1. TBN
  2. Programs
  3. Allen Jackson Ministries
  4. Episodes
  5. Allen Jackson - Response To God's Discipline (Part 1)
Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Response To God's Discipline (Part 1)

July 6, 2026 | 27:29

Allen Jackson - Response To God's Discipline (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#WordofGod #Encouragement #Joy #PromisesofGod #Imagination #Faithfulness #TrustGod #Pain #AllenJackson

Closed captions

Show Timecode
Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Response To God's Discipline (Part 1) | July 6, 2026
  • ...
  • 00:00:00.633 --> 00:00:01.016
  • Female announcer: everywhere we turn, someone is telling us who
  • 00:00:01.750 --> 00:00:03.485
  • We should be, how we should look, and what we
  • 00:00:03.585 --> 00:00:06.021
  • Should believe.
  • 00:00:06.121 --> 00:00:06.388
  • It's no wonder so many of us feel isolated, uncertain,
  • 00:00:07.523 --> 00:00:11.427
  • Confused, and like we're not enough, but god has a
  • 00:00:11.427 --> 00:00:15.297
  • Different message.
  • 00:00:15.297 --> 00:00:16.665
  • You are chosen, loved, accepted, and redeemed, and as you more
  • 00:00:16.665 --> 00:00:21.937
  • Fully understand how god sees you, it will change how you see
  • 00:00:21.937 --> 00:00:25.474
  • Yourself, how you see god, and how you live your life.
  • 00:00:25.474 --> 00:00:29.545
  • In "your identity in christ: 12 truths about who you are,"
  • 00:00:29.611 --> 00:00:33.282
  • Pastor allen jackson shares the unchanging truth of god's word
  • 00:00:33.282 --> 00:00:37.619
  • From isolation to belonging, from doubt to confidence.
  • 00:00:37.619 --> 00:00:42.091
  • Discover your identity in him.
  • 00:00:42.091 --> 00:00:44.860
  • You or someone you know needs the encouragement, truth, and
  • 00:00:44.860 --> 00:00:48.764
  • Freedom found in this book.
  • 00:00:48.764 --> 00:00:52.868
  • Request yours today when you donate any amount at
  • 00:00:52.868 --> 00:00:55.337
  • Allenjackson.com or call...
  • 00:00:55.337 --> 00:01:02.778
  • Allen jackson: it's growing season in some--in tennessee.
  • 00:01:06.982 --> 00:01:09.918
  • The grass is growing, the weeds are growing.
  • 00:01:09.918 --> 00:01:13.622
  • The vegetables are growing, it's growing season.
  • 00:01:13.622 --> 00:01:16.758
  • And i want to grow.
  • 00:01:16.758 --> 00:01:18.794
  • I want it to be a season of spiritual vitality in my own
  • 00:01:18.794 --> 00:01:21.997
  • Life, and i've invited you do that with me, so we've been
  • 00:01:21.997 --> 00:01:24.399
  • Walking through a series of discussions on
  • 00:01:24.399 --> 00:01:27.803
  • Some fundamentals.
  • 00:01:27.803 --> 00:01:29.438
  • You know, growth in any arena, sustained growth, comes from
  • 00:01:29.438 --> 00:01:33.509
  • Attention to the details, whether it's business or
  • 00:01:33.509 --> 00:01:35.611
  • Athletics or any endeavor, and it's true in your spiritual life
  • 00:01:35.611 --> 00:01:38.514
  • As well.
  • 00:01:38.514 --> 00:01:39.882
  • We don't outgrow those fundamentals.
  • 00:01:39.882 --> 00:01:41.216
  • We have to keep them engaged in our lives in a routine way.
  • 00:01:41.216 --> 00:01:47.756
  • I don't know that jesus ever told us to go deep.
  • 00:01:47.756 --> 00:01:49.658
  • He did tell us to go out.
  • 00:01:49.658 --> 00:01:52.194
  • And sometimes i think in our desires to be mature and to give
  • 00:01:52.194 --> 00:01:55.197
  • That presentation, we think we talk only about deep things.
  • 00:01:55.197 --> 00:01:59.735
  • I'm quite happy to just stay in the midst of what god is doing
  • 00:01:59.735 --> 00:02:02.171
  • And it's growing season.
  • 00:02:02.171 --> 00:02:03.505
  • I want to grow.
  • 00:02:03.505 --> 00:02:04.873
  • So we've been talking about prayer in particular.
  • 00:02:04.873 --> 00:02:06.975
  • In this session, we're going to talk about prayer as a response
  • 00:02:06.975 --> 00:02:09.178
  • To god's discipline.
  • 00:02:09.178 --> 00:02:12.514
  • Thank you for that enthusiastic response.
  • 00:02:12.514 --> 00:02:14.283
  • I had a feeling that would bring just waves of joy
  • 00:02:14.283 --> 00:02:17.486
  • And excitement.
  • 00:02:17.486 --> 00:02:19.588
  • Now we've been reading the book of numbers together.
  • 00:02:19.588 --> 00:02:22.691
  • And really, if you're doing the bible reading with us, and i
  • 00:02:22.691 --> 00:02:25.327
  • Hope you are, it's kind of a transitionary book.
  • 00:02:25.327 --> 00:02:28.897
  • The children of the former slaves of egypt are en route to
  • 00:02:28.897 --> 00:02:32.801
  • The promised land, their inheritance, and it's a bit of a
  • 00:02:32.801 --> 00:02:34.903
  • Bumpier ride than we would have liked.
  • 00:02:34.903 --> 00:02:36.705
  • You know, finding god's will for your life and living in his
  • 00:02:36.705 --> 00:02:39.675
  • Intent for you is not always simple.
  • 00:02:39.675 --> 00:02:42.511
  • In fact, i don't know that it's ever simple.
  • 00:02:42.511 --> 00:02:45.080
  • And i think we have this wrong imagination that following the
  • 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:47.516
  • Lord is just like a merry skip down the yellow brick road.
  • 00:02:47.516 --> 00:02:51.453
  • And that hasn't been my life experience.
  • 00:02:51.453 --> 00:02:53.222
  • And i don't mean that in any negative way or small faith way.
  • 00:02:53.222 --> 00:02:56.625
  • I think god's been very faithful and very good to me.
  • 00:02:56.625 --> 00:02:59.661
  • It just hasn't always been simple.
  • 00:02:59.661 --> 00:03:01.096
  • And as you're reading the book of numbers, let it illuminate
  • 00:03:01.096 --> 00:03:03.165
  • Your own journey.
  • 00:03:03.165 --> 00:03:05.400
  • But one of the themes of the book of numbers is there's a lot
  • 00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:08.070
  • Of dissatisfaction.
  • 00:03:08.070 --> 00:03:10.372
  • That's kind of a fancy word for grumbling.
  • 00:03:10.372 --> 00:03:11.974
  • They complained their way all the way along.
