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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Kings and Kingdoms (Part 1) | November 26, 2024
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- Allen jackson: a lot of scripture today.
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- I believe it'll help you.
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- The topic is "kings and kingdoms" and it's really
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- A pretty simple message.
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- In fact, i wanna walk through these scriptures with you.
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- I hope pretty quickly, i'd like to plant a seed in your heart.
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- I'd like to give you something to reflect on for the next few
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- Days to point your attention in a direction.
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- I believe that there is something so much better ahead
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- Of us than all the things that are available to us in time.
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- Now, don't misunderstand me.
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- I like the journey through time.
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- God created the earth and everything that's in it for our
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- Benefit and our enjoyment and i think it's an incredible gift
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- That he's given to us, but we live in a broken world.
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- Evil exists, horrific things happen, and none of us makes our
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- Journey through time without encounters with evil.
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- Some are very personal.
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- Some occasionally are gracefully removed a bit from us.
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- But the promise of something far better is the incentive we have
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- For accepting the assignment in our current setting.
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- You see, if we don't believe there's something better ahead
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- Of us, we will never make the sacrifice of serving the lord,
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- Of honoring him.
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- And please hear me, there is a sacrifice in serving the lord.
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- Jesus said, unless we're willing to lay down our life, i'll
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- Amplify it a bit.
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- The incentive for that, the willingness to do that to alter
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- The choice that my own selfish carnal adamic earthly nature.
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- They're all synonyms used in scripture.
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- It's that part of me that just wants to do what i wanna do
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- The way i wanna do it when i wanna do it.
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- The incentive for addressing that part of ourselves and
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- Putting god's purposes first, god's priorities ahead of my own
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- Is he says there is something so much better for us if we will
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- Do that.
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- And tragically, i think the contemporary church has been co
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- Opted almost completely by a mindset that's focused on what's
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- Here now.
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- I mean, there's even a country song about it.
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- "we all want to go to heaven but nobody wants to go now."
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- It's if you know, i mean, given the options of no heaven or
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- Heaven, yeah, i'll take heaven, but i wanna put it off as long
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- As possible.
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- That reflects a gross misunderstanding of what it
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- Means to be a participant in the kingdom of god.
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- We should never imagine that the benefit of our allegiance
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- To jesus is primarily in this present world order.
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- So with that, i wanna just walk through some scripture.
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- I'm gonna hand you some ideas.
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- We may come back and do this in a more elaborate form, but i
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- Think this will be helpful for the challenges in front of us.
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- I'll start in isaiah 6. we get this majestic, beautiful.
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- The language of isaiah is remarkable and just as an aside,
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- I assume that you, i hope you remember that isaiah is
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- A prophet.
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- He's one of the major prophets of the hebrew bible.
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- But isaiah was a court prophet.
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- Sometimes he's described as a prophet of the purple, meaning
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- He was a prophet to the royals.
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- He was very familiar with the halls of power.
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- Amos was a farmer, not isaiah.
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- Isaiah spoke to the direction of nations.
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- He had messages for kings and kingdoms.
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- You see the people of god are intended to impact what happens
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- In our world.
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- It's awkward, it's uncomfortable sometimes, it often brings
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- Tremendous pressure, but we're not just here to navigate our
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- Way through life and with a smaller profile as possible so
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- That we have the opportunity to go to heaven when we finally
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- Get done.
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- We are ambassadors, representatives, and isaiah as a
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- Young man has this remarkable vision of the throne room of god
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- And with the majestic language of isaiah.
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- Its isaiah 6, he said, "in the year that king uzziah died,"
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- It's just a, it's a chronological marker.
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- He said, "i saw the lord seated on a throne, high and exalted,
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- And the train of his robe filled the temple.
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- Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: with two wings
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- They covered their faces, and with two they covered their
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- Feet, and with two they were flying.
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- And they were calling to one another: 'holy, holy, holy is
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- The lord god almighty.
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- The whole earth is full of his glory.'
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- And at the sound of their voices, the doorposts and
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- Thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke."
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- Wow!
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- Isaiah has a vision of the throne room of god.
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- And these incredible angelic beings that are declaring
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- Holy is the lord.
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- The whole earth is filled with his glory.
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- In hebrew, hebrew is an ancient language.
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- It's a simple language in its construction.
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- So repetition is a way of making emphasis.
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- And here god is declared holy three times.
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- He's not like us, we're not holy, we're something
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- Else, right?
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- You know, that's true, right?
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- Now without holiness, the bible says we'll never see the lord,
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- But it's god reflected in us, god's character formed in us
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- That lets that holiness emerge.
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- I mean, how many of you this morning got up even with an
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- Extra hour sleep, looked in the mirror and said, "oh, you are
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- So holy."
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- Yeah, me either.
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- But the more jesus character is formed in us, hebrews 11:40
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- Gives us a window into this kingdom that we're a part of.
