Allen Jackson - Living Faith (Part 2)

December 2, 2024 | S24:E4902

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."
  • 00:11:08.283 --> 00:11:10.852
  • 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
  • 00:11:18.259 --> 00:11:21.896
  • 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.
  • 00:11:46.454 --> 00:11:50.558
  • 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.
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  • They didn't have a political problem.
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  • They had a spiritual problem.
  • 00:12:22.724 --> 00:12:27.295
  • 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
  • 00:12:33.768 --> 00:12:37.605
  • 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.
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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
  • 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.
  • 00:13:23.918 --> 00:13:25.653
  • 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
  • 00:13:28.356 --> 00:13:31.192
  • 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
  • 00:13:38.733 --> 00:13:40.702
  • Ministry and our world.
  • 00:13:40.702 --> 00:13:43.238
  • As we watched the 2024 election unfold,
  • 00:13:43.238 --> 00:13:46.140
  • 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,
  • 00:13:52.413 --> 00:13:55.416
  • But it's not a time to rest.
  • 00:13:55.416 --> 00:13:57.652
  • 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,
  • 00:14:02.724 --> 00:14:06.160
  • And there's a lot for us to do.
  • 00:14:06.160 --> 00:14:08.429
  • Allen: i believe when god shows you mercy,
  • 00:14:08.429 --> 00:14:12.800
  • 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