  • 00:03:11.974 --> 00:03:15.277
  • I mean, 3 days on the other side of the red sea being parted,
  • 00:03:15.277 --> 00:03:17.746
  • They're going, "we should have stayed where we were."
  • 00:03:17.746 --> 00:03:20.148
  • They just have a hard time holding a good attitude.
  • 00:03:23.986 --> 00:03:27.456
  • So i think there is something of a lesson.
  • 00:03:27.456 --> 00:03:29.424
  • It's not the whole discussion for today, but i thought it was
  • 00:03:29.424 --> 00:03:31.760
  • A good response.
  • 00:03:31.760 --> 00:03:33.095
  • Prayer, i've been submitting to you is--prayer is this
  • 00:03:33.095 --> 00:03:35.030
  • Invitation to god into the midst of your life.
  • 00:03:35.030 --> 00:03:36.898
  • When the bible says "pray without ceasing," i don't
  • 00:03:36.898 --> 00:03:39.334
  • Believe that we walk around all day with our heads bowed and our
  • 00:03:39.334 --> 00:03:41.470
  • Eyes closed, but throughout the breadth of our existence, we
  • 00:03:41.470 --> 00:03:44.706
  • Keep extending these invitations to god.
  • 00:03:44.706 --> 00:03:47.309
  • We invite god into who we are and what we are and what we do.
  • 00:03:47.309 --> 00:03:49.945
  • It's why i like the idea of a sentence prayer.
  • 00:03:49.945 --> 00:03:52.981
  • Prayer is not something that's reserved for formal religious
  • 00:03:52.981 --> 00:03:56.118
  • Services when we convene and when we conclude.
  • 00:03:56.118 --> 00:03:59.421
  • It's okay with me that you pray at the beginning and you pray
  • 00:03:59.421 --> 00:04:01.957
  • For a conclusion, but prayer is not intended to be a
  • 00:04:01.957 --> 00:04:04.526
  • Transitionary function in public gatherings.
  • 00:04:04.526 --> 00:04:08.664
  • Prayer is an invitation to god.
  • 00:04:08.664 --> 00:04:11.833
  • It's a declaration of who god has said you are and what he
  • 00:04:11.833 --> 00:04:14.736
  • Will do for you, and i wanna invite you to lead a life that
  • 00:04:14.736 --> 00:04:18.573
  • Is defined by those invitations to god.
  • 00:04:18.573 --> 00:04:21.243
  • I don't wanna be engaged in anything, anywhere, at any time,
  • 00:04:21.243 --> 00:04:24.046
  • That i don't invite god into.
  • 00:04:24.046 --> 00:04:26.348
  • If i'm into something that i don't want god in the midst of,
  • 00:04:26.348 --> 00:04:28.684
  • I probably shouldn't be into that.
  • 00:04:28.684 --> 00:04:32.354
  • And begin to use your voice.
  • 00:04:32.354 --> 00:04:35.390
  • There are some lines we've got to lose, like, "well, i just
  • 00:04:35.390 --> 00:04:37.359
  • Don't pray."
  • 00:04:37.359 --> 00:04:38.694
  • Change.
  • 00:04:38.694 --> 00:04:40.562
  • You can say, "i never used to pray."
  • 00:04:40.562 --> 00:04:41.930
  • You can say, "i don't know how to pray."
  • 00:04:41.930 --> 00:04:43.298
  • We can learn.
  • 00:04:43.298 --> 00:04:44.633
  • Like, we're gonna talk about that, but we're gonna start
  • 00:04:44.633 --> 00:04:46.768
  • Around today in this session at least with this notion of prayer
  • 00:04:46.768 --> 00:04:50.005
  • Is a response to god's discipline.
  • 00:04:50.005 --> 00:04:51.673
  • Look at hebrews chapter 12.
  • 00:04:51.673 --> 00:04:53.508
  • It says: "have you forgotten?"
  • 00:04:53.508 --> 00:04:55.043
  • And if the message begins with, "have you forgotten?"
  • 00:04:55.043 --> 00:04:57.212
  • What do you know, pretty certain?
  • 00:04:57.212 --> 00:05:00.048
  • That the intended audience has forgotten.
  • 00:05:00.048 --> 00:05:02.584
  • "have you forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you
  • 00:05:02.584 --> 00:05:06.154
  • As sons?"
  • 00:05:06.154 --> 00:05:07.823
  • And then he quotes the book of proverbs: "my son, don't make
  • 00:05:07.823 --> 00:05:10.325
  • Light of the lord's discipline.
  • 00:05:10.325 --> 00:05:11.693
  • Don't lose heart when he rebukes you, because the lord
  • 00:05:11.693 --> 00:05:15.597
  • Disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts
  • 00:05:15.597 --> 00:05:19.601
  • As a son."
  • 00:05:19.601 --> 00:05:22.104
  • Wow, i mean, i know it's in the bible, but that's not what you
  • 00:05:22.104 --> 00:05:25.841
  • Expect to read.
  • 00:05:25.841 --> 00:05:28.377
  • He said, "don't make light of the lord's discipline."
  • 00:05:28.377 --> 00:05:30.779
  • Don't treat it casually when the lord disciplines you.
  • 00:05:30.779 --> 00:05:35.250
  • Don't lose heart when he rebukes you.
  • 00:05:35.250 --> 00:05:38.120
  • When he rebukes you, don't go, "oh, i never get it right.
  • 00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:40.789
  • I'm never gonna get it right.
  • 00:05:40.789 --> 00:05:42.157
  • I'm always wrong."
  • 00:05:42.157 --> 00:05:46.495
  • He said he disciplines everyone he loves.
  • 00:05:46.495 --> 00:05:49.898
  • But look at the introduction to that.
  • 00:05:49.898 --> 00:05:52.000
  • It's really, i think, the key for shaping it.
  • 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:54.236
  • "have you forgotten that word of encouragement."
  • 00:05:54.236 --> 00:05:59.274
  • When he said that word of encouragement, i thought he was
  • 00:05:59.274 --> 00:06:01.777
  • Gonna say i was fearfully and wonderfully made.
  • 00:06:01.777 --> 00:06:06.047
  • I thought he was gonna say i can do all things through christ
  • 00:06:06.047 --> 00:06:08.316
  • Jesus who strengthens me.
  • 00:06:08.316 --> 00:06:10.952
  • I'm not going to give a lot of encouraging words.
  • 00:06:10.952 --> 00:06:14.823
  • But he said, have you forgotten that word of encouragement that
  • 00:06:14.823 --> 00:06:17.225
  • The lord's gonna discipline you?
  • 00:06:17.225 --> 00:06:19.694
  • That he'll rebuke you.
  • 00:06:19.694 --> 00:06:22.330
  • That if the lord has rebuked you or brought discipline to your
  • 00:06:22.330 --> 00:06:26.401
  • Life--discipline is not always a rebuke.
  • 00:06:26.401 --> 00:06:28.069
  • Discipline can be a boundary.
