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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - I Choose God's Promise (Part 1)

August 9, 2025 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - I Choose God's Promise (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#Pastors #Choices #PromisesofGod #ChildofGod #Chosenpeople #RelationshipwithGod #WalkwithGod #TrustGod #Faithfulness

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - I Choose God's Promise (Part 1) | August 9, 2025
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  • Allen jackson: i sat down recently with my father to do
  • 00:00:06.890 --> 00:00:09.526
  • A podcast for my "culture and christianity" podcast, and it
  • 00:00:09.659 --> 00:00:10.727
  • Was so valuable to me.
  • 00:00:14.064 --> 00:00:16.699
  • I mean, it was stories that obviously i'm familiar with,
  • 00:00:16.699 --> 00:00:19.169
  • But as i heard him recount his faith, it ignited something
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  • In me about the faithfulness of god across generations.
  • 00:00:22.539 --> 00:00:26.443
  • Well, i encourage my dad to put together a book about his
  • 00:00:26.443 --> 00:00:29.112
  • Experiences with the holy spirit.
  • 00:00:29.112 --> 00:00:31.214
  • It changed his life, my parents's life, ultimately
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  • My family's life.
  • 00:00:34.017 --> 00:00:35.685
  • I believe the book will be a real encouragement to you.
  • 00:00:35.685 --> 00:00:38.455
  • I wanna make it available to you right along with "unleashing
  • 00:00:38.455 --> 00:00:41.324
  • The power of the holy spirit."
  • 00:00:41.324 --> 00:00:42.792
  • It's something i put together a while back that's been one of
  • 00:00:42.792 --> 00:00:45.562
  • The most effective tools we've ever had in the ministry.
  • 00:00:45.562 --> 00:00:48.231
  • Together, they'll open the doorway for you to not just have
  • 00:00:48.231 --> 00:00:51.468
  • Language around the holy spirit, but to have something to
  • 00:00:51.468 --> 00:00:54.704
  • Actually do to invite him into your life in a regular basis,
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  • To give you the wisdom you need to help you unlock the problems
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  • That we face, the spirit of god within us to help us, guide us,
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  • And direct us.
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  • That's invaluable, and these books will help you understand.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen: we've been doing a series on god's promises, really,
  • 00:01:21.898 --> 00:01:25.001
  • "god's plan, god's promises & god's people."
  • 00:01:25.001 --> 00:01:27.971
  • It's important to know god has a plan for your life and that the
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  • Expression of that plan is revealed in his promises.
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  • And all of those things when you choose to take them by faith,
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  • Then you give evidence that you're the people of god.
  • 00:01:37.614 --> 00:01:41.084
  • Faith has to be demonstrated.
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  • It has to be lived out or it's just a theory.
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  • And we don't want to be the theoretical people of god.
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  • We want to be the living evidence that there is a god.
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  • And so to do that we're studying his promises.
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  • See, we're watching something-- we've talked about current
  • 00:01:54.531 --> 00:01:58.968
  • Events from time to time, but there's something across our
  • 00:01:58.968 --> 00:02:01.804
  • Country that has been pretty pervasive, and it's biblical.
  • 00:02:01.804 --> 00:02:05.408
  • There's hope in that.
  • 00:02:05.408 --> 00:02:06.743
  • But in matthew 24 and 25, it's jesus's most lengthy
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  • Prophetic discourse.
  • 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:11.281
  • It's echoed in luke 21 and in mark as well, but one of the
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  • Characteristics jesus gave is that character--human character,
  • 00:02:16.419 --> 00:02:20.223
  • Begins to deteriorate is that lawlessness would increase.
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  • And he said it would increase to the point that the love in the
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  • Hearts of god's people, it's clear in the language, would
  • 00:02:27.797 --> 00:02:32.035
  • Grow cold and cause many to turn back.
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  • And you know, i don't think we're seeing the full
  • 00:02:36.339 --> 00:02:38.107
  • Expressions of that, but there's evidence of that all around us
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  • On such a regular basis now, that perhaps the most pronounced
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  • Is the mayors of most of--many of the major american cities
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  • Refusing to enforce the federal laws.
  • 00:02:48.218 --> 00:02:52.255
  • You know, as long as the behavior begins with illegal, we
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  • Shouldn't encourage it and support it.
  • 00:02:56.659 --> 00:03:03.266
  • That's not compassion, that's lawlessness.
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  • Now, it's not a surprise.
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  • It's been in place for quite some season and we've all either
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  • Conveniently looked away or yawned or said there's nothing
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  • We can do.
  • 00:03:13.176 --> 00:03:14.777
  • So we're really dealing with the consequences of years
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  • Of lawlessness.
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  • But it is unsettling to see leaders of the most powerful or
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  • Some of the most powerful cities in our nation determine boldly,
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  • Brazenly, unapologetically saying they're not going to
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  • Recognize federal laws.
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  • Imagine if the christian church were doing that.
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  • I mean, the part that is to me completely absurd,
  • 00:03:37.700 --> 00:03:42.772
  • Inappropriate, honestly, is if you're going to reject federal
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  • Law, then i don't believe you should have federal support.
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  • But pray, because lawlessness is not a sign of the spirit of god,
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  • And we have allowed lawlessness to flourish amongst us for so
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  • Long that now the consequences are very difficult.
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  • And the church has a role in that.
  • 00:04:05.662 --> 00:04:07.196
  • It is not compassion to encourage lawlessness.
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  • It really isn't, and you'll know that when the lawlessness
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  • Touches your life directly.
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  • You will not like that.
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  • So it's an important time.
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  • God is moving.
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  • It's amazing what he's doing.
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  • I don't know that i, in my lifetime, i've ever seen him
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  • Move as, at the pace at which the spirit of god is moving, the
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  • Doors that are being opened to give opportunities and liberty
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  • To the people of faith.
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  • The truth that's being told, the protections for children and
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  • Families, the things that are being established could only
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  • Come from god.
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  • And in fact, when you watch what happens, you have to say only
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  • God could do that.
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  • It makes you smile.
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  • You're like, that's kind of right.
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  • It's kind of like gideon, if you're reading judges with us,
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  • Are you reading judges?
