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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - God's Provision, His Powerful Spirit (Part 1)

September 30, 2025 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - God's Provision, His Powerful Spirit (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#HandofGod #Provision #Spirit #PresenceofGod #Anxiety #Lies #Deception #Truth #Secular #Culture #Focus #SeekGod #Holiness

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - God's Provision, His Powerful Spirit (Part 1) | September 30, 2025
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: you know, i'm of the opinion that professional
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  • Christians like myself, we tend to make
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  • Christianity too difficult.
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  • We use big words and big concepts, you know, we'll talk
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  • About hermeneutics and homiletics and exegetical
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  • Specificity and reading the koine greek and the masoretic
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  • Hebrew and, you know, i've studied a lot and i understand
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  • The words and i could probably even come up with some
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  • Definitions, but in reality i don't think our faith is
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  • That complicated.
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  • Well, i've written a new book that's really, at the heart,
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  • It's a concept that changed my life and it's changed my
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  • Relationship with the lord.
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  • It's, "my friend jesus."
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  • See, i think you and i know how to be a friend.
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  • We know what we want from a friend, we know what our friends
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  • Imagine is appropriate from us.
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  • Well, i wanna be jesus's friend.
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  • I wanna do things that make him smile.
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  • I don't wanna be involved with things that make him angry.
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  • When he sees me, i want it to be a pleasant interaction.
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  • I wanna be jesus's friend.
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  • It'll change your faith.
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  • I believe this book will help open a whole new door in your
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  • Relationship with the lord.
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  • It'll be a blessing to you.
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  • Allen: i began a new series in a previous session, really focused
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  • On the spirit of god and particularly the manifestations
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  • Of the spirit of god in the midst of his people.
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  • The premise is simple: i don't believe we can fulfill god's
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  • Purposes for our lives without the demonstration of the power
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  • Of god, which means the presence of the spirit of god.
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  • And while we have much language around it, we have very small
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  • Intent around it and, at least in this place, we intend to
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  • Change that.
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  • My expectation is that when we gather in any setting, at any
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  • Time, in any way, that we count on, are dependent upon, the
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  • Presence of the spirit of god and his power.
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  • We need outcomes we can't deliver with our own
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  • Organization, our own thoughts, our own planning.
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  • I'm for all those things, but i won't settle for outcomes if it
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  • Can be defined as a sum total of our planning ability, our
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  • Ability to execute a plan or our thoughtful preparation.
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  • All those things, again, are necessary, but we need the
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  • Presence of the spirit of god and the power that comes
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  • With that.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • So i'm gonna start with where i think the greatest opportunity
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  • Is, and perhaps the most necessary opportunity is, in
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  • Training the children.
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  • In ecclesiastes chapter 11 and verse 10, it's an
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  • Interesting verse.
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  • I looked at it in several translations and even some
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  • Original language, which i won't take you through all of that,
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  • But the premise is valuable.
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  • It says: "banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the
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  • Troubles of your body, for youth," and that, the words here
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  • Have a couple of ways they can be translated.
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  • That's normal with translation.
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  • "youth" perhaps most literally would be childhood.
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  • It's not teenagers.
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  • The implication is for a younger child, so your childhood, "and
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  • Vigor," it literally--it's the prime of life.
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  • "that childhood and the prime of life are meaningless."
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  • The old english word, if you think in king james english,
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  • As i still do sometimes, is "vanity."
  • 00:02:55.425 --> 00:02:58.895
  • But the current contemporary meaning of vanity has to do with
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  • Pride in your appearance typically.
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  • And that's not the way it was used in the times when the
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  • Scripture was translated, and the most literal meanings of
  • 00:03:08.871 --> 00:03:12.275
  • Vanity is to be meaningless, empty, insignificant.
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  • But the point of the phrase is to not be caught up in your
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  • Physical condition and the changes that come with aging,
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  • 'cause there are some of those.
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  • "for childhood and the prime of life are meaningless."
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  • Now, that's a pretty sharp contrast to the
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  • World we live in.
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  • There's so much attention paid to the different generations and
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  • The characteristics and the thoughts and the patterns and
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  • The behaviors, and i mean, it's a whole--it's an area of the
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  • Social sciences.
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  • It dominates marketing.
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  • I mean, it's a deal, but the biblical counsel to us is that
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  • The distinctions between childhood and old age are, for
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  • The most part, meaningless.
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  • It happens really quickly.
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  • You're gonna move through those seasons and, as much as we may
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  • Imagine each one of us are unique and different, human
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  • Character is not truly that different from generation
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  • To generation.
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  • Fashion keeps cycling, folks.
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  • I've been here long enough, they keep getting the things
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  • Back out.
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  • And the really important things in our lives are equally real
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  • For children, teenagers, or the oldest amongst us.
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  • Now that's the truth.
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  • If we don't begin to teach our children and train our children
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  • In the most important things in life when they're young, you
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  • Won't be able to train them when they're older.
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  • Children are very capable of responding to the lord, of
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  • Choosing spiritual things.
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  • In most respects, more capable than the adults.
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  • Far more willing to be compliant.
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  • We have to provide spiritual training with the same intensity
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  • That we make available all the other learning opportunities to
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  • Our children.
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  • And this is a place where i think the church has been, and i
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  • Say capital church, church with a big c, not a single
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  • Congregation, but i think broadly the church has missed a
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  • Window of opportunity.
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  • We have surrendered training and learning and--to schools and
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  • Academia and universities, and they don't bring a biblical
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  • Worldview to bear.
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  • And so, our children are growing up without that, and our
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  • Families too often are co-opted by secular values.
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  • Places like the kitchen table where we have a meal together as
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  • A family, a conversation which includes spiritual truth and
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  • Realities, must be a part of the routine of our lives or we're
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  • Forfeiting something.
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  • We're walking past something.
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  • We can't exchange another game, another match, another turn in
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  • The bleachers for the opportunity for our children to
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  • Understand the validity and the meaning of our faith.
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  • It doesn't have to be an either/or proposition.