  • 00:06:28.069 --> 00:06:29.538
  • God will bring boundaries to your life.
  • 00:06:33.408 --> 00:06:35.377
  • You know, we're very uncomfortable with that as
  • 00:06:35.377 --> 00:06:36.945
  • A culture.
  • 00:06:36.945 --> 00:06:39.314
  • We celebrated--i suggested last week that we celebrate that our
  • 00:06:39.314 --> 00:06:43.618
  • Governor and some surrounding states as well have said that
  • 00:06:43.618 --> 00:06:46.321
  • This month we will celebrate kind of a biblical view of
  • 00:06:46.321 --> 00:06:48.557
  • Marriage and family.
  • 00:06:48.557 --> 00:06:50.158
  • I think that's worthy of celebration.
  • 00:06:50.158 --> 00:06:52.093
  • I got messages i was being political.
  • 00:06:55.397 --> 00:06:57.332
  • No, i really wasn't.
  • 00:06:57.332 --> 00:06:58.667
  • I was trying very hard to be biblical.
  • 00:06:58.667 --> 00:07:00.936
  • God defined what family is, folks.
  • 00:07:00.936 --> 00:07:03.138
  • You and i don't get to do that.
  • 00:07:03.138 --> 00:07:05.640
  • That's not up to us.
  • 00:07:05.640 --> 00:07:08.376
  • We have to bring alignment.
  • 00:07:08.376 --> 00:07:09.744
  • God defined--it's what's moral and immoral, what's sexually
  • 00:07:09.744 --> 00:07:12.681
  • Moral and sexually immoral.
  • 00:07:12.681 --> 00:07:14.716
  • He didn't ask us how we felt about it.
  • 00:07:14.716 --> 00:07:19.221
  • So an encouragement that he cares about us enough to put
  • 00:07:19.221 --> 00:07:22.891
  • Boundaries on our lives so that we might flourish.
  • 00:07:22.891 --> 00:07:26.161
  • He's our designer.
  • 00:07:26.161 --> 00:07:27.529
  • He's the design engineer.
  • 00:07:27.529 --> 00:07:30.232
  • And when he gives us boundaries, it's not to rob us of pleasure
  • 00:07:30.232 --> 00:07:34.269
  • Or an opportunity for self-expression.
  • 00:07:34.269 --> 00:07:36.605
  • He's saying if you do that outside of my boundaries, it
  • 00:07:36.605 --> 00:07:40.075
  • Will bring destruction to you, not because god is punitive,
  • 00:07:40.075 --> 00:07:44.079
  • Because we're operating outside of the intended design.
  • 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:46.915
  • I have a friend and, like, it's angus buchan.
  • 00:07:50.819 --> 00:07:57.158
  • Some of you know angus.
  • 00:07:57.158 --> 00:07:58.927
  • And there's a young man that angus has raised as a part of
  • 00:07:58.927 --> 00:08:01.096
  • His family, but they actually found him in the woods in africa
  • 00:08:01.096 --> 00:08:07.369
  • As a young man.
  • 00:08:07.369 --> 00:08:08.703
  • They had no backstory.
  • 00:08:08.703 --> 00:08:10.071
  • He had some communications challenges.
  • 00:08:10.071 --> 00:08:12.507
  • He had a lot to overcome, but he's become a fine man and a
  • 00:08:12.507 --> 00:08:17.245
  • Part of their family, and--but has some learning challenges and
  • 00:08:17.245 --> 00:08:21.249
  • Disabilities, but whenever he gets to go to town, he wants a
  • 00:08:21.249 --> 00:08:24.219
  • Phone, a cell phone.
  • 00:08:24.219 --> 00:08:26.821
  • And angus said, i don't know how many phones we've helped him
  • 00:08:26.821 --> 00:08:28.857
  • Get, but he said every time he gets a phone, by the time he has
  • 00:08:28.857 --> 00:08:30.926
  • It 3 days, he wants to wash it.
  • 00:08:30.926 --> 00:08:32.427
  • And he said inevitably he scrubs his phone, and the phone
  • 00:08:35.497 --> 00:08:39.267
  • Quits working.
  • 00:08:39.267 --> 00:08:41.269
  • It's not designed for that.
  • 00:08:41.269 --> 00:08:43.738
  • And when god puts discipline in our lives, when he puts
  • 00:08:43.738 --> 00:08:45.974
  • Boundaries in our lives, he's not trying to stop our fun, rob
  • 00:08:45.974 --> 00:08:49.144
  • Us of joy.
  • 00:08:49.144 --> 00:08:50.812
  • He's saying it won't work well.
  • 00:08:50.812 --> 00:08:53.915
  • So the author of hebrews is saying, remember that word
  • 00:08:53.915 --> 00:08:57.285
  • Of encouragement.
  • 00:08:57.285 --> 00:08:59.354
  • Don't make light of the lord's discipline, don't lose heart
  • 00:08:59.354 --> 00:09:03.058
  • When he rebukes you.
  • 00:09:03.058 --> 00:09:04.626
  • Don't be disheartened when the lord sometimes says no.
  • 00:09:04.626 --> 00:09:08.196
  • I always want the lord to say yes.
  • 00:09:08.196 --> 00:09:11.833
  • And i want him to say yes, now.
  • 00:09:11.833 --> 00:09:15.203
  • Like, i've never been a big waiter.
  • 00:09:15.203 --> 00:09:18.073
  • Like, yield signs annoy me.
  • 00:09:18.073 --> 00:09:19.407
  • Yield signs mean hurry, because if i get to the intersection
  • 00:09:19.407 --> 00:09:23.345
  • Ahead of you, you can yield.
  • 00:09:23.345 --> 00:09:26.514
  • And i'm giving you an opportunity to mature in the
  • 00:09:26.514 --> 00:09:28.817
  • Lord while i just zoom right past you.
  • 00:09:28.817 --> 00:09:32.253
  • So that whole notion of waiting and sometimes the lord says to
  • 00:09:32.253 --> 00:09:36.358
  • Me, "not right now."
  • 00:09:36.358 --> 00:09:38.560
  • The lord disciplines those he loves.
  • 00:09:38.560 --> 00:09:40.261
  • If he never disciplines you, he doesn't care about you.
  • 00:09:40.261 --> 00:09:42.497
  • You ever been around a child who hasn't had much discipline?
  • 00:09:42.497 --> 00:09:46.534
  • That's not an expression of love for that child.
  • 00:09:46.534 --> 00:09:49.204
  • It's an expression of selfishness on behalf of those
  • 00:09:49.204 --> 00:09:51.306
  • Who have authority.
  • 00:09:51.306 --> 00:09:53.008
  • It takes effort and discipline.
  • 00:09:53.008 --> 00:09:54.609
  • It's hard work to bring discipline to the lives
  • 00:09:54.609 --> 00:09:58.046
  • Of anyone.