  • 00:04:48.604 --> 00:04:50.039
  • Why not?
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  • You should be reading judges.
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  • We just read about gideon, you know, he takes 300 people and
  • 00:04:54.210 --> 00:04:56.212
  • Routs an army of thousands and thousands.
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  • When you see that, you go, "oh, god did that."
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  • And we're watching one of those seasons where the only real
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  • Answer is god, so i'm grateful for that.
  • 00:05:04.120 --> 00:05:06.456
  • Now, back to your outlines, god's promises for this session,
  • 00:05:06.456 --> 00:05:09.058
  • It's "i choose god's promise."
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  • I keep giving you some little snippets into this notion.
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  • It's not just about what can i get, but god's promises are the
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  • Incentives to follow god's path.
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  • He tells us, if you will follow me, this is what will happen.
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  • This is what will come to your life.
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  • He's incentivized obedience.
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  • It's an expression of his grace and kindness.
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  • He doesn't have to do that.
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  • The truth is we've been created with a free will.
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  • We can choose good or evil.
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  • We're different from all the rest of creation.
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  • We're not left just to follow our instincts.
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  • We're not left preprogrammed, just to like the swallows that
  • 00:05:43.593 --> 00:05:46.963
  • Return to capistrano.
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  • We're given free choice.
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  • We have a free will and the invitation from the beginning of
  • 00:05:50.833 --> 00:05:54.103
  • The book to the end of the book is to choose god.
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  • Generation after generation, it's presented differently, it's
  • 00:05:57.840 --> 00:06:00.676
  • Presented creatively.
  • 00:06:00.676 --> 00:06:02.044
  • Joshua says, "as for me and my household, we'll choose
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  • The lord."
  • 00:06:04.680 --> 00:06:06.048
  • That's a very poignant statement because everybody joshua
  • 00:06:06.048 --> 00:06:08.084
  • Graduated high school with was dead, except caleb.
  • 00:06:08.084 --> 00:06:13.322
  • He was not amongst a generation of people who said
  • 00:06:13.322 --> 00:06:15.958
  • Wholeheartedly, "we choose the lord."
  • 00:06:15.958 --> 00:06:18.961
  • So, near the end of his life, he's looking at the
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  • Next generation.
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  • I knew your parents, i knew many of your grandparents, and you've
  • 00:06:22.331 --> 00:06:26.068
  • Got to choose what you're going to do, but he said, "as for me
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  • And my household."
  • 00:06:28.438 --> 00:06:31.441
  • It's in generation after generation after generation in
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  • The scripture.
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  • Some did not choose god.
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  • You're reading judges now.
  • 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:38.848
  • It says repeatedly, "but this generation went their own way."
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  • Esther, in persia, in a hard time, the jewish people are
  • 00:06:44.353 --> 00:06:48.591
  • Exiled, they're slaves, there a lot of pressure, many reasons to
  • 00:06:48.591 --> 00:06:52.295
  • Be disgruntled.
  • 00:06:52.295 --> 00:06:53.963
  • And esther says, "i'll stand up.
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  • If i perish, i perish, but i'm gonna do the right thing."
  • 00:06:57.300 --> 00:07:00.736
  • Daniel did something similar.
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  • Jeremiah, i mean, we can go through the list, you get to the
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  • New testament, our heroes.
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  • Folks, we have been given the ability to choose.
  • 00:07:07.210 --> 00:07:09.979
  • So the invitation in this session, and we're gonna do some
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  • Practical things, is choose god's promises for your life.
  • 00:07:11.948 --> 00:07:17.253
  • God's love for us results in the expression of his promises.
  • 00:07:17.253 --> 00:07:21.357
  • He cares about us, so he says, "listen, choose me, and this is
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  • What will happen."
  • 00:07:24.193 --> 00:07:27.330
  • And our typical answer, if we answer from our kind of carnal,
  • 00:07:27.330 --> 00:07:30.566
  • Ungodly, unredeemed part of ourselves, says, "well, i'd like
  • 00:07:30.566 --> 00:07:33.636
  • That outcome without being godly."
  • 00:07:33.636 --> 00:07:38.774
  • Well, you know, we do.
  • 00:07:38.774 --> 00:07:40.109
  • I'd like to eat m&ms and lose weight.
  • 00:07:40.109 --> 00:07:43.546
  • I'm gonna write a book, it's the ice cream diet.
  • 00:07:43.546 --> 00:07:48.985
  • You know, if you just want to lose small amounts of weight,
  • 00:07:48.985 --> 00:07:51.554
  • Eat vanilla.
  • 00:07:51.554 --> 00:07:54.657
  • But if you just want weight to melt off of you, put caramel and
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  • Hot fudge, heath bar pieces, three times a day.
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  • I bet i'd sell a million copies, before they figured out the
  • 00:08:08.804 --> 00:08:12.875
  • Whole thing was a sham and then i spend the rest of my life with
  • 00:08:12.875 --> 00:08:15.177
  • Lawsuits, but the appeal would be amazing.
  • 00:08:15.177 --> 00:08:18.414
  • And we're a little bit like that in the church.
  • 00:08:18.414 --> 00:08:19.982
  • We want godliness, we want the benefits of godliness, but we'd
  • 00:08:19.982 --> 00:08:23.920
  • Like to hire somebody to be godly for us.
  • 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:29.425
  • Also included in the presentations are the
  • 00:08:29.425 --> 00:08:31.227
  • Consequences of rejecting god's invitations.
  • 00:08:31.227 --> 00:08:34.530
  • In fact, often we're offended.
  • 00:08:34.530 --> 00:08:36.566
  • I've had this conversation many times in a variety of settings.
  • 00:08:36.566 --> 00:08:39.201
  • "if god is love, why doesn't he use his power to make me
  • 00:08:39.201 --> 00:08:42.171
  • Perpetually happy?
  • 00:08:42.171 --> 00:08:45.308
  • Why do i have to face seasons of unhappiness?"
  • 00:08:45.308 --> 00:08:48.844
  • Well, happiness in scripture is not the ultimate objective.
  • 00:08:48.844 --> 00:08:52.949
  • Holiness, righteousness, are more significant.
