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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Lead With Faith, Holiday Edition (Part 2) | December 4, 2024
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- Allen jackson: every family has challenges.
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- There are no perfect families.
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- In fact, most of our families are the ones
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- That put fun in dysfunctional.
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- And one of the ways you can prepare to make a spiritual
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- Impact, to lead with your faith in the holiday season,
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- Is to begin now to pray for the people that you know
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- You're gonna interact with.
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- ♪♪♪
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- Allen: it's a privilege to be with you today.
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- Our topic is "leading with our faith in the holidays."
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- You know, they tell us that faith and politics are not
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- Appropriate for polite company.
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- I disagree.
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- I think we have to bring our faith with us to our gatherings
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- With our friends and our coworkers,
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- Our neighbors, wherever it may be.
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- I'm not going any place that i can't take jesus.
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- We don't have to be obnoxious.
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- We don't have to be over the top or intimidating.
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- We want to be certain that everybody we gather with knows
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- That we love jesus of nazareth and that we serve him as lord,
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- Christ, and king.
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- It's an important time.
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- Grab your bible, get a notepad, but most importantly,
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- Open your heart to god's invitations to
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- You this holiday season.
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- Allen: now, one of the men that works with me has a saying,
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- And it is stuck in my head.
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- He's saying that the right tool makes every job easier.
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- You know, and then there's so much truth in that.
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- If you don't believe that, sometimes you try to accomplish
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- A job just with brute force or strength or--
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- And i've learned a lot from that man 'cause i watch how he'll
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- Develop the tools he needs for the job at hand.
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- And he's not ashamed to say, "i need better tools for this," or
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- "there's tools that would make this job better."
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- And then i watch how he cares for them, and manages them,
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- And puts them in the place they're supposed to be.
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- And i mean, it's a real deal.
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- Well, there are spiritual tools that
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- Make our assignments easier.
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- And if we're going into this holiday season,
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- I want you to imagine that there's a menu of things.
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- There's some different things.
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- And you'll have to know the ones that are more comfortable for
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- You, that fit your hand better.
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- And some are better in some circumstances than others.
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- And there's no way i can put them all in one presentation,
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- But i'll begin, and then we'll pick up a few more
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- In the next session or two.
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- But one of the things i think you could have in your toolkit
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- Is the willingness to talk about current events
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- From a biblical perspective.
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- We do that a little bit around here.
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- And the people who don't like it
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- Chirp and say, "you're being political."
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- No, i'm really not.
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- I'm trying to understand what's happening in our world
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- In light of the scripture.
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- And in the immediate season, one of the biggest things that's
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- Dominating headlines is what's happening in israel.
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- And there's tremendous confusion around it,
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- Even amongst the people who attend churches,
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- Because we don't understand, we're not that biblically aware.
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- We've been told that the church replaced the jewish people or
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- Something, but there's an opportunity to bring your faith
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- To bear in a way that will help the people that you're
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- Interacting with find peace and hope in the midst of a
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- Tremendous amount of confusion and conflict.
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- I brought you two or three passages of scripture.
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- If you've watched the previous two or three sessions,
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- Some of this is a bit repetitive,
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- But i wanted to give it to you in a little more of an
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- Encapsulated way that perhaps you could take with you.
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- In john chapter 4 and verse 22, jesus is speaking to the
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- Samaritans, and he said, "the samaritans worship what you do
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- Not know; we worship what we do know,
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- For salvation is from the jews."
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- So somebody said, you know, "why does israel matter?
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- Why do the jewish people matter at all?"
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- Well, the reality is, as christians,
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- We have no salvation apart from the jewish people.
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- Our messiah, our lord, our king, the one to whom we have sworn
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- Allegiance, the one we call lord,
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- That we submit our will to, is a jewish rabbi.
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- So, we are indebted to the jewish people.
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- Doesn't mean they're perfect, doesn't mean they're always
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- Right, doesn't mean when you go to israel for a visit that you
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- Hear the flutter of angels' wings, because you don't.
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- Every form of ungodliness and wickedness you can find in
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- Nashville, you can find in jerusalem.
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- It's true.
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- You don't have to go looking for it.
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- All you have to do is ride in the car.
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- Their traffic's worse than ours.
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- You will lose the love of jesus, trying
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- To drive across jerusalem.
