Allen Jackson - Give Thanks (Part 1)

August 28, 2025 | S25 E243 | 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 - Give Thanks (Part 1) | August 28, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: hey, i sat down recently with my father to do a
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  • Podcast for my "culture and christianity" podcast, and it
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  • Was so valuable to me.
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  • I mean, we--it was stories that obviously i'm familiar with, but
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  • As i heard him recount his faith, it ignited something in
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  • Me about the faithfulness of god across generations.
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  • Well, i encouraged my dad to put together a book about his
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  • Experiences with the holy spirit.
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  • It changed his life, my parents' life--ultimately, my
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  • Family's life.
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  • I believe the book will be a real encouragement to you.
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  • I wanna make it available to you right along with "unleashing the
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  • Power of the holy spirit."
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  • It's something i put together a while back that's been one of
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  • The most effective tools we've ever had in the ministry.
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  • Together, they'll open the doorway for you to not just have
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  • Language around the holy spirit but to have something to
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  • Actually do to invite him into your life on a regular basis, to
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  • Give you the wisdom you need to help you unlock the problems
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  • That we face.
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  • The spirit of god within us to help us, guide us, and direct
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  • Us--that's invaluable, and these books will help
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  • You understand.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen: as a nation, we have a heritage of the christian faith.
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  • We've never been uniquely christian in that everybody here
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  • Was christian.
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  • But the values that have shaped our nation--our legal system,
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  • Our founding documents, our educational systems, our most
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  • Revered academic institutions-- all emerged from the christian
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  • Faith and a desire to train young people to be
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  • Christian leaders.
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  • Now we've drifted a bit, but that is our heritage.
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  • And there are loud voices that tell us we shouldn't
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  • Celebrate it.
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  • I think that is reprehensible, and that's my kind church word
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  • For me, and i very strongly disagree with that.
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  • We wouldn't say to any other subset of our culture that their
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  • Heritage should be denied, should be removed from our
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  • Academic institutions, that they should be stripped out of our
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  • Public learning or the public square.
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  • And i'm not certain why we've allowed it.
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  • I don't believe it should be tolerated.
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  • We've never been uniquely christian, but we've always been
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  • Shaped by those christian values.
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  • That's why we have been a diverse nation and a
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  • Tolerant place.
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  • That's why there's been a consistent trajectory
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  • Towards better.
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  • It's why we've overcome expressions of evil that have
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  • Defined chapters and seasons of our life.
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  • It's why we have hope for our future.
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  • And if the church steps back and remains silent, evil
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  • Will prevail.
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  • There are many, many expressions of that through history.
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  • So, the question i'm asked more than any other single question,
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  • Whether i'm in middle tennessee or i'm somewhere someplace else,
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  • Is "what can we do?"
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  • You know, "we hear you," they'll say.
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  • "we read our bibles.
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  • We understand there's some problems, but i--my voice
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  • Is small.
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  • I don't have much influence.
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  • What can we do?"
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  • Well, i brought today my best answer, my most honest answer.
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  • I'm making some assumptions in this, if you're a christ
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  • Follower, that you're walking in obedience to the truth that
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  • You know.
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  • If you're not, stop then repent.
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  • Right?
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  • We got the fundamentals, but i think we'd be--we're stymied
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  • Sometimes because the expressions of evil seem to be
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  • So loud and so prevalent and so unashamed.
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  • So, the title for the session we're gonna do--and you should
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  • Have received an outline when you came in.
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  • If you're joining us digitally, you can download it--is
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  • "give thanks."
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  • I think, a lot of times, we think of gratitude as being kind
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  • Of a squishy response.
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  • It's soft.
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  • I could not disagree more fully.
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  • Or maybe we think--you know, we teach the children to say thank
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  • You, but we outgrow that.
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  • We don't outgrow that, folks.
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  • I think one of the most powerful expressions of spiritual
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  • Authority that you can demonstrate is to be thankful.
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  • I meet christians a lot.
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  • And, you know, if you--there's some segments of the church, if
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  • You're exposed to them or they have a fuller attitude towards
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  • The involvement of the holy spirit and the engagement of the
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  • Spirit of god, and i'm grateful for that segment of the church.
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  • You know, we'll talk about spiritual warfare or spiritual
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  • Gifts or manifestations of the spirit, and all of
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  • That's legitimate.
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  • I'm all in.
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  • But, folks, i don't think we understand: one of the most
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  • Profound things you can do spiritually is to be thankful.
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  • So, i wanna walk through some scriptures with you and see if
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  • We can give that a little bit of deeper root in our hearts.
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  • The goal--i'll confess.
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  • If you're gonna go to sleep, you go to sleep right after this,
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  • But i'm gonna encourage you to give expressions to gratitude
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  • With greater enthusiasm and more persistence than you ever
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  • Had, okay?
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  • Now, you can take a nap or you can hear the rest of the story.
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  • Thankfulness and grace, they really have a relationship that
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  • I think we walk past a great deal.
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  • It's the same verse i put in your notes, but it's from two
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  • Different translations.
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  • You know, people often ask me, "what's the best translation of
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  • The bible?"
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  • Don't get ahead of me.
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  • It's the one you'll read 'cause if you're not reading it, it
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  • Doesn't matter how outstanding the nomenclature.
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  • I mean, it doesn't matter, so.
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  • The one that you'll read.
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  • But there's a fullness that comes from more than
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  • One translation.
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  • So, don't ever build your theology off a single word.
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  • But in hebrews 12:28 in the niv, it says, "therefore, since we're
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  • Receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken--" you know there's a
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  • Kingdom coming to this earth that will never be shaken.
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  • There'll be no end to it.
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  • Then the king will reign in righteousness and justice.