  • 00:08:52.949 --> 00:08:59.121
  • Now here's the awkward part and i know we're in church, but we
  • 00:08:59.121 --> 00:09:02.024
  • Frequently prefer happy.
  • 00:09:02.024 --> 00:09:05.728
  • Things like holiness and righteousness feel like
  • 00:09:05.728 --> 00:09:08.097
  • Intrusions, burdensome.
  • 00:09:08.097 --> 00:09:12.168
  • "is there a short--i thought it was a free gift."
  • 00:09:12.168 --> 00:09:15.504
  • It is.
  • 00:09:15.504 --> 00:09:17.740
  • I want to start in 2 peter 1.
  • 00:09:17.740 --> 00:09:20.142
  • I gave you a little bit of an expanded passage.
  • 00:09:20.142 --> 00:09:21.477
  • I think the context is very helpful.
  • 00:09:21.477 --> 00:09:23.913
  • The first couple of verses, i hope we're familiar with by now,
  • 00:09:23.913 --> 00:09:26.549
  • It says: "his divine power has given us everything we need for
  • 00:09:26.549 --> 00:09:29.652
  • Life and godliness."
  • 00:09:29.652 --> 00:09:31.520
  • It's in the perfect tense, it means it's already
  • 00:09:31.520 --> 00:09:33.222
  • Been accomplished.
  • 00:09:33.222 --> 00:09:34.557
  • It's not something that will happen.
  • 00:09:34.557 --> 00:09:35.891
  • Everything that's to be done for you and me to enjoy life and
  • 00:09:35.891 --> 00:09:38.561
  • Godliness has been done.
  • 00:09:38.561 --> 00:09:40.997
  • What remains is our choices.
  • 00:09:40.997 --> 00:09:42.531
  • God has done his part.
  • 00:09:42.531 --> 00:09:44.867
  • "everything--his power has given us everything we need for
  • 00:09:44.867 --> 00:09:47.770
  • Life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us
  • 00:09:47.770 --> 00:09:50.106
  • By his own glory and goodness.
  • 00:09:50.106 --> 00:09:52.575
  • Through these he's given us his very great and precious
  • 00:09:52.575 --> 00:09:55.511
  • Promises, so that through them you may participate in the
  • 00:09:55.511 --> 00:09:59.048
  • Divine nature."
  • 00:09:59.048 --> 00:10:01.050
  • "you may participate" means we've been given permission
  • 00:10:01.050 --> 00:10:03.853
  • To participate.
  • 00:10:03.853 --> 00:10:05.821
  • But it requires again our choices, our determination, our
  • 00:10:05.821 --> 00:10:09.158
  • Willingness, our enthusiasm.
  • 00:10:09.158 --> 00:10:13.362
  • Even our effort.
  • 00:10:13.362 --> 00:10:15.131
  • "and escape the corruption in the world caused by the
  • 00:10:15.131 --> 00:10:17.767
  • Evil desires."
  • 00:10:17.767 --> 00:10:19.101
  • There's that dichotomy. those are the choices.
  • 00:10:19.101 --> 00:10:21.203
  • Those are the two options. there's no real third one.
  • 00:10:21.203 --> 00:10:23.339
  • If you don't want godliness, understand you want--what
  • 00:10:23.339 --> 00:10:26.842
  • You're voting for is the expression of evil desires and
  • 00:10:26.842 --> 00:10:30.413
  • The consequences that come with them.
  • 00:10:30.413 --> 00:10:34.183
  • That's it.
  • 00:10:34.183 --> 00:10:36.385
  • See, the gospel, the good news about jesus can't really be
  • 00:10:36.385 --> 00:10:39.488
  • Understood unless we understand the consequences of evil.
  • 00:10:39.488 --> 00:10:45.127
  • Without the ten commandments, we don't know the character of god.
  • 00:10:45.127 --> 00:10:48.330
  • We don't even know we're transgressors.
  • 00:10:48.330 --> 00:10:49.832
  • The church has struggled in recent years because we want to
  • 00:10:49.832 --> 00:10:52.401
  • Talk about the grace of god and the mercy of god and the good
  • 00:10:52.401 --> 00:10:55.137
  • News of the gospel and god is love, but we don't want to talk
  • 00:10:55.137 --> 00:10:58.741
  • About god as judge.
  • 00:10:58.741 --> 00:11:01.711
  • And if you don't have one, the other doesn't feel necessary.
  • 00:11:01.711 --> 00:11:07.383
  • It's not a downer.
  • 00:11:07.383 --> 00:11:09.018
  • It's an awareness.
  • 00:11:09.018 --> 00:11:10.352
  • I choose god because i don't want to be without him.
  • 00:11:10.352 --> 00:11:14.590
  • I choose godliness because ungodliness is not a good place
  • 00:11:14.590 --> 00:11:18.661
  • To land.
  • 00:11:18.661 --> 00:11:20.663
  • I choose righteousness because unrighteousness is bitter and
  • 00:11:20.663 --> 00:11:24.467
  • Will decay your bones.
  • 00:11:24.467 --> 00:11:28.104
  • And if we only take one half of that, we're robbing people.
  • 00:11:28.104 --> 00:11:31.540
  • You see, the gospel has to be presented in total, and you and
  • 00:11:31.540 --> 00:11:34.477
  • I have to live with that awareness.
  • 00:11:34.477 --> 00:11:35.845
  • It's our motivation to choose the lord.
  • 00:11:35.845 --> 00:11:38.447
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:11:38.447 --> 00:11:45.387
  • Allen: i sat down with my father recently, did a podcast.
  • 00:11:45.387 --> 00:11:48.290
  • He told the story how he came to faith,
  • 00:11:48.290 --> 00:11:49.925
  • How god transformed our family, he started a home bible study,
  • 00:11:49.925 --> 00:11:53.028
  • All the way up to the beginning of this church that
  • 00:11:53.028 --> 00:11:54.830
  • I've served now for decades.
  • 00:11:54.830 --> 00:11:56.932
  • As i listened, the heart of it was the work of the holy spirit
  • 00:11:56.932 --> 00:11:59.468
  • In his life and through his life.