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- Romans chapter 11 and verse 1 says,
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- "did god reject his people?"
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- This is the apostle paul, a pharisee.
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- "did god reject his people?"
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- That's the question.
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- It's the one that the church has struggled with for almost 2,000
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- Years, and often we've gotten wrong.
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- Paul answers it: "by no means."
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- It's the most emphatic way to say it that's available to us in
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- The greek language, which is the language of the new testament.
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- "god forbid," he said.
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- "i'm an israelite myself, a descendant of abraham,
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- From the tribe of benjamin."
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- Verse 2, he repeats it, "god did not reject his people,
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- Whom he foreknew."
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- See, you've got a little conversation piece.
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- "i don't know what's going on.
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- I don't know why christians care about that.
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- God rejected the jewish people."
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- Well, you know, i used to think that.
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- I go to this goofy church now.
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- The pastor's about half nuts, but he uses the bible quite
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- A bit, and he read it to us the other day.
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- I think it was in romans 11.
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- I'm sure it was.
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- Paul asked the question, "did god reject his people?"
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- And he said, "no, he didn't."
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- So, biblically, i don't agree with you.
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- I don't really think god did.
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- That doesn't explain everything that's happening in the middle
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- East, but it does give me a responsibility to pray
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- For the jewish people.
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- I'm indebted to them.
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- There's a tremendous amount of latent,
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- Meaning underlying, resentment, hatred of the jewish people.
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- They have too much money. they control too many things.
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- There's just all sorts of things that are deeply embedded in the
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- Hearts and minds of many, many, many people
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- Who fill our churches.
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- The fancy word for it is anti-semitism.
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- And history bears that out.
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- That's not a theory on my part.
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- History shouts that at us.
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- The greatest persecutor of the jewish people for the last 2,000
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- Years has been the christian church, period.
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- There's not even anything that's a close second.
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- In psalm 122, in verse 6, it says,
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- "pray for the peace of jerusalem.
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- May those who love you be secure."
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- But if you're having a conversation with somebody,
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- And it's a new idea to them, and they're anywhere near receptive,
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- Have a let's pray moment.
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- You've just got one sentence now.
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- So, you know, whenever i can, wherever i've been able to this
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- Holiday season, i've been enlisting people to pray
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- For the peace of jerusalem.
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- Let's pray; father, i pray for the peace of jerusalem
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- And the inhabitants of the land.
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- In jesus's name, amen.
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- You didn't just pray for the jewish people.
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- About 9 million people live in israel,
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- About 7 million are jew and almost 2 million are arabic.
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- You prayed for the inhabitants of the land.
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- Now, you've got a little tool, little current events based.
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- I can add to it a little bit of history.
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- I think a little history would help.
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- I've done it in a good bit of detail
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- In the last couple of sessions.
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- I don't want to go back through all of that.
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- And with just a little bit of awareness,
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- You could have a dialogue.
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- You don't have to know all the dates.
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- You don't have to know the succession of the kings.
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- But you can understand that there hasn't been--king david
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- Selected jerusalem as the capital
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- Of the jewish people, 1000 bc.
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- Muhammad was born in the sixth century ad.
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- More than 1500 years before muhammad was born,
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- Jerusalem was the capital of a jewish state.
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- It was the second century, i told you a moment ago,
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- It was in the 130s ad when the romans
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- Named the region palestine.
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- Muhammad wasn't born until the sixth century.
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- So more than 300 years before muhammad was ever born,
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- Before there was any discussion of islam,
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- The region was known as palestine.
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- So it isn't as if from antiquity,
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- Palestine has been the eternal home of a people group.
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- It was a region of the middle east, not a country.
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- It's like talking about the midwest in the united states or
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- The southeast or new england.
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- They designate regions of the country.
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- What has been consistent from the biblical time when queen
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- Esther was in persia, and there was an edict to eliminate the
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- Jewish people, until today has been this illogical,
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- Persistent, unrelenting hatred of the jewish people.
- 00:09:26.858 --> 00:09:32.364
- And again, currently we see it being reflected in the muslim
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- World, but it shouldn't be understood to be unique to them.
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- Europe did their best to eliminate
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- The jewish population of europe.
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- Now, we would say, "well, the nazis did that."
