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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Let's Eat - Obedience, Intentional Choices (Part 2)

March 5, 2026 | 27:29

Allen Jackson - Let's Eat - Obedience, Intentional Choices (Part 2)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#Choices #Obedience #Disobedience #WalkwithGod #Spirit #SpiritualFoundation #Authority #SpiritualHealth #Faith #TrustGod #Trials-HardTimes #Challenges #AllenJackson

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Let's Eat - Obedience, Intentional Choices (Part 2) | March 5, 2026
  • ...
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  • Allen jackson: you know, around the world,
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  • People are searching for truth, and together we're doing our
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  • Very best to help them find it.
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  • When you become a ministry partner with allen jackson
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  • Ministries, you're joining a growing community of believers
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  • Who are committed to strengthening the church and
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  • Sharing god's word through every available channel--
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  • Television, radio, podcast, books, bible studies,
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  • Digital resources, conferences.
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  • Your monthly partnership helps us equip believers to reach new
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  • Audiences, to take the hope of jesus to people who may never
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  • Have heard the gospel otherwise.
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  • Together, we can stand firm in our faith and make god's truth
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  • Known right here at home and around the earth, wherever
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  • God opens a door.
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  • Let's keep gathering his people and building his church until
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  • The day our king returns.
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  • You can find more about becoming a ministry partner
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  • At allenjackson.com/partner.
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  • Allen: i believe your table's intended to be the location for
  • 00:01:07.059 --> 00:01:09.661
  • Spiritual and physical nourishment for the people who
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  • Live in that home.
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  • And if that's not the case, just ask the lord.
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  • You don't need to believe me, just ask the lord, "is there
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  • Something i could do with that table that would you--give you
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  • Greater influence in my life and in my home?"
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  • And if there is, start.
  • 00:01:28.514 --> 00:01:34.019
  • What's the spiritual authority of your table?
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  • "why is it--why does that matter?"
  • 00:01:36.155 --> 00:01:37.489
  • Well, the bible gives us a lot of pictures of this, but i've
  • 00:01:37.489 --> 00:01:40.058
  • Been sharing with you--it said that jezebel and ahab had almost
  • 00:01:40.058 --> 00:01:43.929
  • 800 prophets of baal and asherah that ate at their table, and
  • 00:01:43.929 --> 00:01:50.302
  • Then it talks about the people who ate at king's da--king
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  • David's tables.
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  • Two tables very well provided, both kings, but very different
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  • Places, very different spiritual authority, very different
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  • Allegiances, very different objectives.
  • 00:02:02.614 --> 00:02:05.584
  • Both places food was available and both places spiritual
  • 00:02:05.584 --> 00:02:08.453
  • Authority was present, but they were dramatically different.
  • 00:02:08.453 --> 00:02:13.025
  • Again, this is not about incrimination of what has been,
  • 00:02:13.025 --> 00:02:16.995
  • It's about preparation for what might be.
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  • We wanna invite god into our homes, and what i've been
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  • Telling you and i'm gonna continue to say is to make no
  • 00:02:24.203 --> 00:02:26.838
  • Decision is to make a decision, to hear it and just nod and go,
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  • "oh, that's nice.
  • 00:02:30.709 --> 00:02:32.044
  • I kind of agree."
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  • You see, it's similar to our physical health.
  • 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:37.282
  • You don't have to make a decision to be unhealthy.
  • 00:02:37.282 --> 00:02:41.186
  • Very few of us got up this morning and thought, "i'm gonna
  • 00:02:41.186 --> 00:02:43.355
  • See how many unhealthy things i can do today, how sedentary i
  • 00:02:43.355 --> 00:02:48.060
  • Can be, how much fried food i consume, how much refined sugar
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  • I can eat.
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  • Those would be my goals.
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  • How high can i get my blood pressure?
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  • Wonder what i could eat to get my cholesterol even higher."
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  • Most of us don't approach our day that way.
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  • But if you don't start the day on purpose to say, "what can i
  • 00:03:07.913 --> 00:03:10.549
  • Do today to make myself healthy?"
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  • In reality you're cooperating with the degeneration of
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  • Your health.
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  • The same is true spiritually.
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  • You don't have to get up today and say, "how can i cooperate
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  • With evil?
  • 00:03:23.395 --> 00:03:25.464
  • What expression of immorality could i dally with today?"
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  • All you really have to do is say, "i'm not gonna make any
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  • Intentional effort to honor the lord."
  • 00:03:33.939 --> 00:03:38.010
  • In the same way your spiritual health will decline, so wi--i
  • 00:03:38.010 --> 00:03:40.512
  • Mean, your physical health will decline, so will your
  • 00:03:40.512 --> 00:03:42.414
  • Spiritual health.
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  • You have to choose to be healthy spiritually.
  • 00:03:43.749 --> 00:03:45.784
  • Absent the choice, you will become increasingly
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  • Spiritually unhealthy.
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  • So your kitchen table's important.
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  • So it shouldn't be surprising that we find ourselves in a
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  • Culture that says primarily we're christian.
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  • We don't declare ourselves buddhist or muslim or agnostic
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  • For the most part and yet we find that there's not very great
  • 00:04:03.902 --> 00:04:09.541
  • Expression of biblical values.
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  • We have an appearance but no real substance.
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  • We have a facade of faith because we lack the intent, and
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  • Absent the intent there's very little behavior.
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  • Choose obedience.
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  • I'm gonna take the minutes we've got and look at some biblical
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  • Examples of this about expressions of hospitality or
  • 00:04:27.059 --> 00:04:30.362
  • Not because there's a struggle with it, and i wanna be candid
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  • With you.
