Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Living Faith (Part 2) | December 2, 2024
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- Allen jackson: simple suggestion: please read your
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- Bibles, daily, intentionally.
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- When i say systematically, i mean, from front to back, not
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- Just randomly here and there.
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- I have found there to be a benefit when we do
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- Reading together.
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- That's not the only way to read your bible.
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- You don't have to read it on our reading plan, but you need a
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- Reading plan.
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- We are highly resistant to this.
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- People that i love, people i've done a lot of life with, they
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- Go, "pastor, i've done that 2 years.
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- I've decided this year i'm gonna read it upside down."
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- Or, "i'm gonna read it this way," or "i'm gonna--" i mean,
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- As if somehow we've mastered the material.
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- We live far from it.
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- Josiah reads the story to them and they pledge themselves to
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- The covenant.
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- You see, what we desperately want to believe is that just
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- About any religious activity is a good thing, that it's not
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- Really that important who is worshiped or even maybe how
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- They're worshiped.
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- A lot of diversity in how we're gonna worship, and whether we
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- Read our bibles or, you know, whether we just kind of have
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- A promise.
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- Just do good things.
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- That's kind of the message.
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- Be kind, be polite.
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- And if you'll allow me the church's primary message, it
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- Seems to me for quite a season now is, let's see if we can
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- Convert everyone in the world to southern hospitality.
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- How are y'all?
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- Well, bless your heart.
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- Like some sweet tea?
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- Sure is human.
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- Don't be offensive.
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- Don't challenge anything.
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- Don't dare assert an opinion.
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- Don't be genuine.
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- For heaven's sakes, don't be transparent or honest.
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- Maintain the facade.
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- A prophet comes to the king with a message: "this is what the
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- Lord, the god of israel, says: tell the man who sent you
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- To me."
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- "this is the message to be given back to the king: 'this is what
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- The lord says: i'm gonna bring disaster on this place and its
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- People, according to everything written in the book of the king
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- Of judah has read.
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- Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods
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- And provoked me to anger by all the idols their hands have made,
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- My anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.'
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- Tell the king who sent you to inquire of the lord, 'this is
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- What the lord, the god of israel, says: because your heart
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- Was responsive and you humbled yourself before the lord when
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- You heard what i've spoken against this place and its
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- People, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and
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- Because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, i have
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- Heard you.
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- Therefore i'll gather you to your fathers, and you'll be
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- Buried in peace.
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- Your eyes will not see all the disaster i'm gonna bring on
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- This place.'"
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- Did you know that's in your bible?
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- I didn't type this on my own.
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- Actually, i cut and pasted that one.
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- It doesn't fit with the contemporary image of god.
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- Josiah, not only himself repented, he led an initiative,
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- Calling the nation to repentance, whomever would
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- Follow him.
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- And god's response was, "wow, i'm impressed, and i will not
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- Bring the disaster in your lifetime."
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- What strikes me, i mean, on one hand, you think, "wow,
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- It's harsh.
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- God said, 'i'm still coming.
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- Destruction is coming, but not in your lifetime.'"
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- Now where we started with jeremiah, a couple of passages
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- Back says, "early in the reign of jehoiakim, the son of josiah,
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- God sent a messenger, a prophet, jeremiah, to say to all the
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- People who came to worship, 'if you will listen to me.
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- But if you don't listen, if you don't listen, if you don't
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- Listen, you'll be desolate.'"
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- You see, it seems a bit harsh when you read it with josiah.
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- But in turn--in reality, god sent a messenger to josiah's
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- Kids and said, "how about your generation?
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- You're gonna follow your dad's lead?
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- Will you choose the lord?
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- Will you listen?"
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- Every generation has a choice to make.
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- God has shown us grace and mercy because it's been a while since
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- We've sought the lord with our whole hearts.
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- It's a startling passage to me.
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- See, i think we're often offended culturally and even in
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- The church, we're often offended by the idea of god or anyone as
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- A judge.