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- Well, the nazis may have been the ones calling for the
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- Construction of the death camps, but europe offered up their
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- Jewish population from city after city after city.
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- That's just a matter of history.
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- And tragically, in case you don't know,
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- That was christian europe.
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- I had those awkward conversations at the hebrew
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- University in jerusalem when they would find out
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- I was a christian.
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- And they would turn around on the class and say,
- 00:10:16.574 --> 00:10:18.209
- "why have you hated us?"
- 00:10:18.209 --> 00:10:21.713
- I had to go learn my history before i could
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- Even talk about it.
- 00:10:23.148 --> 00:10:25.917
- So what we're watching in the world today really isn't
- 00:10:25.917 --> 00:10:29.020
- Fundamentally about islam.
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- It's about a spirit, a spirit of antichrist.
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- It hates the jewish people.
- 00:10:32.724 --> 00:10:36.094
- And what you should understand with clarity that's not quite as
- 00:10:36.094 --> 00:10:39.464
- Immediately apparent is the hatred of the jewish people and
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- The hatred of people who say jesus of nazareth is the
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- Messiah is fueled by the same spirit.
- 00:10:46.705 --> 00:10:49.407
- It's the spirit of antichrist.
- 00:10:49.407 --> 00:10:52.310
- And what you see being expressed towards the jewish people,
- 00:10:52.310 --> 00:10:54.713
- Tragically, from too many of our elite universities,
- 00:10:54.713 --> 00:10:59.284
- Is the same spirit that will hate you.
- 00:10:59.284 --> 00:11:03.154
- So when we stand on behalf of the jewish people,
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- We're standing on behalf of a worldview and a covenant that
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- God has made with them, of which we have benefited,
- 00:11:09.694 --> 00:11:12.997
- From which we have benefited.
- 00:11:12.997 --> 00:11:15.700
- So, one way to take your faith to your holiday gatherings is to
- 00:11:15.700 --> 00:11:19.204
- Know three or four sentences about what's happening in the
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- Middle east, so that you don't just have to repeat what's
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- Happening in the news.
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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 and
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- 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
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- In our ministry so far.
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- We started a whole new genre of programing.
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- Allen jackson now does a daily review of headlines
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- From a biblical worldview.
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- We've started a new podcast, "culture & christianity," to
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- Help stabilize god's people in the midst of all the confusion.
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- All of that because of your faithfulness,
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- Your generosity, your prayers.
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- Thank you so much.
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- 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.
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- We want to take those programs, share them in new
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- Places with more people.
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- We want to continue to be creative in how we share the
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- Good news of jesus christ.
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- A generous partner makes it possible.
- 00:12:24.969 --> 00:12:26.671
- Every gift you give will be matched.
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- Together in 2025.
- 00:12:36.481 --> 00:12:38.750
- Thank you and god bless you.
- 00:12:38.750 --> 00:12:41.186
- Female announcer: god is moving in major ways in the
- 00:12:41.186 --> 00:12:43.288
- Ministry and our world.
- 00:12:43.288 --> 00:12:45.824
- As we watched the 2024 election unfold,
- 00:12:45.824 --> 00:12:48.693
- We witnessed a miracle.
- 00:12:48.693 --> 00:12:50.728
- God has heard our prayers.
- 00:12:50.728 --> 00:12:52.831
- He has shown us his mercy.
- 00:12:52.831 --> 00:12:55.066
- We're entering a new era with new leaders,
- 00:12:55.066 --> 00:12:58.136
- But it's not a time to rest.
- 00:12:58.136 --> 00:13:00.338
- Our assignment hasn't changed.
- 00:13:00.338 --> 00:13:02.373
- In fact, it's as urgent as ever.
- 00:13:02.373 --> 00:13:05.410
- You and i have been set apart by god for his purposes,
- 00:13:05.410 --> 00:13:08.646
- And there's a lot for us to do.
- 00:13:08.646 --> 00:13:11.115
- Allen: i believe when god shows you mercy,
- 00:13:11.115 --> 00:13:15.420
- He gives with it an opportunity.
- 00:13:15.420 --> 00:13:18.189
- I want us to quietly say to the lord, "here am i.
- 00:13:18.189 --> 00:13:27.932
- Let me go.
- 00:13:27.932 --> 00:13:30.368
- Let me go back to where i work in the name of jesus.
