Allen Jackson - My Friend Jesus (Part 1)

January 11, 2025 | S25:E12

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 - My Friend Jesus (Part 1) | January 11, 2025
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  • Allen jackson: it's an honor to be with you today.
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  • We're continuing our discussion about my friend jesus.
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  • It's such an accessible way to embrace our faith.
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  • It's not about churches or denominations
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  • Or styles of worship.
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  • It's about a person and his name is jesus of nazareth.
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  • We're living through some crazy times.
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  • They may have been introduced to us through a pandemic,
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  • But they've continued right through layer after layer
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  • Of manipulation.
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  • It's just a confusing time to know whom to trust,
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  • What to trust, where to look for truthful information.
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  • Well, jesus is the way, the truth,
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  • And the life and the better we know our friend,
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  • The more stable our lives will be.
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  • Grab your bible and a notepad but most of all,
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  • Open your heart.
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  • Allen: the topic for the weekend is my friend jesus.
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  • We spent our last session talking about the person of the
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  • Holy spirit and how to welcome him
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  • Into your life a bit more fully.
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  • And so i'd like to take this another step further.
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  • But i really want to--this lesson to me came as a response
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  • To some other things happening in my life and in the world.
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  • And, you know, the reality is that the routine of life
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  • Is just difficult.
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  • Well, there may be great days or awesome days or amazing days,
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  • But if you push back from that, just the routine of it week in
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  • And week out, month in and month out,
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  • Difficult seems to be appropriate.
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  • Is that fair, particularly for the last couple of years or so?
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  • Disappointments are a part of the journey,
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  • Everybody's journey.
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  • Nobody gets through without them.
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  • Despair seeks entry points.
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  • Despair is disappointment that settles over you,
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  • And it begins to cloud how you see everything around you.
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  • Weariness, i find, is a frequent caller.
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  • And if you'll answer the call, he'll move right in.
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  • He'll convince you you're just weary beyond belief.
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  • Often, the challenges are just more challenging
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  • Than we would prefer.
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  • I saw a cartoon once, it said, "lion tamer wants tamer lion."
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  • I feel like that some days.
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  • Well, my vantage point in all of that is that
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  • All of that is part of life.
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  • That set of things describes life.
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  • If you're gonna make the journey under the sun,
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  • Disappointment and weariness and despair are things that you're
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  • Going to have to have a plan for
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  • Because they come with the journey.
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  • We live in a fallen world, a broken world,
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  • A sin-filled world, nobody gets through without it.
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  • When you look at somebody else and you think their life is
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  • Easier than yours, you don't know enough about their life.
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  • I interact with enough people and listen to enough stories,
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  • It seems to me that brokenness and challenges are universal.
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  • However, beyond that, i would submit to you that we're
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  • Experiencing a spiritual struggle of unique intensity.
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  • I believe we are watching a rather desperate demonic effort
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  • To thwart the purposes of god.
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  • And if i had just to describe it in the simplest of terms,
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  • It seems to me that expressions of evil are celebrated.
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  • Compromise within the church--
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  • Within the church is far too common.
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  • Common sense is uncommon.
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  • Shame has been replaced with brazen rebellion against god.
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  • It's hard to think of something that's too brazen any longer.
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  • We just seem to have put shame someplace else.
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  • And the temptation amongst the people of god,
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  • At least from my experience, is to look away or maybe to
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  • Yield to distraction.
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  • Maybe i can find something else to think about
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  • Or avoid our assignment.
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  • Or maybe we just sing more loudly so we don't hear the cry
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  • Of the desperate.
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  • Or perhaps we just prefer to pretend
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  • That nothing has changed.
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  • We can just stay focused enough and keep our blinders on and
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  • Look at the bible study, maybe we can convince ourselves the
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  • World isn't changing.
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  • Well, all of those things are true.
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  • And i have found from my own self and my own heart,
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  • I have to have a remedy because otherwise,
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  • The voices and the shouting and the things i'm seeing can cause
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  • Me to lose my momentum.
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  • So what my resolution for the weekend is i wanted to spend
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  • Some time focused on jesus.
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  • I want to turn my attention to the one who i know can deliver,
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  • To the one who will reign triumphant over
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  • All of his adversaries.
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  • So we're gonna spend a few minutes with jesus,
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  • And i want to start in john chapter 15 in verse 15,
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  • And you have that in your notes.
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  • Jesus is speaking and he said, "i no longer call you servants,
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  • Because a servant does not know his master's business.
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  • Instead, i have called you friends,
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  • For everything that i learned from my
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  • Father i have made known to you."
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  • That's a startling statement.
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  • "everything i've learned from the father,
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  • I've made known to you.
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  • I'm not holding anything back," he said.
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  • "you didn't choose me, but i chose you and i appointed you to
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  • Go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last."
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  • Did you know god chose you, jesus chose you?
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  • I know we think we found the lord,
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  • He found us long before we found him.
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  • Reduced down to its simplest statement,
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  • My life goal is to be jesus's friend.
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  • More than i want houses or land or accolades or anything else,
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  • When i see the lord, i want to have lived my life in such a way
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  • That i am his friend.
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  • Not by just declaration on his part,
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  • But i want the evidence of my life to be such that it would
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  • Suggest that i have a little bit of a hesitancy with that because
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  • I don't believe friendship has to be expressed in an overly
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  • Casual way.