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  • I'm not suggesting that.
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  • But the pendulum isn't now, at the current time, swinging to
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  • The point where they spend all of their time in church learning
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  • About god.
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  • And we will forfeit something if we fail to do this.
  • 00:06:09.152 --> 00:06:12.021
  • This isn't some subtle thing in scripture.
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  • I like the ecclesiastes passage because it really eliminates
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  • All--so much of these artificial things that we--that
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  • They may be true about marketing.
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  • You may have more assets available to you if you're a
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  • Baby boomer than you do if you're ten.
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  • No, duh.
  • 00:06:30.239 --> 00:06:34.177
  • But the human nature and human character is remarkably
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  • Consistent across all the age barriers in our lives and all
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  • The seasons of our lives.
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  • If you're a dirty young man, you'll be a dirty old man unless
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  • You--god intervenes in your life.
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  • If you're a liar and a thief when you're young, you're gonna
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  • Be an old liar and thief unless you're transformed by the power
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  • Of god.
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  • And we've created these things as a set of tools that i don't
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  • Know are helpful.
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  • Look at ephesians 6:4, "fathers, don't exasperate your children;
  • 00:07:03.406 --> 00:07:06.042
  • Instead, bring them up in the training and the instruction of
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  • The lord."
  • 00:07:09.479 --> 00:07:10.847
  • Very plain language.
  • 00:07:10.847 --> 00:07:12.882
  • Bring your children up in the training and the
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  • Instruction of the lord.
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  • It's not the church's responsibility.
  • 00:07:16.452 --> 00:07:18.054
  • We can join you, we can partner with you, we can be a resource
  • 00:07:18.054 --> 00:07:20.790
  • Or a help, a support, all those things, but the desire for that,
  • 00:07:20.790 --> 00:07:24.894
  • The intent for that, begins in your home.
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  • "well, we're not united in our marriage."
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  • Okay, you can still carry that intent.
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  • "well, it would be easier if my husband or my wife--" okay, i
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  • Got that, but you can do what you can do from the place
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  • You're in.
  • 00:07:38.140 --> 00:07:42.245
  • It would have been easier for me to drive to church this morning
  • 00:07:42.245 --> 00:07:44.013
  • If there weren't fog, but there was fog.
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  • I didn't decide to stay home.
  • 00:07:47.183 --> 00:07:48.518
  • "well, you know, it was foggy.
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  • Y'all play a video, fog's frightening to me."
  • 00:07:51.153 --> 00:07:56.492
  • Train your children.
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  • It's a biblical direction.
  • 00:07:57.827 --> 00:07:59.929
  • 2 timothy 3, paul's writing to a young man.
  • 00:07:59.929 --> 00:08:02.365
  • He's a young adult at this point.
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  • But it's a helpful instruction.
  • 00:08:05.201 --> 00:08:06.569
  • He said, "evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse,
  • 00:08:06.569 --> 00:08:09.906
  • Deceiving and being deceived."
  • 00:08:09.906 --> 00:08:11.674
  • If you practice deception, if you were a deceiver, you will
  • 00:08:11.674 --> 00:08:15.444
  • Fall into deception.
  • 00:08:15.444 --> 00:08:17.680
  • I've observed something, people that are deceptive think they're
  • 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:19.916
  • So smart they're fooling everybody else.
  • 00:08:19.916 --> 00:08:23.519
  • And the longer-term outcome of that is they themselves
  • 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:25.988
  • Become deceived.
  • 00:08:25.988 --> 00:08:28.224
  • They can no longer really navigate true and false.
  • 00:08:28.224 --> 00:08:30.626
  • They fall into their deceptions and everything becomes murky
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  • And unclear.
  • 00:08:33.362 --> 00:08:35.565
  • It's not some great observation, it's biblical principle.
  • 00:08:35.565 --> 00:08:39.035
  • "but as for you, timothy, continue in what you learned,
  • 00:08:39.035 --> 00:08:41.871
  • Have become convinced of, because you know those from whom
  • 00:08:41.871 --> 00:08:45.575
  • You learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy
  • 00:08:45.575 --> 00:08:49.845
  • Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
  • 00:08:49.845 --> 00:08:53.950
  • Through faith in christ jesus."
  • 00:08:53.950 --> 00:08:55.418
  • You've known the scriptures from the time you were a small child.
  • 00:08:55.418 --> 00:08:59.188
  • We've got an assignment, church.
  • 00:08:59.188 --> 00:09:01.424
  • We're gonna have to recapture it.
  • 00:09:01.424 --> 00:09:03.559
  • You know, there were times when we--there was a time when we
  • 00:09:03.559 --> 00:09:05.595
  • Got tremendous reinforcement from the broader culture, from
  • 00:09:05.595 --> 00:09:08.230
  • Broadcast television, from public schools, from even
  • 00:09:08.230 --> 00:09:11.467
  • Universities, and there was a much greater uniformity amongst
  • 00:09:11.467 --> 00:09:15.304
  • Churches and orthodoxy in the place we gave to scripture and
  • 00:09:15.304 --> 00:09:17.940
  • Biblical values.
  • 00:09:17.940 --> 00:09:19.308
  • Well, the world has changed.
  • 00:09:19.308 --> 00:09:20.643
  • We're not in that world anymore.
  • 00:09:20.643 --> 00:09:22.011
  • We don't get that kind of support typically from media
  • 00:09:22.011 --> 00:09:25.014
  • Sources and media outlets and, tragically, we don't even get
  • 00:09:25.014 --> 00:09:27.450
  • That support as uniformly from churches any longer, and very
  • 00:09:27.450 --> 00:09:30.820
  • Seldom does it come from academia.
  • 00:09:30.820 --> 00:09:32.588
  • Unfortunately, even from schools that wear christian labels, they
  • 00:09:32.588 --> 00:09:36.258
  • Are deeply immersed in secular ungodly values.
  • 00:09:36.258 --> 00:09:40.763
  • All of those having been said, it hasn't changed our assignment
  • 00:09:40.763 --> 00:09:43.499
  • One little bit.