  • 00:09:58.046 --> 00:09:59.781
  • In fact, he says god punishes everyone he accepts as a son.
  • 00:09:59.781 --> 00:10:03.718
  • Why do we have to be punished?
  • 00:10:03.718 --> 00:10:06.721
  • It's an important question.
  • 00:10:06.721 --> 00:10:09.224
  • Because you and i have a nature.
  • 00:10:09.224 --> 00:10:10.692
  • The bible calls it several things.
  • 00:10:10.692 --> 00:10:12.327
  • There's several labels all for the same thing: an old nature, a
  • 00:10:12.327 --> 00:10:15.697
  • Carnal nature, an adamic nature.
  • 00:10:15.697 --> 00:10:18.733
  • There's a part of us, you are hardwired, i'm hardwired, to
  • 00:10:18.733 --> 00:10:22.137
  • Rebel against god's boundaries.
  • 00:10:22.137 --> 00:10:25.240
  • And we have to learn to yield to god.
  • 00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:29.844
  • And the blessings of god won't cause you to yield to god.
  • 00:10:29.844 --> 00:10:32.847
  • The former slaves of egypt, they're eating manna that god
  • 00:10:32.847 --> 00:10:35.517
  • Gives them every day to eat.
  • 00:10:35.517 --> 00:10:36.885
  • They're drinking water that god provides in one of the most
  • 00:10:36.885 --> 00:10:39.187
  • Brutal deserts in the world.
  • 00:10:39.187 --> 00:10:41.089
  • He says there's no sick amongst them.
  • 00:10:41.089 --> 00:10:42.824
  • Their clothing doesn't wear out.
  • 00:10:42.824 --> 00:10:44.292
  • While they're living in the supernatural provision of god,
  • 00:10:44.292 --> 00:10:47.729
  • They have a hard time staying on track.
  • 00:10:47.729 --> 00:10:52.600
  • Allen: hey, i wanna ask you a question.
  • 00:10:56.504 --> 00:10:58.206
  • How do you identify?
  • 00:10:58.206 --> 00:10:59.574
  • Male, female, southerner, educated, housewife?
  • 00:10:59.574 --> 00:11:03.011
  • How do you identify?
  • 00:11:03.011 --> 00:11:04.612
  • Well, i wanna suggest knowing your identity in christ is the
  • 00:11:04.612 --> 00:11:07.615
  • Most significant component of your person for both time
  • 00:11:07.615 --> 00:11:11.219
  • And eternity.
  • 00:11:11.219 --> 00:11:12.554
  • We put together a resource.
  • 00:11:12.554 --> 00:11:13.922
  • It's a new booklet.
  • 00:11:13.922 --> 00:11:15.256
  • It'll help you understand who you are in christ, your identity
  • 00:11:15.256 --> 00:11:17.659
  • In the kingdom of god and what the implications of that are for
  • 00:11:17.659 --> 00:11:20.595
  • Your life today.
  • 00:11:20.595 --> 00:11:22.030
  • It's a game changer.
  • 00:11:22.030 --> 00:11:23.465
  • I believe it'll be a blessing to you and to your family.
  • 00:11:23.465 --> 00:11:27.035
  • Announcer: every day, the world tries to define who we are, what
  • 00:11:27.102 --> 00:11:30.205
  • We should believe, and whether we're enough, but god's word
  • 00:11:30.205 --> 00:11:33.441
  • Tells a different story.
  • 00:11:33.441 --> 00:11:34.976
  • In pastor allen's new book, "your identity in christ: 12
  • 00:11:34.976 --> 00:11:38.646
  • Truths about who you are," he shares biblical truths that will
  • 00:11:38.646 --> 00:11:41.883
  • Help you recognize who you are in christ.
  • 00:11:41.883 --> 00:11:44.586
  • Request your book and free companion card today with your
  • 00:11:44.586 --> 00:11:47.422
  • Gift of any amount at allenjackson.com or call...
  • 00:11:47.422 --> 00:11:54.129
  • Allen: and what i'm suggesting to you today is that prayer is
  • 00:11:56.965 --> 00:12:00.668
  • An appropriate response.
  • 00:12:00.668 --> 00:12:02.036
  • Look at numbers chapter 12.
  • 00:12:02.036 --> 00:12:03.371
  • That's what started me down this path.
  • 00:12:03.371 --> 00:12:06.608
  • Moses's brother and sister have complained about him.
  • 00:12:06.608 --> 00:12:10.145
  • They've said, "we don't think mo is so special.
  • 00:12:10.145 --> 00:12:12.781
  • We've known him for a long time.
  • 00:12:16.451 --> 00:12:17.786
  • We knew him before god.
  • 00:12:17.786 --> 00:12:19.154
  • We knew him before any bush was burning.
  • 00:12:19.154 --> 00:12:22.423
  • And we've got pictures.
  • 00:12:22.423 --> 00:12:25.827
  • And we don't think mo is so special," and they give that
  • 00:12:25.827 --> 00:12:28.496
  • Expression in a way that draws the attention of god.
  • 00:12:28.496 --> 00:12:32.100
  • So god comes down amongst them.
  • 00:12:32.100 --> 00:12:33.434
  • It says: "when the cloud lifted from above the tent, there stood
  • 00:12:33.434 --> 00:12:35.804
  • Miriam," that's his sister, "leprous, like snow.
  • 00:12:35.804 --> 00:12:38.973
  • And aaron turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy.
  • 00:12:38.973 --> 00:12:42.110
  • And he said to moses, 'please, my lord, don't hold against us
  • 00:12:42.110 --> 00:12:45.146
  • The sin we have been so foolishly committed.
  • 00:12:45.146 --> 00:12:48.783
  • Don't let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its
  • 00:12:48.783 --> 00:12:51.019
  • Mother's womb with its flesh itself eaten away.'
  • 00:12:51.019 --> 00:12:54.389
  • And moses cried out to the lord."
  • 00:12:54.389 --> 00:12:58.760
  • Moses prayed.
  • 00:12:58.760 --> 00:13:00.695
  • It's an expression of the discipline of god.
  • 00:13:00.695 --> 00:13:02.730
  • He stepped in.
  • 00:13:02.730 --> 00:13:04.098
  • There's so many things that could have been said there.
  • 00:13:04.098 --> 00:13:05.867
  • There are so many responses.
  • 00:13:05.867 --> 00:13:08.069
  • And if you'll track it as you read through numbers, i know
  • 00:13:08.069 --> 00:13:10.071
  • You're really just beginning that journey, watch the times
  • 00:13:10.071 --> 00:13:12.740
  • When the people grumble and moses prays.
  • 00:13:12.740 --> 00:13:16.044
  • Or when there's a point of intercession, time and time
  • 00:13:16.044 --> 00:13:18.513
  • Again in the midst of the discipline of god.
  • 00:13:18.513 --> 00:13:20.448
  • What i want to suggest to you that when you recognize god's
  • 00:13:20.448 --> 00:13:22.917
  • Discipline, that there are some prayers you can pray.