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- You see to be a christ follower is more than joining a church or
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- A denomination or a systematic theology.
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- It's more than a moral code.
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- It's access to a kingdom and there's only one doorway into
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- That kingdom.
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- His name is jesus of nazareth.
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- There aren't many pathways.
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- Folks, until the church has the courage to say to the world in
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- Which we live, there is one door into the eternal kingdom of our
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- God, we are failing in our assignment.
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- What has happened to us?
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- Hebrews 11:40 is the conclusion of chapter 11 in the book of
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- Hebrews is the hall of fame.
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- It's these remarkable men and women.
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- You'll know many of their names.
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- If you've read your bibles casually, abraham and moses
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- And all the hebrews, all of the heroes of our faith
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- Are listed there.
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- And at the conclusion of that chapter, it says, "god has
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- Planned something better for us so that only together with us
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- Would they be made perfect."
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- That's an amazing statement.
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- You see, there is a generational assignment attached to
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- Our lives.
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- God didn't call us to egypt to be under the whips of
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- Pharaoh's taskmasters.
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- We weren't there to help moses with the lift of taking hundreds
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- Of thousands of people out of 100 year old pattern and
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- Establishing a new nation.
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- God called us to the 21st century when technology would
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- Explode and communication would be unprecedented in the history
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- Of civilization so that both darkness and light can ricochet
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- Around the planet at a speed we've never known before.
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- We have an assignment to be kingdom difference makers in
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- This generation, just as certainly as moses did in his or
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- David did in his or the apostle paul had in his time.
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- We don't gather in the weekend to study what they did so we can
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- Be experts on what god was doing 10 centuries before the birth
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- Of christ.
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- Our objective is to be world class with insights
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- Onto 1st century christianity.
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- Our assignment is to be salt and light in the 21st century.
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- This is our generation.
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- We're gonna meet those heroes of chapter 11 of hebrews and
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- They're gonna ask us what we've done.
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- You're gonna--and david will say, "all right, so you read
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- About me and goliath.
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- Did you?
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- Then why did you hide in your tent?"
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- "well, he was really big."
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- David said, "no kidding.
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- Could you hear my knees banging together when you read
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- That story?
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- Could you feel the perspiration on my palms?
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- Could you feel the angst of my brothers going, 'he is such
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- A proud little fella.'"
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- 1 corinthians 15 says, "if only for this life we have hope in
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- Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."
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- Folks, there's something for us beyond time.
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- Don't misunderstand me.
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- I love the journey.
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- Every day is an adventure.
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- Some have difficult tasks, many are filled with assignments
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- And responsibilities.
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- I dump 'em on that.
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- That's what god created us for.
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- He gives us the strength to meet the assignment.
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- But i am very much aware that there is something better for me
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- Beyond time.
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- So i am endeavoring to be as faithful as i can with the
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- Opportunities of each day because i wanna be certain, i'm
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- Prepared for what's behind me.
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- The apostle paul said it a little differently
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- In philippians.
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- It's not in your notes, but it is in the book.
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- He said, there's one thing i do, putting what is behind, i leave
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- It behind, to press forward.
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- He said, i count all things as if it's dung, refuge, something
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- To be thrown out.
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- Those are all nice words for what he said compared to the
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- Surpassing greatness of knowing christ jesus, my lord.
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- Allen: i want to take just a moment to say thank you.
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- In a year of political turmoil and confusion and wars
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- And rumors of wars, because of your partnership,
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- Your generosity, your prayers, your encouragement,
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- We have done more for the gospel than any year
- 00:10:10.625 --> 00:10:13.128
- In our ministry so far.
- 00:10:13.128 --> 00:10:14.462
- We started a whole new genre of programing.
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- Allen jackson now does a daily review of headlines
- 00:10:16.865 --> 00:10:19.567
- From a biblical worldview.
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- We've started a new podcast, "culture & christianity," to
- 00:10:21.369 --> 00:10:23.805
- Help stabilize god's people in the midst of all the confusion.
- 00:10:23.805 --> 00:10:28.009
- All of that because of your faithfulness,
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- Your generosity, your prayers.
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- Thank you so much.
- 00:10:31.513 --> 00:10:33.214
- As we come to the end of this year, i want to ask
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- You to prayerfully consider making a sacrificial
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- Investment in what's next.
- 00:10:37.485 --> 00:10:40.188
- We want to take those programs, share them
- 00:10:40.188 --> 00:10:42.023
- In new places with more people.
- 00:10:42.023 --> 00:10:44.626
- We want to continue to be creative in how we share
- 00:10:44.626 --> 00:10:47.429
- The good news of jesus christ.
- 00:10:47.429 --> 00:10:49.564
- A generous partner makes it possible.
- 00:10:49.564 --> 00:10:51.266
- Every gift you give will be matched.