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  • I think there's lots of room in that friendship for respect and
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  • Dignity and reverence.
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  • And i get a little anxious sometimes when i hear my fellow
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  • Travelers talking about the lord in ways that suggest a
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  • Familiarity that makes me uncomfortable.
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  • I have friends who are doctors, but i don't go busting into
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  • Their office and walk past their receptionist and start
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  • Screaming, "hey, doc, bubba's in the house" because it would
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  • Damage my friendships.
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  • I have to be respectful of their life and their place and their
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  • Assignments and understand that although we are friends,
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  • It's not the only relationship in their life.
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  • And so when i talk to you about being jesus's friend,
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  • I'm not suggesting that you be overly casual with him.
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  • He deserves your respect.
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  • When i talk about friendship, for me,
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  • It's more in terms of understanding what pleases him
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  • And what displeases him, recognizing the honor of having
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  • Time with him.
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  • I have some persons that i would consider friends,
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  • But i don't have a great deal of time with them.
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  • Those minutes are far fewer than i would like them to be or would
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  • Have liked them to be.
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  • When i have those opportunities, they are very important to me,
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  • And i try to focus my attention upon them.
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  • I could manage to put my phone away.
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  • I want to be jesus's friend.
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  • It's a very helpful construct for me 'cause sometimes theology
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  • Is confusing and the bible can be confusing and the rules and
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  • The regulations can be confusing and our world is confusing.
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  • I want to be jesus's friend.
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  • Would you like to do that? yeah, me too.
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  • When you see him, i think that if you had to describe what
  • 00:07:46.053 --> 00:07:49.290
  • Would the objective be if he looked at you and recognized you
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  • As his friend, not by declaration,
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  • Not by divine fiat, but by evidence of your life,
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  • Your calendar, your resources, your attention,
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  • What you have striven to do and become,
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  • Your willingness to yield to him,
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  • To put aside your selfish agenda in order to let his agenda
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  • Flourish within you.
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  • Again, i think we make our faith harder than we need it to be.
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  • I find that god's instructions to me are not often confusing.
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  • When i start to make them confusing,
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  • It's because i don't like the instructions.
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  • Female announcer: if you look, you'll find good
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  • News everywhere.
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  • Female: our baby was born healthy and strong.
  • 00:08:33.834 --> 00:08:37.705
  • Female: we have the groceries we need.
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  • Male: another year cancer-free.
  • 00:08:40.274 --> 00:08:43.644
  • Female: we bought our first house this year.
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  • Female: the raise came through when i needed it most.
  • 00:08:47.582 --> 00:08:51.218
  • Male: i have a working car.
  • 00:08:51.218 --> 00:08:54.822
  • Female: my husband came home safe.
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  • Female announcer: philippians 4 tells us to, "think about
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  • Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable,
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  • Excellent and praiseworthy."
  • 00:09:06.133 --> 00:09:08.402
  • All of these things honor god and when we take time to notice
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  • Them, we welcome god's presence and experience his peace.
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  • Allen: you know, the two most critical junctures of any
  • 00:09:17.345 --> 00:09:19.880
  • Enterprise are how we begin and how we conclude.
  • 00:09:19.880 --> 00:09:23.317
  • So, the beginning of a new year is a tremendous opportunity.
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  • We've prepared a tool we want to share with you.
  • 00:09:27.254 --> 00:09:29.056
  • It's a good news journal.
  • 00:09:29.056 --> 00:09:30.925
  • We wanna help you set a habit this year to do something with a
  • 00:09:30.925 --> 00:09:34.962
  • Bit more intention than perhaps has been our pattern in
  • 00:09:34.962 --> 00:09:37.932
  • The past.
  • 00:09:37.932 --> 00:09:39.266
  • We wanna start our year with an attitude of appreciation and
  • 00:09:39.266 --> 00:09:42.303
  • Gratitude for the blessings of god in our lives.
  • 00:09:42.303 --> 00:09:45.539
  • So, we've designed this journal so that you can use it as a part
  • 00:09:45.539 --> 00:09:48.542
  • Of your devotional.
  • 00:09:48.542 --> 00:09:49.877
  • It's something you could include the children, the grandchildren.
  • 00:09:49.877 --> 00:09:52.113
  • You could take it to work and create a good news journal for
  • 00:09:52.113 --> 00:09:54.548
  • The people you work with.
  • 00:09:54.548 --> 00:09:56.150
  • Wherever that may be, let's start our year out purposefully,
  • 00:09:56.150 --> 00:09:59.920
  • Intentionally saying, "thank you," to the lord for his
  • 00:09:59.920 --> 00:10:02.923
  • Goodness to us.
  • 00:10:02.923 --> 00:10:04.392
  • I know there's challenges and we have places where we need god's
  • 00:10:04.392 --> 00:10:07.128
  • Help, but we're gonna begin with gratitude and walk into the
  • 00:10:07.128 --> 00:10:11.032
  • Blessings of god in this year.
  • 00:10:11.032 --> 00:10:13.401
  • I think you'll enjoy the journal.
  • 00:10:13.401 --> 00:10:15.136
  • God bless.
  • 00:10:15.136 --> 00:10:16.470
  • Female announcer: when you keep a good news list, you'll notice
  • 00:10:16.470 --> 00:10:18.572
  • How god is constantly at work all around you.