  • 00:09:43.499 --> 00:09:45.201
  • We're gonna teach the children.
  • 00:09:45.201 --> 00:09:47.236
  • We're gonna help them grow in godliness and righteousness and
  • 00:09:47.236 --> 00:09:49.605
  • Understand what those boundaries are.
  • 00:09:49.605 --> 00:09:51.507
  • It will make them distinctive, but distinctive in a way that
  • 00:09:51.507 --> 00:09:55.011
  • Will bring the blessings of god to their lives, not weird.
  • 00:09:55.011 --> 00:09:59.081
  • But it starts in the hearts of the adults.
  • 00:09:59.081 --> 00:10:01.217
  • We have to have the desire and the intent for our children to
  • 00:10:01.217 --> 00:10:04.453
  • Be godly, more than we want them to be celebrated by a
  • 00:10:04.453 --> 00:10:07.556
  • Secular culture.
  • 00:10:07.556 --> 00:10:09.925
  • Not easy.
  • 00:10:09.925 --> 00:10:12.261
  • It's not easy because there's a lot of pressures on them and
  • 00:10:12.261 --> 00:10:15.297
  • There's a lot of voices speaking into their lives and they're
  • 00:10:15.297 --> 00:10:17.500
  • Gonna look at you and it's easier just to go with the flow.
  • 00:10:17.500 --> 00:10:20.970
  • It's easier to act like you don't notice and privately teach
  • 00:10:20.970 --> 00:10:23.572
  • Them a little prayer to pray and think, "well, i've done my job."
  • 00:10:23.572 --> 00:10:27.143
  • Well, you've done a part of your job, and i would
  • 00:10:27.143 --> 00:10:28.844
  • Commend you for that.
  • 00:10:28.844 --> 00:10:30.246
  • I didn't come to hand out shame or add another layer of guilt.
  • 00:10:30.246 --> 00:10:32.181
  • I came to tell you there is a way that will bring the blessing
  • 00:10:32.181 --> 00:10:34.784
  • Of god to your life, to your family's life, to your home.
  • 00:10:34.784 --> 00:10:38.187
  • It's doable.
  • 00:10:38.187 --> 00:10:39.789
  • We don't take our cues from a secular godless culture.
  • 00:10:39.789 --> 00:10:43.292
  • Cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
  • 00:10:43.359 --> 00:10:48.397
  • Allen: hey, i've written a new book.
  • 00:10:49.598 --> 00:10:50.966
  • It's called, "my friend jesus."
  • 00:10:50.966 --> 00:10:52.802
  • You know, i'm a pastor, a lot of ritual, tradition, a lot of
  • 00:10:52.802 --> 00:10:56.172
  • Formality in the way we know god.
  • 00:10:56.172 --> 00:10:58.407
  • It's not bad.
  • 00:10:58.407 --> 00:10:59.742
  • There's some good things in that, but when i'm in real
  • 00:10:59.742 --> 00:11:01.577
  • Trouble or i have something i wanna celebrate, i call
  • 00:11:01.577 --> 00:11:03.879
  • A friend.
  • 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:05.214
  • Well, i wanna live my life with jesus of nazareth as my friend.
  • 00:11:05.214 --> 00:11:08.517
  • It changes everything, in both celebration and when there's
  • 00:11:08.517 --> 00:11:11.587
  • A problem.
  • 00:11:11.587 --> 00:11:12.955
  • I wrote the book to help.
  • 00:11:12.955 --> 00:11:14.290
  • I think it'll open your life to god in a more personal,
  • 00:11:14.290 --> 00:11:16.625
  • Transformational way than ever before.
  • 00:11:16.625 --> 00:11:19.261
  • Enjoy the book.
  • 00:11:19.261 --> 00:11:20.596
  • Female announcer: in his book, "my friend jesus," pastor allen
  • 00:11:20.596 --> 00:11:22.965
  • Shares how friendship with jesus brings clarity, strength, and
  • 00:11:22.965 --> 00:11:26.402
  • Peace in every part of life.
  • 00:11:26.402 --> 00:11:28.370
  • This isn't about following a religion or religious rules.
  • 00:11:28.370 --> 00:11:31.640
  • It's about cultivating a cherished relationship that will
  • 00:11:31.640 --> 00:11:34.376
  • Help your faith become more personal, more joyful, and more
  • 00:11:34.376 --> 00:11:37.947
  • Powerful each day.
  • 00:11:37.947 --> 00:11:39.648
  • Request, "my friend jesus," with your donation of $25 or more
  • 00:11:39.648 --> 00:11:43.452
  • Today at allenjackson.com or by calling...
  • 00:11:43.452 --> 00:11:48.491
  • Allen: the portion of this, to do this, and this isn't
  • 00:11:50.092 --> 00:11:51.861
  • Just about the children.
  • 00:11:51.861 --> 00:11:53.195
  • It really begins in the hearts of the adults.
  • 00:11:53.195 --> 00:11:54.530
  • We're gonna have to be willing to have a different system of
  • 00:11:54.530 --> 00:11:56.799
  • Valuation: how we evaluate success, how we evaluate
  • 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:00.770
  • Opportunity, how we evaluate what we will make a sacrifice
  • 00:12:00.770 --> 00:12:03.773
  • For, what's a worthwhile investment of our time, our
  • 00:12:03.773 --> 00:12:06.575
  • Attention, our energy, who is determining those parameters?
  • 00:12:06.575 --> 00:12:10.012
  • It's an important question.
  • 00:12:10.012 --> 00:12:12.615
  • And i'm not gonna fully unpack that with you today, but in luke
  • 00:12:12.615 --> 00:12:15.317
  • 16 in verse 15, jesus is speaking.
  • 00:12:15.317 --> 00:12:17.920
  • He said, "you're the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes
  • 00:12:17.920 --> 00:12:20.456
  • Of men, but god knows your hearts."
