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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Such Wonderful Promises (Part 1)

August 7, 2025 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - Such Wonderful Promises (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#PromisesofGod #Covenant #God'sWill #Purpose #Plan #Journey #Salvation #Believe #Faith #Confession/PowerofWords #Jesus

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Such Wonderful Promises (Part 1) | August 7, 2025
  • ...
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  • Allen jackson: hey, i sat down recently with my father to do a
  • 00:00:06.856 --> 00:00:09.259
  • Podcast for my "culture & christianity" podcast, and it
  • 00:00:09.392 --> 00:00:13.696
  • Was so valuable to me.
  • 00:00:13.830 --> 00:00:15.899
  • I mean, we--it was stories that obviously i'm familiar with, but
  • 00:00:15.999 --> 00:00:17.100
  • As i heard him recount his faith, it ignited something in
  • 00:00:18.601 --> 00:00:22.172
  • Me about the faithfulness of god across generations.
  • 00:00:22.172 --> 00:00:26.242
  • Well, i encouraged my dad to put together a book about his
  • 00:00:26.242 --> 00:00:28.945
  • Experiences with the holy spirit.
  • 00:00:28.945 --> 00:00:30.914
  • It changed his life, my parents' life, ultimately my
  • 00:00:30.914 --> 00:00:33.683
  • Family's life.
  • 00:00:33.683 --> 00:00:35.051
  • I believe the book will be a real encouragement to you.
  • 00:00:35.051 --> 00:00:38.421
  • I wanna make it available to you right along with "unleashing the
  • 00:00:38.421 --> 00:00:41.091
  • Power of the holy spirit."
  • 00:00:41.091 --> 00:00:42.425
  • It's something i put together a while back that's been one of
  • 00:00:42.425 --> 00:00:44.828
  • The most effective tools we've ever had in the ministry.
  • 00:00:44.828 --> 00:00:47.864
  • Together they'll open the doorway for you to not just have
  • 00:00:47.864 --> 00:00:51.067
  • Language around the holy spirit but to have something to
  • 00:00:51.067 --> 00:00:53.670
  • Actually do to invite him into your life on a regular basis to
  • 00:00:53.670 --> 00:00:57.841
  • Give you the wisdom you need to help you unlock the problems
  • 00:00:57.841 --> 00:01:00.543
  • That we face.
  • 00:01:00.543 --> 00:01:01.911
  • The spirit of god within us to help us, guide us, and direct
  • 00:01:01.911 --> 00:01:05.281
  • Us, that's invaluable and these books will help you understand.
  • 00:01:05.281 --> 00:01:10.220
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:01:10.220 --> 00:01:21.364
  • Allen: i want to continue the theme we started over
  • 00:01:12.355 --> 00:01:22.966
  • The weekend.
  • 00:01:22.966 --> 00:01:24.300
  • We've been talking about god's plan, god's promises, and
  • 00:01:24.300 --> 00:01:26.569
  • God's people.
  • 00:01:26.569 --> 00:01:28.004
  • They go together.
  • 00:01:28.004 --> 00:01:29.339
  • God has a plan for your life beyond just being born again,
  • 00:01:29.339 --> 00:01:32.976
  • Converted, saved.
  • 00:01:32.976 --> 00:01:34.310
  • Those are important things, but god has a plan for you.
  • 00:01:34.310 --> 00:01:36.880
  • Before you draw your first breath, before you utter your
  • 00:01:36.880 --> 00:01:38.982
  • First sound, the bible says that jesus is the author and the
  • 00:01:38.982 --> 00:01:43.119
  • Completer of your story.
  • 00:01:43.119 --> 00:01:45.121
  • And if you haven't awakened to that yet, i want to give you
  • 00:01:45.121 --> 00:01:47.090
  • That invitation tonight.
  • 00:01:47.090 --> 00:01:48.458
  • Begin to say to the lord, "god, i want to live your plan.
  • 00:01:48.458 --> 00:01:50.994
  • More than i wanna live my plan, more than i want you to make my
  • 00:01:50.994 --> 00:01:53.730
  • Plan a reality, god, i wanna live your plan."
  • 00:01:53.730 --> 00:01:57.567
  • And god's promises are the key to fulfilling his purpose for
  • 00:01:57.567 --> 00:02:00.637
  • Your life.
  • 00:02:00.637 --> 00:02:02.405
  • And the highest honor of my life is being included in
  • 00:02:02.405 --> 00:02:04.841
  • God's people.
  • 00:02:04.841 --> 00:02:06.609
  • More than i want to belong to any group, i wanna be
  • 00:02:06.609 --> 00:02:09.512
  • Acknowledged with any whatever, i want to be included in the
  • 00:02:09.512 --> 00:02:13.149
  • People of god.
  • 00:02:13.149 --> 00:02:15.485
  • There is no greater honor.
  • 00:02:15.485 --> 00:02:16.819
  • I couldn't always say that in my life.
  • 00:02:16.819 --> 00:02:19.455
  • Even after, as i was a christ follower, i didn't
  • 00:02:19.455 --> 00:02:21.858
  • Recognize that.
  • 00:02:21.858 --> 00:02:23.259
  • Christians got on my nerves.
  • 00:02:23.259 --> 00:02:28.164
  • And there were settings and times and places when i was
  • 00:02:28.164 --> 00:02:30.500
  • Embarrassed of them.