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- A phrase you hear a lot in conversation and in broader
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- Cultures, you know, "i'm not judging anyone."
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- It seems it's almost the most inappropriate thing you can do
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- Is to pass judgment.
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- Don't wanna be judgy.
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- You can be wicked, you can be immoral, you can be perverse,
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- But you don't want to be judgy.
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- Does that sound like the right-- have i got the right group?
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- You know, the verb "judge" means to assess or form an opinion.
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- I hope you're forming opinions and assessing what's happening
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- In the world.
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- I mean, the noun is a person or someone who pronounces sentence,
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- An educator, someone who says, "yep, that's right and wrong."
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- Well, i put a new testament verse in there.
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- I didn't want you to think i'd just gone all old testament
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- On you.
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- It's a statement about jesus.
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- It says, "god has set a day when he will judge the world with
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- Justice by the man he has appointed.
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- He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from
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- The dead."
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- See, in scripture, god is identified as the judge of all
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- The earth.
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- Goes all the way back to the book of genesis and it carries
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- Right through the new testament into the concluding book, the
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- Book of revelation, where he executes judgment on the earth.
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- God will judge every human being.
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- Now, here's the challenge with that.
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- The adamic race, the descendants of adam, are a race of rebels.
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- Our old nature, the one we inherit because of our
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- Connection, all the way back to adam, has to be addressed or we
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- Will not follow god.
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- And when you're born again, your spirit is transformed.
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- But that old adamic carnal nature still is alive and well
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- In your earth suit.
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- And the biblical prescription for that is that we have to
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- Crucify, we have to put it to death.
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- The bible refers to it as earthly or soulish, that it's
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- Dominated by what i want and what i think and how i feel, and
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- We have to address it.
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- And again, biblically, it's an execution.
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- No one can yield for you, no one can yield for me.
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- We have to choose to yield our old rebellious nature to god, to
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- Allow the holy spirit to lead us as the character of christ is
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- Formed in us.
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- And that's not been the overwhelming message.
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- Again, i understand who we are.
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- I'm telling you, we hold the keys.
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- And i don't think it's principally about spiritual
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- Conflict externally.
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- I think it's about a submission of ourselves to god in ways we
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- Haven't imagined yet.
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- Just like we want new policies to fill the halls of wherever,
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- We need new spiritual policies.
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- "you know, i don't know, pastor.
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- I think i'm doing pretty good."
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- 2 kings 23, verse 4: "the king ordered the high priest and the
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- Priest next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the
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- Temple of the lord all the articles made for baal and
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- Asherah," the canaanite fertility gods.
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- And the worship of those gods was really centered in a couple
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- Of things.
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- One was a desire for prosperity.
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- In an agricultural society, you tend to worship the things that
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- Will make your crops grow because you get better crops,
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- You get more money.
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- And because it's a pagan religion, it also includes,
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- Typically, a great deal of sexual immorality.
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- So they're seeking both carnal gratification and blessings on
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- Their lives from someone other than god.
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- So it says the king told the priest to remove from the temple
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- All the articles made for these canaanite fertility gods, "and
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- He burned them outside jerusalem in the fields of the kidron
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- Valley and he took the ashes to bethel.
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- He did away with the pagan priests appointed by the kings
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- Of judah."
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- Pagan priest appointed by whom?
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- The kings of judah.
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- Judah was the most godly country.
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- Israel in the north was the ungodly.
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- The kings of judah appointed pagan priests.
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- Let me ask you a question.
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- Do you think there were any people worshiping god in the
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- Land while the kings appointed pagan priests?
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- Sure, i promise.
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- "to burn incense on the high places of the towns of judah and
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- Those around jerusalem--those who burned incense to baal, to
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- The sun, the moon, to the constellations, to all the
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- Starry host.
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- He took the asherah pole from the temple of the lord to the
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- Kidron valley and he burned it there.