  • 00:10:18.572 --> 00:10:21.842
  • Our new 52-week, good news notebook gives you a place to
  • 00:10:21.842 --> 00:10:25.780
  • Record your good news, prayers you saw god answer, and your
  • 00:10:25.780 --> 00:10:29.383
  • Current prayer requests.
  • 00:10:29.383 --> 00:10:31.152
  • As you look back on your lists over the weeks and months to
  • 00:10:31.152 --> 00:10:34.021
  • Come, you'll find a personal record of god's faithfulness
  • 00:10:34.021 --> 00:10:36.957
  • To you.
  • 00:10:36.957 --> 00:10:38.292
  • Allen: we are trusting god for a year like no other for his
  • 00:10:38.292 --> 00:10:40.695
  • Breakthroughs this year.
  • 00:10:40.695 --> 00:10:42.063
  • I believe the good news journal can be a part of our journey in
  • 00:10:42.063 --> 00:10:45.032
  • Each of our lives.
  • 00:10:45.032 --> 00:10:46.367
  • Female announcer: request your good news notebook when you
  • 00:10:46.367 --> 00:10:47.968
  • Donate $20 or more today at allenjackson.com or by
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  • Here with allen jackson ministries.
  • 00:11:24.071 --> 00:11:28.109
  • Allen: well, i want to start in the book of colossians with a
  • 00:11:29.376 --> 00:11:34.749
  • Revelation of jesus and his people.
  • 00:11:34.749 --> 00:11:38.152
  • And we're gonna--this is really gonna be simple stuff.
  • 00:11:38.152 --> 00:11:40.020
  • It's a little different than, perhaps,
  • 00:11:40.020 --> 00:11:42.056
  • Some approaches, but i'm gonna invite you--we're gonna think
  • 00:11:42.056 --> 00:11:45.159
  • About jesus, who he is and what he's done and what the
  • 00:11:45.159 --> 00:11:47.094
  • Implications of that are for you and me,
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  • All within the context of this emerging friendship.
  • 00:11:49.563 --> 00:11:53.400
  • You know to say, "i'm born again," and i think you're done
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  • With the relationship is like saying,
  • 00:11:55.136 --> 00:11:56.470
  • "i met somebody and there's nothing more to know."
  • 00:11:56.470 --> 00:12:01.175
  • That's just nonsense.
  • 00:12:01.175 --> 00:12:02.610
  • And yet, we've lived with that rather arrogant attitude.
  • 00:12:02.610 --> 00:12:04.612
  • It's almost as if we're afraid of the intrusion of jesus.
  • 00:12:04.612 --> 00:12:06.914
  • We don't want him knowing too much of our business.
  • 00:12:06.914 --> 00:12:10.317
  • You know, we don't really want him looking at our calendar or
  • 00:12:10.317 --> 00:12:12.052
  • Our checkbook or our finances.
  • 00:12:12.052 --> 00:12:15.256
  • We don't want him dictating where--do you really think he
  • 00:12:15.256 --> 00:12:17.358
  • Will diminish your life?
  • 00:12:17.358 --> 00:12:19.026
  • If you're living a life that you think jesus would diminish,
  • 00:12:19.026 --> 00:12:21.328
  • Either you don't know jesus or your life's too ungodly.
  • 00:12:21.328 --> 00:12:25.933
  • Jesus will not diminish your life.
  • 00:12:25.933 --> 00:12:29.069
  • But i want to start in colossians chapter 1,
  • 00:12:29.069 --> 00:12:31.205
  • Verse 9.
  • 00:12:31.205 --> 00:12:32.573
  • It really begins with a prayer and a statement of thanksgiving.
  • 00:12:32.573 --> 00:12:35.843
  • But i think it's appropriate for us.
  • 00:12:35.843 --> 00:12:37.211
  • It says, "for this reason, since the day we heard about you,"
  • 00:12:37.211 --> 00:12:39.346
  • Paul's praying for the church at colossae,
  • 00:12:39.346 --> 00:12:41.515
  • "we haven't stopped praying for you and asking god to fill you
  • 00:12:41.515 --> 00:12:44.919
  • With the knowledge of his will through all the spiritual wisdom
  • 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:47.354
  • And understanding."
  • 00:12:47.354 --> 00:12:48.689
  • I'd like to be filled with knowledge of god's will.
  • 00:12:48.689 --> 00:12:51.959
  • I'd like to be filled with
  • 00:12:51.959 --> 00:12:53.294
  • Spiritual wisdom and understanding.
  • 00:12:53.294 --> 00:12:54.628
  • "we pray this for a purpose, in order that you may live a life
  • 00:12:54.628 --> 00:12:58.766
  • Worthy of the lord and please him in every way."
  • 00:12:58.766 --> 00:13:01.502
  • That sounds like friendship to me.
  • 00:13:01.502 --> 00:13:05.172
  • We pray that you'd be filled with the knowledge of the lord
  • 00:13:05.172 --> 00:13:07.174
  • So that you could live a life worthy of his calling.
  • 00:13:07.174 --> 00:13:10.144
  • How you live your life is the expression of your faith,
  • 00:13:10.144 --> 00:13:12.613
  • Far more than your ability to pass a test
  • 00:13:12.613 --> 00:13:14.215
  • Over biblical questions.
  • 00:13:14.215 --> 00:13:17.051
  • "being strengthened with all power according to his glorious
  • 00:13:17.051 --> 00:13:19.520
  • Might so that you may have great endurance and patience."