- 00:10:51.266 --> 00:10:52.901
- It doubles your gift between now and the end of the year.
- 00:10:52.901 --> 00:10:55.670
- Let me thank you in advance for what we've been doing and what
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- God's going to do with our lives and our partnership
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- Together in 2025.
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- Thank you and god bless you.
- 00:11:03.344 --> 00:11:05.714
- Female announcer: god is moving in major ways in
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- The ministry and our world.
- 00:11:07.882 --> 00:11:10.418
- As we watched the 2024 election unfold,
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- We witnessed a miracle.
- 00:11:13.288 --> 00:11:15.323
- God has heard our prayers.
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- He has shown us his mercy.
- 00:11:17.425 --> 00:11:19.661
- We're entering a new era with new leaders,
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- But it's not a time to rest.
- 00:11:22.731 --> 00:11:24.933
- Our assignment hasn't changed.
- 00:11:24.933 --> 00:11:26.968
- In fact, it's as urgent as ever.
- 00:11:26.968 --> 00:11:30.004
- You and i have been set apart by god for his purposes,
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- And there's a lot for us to do.
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- Allen: i believe when god shows you mercy,
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- He gives with it an opportunity.
- 00:11:40.014 --> 00:11:42.784
- I want us to quietly say to the lord, "here am i.
- 00:11:42.784 --> 00:11:52.527
- Let me go.
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- Let me go back to where i work in the name of jesus.
- 00:11:54.963 --> 00:11:58.833
- Let me go back into my neighborhood
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- In the name of jesus."
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- God himself has shown us grace, and it will require of us
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- Greater strength and greater courage than we have ever had
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- To attach to our faith before.
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- Let's go. let's go.
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- Announcer: let's set our hearts on preparing for what's
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- Next with pastor allen's brand-new 90-day devotional
- 00:12:24.459 --> 00:12:28.129
- Called "set apart for his purposes."
- 00:12:28.129 --> 00:12:31.332
- It will help us seek god so we can recognize his voice
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- And consistently choose to follow him.
- 00:12:34.369 --> 00:12:36.571
- Each day includes scripture, a short teaching,
- 00:12:36.571 --> 00:12:38.873
- And a prayer, followed by a journaling prompt and room
- 00:12:38.873 --> 00:12:42.110
- To write and reflect.
- 00:12:42.110 --> 00:12:43.845
- Let's get ready for the season ahead.
- 00:12:43.845 --> 00:12:46.114
- Request your copy of "set apart for his purposes"
- 00:12:46.114 --> 00:12:48.650
- When you donate $50 or more today at allenjackson.com
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- Or by calling...
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- Allen: you see one of the weapons that the enemy uses
- 00:12:59.160 --> 00:13:05.233
- Against us is dissatisfaction, discontentment.
- 00:13:05.233 --> 00:13:11.606
- And i've had enough birthdays now to recognize that he brings
- 00:13:11.606 --> 00:13:14.342
- It to us at every season of life.
- 00:13:14.342 --> 00:13:18.379
- When you're younger and in school, he'll make you
- 00:13:18.379 --> 00:13:20.682
- Discontent with your family circumstance or your classmates
- 00:13:20.682 --> 00:13:24.452
- Or your teachers.
- 00:13:24.452 --> 00:13:26.588
- I'm not given the opportunities i deserve or recognized in
- 00:13:26.588 --> 00:13:29.457
- The way i should be recognized or i'm something.
- 00:13:29.457 --> 00:13:34.095
- You get a bit older and he'll make you dissatisfied and
- 00:13:34.095 --> 00:13:36.965
- Discontent because i'm single.
- 00:13:36.965 --> 00:13:38.466
- I haven't found my soul mate yet.
- 00:13:38.466 --> 00:13:41.469
- I'm making the journey alone and it's crushing my spirit.
- 00:13:41.469 --> 00:13:47.542
- Then you get married.
- 00:13:47.542 --> 00:13:53.982
- See if you hadn't laughed, no one would have known.
- 00:13:53.982 --> 00:14:00.855
- And now you're discontent because you don't have the right
- 00:14:00.855 --> 00:14:04.325
- Picket fence or you don't have the right number of children in
- 00:14:04.325 --> 00:14:08.196
- The house or your pet isn't housebroken or it takes such
- 00:14:08.196 --> 00:14:15.503
- A significant effort and energy and resource commitment when the
- 00:14:15.503 --> 00:14:18.806
- Family is young that you can't pursue the hobby of your choices
- 00:14:18.806 --> 00:14:22.443
- With the enthusiasm you would like to, discontentment.
- 00:14:22.443 --> 00:14:28.683
- And you turn the calendar a few years and your children begin to
- 00:14:28.683 --> 00:14:33.354
- Roll their eyes at you.