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- He ground it to powder.
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- He scattered the dust over the graves of the--" he was mad
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- At that.
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- He burned it.
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- He ground it to powder and he scattered the dust.
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- "he also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes,"
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- This is adjacent to the temple, "which were in the temple of the
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- Lord and where women did weaving for asherah."
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- There was male and female prostitution taking place in
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- The temple.
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- Now it isn't expressly stated, but it's implicit in
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- The narrative.
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- There were priests appointed to serve these idols.
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- If there's prostitutes in the temple, there are people that
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- Are participating with the prostitution in the temple.
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- So there's a power structure that is benefiting from the
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- Prostitution that's made available.
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- It's been so indoctrin--it's so become a part of the culture
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- That it's in the temple.
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- And josiah, a very young man, says, "i'm gonna burn them all
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- And grind them to powder and sprinkle the the dust in
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- The cemetery.
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- And i'm tearing down the places for prostitution."
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- He's disrupting economic opportunity, he's disrupting
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- Pleasure, he's disrupting habits, and he's doing it
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- Amongst the people who practice their faith.
- 00:12:10.912 --> 00:12:17.418
- They didn't have a political problem.
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- They had a spiritual problem.
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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,
- 00:12:37.605 --> 00:12:40.175
- Your generosity, your prayers, your encouragement,
- 00:12:40.175 --> 00:12:43.378
- We have done more for the gospel than any year
- 00:12:43.378 --> 00:12:45.747
- In our ministry so far.
- 00:12:45.747 --> 00:12:47.215
- We started a whole new genre of programing.
- 00:12:47.215 --> 00:12:49.584
- Allen jackson now does a daily review of headlines
- 00:12:49.584 --> 00:12:52.420
- From a biblical worldview.
- 00:12:52.420 --> 00:12:54.055
- We've started a new podcast, "culture & christianity," to
- 00:12:54.055 --> 00:12:56.724
- Help stabilize god's people in the midst of all the confusion.
- 00:12:56.724 --> 00:13:00.795
- All of that because of your faithfulness,
- 00:13:00.795 --> 00:13:02.630
- Your generosity, your prayers.
- 00:13:02.630 --> 00:13:04.365
- Thank you so much.
- 00:13:04.365 --> 00:13:05.934
- As we come to the end of this year, i want to ask
- 00:13:05.934 --> 00:13:07.869
- You to prayerfully consider making a sacrificial
- 00:13:07.869 --> 00:13:10.371
- Investment in what's next.
- 00:13:10.371 --> 00:13:12.907
- We want to take those programs, share them in new
- 00:13:12.907 --> 00:13:15.543
- Places with more people.
- 00:13:15.543 --> 00:13:17.378
- We want to continue to be creative in how we share the
- 00:13:17.378 --> 00:13:20.381
- Good news of jesus christ.
- 00:13:20.381 --> 00:13:22.317
- A generous partner makes it possible.
- 00:13:22.317 --> 00:13:23.918
- Every gift you give will be matched.
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- It doubles your gift between now and the end of the year.
- 00:13:25.653 --> 00:13:28.356
- 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
- 00:13:31.192 --> 00:13:33.828
- Together in 2025.
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- Thank you and god bless you.
- 00:13:36.264 --> 00:13:38.666
- Female announcer: god is moving in major ways in the
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- Ministry and our world.
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- As we watched the 2024 election unfold,
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- We witnessed a miracle.
- 00:13:46.140 --> 00:13:48.042
- God has heard our prayers.
- 00:13:48.042 --> 00:13:50.178
- He has shown us his mercy.
- 00:13:50.178 --> 00:13:52.413
- We're entering a new era with new leaders,
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- But it's not a time to rest.
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- Our assignment hasn't changed.
- 00:13:57.652 --> 00:13:59.687
- In fact, it's as urgent as ever.
- 00:13:59.687 --> 00:14:02.724
- 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.