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  • We'll talk more about this.
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  • I presented to you --we kinda laugh about it, but there's
  • 00:04:35.934 --> 00:04:38.103
  • Really some pressure to not do this.
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  • We were kids at home.
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  • My parents had a bible study in our home for like a decade.
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  • A decade they've tortured us.
  • 00:04:46.211 --> 00:04:50.215
  • Every thursday night, "we have guests coming.
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  • Go to your room."
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  • Can you believe that?
  • 00:04:55.721 --> 00:04:57.956
  • It's taken years of therapy and the power of the blood of jesus.
  • 00:04:57.956 --> 00:05:05.397
  • We didn't have a bible study in our home 'cause the--my brothers
  • 00:05:05.397 --> 00:05:07.699
  • And i got together and said, "we think it would be delightful if
  • 00:05:07.699 --> 00:05:10.836
  • You would invite some strangers into our home and share with
  • 00:05:10.836 --> 00:05:14.740
  • Them the great treasures from the word of god, and it would be
  • 00:05:14.740 --> 00:05:19.745
  • Even better if perchance they would bring some children that
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  • We could care for."
  • 00:05:24.850 --> 00:05:29.321
  • Never happened.
  • 00:05:29.321 --> 00:05:31.089
  • Not once.
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  • The only upside to bible study--and it was not really an
  • 00:05:33.392 --> 00:05:36.595
  • Upside, it was just a--wasn't quite as deep a part of the
  • 00:05:36.595 --> 00:05:40.198
  • Downside is at the end of bible study they would have some
  • 00:05:40.198 --> 00:05:43.702
  • Refreshments, and we got pretty good at sneaking into the
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  • Kitchen and stealing refreshments before they got
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  • To them.
  • 00:05:49.474 --> 00:05:52.577
  • You're gonna have some, but you couldn't eat them all or--then
  • 00:05:52.577 --> 00:05:55.213
  • There was another issue.
  • 00:05:55.213 --> 00:05:56.581
  • There's another--but it changed our lives.
  • 00:05:56.581 --> 00:06:02.821
  • It's actually the seed that gave rise to the community of faith
  • 00:06:02.821 --> 00:06:06.158
  • We have today.
  • 00:06:06.158 --> 00:06:09.327
  • It wasn't always fun, it was a choice and--expressions of
  • 00:06:09.327 --> 00:06:13.465
  • Hospitality, there's pressures against it.
  • 00:06:13.465 --> 00:06:17.803
  • They are in my heart.
  • 00:06:17.803 --> 00:06:19.137
  • They're in my schedule.
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  • They're--it's just easier to be selfish, and you can find lots
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  • Of voices with phds and ecclesiastical labels and
  • 00:06:27.012 --> 00:06:31.082
  • Clothing that will give you permission to be selfish.
  • 00:06:31.082 --> 00:06:35.954
  • In acts chapter 10, we're stepping into the narrative.
  • 00:06:35.954 --> 00:06:39.991
  • Peter is in jaffa.
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  • It's an ancient port.
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  • He's at the--he's taking a little beach break.
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  • He's in simon's house, and simon's house is right there on
  • 00:06:48.099 --> 00:06:51.503
  • The beachfront, it's on the sea.
  • 00:06:51.503 --> 00:06:54.940
  • Been to jaffa many times.
  • 00:06:54.940 --> 00:06:57.876
  • And peter is there, and he's waiting with the--while the meal
  • 00:06:57.876 --> 00:07:00.512
  • Is prepared and he has this vision.
  • 00:07:00.512 --> 00:07:02.080
  • You know the vision of the sheet let down from heaven with things
  • 00:07:02.080 --> 00:07:05.183
  • That peter's not supposed to eat, and the voice says, "kill
  • 00:07:05.183 --> 00:07:07.552
  • And eat."
  • 00:07:07.552 --> 00:07:08.920
  • And he said, "oh, not me."
  • 00:07:08.920 --> 00:07:10.255
  • And god says, "don't say that."
  • 00:07:10.255 --> 00:07:12.290
  • And it's repeated three times, and about that time there's a
  • 00:07:12.290 --> 00:07:14.593
  • Knock at the door.
  • 00:07:14.593 --> 00:07:16.628
  • There's somebody at the door asking for peter, and that's
  • 00:07:16.628 --> 00:07:19.598
  • Where we pick it up.
  • 00:07:19.598 --> 00:07:20.932
  • "the men replied, 'we've come from cornelius the centurion.
  • 00:07:20.932 --> 00:07:23.902
  • He is righteous and a god-fearing man, who is
  • 00:07:23.902 --> 00:07:26.705
  • Respected by all the jewish people.
  • 00:07:26.705 --> 00:07:28.940
  • And a holy angel told him to have you come to his house so
  • 00:07:28.940 --> 00:07:32.811
  • That he could hear what you have to say.'
  • 00:07:32.811 --> 00:07:35.480
  • Then peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
  • 00:07:35.480 --> 00:07:38.783
  • And the next day peter started out with them, and some of the
  • 00:07:38.783 --> 00:07:41.219
  • Brothers from joppa went along."
  • 00:07:41.219 --> 00:07:43.655
  • It's a fascinating little narrative to me.
  • 00:07:43.655 --> 00:07:46.224
  • It's a little bite of information, but it's not
  • 00:07:46.224 --> 00:07:48.660
  • Everything i would like to know.