- 00:14:33.354 --> 00:14:35.857
- There's much less affirmation in the house.
- 00:14:35.857 --> 00:14:39.260
- You've been attacked with a stupid virus.
- 00:14:39.260 --> 00:14:44.198
- It's overwhelming.
- 00:14:44.198 --> 00:14:46.601
- The people amongst you that you brought into the world are the
- 00:14:46.601 --> 00:14:49.070
- Only people you can ask now to help you turn on the television.
- 00:14:49.070 --> 00:14:53.541
- So not only do they roll their eyes, god's determined that
- 00:14:53.541 --> 00:14:55.910
- You'll be humiliated before them.
- 00:14:55.910 --> 00:14:59.180
- So we just decided we don't like television, we won't watch
- 00:14:59.180 --> 00:15:01.416
- It anymore.
- 00:15:01.416 --> 00:15:04.686
- And as awful as that is, then they leave home and it's too
- 00:15:04.686 --> 00:15:09.424
- Quiet and we're discontent with that.
- 00:15:09.424 --> 00:15:14.162
- And then you realize you've turned the calendar enough times
- 00:15:14.162 --> 00:15:16.597
- That it's begun to impact you physically and the things that
- 00:15:16.597 --> 00:15:22.136
- You used to do as a matter of routine now after you do them
- 00:15:22.136 --> 00:15:24.706
- You need pharmaceutical help to recover.
- 00:15:24.706 --> 00:15:30.345
- And there's a whole another set of discontentment because you
- 00:15:30.345 --> 00:15:32.613
- Realize that there's less time in front of you than is
- 00:15:32.613 --> 00:15:35.483
- Behind you.
- 00:15:35.483 --> 00:15:37.952
- It never changes folks.
- 00:15:37.952 --> 00:15:40.221
- We have an adversary and an enemy who is determined to make
- 00:15:40.221 --> 00:15:43.958
- You discontent to distract you from giving your best to
- 00:15:43.958 --> 00:15:47.228
- The lord in the season where you find yourself.
- 00:15:47.228 --> 00:15:50.365
- He will try to tell you, you shouldn't until you get your
- 00:15:50.365 --> 00:15:53.701
- Family circumstance straight.
- 00:15:53.701 --> 00:15:55.236
- You shouldn't until you get your kids a little older.
- 00:15:55.236 --> 00:15:57.338
- You shouldn't until you've stored up a few more resources.
- 00:15:57.338 --> 00:16:00.675
- You shouldn't because now it's your time to enjoy yourself.
- 00:16:00.675 --> 00:16:03.611
- After all you spent all these years serving everybody else.
- 00:16:03.611 --> 00:16:05.513
- Now it's your time and your calendar and your money.
- 00:16:05.513 --> 00:16:07.749
- I'll spend it where i want to.
- 00:16:07.749 --> 00:16:09.183
- Every one of those junctures along the way, the enemy will
- 00:16:09.183 --> 00:16:12.353
- Give you permission to lead if not a godless, a carnal self
- 00:16:12.353 --> 00:16:16.557
- Absorbed life.
- 00:16:16.557 --> 00:16:18.593
- I would remind you of what paul is saying to
- 00:16:18.593 --> 00:16:20.828
- The corinthian church.
- 00:16:20.828 --> 00:16:22.163
- And it's worth noting they were a drunken, immoral,
- 00:16:22.163 --> 00:16:26.501
- Undisciplined lot in corinth.
- 00:16:26.501 --> 00:16:29.570
- Paul said to them, there is sexual immorality amongst you
- 00:16:29.570 --> 00:16:32.340
- That even the pagans don't engage in.
- 00:16:32.340 --> 00:16:37.478
- They had succumbed to the temptations of their carnal
- 00:16:37.478 --> 00:16:39.914
- Selves and he writes this to them.
- 00:16:39.914 --> 00:16:41.582
- It's 1 corinthians 15.
- 00:16:41.582 --> 00:16:42.950
- You have it.
- 00:16:42.950 --> 00:16:44.285
- "if only for this life we have hope in christ, we're to be
- 00:16:44.285 --> 00:16:47.422
- Pitied more than all men."
- 00:16:47.422 --> 00:16:48.756
- There's a benefit to our faith.
- 00:16:48.756 --> 00:16:50.525
- That means today, i'll make a sacrifice for the kingdom.
- 00:16:50.525 --> 00:16:54.829
- I'll reorder my schedule.
- 00:16:54.829 --> 00:16:56.631
- I'll make a different decision about my financial resources.
- 00:16:56.631 --> 00:17:00.034
- I'll take time for people.
- 00:17:00.034 --> 00:17:01.702
- It might be a different path for my career.
- 00:17:01.702 --> 00:17:04.472
- It might change my imagined earning capacity.