- 00:14:12.800 --> 00:14:15.570
- I want us to quietly say to the lord, "here am i.
- 00:14:15.570 --> 00:14:25.346
- Let me go.
- 00:14:25.346 --> 00:14:27.749
- Let me go back to where i work in the name of jesus.
- 00:14:27.749 --> 00:14:31.586
- Let me go back into my neighborhood
- 00:14:31.586 --> 00:14:33.154
- In the name of jesus."
- 00:14:33.154 --> 00:14:35.790
- God himself has shown us grace, and it will require of us
- 00:14:35.790 --> 00:14:43.564
- Greater strength and greater courage than we have ever had to
- 00:14:43.564 --> 00:14:47.769
- Attach to our faith before.
- 00:14:47.769 --> 00:14:51.372
- Let's go. let's go.
- 00:14:51.372 --> 00:14:55.376
- Announcer: let's set our hearts on preparing for what's
- 00:14:55.443 --> 00:14:57.779
- Next with pastor allen's brand-new 90-day devotional
- 00:14:57.779 --> 00:15:01.416
- Called "set apart for his purposes."
- 00:15:01.416 --> 00:15:04.085
- It will help us seek god so we can recognize his voice and
- 00:15:04.085 --> 00:15:07.455
- Consistently choose to follow him.
- 00:15:07.455 --> 00:15:09.357
- Each day includes scripture, a short teaching,
- 00:15:09.357 --> 00:15:11.893
- And a prayer, followed by a journaling prompt and room
- 00:15:11.893 --> 00:15:15.229
- To write and reflect.
- 00:15:15.229 --> 00:15:16.698
- Let's get ready for the season ahead.
- 00:15:16.698 --> 00:15:18.833
- Request your copy of "set apart for his purposes" when you
- 00:15:18.833 --> 00:15:21.970
- Donate $50 or more today at allenjackson.com or by calling
- 00:15:21.970 --> 00:15:26.240
- ...
- 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:30.445
- Allen: for most church attenders and i'll broaden that.
- 00:15:33.448 --> 00:15:35.683
- I don't mean just our congregation.
- 00:15:35.683 --> 00:15:37.051
- We've been in 20 cities with lots of churches.
- 00:15:37.051 --> 00:15:39.654
- For many church attenders, god is very seldom elevated to even
- 00:15:39.654 --> 00:15:44.392
- Hobby status because the real hobbies of our life, the
- 00:15:44.392 --> 00:15:49.797
- Passionate hobbies of our life, if we talk about in terms of
- 00:15:49.797 --> 00:15:53.067
- Effort invested or dollars expended or emotions attached, i
- 00:15:53.067 --> 00:15:58.072
- Don't think i'm misstating this to say that god hasn't even made
- 00:15:58.072 --> 00:16:02.410
- It to hobby status in our lives.
- 00:16:02.410 --> 00:16:09.484
- Now, repentance may begin as a private decision, but it always
- 00:16:09.484 --> 00:16:14.789
- Has a public impact.
- 00:16:14.789 --> 00:16:17.225
- If it's never visible within your sphere of influence, it's
- 00:16:17.225 --> 00:16:21.029
- Just a theory.
- 00:16:21.029 --> 00:16:25.833
- The people who know you will recognize the change of policy.
- 00:16:25.833 --> 00:16:32.807
- If this recent batch of people elected to go represent us and
- 00:16:32.807 --> 00:16:36.844
- Being chosen to do the bidding of the people who elected those
- 00:16:36.844 --> 00:16:41.049
- And there's no discernible change in policy, we're not
- 00:16:41.049 --> 00:16:45.253
- Gonna believe them when they say, "we honored what you asked
- 00:16:45.253 --> 00:16:47.955
- Us to do."