  • 00:11:59.468 --> 00:12:01.537
  • I asked him to do a book around the topic and we have it
  • 00:12:01.537 --> 00:12:05.441
  • So that you can invite the spirit of god to be the dynamic
  • 00:12:05.441 --> 00:12:07.676
  • Presence of the power of god to bring change
  • 00:12:07.676 --> 00:12:10.913
  • And life and hope no matter what the circumstance is.
  • 00:12:10.913 --> 00:12:13.983
  • You'll enjoy the book.
  • 00:12:13.983 --> 00:12:15.384
  • Female announcer: experience the holy spirit in a deeper way
  • 00:12:15.384 --> 00:12:17.787
  • With this new book by pastor allen's dad,
  • 00:12:17.787 --> 00:12:19.989
  • "the eternal breath of life."
  • 00:12:19.989 --> 00:12:22.424
  • Request your copy when you donate any amount today
  • 00:12:22.424 --> 00:12:25.027
  • And when you give $50 or more you can also request
  • 00:12:25.027 --> 00:12:28.731
  • "unleashing the power of the holy spirit."
  • 00:12:28.731 --> 00:12:30.966
  • It's a collection of pastor allen's sermons
  • 00:12:30.966 --> 00:12:33.602
  • That will help you understand the holy spirit in new ways.
  • 00:12:33.602 --> 00:12:36.672
  • Request yours today at allenjackson.com
  • 00:12:36.672 --> 00:12:39.742
  • Or by calling...
  • 00:12:39.742 --> 00:12:43.512
  • Allen: you know, i don't have a sweet tooth.
  • 00:12:46.081 --> 00:12:47.817
  • I have a head full of sweet teeth.
  • 00:12:47.817 --> 00:12:52.321
  • I mean, you know, i wanna say god made me that way.
  • 00:12:52.321 --> 00:12:54.623
  • I'm sure i had some role in it.
  • 00:12:54.623 --> 00:12:57.426
  • But i have some desire.
  • 00:12:57.426 --> 00:12:58.928
  • It's fleeting and intermittent, but occasionally it's like a
  • 00:12:58.928 --> 00:13:01.797
  • Shadow across--a cloud across the sun.
  • 00:13:01.797 --> 00:13:03.833
  • I have a desire to eat healthier.
  • 00:13:03.833 --> 00:13:09.605
  • And i've learned some of the language.
  • 00:13:09.605 --> 00:13:13.976
  • Green things are good for you.
  • 00:13:13.976 --> 00:13:16.912
  • So i try to eat green gummy bears.
  • 00:13:16.912 --> 00:13:18.881
  • It's like a compromise.
  • 00:13:18.881 --> 00:13:21.851
  • You know, and i learned some of the language, but i still
  • 00:13:21.851 --> 00:13:24.353
  • Recognize that tension between older habits that are not as
  • 00:13:24.353 --> 00:13:28.357
  • Helpful and the ones that would be better for me.
  • 00:13:28.357 --> 00:13:31.627
  • And that's the tension of godliness.
  • 00:13:31.627 --> 00:13:34.864
  • And if we don't recognize the destructive part of that,
  • 00:13:34.864 --> 00:13:37.499
  • There's no motivation for doing something healthier.
  • 00:13:37.499 --> 00:13:41.036
  • And we've had a gospel so filled with grace and mercy and love
  • 00:13:41.036 --> 00:13:43.973
  • And blessing, that there's been very little motivation for
  • 00:13:43.973 --> 00:13:48.377
  • Righteousness or godliness or holiness.
  • 00:13:48.377 --> 00:13:50.613
  • Why would we choose god?
  • 00:13:50.613 --> 00:13:53.315
  • We're born again.
  • 00:13:53.315 --> 00:13:54.650
  • We can't lose our salvation.
  • 00:13:54.650 --> 00:13:56.018
  • Everything's good.
  • 00:13:56.018 --> 00:14:00.022
  • Well, the bible gives us a little broader picture.
  • 00:14:00.022 --> 00:14:04.593
  • The corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
  • 00:14:04.593 --> 00:14:06.929
  • Very next verse, i separated it a bit in your notes, but it's
  • 00:14:06.929 --> 00:14:09.365
  • One passage.
  • 00:14:09.365 --> 00:14:12.434
  • It says: "for this very reason."
  • 00:14:12.434 --> 00:14:16.238
  • Everything we just said, "for this very reason, make every
  • 00:14:16.238 --> 00:14:18.774
  • Effort to add to your faith goodness."
  • 00:14:18.774 --> 00:14:21.543
  • Make every effort.
  • 00:14:21.543 --> 00:14:22.878
  • You ought to circle those three words.
  • 00:14:22.878 --> 00:14:25.114
  • It didn't say when it's convenient, when you're in the
  • 00:14:25.114 --> 00:14:27.049
  • Mood, if you feel like it, if somebody preaches a good sermon.
  • 00:14:27.049 --> 00:14:31.587
  • "make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to
  • 00:14:31.587 --> 00:14:35.491
  • Goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to
  • 00:14:35.491 --> 00:14:37.793
  • Self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness."
  • 00:14:37.793 --> 00:14:41.163
  • That's not a fun list.
  • 00:14:41.163 --> 00:14:44.199
  • I mean, really, i mean, the outcomes are amazing, but i mean
  • 00:14:44.199 --> 00:14:47.937
  • If you're gonna put it, like, on a fun to do.
  • 00:14:47.937 --> 00:14:51.073
  • Let's all get together and practice perseverance at 4 a.m.
  • 00:14:51.073 --> 00:15:00.282
  • Years ago we did a--were doing a men's retreat.
  • 00:15:00.282 --> 00:15:03.085
  • And we'd invited a man to come speak to them.
  • 00:15:03.085 --> 00:15:04.887
  • He was a marine colonel.
  • 00:15:04.887 --> 00:15:06.956
  • I should have known.
  • 00:15:06.956 --> 00:15:09.892
  • And i'd written the agenda for the retreat.
  • 00:15:09.892 --> 00:15:11.827
  • I picked him up at the airport and we were driving to the park
  • 00:15:11.827 --> 00:15:14.063
  • Where we were having it.
  • 00:15:14.063 --> 00:15:16.498
  • He said, "i'm gonna write an agenda."