- 00:13:30.368 --> 00:13:34.239
- Let me go back into my neighborhood
- 00:13:34.239 --> 00:13:35.874
- In the name of jesus."
- 00:13:35.874 --> 00:13:38.343
- God himself has shown us grace, and it will require of us
- 00:13:38.343 --> 00:13:46.284
- Greater strength and greater courage than we have ever had to
- 00:13:46.284 --> 00:13:50.321
- Attach to our faith before.
- 00:13:50.321 --> 00:13:54.092
- Let's go. let's go.
- 00:13:54.092 --> 00:13:57.829
- Announcer: let's set our hearts on preparing for what's
- 00:13:57.829 --> 00:13:59.864
- Next with pastor allen's brand-new 90-day devotional
- 00:13:59.864 --> 00:14:03.534
- Called "set apart for his purposes."
- 00:14:03.534 --> 00:14:06.738
- It will help us seek god so we can recognize his voice and
- 00:14:06.738 --> 00:14:09.774
- Consistently choose to follow him.
- 00:14:09.774 --> 00:14:11.976
- Each day includes scripture, a short teaching,
- 00:14:11.976 --> 00:14:14.279
- And a prayer, followed by a journaling prompt and room
- 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:17.515
- To write and reflect.
- 00:14:17.515 --> 00:14:19.250
- Let's get ready for the season ahead.
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- Request your copy of "set apart for his purposes" when you
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- Donate $50 or more today at allenjackson.com or by calling
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- Here with allen jackson ministries.
- 00:14:58.890 --> 00:15:02.927
- Allen: completely different topic, not current events.
- 00:15:04.963 --> 00:15:08.333
- There's some prayers you can pray before you get to your
- 00:15:08.333 --> 00:15:10.535
- Gatherings, before you get to your meals
- 00:15:10.535 --> 00:15:13.237
- Or your parties or your neighborhood whatever.
- 00:15:13.237 --> 00:15:16.908
- They're prayers that prepare you.
- 00:15:16.908 --> 00:15:19.944
- So often, we think about the prayer we're going
- 00:15:19.944 --> 00:15:21.446
- To pray with other people.
- 00:15:21.446 --> 00:15:22.780
- I think a far more significant prayer is the prayer you and i
- 00:15:22.780 --> 00:15:25.483
- Pray in preparation to those gatherings.
- 00:15:25.483 --> 00:15:29.087
- In mark 11:25 it says, "when you stand praying, if you hold
- 00:15:29.087 --> 00:15:31.990
- Anything against anyone, forgive him."
- 00:15:31.990 --> 00:15:36.060
- That suggests to us that forgiveness doesn't take long
- 00:15:36.060 --> 00:15:38.162
- 'cause you can forgive while you're standing there.
- 00:15:38.162 --> 00:15:41.065
- It says, "if you're having a standing prayer, you remember
- 00:15:41.065 --> 00:15:43.267
- Something that you need to forgive, forgive it."
- 00:15:43.267 --> 00:15:47.271
- Don't talk about it.
- 00:15:47.271 --> 00:15:49.007
- Don't debate it. don't think about it.
- 00:15:49.007 --> 00:15:51.275
- Don't make a case for why you're filled with
- 00:15:51.275 --> 00:15:52.944
- Anger and bitterness and resentment.
- 00:15:52.944 --> 00:15:54.278
- Forgive them.
- 00:15:54.278 --> 00:15:55.613
- Hebrews 12 says, "see to it that no bitter root grows up in you."
- 00:15:55.613 --> 00:16:01.319
- And one of the reasons the holidays are difficult for us is
- 00:16:01.319 --> 00:16:04.489
- We have tolerated unforgiveness and resentment and bitterness.
- 00:16:04.489 --> 00:16:07.725
- We have let bitter roots exist in our hearts.
- 00:16:07.725 --> 00:16:12.330
- Every family has challenges.
- 00:16:12.330 --> 00:16:15.199
- There are no perfect families.
- 00:16:15.199 --> 00:16:18.703
- In fact, most of our families are the ones
- 00:16:18.703 --> 00:16:20.071
- That put fun in dysfunctional.