- 00:17:04.472 --> 00:17:07.775
- It might change my relational network 'cause i'm gonna be kind
- 00:17:07.775 --> 00:17:10.845
- To someone who can't repay me for that kindness.
- 00:17:10.845 --> 00:17:13.781
- But i'm gonna make an investment in the eternal kingdom of god
- 00:17:13.781 --> 00:17:16.884
- Today because i have a hope beyond time and i intend to
- 00:17:16.884 --> 00:17:20.755
- Be invested.
- 00:17:20.755 --> 00:17:25.660
- And on the days when i fail that test, if god is gracious enough
- 00:17:25.660 --> 00:17:30.832
- To remind me of it, before i go to sleep i'll say, "lord, i'm
- 00:17:30.832 --> 00:17:34.168
- Sorry, i was co-opted today.
- 00:17:34.168 --> 00:17:37.371
- I pushed my agenda forward.
- 00:17:37.371 --> 00:17:40.074
- I was more interested in getting all i could.
- 00:17:40.074 --> 00:17:42.910
- God, i'm sorry.
- 00:17:42.910 --> 00:17:45.880
- Help me be more aware tomorrow."
- 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:47.949
- Philippians 1 and verse 23, paul said, "i'm torn between the two:
- 00:17:47.949 --> 00:17:51.452
- I desire to depart and be with christ, which is better by far,
- 00:17:51.452 --> 00:17:54.689
- But it's more necessary for you that i remain in the body."
- 00:17:54.689 --> 00:17:58.092
- Paul is saying to us there's something better than what we've
- 00:17:58.092 --> 00:18:00.661
- Got in this current age.
- 00:18:00.661 --> 00:18:02.597
- Too many of us has lived is like this is as good as it can get,
- 00:18:02.597 --> 00:18:06.367
- We gotta get the second house and when you get the second one,
- 00:18:06.367 --> 00:18:08.569
- You need a third one 'cause two is not really a choice.
- 00:18:08.569 --> 00:18:11.939
- Two's just options and i'd like a choice.
- 00:18:11.939 --> 00:18:15.243
- We need more clothes 'cause the three closets are already
- 00:18:15.243 --> 00:18:20.047
- Full and i just feel better with the fourth one and my kids need
- 00:18:20.047 --> 00:18:24.218
- Something more spectacular 'cause parenting is competitive
- 00:18:24.218 --> 00:18:26.888
- And i gotta help them be better than the other kids that we call
- 00:18:26.888 --> 00:18:29.056
- Their friends.
- 00:18:29.056 --> 00:18:33.060
- We don't really live like we think there's something better.
- 00:18:33.060 --> 00:18:38.399
- Paul said it, it's i'm torn between the two.
- 00:18:38.399 --> 00:18:41.636
- I desire to depart and be with christ.
- 00:18:41.636 --> 00:18:43.571
- He said it's better by far.
- 00:18:43.571 --> 00:18:46.541
- You need to meditate on that.
- 00:18:46.541 --> 00:18:47.909
- You need to think about it a little bit.
- 00:18:47.909 --> 00:18:49.243
- You need to be honest with the lord say, "lord, you know, to be
- 00:18:49.243 --> 00:18:51.612
- Truthful, i think leaving here is kind of disrupting.
- 00:18:51.612 --> 00:19:00.154
- It's not that i don't wanna be with you, but i'd like it to be
- 00:19:00.154 --> 00:19:02.423
- A long, long, long, long, long, long, long time from now."
- 00:19:02.423 --> 00:19:06.661
- That's not what paul's saying.
- 00:19:06.661 --> 00:19:09.163
- He's saying i'm living close enough to the kingdom of god
- 00:19:09.163 --> 00:19:11.632
- That i can tell you it is infinitely better than any of
- 00:19:11.632 --> 00:19:14.569
- The kingdoms of this world.
- 00:19:14.569 --> 00:19:17.171
- Anything afforded me, any praise that i could garner, any
- 00:19:17.171 --> 00:19:21.342
- Resource i could accumulate, any power i could marshal,
- 00:19:21.342 --> 00:19:25.313
- It's better.
- 00:19:25.313 --> 00:19:26.681
- There is something ahead of us that is much better than
- 00:19:26.681 --> 00:19:29.584
- Where we are now.
- 00:19:29.584 --> 00:19:30.952
- There are crowns awaiting us, not from this present age.
- 00:19:30.952 --> 00:19:35.089
- There are rewards to be given to us that exceed anything you
- 00:19:35.089 --> 00:19:39.193
- Could achieve in this current age.
- 00:19:39.193 --> 00:19:41.362
- Any acknowledgment, any reward.
- 00:19:41.362 --> 00:19:45.566
- Are you purposefully intentionally striving to be
- 00:19:45.566 --> 00:19:49.303
- Included or do you have that born again mentality?
- 00:19:49.303 --> 00:19:53.874
- I've been born again.