  • 00:13:22.917 --> 00:13:25.787
  • It can be a prayer of forgiveness: "god, i'm sorry,
  • 00:13:25.787 --> 00:13:27.989
  • Forgive me."
  • 00:13:27.989 --> 00:13:29.524
  • It may be someone you need to forgive.
  • 00:13:29.524 --> 00:13:31.025
  • Maybe it's a prayer of repentance: "lord, i was
  • 00:13:31.025 --> 00:13:33.027
  • Thinking in the wrong way.
  • 00:13:33.027 --> 00:13:34.896
  • I'm sorry for the way i was thinking.
  • 00:13:34.896 --> 00:13:36.798
  • I will change that," or maybe i've been walking in the wrong
  • 00:13:36.798 --> 00:13:39.133
  • Way, and i've been trying to excuse it or justify it.
  • 00:13:39.133 --> 00:13:41.903
  • You know, oftentimes we will justify the--our choices we
  • 00:13:41.903 --> 00:13:45.173
  • Make that we know don't honor the lord, but something that
  • 00:13:45.173 --> 00:13:48.142
  • Happened to us that we think was inappropriate somehow gives us
  • 00:13:48.142 --> 00:13:51.045
  • Justification to be inappropriate ourselves.
  • 00:13:51.045 --> 00:13:56.017
  • When you recognize that god's discipline is being expressed.
  • 00:13:56.017 --> 00:14:00.154
  • There's also intercession; in this case, moses is praying for
  • 00:14:00.154 --> 00:14:02.657
  • Somebody else.
  • 00:14:02.657 --> 00:14:04.025
  • When you see somebody else walking through a place where it
  • 00:14:04.025 --> 00:14:06.127
  • Looks like it's a rebuke from the lord or discipline from the
  • 00:14:06.127 --> 00:14:08.563
  • Lord, pray for them.
  • 00:14:08.563 --> 00:14:12.333
  • We have a habit amongst christians.
  • 00:14:12.333 --> 00:14:14.002
  • I've been amongst christians a long time now, and sometimes
  • 00:14:14.002 --> 00:14:16.804
  • When we see somebody being disciplined, we go, "oh, you
  • 00:14:16.804 --> 00:14:18.840
  • Know, i've just wondered.
  • 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:21.442
  • Mm-hm, i'm not surprised about that.
  • 00:14:21.442 --> 00:14:24.913
  • I have often thought."
  • 00:14:24.913 --> 00:14:28.716
  • You with me?
  • 00:14:28.716 --> 00:14:30.685
  • "well, you know, i'm kind of sorry for him, but i'm not in
  • 00:14:30.685 --> 00:14:33.755
  • The least bit surprised.
  • 00:14:33.755 --> 00:14:37.125
  • Woo, you know, i knew their parents and their grandparents."
  • 00:14:37.125 --> 00:14:40.895
  • May i offer a different suggestion?
  • 00:14:40.895 --> 00:14:44.132
  • When you see somebody enduring something that could be
  • 00:14:44.132 --> 00:14:46.467
  • Understood as discipline: "god, i ask for your mercy in
  • 00:14:46.467 --> 00:14:50.004
  • Their life.
  • 00:14:50.004 --> 00:14:52.340
  • Lord, may they be able to receive what you're doing.
  • 00:14:52.340 --> 00:14:54.842
  • I pray, father, that you will intervene."
  • 00:14:54.842 --> 00:14:57.045
  • Turn it back.
  • 00:14:57.045 --> 00:14:58.379
  • Moses prayed for miriam that she would be restored, and she was.
  • 00:14:58.379 --> 00:15:01.316
  • Not instantaneously.
  • 00:15:01.316 --> 00:15:04.552
  • "lord, but i ask for your mercy."
  • 00:15:04.552 --> 00:15:06.721
  • Pray for those people with compassion.
  • 00:15:06.721 --> 00:15:09.791
  • Don't find joy in glee.
  • 00:15:09.791 --> 00:15:14.562
  • I'm not--you see, i think between where we are today and
  • 00:15:14.562 --> 00:15:18.399
  • What we're going to have to complete before the return of
  • 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:20.768
  • The lord, we're gonna have to learn to stand together.
  • 00:15:20.768 --> 00:15:25.340
  • And as christians we don't do that well.
  • 00:15:25.340 --> 00:15:29.077
  • You know, there was a time when perhaps we could get away with
  • 00:15:29.077 --> 00:15:31.145
  • That kind of petty, calloused, carnal christianity.
  • 00:15:31.145 --> 00:15:35.483
  • Not too many decades ago, the primary fabric of our social
  • 00:15:35.483 --> 00:15:38.953
  • Systems and culture was a biblical worldview.
  • 00:15:38.953 --> 00:15:42.190
  • You could visit a little community like murfreesboro and
  • 00:15:42.190 --> 00:15:43.992
  • Go downtown and find a corner where there'd be four churches.
  • 00:15:43.992 --> 00:15:48.796
  • Probably be a southern baptist and a methodist and a
  • 00:15:48.796 --> 00:15:50.798
  • Presbyterian or church of christ or some variation of that, and
  • 00:15:50.798 --> 00:15:53.501
  • On sunday morning, you'd find the good citizens of the town
  • 00:15:53.501 --> 00:15:55.670
  • Walking into the church, looking across the street at their
  • 00:15:55.670 --> 00:15:59.107
  • Brothers and sisters in the lord, thinking, "we're better
  • 00:15:59.107 --> 00:16:04.445
  • Than you."
  • 00:16:04.445 --> 00:16:06.714
  • And if you gave us much of an opportunity, we would give
  • 00:16:10.885 --> 00:16:12.920
  • Expression to why we were better than you: the wesley brothers
  • 00:16:12.920 --> 00:16:16.557
  • Wrote our music or we take communion more appropriately
  • 00:16:16.557 --> 00:16:19.060
  • Or something.
  • 00:16:19.060 --> 00:16:21.462
  • Well, the biblical worldview is no longer the primary fabric
  • 00:16:21.462 --> 00:16:24.499
  • That holds us together any longer.
  • 00:16:24.499 --> 00:16:27.135
  • And if we're still living that carnal expression of
  • 00:16:27.135 --> 00:16:29.303
  • Christianity promoting division because we prefer something.
  • 00:16:29.303 --> 00:16:34.409
  • I'm not talking if we deviate around the redemptive purpose of
  • 00:16:34.409 --> 00:16:37.678
  • Jesus or the authority of scripture.
  • 00:16:37.678 --> 00:16:39.147
  • I'm talking about that other destructive critical spirit, we
  • 00:16:39.147 --> 00:16:43.985
  • Weaken what god would do through us.
  • 00:16:43.985 --> 00:16:46.921
  • Pray for one another.
  • 00:16:46.921 --> 00:16:49.657
  • Don't take joy in the struggles that you see.