- 00:16:20.071 --> 00:16:25.777
- And one of the ways you can prepare to make a spiritual
- 00:16:25.777 --> 00:16:29.380
- Impact, to lead with your faith in the holiday season,
- 00:16:29.380 --> 00:16:32.784
- Is to begin now to pray for the people that you know
- 00:16:32.784 --> 00:16:35.253
- You're gonna interact with.
- 00:16:35.253 --> 00:16:37.455
- Some of us need to forgive.
- 00:16:37.455 --> 00:16:40.258
- Some of us have been holding accounts due.
- 00:16:40.258 --> 00:16:42.994
- We have accounts receivable, and until we receive whatever it is
- 00:16:42.994 --> 00:16:45.430
- We're expecting, an apology, something, we're not gonna
- 00:16:45.430 --> 00:16:49.267
- Release those people from the resentment that we're holding.
- 00:16:49.267 --> 00:16:52.503
- And we want them to feel the hard
- 00:16:52.503 --> 00:16:53.838
- Edge of it when we're together.
- 00:16:53.838 --> 00:16:55.173
- They don't think i'm gonna be nice to them, i hope.
- 00:16:55.173 --> 00:16:59.043
- And one of the things we can do, one of the tools we can
- 00:16:59.043 --> 00:17:01.179
- Implement, it will bring far more freedom to you than to
- 00:17:01.179 --> 00:17:03.714
- Anyone else, is to forgive, to cancel those notes,
- 00:17:03.714 --> 00:17:09.587
- To tear up those markers.
- 00:17:09.587 --> 00:17:12.223
- Don't take your anger and resentment--you'll be so
- 00:17:12.223 --> 00:17:14.959
- Different, they'll wonder what happened to you.
- 00:17:14.959 --> 00:17:20.865
- You won't have to say much.
- 00:17:20.865 --> 00:17:22.533
- Your attitude will be different. the holy spirit will help you.
- 00:17:22.533 --> 00:17:26.471
- Now, i'm not suggesting this is easy,
- 00:17:26.471 --> 00:17:27.972
- Because if it's something that you've held for a long time,
- 00:17:27.972 --> 00:17:31.375
- It's not an easy adjustment.
- 00:17:31.375 --> 00:17:34.912
- And i'm not suggesting that what happened to you was appropriate.
- 00:17:34.912 --> 00:17:39.450
- I'm not suggesting that you should accept it nor get back in
- 00:17:39.450 --> 00:17:41.686
- Line for further abuse, if that was the nature of the offense.
- 00:17:41.686 --> 00:17:47.425
- I'm simply suggesting to you that biblically we have an
- 00:17:47.425 --> 00:17:49.794
- Assignment to forgive, that we will release them from
- 00:17:49.794 --> 00:17:54.265
- Any sense of obligation.
- 00:17:54.265 --> 00:17:55.733
- They're not getting away with anything.
- 00:17:55.733 --> 00:17:57.702
- You're entrusting them into the judge of all the earth.
- 00:17:57.702 --> 00:18:01.739
- What you're doing is you're practicing obedience so that you
- 00:18:01.739 --> 00:18:04.275
- Can receive forgiveness.
- 00:18:04.275 --> 00:18:07.211
- You know, the bizarre part about unforgiveness and anger and
- 00:18:07.211 --> 00:18:09.514
- Resentment is it puts us in bondage,
- 00:18:09.514 --> 00:18:11.482
- Not the person we're mad at.
- 00:18:11.482 --> 00:18:13.985
- Have you ever been mad at somebody that didn't know it?
- 00:18:13.985 --> 00:18:16.888
- How annoying is that?
- 00:18:16.888 --> 00:18:19.991
- "don't you even know i'm mad at you?"
- 00:18:19.991 --> 00:18:23.327
- "no, didn't know."
- 00:18:23.327 --> 00:18:26.564
- And you've been miserable and torqued up and angry.
- 00:18:26.564 --> 00:18:30.301
- So if you want to prepare, if you want to take a step to lead
- 00:18:30.301 --> 00:18:34.138
- With your faith during the holidays, ask the lord
- 00:18:34.138 --> 00:18:36.874
- If there's any prayers of preparation you need to make.
- 00:18:36.874 --> 00:18:40.978
- I like the passage from jude a lot.
- 00:18:40.978 --> 00:18:43.514
- It says, "build yourselves up in your most holy faith and
- 00:18:43.514 --> 00:18:45.816
- Pray in the holy spirit."