  • 00:07:48.660 --> 00:07:50.262
  • If god told cornelius through an angelic visit that peter was in
  • 00:07:50.262 --> 00:07:55.166
  • Jaffa and gave him the address, gave him his gps coordinates,
  • 00:07:55.166 --> 00:08:00.272
  • That peter had a message he needed to hear--if i had been
  • 00:08:00.272 --> 00:08:03.508
  • Directing that, i would have said it would be far simpler and
  • 00:08:03.508 --> 00:08:08.847
  • Far less prone to failure if cornelius would just get himself
  • 00:08:08.847 --> 00:08:13.752
  • To the house of simon the tanner by the sea.
  • 00:08:13.752 --> 00:08:17.022
  • "go talk to pete," right?
  • 00:08:17.022 --> 00:08:21.259
  • Less chance of the knuckleheads you sent to get peter going to
  • 00:08:21.259 --> 00:08:24.062
  • The wrong house.
  • 00:08:24.062 --> 00:08:26.531
  • Less chance of peter brushing them off and going, "no, i'm not
  • 00:08:26.531 --> 00:08:29.501
  • Doing that."
  • 00:08:29.501 --> 00:08:31.436
  • Cornelius is a centurion.
  • 00:08:31.436 --> 00:08:32.837
  • He could have gone with some serious authority and said, "i'm
  • 00:08:32.837 --> 00:08:37.842
  • Here, and we will talk."
  • 00:08:37.842 --> 00:08:41.846
  • But that's not what he did.
  • 00:08:41.846 --> 00:08:45.817
  • "you bring this man into your home.
  • 00:08:45.817 --> 00:08:49.521
  • You bring him to your house and you listen to what he has
  • 00:08:49.521 --> 00:08:53.258
  • To say."
  • 00:08:53.258 --> 00:08:55.994
  • This isn't--you say, "well, you're stretching
  • 00:08:55.994 --> 00:08:58.463
  • The boundaries."
  • 00:08:58.463 --> 00:08:59.798
  • I don't really think i am.
  • 00:08:59.798 --> 00:09:04.502
  • I'm not saying the only place in your life where spiritual
  • 00:09:04.502 --> 00:09:07.072
  • Authority is expressed is your kitchen table, but i'm telling
  • 00:09:07.072 --> 00:09:10.175
  • You, what we do with our homes has been so separated from our
  • 00:09:10.175 --> 00:09:13.511
  • Spiritual lives.
  • 00:09:13.511 --> 00:09:18.783
  • Peter invites cornelius's representatives into his home.
  • 00:09:18.783 --> 00:09:21.620
  • It's not even his home.
  • 00:09:21.620 --> 00:09:23.855
  • He's a guest.
  • 00:09:23.855 --> 00:09:25.223
  • He's just had a vision.
  • 00:09:25.223 --> 00:09:26.558
  • I'm sure he heard their account of cornelius's angelic visit,
  • 00:09:26.558 --> 00:09:32.130
  • And it's very, very--it's--i don't even have the words or the
  • 00:09:32.130 --> 00:09:35.433
  • Ability to describe to you how out of character it would have
  • 00:09:35.433 --> 00:09:38.169
  • Been for peter to invited into the home where he's staying
  • 00:09:38.169 --> 00:09:42.007
  • People from caesarea that are a part of a roman-sold centurion's
  • 00:09:42.007 --> 00:09:45.744
  • Home to be at the table with him.
  • 00:09:45.744 --> 00:09:47.879
  • It's unthinkable.
  • 00:09:47.879 --> 00:09:50.982
  • It's just not--it's not--it would be far more probable--and
  • 00:09:50.982 --> 00:09:56.154
  • Forgive me.
  • 00:09:56.154 --> 00:09:57.822
  • I don't mean to be disrespectful.
  • 00:09:57.822 --> 00:09:59.724
  • It'd be far more probable if you heard that kathy and i were
  • 00:09:59.724 --> 00:10:02.727
  • Entertaining all the strippers from nashville.
  • 00:10:02.727 --> 00:10:06.865
  • You go, "well, that's just absurd.
  • 00:10:06.865 --> 00:10:08.233
  • They wouldn't come to your house.
  • 00:10:08.233 --> 00:10:09.567
  • You wouldn't have them at your house."
  • 00:10:09.567 --> 00:10:12.170
  • Well, the scene as described there is just as--beyond the
  • 00:10:12.170 --> 00:10:17.676
  • Realm of imagination.
  • 00:10:17.676 --> 00:10:19.911
  • So peter goes the next day.
  • 00:10:19.911 --> 00:10:21.246
  • They spend the night and the next day he travels with them.
  • 00:10:21.246 --> 00:10:23.982
  • It's gonna take a day or two to get there.
  • 00:10:23.982 --> 00:10:25.316
  • They get to caesarea.
  • 00:10:25.316 --> 00:10:26.685
  • It's acts 10, same chapter.
  • 00:10:26.685 --> 00:10:28.553
  • "can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water?"
  • 00:10:28.553 --> 00:10:30.922
  • The holy spirit's poured out on them.
  • 00:10:30.922 --> 00:10:32.857
  • The events of the day of pentecost in acts chapter 2 are
  • 00:10:32.857 --> 00:10:36.127
  • Repeated, except this time not amongst a primarily jewish
  • 00:10:36.127 --> 00:10:38.663
  • Audience, upon the household of a roman centurion.
  • 00:10:38.663 --> 00:10:43.101
  • Now, i know it says he was a god-fearing man and he was
  • 00:10:43.101 --> 00:10:45.370
  • Generous and he was respected by the jewish people, but he's
  • 00:10:45.370 --> 00:10:47.939
  • Still reprobate.
  • 00:10:47.939 --> 00:10:53.645
  • "'they've received the holy spirit just as we have.'