  • 00:12:20.456 --> 00:12:21.924
  • He's talking to a very religious group of people, the covenant
  • 00:12:21.924 --> 00:12:25.494
  • People of god.
  • 00:12:25.494 --> 00:12:26.862
  • In a current setting, he'd be talking to religious leaders,
  • 00:12:26.862 --> 00:12:28.697
  • Church leaders.
  • 00:12:28.697 --> 00:12:30.766
  • And his comment to them is not affirming.
  • 00:12:30.766 --> 00:12:34.103
  • In fact, it's very unkind, it's harsh.
  • 00:12:34.103 --> 00:12:37.239
  • He said, "you're the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes
  • 00:12:37.239 --> 00:12:39.708
  • Of men, but god knows your hearts."
  • 00:12:39.708 --> 00:12:43.879
  • But then he gives us, he said, "what is highly valued among men
  • 00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:48.217
  • Is detestable in god's sight."
  • 00:12:48.217 --> 00:12:51.754
  • Now, i'm a pretty simple person.
  • 00:12:51.754 --> 00:12:54.723
  • I like things--i like to be able to explain the things that
  • 00:12:54.723 --> 00:12:56.892
  • I believe to a 3rd grader.
  • 00:12:56.892 --> 00:12:58.561
  • If i can't explain it to a 3rd grader, i don't understand them.
  • 00:12:58.561 --> 00:13:01.497
  • In fact, i'll give you a little clue.
  • 00:13:01.497 --> 00:13:02.832
  • If i'm using big words, i don't know what i'm talking about.
  • 00:13:02.832 --> 00:13:08.003
  • So if you catch me with a lot of hermeneutical, homiletical,
  • 00:13:08.003 --> 00:13:10.539
  • Exegetical something or other, you'll know i'm in the weeds
  • 00:13:10.539 --> 00:13:14.076
  • Looking for an off ramp.
  • 00:13:14.076 --> 00:13:18.447
  • But here's the challenge to what jesus said.
  • 00:13:18.447 --> 00:13:20.783
  • We have--he said god holds as detestable what the present age
  • 00:13:20.783 --> 00:13:27.623
  • Esteems highly.
  • 00:13:27.623 --> 00:13:29.892
  • Now again, i'm a simple enough person.
  • 00:13:29.892 --> 00:13:31.227
  • If god said something is detestable, i don't want it.
  • 00:13:31.227 --> 00:13:35.564
  • I don't want to treasure it.
  • 00:13:35.564 --> 00:13:37.266
  • I don't want to store it.
  • 00:13:37.266 --> 00:13:38.834
  • I don't wanna chase it.
  • 00:13:38.834 --> 00:13:41.136
  • I don't want to try to paint it up and say it looks pretty good
  • 00:13:41.136 --> 00:13:43.505
  • To me.
  • 00:13:43.505 --> 00:13:44.974
  • If god says it's detestable, i wanna go the other direction.
  • 00:13:44.974 --> 00:13:50.112
  • Now, again, we'll come back to that and have a
  • 00:13:50.112 --> 00:13:54.783
  • Broader discussion.
  • 00:13:54.783 --> 00:13:56.886
  • But i don't want you to accept the values for your life, for
  • 00:13:56.886 --> 00:14:01.690
  • Your future, for your home, for your family, and for your
  • 00:14:01.690 --> 00:14:05.895
  • Children that come to you from a secular culture.
  • 00:14:05.895 --> 00:14:10.332
  • Everything in the culture may not be wicked or ungodly,
  • 00:14:10.332 --> 00:14:13.802
  • But you've got to look at the totality of what they're handing
  • 00:14:13.802 --> 00:14:16.305
  • You, how to behave, how to establish priorities, how to use
  • 00:14:16.305 --> 00:14:18.974
  • Your time, where to spend your money, what should be first, and
  • 00:14:18.974 --> 00:14:23.746
  • Ask, "is this really lining up?
  • 00:14:23.746 --> 00:14:25.848
  • Does this correspond with the invitations of scripture?
  • 00:14:25.848 --> 00:14:29.218
  • Or am i just blending in?"
  • 00:14:29.218 --> 00:14:31.921
  • Look at 1 peter chapter 3.
  • 00:14:31.921 --> 00:14:33.255
  • Similar idea, different author.
  • 00:14:33.255 --> 00:14:34.723
  • Peter's writing this time, the fisherman jesus recruited: "your
  • 00:14:34.723 --> 00:14:37.293
  • Beauty shouldn't come from outward adornments, such as
  • 00:14:37.293 --> 00:14:39.895
  • Braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes."
  • 00:14:39.895 --> 00:14:44.333
  • Well, that's a little uncomfortable because we
  • 00:14:44.333 --> 00:14:45.901
  • Typically think all those things contribute to our appearance.
  • 00:14:45.901 --> 00:14:50.439
  • And we work pretty hard on it.
  • 00:14:50.439 --> 00:14:51.774
  • I don't think it's a condemnation, you know, that
  • 00:14:51.774 --> 00:14:53.342
  • Verse has been used by some segments of the church,
  • 00:14:53.342 --> 00:14:55.811
  • Particularly in western culture in the past to say that, you
  • 00:14:55.811 --> 00:15:01.650
  • Know, there were groups of christians who wouldn't wear
  • 00:15:01.650 --> 00:15:03.852
  • Makeup or jewelry or even would have some prohibitions about
  • 00:15:03.852 --> 00:15:09.992
  • Cutting their hair, and that was kind of a proof text for that
  • 00:15:09.992 --> 00:15:14.363
  • Viewpoint: your beauty shouldn't come from outward adornments
  • 00:15:14.363 --> 00:15:17.166
  • Such as braided hair or the wearing of gold jewelry.
  • 00:15:17.166 --> 00:15:21.070
  • But they always left out that last verse.
  • 00:15:21.070 --> 00:15:23.238
  • You know, they say, you know, we're really godly people, so we
  • 00:15:23.238 --> 00:15:25.341
  • Don't wear makeup or jewelry.