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  • I've been learning a bit about that lately.
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  • I've been doing a study.
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  • I'll share it with you at some point, but there's a kingdom
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  • Coming that cannot be shaken.
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  • "let us be thankful, and so worship god acceptably with
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  • Reverence and awe."
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  • The author of hebrews in this verse is suggesting to us that
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  • The appropriate response to an unshakeable kingdom is that we
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  • Should be thankful.
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  • Same verse in the new king james says this: "therefore, since
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  • We're receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have
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  • Grace, by which we may serve god acceptably with reverence and
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  • Godly fear."
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  • I don't wanna overstate it, but i think there is a subtle
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  • Connection between the words of "grace" and "thankfulness."
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  • Grace--you'll remember the simplest definition, i know, is
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  • Just the unmerited, the undeserved mercy of god: when
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  • God shows you something of kindness, of his character
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  • That's not in any way connected to merit.
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  • It's not what you deserve, it's not what you earn, it's not what
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  • You have a right to.
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  • So that the appropriate expression to the recognition of
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  • Grace would be "thank you," gratitude.
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  • If you don't express gratitude, you're suggesting you think you
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  • Earned it, and it can't be grace.
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  • So, there really is a connection.
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  • To fully live in the grace of god, you have to
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  • Cultivate gratitude.
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  • You have to be a thankful person.
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  • Even linguistically, there's some links.
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  • The greek word for grace is "charis."
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  • If you--i'm not a linguistic expert, but i'm still working on
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  • English, but i know a handful of words and a handful
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  • Of languages.
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  • In spanish we say, "thank you," with what?
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  • "gracias."
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  • You're a linguists?
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  • If you look at it, it's pretty simple to see that that came
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  • From the root of "grace."
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  • In italian--look at you, bunch of hillbillies.
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  • No multiple languages.
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  • I'm impressed.
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  • "grazie," again, pretty clear that it has a connection
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  • With "grace."
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  • Grace and thankfulness go together.
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  • When we're unthankful, we diminish the grace of god.
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  • The bible talks about nullifying the grace of god.
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  • How can you nullify?
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  • How can you make inactive the unmerited goodness of god?
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  • By not being grateful for it.
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  • You diminish it in your life.
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  • You see, we can't enjoy god's grace without being thankful.
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  • We've been given some very clear instructions to the church.
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  • I just brought you a sample.
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  • We're not gonna explore them in any great detail, but in
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  • Colossians 3, verses 15 and 17, it says, "let the peace of god
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  • Rule in your hearts."
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  • I would like that to happen in my heart.
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  • We live in a turbulent world.
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  • I mean, about any place you put your finger on the globe,
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  • There's been a conflict--and but we've been just a hair's
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  • Breadth away from being engaged in multiple conflicts in
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  • Recent weeks.
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  • It's not an easy time to be peaceful.
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  • There's loud voices saying the economy is going to crater--i
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  • Mean, all sorts of dire predictions.
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  • How do you let peace rule in your hearts?
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  • Well, biblical peace isn't an absence of conflict.
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  • Jesus said, "my peace i give to you."
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  • Jesus did not live a conflict-free life.
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  • Most places he went, he caused trouble.
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  • They hated him.
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  • They ultimately tortured him to death.
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  • "my peace i give to you."
  • 00:09:11.367 --> 00:09:12.702
  • "well..."
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  • What you see in jesus is a complete confidence of god's
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  • Abiding presence and his unlimited power.
  • 00:09:19.241 --> 00:09:22.812
  • He's standing before a roman governor who has the authority
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  • To have him tortured to death, and the governor's not impressed
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  • With jesus's responses, and jesus finally looks at him.
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  • He said, "you would have no power if my dad didn't give it
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  • To you."
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  • And he didn't do it in an arrogant way.
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  • He wasn't taunting him.
  • 00:09:36.726 --> 00:09:39.295
  • They were having a pretty significant truth encounter.
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  • "my peace i give to you."
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  • You may stand in front of people who think they have much more
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  • Authority than you do, they have far more financial resources
  • 00:09:46.202 --> 00:09:49.405
  • Than you do, have great power, or what they would imagine--all
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  • Sorts of achievements and accomplishments.
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  • If you're a child of the king, there is a spirit within you
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  • That can bring peace no matter the circumstances in which you
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  • Find yourself.
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  • Amen.
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  • Folks, i--we--the church has been inert for too long.
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  • We've imagined ourselves inept.
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  • We have not been aware of the spirit that was--is within us
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  • Or the price that's been paid that we could be ambassadors in
  • 00:10:14.296 --> 00:10:17.099
  • This season.
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  • "let the peace of god rule in your hearts, to which you were
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  • Called in one body; and be thankful.
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  • And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the
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  • Lord jesus, giving thanks to god the father through him."
  • 00:10:29.211 --> 00:10:34.650
  • How do we stand in that peace?
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  • How does it rule in our hearts?
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  • By being thankful.
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  • See, most of us know intuitively, if not consciously,
  • 00:10:41.691 --> 00:10:45.428
  • There's a battle that takes place in our mind, in
  • 00:10:45.428 --> 00:10:47.930
  • Our thoughts.
  • 00:10:47.930 --> 00:10:49.632
  • And there's a corresponding battle that takes place in our
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  • Will and our emotions, tensions.
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  • It's not so often that we don't know the right thing.
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  • We don't wanna do the right thing.
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  • Oh, me too.
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  • It's okay.
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  • Everybody gets really stiff and looks forward...
  • 00:11:03.946 --> 00:11:05.281
  • "i don't know who he's talking to, couldn't be me."
  • 00:11:05.281 --> 00:11:06.816
  • Maybe you know somebody.