  • 00:10:53.645 --> 00:10:55.613
  • So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of jesus
  • 00:10:55.613 --> 00:10:57.882
  • Christ, and they asked peter to stay with them for a few days."
  • 00:10:57.882 --> 00:11:02.520
  • That's probably as shocking to me as the outpouring of
  • 00:11:02.520 --> 00:11:04.823
  • The spirit.
  • 00:11:04.823 --> 00:11:06.825
  • Peter agrees to stay in caesarea.
  • 00:11:06.825 --> 00:11:09.160
  • Jesus never went to caesarea.
  • 00:11:09.160 --> 00:11:11.896
  • Caesarea is a--it's in israel, but it's a roman town.
  • 00:11:11.896 --> 00:11:14.499
  • And the center of caesarea is a temple to a roman god.
  • 00:11:14.499 --> 00:11:17.902
  • It's a pagan place.
  • 00:11:17.902 --> 00:11:21.306
  • And peter said, "oh, i'll stay."
  • 00:11:21.306 --> 00:11:28.480
  • It's unbelievable.
  • 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:29.848
  • God is deconstructing the walls of separation.
  • 00:11:29.848 --> 00:11:37.188
  • Allen: we have partnered with our friends tim and david barton
  • 00:11:41.392 --> 00:11:43.828
  • To make available to you a two-volume set on
  • 00:11:43.828 --> 00:11:46.598
  • American history.
  • 00:11:46.598 --> 00:11:47.932
  • It's "the american story."
  • 00:11:47.932 --> 00:11:49.300
  • And it focuses on the part of american history that's been
  • 00:11:49.300 --> 00:11:51.469
  • Lost in much of our public education these days.
  • 00:11:51.469 --> 00:11:54.372
  • It's god's engagement with this nation and how he brought the
  • 00:11:54.372 --> 00:11:57.642
  • American story forward.
  • 00:11:57.642 --> 00:11:59.110
  • Our nation is more than politics or republicans and democrats.
  • 00:11:59.110 --> 00:12:02.547
  • It's god working in the lives of people to shape a nation that
  • 00:12:02.547 --> 00:12:06.117
  • Had brought forth his purposes in the world.
  • 00:12:06.117 --> 00:12:08.386
  • I believe it's an important part of our faith journey this year,
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  • Important milestone we shouldn't rush past,
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  • Move forward.
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  • Allenjackson.com or call...
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  • Allen: when i say god is moving in the earth and it's not gonna
  • 00:12:51.095 --> 00:12:55.266
  • Look like what you've expected, that isn't something that i have
  • 00:12:55.266 --> 00:12:58.603
  • Dreamt up.
  • 00:12:58.603 --> 00:12:59.938
  • It's what i have distilled from reading my bible.
  • 00:12:59.938 --> 00:13:02.207
  • When god begins to move, he brings realignment to
  • 00:13:02.207 --> 00:13:05.743
  • Imaginations and expectations.
  • 00:13:05.743 --> 00:13:11.516
  • He cha--you would have expected jesus to have been welcomed in
  • 00:13:11.516 --> 00:13:14.219
  • The temple.
  • 00:13:14.219 --> 00:13:15.854
  • I mean, the list goes on and on.
  • 00:13:15.854 --> 00:13:17.422
  • And god is realigning how he's moving in the earth, and he's
  • 00:13:17.422 --> 00:13:21.459
  • About to begin to move amongst a people group that have been
  • 00:13:21.459 --> 00:13:23.928
  • Totally outside of the narrative.
  • 00:13:23.928 --> 00:13:27.565
  • The very next chapter, "the apostles and the brothers--"
  • 00:13:27.565 --> 00:13:29.701
  • It's acts 11.
  • 00:13:29.701 --> 00:13:31.603
  • "the brothers throughout judea heard that the gentiles had
  • 00:13:31.603 --> 00:13:34.005
  • Received the word of god."
  • 00:13:34.005 --> 00:13:37.041
  • You'd think that'd be good news, right?
  • 00:13:37.041 --> 00:13:40.445
  • Like isis come to town and they're gonna help remove all
  • 00:13:40.445 --> 00:13:45.350
  • The lawbreakers that are amongst you, you think, "oh, that is
  • 00:13:45.350 --> 00:13:47.452
  • Good news."
  • 00:13:47.452 --> 00:13:49.687
  • But it isn't.
  • 00:13:49.687 --> 00:13:51.022
  • We live in such an upside-down world.
  • 00:13:51.022 --> 00:13:54.192
  • We protest against people trying to enforce our federal laws and
  • 00:13:54.192 --> 00:13:59.163
  • The christian goes, "well, i'm not sure how i should feel
  • 00:13:59.163 --> 00:14:01.699
  • About that."
  • 00:14:01.699 --> 00:14:03.868
  • Which part of breaking the federal law are we
  • 00:14:03.868 --> 00:14:05.503
  • Confused about?
  • 00:14:05.503 --> 00:14:12.477
  • Same thing is happening here.
  • 00:14:12.477 --> 00:14:13.811
  • Watch what happens.
  • 00:14:13.811 --> 00:14:16.147
  • The bro--the apostles and the brothers throughout judea heard
  • 00:14:16.147 --> 00:14:19.150
  • That the non-jews had received the word of god.
  • 00:14:19.150 --> 00:14:22.053
  • You would expect the next sentence to go, "and there was a
  • 00:14:22.053 --> 00:14:24.222
  • Tremendous celebration."
  • 00:14:24.222 --> 00:14:27.692
  • "so when peter went up to jerusalem, the circumcised
  • 00:14:27.692 --> 00:14:30.795
  • Believers criticized him."
  • 00:14:30.795 --> 00:14:40.338
  • "that's not the way it's done.