- 00:18:45.816 --> 00:18:48.586
- If you pray in the spirit, it's a great way to spend some time
- 00:18:48.586 --> 00:18:52.190
- In these next few weeks preparing
- 00:18:52.190 --> 00:18:53.691
- For these opportunities.
- 00:18:53.691 --> 00:18:55.793
- They're gonna be at work, they're gonna be in your
- 00:18:55.793 --> 00:18:57.128
- Neighborhood, they're gonna be at school,
- 00:18:57.128 --> 00:18:58.462
- They're going to be with family.
- 00:18:58.462 --> 00:18:59.931
- There's gonna be some unexpected opportunities.
- 00:18:59.931 --> 00:19:01.832
- There'll be some you look forward to
- 00:19:01.832 --> 00:19:03.201
- And some that you don't.
- 00:19:03.201 --> 00:19:05.469
- But we want to lead with our faith for these next few weeks.
- 00:19:05.469 --> 00:19:08.539
- We want to make a kingdom difference.
- 00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:10.875
- It's not up to the church to provide entertainment
- 00:19:10.875 --> 00:19:12.210
- For you during the holiday.
- 00:19:12.210 --> 00:19:15.046
- We'll create some opportunities that you could use as a bringing
- 00:19:15.046 --> 00:19:17.448
- And including event for friends or families
- 00:19:17.448 --> 00:19:19.383
- Or an ice rink, or whatever it may be.
- 00:19:19.383 --> 00:19:21.752
- But for us to lead with our faith,
- 00:19:21.752 --> 00:19:23.154
- We'll have to go into our spheres of influence as
- 00:19:23.154 --> 00:19:25.590
- Ambassadors for the kingdom, as if god were about to make an
- 00:19:25.590 --> 00:19:29.160
- Appeal all over middle tennessee and across our nation through
- 00:19:29.160 --> 00:19:32.563
- Us this holiday season.
- 00:19:32.563 --> 00:19:35.533
- How many of you are willing to be a part of
- 00:19:35.533 --> 00:19:37.001
- Something like that?
- 00:19:37.001 --> 00:19:38.836
- A kingdom initiative for the next several weeks,
- 00:19:38.836 --> 00:19:42.106
- Lives being changed one at a time,
- 00:19:42.106 --> 00:19:44.108
- Families being transformed one at a time.
- 00:19:44.108 --> 00:19:49.013
- You say, "i don't feel adequate."
- 00:19:49.013 --> 00:19:50.348
- You're not.
- 00:19:50.348 --> 00:19:52.016
- That's the exact right response.
- 00:19:52.016 --> 00:19:55.486
- If you think you're adequate, you make me anxious.
- 00:19:55.486 --> 00:19:59.090
- 'cause on your best day, you can't heal a gnat's wing.
- 00:19:59.090 --> 00:20:04.262
- We are not adequate.
- 00:20:04.262 --> 00:20:05.596
- We can't change people or change families.
- 00:20:05.596 --> 00:20:08.532
- We don't know have the wisdom often to know how to help people
- 00:20:08.532 --> 00:20:11.435
- Whose hearts are broken and they're desperate.
- 00:20:11.435 --> 00:20:14.138
- We just recognize the need and we say,
- 00:20:14.138 --> 00:20:15.906
- "lord, i don't know what this is going to look like,
- 00:20:15.906 --> 00:20:17.441
- But i'm going in your name today.
- 00:20:17.441 --> 00:20:22.380
- And if i can share a piece of pumpkin pie--or,
- 00:20:22.380 --> 00:20:26.183
- Well, maybe not that, lord, but however you want to use me."
- 00:20:26.183 --> 00:20:32.757
- Are you willing?
- 00:20:32.757 --> 00:20:34.925
- We're going to keep working on this toolkit a little bit.
- 00:20:34.925 --> 00:20:36.627
- I can give you some more tools that will help, i think.
- 00:20:36.627 --> 00:20:40.765
- But if you'll be willing, we'll start with
- 00:20:40.765 --> 00:20:42.099
- That commitment tonight.
- 00:20:42.099 --> 00:20:43.434
- We're gonna raise our hand and say to the lord, "i'm in.
- 00:20:43.434 --> 00:20:46.637
- Here i am, send me."