  • 00:16:49.657 --> 00:16:52.860
  • Discipline comes from god to all of our lives.
  • 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:58.099
  • We should be encouraged.
  • 00:16:58.099 --> 00:16:59.901
  • That'll take some maturity.
  • 00:16:59.901 --> 00:17:02.470
  • Remember your parents when they used to discipline you?
  • 00:17:02.470 --> 00:17:05.573
  • Did they ever use that line with you?
  • 00:17:05.573 --> 00:17:08.342
  • "this hurts me more than--"
  • 00:17:08.342 --> 00:17:14.916
  • Your parents said that nonsense too?
  • 00:17:14.916 --> 00:17:18.553
  • I used to think, "well then, give me the belt.
  • 00:17:18.553 --> 00:17:25.093
  • Let me alleviate you of your suffering.
  • 00:17:25.093 --> 00:17:29.363
  • I am god's man for this hour."
  • 00:17:29.363 --> 00:17:33.367
  • Never had the courage to say it, but it crossed my mind.
  • 00:17:33.367 --> 00:17:37.505
  • God disciplines us.
  • 00:17:37.505 --> 00:17:40.475
  • I wanna add another layer to prayer because we're trying to
  • 00:17:40.475 --> 00:17:42.577
  • Learn how do we incorporate prayer into our lives, how do we
  • 00:17:42.577 --> 00:17:44.912
  • Make it a part of who we are?
  • 00:17:44.912 --> 00:17:46.380
  • If you recognize god's discipline, if there's a
  • 00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:48.449
  • Boundary, maybe even a rebuke, we're gonna thank him for it,
  • 00:17:48.449 --> 00:17:51.419
  • We're gonna humble ourselves and repent.
  • 00:17:51.419 --> 00:17:54.155
  • We see somebody else, we're gonna intercede for them, begin
  • 00:17:54.155 --> 00:17:56.524
  • To pray on their behalf.
  • 00:17:56.524 --> 00:17:59.093
  • There's another layer i wanna suggest that we can pray prayers
  • 00:17:59.093 --> 00:18:01.662
  • That are informed by scripture.
  • 00:18:01.662 --> 00:18:03.030
  • I brought you some very simple examples.
  • 00:18:03.030 --> 00:18:05.166
  • Some of--jesus taught us in matthew 24.
  • 00:18:05.166 --> 00:18:07.802
  • Jesus is the greatest of all the hebrew prophets, greater than
  • 00:18:07.802 --> 00:18:10.304
  • Isaiah or jeremiah.
  • 00:18:10.304 --> 00:18:12.907
  • And his last prophetic discourse is in matthew 24 or mark 13,
  • 00:18:12.907 --> 00:18:17.078
  • Luke 21, same message.
  • 00:18:17.078 --> 00:18:18.779
  • Matthew 24, jesus said, "pray that your flight will not take
  • 00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:22.183
  • Place in winter or on the sabbath."
  • 00:18:22.183 --> 00:18:26.420
  • He's talking to the inhabitants of jerusalem about something
  • 00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:29.323
  • That i believe is still yet ahead of them.
  • 00:18:29.323 --> 00:18:32.126
  • And he said, "pray that you won't have to run for it in the
  • 00:18:32.126 --> 00:18:35.963
  • Winter or on the sabbath."
  • 00:18:35.963 --> 00:18:38.599
  • It doesn't make much sense to us.
  • 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:39.934
  • The sabbath isn't dramatically different where we live.
  • 00:18:39.934 --> 00:18:43.104
  • If you live in jerusalem on the sabbath, everything shuts down.
  • 00:18:43.104 --> 00:18:45.706
  • Public transportation stops.
  • 00:18:45.706 --> 00:18:47.708
  • The stores aren't open, the restaurants aren't open.
  • 00:18:47.708 --> 00:18:49.677
  • It's quiet.
  • 00:18:49.677 --> 00:18:51.012
  • The streets are quiet.
  • 00:18:51.012 --> 00:18:52.380
  • It's like somebody hits mute.
  • 00:18:52.380 --> 00:18:53.748
  • If you were trying to exit, if there was a group of you trying
  • 00:18:53.748 --> 00:18:56.984
  • To flee through the streets of jerusalem on the sabbath, you
  • 00:18:56.984 --> 00:18:59.053
  • Would be more than obvious.
  • 00:18:59.053 --> 00:19:01.689
  • Jesus said, "pray that won't happen."
  • 00:19:01.689 --> 00:19:04.625
  • It's a very practical expression of prayer, it's not the
  • 00:19:04.625 --> 00:19:07.028
  • Only one.
  • 00:19:07.028 --> 00:19:08.362
  • Look at 2 timothy 3, paul's writing, he said, "there'll be
  • 00:19:08.362 --> 00:19:10.698
  • Terrible times in the last days."
  • 00:19:10.698 --> 00:19:14.135
  • There's gonna be terrible times.
  • 00:19:14.135 --> 00:19:15.503
  • Then he lists 18 aspects of human character that will
  • 00:19:15.503 --> 00:19:18.072
  • Deteriorate, not political problems, the deterioration of
  • 00:19:18.072 --> 00:19:22.543
  • Human character.
  • 00:19:22.543 --> 00:19:24.779
  • And he said because of that deterioration of human
  • 00:19:24.779 --> 00:19:27.114
  • Character, the times are going to be exceedingly fierce, that's
  • 00:19:27.114 --> 00:19:30.585
  • The literal meaning of the word.
  • 00:19:30.585 --> 00:19:32.887
  • I don't believe there's any prayer we're gonna pray that's
  • 00:19:32.887 --> 00:19:34.755
  • Gonna change the nature of that season.
  • 00:19:34.755 --> 00:19:37.992
  • It's not going to be a simple season.
  • 00:19:37.992 --> 00:19:40.027
  • "well, i don't like that."
  • 00:19:43.331 --> 00:19:45.032
  • Okay, but he's told us, and then he concludes that little passage
  • 00:19:45.032 --> 00:19:51.272
  • With some specific instructions.
  • 00:19:51.272 --> 00:19:53.174
  • He said we're gonna be exposed to people that have a form of
  • 00:19:53.174 --> 00:19:55.509
  • Godliness, but they'll deny its power.
  • 00:19:55.509 --> 00:20:00.081
  • And paul wrote this.
  • 00:20:00.081 --> 00:20:01.415
  • In paul's thought and language, the power of god is expressed
  • 00:20:01.415 --> 00:20:05.286
  • Through the cross of jesus, through the redemptive work of
  • 00:20:05.286 --> 00:20:10.224
  • Jesus, that we need a savior.
  • 00:20:10.224 --> 00:20:14.428
  • That we can't save ourselves, that we have to be redeemed
  • 00:20:14.428 --> 00:20:18.599
  • Through the blood of jesus, delivered from the kingdom of
  • 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:21.102
  • Darkness, and he said, "in the last days the times will be
  • 00:20:21.102 --> 00:20:24.071
  • Exceedingly fierce, people's character will deteriorate."