  • 00:13:19.520 --> 00:13:24.592
  • I did a quick study this week.
  • 00:13:24.592 --> 00:13:25.926
  • You know, almost, it's unique--it's consistent across
  • 00:13:25.926 --> 00:13:30.598
  • The letters of the new testament that paul prays for those
  • 00:13:30.598 --> 00:13:32.867
  • Churches he's coaching that they would be willing
  • 00:13:32.867 --> 00:13:34.401
  • To endure and persevere.
  • 00:13:34.401 --> 00:13:38.405
  • I thought maybe it was unique in this church,
  • 00:13:38.405 --> 00:13:39.740
  • So i did a little work.
  • 00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:41.075
  • And no, he told them they're all gonna have to do that.
  • 00:13:41.075 --> 00:13:44.778
  • Maybe it was a 1st century thing.
  • 00:13:44.778 --> 00:13:48.782
  • I don't think so.
  • 00:13:48.782 --> 00:13:50.818
  • "joyfully giving thanks to the father,
  • 00:13:50.818 --> 00:13:52.353
  • Who's qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in
  • 00:13:52.353 --> 00:13:54.788
  • The kingdom of light.
  • 00:13:54.788 --> 00:13:56.657
  • For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and he
  • 00:13:56.657 --> 00:14:00.261
  • Brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves,
  • 00:14:00.261 --> 00:14:03.063
  • In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
  • 00:14:03.063 --> 00:14:06.600
  • We're talking about jesus and why he's unique and why we would
  • 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:08.936
  • Give him a special place.
  • 00:14:08.936 --> 00:14:10.504
  • Well, that last verse, verse 13, puts it in a context above all
  • 00:14:10.504 --> 00:14:13.574
  • The other requests in this prayer beyond the other
  • 00:14:13.574 --> 00:14:16.543
  • Points of thanksgiving.
  • 00:14:16.543 --> 00:14:17.878
  • It says, "god rescued us from the dominion of darkness,
  • 00:14:17.878 --> 00:14:21.649
  • And he brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves,
  • 00:14:21.649 --> 00:14:25.052
  • In whom we have redemption, deliverance."
  • 00:14:25.052 --> 00:14:27.087
  • We had been bought out of a place we couldn't deliver
  • 00:14:27.087 --> 00:14:29.256
  • Ourselves from.
  • 00:14:29.256 --> 00:14:30.925
  • Jesus came on the ultimate search and rescue mission.
  • 00:14:30.925 --> 00:14:35.663
  • And i want to highlight it for a moment.
  • 00:14:35.663 --> 00:14:37.031
  • Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 14 says,
  • 00:14:37.031 --> 00:14:38.866
  • "since the children have flesh and blood,
  • 00:14:38.866 --> 00:14:40.701
  • He too, jesus, shared in their humanity so that by his death he
  • 00:14:40.701 --> 00:14:46.473
  • Might destroy him who holds the power of death."
  • 00:14:46.473 --> 00:14:51.245
  • Did you think of jesus's assignment,
  • 00:14:51.245 --> 00:14:53.347
  • The incarnation, jesus in an earth suit in that context?
  • 00:14:53.347 --> 00:14:56.550
  • He came to destroy the one who had the power of death.
  • 00:14:56.550 --> 00:15:00.854
  • He didn't come to hinder him. he didn't come to diminish him.
  • 00:15:00.854 --> 00:15:04.191
  • He didn't come to resist him.
  • 00:15:04.191 --> 00:15:07.695
  • So i want to shift your attention a little bit away.
  • 00:15:07.695 --> 00:15:10.097
  • I've lived in a segment of the church.
  • 00:15:10.097 --> 00:15:11.732
  • Legitimately so, we're aware of the impact of evil,
  • 00:15:11.732 --> 00:15:16.303
  • And there's some things you need to do to walk in spiritual
  • 00:15:16.303 --> 00:15:18.372
  • Freedom, to be clean spiritually, the same way
  • 00:15:18.372 --> 00:15:20.874
  • There's some things you need to do to be clean physically.
  • 00:15:20.874 --> 00:15:23.077
  • But sometimes it's easier to be focused on the things that can
  • 00:15:23.077 --> 00:15:25.879
  • Beset you than it is on the one who set you free.
  • 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:32.252
  • I don't think it's helpful to live in fear of a virus.
  • 00:15:32.252 --> 00:15:35.022
  • I think you want to live trusting your immune system and
  • 00:15:35.022 --> 00:15:37.291
  • Your ability to maintain health.
  • 00:15:37.291 --> 00:15:40.561
  • But i think, in the same way, it's important to understand we
  • 00:15:40.561 --> 00:15:43.931
  • Can live spiritually whole, and we don't have to be afraid of
  • 00:15:43.931 --> 00:15:49.069
  • Evil or be intimidated by it or threatened by it.
  • 00:15:49.069 --> 00:15:51.972
  • Let's be so familiar with the one who has delivered us that we
  • 00:15:51.972 --> 00:15:55.776
  • Trust him to bring freedom to our lives.
  • 00:15:55.776 --> 00:15:58.645
  • We're spending too much time wringing our hands and
  • 00:15:58.645 --> 00:16:00.714
  • Discussing the darkness.