  • 00:15:16.498 --> 00:15:20.836
  • I was much younger and i said, "i've done that."
  • 00:15:20.836 --> 00:15:24.707
  • He said, "uh-huh."
  • 00:15:24.707 --> 00:15:27.476
  • And his agenda was 24 hours, around the clock.
  • 00:15:27.476 --> 00:15:31.647
  • Like, everybody praying, every hour.
  • 00:15:31.647 --> 00:15:35.117
  • It's like he was a marine or something.
  • 00:15:35.117 --> 00:15:38.921
  • I thought, well, you know, i thought a retreat, it was like
  • 00:15:38.921 --> 00:15:40.723
  • We'd play a little softball, eat some pancakes.
  • 00:15:40.723 --> 00:15:47.363
  • And i read what peter's writing.
  • 00:15:47.363 --> 00:15:49.131
  • This is 2 peter.
  • 00:15:49.131 --> 00:15:50.466
  • He's near the end of his life.
  • 00:15:50.466 --> 00:15:51.834
  • He's not the young man, not the brash young guy we meet in
  • 00:15:51.834 --> 00:15:54.236
  • The gospels.
  • 00:15:54.236 --> 00:15:56.105
  • Tempered by a lot of life experience: "perseverance,
  • 00:15:56.105 --> 00:15:59.308
  • Godliness; godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
  • 00:15:59.308 --> 00:16:01.610
  • Kindness, love.
  • 00:16:01.610 --> 00:16:02.945
  • And if you possess these qualities increasing measure,
  • 00:16:02.945 --> 00:16:04.980
  • They'll keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in
  • 00:16:04.980 --> 00:16:07.516
  • Your knowledge of our lord jesus christ."
  • 00:16:07.516 --> 00:16:10.419
  • How many of you knew you were supposed to be effective
  • 00:16:10.419 --> 00:16:11.954
  • And productive?
  • 00:16:11.954 --> 00:16:14.189
  • Peter just gave us the way to not be ineffective
  • 00:16:14.189 --> 00:16:16.258
  • And unproductive.
  • 00:16:16.258 --> 00:16:17.593
  • I don't even think we live with the--who said we're supposed to
  • 00:16:17.593 --> 00:16:19.328
  • Be productive and effective?
  • 00:16:19.328 --> 00:16:21.296
  • We prayed the sinner's prayer.
  • 00:16:21.296 --> 00:16:22.631
  • I got baptized.
  • 00:16:22.631 --> 00:16:23.999
  • I sit in church on saturday night sometimes.
  • 00:16:23.999 --> 00:16:29.104
  • "but if anyone doesn't have them, he's nearsighted and
  • 00:16:29.104 --> 00:16:32.708
  • Blind, and he's forgotten that he's been cleansed from his
  • 00:16:32.708 --> 00:16:37.012
  • Past sins."
  • 00:16:37.012 --> 00:16:38.347
  • He's writing clearly to christians.
  • 00:16:38.347 --> 00:16:39.815
  • He said if you're not doing the things to enable you to be
  • 00:16:39.815 --> 00:16:42.117
  • Effective and productive, you're nearsighted and blind.
  • 00:16:42.117 --> 00:16:45.554
  • And you have forgotten what has been done for you.
  • 00:16:45.554 --> 00:16:49.525
  • So the premise, it's my introduction, and it's gone too
  • 00:16:49.525 --> 00:16:51.960
  • Long, is we have to choose the promises of god.
  • 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:56.031
  • They're not automatic.
  • 00:16:56.031 --> 00:16:57.399
  • They don't accrue to you like some sort of compound interest.
  • 00:16:57.399 --> 00:17:01.070
  • We have to accept god's promises.
  • 00:17:01.070 --> 00:17:02.771
  • We have to choose god's way.
  • 00:17:02.771 --> 00:17:05.808
  • And those are typically choices in the midst of a conflict.
  • 00:17:05.808 --> 00:17:08.343
  • There are alternate perspectives.
  • 00:17:08.343 --> 00:17:09.945
  • When we choose god's way, there are other ways to choose.
  • 00:17:09.945 --> 00:17:13.615
  • We've got to be honest enough to acknowledge that.
  • 00:17:13.615 --> 00:17:16.685
  • There are other--there are other desires within us
  • 00:17:16.685 --> 00:17:22.424
  • Than godliness.
  • 00:17:22.424 --> 00:17:25.094
  • There are other options in the culture around us.
  • 00:17:25.094 --> 00:17:27.696
  • There are voices speaking to us in our peer groups.
  • 00:17:27.696 --> 00:17:31.834
  • There are choices in the midst of the conflict.
  • 00:17:31.834 --> 00:17:33.969
  • There are alternative perspectives.
  • 00:17:33.969 --> 00:17:35.904
  • We know that in the world, and there's russia and ukraine.
  • 00:17:35.904 --> 00:17:41.009
  • Lots of opinions.
  • 00:17:41.009 --> 00:17:42.344
  • There's democrats and republicans, the kingdom of god,
  • 00:17:42.344 --> 00:17:44.680
  • The kingdom of satan.
  • 00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:46.148
  • I'm not equating any of the above.
  • 00:17:46.148 --> 00:17:49.551
  • Romans 7, paul says this: "i find this law at work: when i
  • 00:17:49.551 --> 00:17:53.422
  • Want to do good, evil is right there with me.
  • 00:17:53.422 --> 00:17:55.290
  • For in my inner being i delight in god's law, but i see another
  • 00:17:55.290 --> 00:17:58.227
  • Law at work in the members of my body, waging war against my mind
  • 00:17:58.227 --> 00:18:02.764
  • And making me a prisoner of the law at work within my members."
  • 00:18:02.764 --> 00:18:08.003
  • He's describing this tension.
  • 00:18:08.003 --> 00:18:10.739
  • Well, i make up my mind to do this, but he said, i've got
  • 00:18:10.739 --> 00:18:13.208
  • These promptings.
  • 00:18:13.208 --> 00:18:14.576
  • It's like i'm hardwired.
  • 00:18:14.576 --> 00:18:16.712
  • He goes on to say, thank god, i triumph over all of this in
  • 00:18:16.712 --> 00:18:19.915
  • Christ jesus.