  • 00:14:40.338 --> 00:14:43.107
  • That's not the pattern.
  • 00:14:43.107 --> 00:14:46.277
  • We've been the covenant people of god for several generations.
  • 00:14:46.277 --> 00:14:50.982
  • We have standards."
  • 00:14:50.982 --> 00:14:56.154
  • And they said to peter, "you--" this is--listen to this
  • 00:14:56.154 --> 00:15:00.024
  • Great crime.
  • 00:15:00.024 --> 00:15:01.359
  • "you went into the house of uncircumcised men and you ate
  • 00:15:01.359 --> 00:15:07.532
  • With them."
  • 00:15:07.532 --> 00:15:12.804
  • May i ask you a question?
  • 00:15:12.804 --> 00:15:14.138
  • Do you think it's an overstatement to say that they
  • 00:15:14.138 --> 00:15:15.807
  • Imagined that the authority of their lives was centered around
  • 00:15:15.807 --> 00:15:19.110
  • A table, what went on their table?
  • 00:15:19.110 --> 00:15:26.884
  • Their holidays, the holidays god said, "you have to observe every
  • 00:15:26.884 --> 00:15:29.854
  • Year," had very significant table components.
  • 00:15:29.854 --> 00:15:35.193
  • "peter, we know you.
  • 00:15:35.193 --> 00:15:37.929
  • You're the water-walking, sermon-preaching, day of
  • 00:15:37.929 --> 00:15:40.898
  • Pentecost, baptizing.
  • 00:15:40.898 --> 00:15:43.735
  • You're the hot shot, but we got you on this one, pete.
  • 00:15:43.735 --> 00:15:47.572
  • You ate food with the wrong people."
  • 00:15:47.572 --> 00:15:52.777
  • And peter didn't laugh at them.
  • 00:15:52.777 --> 00:15:54.112
  • He didn't go, "oh, bother."
  • 00:15:54.112 --> 00:15:59.784
  • He didn't do what jesus did.
  • 00:15:59.784 --> 00:16:01.119
  • "you blind guides.
  • 00:16:01.119 --> 00:16:03.988
  • You whitewashed tombs."
  • 00:16:03.988 --> 00:16:07.725
  • Peter explains.
  • 00:16:07.725 --> 00:16:09.961
  • Peter began and explained everything, everything to them
  • 00:16:09.961 --> 00:16:14.298
  • Precisely as it had happened.
  • 00:16:14.298 --> 00:16:17.035
  • I didn't put it all in your notes, but he goes through all
  • 00:16:17.035 --> 00:16:18.803
  • The supernatural steps: his vision three times, the knock at
  • 00:16:18.803 --> 00:16:23.841
  • The door, strangers that found him when their gps failed.
  • 00:16:23.841 --> 00:16:27.912
  • There was no cell phone coverage at simon's house.
  • 00:16:27.912 --> 00:16:31.549
  • The angel that visited cornelius, the whole thing there
  • 00:16:31.549 --> 00:16:34.152
  • Had started with supernatural interventions.
  • 00:16:34.152 --> 00:16:36.554
  • When he made the journey to caesarea, how the spirit of god
  • 00:16:36.554 --> 00:16:39.490
  • Was poured out in the identical way that it had happened on the
  • 00:16:39.490 --> 00:16:43.027
  • Day of pentecost.
  • 00:16:43.027 --> 00:16:44.362
  • And then he turns to the people who were with him and say, "am i
  • 00:16:44.362 --> 00:16:46.364
  • Telling the truth?"
  • 00:16:46.364 --> 00:16:47.698
  • And they're all like bobblehead dolls going, "yeah, what he's
  • 00:16:47.698 --> 00:16:49.033
  • Telling you."
  • 00:16:49.033 --> 00:16:50.668
  • I mean, he goes through this whole litany of the supernatural
  • 00:16:50.668 --> 00:16:53.504
  • Attestation of what happened.
  • 00:16:53.504 --> 00:16:56.207
  • The leaders in jerusalem--and this is what fascinates me.
  • 00:16:56.207 --> 00:16:58.443
  • The leaders in jerusalem hadn't had any supernatural direction.
  • 00:16:58.443 --> 00:17:04.482
  • Again, if i were writing the narrative after the angel
  • 00:17:04.482 --> 00:17:07.618
  • Visited caesarea, i'd say, "now, you need to go up to jerusalem.
  • 00:17:07.618 --> 00:17:09.687
  • Those are some hard cases."
  • 00:17:09.687 --> 00:17:13.524
  • But god didn't do that.
  • 00:17:13.524 --> 00:17:15.927
  • He got cornelius's household kind of squared away, and he got
  • 00:17:15.927 --> 00:17:18.496
  • Peter with some directions and his purposes began to unfold and
  • 00:17:18.496 --> 00:17:21.999
  • Then peter and cornelius had to walk the rest of it forward.
  • 00:17:21.999 --> 00:17:27.238
  • See, i think god if he, like, awakens my heart to use my
  • 00:17:27.238 --> 00:17:30.041
  • Kitchen table i think he should awaken the heart of everybody
  • 00:17:30.041 --> 00:17:32.677
  • Else that's gonna be at my table.
  • 00:17:32.677 --> 00:17:37.915
  • I don't want any eye-rolling.
  • 00:17:37.915 --> 00:17:41.252
  • I don't want anybody saying no.
  • 00:17:41.252 --> 00:17:45.389
  • I don't wanna try to practice hospitality and people
  • 00:17:45.389 --> 00:17:47.525
  • Be ungrateful.
  • 00:17:47.525 --> 00:17:52.497
  • I mean, i don't want my life to, like, look like the bible.