  • 00:16:00.714 --> 00:16:03.217
  • I'd rather talk about the one who has invited me
  • 00:16:03.217 --> 00:16:05.119
  • Into the light.
  • 00:16:05.119 --> 00:16:09.123
  • So it says that, "he shared in our humanity so that by his
  • 00:16:09.123 --> 00:16:13.527
  • Death, he could destroy him who holds the power of death."
  • 00:16:13.527 --> 00:16:16.463
  • That's the devil.
  • 00:16:16.463 --> 00:16:18.165
  • Jesus came to destroy the devil's stronghold in your life.
  • 00:16:18.165 --> 00:16:23.037
  • I would like to have a friend that knows how to destroy the
  • 00:16:23.037 --> 00:16:25.372
  • Devil's stronghold, wouldn't you?
  • 00:16:25.372 --> 00:16:29.009
  • Again, this goofy notion that jesus is gonna take something
  • 00:16:29.009 --> 00:16:30.978
  • Away from you, he will.
  • 00:16:30.978 --> 00:16:32.312
  • He'll take away the stronghold of satan in your life.
  • 00:16:32.312 --> 00:16:36.116
  • "and to free those who all their lives were held in slavery
  • 00:16:36.116 --> 00:16:39.486
  • By their fear of death."
  • 00:16:39.486 --> 00:16:40.821
  • That is the description of a search and rescue.
  • 00:16:40.821 --> 00:16:42.990
  • He came to destroy your enemy and to free you from the place
  • 00:16:42.990 --> 00:16:46.493
  • Where you were held captive.
  • 00:16:46.493 --> 00:16:48.996
  • Now, that's a friend.
  • 00:16:48.996 --> 00:16:51.031
  • That is a friend.
  • 00:16:51.031 --> 00:16:52.499
  • 1 john 3 and 8, it says, "the reason the son of god appeared
  • 00:16:52.499 --> 00:16:55.369
  • Was to destroy the devil's work."
  • 00:16:55.369 --> 00:16:58.772
  • The whole bethlehem story, the whole christmas narrative,
  • 00:16:58.772 --> 00:17:01.608
  • The whole easter drama, all of that was to destroy satan's
  • 00:17:01.608 --> 00:17:06.213
  • Power over your life.
  • 00:17:06.213 --> 00:17:07.915
  • But it's centered, not in a church or denomination or
  • 00:17:07.915 --> 00:17:10.651
  • Translation of the bible or a style of worship or your
  • 00:17:10.651 --> 00:17:13.921
  • Favorite verse, it's centered in a person and his name is jesus.
  • 00:17:13.921 --> 00:17:18.892
  • Get to know him.
  • 00:17:18.892 --> 00:17:22.162
  • Learn to be aware of him.
  • 00:17:22.162 --> 00:17:24.298
  • Recognize his character.
  • 00:17:24.298 --> 00:17:25.866
  • Know what would please him and know what would displease him,
  • 00:17:25.866 --> 00:17:28.669
  • And don't engage in things that would displease him.
  • 00:17:28.669 --> 00:17:31.371
  • Don't align yourself with people who oppose him.
  • 00:17:31.371 --> 00:17:35.042
  • The spirit of antichrist is busy in the earth.
  • 00:17:35.042 --> 00:17:39.313
  • God willing, in our next session, we're gonna look a bit
  • 00:17:39.313 --> 00:17:41.248
  • At the implications of antichrist in the current season
  • 00:17:41.248 --> 00:17:46.019
  • In relation to the person of jesus and what's happening with
  • 00:17:46.019 --> 00:17:48.255
  • Him and his people.
  • 00:17:48.255 --> 00:17:51.125
  • But don't willingly align yourselves with people who
  • 00:17:51.125 --> 00:17:54.128
  • Oppose the purpose of jesus.
  • 00:17:54.128 --> 00:17:57.965
  • He came to destroy the devil's work and what he accomplished
  • 00:17:57.965 --> 00:18:01.969
  • Was complete.
  • 00:18:01.969 --> 00:18:03.303
  • There's nothing that can be added to it.
  • 00:18:03.303 --> 00:18:04.671
  • There's nothing that can be taken away from it.
  • 00:18:04.671 --> 00:18:07.040
  • It was eternal.
  • 00:18:07.040 --> 00:18:08.375
  • It's not going to be undone or revisited or appealed.
  • 00:18:08.375 --> 00:18:12.246
  • It's irreversible. that's our friend.
  • 00:18:12.246 --> 00:18:16.850
  • Now, in that same chapter in beginning in verse
  • 00:18:16.850 --> 00:18:18.819
  • 15, it's the very next verse.
  • 00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:20.154
  • I just broke it apart in your notes.
  • 00:18:20.154 --> 00:18:22.623
  • Paul begins to talk about the supremacy of jesus.
  • 00:18:22.623 --> 00:18:25.726
  • Listen to this description.
  • 00:18:25.726 --> 00:18:27.327
  • He said, "he is the image of the invisible god,
  • 00:18:27.327 --> 00:18:29.796
  • The firstborn over all creation."
  • 00:18:29.796 --> 00:18:31.798
  • Who's your friend? he's over all creation, whoo.
  • 00:18:31.798 --> 00:18:37.204
  • What's left out of that?
  • 00:18:37.204 --> 00:18:40.607
  • Nothing that we know about.