- 00:16:47.955 --> 00:16:50.892
- And if you and i say we've engaged in significant change
- 00:16:50.892 --> 00:16:54.228
- And repentance in bringing greater alignment to our lives
- 00:16:54.228 --> 00:16:56.998
- With god, the people who know us and interact with us would go,
- 00:16:56.998 --> 00:17:00.268
- "you know, i have seen that."
- 00:17:00.268 --> 00:17:05.173
- It's not just a private thing.
- 00:17:05.173 --> 00:17:11.446
- Last passage.
- 00:17:11.446 --> 00:17:12.780
- I am gonna finish your outline.
- 00:17:12.780 --> 00:17:14.148
- There is a god.
- 00:17:14.148 --> 00:17:17.151
- You've seen miracles 2 weeks in a row.
- 00:17:17.151 --> 00:17:21.722
- Chapter 23, 20--verse 25: "neither before nor after josiah
- 00:17:21.722 --> 00:17:27.095
- Was there a king like him who turned to the lord as he did--
- 00:17:27.095 --> 00:17:31.999
- With all his heart and with all his soul and with all his
- 00:17:31.999 --> 00:17:34.368
- Strength, in accordance with all the law of moses."
- 00:17:34.368 --> 00:17:38.940
- That's a powerful statement.
- 00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:40.308
- "with all of his heart, with all of his soul, all of his mind,
- 00:17:40.308 --> 00:17:43.578
- With all of his emotions, with all of his strength," he didn't
- 00:17:43.578 --> 00:17:46.547
- Hold anything back.
- 00:17:46.547 --> 00:17:47.882
- It took everything josiah had to do what we just read about.
- 00:17:47.882 --> 00:17:52.386
- It wasn't easy, it wasn't comfortable.
- 00:17:52.386 --> 00:17:54.755
- I promise you he faced significant opposition.
- 00:17:54.755 --> 00:17:57.525
- There were people that hated him for it.
- 00:17:57.525 --> 00:18:00.728
- There was enough opposition, his son wanted nothing to do
- 00:18:00.728 --> 00:18:03.698
- With it.
- 00:18:03.698 --> 00:18:07.001
- Jeremiah showed up and basically said, "just do what pop did,"
- 00:18:07.001 --> 00:18:13.207
- And he's like, "no, i watched that.
- 00:18:13.207 --> 00:18:14.742
- That was hard.
- 00:18:14.742 --> 00:18:17.979
- I'm not doing that.
- 00:18:17.979 --> 00:18:19.313
- I can make more friends this way."
- 00:18:19.313 --> 00:18:24.719
- "with all of his heart, with all of his soul, with all of
- 00:18:24.719 --> 00:18:27.655
- His strength.
- 00:18:27.655 --> 00:18:29.891
- Nevertheless," verse 26, this is over--"the lord did not turn
- 00:18:29.891 --> 00:18:33.728
- Away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against
- 00:18:33.728 --> 00:18:37.698
- Judah because all that manasseh had done to provoke him
- 00:18:37.698 --> 00:18:40.168
- To anger.
- 00:18:40.168 --> 00:18:41.769
- So the lord said, 'i will remove judah from my presence as i
- 00:18:41.769 --> 00:18:45.740
- Removed israel, and i will reject jerusalem, the city i
- 00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:49.510
- Chose, and this temple, about which i said, "there shall my
- 00:18:49.510 --> 00:18:53.080
- Name be,"'" josiah reigned 31 years, 13 of those years in
- 00:18:53.080 --> 00:19:01.355
- Rather aggressive reform and public repentance.
- 00:19:01.355 --> 00:19:05.259
- It brought a better life for his generation, but it didn't bring
- 00:19:05.259 --> 00:19:11.499
- Relief for the generation, which followed him because they didn't
- 00:19:11.499 --> 00:19:14.802
- Choose to do the same.
- 00:19:14.802 --> 00:19:17.972
- I assure you we have benefited from the sacrifices of many who
- 00:19:17.972 --> 00:19:21.375
- Have preceded us.