  • 00:11:10.352 --> 00:11:11.687
  • I'm gonna guess somebody in your acquaintance sphere that has a
  • 00:11:11.687 --> 00:11:14.757
  • Difficult time doing the right thing.
  • 00:11:14.757 --> 00:11:17.760
  • Still not gonna bite, huh?
  • 00:11:17.760 --> 00:11:20.362
  • "don't even have a friend that does that."
  • 00:11:20.362 --> 00:11:22.631
  • That battle lives within us, and it's not about tenure in the
  • 00:11:22.631 --> 00:11:27.303
  • Body of christ.
  • 00:11:27.303 --> 00:11:28.637
  • You may have been born-again, spirit-filled, bible-reading,
  • 00:11:28.637 --> 00:11:32.074
  • Demon-chasing christian for a long time.
  • 00:11:32.074 --> 00:11:33.909
  • We still battle that, have that conflict in our mind.
  • 00:11:33.909 --> 00:11:37.179
  • Jesus had that turmoil in his own mind in gethsemane.
  • 00:11:37.179 --> 00:11:40.649
  • "god, i don't wanna do this.
  • 00:11:40.649 --> 00:11:43.119
  • Nevertheless, i'll do what you ask."
  • 00:11:43.119 --> 00:11:47.389
  • Allen: hey, i sat down with my father recently, did a podcast.
  • 00:11:51.594 --> 00:11:54.730
  • He told the story of how he came to faith, how god transformed
  • 00:11:54.730 --> 00:11:57.333
  • Our family, they started a home bible study--all the way up to
  • 00:11:57.333 --> 00:12:00.102
  • The beginning of this church that i've served now
  • 00:12:00.102 --> 00:12:02.238
  • For decades.
  • 00:12:02.238 --> 00:12:03.606
  • As i listened, the heart of it was the work of the holy spirit
  • 00:12:03.606 --> 00:12:06.041
  • In his life and through his life.
  • 00:12:06.041 --> 00:12:08.144
  • I asked him to do a book around the topic, and we have it so
  • 00:12:08.144 --> 00:12:11.614
  • That you can invite the spirit of god to be the dynamic
  • 00:12:11.614 --> 00:12:14.517
  • Presence of the power of god to bring change in life and hope,
  • 00:12:14.517 --> 00:12:18.687
  • No matter what the circumstances.
  • 00:12:18.687 --> 00:12:20.489
  • You'll enjoy the book.
  • 00:12:20.489 --> 00:12:21.824
  • Female announcer: experience the holy spirit in a deeper way with
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  • This new book by pastor allen's dad, "the eternal breath
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  • Of life."
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  • Request your copy when you donate any amount today.
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  • And when you gift $50 or more, you can also request "unleashing
  • 00:12:31.767 --> 00:12:35.704
  • The power of the holy spirit."
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  • It's a collection of pastor allen's sermons that will help
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  • You understand the holy spirit in new ways.
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  • Request yours today at allenjackson.com or
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  • By calling...
  • 00:12:46.282 --> 00:12:48.184
  • Allen: so, how do we engage that?
  • 00:12:51.987 --> 00:12:53.355
  • How do we overcome that?
  • 00:12:53.355 --> 00:12:54.690
  • How do we turn that back?
  • 00:12:54.690 --> 00:12:56.058
  • Well, we have some choices at that point.
  • 00:12:56.058 --> 00:12:57.860
  • We can recalibrate.
  • 00:12:57.860 --> 00:12:59.195
  • We can use secular definitions.
  • 00:12:59.195 --> 00:13:02.531
  • Or we'll extrapolate.
  • 00:13:02.531 --> 00:13:03.866
  • We'll kind of extend ourselves some personal grace and liberty,
  • 00:13:03.866 --> 00:13:07.636
  • And we'll cheat around the edges.
  • 00:13:07.636 --> 00:13:11.240
  • Those are all options.
  • 00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:13.242
  • Or we can take the biblical prescription and say, you know,
  • 00:13:13.242 --> 00:13:15.277
  • One of the ways to turn back-- to turn down the volume on those
  • 00:13:15.277 --> 00:13:18.914
  • Dissenting voices is to begin to give expression to gratitude.
  • 00:13:18.914 --> 00:13:21.650
  • "god, i thank you today."
  • 00:13:21.650 --> 00:13:23.786
  • The voice says, "you know, you can't believe your bible.
  • 00:13:23.786 --> 00:13:25.921
  • It's hard to understand."
  • 00:13:25.921 --> 00:13:27.256
  • "god, i thank you for your word.
  • 00:13:27.256 --> 00:13:29.358
  • Thank you that it's available to me, that i can read it, that
  • 00:13:29.358 --> 00:13:31.327
  • It's in a language i can understand, that i can get a
  • 00:13:31.327 --> 00:13:33.395
  • Translation that's at grade level i can get.
  • 00:13:33.395 --> 00:13:36.832
  • God, i thank you, and i'll begin to use my thoughts and my words
  • 00:13:36.832 --> 00:13:41.770
  • To address that battle that's taking place inside of me.
  • 00:13:41.770 --> 00:13:45.407
  • God, i wanna honor you.
  • 00:13:45.407 --> 00:13:46.775
  • God, i wanna do what's right before you.
  • 00:13:46.775 --> 00:13:48.277
  • I wanna walk uprightly before you.
  • 00:13:48.277 --> 00:13:49.979
  • I choose you today.
  • 00:13:49.979 --> 00:13:53.549
  • I want the thoughts of my heart, the meditations--i want the
  • 00:13:53.549 --> 00:13:56.352
  • Things i think about and the things i do to be pleasing in
  • 00:13:56.352 --> 00:13:58.754
  • Your sight.