  • 00:15:25.341 --> 00:15:27.676
  • Well, if you're gonna follow peter completely, you got to
  • 00:15:27.676 --> 00:15:29.411
  • Lose the clothes too.
  • 00:15:29.411 --> 00:15:35.217
  • I'm not suggesting.
  • 00:15:35.217 --> 00:15:38.887
  • What peter's doing is drawing a contrast with a secular culture
  • 00:15:38.887 --> 00:15:42.024
  • That said your beauty, your self-worth, your value as a
  • 00:15:42.024 --> 00:15:45.928
  • Person is inextricable from your appearance and your
  • 00:15:45.928 --> 00:15:50.466
  • Appearance can be enhanced by the value of the things that you
  • 00:15:50.466 --> 00:15:54.470
  • Can attach to yourself, the expense you can afford, whatever
  • 00:15:54.470 --> 00:16:01.110
  • Is necessary to outwardly adorn yourself.
  • 00:16:01.110 --> 00:16:05.180
  • And peter said at the end of the day, that isn't what makes
  • 00:16:05.180 --> 00:16:07.349
  • You beautiful.
  • 00:16:07.349 --> 00:16:09.651
  • I don't think it's a condemnation of those things,
  • 00:16:09.651 --> 00:16:11.353
  • But don't get your self-worth there.
  • 00:16:11.353 --> 00:16:14.256
  • And don't lose your mind because you don't have the one you want.
  • 00:16:14.256 --> 00:16:16.625
  • Don't spend your life coveting and envying and being
  • 00:16:16.625 --> 00:16:19.962
  • Jealous of.
  • 00:16:19.962 --> 00:16:22.131
  • What was the verse we read just before this?
  • 00:16:22.131 --> 00:16:23.766
  • "the things that are highly valued among men are detestable
  • 00:16:23.766 --> 00:16:26.301
  • In god's sight."
  • 00:16:26.301 --> 00:16:27.636
  • You see, if you're using people who are leading ungodly lives,
  • 00:16:27.636 --> 00:16:30.739
  • Openly ungodly lives, transgressing the boundaries
  • 00:16:30.739 --> 00:16:33.642
  • That most of you would know about, most of us would know
  • 00:16:33.642 --> 00:16:36.879
  • About biblical morality and lifestyle.
  • 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:39.715
  • If your heroes, if your champions, if your templates for
  • 00:16:39.715 --> 00:16:43.085
  • How you want to appear and how you wanna dress and how you
  • 00:16:43.085 --> 00:16:46.355
  • Wanna behave, if they're taken from those places, it's highly
  • 00:16:46.355 --> 00:16:52.094
  • Improbable we're chasing things that are detestable in god's
  • 00:16:52.094 --> 00:16:54.897
  • Sight, and peter is saying that's not where your beauty
  • 00:16:54.897 --> 00:16:57.566
  • Comes from.
  • 00:16:57.566 --> 00:16:59.301
  • Well, now he has my attention.
  • 00:16:59.301 --> 00:17:02.438
  • He said, "instead, it should be that of your inner self, an
  • 00:17:02.438 --> 00:17:05.908
  • Unfading beauty of a gentle and a quiet spirit, which is of
  • 00:17:05.908 --> 00:17:10.245
  • Great worth in god's sight."
  • 00:17:10.245 --> 00:17:11.747
  • So some things in god's sight are detestable and some things
  • 00:17:11.747 --> 00:17:15.451
  • Are of great worth.
  • 00:17:15.451 --> 00:17:17.553
  • Now, i think i will give some thought and effort and attention
  • 00:17:17.553 --> 00:17:21.824
  • To accumulating things that god says are of great worth.
  • 00:17:21.824 --> 00:17:27.062
  • How about you?
  • 00:17:27.062 --> 00:17:29.965
  • Now, here's where the challenge comes.
  • 00:17:29.965 --> 00:17:32.901
  • If we really don't have a high priority on spiritual things, if
  • 00:17:32.901 --> 00:17:35.804
  • We don't really care that much about them, if we're not even
  • 00:17:35.804 --> 00:17:37.606
  • Sure they're that meaningful, you know, we've just got kind of
  • 00:17:37.606 --> 00:17:40.676
  • A spiritual discussion going in our life because there might be
  • 00:17:40.676 --> 00:17:43.212
  • Some afterlife and we would rather not go to the
  • 00:17:43.212 --> 00:17:45.981
  • Worst option.
  • 00:17:45.981 --> 00:17:47.983
  • So we're looking for enough compliance that we would qualify
  • 00:17:47.983 --> 00:17:50.486
  • For whatever the best option might be, you know, it's a
  • 00:17:50.486 --> 00:17:53.422
  • Little bit like we treat our health.
  • 00:17:53.422 --> 00:17:54.790
  • It's not like we really want to be healthy, we just wanna be
  • 00:17:54.790 --> 00:17:57.025
  • Able to do what we wanna do.
  • 00:17:57.025 --> 00:17:59.061
  • I mean, i wanna eat all the dessert i want and still be able
  • 00:17:59.061 --> 00:18:00.996
  • To do the things i wanna do.
  • 00:18:00.996 --> 00:18:05.033
  • I mean, what are the questions we ask?
  • 00:18:05.033 --> 00:18:06.368
  • "well, how much is too much?
  • 00:18:06.368 --> 00:18:08.937
  • Well, how far do i have to walk?
  • 00:18:08.937 --> 00:18:11.673
  • How long do i have to exercise?
  • 00:18:11.673 --> 00:18:15.878
  • How often do i have to go to the gym?"
  • 00:18:15.878 --> 00:18:20.115
  • Well, i don't know.
  • 00:18:20.115 --> 00:18:21.483
  • How healthy you wanna be?
  • 00:18:21.483 --> 00:18:27.055
  • And we bring that same attitude to the lord.
  • 00:18:27.055 --> 00:18:30.692
  • "how often do i have to read?
  • 00:18:30.692 --> 00:18:32.561
  • How much do i have to read?