  • 00:20:24.071 --> 00:20:28.509
  • They will have a form of godliness, they'll have
  • 00:20:28.509 --> 00:20:30.878
  • Religious services and religious architecture and religious
  • 00:20:30.878 --> 00:20:34.415
  • Language, and they'll reference verses from the scripture, but
  • 00:20:34.415 --> 00:20:38.119
  • They will deny the power of god.
  • 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:42.356
  • They'll deny the necessity of the cross.
  • 00:20:42.356 --> 00:20:45.993
  • They'll deny things like the discipline of god.
  • 00:20:45.993 --> 00:20:50.364
  • They'll deny the judgment of god.
  • 00:20:50.364 --> 00:20:54.669
  • It'll be a simpler place where everybody can design their
  • 00:20:54.669 --> 00:20:58.039
  • Own religion.
  • 00:20:58.039 --> 00:21:00.207
  • We hear that nonsense a great deal today.
  • 00:21:00.207 --> 00:21:03.577
  • And then he said, "they'll deny the power of god," and then he
  • 00:21:03.577 --> 00:21:06.914
  • Gave you a very personal instruction: "have nothing to do
  • 00:21:06.914 --> 00:21:10.584
  • With them.
  • 00:21:10.584 --> 00:21:12.853
  • Don't stay there.
  • 00:21:12.853 --> 00:21:14.822
  • Don't engage in that."
  • 00:21:14.822 --> 00:21:16.490
  • So how do we triumph?
  • 00:21:16.490 --> 00:21:17.825
  • How do we walk through those exceedingly fierce times?
  • 00:21:17.825 --> 00:21:20.261
  • Don't engage with people that deny the necessity of jesus.
  • 00:21:20.261 --> 00:21:25.066
  • Don't let them re-craft jesus.
  • 00:21:25.066 --> 00:21:27.501
  • Look in matthew 24.
  • 00:21:27.501 --> 00:21:28.836
  • Jesus, that same prophetic passage, jesus gives us another
  • 00:21:28.836 --> 00:21:31.005
  • Instruction: "watch out that no one deceives you.
  • 00:21:31.005 --> 00:21:34.809
  • Many will come in my name, claiming, 'i'm the christ, i'm
  • 00:21:34.809 --> 00:21:37.111
  • The messiah.'"
  • 00:21:37.111 --> 00:21:38.713
  • Not just false messiahs; false presentations of messiah,
  • 00:21:38.713 --> 00:21:43.684
  • False gospels.
  • 00:21:43.684 --> 00:21:45.786
  • He said, "watch out that no one deceives you."
  • 00:21:45.786 --> 00:21:47.788
  • In fact, jesus's most consistent warning in that last prophetic
  • 00:21:47.788 --> 00:21:51.625
  • Message is not against political upheaval, economic upheaval.
  • 00:21:51.625 --> 00:21:57.365
  • It's against deception.
  • 00:21:57.365 --> 00:21:59.867
  • He said, "watch out that no one's deceived you."
  • 00:21:59.867 --> 00:22:01.635
  • He said, "even the elect could be deceived if that
  • 00:22:01.635 --> 00:22:04.105
  • Were possible."
  • 00:22:04.105 --> 00:22:05.940
  • He's cautioning us, he has my attention.
  • 00:22:05.940 --> 00:22:08.809
  • See, deception means you believe something to be true, which
  • 00:22:08.809 --> 00:22:11.412
  • Is not.
  • 00:22:11.412 --> 00:22:12.847
  • Doesn't mean you're not sincere, but you have believed something
  • 00:22:12.847 --> 00:22:15.850
  • To be absolutely true that is not true.
  • 00:22:15.850 --> 00:22:18.619
  • Is it safe to say that deception has increased amongst us?
  • 00:22:18.619 --> 00:22:22.356
  • Whole lot of causes and effects to that, but that's our example.
  • 00:22:22.356 --> 00:22:26.293
  • Look in 2 corinthians 11.
  • 00:22:26.293 --> 00:22:27.661
  • It speaks to this.
  • 00:22:27.661 --> 00:22:28.996
  • Paul's writing to a group of believers, and he said, "if
  • 00:22:28.996 --> 00:22:30.531
  • Someone comes to you and preaches a jesus other than the
  • 00:22:30.531 --> 00:22:32.833
  • Jesus that we preached, or if you receive a spirit different
  • 00:22:32.833 --> 00:22:36.137
  • Than the one you received, or a different gospel from the one
  • 00:22:36.137 --> 00:22:39.573
  • You accepted, you put up with it easily enough."
  • 00:22:39.573 --> 00:22:43.844
  • It's happening in corinth.
  • 00:22:43.844 --> 00:22:45.179
  • What's happening?
  • 00:22:45.179 --> 00:22:46.714
  • Well, they have another jesus.
  • 00:22:46.714 --> 00:22:49.250
  • And another spirit other than the spirit of god.
  • 00:22:49.250 --> 00:22:52.186
  • And another gospel.
  • 00:22:52.186 --> 00:22:54.388
  • Folks, that is proliferating in our world.
  • 00:22:54.388 --> 00:22:57.491
  • We can have a social gospel.
  • 00:22:57.491 --> 00:23:00.127
  • We can have a liberation theology gospel that has kind of
  • 00:23:00.127 --> 00:23:03.030
  • A marxist jesus, that's more about class struggle than it is
  • 00:23:03.030 --> 00:23:07.168
  • The cross.
  • 00:23:07.168 --> 00:23:10.070
  • We can have jesus as kind of a benevolent uncle that there's
  • 00:23:10.070 --> 00:23:14.041
  • Really no boundaries, and he didn't mean don't, he just kind
  • 00:23:14.041 --> 00:23:17.711
  • Of meant chill.
  • 00:23:17.711 --> 00:23:22.016
  • I mean, you've heard them, you can add to your own list.
  • 00:23:22.016 --> 00:23:25.386
  • It's why we read our bibles.
  • 00:23:25.386 --> 00:23:26.787
  • It's why we open our hearts to the word of god.
  • 00:23:26.787 --> 00:23:30.524
  • Let your prayers be informed by scripture.
  • 00:23:30.524 --> 00:23:33.227
  • I don't think you have to live in fear of being deceived.
  • 00:23:33.227 --> 00:23:37.698
  • You know, there was a time when if you belonged to a particular
  • 00:23:37.698 --> 00:23:40.634
  • Segment of christianity, you wouldn't read anything unless it
  • 00:23:40.634 --> 00:23:43.170
  • Came from the publishing house of your segment.
  • 00:23:43.170 --> 00:23:46.740
  • And you were afraid you would misunderstand something.
  • 00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:49.343
  • I don't think you need to live in that kind of fear, but you
  • 00:23:49.343 --> 00:23:51.812
  • Need to know your bibles.