  • 00:13:58.754 --> 00:14:00.089
  • I'll begin to say it out loud.
  • 00:14:00.089 --> 00:14:01.457
  • I gotta push back on that junk."
  • 00:14:01.457 --> 00:14:04.460
  • Why?
  • 00:14:07.696 --> 00:14:09.031
  • Because i need the peace of god to rule in my heart.
  • 00:14:09.031 --> 00:14:12.534
  • I intend to follow a different compass.
  • 00:14:12.534 --> 00:14:16.171
  • My future is not charted by the strength of the us dollar.
  • 00:14:16.171 --> 00:14:20.542
  • My hope doesn't depend upon who happens to occupy
  • 00:14:20.542 --> 00:14:22.945
  • Pennsylvania avenue.
  • 00:14:22.945 --> 00:14:24.980
  • Oh, i understand all of those things make a difference, they
  • 00:14:24.980 --> 00:14:26.949
  • Have influences in my life, but they aren't gonna steal
  • 00:14:26.949 --> 00:14:29.485
  • My peace.
  • 00:14:29.485 --> 00:14:31.820
  • The bible says we have a peace which passes understanding.
  • 00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:36.992
  • See, we've tried to self-insure.
  • 00:14:36.992 --> 00:14:40.829
  • You know the phrase: not to be dependent on an
  • 00:14:40.829 --> 00:14:44.633
  • Outside provider.
  • 00:14:44.633 --> 00:14:47.403
  • You don't wanna have to use an outside lender.
  • 00:14:47.403 --> 00:14:50.072
  • You don't wanna have to use an outside safety net.
  • 00:14:50.072 --> 00:14:52.308
  • You wanna self-insure your life.
  • 00:14:52.308 --> 00:14:53.642
  • You wanna be able to deal with whatever tragedy might come,
  • 00:14:53.642 --> 00:14:55.778
  • Whatever might--you wanna have the ability to offset the
  • 00:14:55.778 --> 00:14:58.347
  • Negative impact, be independent.
  • 00:14:58.347 --> 00:15:02.618
  • You know that's not a new idea.
  • 00:15:02.618 --> 00:15:05.220
  • That's not a 21st-century great idea from very astute planners.
  • 00:15:05.220 --> 00:15:11.327
  • That's an idea from the pit of hell.
  • 00:15:11.327 --> 00:15:14.330
  • It goes back to the opening chapters of genesis.
  • 00:15:14.330 --> 00:15:16.432
  • I'm not opposed to affluence, folks.
  • 00:15:16.432 --> 00:15:18.133
  • I don't mean that.
  • 00:15:18.133 --> 00:15:19.702
  • But the great temptation way back in the garden, back in
  • 00:15:19.702 --> 00:15:22.071
  • Those opening chapters of your bible--you know, all the times
  • 00:15:22.071 --> 00:15:24.173
  • You said you were gonna read your bible, you got through this
  • 00:15:24.173 --> 00:15:26.041
  • Part of the story.
  • 00:15:26.041 --> 00:15:28.410
  • Usually, we made it to at least genesis 5. and what did
  • 00:15:28.410 --> 00:15:32.581
  • Satan say?
  • 00:15:32.581 --> 00:15:34.783
  • "you can be like god.
  • 00:15:34.783 --> 00:15:37.386
  • You can be like god."
  • 00:15:37.386 --> 00:15:39.355
  • See, the reality is we're dependent upon our creator.
  • 00:15:39.355 --> 00:15:42.691
  • We can't save ourselves.
  • 00:15:42.691 --> 00:15:44.760
  • We can't deliver ourselves.
  • 00:15:44.760 --> 00:15:47.296
  • We can't.
  • 00:15:47.296 --> 00:15:48.630
  • Life is filled with things that we can't resolve.
  • 00:15:48.630 --> 00:15:52.434
  • I like good planning.
  • 00:15:52.434 --> 00:15:53.769
  • I like good preparation.
  • 00:15:53.769 --> 00:15:55.104
  • I'm a planner.
  • 00:15:55.104 --> 00:15:56.472
  • I'm all for that stuff, but i wanna live in a place where my
  • 00:15:56.472 --> 00:15:58.507
  • Planning and my preparation is inadequate.
  • 00:15:58.507 --> 00:16:00.409
  • The purposes of god are greater than what i can do on my own.
  • 00:16:00.409 --> 00:16:03.946
  • I wanna follow him.
  • 00:16:03.946 --> 00:16:05.314
  • I wanna serve him.
  • 00:16:05.314 --> 00:16:08.017
  • I want to be a greater purpose in his life.
  • 00:16:08.017 --> 00:16:09.685
  • So, i need to know how to live in the peace of god.
  • 00:16:09.685 --> 00:16:12.454
  • And it begins--it's unleashed by thankfulness.
  • 00:16:12.454 --> 00:16:15.290
  • 1 thessalonians 5:16, "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in
  • 00:16:15.290 --> 00:16:20.262
  • Everything give thanks; for this is the will of god in christ
  • 00:16:20.262 --> 00:16:23.732
  • Jesus for you."
  • 00:16:23.732 --> 00:16:25.300
  • Doesn't say that everything that happens to you is god's will
  • 00:16:25.300 --> 00:16:27.369
  • For you.
  • 00:16:27.369 --> 00:16:28.937
  • It says, "no matter what happens to you, you can be thankful."
  • 00:16:28.937 --> 00:16:32.341
  • You can be thankful to the lor-- doesn't mean you have to be
  • 00:16:32.341 --> 00:16:34.143
  • Thankful for every outcome.