  • 00:18:32.561 --> 00:18:34.830
  • Do i have to give?
  • 00:18:34.830 --> 00:18:36.665
  • How much?"
  • 00:18:36.665 --> 00:18:40.335
  • And we get lost in the objective.
  • 00:18:40.335 --> 00:18:43.539
  • What we want to engage in is the things that are pleasing to god.
  • 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:46.308
  • What does god value?
  • 00:18:46.308 --> 00:18:48.210
  • I didn't bring you a list today, but because we haven't
  • 00:18:48.210 --> 00:18:50.479
  • Considered spiritual things particularly significant, we've
  • 00:18:50.479 --> 00:18:53.482
  • Had really very little intent.
  • 00:18:53.482 --> 00:18:57.119
  • And corresponding to that we've had very little awareness
  • 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:59.454
  • Because we thought the most valuable things were the same
  • 00:18:59.454 --> 00:19:01.423
  • Thing that everybody else was chasing:
  • 00:19:01.423 --> 00:19:04.760
  • Our asset accumulation, our ability to accumulate resources,
  • 00:19:04.760 --> 00:19:09.932
  • To display those resources, to do the things that our ungodly
  • 00:19:09.932 --> 00:19:14.169
  • Friends are doing, but we want to do them even better and with
  • 00:19:14.169 --> 00:19:16.038
  • More vigor and more gusto and more enthusiasm.
  • 00:19:16.038 --> 00:19:18.207
  • And i'm not saying they're all wrong, but i'm saying if that's
  • 00:19:18.207 --> 00:19:21.076
  • Your only template, if that's the only ladder you're leaning--
  • 00:19:21.076 --> 00:19:23.078
  • The only wall you're leaning your ladder against, you're
  • 00:19:23.078 --> 00:19:24.780
  • Highly probable you're climbing the wrong thing.
  • 00:19:24.780 --> 00:19:29.518
  • I wanna know what's of great value in god's sight.
  • 00:19:29.518 --> 00:19:33.422
  • Now, i'm gonna read you a passage and it's a bad news,
  • 00:19:33.422 --> 00:19:35.190
  • Good news scenario.
  • 00:19:35.190 --> 00:19:38.427
  • The bad news is i believe it's a very accurate description of the
  • 00:19:38.427 --> 00:19:40.862
  • World we're watching.
  • 00:19:40.862 --> 00:19:42.264
  • The good news is we're not condemned to that as an end,
  • 00:19:42.264 --> 00:19:46.034
  • And it's connected to our evaluations.
  • 00:19:46.034 --> 00:19:47.669
  • Isaiah chapter 60 in verse 1 says: "arise, shine, for your
  • 00:19:47.669 --> 00:19:50.973
  • Light has come, and the glory of the lord rises upon you.
  • 00:19:50.973 --> 00:19:54.710
  • See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the
  • 00:19:54.710 --> 00:19:57.646
  • Peoples, but the lord rises upon you and his
  • 00:19:57.646 --> 00:20:01.016
  • Glory appears over you.
  • 00:20:01.016 --> 00:20:02.517
  • Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of
  • 00:20:02.517 --> 00:20:05.487
  • Your dawn."
  • 00:20:05.487 --> 00:20:06.822
  • Ultimately, isaiah is writing a promise of restoration.
  • 00:20:06.822 --> 00:20:10.892
  • But he starts with a pretty unsettling description.
  • 00:20:10.892 --> 00:20:17.399
  • It's a diagnostic sentence in verse 2, he says, "darkness
  • 00:20:17.399 --> 00:20:20.269
  • Covers the earth and thick darkness is over the people."
  • 00:20:20.269 --> 00:20:25.374
  • And it's plural, it's really suggesting the peoples of
  • 00:20:25.374 --> 00:20:28.744
  • The world.
  • 00:20:28.744 --> 00:20:30.112
  • But i think if you look at contemporary american life,
  • 00:20:30.112 --> 00:20:32.014
  • Contemporary american culture, i'd have to say there's some
  • 00:20:32.014 --> 00:20:34.283
  • Pretty thick darkness that's settled over us.
  • 00:20:34.283 --> 00:20:38.153
  • We've been mutilating minors, physically.
  • 00:20:38.153 --> 00:20:42.824
  • We had 400,000 children come over our border in the last few
  • 00:20:42.824 --> 00:20:45.527
  • Years and they're gone.
  • 00:20:45.527 --> 00:20:46.862
  • Were just lost, unaccompanied, no parents with them.
  • 00:20:46.862 --> 00:20:48.697
  • We don't know where they are.
  • 00:20:48.697 --> 00:20:50.599
  • And we have the audacity, the brazen audacity, to say an open
  • 00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:54.469
  • Border was an expression of compassion.
  • 00:20:54.469 --> 00:20:56.571
  • What world do you live in?
  • 00:20:56.571 --> 00:20:59.241
  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:20:59.241 --> 00:21:04.446
  • And we're still grappling with this notion of illegal
  • 00:21:04.446 --> 00:21:09.651
  • Immigrants and citizenship and rights.
  • 00:21:09.651 --> 00:21:11.987
  • We had a city in carolina last week voted that they would
  • 00:21:11.987 --> 00:21:17.426
  • Protect everybody that was there illegally because it was a
  • 00:21:17.426 --> 00:21:19.928
  • Fourth amendment issue.
  • 00:21:19.928 --> 00:21:21.296
  • The fourth amendment is about search and seizure for citizens.
  • 00:21:21.296 --> 00:21:28.303
  • You know, we're addled, folks, and it's darkness.
  • 00:21:28.303 --> 00:21:33.709
  • We're reluctant to find marriage between a man and a woman.
  • 00:21:33.709 --> 00:21:36.878
  • We have people in the supreme court that won't tell us what
  • 00:21:36.878 --> 00:21:38.780
  • They think a woman is, not because they're incapable
  • 00:21:38.780 --> 00:21:42.017
  • Intellectually, they're more than capable.