- 00:20:46.637 --> 00:20:48.939
- That was isaiah's transformative moment
- 00:20:48.939 --> 00:20:52.877
- When the lord said, "who will i send?
- 00:20:52.877 --> 00:20:54.211
- Who will we send on us?"
- 00:20:54.211 --> 00:20:55.546
- And isaiah said, "well, i could go."
- 00:20:55.546 --> 00:21:01.018
- And that's what i'm asking you tonight,
- 00:21:01.018 --> 00:21:02.353
- If you'll say to the lord this holiday season,
- 00:21:02.353 --> 00:21:04.855
- "you can send me, you can send me."
- 00:21:04.855 --> 00:21:10.394
- I used to go buy a dozen or so boxes of chocolate,
- 00:21:10.394 --> 00:21:15.366
- Keep them in the back of my car.
- 00:21:15.366 --> 00:21:16.701
- And i said, "lord, if there's somebody that needs encouraged,
- 00:21:16.701 --> 00:21:19.370
- Show me who they are."
- 00:21:19.370 --> 00:21:21.305
- You can give chocolate to a stranger at this time of the
- 00:21:21.305 --> 00:21:23.407
- Year, and they won't call the police.
- 00:21:23.407 --> 00:21:29.213
- You try that in april, you'll get an interview.
- 00:21:29.213 --> 00:21:33.451
- I'd buy a few poinsettias and keep them around,
- 00:21:33.451 --> 00:21:35.386
- 'cause i found if i saw something,
- 00:21:35.386 --> 00:21:36.721
- You could share a poinsettia with somebody.
- 00:21:36.721 --> 00:21:38.189
- Lord, bring somebody to my mind.
- 00:21:38.189 --> 00:21:39.523
- I'd think, "ah, i hadn't thought of them in a long time."
- 00:21:39.523 --> 00:21:43.361
- I'd go knock on a door and just say,
- 00:21:43.361 --> 00:21:44.695
- "i just wanted to say, 'god bless you.'
- 00:21:44.695 --> 00:21:47.365
- You've been a light in my life."
- 00:21:47.365 --> 00:21:49.500
- You can do this. we can do this.
- 00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:52.937
- Why don't you stand with me?
- 00:21:52.937 --> 00:21:54.772
- We're going to raise our hand to the lord.
- 00:21:54.772 --> 00:22:05.783
- You know who'll be changed the most, right, right?
- 00:22:09.854 --> 00:22:14.859
- Never knew god could use me driving along the road,
- 00:22:14.859 --> 00:22:21.198
- Gesturing at people in traffic to deliver a poinsettia.
- 00:22:21.198 --> 00:22:29.573
- Who knew?
- 00:22:29.573 --> 00:22:32.076
- Before i could get out of the car, i had
- 00:22:32.076 --> 00:22:33.411
- To tell the lord i was sorry.
- 00:22:33.411 --> 00:22:40.251
- True story, we used to do gift wrap at the mall.
- 00:22:40.251 --> 00:22:43.654
- For years, we had a booth.
- 00:22:43.654 --> 00:22:44.989
- We wrapped thousands and thousands of packages at
- 00:22:44.989 --> 00:22:47.291
- Christmas time for free.
- 00:22:47.291 --> 00:22:50.161
- I was in and out of the mall a lot.
- 00:22:50.161 --> 00:22:51.495
- Well, there's a little bit of traffic at the malls
- 00:22:51.495 --> 00:22:53.164
- At christmas time.
- 00:22:53.164 --> 00:22:55.332
- It was one of those tennessee winter days.
- 00:22:55.332 --> 00:22:57.034
- It was gray and rainy and cold
- 00:22:57.034 --> 00:22:59.470
- And dreary and it was dark.
- 00:22:59.470 --> 00:23:02.106
- I was in my car, i don't remember if i was trying
- 00:23:02.106 --> 00:23:03.774
- To get into the mall or get out, but there was somebody in
- 00:23:03.774 --> 00:23:05.810
- Front of me that needed saved.
- 00:23:05.810 --> 00:23:11.816
- Because every strategy i found to get out of
- 00:23:11.816 --> 00:23:13.818
- That parking lot, they blocked.
- 00:23:13.818 --> 00:23:18.322
- And just because the lord loved me,
- 00:23:18.322 --> 00:23:19.690
- Something happened so that they had to turn around.