  • 00:16:34.143 --> 00:16:36.678
  • But in the midst of everything that's happening, you go, "god,
  • 00:16:36.678 --> 00:16:38.847
  • I know that you love me."
  • 00:16:38.847 --> 00:16:41.116
  • In the darkest times of my life, when i felt like my faith really
  • 00:16:41.116 --> 00:16:45.654
  • Was hanging by a thread and i couldn't conceive of anything
  • 00:16:45.654 --> 00:16:49.091
  • That i could really give thanks to god for, i would stand in the
  • 00:16:49.091 --> 00:16:53.362
  • Fields at night and thank him for the attributes of his
  • 00:16:53.362 --> 00:16:55.697
  • Character that i was conscious of.
  • 00:16:55.697 --> 00:16:58.333
  • "god, i thank you that you're a faithful god.
  • 00:16:58.333 --> 00:17:01.370
  • I don't feel it right now, but i know you are.
  • 00:17:01.370 --> 00:17:04.740
  • God, i know you're a merciful god.
  • 00:17:04.740 --> 00:17:06.108
  • It doesn't feel that way to me right now, but i know you're a
  • 00:17:06.108 --> 00:17:07.976
  • Merciful god."
  • 00:17:07.976 --> 00:17:09.745
  • And i would, verbally, out loud so i could hear it, i would take
  • 00:17:09.745 --> 00:17:12.781
  • The attributes of god's character and i would thank him
  • 00:17:12.781 --> 00:17:15.884
  • For that.
  • 00:17:15.884 --> 00:17:17.252
  • It was--at the moment, it was all i had.
  • 00:17:17.252 --> 00:17:19.388
  • Paul's writing to the church at thessalonica, and he's saying,
  • 00:17:19.388 --> 00:17:21.757
  • "rejoice always, pray without ceasing."
  • 00:17:21.757 --> 00:17:25.227
  • "okay, well, how do you do that?
  • 00:17:25.227 --> 00:17:26.562
  • How do i do my job and never stop praying?"
  • 00:17:26.562 --> 00:17:29.731
  • I read something that's along that line that was intriguing
  • 00:17:29.731 --> 00:17:32.668
  • To me.
  • 00:17:32.668 --> 00:17:34.036
  • It says, "never come to the end of praying."
  • 00:17:34.036 --> 00:17:36.171
  • Never come to the end of praying.
  • 00:17:36.171 --> 00:17:37.573
  • You know, there's a segment within the church that's just
  • 00:17:37.573 --> 00:17:39.007
  • Like, "well, i prayed once and i believe.
  • 00:17:39.007 --> 00:17:40.342
  • So, i don't pray anymore."
  • 00:17:40.342 --> 00:17:41.710
  • Oh, stop it.
  • 00:17:41.710 --> 00:17:43.745
  • Never come to the end of praying.
  • 00:17:47.449 --> 00:17:49.685
  • Never pray for more than 30 minutes, but never go 30 minutes
  • 00:17:49.685 --> 00:17:52.354
  • Without praying.
  • 00:17:52.354 --> 00:17:54.423
  • That's a pretty good rule of thumb.
  • 00:17:54.423 --> 00:17:57.192
  • It kind of gets us out of the middle of "you know, well,
  • 00:17:57.192 --> 00:17:58.927
  • I prayed for 11 hours."
  • 00:17:58.927 --> 00:18:01.930
  • Well, that's good.
  • 00:18:01.930 --> 00:18:03.265
  • I'm an advocate for prayer.
  • 00:18:03.265 --> 00:18:05.334
  • But i can live with that little formula, kind of a
  • 00:18:05.334 --> 00:18:07.169
  • 30-minute limit.
  • 00:18:07.169 --> 00:18:09.171
  • Thirty minutes, i'll take a break.
  • 00:18:09.171 --> 00:18:11.039
  • But i'm not going more than 30 minutes without re-engaging.
  • 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:16.411
  • There's a third instruction given to the church in
  • 00:18:16.411 --> 00:18:18.046
  • Philippians 4. it says, "don't be anxious about anything, but
  • 00:18:18.046 --> 00:18:21.550
  • In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
  • 00:18:21.550 --> 00:18:24.419
  • Present your requests to god."
  • 00:18:24.419 --> 00:18:26.889
  • Thankfulness dispels anxiety.
  • 00:18:26.889 --> 00:18:30.392
  • Some of us have the spiritual gift of worry.
  • 00:18:30.392 --> 00:18:32.161
  • I didn't say what spirit it was a gift of, but some of us have
  • 00:18:35.397 --> 00:18:37.666
  • The spiritual gift of worry.
  • 00:18:37.666 --> 00:18:39.968
  • And then, you know, we know that jesus said not to worry.
  • 00:18:39.968 --> 00:18:42.271
  • I mean, he said it multiple times in the sermon on the
  • 00:18:42.271 --> 00:18:44.206
  • Mount: "do not worry."
  • 00:18:44.206 --> 00:18:45.574
  • And we kind of know that, and so we don't really wanna say,
  • 00:18:45.574 --> 00:18:48.243
  • "i'm worried."
  • 00:18:48.243 --> 00:18:49.578
  • So, we put it in spiritual language.
  • 00:18:49.578 --> 00:18:51.713
  • You know, we're really good at that in the church.
  • 00:18:51.713 --> 00:18:54.449
  • We don't very often walk in here, "oh, i'm having a real
  • 00:18:54.449 --> 00:18:56.251
  • Struggle with sin."
  • 00:18:56.251 --> 00:18:58.987
  • We'll come and say, "you know, i have a burden."
  • 00:18:58.987 --> 00:19:03.192
  • Oh, you mean you're worried?
  • 00:19:03.192 --> 00:19:04.560
  • "no!