- 00:19:53.874 --> 00:19:55.209
- I'm good.
- 00:19:55.209 --> 00:19:56.577
- I believe in being born again.
- 00:19:56.577 --> 00:19:58.179
- 2 timothy 4, paul said, "i'm already being poured out like
- 00:19:58.179 --> 00:20:01.015
- A drink offering, the time has come for my departure."
- 00:20:01.015 --> 00:20:03.951
- He's been on trial.
- 00:20:03.951 --> 00:20:05.319
- He's going back to trial.
- 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:06.654
- He expects to be condemned to death.
- 00:20:06.654 --> 00:20:08.022
- He's not waiting on a flight, folks.
- 00:20:08.022 --> 00:20:10.725
- The language is a euphemism.
- 00:20:10.725 --> 00:20:13.394
- He said they plan to kill me soon.
- 00:20:13.394 --> 00:20:17.098
- "i have fought the good fight.
- 00:20:17.098 --> 00:20:18.566
- I have finished the race.
- 00:20:18.566 --> 00:20:19.900
- I've kept the faith.
- 00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:21.235
- Now, there's in store for me the crown of righteousness which the
- 00:20:21.235 --> 00:20:24.071
- Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not
- 00:20:24.071 --> 00:20:27.341
- Only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
- 00:20:27.341 --> 00:20:30.811
- He said, they're gonna kill me, but i'm gonna get a crown.
- 00:20:30.811 --> 00:20:36.584
- He said, i can't wait.
- 00:20:36.584 --> 00:20:38.452
- He said, i've run this race.
- 00:20:38.452 --> 00:20:41.422
- See the devil, he will make you so--he wants to stop you.
- 00:20:41.422 --> 00:20:45.526
- He wants you to slow down.
- 00:20:45.526 --> 00:20:46.894
- He wants to impede you.
- 00:20:46.894 --> 00:20:49.363
- No matter where you are, he's gonna try to convince you you
- 00:20:49.363 --> 00:20:51.832
- Shouldn't serve the lord.
- 00:20:51.832 --> 00:20:53.234
- You shouldn't be enthusiastic.
- 00:20:53.234 --> 00:20:56.437
- Your hair is gray.
- 00:20:56.437 --> 00:20:57.805
- Why would you make an effort for the lord?
- 00:20:57.805 --> 00:21:00.274
- Let the young people do it.
- 00:21:00.274 --> 00:21:02.443
- I fought my fight.
- 00:21:02.443 --> 00:21:05.479
- I've teed it up.
- 00:21:05.479 --> 00:21:07.281
- I've taken the abuse.
- 00:21:07.281 --> 00:21:09.317
- I've lost sleep.
- 00:21:09.317 --> 00:21:10.885
- Why would i do that?
- 00:21:10.885 --> 00:21:12.219
- This is my time.
- 00:21:12.219 --> 00:21:14.755
- Imagine you gotta run a marathon.
- 00:21:14.755 --> 00:21:19.060
- I suppose that's the assignment for tomorrow.
- 00:21:19.060 --> 00:21:21.228
- Everybody, we all gotta run one.
- 00:21:21.228 --> 00:21:24.265
- All right, you're gonna sleep in.
- 00:21:24.265 --> 00:21:25.766
- So you're gonna start yours late.
- 00:21:25.766 --> 00:21:27.702
- I'm gonna get up early.
- 00:21:27.702 --> 00:21:30.504
- So when you meet me, i'm at mile 23.
- 00:21:30.504 --> 00:21:39.113
- I bet you're not gonna look at me and go, "oh, i'm so sorry.
- 00:21:39.113 --> 00:21:44.018
- You've already run 23 miles."
- 00:21:44.018 --> 00:21:46.921
- "i'm gonna be oh, sucker.
- 00:21:46.921 --> 00:21:48.389
- I'm about done.
- 00:21:48.389 --> 00:21:51.058
- You got a lot of work to do a lot of breaths to take your
- 00:21:51.058 --> 00:21:54.028
- Heart's gonna have to pump a whole lot.
- 00:21:54.028 --> 00:21:57.064
- That's my finish line.
- 00:21:57.064 --> 00:21:58.399
- There's a reward over there.
- 00:21:58.399 --> 00:22:00.101
- You better believe i'm gonna run through the tape."
- 00:22:00.101 --> 00:22:04.638
- In fact, we all know the secrets.
- 00:22:04.638 --> 00:22:05.973
- You wanna look better at the finish line.
- 00:22:05.973 --> 00:22:08.642
- So you may have been dying three miles ago, but you're gonna
- 00:22:08.642 --> 00:22:11.178
- Sprint through the tape because there's cameras there.
- 00:22:11.178 --> 00:22:18.085
- There's something better ahead of us.