- 00:19:21.375 --> 00:19:24.078
- There is a latent knowledge of a biblical worldview of the
- 00:19:24.078 --> 00:19:28.216
- Fundamental principles of scripture, whatever label you
- 00:19:28.216 --> 00:19:30.952
- Prefer that still exists amongst us, which is a point of
- 00:19:30.952 --> 00:19:36.724
- Tremendous victory.
- 00:19:36.724 --> 00:19:39.827
- Many places i go in the world, even if i go to what we would
- 00:19:39.827 --> 00:19:42.930
- Call christian nations.
- 00:19:42.930 --> 00:19:44.398
- That's no longer true.
- 00:19:44.398 --> 00:19:47.602
- I was in the uk a few years ago and they presented a list of
- 00:19:47.602 --> 00:19:50.905
- Things you couldn't talk about in their churches.
- 00:19:50.905 --> 00:19:54.342
- It was illegal.
- 00:19:54.342 --> 00:19:57.845
- We still retain a bit of that knowledge of god.
- 00:19:57.845 --> 00:20:02.583
- And i believe that's what was reflected.
- 00:20:02.583 --> 00:20:04.318
- I believe that's what god responded to.
- 00:20:04.318 --> 00:20:07.355
- And i believe now we have a choice.
- 00:20:07.355 --> 00:20:11.158
- Go back with me to the beginning of your outline, jeremiah 26.
- 00:20:11.158 --> 00:20:17.965
- This is the message that jeremiah, the prophet, has to
- 00:20:17.965 --> 00:20:21.335
- The generation immediately following josiah.
- 00:20:21.335 --> 00:20:24.038
- So they know his story the way you know the story of biden or
- 00:20:24.038 --> 00:20:28.609
- Obama or trump.
- 00:20:28.609 --> 00:20:32.146
- Early in the reign of jehoiakim, the son of josiah, the king of
- 00:20:32.146 --> 00:20:35.950
- Judah, early in the reign, not years and years later, this word
- 00:20:35.950 --> 00:20:43.424
- Came from the lord.
- 00:20:43.424 --> 00:20:44.759
- This is what the lord says, "stand in the courtyard of the
- 00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:46.761
- Lord's house and speak to all the peoples of the towns of
- 00:20:46.761 --> 00:20:50.731
- Judah who come to worship in the house of the lord.
- 00:20:50.731 --> 00:20:55.236
- Tell them everything i command you.
- 00:20:55.236 --> 00:20:56.704
- Don't omit a word.
- 00:20:56.704 --> 00:20:58.072
- Perhaps they will listen, and each will turn from his
- 00:20:58.072 --> 00:21:02.109
- Evil way."
- 00:21:02.109 --> 00:21:04.879
- See, the book of kings is a history book.
- 00:21:04.879 --> 00:21:08.683
- It tells you they didn't turn, and even though josiah turned
- 00:21:08.683 --> 00:21:14.221
- And god showed him mercy, the generation that followed him
- 00:21:14.221 --> 00:21:19.760
- Refused to listen.
- 00:21:19.760 --> 00:21:21.629
- Jeremiah is the prophet.
- 00:21:21.629 --> 00:21:23.531
- We get to hear the message god gave to that generation.
- 00:21:23.531 --> 00:21:26.667
- He said, "if you will listen, perhaps you'll turn from your
- 00:21:26.667 --> 00:21:33.040
- Evil," the people that were coming to worship.
- 00:21:33.040 --> 00:21:36.177
- I believe that's as close to a message for us as anything i
- 00:21:36.177 --> 00:21:39.947
- Could think of in scripture.
- 00:21:39.947 --> 00:21:42.950
- Just maybe we will listen and perhaps we would begin to turn.
- 00:21:42.950 --> 00:21:50.024
- We want the politicians to change.