  • 00:19:04.560 --> 00:19:05.894
  • I'm not worried."
  • 00:19:05.894 --> 00:19:08.630
  • We kind of expand our vocabulary words.
  • 00:19:08.630 --> 00:19:12.935
  • But worry will paralyze you.
  • 00:19:12.935 --> 00:19:16.104
  • The old english word for worry means to choke.
  • 00:19:16.104 --> 00:19:20.943
  • Worry will choke off your air, it'll shrink your capacity,
  • 00:19:20.943 --> 00:19:25.013
  • It'll force you into delay.
  • 00:19:25.013 --> 00:19:28.183
  • And thankfulness will dispel anxiety.
  • 00:19:28.183 --> 00:19:32.020
  • Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and
  • 00:19:32.020 --> 00:19:34.957
  • Petition, with thanksgiving, prese--get your request to god.
  • 00:19:34.957 --> 00:19:41.063
  • See, the simple act of saying thank you to the lord will
  • 00:19:41.063 --> 00:19:44.032
  • Diminish the influence of worry in your thoughts and
  • 00:19:44.032 --> 00:19:46.268
  • Your emotions.
  • 00:19:46.268 --> 00:19:48.237
  • So, you need, on a regular basis, like, every day, like,
  • 00:19:48.237 --> 00:19:50.806
  • You take medicine morning, noon, and night, or morning and
  • 00:19:50.806 --> 00:19:53.842
  • Evening or whatever schedule you may have ever been familiar
  • 00:19:53.842 --> 00:19:56.445
  • With--every 4 hours.
  • 00:19:56.445 --> 00:19:59.548
  • You know, if you're in the hospital and you have pain
  • 00:19:59.548 --> 00:20:02.384
  • Issues, it's very--they'll come in and ask you about your pain.
  • 00:20:02.384 --> 00:20:04.853
  • "you know, on a scale of one to ten, how are you doing?"
  • 00:20:04.853 --> 00:20:08.156
  • And then their response to you is gonna be based on how you
  • 00:20:08.156 --> 00:20:10.859
  • Respond to your pain threshold-- what kind of meds you get, the
  • 00:20:10.859 --> 00:20:13.262
  • Good stuff or not so much.
  • 00:20:13.262 --> 00:20:16.965
  • Well, start to live your life with that "to what extent is
  • 00:20:16.965 --> 00:20:19.301
  • Anxiety a presence in my heart?
  • 00:20:19.301 --> 00:20:21.803
  • To what extent am i carrying that?"
  • 00:20:21.803 --> 00:20:23.905
  • And i'm not talking about your ignoring it.
  • 00:20:23.905 --> 00:20:25.440
  • I meet a whole group of people that have taken the
  • 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.042
  • Ostrich approach.
  • 00:20:27.042 --> 00:20:29.244
  • "you know, i just don't think about that.
  • 00:20:29.244 --> 00:20:30.579
  • I don't pay any attention.
  • 00:20:30.579 --> 00:20:31.913
  • I don't watch the news.
  • 00:20:31.913 --> 00:20:33.282
  • I don't like to talk about that.
  • 00:20:33.282 --> 00:20:34.616
  • Oh, god will deal with that."
  • 00:20:34.616 --> 00:20:35.984
  • Folks, if you take the clear teaching of scripture and you
  • 00:20:35.984 --> 00:20:38.220
  • Ignore it, all you've done is raised your hand and say, "i
  • 00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:41.923
  • Vote for judgment."
  • 00:20:41.923 --> 00:20:44.259
  • I'm not talking about ignoring the truth as a pattern to peace.
  • 00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:48.230
  • I'm talking about recognizing fully what's happening in the
  • 00:20:48.230 --> 00:20:50.866
  • World around us, and, in spite of that, "i'm going to choose on
  • 00:20:50.866 --> 00:20:54.303
  • A very regular basis to pause and say, 'god, i wanna
  • 00:20:54.303 --> 00:20:57.306
  • Thank you.
  • 00:20:57.306 --> 00:20:58.674
  • You gave me breath this morning.
  • 00:20:58.674 --> 00:21:01.343
  • God, i thank you that you've given me the strength to
  • 00:21:01.343 --> 00:21:03.011
  • Me today.
  • 00:21:03.011 --> 00:21:04.379
  • God, i thank you that there are places i can go and worship you.
  • 00:21:04.379 --> 00:21:07.382
  • God, i thank you that i've got a bible to read.
  • 00:21:07.382 --> 00:21:09.251
  • God, i thank you that your spirit lives within me.
  • 00:21:09.251 --> 00:21:11.320
  • I've got food to eat today, god.
  • 00:21:11.320 --> 00:21:14.389
  • Lord, you have been so good to me.
  • 00:21:14.389 --> 00:21:16.058
  • I wanna praise you.
  • 00:21:16.058 --> 00:21:17.759
  • I wanna give thank you.
  • 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:20.128
  • I want it to come out of me.
  • 00:21:20.128 --> 00:21:21.463
  • I don't want it just to bounce around inside of me, 'cause i
  • 00:21:21.463 --> 00:21:23.398
  • Need to push back on all that other stuff.'"
  • 00:21:23.398 --> 00:21:27.903
  • And then you--if you'll gain a little momentum in that, you
  • 00:21:27.903 --> 00:21:31.106
  • Start to read the psalms, and the psalmist said that "the
  • 00:21:31.106 --> 00:21:34.209
  • Rulers of the earth gather together with their plots
  • 00:21:34.209 --> 00:21:36.778
  • Against our king, and the lord looks from heaven and
  • 00:21:36.778 --> 00:21:41.516
  • He laughs."