- 00:22:18.085 --> 00:22:22.022
- We get in this mindset as if we're competing with the ungodly
- 00:22:22.022 --> 00:22:27.962
- With the pagan.
- 00:22:27.962 --> 00:22:29.330
- They're stacking their stuff saying i won the game and
- 00:22:29.330 --> 00:22:32.032
- I'm going, no, no, no.
- 00:22:32.032 --> 00:22:33.401
- It's all going back in the box.
- 00:22:33.401 --> 00:22:35.870
- They're gonna take that puzzle off the table and re-jumble 'em
- 00:22:35.870 --> 00:22:38.506
- And somebody else is gonna put them together.
- 00:22:38.506 --> 00:22:40.441
- So the fact that you put your puzzle together really well,
- 00:22:40.441 --> 00:22:42.510
- Isn't gonna make a hood of difference.
- 00:22:42.510 --> 00:22:43.844
- Are you prepared for what's next?
- 00:22:43.844 --> 00:22:46.480
- Are you living for a crown?
- 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:47.915
- There's a king and a kingdom to be gained.
- 00:22:47.915 --> 00:22:53.788
- There's joy ahead of us.
- 00:22:53.788 --> 00:22:55.356
- Hebrews chapter 12, "let's fix our eyes on jesus, the author
- 00:22:55.356 --> 00:22:58.426
- And perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him
- 00:22:58.426 --> 00:23:01.495
- Endured the cross."
- 00:23:01.495 --> 00:23:03.964
- That was his assignment.
- 00:23:03.964 --> 00:23:06.801
- His assignment was to face rejection, hatred, to show them
- 00:23:06.801 --> 00:23:11.372
- The kingdom of god knowing at the beginning they were gonna
- 00:23:11.372 --> 00:23:14.108
- Go, "no, not really."
- 00:23:14.108 --> 00:23:16.177
- I mean, there would be some who would follow.
- 00:23:16.177 --> 00:23:19.380
- I mean, it's kind of a sad little group.
- 00:23:19.380 --> 00:23:22.716
- Handful of fishermen, tax collectors, demonized people,
- 00:23:22.716 --> 00:23:28.622
- Some prostitutes, former prostitutes.
- 00:23:28.622 --> 00:23:32.993
- I mean, the power brokers, they weren't interested.
- 00:23:32.993 --> 00:23:36.030
- The governors, they probably weren't particularly interested.
- 00:23:36.030 --> 00:23:38.199
- They didn't have the courage to follow jesus.
- 00:23:38.199 --> 00:23:41.435
- You understand the more success you have and the more you
- 00:23:41.435 --> 00:23:44.171
- Accumulate, the more courage it takes to truly be an ambassador.
- 00:23:44.171 --> 00:23:49.477
- Come on.
- 00:23:49.477 --> 00:23:51.812
- But jesus, it says, "for the joy set before him, he endured the
- 00:23:51.812 --> 00:23:55.082
- Cross, he scorned its shame, he sat down at the right hand of
- 00:23:55.082 --> 00:23:58.085
- The throne of god."
- 00:23:58.085 --> 00:24:00.387
- And then the author of hebrews makes it very personal.
- 00:24:00.387 --> 00:24:02.490
- It says, "consider him who endured such opposition from
- 00:24:02.490 --> 00:24:05.793
- Sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
- 00:24:05.793 --> 00:24:12.066
- See what he is presupposing is that you and i are gonna
- 00:24:12.066 --> 00:24:15.569
- Face opposition.
- 00:24:15.569 --> 00:24:17.705
- That we're not gonna be ambassadors for the kingdom of
- 00:24:17.705 --> 00:24:19.773
- God without push back.
- 00:24:19.773 --> 00:24:22.042
- We'll recognize the bullying voices and the threats and the
- 00:24:22.042 --> 00:24:25.212
- Challenges, the forfeiture of opportunities, the deals lost,
- 00:24:25.212 --> 00:24:29.183
- The exclusion from lists and more.
- 00:24:29.183 --> 00:24:34.755
- We describe those as if they're sacrifices.
- 00:24:34.755 --> 00:24:36.891
- Folks around the world today, our brothers and sisters in
- 00:24:36.891 --> 00:24:39.894
- The faith are hiding for fear of their lives.
- 00:24:39.894 --> 00:24:43.831
- We're the most persecuted religious group on the planet
- 00:24:43.831 --> 00:24:47.501
- And we talk of suffering in terms of, "well, i didn't get
- 00:24:47.501 --> 00:24:50.304
- Invited to the party."
- 00:24:50.304 --> 00:24:52.673
- I mean, that can be uncomfortable.
- 00:24:52.673 --> 00:24:54.508
- You'll lose some friends.
- 00:24:54.508 --> 00:24:57.177
- I hope you do so gladly.
- 00:24:57.177 --> 00:25:01.448
- There's joy ahead of us.