  • 00:21:42.017 --> 00:21:43.585
  • They understand the great cultural divide and they don't
  • 00:21:43.585 --> 00:21:46.088
  • Want to give anyone a reason to be agitated with them, so
  • 00:21:46.088 --> 00:21:48.256
  • They're looking for some way to dodge it, and they think they're
  • 00:21:48.256 --> 00:21:50.459
  • Clever and we accept it and we go, "oh, that's a
  • 00:21:50.459 --> 00:21:52.260
  • Clever response.
  • 00:21:52.260 --> 00:21:53.628
  • We don't know your opinion."
  • 00:21:53.628 --> 00:21:54.963
  • It's not clever to be deceptive.
  • 00:21:54.963 --> 00:21:58.500
  • There is a darkness amongst us and we're reluctant to look at
  • 00:21:58.500 --> 00:22:01.837
  • It, but until we look at it, we can't walk out of the darkness.
  • 00:22:01.837 --> 00:22:05.240
  • We're doomed to live in the gloom.
  • 00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:08.410
  • And the promise of isaiah is that god will cause his glory to
  • 00:22:08.410 --> 00:22:12.914
  • Appear and to bring clarity and that nations will come
  • 00:22:12.914 --> 00:22:15.717
  • Into the light.
  • 00:22:15.717 --> 00:22:17.052
  • That would be our desire.
  • 00:22:17.052 --> 00:22:18.453
  • Can we agree upon that?
  • 00:22:18.453 --> 00:22:21.223
  • Isaiah's giving us a revelation of the condition of humanity
  • 00:22:21.223 --> 00:22:24.126
  • Where darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the
  • 00:22:24.126 --> 00:22:26.828
  • People, but we're not doomed to that.
  • 00:22:26.828 --> 00:22:28.897
  • Let's not grow content with it.
  • 00:22:28.897 --> 00:22:30.966
  • Let's not embrace it.
  • 00:22:30.966 --> 00:22:32.300
  • Let's not say we think it's good.
  • 00:22:32.300 --> 00:22:33.635
  • It isn't.
  • 00:22:33.635 --> 00:22:35.437
  • We shouldn't be sexualizing small children.
  • 00:22:35.437 --> 00:22:39.574
  • Well, in colossians it's not just an old testament idea.
  • 00:22:39.574 --> 00:22:41.843
  • In colossians chapter 1, paul's writing to a church, and he
  • 00:22:41.843 --> 00:22:44.913
  • Said, "we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy
  • 00:22:44.913 --> 00:22:47.716
  • Of the lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in
  • 00:22:47.716 --> 00:22:51.119
  • Every good work, growing in the knowledge of god."
  • 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:53.288
  • That's an interesting statement.
  • 00:22:53.288 --> 00:22:55.157
  • He didn't just pray they'd be saved, that they would come
  • 00:22:55.157 --> 00:22:57.325
  • To conversion.
  • 00:22:57.325 --> 00:22:59.194
  • He said his prayer for them is they would live a life worthy of
  • 00:22:59.194 --> 00:23:02.798
  • The lord, that they could please him in every way.
  • 00:23:02.798 --> 00:23:06.067
  • How many of you hold that as an objective?
  • 00:23:06.067 --> 00:23:07.436
  • Don't raise your hand, but how many of you say, "my life
  • 00:23:07.436 --> 00:23:09.971
  • Objective, when i get up in the morning, i want to please the
  • 00:23:09.971 --> 00:23:12.207
  • Lord in every way i can today"?
  • 00:23:12.207 --> 00:23:15.777
  • I understand we're butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers.
  • 00:23:15.777 --> 00:23:18.313
  • We've got day jobs and responsibilities and family
  • 00:23:18.313 --> 00:23:20.649
  • Commitments and assignments.
  • 00:23:20.649 --> 00:23:22.350
  • I'm not suggesting we stop all of that and read our bible and
  • 00:23:22.350 --> 00:23:24.886
  • Hum all day.
  • 00:23:24.886 --> 00:23:27.656
  • But in the midst of all of those places where god has dispersed
  • 00:23:27.656 --> 00:23:30.625
  • Us, like salt in the world, our objective is to go forward and
  • 00:23:30.625 --> 00:23:34.529
  • To please him in every way possible, bearing fruit in every
  • 00:23:34.529 --> 00:23:39.868
  • Good work.
  • 00:23:39.868 --> 00:23:41.203
  • Is that really our ambition?
  • 00:23:41.203 --> 00:23:42.571
  • We want our lives to bear fruit, but i'm not sure we want them to
  • 00:23:42.571 --> 00:23:44.573
  • Bear fruit in every good work.
  • 00:23:44.573 --> 00:23:47.776
  • We want them to bear fruit for what we want.
  • 00:23:47.776 --> 00:23:49.110
  • You see, there's a realignment that's gonna begin in the
  • 00:23:49.110 --> 00:23:51.313
  • Church, in us.
  • 00:23:51.313 --> 00:23:54.149
  • Let's stop thinking about who needs to hear this and let's
  • 00:23:54.149 --> 00:23:56.251
  • Give the spirit of god permission to say to us, "how
  • 00:23:56.251 --> 00:23:58.753
  • Could i need to hear this more effectively?"
  • 00:23:58.753 --> 00:24:02.023
  • See, if we can do that, god will do what god's gonna do.
  • 00:24:02.023 --> 00:24:04.526
  • It's our heart: that's the place we've got the influence.
  • 00:24:04.526 --> 00:24:09.831
  • That's the place we have the influence,
  • 00:24:09.831 --> 00:24:11.466
  • But watch what he says.
  • 00:24:11.466 --> 00:24:12.801
  • "growing in the knowledge of god, being strengthened with all
  • 00:24:12.801 --> 00:24:15.070
  • Power according to his glorious might so that you may have great
  • 00:24:15.070 --> 00:24:19.407
  • Endurance and patience, and joyfully give thanks to
  • 00:24:19.407 --> 00:24:23.578
  • The father."