  • 00:18:19.915 --> 00:18:21.483
  • But you have to stay in christ jesus to get the
  • 00:18:21.483 --> 00:18:23.352
  • Triumphant part.
  • 00:18:23.352 --> 00:18:25.320
  • You're not a broken model.
  • 00:18:25.320 --> 00:18:26.655
  • You're not a b grade christian.
  • 00:18:26.655 --> 00:18:28.090
  • You're not like some sub par-- we've got to recognize that
  • 00:18:28.090 --> 00:18:32.294
  • Tension and we have to say on a very regular basis,
  • 00:18:32.294 --> 00:18:35.264
  • I choose god.
  • 00:18:35.264 --> 00:18:38.133
  • I do.
  • 00:18:38.133 --> 00:18:40.002
  • I want to honor the lord in this decision.
  • 00:18:40.002 --> 00:18:42.104
  • I wanna honor the lord in this, whatever's unfolding.
  • 00:18:42.104 --> 00:18:46.942
  • In fact, i like to think of it as a progression of faith,
  • 00:18:46.942 --> 00:18:49.778
  • Rather than a faith accompli, rather than something that you
  • 00:18:49.778 --> 00:18:52.981
  • Put in the past tense.
  • 00:18:52.981 --> 00:18:54.349
  • Oh, i've done that.
  • 00:18:54.349 --> 00:18:55.717
  • Think of your journey with the lord as a progressive learning
  • 00:18:55.717 --> 00:18:58.854
  • To trust god and to be obedient to god and to grow in
  • 00:18:58.854 --> 00:19:01.623
  • Your faith.
  • 00:19:01.623 --> 00:19:04.092
  • We're reading through the books of moses right now.
  • 00:19:04.092 --> 00:19:05.761
  • We've just ground our way through some of that exciting
  • 00:19:05.761 --> 00:19:09.031
  • Literature in leviticus and numbers.
  • 00:19:09.031 --> 00:19:12.034
  • So you're well aware of that generation of people who have
  • 00:19:12.034 --> 00:19:15.404
  • Been slaves in egypt, like generations for hundreds
  • 00:19:15.404 --> 00:19:19.308
  • Of years.
  • 00:19:19.308 --> 00:19:20.976
  • Think of their journey, that one generation of people, they are
  • 00:19:20.976 --> 00:19:24.746
  • Working in the brick pits of egypt when this scruffy fellow
  • 00:19:24.746 --> 00:19:27.783
  • Comes in out of the desert and says, "my name is moses, and i
  • 00:19:27.783 --> 00:19:31.253
  • Have a divine message."
  • 00:19:31.253 --> 00:19:35.524
  • They have to decide what they're gonna do with that.
  • 00:19:35.524 --> 00:19:38.160
  • Will they believe it, accept it, reject it?
  • 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:40.529
  • And it wasn't clear to them.
  • 00:19:40.529 --> 00:19:43.765
  • And if they accept moses, then they have to be willing to
  • 00:19:43.765 --> 00:19:46.401
  • Believe that leaving egypt is a possibility.
  • 00:19:46.401 --> 00:19:50.339
  • They don't know anybody that's left egypt.
  • 00:19:50.339 --> 00:19:52.174
  • Their families never left egypt.
  • 00:19:52.174 --> 00:19:53.675
  • They've never been to this place moses is talking about.
  • 00:19:53.675 --> 00:19:56.411
  • It wasn't enough to say god sent moses, they had to believe god
  • 00:19:56.411 --> 00:19:59.281
  • Sent moses so they could leave.
  • 00:19:59.281 --> 00:20:02.517
  • And it didn't stop there.
  • 00:20:02.517 --> 00:20:03.852
  • If they could leave egypt, they had to be willing to believe
  • 00:20:03.852 --> 00:20:06.088
  • They could--the crossing of the red sea was achievable.
  • 00:20:06.088 --> 00:20:09.157
  • They didn't have a navy.
  • 00:20:09.157 --> 00:20:13.195
  • I mean, they're having to take steps of faith.
  • 00:20:13.195 --> 00:20:15.030
  • The first one was moses is legit.
  • 00:20:15.030 --> 00:20:18.934
  • That sparked some conversation around the table.
  • 00:20:18.934 --> 00:20:22.104
  • Then do we really think we could leave this place and what we
  • 00:20:22.104 --> 00:20:24.406
  • Would do if the army were to pin us down?
  • 00:20:24.406 --> 00:20:28.410
  • And suppose we escape egypt and we get across the red sea, they
  • 00:20:28.410 --> 00:20:31.813
  • Had to believe they could survive in the wilderness.
  • 00:20:31.813 --> 00:20:34.283
  • Costco wasn't open yet.
  • 00:20:34.283 --> 00:20:40.255
  • Hundreds of thousands of people with no supply lines and no
  • 00:20:40.255 --> 00:20:43.225
  • Chain--food chain, no way to grow crops to sustain them.
  • 00:20:43.225 --> 00:20:46.862
  • There's not enough.
  • 00:20:46.862 --> 00:20:49.598
  • I mean, they are being pushed day after day.
  • 00:20:49.598 --> 00:20:52.301
  • Then they have to be--they're asked to believe they could
  • 00:20:52.301 --> 00:20:54.836
  • Conquer the promised land.
  • 00:20:54.836 --> 00:20:56.204
  • They have this inheritance, this piece of terra firma, but it is
  • 00:20:56.204 --> 00:20:59.408
  • Occupied by some powerful people.
  • 00:20:59.408 --> 00:21:02.477
  • And the group of people that said, "we believe moses, and we
  • 00:21:02.477 --> 00:21:05.681
  • Believe we can escape egypt.
  • 00:21:05.681 --> 00:21:08.050
  • We even believe we could cross the red sea and we've seen god
  • 00:21:08.050 --> 00:21:10.786
  • Feed us every day," when they got to the promised land, they
  • 00:21:10.786 --> 00:21:14.122
  • Said, "no, we're not--we're not--we're not believing that."
  • 00:21:14.122 --> 00:21:21.863
  • A part of this series is an invitation for you to choose the
  • 00:21:21.863 --> 00:21:25.534
  • Promises of god.