  • 00:17:52.497 --> 00:17:57.368
  • I want it to look like my fantasy.
  • 00:17:57.368 --> 00:18:01.005
  • It's really--it's unsettling a bit.
  • 00:18:01.005 --> 00:18:02.874
  • If i'd written the plan, there would have been more dreams and
  • 00:18:02.874 --> 00:18:05.610
  • More angelic visits.
  • 00:18:05.610 --> 00:18:06.944
  • We'd have gotten everybody on board in a hurry.
  • 00:18:06.944 --> 00:18:10.515
  • Aren't you glad i didn't write the plan?
  • 00:18:10.515 --> 00:18:13.117
  • God seems to expect us to learn from one another.
  • 00:18:13.117 --> 00:18:17.155
  • Huh.
  • 00:18:17.155 --> 00:18:19.924
  • The truth of this from an analysis is it's only peter's
  • 00:18:19.924 --> 00:18:23.761
  • Status and respect amongst the believers that enables this
  • 00:18:23.761 --> 00:18:26.697
  • Transition to be accepted.
  • 00:18:26.697 --> 00:18:30.001
  • If it had been any of the other from the group, he would have
  • 00:18:30.001 --> 00:18:34.138
  • Never carried the day in jerusalem.
  • 00:18:34.138 --> 00:18:37.008
  • Even secular scholars will say it was the--peter's authority
  • 00:18:37.008 --> 00:18:40.444
  • That held that group together in those--that season when the
  • 00:18:40.444 --> 00:18:43.281
  • Church is really trying to find its way.
  • 00:18:43.281 --> 00:18:44.749
  • I mean, i know the spirit of god, but amongst the people it
  • 00:18:44.749 --> 00:18:47.818
  • Was peter.
  • 00:18:47.818 --> 00:18:49.887
  • God recruited the person who could lead with faith in that
  • 00:18:49.887 --> 00:18:52.590
  • Particular setting through this seismic shift.
  • 00:18:52.590 --> 00:18:58.095
  • Now, unless you think it's easy 'cause what--i'm telling you
  • 00:18:58.095 --> 00:19:00.965
  • Choosing to be intentionally obedient to god will take
  • 00:19:00.965 --> 00:19:04.335
  • Everything within you.
  • 00:19:04.335 --> 00:19:07.071
  • We gotta get past this thing.
  • 00:19:07.071 --> 00:19:08.406
  • "well, it's not fun.
  • 00:19:08.406 --> 00:19:10.208
  • I didn't feel good.
  • 00:19:10.208 --> 00:19:11.542
  • I wasn't happy."
  • 00:19:11.542 --> 00:19:12.910
  • I mean, sometimes it's fun and sometimes you're happy about it,
  • 00:19:12.910 --> 00:19:14.612
  • But a lot of times in my life it just feels like a grind.
  • 00:19:14.612 --> 00:19:21.185
  • Pray for me.
  • 00:19:21.185 --> 00:19:25.122
  • Galatians chapter 2. we get a little window here.
  • 00:19:25.122 --> 00:19:28.960
  • Peter's going to antioch.
  • 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:30.328
  • There's revival in antioch.
  • 00:19:30.328 --> 00:19:32.663
  • Miracles are happening.
  • 00:19:32.663 --> 00:19:33.998
  • The community is being transformed.
  • 00:19:33.998 --> 00:19:36.067
  • Public sinners are repenting.
  • 00:19:36.067 --> 00:19:37.735
  • I mean, really good things happening.
  • 00:19:37.735 --> 00:19:40.037
  • So peter goes no doubt with--to be a voice from jerusalem.
  • 00:19:40.037 --> 00:19:47.378
  • "peter came to antioch--" and this is paul writing.
  • 00:19:47.378 --> 00:19:49.480
  • He said, "and i opposed him to his face."
  • 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:52.416
  • Isn't that a happy thought?
  • 00:19:52.416 --> 00:19:53.751
  • How many of you think paul could oppose you to your face?
  • 00:19:53.751 --> 00:19:58.155
  • "because he was very clearly in the wrong."
  • 00:19:58.155 --> 00:20:01.859
  • Aren't you glad paul didn't write about all the things you
  • 00:20:01.859 --> 00:20:03.694
  • And i've done that were wrong in the book?
  • 00:20:03.694 --> 00:20:07.365
  • Peter was very clearly in the wrong.
  • 00:20:07.365 --> 00:20:10.868
  • What was he doing?
  • 00:20:10.868 --> 00:20:14.705
  • "well, before certain men came from james--" james is leading
  • 00:20:14.705 --> 00:20:18.442
  • The church in jerusalem.
  • 00:20:18.442 --> 00:20:19.777
  • He's--"he used to eat with the gentiles.
  • 00:20:19.777 --> 00:20:23.848
  • But when they arrived--" when the jewish brothers from
  • 00:20:23.848 --> 00:20:28.853
  • Jerusalem arrived, peter began to draw back and separate
  • 00:20:28.853 --> 00:20:32.757
  • Himself from the non-jews because he was afraid of those
  • 00:20:32.757 --> 00:20:36.227
  • Who belonged to the circumcision group.
  • 00:20:36.227 --> 00:20:39.397
  • "and the other jews joined in his hypocrisy, so that by their
  • 00:20:39.397 --> 00:20:42.700
  • Hypocrisy even barnabas was led astray."
  • 00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:46.404
  • Now, peter had the vision, the sheet and all the animals he
  • 00:20:46.404 --> 00:20:50.107
  • Couldn't eat and god said, "no, really barbecue is good.