- 00:21:50.024 --> 00:21:53.494
- We've been mad at them, close the border, stop spending money
- 00:21:53.494 --> 00:21:58.466
- We don't have, stop redefining marriage, stop doing this and
- 00:21:58.466 --> 00:22:03.270
- Stop doing that.
- 00:22:03.270 --> 00:22:04.605
- Do what we think you should be done.
- 00:22:04.605 --> 00:22:06.107
- But we don't wanna change.
- 00:22:06.107 --> 00:22:08.876
- We don't want to have that conversation with our family at
- 00:22:08.876 --> 00:22:10.978
- The holidays.
- 00:22:10.978 --> 00:22:12.546
- We're not united.
- 00:22:12.546 --> 00:22:16.617
- But let them change their professional lives.
- 00:22:16.617 --> 00:22:22.356
- We're busy.
- 00:22:22.356 --> 00:22:25.159
- I'm doing everything i wanna do.
- 00:22:25.159 --> 00:22:26.627
- Don't--i don't have time for that.
- 00:22:26.627 --> 00:22:31.732
- My friend, mike huckabee got tagged to be the ambassador
- 00:22:31.732 --> 00:22:34.268
- To israel.
- 00:22:34.268 --> 00:22:40.674
- May i tell you something?
- 00:22:40.674 --> 00:22:42.209
- He's really busy.
- 00:22:42.209 --> 00:22:47.181
- He moved his family from florida back to arkansas because he had
- 00:22:47.181 --> 00:22:50.651
- Grandkids and they wanted to be closer to the grandkids and then
- 00:22:50.651 --> 00:22:54.221
- His daughter got elected governor.
- 00:22:54.221 --> 00:22:58.759
- So he's living--his daughter's in the governor's mansion.
- 00:22:58.759 --> 00:23:01.962
- He can visit his grandkids in the same house where his
- 00:23:01.962 --> 00:23:05.833
- Daughter played when she was a kid.
- 00:23:05.833 --> 00:23:08.869
- Life is pretty good.
- 00:23:08.869 --> 00:23:12.907
- And they want him to move to the other side of the world to a war
- 00:23:12.907 --> 00:23:17.878
- Zone to a place most of you wouldn't go visit today if i
- 00:23:17.878 --> 00:23:20.414
- Paid for your ticket, and deal with all the problems that
- 00:23:20.414 --> 00:23:26.921
- Are there.
- 00:23:26.921 --> 00:23:30.458
- Now, we're thinking, "that is so good for mike.
- 00:23:30.458 --> 00:23:32.393
- He should go, he should hurry.
- 00:23:32.393 --> 00:23:42.203
- But if i can't sit in the chair i like at church--"
- 00:23:42.203 --> 00:23:52.146
- We have this
- 00:23:55.516 --> 00:23:57.651
- Deep-seated idea that change needs to happen, but it needs to
- 00:23:57.651 --> 00:24:00.521
- Start someplace else.
- 00:24:00.521 --> 00:24:03.958
- And i just want to ask you to begin to quietly say to the
- 00:24:03.958 --> 00:24:08.762
- Lord, "help me see."
- 00:24:08.762 --> 00:24:13.667
- And then i want to ask you to add to that.
- 00:24:13.667 --> 00:24:16.604
- "i am willing to do what you show me."
- 00:24:16.604 --> 00:24:21.709
- He'll change your schedule.
- 00:24:21.709 --> 00:24:25.446
- You think you're busy because we've been busy doing what we
- 00:24:25.446 --> 00:24:28.983
- Thought we needed to do or wanted, whatever.
- 00:24:28.983 --> 00:24:32.720
- He'll change it.
- 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:37.358
- I'm always annoyed when i pray that something will change and
- 00:24:37.358 --> 00:24:39.426
- Then the lord puts something in front of me to be a part of
- 00:24:39.426 --> 00:24:41.295
- The change.
- 00:24:41.295 --> 00:24:42.630
- "i didn't say me.