  • 00:18:40.607 --> 00:18:42.776
  • "for by him all things were created: things in heaven and on
  • 00:18:42.776 --> 00:18:45.712
  • Earth, visible and invisible."
  • 00:18:45.712 --> 00:18:47.381
  • Jesus is in charge of everything you can see
  • 00:18:47.381 --> 00:18:49.016
  • And everything you can't see.
  • 00:18:49.016 --> 00:18:51.318
  • "whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities."
  • 00:18:51.318 --> 00:18:54.521
  • He's talking about an organizational chart,
  • 00:18:54.521 --> 00:18:56.023
  • A spiritual org chart.
  • 00:18:56.023 --> 00:18:58.525
  • "all things were created by him and for him.
  • 00:18:58.525 --> 00:19:01.495
  • He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
  • 00:19:01.495 --> 00:19:05.832
  • He's the head of the body, the church.
  • 00:19:05.832 --> 00:19:08.902
  • He's the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,
  • 00:19:08.902 --> 00:19:12.573
  • So that in everything he might have the supremacy.
  • 00:19:12.573 --> 00:19:15.475
  • God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
  • 00:19:15.475 --> 00:19:19.146
  • And through him to reconcile to himself all things,
  • 00:19:19.146 --> 00:19:22.249
  • Whether things on earth or things in heaven,
  • 00:19:22.249 --> 00:19:24.585
  • Or by making peace through his blood,
  • 00:19:24.585 --> 00:19:26.320
  • Shed on the cross."
  • 00:19:26.320 --> 00:19:28.422
  • Wow.
  • 00:19:28.422 --> 00:19:31.758
  • Folks, it's not a religion.
  • 00:19:31.758 --> 00:19:34.728
  • It's not a style or a form of worship.
  • 00:19:34.728 --> 00:19:36.964
  • It's not about whether you're protestant
  • 00:19:36.964 --> 00:19:38.632
  • Or catholic or orthodox.
  • 00:19:38.632 --> 00:19:41.468
  • It's about your relationship to a person.
  • 00:19:41.468 --> 00:19:43.470
  • His name is jesus.
  • 00:19:43.470 --> 00:19:45.005
  • He was born in bethlehem. he grew up in nazareth.
  • 00:19:45.005 --> 00:19:47.374
  • He died on a roman cross. he was raised to life again.
  • 00:19:47.374 --> 00:19:50.444
  • He ascended back to heaven, and he's returning to the earth.
  • 00:19:50.444 --> 00:19:53.880
  • How do you know him?
  • 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:58.285
  • There's seven statements in there.
  • 00:19:58.285 --> 00:19:59.786
  • It says, "all things were created by him."
  • 00:19:59.786 --> 00:20:01.722
  • That's my friend.
  • 00:20:01.722 --> 00:20:05.993
  • Do i think he's threatened by what's happening in the world?
  • 00:20:05.993 --> 00:20:08.428
  • No, not so much, not so much.
  • 00:20:08.428 --> 00:20:16.536
  • I think if we want to address climate change,
  • 00:20:16.536 --> 00:20:19.239
  • Let's improve righteousness and godliness and holiness.
  • 00:20:19.239 --> 00:20:24.611
  • I don't think we're gonna fix the problems that vex us while
  • 00:20:24.611 --> 00:20:27.314
  • We behave in ungodly ways.
  • 00:20:27.314 --> 00:20:29.516
  • It's illogical, it's irrational, it makes no sense.
  • 00:20:29.516 --> 00:20:35.922
  • You can't pick and choose when you want to be godly
  • 00:20:35.922 --> 00:20:37.791
  • And when you don't.
  • 00:20:37.791 --> 00:20:39.126
  • It won't work.
  • 00:20:39.126 --> 00:20:40.827
  • All things were created by him.
  • 00:20:40.827 --> 00:20:42.629
  • It says he was before all things.
  • 00:20:42.629 --> 00:20:45.165
  • Third, in him, all things hold together.
  • 00:20:45.165 --> 00:20:47.334
  • I like that. he holds it all together.
  • 00:20:47.334 --> 00:20:50.170
  • Some days i can't, i just--i just relax.
  • 00:20:50.170 --> 00:20:54.975
  • "lord, i thank you, you can hold all things together,
  • 00:20:54.975 --> 00:20:58.879
  • Even my frayed self."
  • 00:20:58.879 --> 00:21:01.214
  • He's the head of the body, the church.
  • 00:21:01.214 --> 00:21:05.352
  • He's the head of the body.
  • 00:21:05.352 --> 00:21:06.687
  • You see, if jesus isn't lord of your life,
  • 00:21:06.687 --> 00:21:08.255
  • You can sit in a church building,
  • 00:21:08.255 --> 00:21:09.589
  • But you're not part of the church.
  • 00:21:09.589 --> 00:21:12.192
  • You can hide in church and not be a christ follower,
  • 00:21:12.192 --> 00:21:15.462
  • But jesus is the head.
  • 00:21:15.462 --> 00:21:16.797
  • There's no life where jesus isn't there.
  • 00:21:16.797 --> 00:21:20.934
  • He's the firstborn from among the dead.
  • 00:21:20.934 --> 00:21:24.338
  • I like this one, in everything, he has the supremacy.
  • 00:21:24.338 --> 00:21:28.175
  • He's supreme over everything, over every demonic attack,
  • 00:21:28.175 --> 00:21:32.012
  • Over every wicked thing, over every evil person.