  • 00:20:50.107 --> 00:20:55.813
  • Don't say it's unclean if i tell you it's clean."
  • 00:20:55.813 --> 00:20:58.883
  • And it was peter that went to cornelius's house and saw the
  • 00:20:58.883 --> 00:21:02.320
  • Holy spirit poured out.
  • 00:21:02.320 --> 00:21:03.688
  • It was peter that went back to jerusalem and said, "god is
  • 00:21:03.688 --> 00:21:06.357
  • Doing something, and only god is doing this and we wanna
  • 00:21:06.357 --> 00:21:09.560
  • Cooperate with it."
  • 00:21:09.560 --> 00:21:10.928
  • And he carried the day.
  • 00:21:10.928 --> 00:21:16.367
  • And yet even with all of that, with all of that, he's gonna
  • 00:21:16.367 --> 00:21:23.574
  • Vacillate and paul has to say, "i had to confront him."
  • 00:21:23.574 --> 00:21:32.016
  • Folks, what i'm inviting you to, i'm--i acknowledge to you it's
  • 00:21:32.016 --> 00:21:36.020
  • Not simple.
  • 00:21:36.020 --> 00:21:37.621
  • Obedience to god should not be wrapped up as something--you
  • 00:21:37.621 --> 00:21:40.424
  • Know, people say, "following the lord's just always a joy to me."
  • 00:21:40.424 --> 00:21:45.496
  • That's like people that say, "you know, i just love to run.
  • 00:21:45.496 --> 00:21:49.633
  • I get a runner's high."
  • 00:21:49.633 --> 00:21:52.503
  • I never had one of those.
  • 00:21:52.503 --> 00:21:55.072
  • In fact, i think people that say that, they get high and then
  • 00:21:55.072 --> 00:21:56.974
  • They run.
  • 00:21:56.974 --> 00:22:03.147
  • I can tell you from this vantage point, i don't regret any place
  • 00:22:03.147 --> 00:22:05.683
  • Where i've said yes to the lord.
  • 00:22:05.683 --> 00:22:08.152
  • God has been faithful in my life.
  • 00:22:08.152 --> 00:22:11.122
  • But to tell you the whole story, i have said yes to the lord many
  • 00:22:11.122 --> 00:22:13.924
  • Times with my fist clenched and my teeth gritted and a great
  • 00:22:13.924 --> 00:22:18.796
  • Deal of uncertainty.
  • 00:22:18.796 --> 00:22:23.033
  • In fact, in those--in the really--places that tended to be
  • 00:22:23.033 --> 00:22:25.870
  • Pivot points, it took all the fortitude i had to say yes to
  • 00:22:25.870 --> 00:22:32.510
  • The lord.
  • 00:22:32.510 --> 00:22:36.714
  • Didn't mean god was less faithful, and there have been
  • 00:22:36.714 --> 00:22:39.917
  • Times i didn't say yes.
  • 00:22:39.917 --> 00:22:42.920
  • I'm not proud of that.
  • 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:45.623
  • I want those times to be fewer and fewer and further and
  • 00:22:45.623 --> 00:22:48.092
  • Further between.
  • 00:22:48.092 --> 00:22:52.463
  • Even peter had a struggle assimilating the changes which
  • 00:22:52.463 --> 00:22:54.965
  • God had directed.
  • 00:22:54.965 --> 00:22:56.333
  • So when we talk about god's moving and why we see it and how
  • 00:22:56.333 --> 00:22:58.903
  • We see it, it isn't easy.
  • 00:22:58.903 --> 00:23:04.041
  • The peer pressure caused even peter to flinch.
  • 00:23:04.041 --> 00:23:09.480
  • And in the midst of all these things, the moving of god, the
  • 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:12.917
  • Pouring out of the spirit, the miracles, peter's shadow
  • 00:23:12.917 --> 00:23:15.886
  • Bringing healings--galatians 2 and verse 8.
  • 00:23:15.886 --> 00:23:23.127
  • How are we doing? oh, i'm done.
  • 00:23:23.127 --> 00:23:24.895
  • That's a good stopping point.
  • 00:23:24.895 --> 00:23:29.400
  • We're gonna choose obedience to the lord not because it's
  • 00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:33.103
  • Always fun.
  • 00:23:33.103 --> 00:23:34.438
  • And what is so wonderful, it's available.
  • 00:23:34.438 --> 00:23:35.806
  • You got a kitchen table, you got a ministry center.
  • 00:23:35.806 --> 00:23:42.379
  • If you got little people, you got an audience.
  • 00:23:42.379 --> 00:23:46.917
  • If you have friends, you have an audience.
  • 00:23:46.917 --> 00:23:50.888
  • If you meet strangers, you might have an angelic audience.
  • 00:23:50.888 --> 00:23:56.327
  • Let's go.
  • 00:23:56.327 --> 00:23:58.596
  • We're praying for god to move, for changes to come, for hearts
  • 00:23:58.596 --> 00:24:01.298
  • To be transformed.
  • 00:24:01.298 --> 00:24:02.666
  • Open the ministry center.
  • 00:24:02.666 --> 00:24:06.337
  • It's not about your gourmet cuisine or the immaculate
  • 00:24:06.337 --> 00:24:10.574
  • Decoration of your home.
  • 00:24:10.574 --> 00:24:13.677
  • Like, maybe if you order pizza, it's a good way to start.
  • 00:24:13.677 --> 00:24:16.413
  • Set the bar at a place you can survive.
  • 00:24:16.413 --> 00:24:21.418
  • Some of you have gifts of hospitality.
  • 00:24:21.418 --> 00:24:24.655
  • God bless you.