- 00:24:42.630 --> 00:24:43.998
- I didn't mean me.
- 00:24:43.998 --> 00:24:45.332
- I just thought you had revealed to me something i should
- 00:24:45.332 --> 00:24:47.401
- Intercede for.
- 00:24:47.401 --> 00:24:48.769
- I didn't mean mess with me.
- 00:24:48.769 --> 00:24:50.771
- I don't wanna do that."
- 00:24:50.771 --> 00:24:58.913
- We have an amazing opportunity to make an impact that will make
- 00:24:58.913 --> 00:25:04.952
- A change that can impact a generation.
- 00:25:04.952 --> 00:25:10.724
- I pray we have the humility and the courage and the boldness to
- 00:25:10.724 --> 00:25:15.529
- Say yes to the lord.
- 00:25:15.529 --> 00:25:18.732
- Don't--don't you dare cheer for those other people that are
- 00:25:18.732 --> 00:25:21.502
- Disrupting their lives, taking on assignments, facing
- 00:25:21.502 --> 00:25:24.638
- Criticism, doing heavy lifting with all their heart, mind,
- 00:25:24.638 --> 00:25:28.409
- Soul, and strength.
- 00:25:28.409 --> 00:25:29.777
- Because once the change gets engaged, folks, the battle is
- 00:25:29.777 --> 00:25:32.079
- Gonna boil all around you.
- 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:35.816
- Don't you dare cheer for them and then say to the lord, "oh, i
- 00:25:35.816 --> 00:25:38.319
- Don't need any change.
- 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:41.155
- I'm good.
- 00:25:41.155 --> 00:25:43.023
- They'll do their job.
- 00:25:43.023 --> 00:25:44.358
- I like mine."
- 00:25:44.358 --> 00:25:46.961
- We have to be willing to be the change, amen?
- 00:25:46.961 --> 00:25:52.232
- I brought you a prayer.
- 00:25:52.232 --> 00:25:53.601
- Let's stand, we can read it together.
- 00:25:53.601 --> 00:26:01.075
- It's not a long one.
- 00:26:01.075 --> 00:26:02.409
- You can make a pretty good commitment to the lord in
- 00:26:02.409 --> 00:26:03.911
- A hurry.
- 00:26:03.911 --> 00:26:09.216
- I mean that's true.
- 00:26:09.216 --> 00:26:10.551
- Wedding ceremony only takes about 7 minutes.
- 00:26:10.551 --> 00:26:13.187
- Take you the rest of your born days to figure out what you
- 00:26:13.187 --> 00:26:15.255
- Agreed to, but that 7 minutes you can get right into the heart
- 00:26:15.255 --> 00:26:17.891
- Of that thing.
- 00:26:17.891 --> 00:26:24.231
- Don't send me an email.
- 00:26:24.231 --> 00:26:26.934
- Let's read it together: "heavenly father, open my eyes
- 00:26:26.934 --> 00:26:30.571
- To see and my heart to understand your ways.
- 00:26:30.571 --> 00:26:34.541
- I desire your truth in my life.
- 00:26:34.541 --> 00:26:37.177
- Forgive me for my rebellious attitude and stubborn pride.
- 00:26:37.177 --> 00:26:42.216
- I turn to you today in humble repentance.
- 00:26:42.216 --> 00:26:45.653
- May my thoughts and dreams be pleasing to you.
- 00:26:45.653 --> 00:26:49.323
- Guide my steps so that your best may fill my life and allow
- 00:26:49.323 --> 00:26:54.261
- Jesus' name to be exalted through my days on this earth.
- 00:26:54.261 --> 00:26:59.433
- I rejoice in the majesty of my god, amen."
- 00:26:59.433 --> 00:27:04.538
- Hallelujah, god bless you.
- 00:27:04.538 --> 00:27:07.408
- ♪♪♪
- 00:27:09.209 --> 00:27:30.197