  • 00:21:25.534 --> 00:21:28.103
  • I'm grateful you're born again.
  • 00:21:28.103 --> 00:21:29.438
  • I'm grateful for all of your experience.
  • 00:21:29.438 --> 00:21:31.073
  • I'm grateful for your impressive spiritual resume.
  • 00:21:31.073 --> 00:21:35.010
  • I truly am.
  • 00:21:35.010 --> 00:21:37.145
  • It's filled with miracles and building tabernacles and
  • 00:21:37.145 --> 00:21:39.748
  • Churches and, sir, it's amazing.
  • 00:21:39.748 --> 00:21:43.452
  • Me too, we've made a lot of the journey together.
  • 00:21:43.452 --> 00:21:46.221
  • But i'm very interested in saying yes to the lord today.
  • 00:21:46.221 --> 00:21:54.730
  • Now, i want to take the balance of our time.
  • 00:21:54.730 --> 00:21:58.633
  • Have you ever watched a youtube video to learn how to
  • 00:21:58.633 --> 00:22:00.435
  • Do something?
  • 00:22:00.435 --> 00:22:03.038
  • You know, i--if you catch me, i'm desperate.
  • 00:22:03.038 --> 00:22:06.641
  • Like, i've tried everything.
  • 00:22:06.641 --> 00:22:07.976
  • I've already thrown away the instructions.
  • 00:22:07.976 --> 00:22:09.344
  • I didn't read them and i've got extra pieces left.
  • 00:22:09.344 --> 00:22:12.714
  • And they're pieces that apparently matter because it
  • 00:22:12.714 --> 00:22:14.583
  • Isn't working.
  • 00:22:14.583 --> 00:22:16.485
  • And it doesn't look right and kathy's gonna notice and so i'm
  • 00:22:16.485 --> 00:22:19.154
  • Desperate enough, i'm like, well, maybe somebody on youtube.
  • 00:22:19.154 --> 00:22:23.125
  • And then you get mad at youtube because they can't make it work
  • 00:22:23.125 --> 00:22:25.494
  • The way you want to.
  • 00:22:25.494 --> 00:22:27.162
  • So you have to go find somebody 10 or 12 years old and say,
  • 00:22:27.162 --> 00:22:29.731
  • "could you help me?"
  • 00:22:29.731 --> 00:22:32.968
  • And they pull up the video and it's a 7- or 8-year-old doing
  • 00:22:32.968 --> 00:22:36.405
  • The video to show you how to do what you can't do.
  • 00:22:36.405 --> 00:22:39.374
  • [congregation laughing]
  • 00:22:39.374 --> 00:22:40.742
  • Me too.
  • 00:22:42.878 --> 00:22:44.446
  • Well, i wanna do a youtube video with you because it'll end up on
  • 00:22:44.446 --> 00:22:47.916
  • Youtube, on applying one of the promises of god, because it's
  • 00:22:47.916 --> 00:22:53.188
  • Not enough to talk about them, folks.
  • 00:22:53.188 --> 00:22:55.023
  • What's it mean to choose a promise of god, to make
  • 00:22:55.023 --> 00:22:57.325
  • It yours?
  • 00:22:57.325 --> 00:22:58.727
  • How do you live that out?
  • 00:22:58.727 --> 00:23:00.061
  • See, i don't--i could give you 30 promises from scripture that
  • 00:23:00.061 --> 00:23:02.531
  • God says belong to you.
  • 00:23:02.531 --> 00:23:04.366
  • But i'd much--i'd be much more interested in walking through
  • 00:23:04.366 --> 00:23:07.135
  • The process one time because then you can apply it to all the
  • 00:23:07.135 --> 00:23:09.771
  • Promises you find.
  • 00:23:09.771 --> 00:23:11.640
  • And not all the promises of god begin with, "i promise."
  • 00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:16.711
  • Sometimes god will say something like "the fear of the lord will
  • 00:23:16.711 --> 00:23:19.347
  • Bring wealth and honor and life."
  • 00:23:19.347 --> 00:23:24.753
  • I'm like, wow.
  • 00:23:24.753 --> 00:23:27.255
  • Maybe i should figure out how to cultivate the fear of god.
  • 00:23:27.255 --> 00:23:31.760
  • Because i don't have to chase those things, it'll bring them
  • 00:23:31.760 --> 00:23:33.728
  • To me like amazon.
  • 00:23:33.728 --> 00:23:38.533
  • It's a promise.
  • 00:23:38.533 --> 00:23:40.635
  • "well, i don't believe that."
  • 00:23:40.635 --> 00:23:42.003
  • I know, that's what i'm saying.
  • 00:23:42.003 --> 00:23:43.338
  • You could choose that.
  • 00:23:43.338 --> 00:23:45.774
  • But you'd have to choose the fear of the lord.
  • 00:23:45.774 --> 00:23:47.409
  • So not all the promises come like with a neon light going,
  • 00:23:47.409 --> 00:23:50.078
  • "hey, this is the promise," but i chose a promise, john 16:33,
  • 00:23:50.078 --> 00:23:54.516
  • Because i'm making the video.
  • 00:23:54.516 --> 00:23:56.818
  • This was jesus speaking, and he said, "i've told you these
  • 00:23:56.818 --> 00:23:59.788
  • Things," he's talking to his friends, "so that in me you may
  • 00:23:59.788 --> 00:24:02.257
  • Have peace.
  • 00:24:02.257 --> 00:24:04.259
  • In this world you'll have trouble.
  • 00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:05.794
  • But take heart!
  • 00:24:05.794 --> 00:24:07.162
  • I have overcome the world."
  • 00:24:07.162 --> 00:24:09.798
  • Jesus told his friends, we could lead lives of peace.
  • 00:24:09.798 --> 00:24:17.038
  • Wow, that's a promise i'm interested in.
  • 00:24:17.038 --> 00:24:20.709
  • We live in a world filled with turmoil and confusion and anger
  • 00:24:20.709 --> 00:24:23.845
  • And bitterness and division and everybody with a computer that
  • 00:24:23.845 --> 00:24:27.549
  • Can find a parent's basement to put it in has got a
  • 00:24:27.549 --> 00:24:29.618
  • Loud opinion.