  • 00:21:32.012 --> 00:21:36.650
  • He is supreme.
  • 00:21:36.650 --> 00:21:39.886
  • And finally he says he's made peace through his blood.
  • 00:21:39.886 --> 00:21:45.125
  • And paul concludes this little section in colossians with a
  • 00:21:45.125 --> 00:21:49.730
  • Before-and-after picture.
  • 00:21:49.730 --> 00:21:52.299
  • He told us what jesus came to do,
  • 00:21:52.299 --> 00:21:54.401
  • And then he describes jesus in this exalted role god
  • 00:21:54.401 --> 00:21:57.537
  • Has given to him.
  • 00:21:57.537 --> 00:21:59.239
  • And then he shows us where we fit into this.
  • 00:21:59.239 --> 00:22:01.007
  • In verse 21 he says, "once you were alienated from god and you
  • 00:22:01.007 --> 00:22:06.813
  • Were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior."
  • 00:22:06.813 --> 00:22:10.250
  • At one time, you were alienated from god,
  • 00:22:10.250 --> 00:22:13.653
  • Separate from god, apart from god,
  • 00:22:13.653 --> 00:22:16.189
  • Enemies of god and that conflict was made
  • 00:22:16.189 --> 00:22:22.062
  • Most evident in how you thought.
  • 00:22:22.062 --> 00:22:23.397
  • You didn't think in godly ways.
  • 00:22:23.397 --> 00:22:25.132
  • You didn't think godly thoughts.
  • 00:22:25.132 --> 00:22:27.934
  • They were foreign to you. they were unacceptable to you.
  • 00:22:27.934 --> 00:22:30.337
  • They were uncomfortable to you.
  • 00:22:30.337 --> 00:22:32.272
  • Your mind is a battlefield.
  • 00:22:32.272 --> 00:22:34.608
  • Being born again does not solve the battlefield of our minds.
  • 00:22:34.608 --> 00:22:39.379
  • We have to be renewed in our thinking.
  • 00:22:39.379 --> 00:22:42.015
  • It's why what you watch and what you listen to and what you think
  • 00:22:42.015 --> 00:22:44.451
  • About and what you talk about is so important because you open
  • 00:22:44.451 --> 00:22:47.754
  • All of your mind up through all of those pathways.
  • 00:22:47.754 --> 00:22:54.361
  • "once you were alienated from god and you were enemies in your
  • 00:22:54.361 --> 00:22:56.863
  • Minds, but now he has reconciled you by christ's physical body
  • 00:22:56.863 --> 00:23:01.935
  • Through death to present you holy in his sight."
  • 00:23:01.935 --> 00:23:04.237
  • Imagine if he said but now he reconciled you by world outreach
  • 00:23:04.237 --> 00:23:06.940
  • Church or he reconciled you by doing daily bible readings or he
  • 00:23:06.940 --> 00:23:13.213
  • Reconciled you because you don't use profanity or he reconciled
  • 00:23:13.213 --> 00:23:18.418
  • You because of whatever set of rules you prefer.
  • 00:23:18.418 --> 00:23:22.589
  • See, the point of our reconciliation,
  • 00:23:22.589 --> 00:23:25.325
  • How we were reconciled to god and were no longer the enemies
  • 00:23:25.325 --> 00:23:28.195
  • Of the creator of all things is it was through the physical
  • 00:23:28.195 --> 00:23:30.997
  • Body of jesus.
  • 00:23:30.997 --> 00:23:32.332
  • His death enables us to be holy in the sight of god without
  • 00:23:32.332 --> 00:23:37.370
  • Blemish and free from accusation.
  • 00:23:37.370 --> 00:23:39.473
  • Can you imagine that?
  • 00:23:39.473 --> 00:23:40.807
  • I can stand before the creator of all things free of accusation
  • 00:23:40.807 --> 00:23:46.046
  • Because of my friend jesus.
  • 00:23:46.046 --> 00:23:48.949
  • I mean, i know dwayne and that's a good thing.
  • 00:23:48.949 --> 00:23:51.651
  • The dude ran 13 miles today.
  • 00:23:51.651 --> 00:23:54.054
  • That's a long drive for me. that's an unthinkable run.
  • 00:23:54.054 --> 00:24:00.660
  • And as glad as i am to have gunny as my friend,
  • 00:24:00.660 --> 00:24:03.630
  • Jesus made it possible for me and for you too, i mean.
  • 00:24:03.630 --> 00:24:10.770
  • But he was really thinking about me,
  • 00:24:10.770 --> 00:24:12.138
  • You just got in on it, okay?
  • 00:24:12.138 --> 00:24:14.307
  • But--not true.
  • 00:24:14.307 --> 00:24:16.176
  • To stand before the creator, yes,
  • 00:24:16.176 --> 00:24:18.545
  • I want to be his friend.
  • 00:24:18.545 --> 00:24:19.880
  • Don't ask me to come and not bring my friend.
  • 00:24:19.880 --> 00:24:23.750
  • Don't ask me to apologize for my friend jesus.
  • 00:24:23.750 --> 00:24:28.221
  • He has not instigated evil.
  • 00:24:28.221 --> 00:24:29.890
  • He hasn't caused the destruction of human beings.
  • 00:24:29.890 --> 00:24:32.692
  • He's not a force for wickedness or division.