- 00:25:01.448 --> 00:25:05.419
- Now to be fair, there are immediate opportunities.
- 00:25:05.419 --> 00:25:07.555
- There are opportunities before us in the day.
- 00:25:07.555 --> 00:25:10.291
- They're not just temptations, they're real.
- 00:25:10.291 --> 00:25:13.494
- In hebrews 11, it describes moses that he refused the
- 00:25:13.494 --> 00:25:16.163
- Pleasure of sin for a season.
- 00:25:16.163 --> 00:25:19.333
- And when you choose ungodliness, i'm not saying that ungodliness
- 00:25:19.333 --> 00:25:21.802
- Can't be rewarding in the moment.
- 00:25:21.802 --> 00:25:24.104
- It'll give you some financial opportunities in the moment.
- 00:25:24.104 --> 00:25:26.273
- Sometimes it'll give you opportunities for pleasure in
- 00:25:26.273 --> 00:25:28.542
- The moment.
- 00:25:28.542 --> 00:25:30.177
- I'm not suggesting to you those analysis aren't real, that those
- 00:25:30.177 --> 00:25:33.213
- Perspectives aren't clear.
- 00:25:33.213 --> 00:25:34.949
- I'm telling you they're short sighted, but they're
- 00:25:34.949 --> 00:25:40.721
- Real choices.
- 00:25:40.721 --> 00:25:42.056
- In 2 timothy 4, the bible, i like its honesty and
- 00:25:42.056 --> 00:25:43.924
- Its integrity.
- 00:25:43.924 --> 00:25:45.259
- Paul said to timothy, "come quickly, for demas, because he
- 00:25:45.259 --> 00:25:47.828
- Loved this world, has deserted me and he's gone
- 00:25:47.828 --> 00:25:51.131
- To thessalonica."
- 00:25:51.131 --> 00:25:52.466
- Demas was a trusted companion of paul.
- 00:25:52.466 --> 00:25:54.935
- He's mentioned in multiple places in the new testament as
- 00:25:54.935 --> 00:25:57.338
- A faithful associate of paul.
- 00:25:57.338 --> 00:25:59.039
- One ministering in the gospel.
- 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:00.774
- And by the time he finds himself in a roman prison nearing the
- 00:26:00.774 --> 00:26:03.344
- End of his life awaiting his execution, he says to timothy,
- 00:26:03.344 --> 00:26:06.714
- "i need you to hurry 'cause demas decided he loved the
- 00:26:06.714 --> 00:26:08.882
- World more."
- 00:26:08.882 --> 00:26:11.452
- Folks, please don't act like we're above that.
- 00:26:11.452 --> 00:26:15.155
- All of us, we have to guard our hearts.
- 00:26:15.155 --> 00:26:18.292
- We need the encouragement that comes from one another.
- 00:26:18.292 --> 00:26:20.260
- It's why community is so important.
- 00:26:20.260 --> 00:26:22.229
- If you spend your time with people who are pursuing things
- 00:26:22.229 --> 00:26:24.665
- Other than the lord, it gives you an incredible license to
- 00:26:24.665 --> 00:26:27.701
- Join them.
- 00:26:27.701 --> 00:26:29.603
- You need to put people around you who are choosing to honor
- 00:26:29.603 --> 00:26:31.905
- God with their lives that are willing to talk about it.
- 00:26:31.905 --> 00:26:36.143
- Talk about the culture in which we live and why a godly
- 00:26:36.143 --> 00:26:39.680
- Perspective makes such a difference.
- 00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:43.384
- Allen: and before we go, i'd like to pray with you that god
- 00:26:43.450 --> 00:26:45.819
- Would give us discernment, the ability to recognize
- 00:26:45.819 --> 00:26:49.123
- Spiritual things beyond just our intellect.
- 00:26:49.123 --> 00:26:52.259
- That we would know what god is doing and how we
- 00:26:52.259 --> 00:26:54.495
- Might co-operate.
- 00:26:54.495 --> 00:26:55.829
- Are you ready?
- 00:26:55.829 --> 00:26:57.164
- Father, i thank you.
- 00:26:57.164 --> 00:26:58.532
- I thank you for your presence in the earth and i pray that you
- 00:26:58.532 --> 00:27:00.534
- Would give us a discernment to recognize your spirit at work.
- 00:27:00.534 --> 00:27:04.471
- Lord, we don't wanna be left simply to our intellect and our
- 00:27:04.471 --> 00:27:07.074
- Own senses, but we wanna be able to see the world from
- 00:27:07.074 --> 00:27:09.276
- Your perspective.
- 00:27:09.276 --> 00:27:10.644
- Thank you holy spirit for your help.
- 00:27:10.644 --> 00:27:12.413
- In jesus's name, amen.
- 00:27:12.413 --> 00:27:15.249
- Cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
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- ♪♪♪
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