  • 00:23:51.812 --> 00:23:53.848
  • You need to learn to recognize the voice of the lord.
  • 00:23:53.848 --> 00:23:57.651
  • You need to be familiar enough with the character of god that
  • 00:23:57.651 --> 00:24:01.555
  • You understand something that's outside of his character.
  • 00:24:01.555 --> 00:24:06.126
  • When you hear somebody say, "well, you know, the god of the
  • 00:24:06.126 --> 00:24:08.095
  • Old testament," i'm like, "no, there's no god of the old
  • 00:24:08.095 --> 00:24:09.964
  • Testament and god of the new testament."
  • 00:24:09.964 --> 00:24:13.434
  • Say, "well, in the old testament, god is so harsh."
  • 00:24:13.434 --> 00:24:15.302
  • Have you read the new testament?
  • 00:24:15.302 --> 00:24:18.506
  • Jesus died on a cross.
  • 00:24:18.506 --> 00:24:21.275
  • In revelation he's coming back as a conquering king.
  • 00:24:21.275 --> 00:24:25.412
  • Let your prayers be informed by scripture.
  • 00:24:29.283 --> 00:24:33.354
  • When you read a scripture where you see god giving you direction
  • 00:24:33.354 --> 00:24:36.323
  • Or insight, begin to pray that for yourself.
  • 00:24:36.323 --> 00:24:40.427
  • And remember, the goal here is to learn to pray, to grow up in
  • 00:24:40.427 --> 00:24:43.163
  • Our prayers.
  • 00:24:43.163 --> 00:24:44.498
  • Look at luke chapter 11: "jesus was praying
  • 00:24:44.498 --> 00:24:47.735
  • One day in a certain place.
  • 00:24:47.735 --> 00:24:49.069
  • And when he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said,
  • 00:24:49.069 --> 00:24:50.971
  • 'lord, teach us to pray, as john taught his disciples.'"
  • 00:24:50.971 --> 00:24:55.309
  • And jesus said, "that's the dumbest thing i've ever heard."
  • 00:24:55.309 --> 00:25:03.284
  • The disciples asked jesus to teach them to pray.
  • 00:25:03.284 --> 00:25:06.754
  • He didn't rebuke them, he did rebuke them in some
  • 00:25:06.754 --> 00:25:08.822
  • Other circumstances.
  • 00:25:08.822 --> 00:25:10.658
  • Sometimes he looked at 'em and said, "are you really
  • 00:25:10.658 --> 00:25:12.026
  • That dull?"
  • 00:25:12.026 --> 00:25:13.994
  • He didn't say that this day.
  • 00:25:13.994 --> 00:25:16.130
  • He said, "all right, if you wanna learn to pray, i can help
  • 00:25:16.130 --> 00:25:19.300
  • With that.
  • 00:25:19.300 --> 00:25:20.668
  • When you pray--" and then he introduces them to what we know
  • 00:25:20.668 --> 00:25:23.871
  • As the lord's prayer.
  • 00:25:23.871 --> 00:25:27.041
  • He gave them a prayer.
  • 00:25:27.041 --> 00:25:30.144
  • He said, "we pray to our heavenly father, our father who
  • 00:25:30.144 --> 00:25:33.280
  • Art in heaven."
  • 00:25:33.280 --> 00:25:34.615
  • That's an important note to-- when you pray, who are
  • 00:25:34.615 --> 00:25:36.083
  • You addressing?
  • 00:25:36.083 --> 00:25:38.385
  • We address almighty god.
  • 00:25:38.385 --> 00:25:40.588
  • I don't think you have to say it the same way, it doesn't have to
  • 00:25:40.588 --> 00:25:42.590
  • Be formulaic, but i pray to my heavenly father, to almighty
  • 00:25:42.590 --> 00:25:45.926
  • God, i understand who i'm addressing my prayer to.
  • 00:25:45.926 --> 00:25:50.064
  • Now, i'm not praying to just a higher power or some
  • 00:25:50.064 --> 00:25:52.166
  • Benevolent force.
  • 00:25:52.166 --> 00:25:53.901
  • It's not some shapeless, nameless place.
  • 00:25:53.901 --> 00:26:00.674
  • I pray to my heavenly father and on the authority on which i
  • 00:26:00.674 --> 00:26:03.277
  • Pray, what gives me access to god himself, the creator of
  • 00:26:03.277 --> 00:26:06.513
  • Heaven and earth, in jesus's name.
  • 00:26:06.513 --> 00:26:09.617
  • Allen: hey, i'm really excited about our newest publication,
  • 00:26:13.854 --> 00:26:16.423
  • "your identity in christ."
  • 00:26:16.423 --> 00:26:18.225
  • Far too often in christendom, we major on the minors.
  • 00:26:18.225 --> 00:26:21.161
  • We get way heated up about which church we attend, which
  • 00:26:21.161 --> 00:26:23.297
  • Denomination we belong to, which translation of the bible
  • 00:26:23.297 --> 00:26:25.766
  • We read.
  • 00:26:25.766 --> 00:26:27.134
  • Folks, those things are all okay, but knowing who you are in
  • 00:26:27.134 --> 00:26:29.770
  • Christ, it will mean freedom or it will put you in a place
  • 00:26:29.770 --> 00:26:33.173
  • Of bondage.
  • 00:26:33.173 --> 00:26:34.508
  • When i help people through the steps of spiritual freedom, the
  • 00:26:34.508 --> 00:26:36.910
  • Foundation of that is understanding who we are
  • 00:26:36.910 --> 00:26:39.613
  • In christ.
  • 00:26:39.613 --> 00:26:40.981
  • We put together this little booklet as a tool.
  • 00:26:40.981 --> 00:26:42.750
  • It'll help you individually.
  • 00:26:42.750 --> 00:26:44.151
  • You can do it as a small group.
  • 00:26:44.151 --> 00:26:45.486
  • It's a great resource to share with your children or your
  • 00:26:45.486 --> 00:26:47.955
  • Grandchildren at your kitchen table time.
  • 00:26:47.955 --> 00:26:50.391
  • It'll make a difference in your life knowing who you are in
  • 00:26:50.391 --> 00:26:53.227
  • Christ, first and foremost, as a part of your
  • 00:26:53.227 --> 00:26:55.863
  • Spiritual formation.
  • 00:26:55.863 --> 00:26:57.197
  • In fact, i wanna pray with you before we go that god will bring
  • 00:26:57.197 --> 00:26:59.700
  • New freedom to you in this season.
  • 00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:02.069
  • Father, thank you for you have established, you have paid the
  • 00:27:02.069 --> 00:27:05.472
  • Price that we can participate in your kingdom.
  • 00:27:05.472 --> 00:27:07.808
  • By your spirit, awaken us to who we are in christ, first and
  • 00:27:07.808 --> 00:27:12.212
  • Foremost, in jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:12.212 --> 00:27:15.282
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:15.349 --> 00:27:27.127