  • 00:24:32.692 --> 00:24:35.695
  • He's the greatest opportunity any human being has ever had.
  • 00:24:35.695 --> 00:24:39.366
  • And we've apologized for too long.
  • 00:24:39.366 --> 00:24:45.639
  • I deeply regret that there's a season of my life when i was a
  • 00:24:45.639 --> 00:24:49.476
  • Participant in places where
  • 00:24:49.476 --> 00:24:50.977
  • They said, "we don't want jesus."
  • 00:24:50.977 --> 00:24:52.312
  • I don't mean when they invited me to pray.
  • 00:24:52.312 --> 00:24:54.915
  • I think of the classrooms i've been to or the business settings
  • 00:24:54.915 --> 00:24:57.384
  • I've been to or the places where they said,
  • 00:24:57.384 --> 00:24:59.886
  • "you know, we want to be respectful of everybody."
  • 00:24:59.886 --> 00:25:02.088
  • That is not true.
  • 00:25:02.088 --> 00:25:03.423
  • They wanted to diminish the presence of jesus because from
  • 00:25:03.423 --> 00:25:06.993
  • Where i stand today, i watch them pushing a worldview that
  • 00:25:06.993 --> 00:25:10.597
  • Stands in opposition to my biblical worldview.
  • 00:25:10.597 --> 00:25:13.300
  • And they don't say it's not appropriate
  • 00:25:13.300 --> 00:25:15.135
  • For a corporation to do this.
  • 00:25:15.135 --> 00:25:16.469
  • They just said it was inappropriate for them to be an
  • 00:25:16.469 --> 00:25:18.939
  • Advocate for jesus.
  • 00:25:18.939 --> 00:25:21.708
  • We've been duped.
  • 00:25:21.708 --> 00:25:24.377
  • Now, i have repented, i hope you have.
  • 00:25:24.377 --> 00:25:27.047
  • I've acknowledged it in public.
  • 00:25:27.047 --> 00:25:28.548
  • I hope you'll be willing to do that.
  • 00:25:28.548 --> 00:25:29.883
  • If i'm coming, jesus is coming with me.
  • 00:25:29.883 --> 00:25:33.219
  • I'm not ashamed of him. i won't apologize for him.
  • 00:25:33.219 --> 00:25:38.058
  • He has changed--once i was an enemy of god but now,
  • 00:25:38.058 --> 00:25:41.828
  • Because of what jesus did, i have been reconciled.
  • 00:25:41.828 --> 00:25:49.336
  • I want to be on the record in heaven and earth and under the
  • 00:25:49.336 --> 00:25:52.072
  • Earth and anyplace else they're keeping a record,
  • 00:25:52.072 --> 00:25:54.240
  • I'm for jesus.
  • 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:56.843
  • Allen: far too often, i think we are reluctant
  • 00:25:57.877 --> 00:25:59.913
  • Advocates for jesus.
  • 00:25:59.913 --> 00:26:01.681
  • We're concerned about what people will think or say or how
  • 00:26:01.681 --> 00:26:03.950
  • They'll respond.
  • 00:26:03.950 --> 00:26:05.285
  • Well, there's a day ahead of us, and i don't believe it's too far
  • 00:26:05.285 --> 00:26:07.654
  • Ahead of us, when we will see our lord and all of his majesty.
  • 00:26:07.654 --> 00:26:11.458
  • It will be an awe-inspiring, amazing moment
  • 00:26:11.458 --> 00:26:14.361
  • In your existence.
  • 00:26:14.361 --> 00:26:15.862
  • Let's begin today by thanking him for his great love for us.
  • 00:26:15.862 --> 00:26:19.232
  • Lord jesus, i thank you that you love us,
  • 00:26:19.232 --> 00:26:21.034
  • That you've called us out of darkness,
  • 00:26:21.034 --> 00:26:22.902
  • That you've given us everything we need for life and godliness,
  • 00:26:22.902 --> 00:26:26.406
  • That in you, we are triumphant over every circumstance.
  • 00:26:26.406 --> 00:26:29.843
  • It's in your name we pray, amen.
  • 00:26:29.843 --> 00:26:34.214
  • Announcer: join us every week for another exciting message
  • 00:26:38.418 --> 00:26:40.754
  • From pastor allen jackson.
  • 00:26:40.754 --> 00:26:42.622
  • And until then, visit us online and discover remarkable
  • 00:26:42.622 --> 00:26:46.059
  • Information and resources to help take your christian life to
  • 00:26:46.059 --> 00:26:49.763
  • The next level.
  • 00:26:49.763 --> 00:26:51.364
  • And if you're visiting the nashville area,
  • 00:26:51.364 --> 00:26:53.299
  • We'd love to see you at world outreach church in murfreesboro.
  • 00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:56.870
  • We're easy to find, so look us up
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  • When you're traveling through.
  • 00:26:58.371 --> 00:26:59.806
  • And don't forget to connect with pastor jackson every day through
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  • Social media.
  • 00:27:02.475 --> 00:27:04.477
  • Thanks so much for joining us
  • 00:27:04.477 --> 00:27:05.979
  • And being a part of this ministry.
  • 00:27:05.979 --> 00:27:07.714
  • We'll see you again next time for another encounter with
  • 00:27:07.714 --> 00:27:09.983
  • Pastor allen jackson.
  • 00:27:09.983 --> 00:27:26.433