- 00:23:19.690 --> 00:23:21.459
- They were going to pass my window.
- 00:23:21.459 --> 00:23:24.395
- So i was getting ready.
- 00:23:24.395 --> 00:23:27.832
- I wanted to show them my approval of their driving.
- 00:23:27.832 --> 00:23:32.203
- So, i had wiped off the fog of my window.
- 00:23:32.203 --> 00:23:36.707
- Right? i mean, i was prepared.
- 00:23:36.707 --> 00:23:39.610
- And when they got right abreast of me, and i could see into
- 00:23:39.610 --> 00:23:42.847
- Their car, it was somebody that came to church.
- 00:23:42.847 --> 00:23:48.953
- So, i tried to turn that glare into an expression of holiday
- 00:23:48.953 --> 00:23:54.291
- Cheer, but on the inside, i knew.
- 00:23:54.291 --> 00:24:03.501
- And, you know, in spite of our brokenness,
- 00:24:03.501 --> 00:24:05.936
- God will use us.
- 00:24:05.936 --> 00:24:08.806
- What i'm asking you to do is to say to the lord,
- 00:24:08.806 --> 00:24:10.975
- "i would be willing."
- 00:24:10.975 --> 00:24:15.045
- You won't get it right every time,
- 00:24:15.045 --> 00:24:18.048
- But you'll recognize when you didn't,
- 00:24:18.048 --> 00:24:19.383
- And you'll say, "lord, if i have another opportunity,
- 00:24:19.383 --> 00:24:21.585
- I could do that better.
- 00:24:21.585 --> 00:24:24.688
- I'll be more ready the next time."
- 00:24:24.688 --> 00:24:28.392
- Father, thank you for a season of the year we can pause to give
- 00:24:28.392 --> 00:24:32.830
- Thanks and celebrate the birth of jesus
- 00:24:32.830 --> 00:24:35.499
- And welcome a year of new opportunities, lord.
- 00:24:35.499 --> 00:24:39.870
- There are so many things in front of us in these
- 00:24:39.870 --> 00:24:42.106
- Next few weeks.
- 00:24:42.106 --> 00:24:44.475
- And lord, we recognize how desperately we need your help in
- 00:24:44.475 --> 00:24:49.313
- Our own hearts, in our own families,
- 00:24:49.313 --> 00:24:52.016
- In our own homes, in the offices where we work,
- 00:24:52.016 --> 00:24:54.985
- In the schools where our children go,
- 00:24:54.985 --> 00:24:57.755
- In our neighborhoods.
- 00:24:57.755 --> 00:24:59.690
- Well, lord, we offer ourselves.
- 00:24:59.690 --> 00:25:02.226
- We offer ourselves to you.
- 00:25:02.226 --> 00:25:04.562
- May we be ambassadors for your purposes
- 00:25:04.562 --> 00:25:07.932
- During this holiday season.
- 00:25:07.932 --> 00:25:10.434
- May your appeal be made to the people around us with the
- 00:25:10.434 --> 00:25:14.038
- Influence you've given us, with those with whom we'll interact,
- 00:25:14.038 --> 00:25:16.407
- With those with whom we will gather,
- 00:25:16.407 --> 00:25:17.741
- Those we'll speak to.
- 00:25:17.741 --> 00:25:19.343
- Lord, give us wisdom to know what to say
- 00:25:19.343 --> 00:25:21.178
- And when to be quiet.
- 00:25:21.178 --> 00:25:23.514
- May we have the courage to speak with kindness and love and grace
- 00:25:23.514 --> 00:25:29.486
- To the people that you put before us.
- 00:25:29.486 --> 00:25:33.624
- Forgive us when we've been too disinterested
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- Or too busy or too afraid or whatever.
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- Lord, we offer ourselves, and i thank you that in the weeks
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- Ahead, we'll begin to celebrate week upon week,
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- Story upon story of how you have intervened.
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- And, father, not only will we see others changed,
- 00:25:52.343 --> 00:25:54.178
- We'll be transformed.
- 00:25:54.178 --> 00:25:55.980
- In jesus's name, amen.
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- Hallelujah. god bless you.
- 00:25:58.816 --> 00:26:04.121
- Announcer: getting the latest messages from pastor
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- Download the app and be encouraged
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- By the word today.
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