  • 00:24:24.655 --> 00:24:26.757
  • You can walk out in the backyard and you come back in with a
  • 00:24:26.757 --> 00:24:28.759
  • Wreath and an hors d'oeuvre, right?
  • 00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:35.566
  • I mean, some of you have a gift with numbers.
  • 00:24:35.566 --> 00:24:37.034
  • You look at numbers and they speak to you.
  • 00:24:37.034 --> 00:24:39.003
  • Some of you look at numbers and you get a headache.
  • 00:24:39.003 --> 00:24:42.172
  • Some of you have a gift with color.
  • 00:24:42.172 --> 00:24:43.641
  • You know how to arrange things and put them together, and some
  • 00:24:43.641 --> 00:24:47.711
  • Of us don't.
  • 00:24:47.711 --> 00:24:49.947
  • So some of you have a gift of hos--god bless you.
  • 00:24:49.947 --> 00:24:51.982
  • We're so thankful for you, but we're not gonna let you have all
  • 00:24:51.982 --> 00:24:54.552
  • The fun.
  • 00:24:54.552 --> 00:24:57.855
  • We're gonna order pizza and put it on chinet plate and then
  • 00:24:57.855 --> 00:25:02.693
  • We're gonna invite god right into the midst of that finery
  • 00:25:02.693 --> 00:25:09.199
  • And we're gonna pray for the things we hear while we have
  • 00:25:09.199 --> 00:25:11.402
  • A meal.
  • 00:25:11.402 --> 00:25:12.970
  • We're gonna talk more about the prayers and how to navigate that
  • 00:25:12.970 --> 00:25:16.307
  • So there's just a little spiritual note to it.
  • 00:25:16.307 --> 00:25:18.242
  • You don't have to preach a sermon.
  • 00:25:18.242 --> 00:25:21.278
  • But you don't wanna have your table open and not talk about
  • 00:25:21.278 --> 00:25:23.681
  • Your best friend.
  • 00:25:23.681 --> 00:25:26.717
  • That makes no sense to me.
  • 00:25:26.717 --> 00:25:29.219
  • I brought you a prayer, i promise.
  • 00:25:29.219 --> 00:25:30.588
  • Let's stand.
  • 00:25:30.588 --> 00:25:38.829
  • We're making progress.
  • 00:25:38.829 --> 00:25:41.865
  • God is moving, and we're gonna move with him.
  • 00:25:41.865 --> 00:25:44.668
  • When that pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire moves, folks,
  • 00:25:44.668 --> 00:25:47.671
  • We're striking the tent.
  • 00:25:47.671 --> 00:25:49.506
  • Come on.
  • 00:25:49.506 --> 00:25:51.575
  • Did you find the prayer?
  • 00:25:51.575 --> 00:25:52.910
  • "heavenly father, help us to establish our lives under
  • 00:25:52.910 --> 00:25:56.513
  • Your authority.
  • 00:25:56.513 --> 00:25:58.082
  • May our homes be strengthened by your presence...
  • 00:25:58.082 --> 00:26:04.755
  • Give us discernment to see beyond the immediate.
  • 00:26:04.755 --> 00:26:08.525
  • May we have hearts to serve you and your people.
  • 00:26:08.525 --> 00:26:12.229
  • Teach us to honor you in every situation.
  • 00:26:12.229 --> 00:26:15.566
  • In jesus' name, amen."
  • 00:26:15.566 --> 00:26:18.569
  • Hallelujah.
  • 00:26:18.569 --> 00:26:19.903
  • God bless you.
  • 00:26:19.903 --> 00:26:25.242
  • Allen: this is the 250th anniversary of our nation.
  • 00:26:29.313 --> 00:26:32.082
  • It's a big deal.
  • 00:26:32.082 --> 00:26:33.417
  • Now, i know a lot of us don't care a whole lot about history.
  • 00:26:33.417 --> 00:26:36.053
  • We didn't have great experiences in school.
  • 00:26:36.053 --> 00:26:37.821
  • I understand that, but here's the reality.
  • 00:26:37.821 --> 00:26:40.257
  • If they can steal our history, they'll rob us of our future.
  • 00:26:40.257 --> 00:26:43.460
  • So history really does matter.
  • 00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:45.462
  • Well, because of that, we have partnered with some good friends
  • 00:26:45.462 --> 00:26:47.865
  • Of our ministries, wallbuilders david and tim barton.
  • 00:26:47.865 --> 00:26:51.268
  • They have the best of the best on this topic.
  • 00:26:51.268 --> 00:26:53.337
  • It's a two-volume set on "the american story," and it helps us
  • 00:26:53.337 --> 00:26:56.907
  • Learn american history with a faith component, with a god
  • 00:26:56.907 --> 00:27:00.477
  • Perspective--how god has been engaged in the unfolding
  • 00:27:00.477 --> 00:27:03.547
  • Narrative of our american story.
  • 00:27:03.547 --> 00:27:06.183
  • That matters because we need god to be involved in the future of
  • 00:27:06.183 --> 00:27:09.386
  • The american story.
  • 00:27:09.386 --> 00:27:10.754
  • That affects our lives, our families, our communities, and
  • 00:27:10.754 --> 00:27:13.524
  • Ultimately our nation.
  • 00:27:13.524 --> 00:27:15.192
  • The books will be a blessing to you, but more than that, i
  • 00:27:15.192 --> 00:27:17.628
  • Believe they'll open your life to the imagination that god is
  • 00:27:17.628 --> 00:27:20.130
  • Moving in the earth, and we can participate with him in the next
  • 00:27:20.130 --> 00:27:23.434
  • Chapters of american history.
  • 00:27:23.434 --> 00:27:26.403