23:56.527 --> 00:23:59.163
  • Acknowledge our need to change.
  • 00:23:59.163 --> 00:24:01.699
  • And so i think david's prayer of repentance is appropriate for us
  • 00:24:01.699 --> 00:24:04.602
  • As we begin this little journey.
  • 00:24:04.602 --> 00:24:05.936
  • Let's stand together.
  • 00:24:05.936 --> 00:24:10.441
  • We can read it together.
  • 00:24:10.441 --> 00:24:13.043
  • When you have a prayer, please don't just leave it at church.
  • 00:24:13.043 --> 00:24:15.212
  • Take it with you.
  • 00:24:15.212 --> 00:24:16.614
  • Make it a part of your daily devotional for a while.
  • 00:24:16.614 --> 00:24:18.516
  • You'll know when you're done with it.
  • 00:24:18.516 --> 00:24:20.784
  • You'll feel a release.
  • 00:24:20.784 --> 00:24:23.721
  • Pray it morning and evening.
  • 00:24:23.721 --> 00:24:26.924
  • There'll be prayers the lord quickens to you and you think
  • 00:24:26.924 --> 00:24:28.993
  • That prayer just feels valuable to me.
  • 00:24:28.993 --> 00:24:30.794
  • While it feels valuable, you keep praying it.
  • 00:24:30.794 --> 00:24:35.366
  • See, we've got to learn to follow the lord in a new way.
  • 00:24:35.366 --> 00:24:40.004
  • We're gonna have to have a desire to hear and listen and
  • 00:24:40.004 --> 00:24:42.873
  • Understand beyond what we've had in the past.
  • 00:24:42.873 --> 00:24:45.776
  • We have to recognize that the season demands it of us.
  • 00:24:45.776 --> 00:24:49.213
  • There's storms.
  • 00:24:49.213 --> 00:24:51.448
  • It isn't clear skies and easy sailing, it's tumultuous.
  • 00:24:51.448 --> 00:24:56.353
  • Crazy expressions of ungodliness.
  • 00:24:56.353 --> 00:24:57.855
  • They mock our lord on a global scale.
  • 00:24:57.855 --> 00:25:01.258
  • We haven't seen that in that way before.
  • 00:25:01.258 --> 00:25:04.828
  • They're trying to confuse us about things that aren't
  • 00:25:04.828 --> 00:25:06.797
  • Even confusing.
  • 00:25:06.797 --> 00:25:09.400
  • Telling us we should be confused.
  • 00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:10.935
  • I'm like, "nope, that's just not confusing."
  • 00:25:10.935 --> 00:25:18.075
  • We've got to learn to follow the lord in some new ways.
  • 00:25:18.075 --> 00:25:20.844
  • It starts with a desire.
  • 00:25:20.844 --> 00:25:23.547
  • So you think, "well, lord, i've never been much of a prayer,
  • 00:25:23.547 --> 00:25:26.350
  • But i'm gonna take that one and pray it."
  • 00:25:26.350 --> 00:25:28.986
  • Let's read it.
  • 00:25:28.986 --> 00:25:30.354
  • Psalm 51: "cleanse me with hyssop, and i will be clean;
  • 00:25:30.354 --> 00:25:34.592
  • Wash me, and i will be whiter than snow.
  • 00:25:34.592 --> 00:25:37.461
  • Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have
  • 00:25:37.461 --> 00:25:40.698
  • Crushed rejoice.
  • 00:25:40.698 --> 00:25:42.633
  • Hide your face from my sins and blot out all of my iniquity.
  • 00:25:42.633 --> 00:25:47.171
  • Create in me a pure heart, o god, and renew a steadfast
  • 00:25:47.171 --> 00:25:50.808
  • Spirit within me.
  • 00:25:50.808 --> 00:25:52.409
  • Do not cast me from your presence or take your
  • 00:25:52.409 --> 00:25:55.546
  • Holy spirit from me.
  • 00:25:55.546 --> 00:25:57.047
  • Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing
  • 00:25:57.047 --> 00:26:01.251
  • Spirit, to sustain me.
  • 00:26:01.251 --> 00:26:03.387
  • Then i will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn
  • 00:26:03.387 --> 00:26:07.224
  • Back to you, amen," hallelujah.
  • 00:26:07.224 --> 00:26:12.896
  • Allen: thank you for spending a few minutes with us today.
  • 00:26:17.101 --> 00:26:19.169
  • You know, our goal in doing this is to add momentum to your
  • 00:26:19.169 --> 00:26:22.539
  • Spiritual life to help open the kingdom of god to you in a more
  • 00:26:22.539 --> 00:26:26.110
  • Practical way that you could engage in a relationship with
  • 00:26:26.110 --> 00:26:28.679
  • The lord, not be a more faithful church sitter or a bible reader,
  • 00:26:28.679 --> 00:26:32.449
  • But a person who actually knows a living god.
  • 00:26:32.449 --> 00:26:35.219
  • Well, i've written a new book.
  • 00:26:35.219 --> 00:26:36.553
  • It's called "my friend jesus."
  • 00:26:36.553 --> 00:26:37.921
  • To be candid, it's the culmination of years of my own
  • 00:26:37.921 --> 00:26:41.558
  • Spiritual journey.
  • 00:26:41.558 --> 00:26:42.893
  • I wanted to peel away all the formality of language and
  • 00:26:42.893 --> 00:26:46.397
  • Routine and ritual, and i really wanted to focus on what it means
  • 00:26:46.397 --> 00:26:49.867
  • To be a friend of the lord.
  • 00:26:49.867 --> 00:26:51.869
  • And that book is intended to give you a pathway to imagine
  • 00:26:51.869 --> 00:26:55.039
  • Your faith in a way that enables it to be more personal,
  • 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:57.875
  • More transformational.
  • 00:26:57.875 --> 00:26:59.243
  • When i need help, i call my friends, but when i need real
  • 00:26:59.243 --> 00:27:02.046
  • Help, i call my friend jesus.
  • 00:27:02.046 --> 00:27:04.181
  • He changes everything.
  • 00:27:04.181 --> 00:27:05.516
  • He's done it many times in my life.
  • 00:27:05.516 --> 00:27:07.418
  • He'll do it in your life.
  • 00:27:07.418 --> 00:27:09.153
  • Read the book, open your heart, there'll be a whole new power
  • 00:27:09.153 --> 00:27:12.423
  • Available to help shape your future.
  • 00:27:12.423 --> 00:27:15.159
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:15.159 --> 00:27:15.159