  • 00:24:23.578 --> 00:24:25.914
  • You see, we wouldn't be instructed to joyfully give
  • 00:24:25.914 --> 00:24:28.350
  • Thanks to the father if everything around us would make
  • 00:24:28.350 --> 00:24:30.952
  • Us happy.
  • 00:24:30.952 --> 00:24:33.154
  • I don't need coaching.
  • 00:24:33.154 --> 00:24:35.323
  • When they hand you the winning lottery ticket, they don't have
  • 00:24:35.323 --> 00:24:38.894
  • To say, "now be joyful," right?
  • 00:24:38.894 --> 00:24:43.965
  • When they call you to tell you your child just got voted the
  • 00:24:43.965 --> 00:24:46.334
  • Most outstanding, remarkable, incredible, unbelievable,
  • 00:24:46.334 --> 00:24:49.204
  • Incomparable child that's ever graced a classroom, "but i want
  • 00:24:49.204 --> 00:24:53.375
  • You to be happy about it."
  • 00:24:53.375 --> 00:24:56.578
  • We don't need coaching in those places.
  • 00:24:56.578 --> 00:24:58.313
  • It's automatic, it's intuitive, it's an expression of
  • 00:24:58.313 --> 00:25:00.849
  • Our emotions.
  • 00:25:00.849 --> 00:25:02.217
  • But when we're told to give thanks and be joyful, the
  • 00:25:02.217 --> 00:25:03.985
  • Implication is circumstances might be less than exhilarating.
  • 00:25:03.985 --> 00:25:10.859
  • "joyfully giving thanks to the father, who has qualified you to
  • 00:25:10.859 --> 00:25:13.662
  • Share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
  • 00:25:13.662 --> 00:25:18.166
  • For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and he
  • 00:25:18.166 --> 00:25:23.171
  • Brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves, in whom we
  • 00:25:23.171 --> 00:25:27.576
  • Have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
  • 00:25:27.576 --> 00:25:31.546
  • That last sentence is the punch line in case you missed it.
  • 00:25:31.546 --> 00:25:35.016
  • He rescued us from the dominion of darkness.
  • 00:25:35.016 --> 00:25:37.252
  • So if deep darkness is covering the peoples of the earth, what
  • 00:25:37.252 --> 00:25:40.789
  • Are we to do?
  • 00:25:40.789 --> 00:25:42.624
  • We're to yield our lives to the one who can rescue us from the
  • 00:25:42.624 --> 00:25:46.895
  • Dominion of darkness.
  • 00:25:46.895 --> 00:25:48.363
  • Dominion is a word of authority.
  • 00:25:48.363 --> 00:25:51.333
  • It connotes something of citizenship.
  • 00:25:51.333 --> 00:25:53.468
  • You have citizenship in the kingdom of darkness.
  • 00:25:53.468 --> 00:25:56.404
  • It has a claim to you.
  • 00:25:56.404 --> 00:25:58.573
  • It has authority over you.
  • 00:25:58.573 --> 00:26:01.643
  • It has influence over you.
  • 00:26:01.643 --> 00:26:03.578
  • Why would we not value things that god says are detestable?
  • 00:26:03.578 --> 00:26:08.683
  • Because it gives influence over our lives from the dominion
  • 00:26:08.683 --> 00:26:12.454
  • Of darkness.
  • 00:26:12.454 --> 00:26:15.724
  • Allen: i'm so grateful i've had a few minutes with you today.
  • 00:26:19.928 --> 00:26:22.697
  • These opportunities to open the word of god and open our lives
  • 00:26:22.697 --> 00:26:25.433
  • And invite god into the midst of it, they're transformational.
  • 00:26:25.433 --> 00:26:28.770
  • I've learned to never take them for granted.
  • 00:26:28.770 --> 00:26:30.505
  • I used to imagine that they were unlimited, that we could do
  • 00:26:30.505 --> 00:26:32.941
  • It forever.
  • 00:26:32.941 --> 00:26:34.275
  • Every time i have an opportunity to talk with a friend and make a
  • 00:26:34.275 --> 00:26:37.145
  • Journey through the word of god for a bit, i think it's
  • 00:26:37.145 --> 00:26:40.081
  • Something precious.
  • 00:26:40.081 --> 00:26:41.416
  • It's a gift from god.
  • 00:26:41.416 --> 00:26:42.784
  • I'm grateful we had this time together.
  • 00:26:42.784 --> 00:26:44.119
  • I've got a new book.
  • 00:26:44.119 --> 00:26:45.453
  • It's called, "my friend jesus."
  • 00:26:45.453 --> 00:26:47.155
  • It's the culmination of years of my own spiritual journey, kind
  • 00:26:47.155 --> 00:26:50.125
  • Of peeling away the formality of theology and ritual and routine
  • 00:26:50.125 --> 00:26:53.962
  • And opening the heart of what it means to be a christ follower.
  • 00:26:53.962 --> 00:26:56.665
  • I wanna live as jesus's friend.
  • 00:26:56.665 --> 00:26:58.800
  • When i'm in trouble, i call my friends.
  • 00:26:58.800 --> 00:27:00.969
  • When they're in trouble and i can help,
  • 00:27:00.969 --> 00:27:02.337
  • It's the delight of my life.
  • 00:27:02.337 --> 00:27:04.139
  • I wanna pray with you.
  • 00:27:04.139 --> 00:27:05.507
  • Let's invite my friend jesus into the midst of our world.
  • 00:27:05.507 --> 00:27:08.209
  • He changes everything.
  • 00:27:08.209 --> 00:27:10.011
  • Heavenly father, i thank you that you love us, that you sent
  • 00:27:10.011 --> 00:27:12.247
  • Your son.
  • 00:27:12.247 --> 00:27:13.615
  • We need his help, his strength, his wisdom.
  • 00:27:13.615 --> 00:27:15.617
  • Open our hearts to know him as we've never known him before, in
  • 00:27:15.617 --> 00:27:18.787
  • Jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:18.787 --> 00:27:20.255
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:20.255 --> 00:27:30.001