  • 00:24:29.618 --> 00:24:32.921
  • Now, jesus's peace is not an absence of conflict, because he
  • 00:24:32.921 --> 00:24:35.757
  • Didn't lead that kind of a life.
  • 00:24:35.757 --> 00:24:37.692
  • Jesus's peace is a calm assurance of god's
  • 00:24:37.692 --> 00:24:40.262
  • Abiding presence.
  • 00:24:40.262 --> 00:24:42.163
  • Even if you're in the midst of trouble, if you're in the midst
  • 00:24:42.163 --> 00:24:43.899
  • Of a storm and the fishermen wake you up in the boat, you can
  • 00:24:43.899 --> 00:24:46.334
  • Say to the wind and the waves, "oh, hush."
  • 00:24:46.334 --> 00:24:49.004
  • You can stand before the roman governor that has the power to
  • 00:24:49.004 --> 00:24:51.506
  • Condemn you to death, and you can say, "actually, unless my
  • 00:24:51.506 --> 00:24:54.276
  • Dad gave you the jews, you wouldn't even have a job."
  • 00:24:54.276 --> 00:24:58.246
  • Jesus said, "my peace."
  • 00:24:58.246 --> 00:25:00.582
  • Now, that's a promise.
  • 00:25:00.582 --> 00:25:02.417
  • It doesn't mean it fills our lives.
  • 00:25:02.417 --> 00:25:04.853
  • So how do we appropriate that promise?
  • 00:25:04.853 --> 00:25:06.721
  • Well, there's some facts that jesus put in the record that i
  • 00:25:06.721 --> 00:25:09.658
  • Think are worth noting.
  • 00:25:09.658 --> 00:25:11.893
  • I can tell you this, at least in my experience, the promises of
  • 00:25:11.893 --> 00:25:14.095
  • God don't come to my life casually.
  • 00:25:14.095 --> 00:25:17.599
  • I mean, the one most of us are familiar with, romans 10:9-10,
  • 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:20.268
  • You can confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, you
  • 00:25:20.268 --> 00:25:22.003
  • Can be saved.
  • 00:25:22.003 --> 00:25:23.338
  • You can do that in a moment, but to live that out is not a
  • 00:25:23.338 --> 00:25:25.874
  • Casual thing.
  • 00:25:25.874 --> 00:25:27.943
  • Is that fair?
  • 00:25:27.943 --> 00:25:29.511
  • Takes some intentionality.
  • 00:25:29.511 --> 00:25:30.879
  • You have to cooperate with the spirit of god.
  • 00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:32.681
  • There's--it's a lifetime.
  • 00:25:32.681 --> 00:25:34.983
  • Well, there's some facts that jesus put in record in that
  • 00:25:34.983 --> 00:25:36.952
  • Verse that i think are worth noting.
  • 00:25:36.952 --> 00:25:38.286
  • He said, "in me you may have peace."
  • 00:25:38.286 --> 00:25:40.956
  • You can have peace and peace is a little open-ended.
  • 00:25:40.956 --> 00:25:44.926
  • You can have peace with god in jesus.
  • 00:25:44.926 --> 00:25:46.728
  • In christ, you can have peace with god.
  • 00:25:46.728 --> 00:25:48.263
  • In christ, you can have peace with yourself.
  • 00:25:48.263 --> 00:25:50.832
  • You don't have to live in turmoil and torment.
  • 00:25:50.832 --> 00:25:52.701
  • You don't have to live a rejected life.
  • 00:25:52.701 --> 00:25:55.870
  • You don't have to lead a life that is scarred by the existence
  • 00:25:55.870 --> 00:25:58.506
  • Of evil.
  • 00:25:58.506 --> 00:26:00.542
  • In christ, you can have peace.
  • 00:26:00.542 --> 00:26:03.545
  • Cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
  • 00:26:03.612 --> 00:26:09.050
  • Allen: being a christ follower is not as much about an
  • 00:26:09.117 --> 00:26:11.186
  • Experience and a completed activity, a prayer, a visit
  • 00:26:11.186 --> 00:26:15.023
  • To an altar, a response to an evangelist.
  • 00:26:15.023 --> 00:26:17.759
  • It's certainly a beginning point of welcoming jesus into your
  • 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:21.162
  • Heart, but it's a life that we lead.
  • 00:26:21.162 --> 00:26:23.198
  • So, we continue to grow and learn and gain strength as life
  • 00:26:23.198 --> 00:26:26.835
  • Presents challenges.
  • 00:26:26.835 --> 00:26:28.169
  • We get to know god in a new way.
  • 00:26:28.169 --> 00:26:30.138
  • Well, i believe this book about the holy spirit is a tool to
  • 00:26:30.138 --> 00:26:32.907
  • Help you gain a new momentum to grow through the things in your
  • 00:26:32.907 --> 00:26:37.078
  • Life under the direction of the power of the spirit of god.
  • 00:26:37.078 --> 00:26:40.382
  • Folks, we're not gonna outwork evil or outthink evil.
  • 00:26:40.382 --> 00:26:42.784
  • We're not gonna out organize evil.
  • 00:26:42.784 --> 00:26:44.686
  • The only thing evil will yield to is a power greater than
  • 00:26:44.686 --> 00:26:47.288
  • Itself, and that power is the spirit of god in you and me
  • 00:26:47.288 --> 00:26:51.760
  • Manifest in the earth through people of faith.
  • 00:26:51.760 --> 00:26:54.629
  • We're salt and light.
  • 00:26:54.629 --> 00:26:56.231
  • We're change agents.
  • 00:26:56.231 --> 00:26:57.732
  • I wanna pray.
  • 00:26:57.732 --> 00:26:59.100
  • Heavenly father, give us a discernment to recognize your
  • 00:26:59.100 --> 00:27:01.569
  • Spirit, how we can welcome him into our lives and cooperate
  • 00:27:01.569 --> 00:27:04.506
  • With him to bring your breakthroughs into our lives,
  • 00:27:04.506 --> 00:27:07.809
  • Our homes, and our churches.
  • 00:27:07.809 --> 00:27:10.078
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:10.078 --> 00:27:12.681
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:12.747 --> 00:27:12.747