  • 00:21:41.516 --> 00:21:43.485
  • And i'll start to laugh, and i'll go, "well, god, if you're
  • 00:21:43.485 --> 00:21:45.454
  • Laughing, i'm gonna laugh.
  • 00:21:45.454 --> 00:21:48.190
  • I hear the ayatollahs, and i hear this and i hear that.
  • 00:21:48.190 --> 00:21:51.226
  • But, god, if you're laughing, i'm gonna chuckle.
  • 00:21:51.226 --> 00:21:54.896
  • God, i thank you."
  • 00:21:54.896 --> 00:21:57.766
  • You see, i think we've been way too passive because we haven't
  • 00:21:57.766 --> 00:22:01.536
  • Really trusted the lord.
  • 00:22:01.536 --> 00:22:03.772
  • Say, "well, pastor, you know, i did that for two days."
  • 00:22:03.772 --> 00:22:07.376
  • I understand.
  • 00:22:07.376 --> 00:22:08.710
  • I've been on that diet before.
  • 00:22:08.710 --> 00:22:11.680
  • You know, somebody told me about some great weight loss plan they
  • 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:14.149
  • Were on, you know, intermittent fasting.
  • 00:22:14.149 --> 00:22:19.020
  • We're gonna eat for 4 hours and fast for 20.
  • 00:22:19.020 --> 00:22:23.558
  • I tried it.
  • 00:22:23.558 --> 00:22:24.893
  • I ate for the four hours, and then i got about six hours into
  • 00:22:24.893 --> 00:22:32.134
  • It, and i thought, "nah, it's not for me."
  • 00:22:32.134 --> 00:22:35.370
  • But i still weighed--you know what?
  • 00:22:35.370 --> 00:22:36.705
  • I didn't lose a pound.
  • 00:22:36.705 --> 00:22:39.241
  • And, you know, it's like we try this stuff for a moment or two.
  • 00:22:39.241 --> 00:22:42.778
  • We go, "well, nothing happened."
  • 00:22:42.778 --> 00:22:45.414
  • Folks, significant change in our lives comes from the discipline
  • 00:22:45.414 --> 00:22:49.785
  • To apply truth over a bit of a period of time.
  • 00:22:49.785 --> 00:22:55.290
  • And my dad was a veterinarian.
  • 00:22:55.290 --> 00:22:56.625
  • You know that i said we grew up in the vet clinic, and we used
  • 00:22:56.625 --> 00:22:58.627
  • To dispense medication, and we were usually working the desk,
  • 00:22:58.627 --> 00:23:00.929
  • And we were the ones that took the calls, and people would call
  • 00:23:00.929 --> 00:23:03.965
  • And say, "you know, the medicine your dad--the doctor gave me
  • 00:23:03.965 --> 00:23:07.335
  • For my puppy."
  • 00:23:07.335 --> 00:23:10.005
  • We'd pull up the file.
  • 00:23:10.005 --> 00:23:11.339
  • "yes, i got that here."
  • 00:23:11.339 --> 00:23:12.707
  • And he said, "well, i was supposed to give one tablet
  • 00:23:12.707 --> 00:23:14.176
  • Every four hours for six days."
  • 00:23:14.176 --> 00:23:18.980
  • He said, "i gave him three tablets, and he was doing
  • 00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:21.249
  • So well.
  • 00:23:21.249 --> 00:23:23.385
  • I wanted him to get better faster.
  • 00:23:23.385 --> 00:23:26.221
  • So, i gave him all the tablets."
  • 00:23:26.221 --> 00:23:30.592
  • I groaned on the phone.
  • 00:23:30.592 --> 00:23:33.261
  • But we get impatient.
  • 00:23:33.261 --> 00:23:34.729
  • We wanna microwave the answer.
  • 00:23:34.729 --> 00:23:37.833
  • And if i tell you about that, a puppy and pills, you'll groan.
  • 00:23:37.833 --> 00:23:40.302
  • But we do it with the lord.
  • 00:23:40.302 --> 00:23:41.636
  • "lord, you know, i've been grateful for two days."
  • 00:23:41.636 --> 00:23:43.839
  • [congregation laughing]
  • 00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:48.977
  • "i knew that pastor was just trying to mess me up."
  • 00:23:48.977 --> 00:23:54.316
  • I'm--
  • 00:23:54.316 --> 00:23:57.285
  • Let's talk about some of the functions of thankfulness for
  • 00:23:57.285 --> 00:23:59.154
  • A minute.
  • 00:23:59.154 --> 00:24:00.655
  • If i go down that rabbit trail, we'll never come back.
  • 00:24:00.655 --> 00:24:04.159
  • Thankfulness provides access to god.
  • 00:24:04.159 --> 00:24:06.394
  • I want you to, for a moment, thankfulness provides access to
  • 00:24:06.394 --> 00:24:09.531
  • God, to god.
  • 00:24:09.531 --> 00:24:14.069
  • Psalm 100, it's a familiar passage: "shout to the joy--
  • 00:24:14.069 --> 00:24:16.838
  • Shout for joy to the lord, all the earth.
  • 00:24:16.838 --> 00:24:19.474
  • Worship the lord with gladness; come before him with
  • 00:24:19.474 --> 00:24:21.376
  • Joyful songs.
  • 00:24:21.376 --> 00:24:22.744
  • Know that the lord is god.
  • 00:24:22.744 --> 00:24:24.279
  • It's he who made us, and we're his."
  • 00:24:24.279 --> 00:24:27.182
  • There's so much in this.
  • 00:24:27.182 --> 00:24:29.050
  • Know that the lord is god.
  • 00:24:29.050 --> 00:24:30.385
  • He made us.
  • 00:24:30.385 --> 00:24:31.753
  • Do you understand how many voices shout at you every day
  • 00:24:31.753 --> 00:24:33.522
  • That "god's not the creator"?
  • 00:24:33.522 --> 00:24:35.357
  • You need to shout back with the word of god.
  • 00:24:39.261 --> 00:24:42.297
  • "god, i thank you that you made us.
  • 00:24:42.297 --> 00:24:45.867
  • We're yours, we're the--we're your people, we're the sheep of
  • 00:24:45.867 --> 00:24:49.404
  • Your pasture."
  • 00:24:49.404 --> 00:24:50.839
  • Verse 4, we enter in your gates with thanksgiving and your
  • 00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:56.478
  • Courts with praise.
  • 00:24:56.478 --> 00:24:57.846
  • Give thanks to him and praise his name.
  • 00:24:57.846 --> 00:24:59.981
  • For the lord is good, and his love endures forever, and his
  • 00:24:59.981 --> 00:25:02.384
  • Faithfulness continues through all generations.
  • 00:25:02.384 --> 00:25:05.186
  • Verse 5 gives us three very specific reasons for this
  • 00:25:05.186 --> 00:25:08.189
  • Thankfulness that brings us into the presence of god.
  • 00:25:08.189 --> 00:25:11.293
  • And these are true even if circumstances are difficult.
  • 00:25:11.293 --> 00:25:13.628
  • It said, "the lord is good, his love endures forever, and his
  • 00:25:13.628 --> 00:25:17.933
  • Faithfulness continues through all generations."
  • 00:25:17.933 --> 00:25:21.369
  • Doesn't mean we don't go through difficult places.
  • 00:25:21.369 --> 00:25:24.673
  • Doesn't mean we don't have challenges.
  • 00:25:24.673 --> 00:25:26.641
  • But in the midst of all of those, i can be thankful that
  • 00:25:26.641 --> 00:25:28.944
  • The lord is good.
  • 00:25:28.944 --> 00:25:30.278
  • If he was vengeful, i'd be dust.
  • 00:25:30.278 --> 00:25:33.114
  • If he wasn't graceful, i wouldn't exist.
  • 00:25:33.114 --> 00:25:36.418
  • If he wasn't merciful, i wouldn't be here.
  • 00:25:36.418 --> 00:25:39.554
  • But the lord is good.
  • 00:25:39.554 --> 00:25:41.656
  • You know, you can spend the entire day saying, "lord, i
  • 00:25:41.656 --> 00:25:43.758
  • Wanna thank you for your goodness."
  • 00:25:43.758 --> 00:25:46.094
  • Start a goodness list.
  • 00:25:46.094 --> 00:25:49.064
  • Your first dozen or so entries will be kind of difficult, but
  • 00:25:49.064 --> 00:25:51.666
  • If you'll do that and spend the day saying, "lord, i wanna thank
  • 00:25:51.666 --> 00:25:54.002
  • You for your goodness," you'll be amazed at how it will
  • 00:25:54.002 --> 00:25:56.438
  • Break through.
  • 00:25:56.438 --> 00:25:58.106
  • The goodness of god in our lives.
  • 00:25:58.106 --> 00:26:03.011
  • His love endures.
  • 00:26:03.011 --> 00:26:04.346
  • It doesn't diminish.
  • 00:26:04.346 --> 00:26:06.214
  • And his faithfulness continues through every generation.
  • 00:26:06.214 --> 00:26:11.152
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:11.152 --> 00:26:17.592
  • Allen: being a christ follower is not as much about an
  • 00:26:17.592 --> 00:26:20.061
  • Experience and a completed activity, a prayer, a visit to
  • 00:26:20.061 --> 00:26:23.565
  • An altar, a response to an evangelist.
  • 00:26:23.565 --> 00:26:26.735
  • It's certainly a beginning point of welcoming jesus into your
  • 00:26:26.735 --> 00:26:29.371
  • Heart, but it's a life that we lead so we continue to grow and
  • 00:26:29.371 --> 00:26:33.008
  • Learn and gain strength.
  • 00:26:33.008 --> 00:26:34.876
  • As life presents challenges, we get to know god in a new way.
  • 00:26:34.876 --> 00:26:38.213
  • Well, i believe this book about the holy spirit is a tool to
  • 00:26:38.213 --> 00:26:41.650
  • Help you gain a new momentum to grow through the things in your
  • 00:26:41.650 --> 00:26:45.520
  • Life under the direction of the power of the spirit of god.
  • 00:26:45.520 --> 00:26:48.823
  • Folks, we're not gonna outwork evil or outthink evil.
  • 00:26:48.823 --> 00:26:51.426
  • We're not gonna out organize evil.
  • 00:26:51.426 --> 00:26:53.294
  • The only thing evil will yield to is a power greater than
  • 00:26:53.294 --> 00:26:56.131
  • Itself, and that power is the spirit of god that you and me
  • 00:26:56.131 --> 00:27:00.435
  • Manifest in the earth through people of faith.
  • 00:27:00.435 --> 00:27:03.371
  • We're salt and light.
  • 00:27:03.371 --> 00:27:04.706
  • We're change agents.
  • 00:27:04.706 --> 00:27:06.074
  • I wanna pray.
  • 00:27:06.074 --> 00:27:07.409
  • Heavenly father, give us a discernment to recognize your
  • 00:27:07.409 --> 00:27:10.311
  • Spirit, how we can welcome him into our lives and cooperate
  • 00:27:10.311 --> 00:27:13.581
  • With him to bring your breakthroughs into our lives,
  • 00:27:13.581 --> 00:27:16.284
  • Our homes, and our churches.
  • 00:27:16.284 --> 00:27:18.420
  • Jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:19.921
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:21.056 --> 00:27:30.001