  • 00:02:30.500 --> 00:02:32.435
  • That says far more about my heart than it does about any
  • 00:02:32.435 --> 00:02:34.704
  • Of theirs.
  • 00:02:34.704 --> 00:02:36.606
  • But god was gracious to me and by his spirit has enabled me to
  • 00:02:36.606 --> 00:02:40.443
  • Change, and i can tell you: the greatest honor of my life is
  • 00:02:40.443 --> 00:02:43.346
  • Being included with the people of god.
  • 00:02:43.346 --> 00:02:46.349
  • So we're doing this little series, really centered around
  • 00:02:46.349 --> 00:02:50.687
  • Those themes.
  • 00:02:50.687 --> 00:02:52.055
  • We could spend a year on this.
  • 00:02:52.055 --> 00:02:53.389
  • I think i could take a year and pursue this topic, but this
  • 00:02:53.389 --> 00:02:56.125
  • Session, i want to talk about the wonderful promises of god
  • 00:02:56.125 --> 00:02:58.795
  • For you and me.
  • 00:02:58.795 --> 00:03:00.730
  • The big word in the bible for god's promises to us
  • 00:03:00.730 --> 00:03:04.200
  • Is covenant.
  • 00:03:04.200 --> 00:03:05.535
  • The most binding commitment presented in all of scripture is
  • 00:03:05.535 --> 00:03:09.072
  • Summed up in that word "covenant."
  • 00:03:09.072 --> 00:03:12.342
  • It requires the shedding of blood.
  • 00:03:12.342 --> 00:03:14.844
  • But god's covenants are understood as expressions of
  • 00:03:14.844 --> 00:03:17.747
  • His promises.
  • 00:03:17.747 --> 00:03:19.115
  • We think of promise as kind of a, i think a slight word.
  • 00:03:19.115 --> 00:03:22.385
  • It's almost, it's a word we use to add emphasis.
  • 00:03:22.385 --> 00:03:25.455
  • If we give our word and our word's not enough, we go, "well,
  • 00:03:25.455 --> 00:03:27.457
  • I promise."
  • 00:03:27.457 --> 00:03:29.492
  • That's not the connotation in scripture at all.
  • 00:03:29.492 --> 00:03:33.129
  • God's promises, i would submit to you, are an expression of
  • 00:03:33.129 --> 00:03:35.698
  • His will.
  • 00:03:35.698 --> 00:03:37.300
  • They provide a revelation of his character.
  • 00:03:37.300 --> 00:03:40.637
  • By looking at, considering, contemplating the promises of
  • 00:03:40.637 --> 00:03:44.574
  • God, you can understand his character and his intent for us.
  • 00:03:44.574 --> 00:03:49.145
  • It enables us to understand what his purposes are in our lives.
  • 00:03:49.145 --> 00:03:53.149
  • I can give you a simple example that's a bit removed from us.
  • 00:03:53.149 --> 00:03:56.185
  • God intended for the jewish people to have a specific piece
  • 00:03:56.185 --> 00:03:59.155
  • Of territory on planet earth.
  • 00:03:59.155 --> 00:04:01.758
  • He made a promise to them about a geographic location.
  • 00:04:01.758 --> 00:04:07.096
  • And he said that geographic location is a part of my plan
  • 00:04:07.096 --> 00:04:11.200
  • For that specific people group, i promise.
  • 00:04:11.200 --> 00:04:15.371
  • He made a covenant around it.
  • 00:04:15.371 --> 00:04:18.107
  • And that commitment has persisted for more than 3
  • 00:04:18.107 --> 00:04:20.610
  • Millennia, with the rising and falling of multiple empires,
  • 00:04:20.610 --> 00:04:25.381
  • With the blessing and the cursing of august bodies like
  • 00:04:25.381 --> 00:04:28.551
  • The united nations.
  • 00:04:28.551 --> 00:04:30.586
  • And yet god has watched over that promise and has gathered
  • 00:04:30.586 --> 00:04:34.624
  • The jewish people from more than 100 nations after 2000 years of
  • 00:04:34.624 --> 00:04:38.861
  • Being dispersed among the-- amongst the nations.
  • 00:04:38.861 --> 00:04:42.198
  • He's regathered them and established them on this tiny
  • 00:04:42.198 --> 00:04:45.968
  • Island, less than 2% of the land mass of the middle east,
  • 00:04:45.968 --> 00:04:50.573
  • Surrounded by hundreds of millions of people who are sworn
  • 00:04:50.573 --> 00:04:54.344
  • To their destruction.
  • 00:04:54.344 --> 00:04:56.612
  • And tiny israel flourishes.
  • 00:04:56.612 --> 00:04:59.682
  • Whatever your attitude about the jewish people or the modern
  • 00:04:59.682 --> 00:05:02.218
  • State of israel, i don't think it could be understood as
  • 00:05:02.218 --> 00:05:04.754
  • Anything other than a expression of the power of god.
  • 00:05:04.754 --> 00:05:08.124
  • It's a miracle.
  • 00:05:08.124 --> 00:05:09.459
  • God's keeping his word.
  • 00:05:09.459 --> 00:05:11.828
  • Makes many people angry.
  • 00:05:11.828 --> 00:05:14.230
  • I assure you that it annoys the kingdom of darkness.
  • 00:05:14.230 --> 00:05:19.936
  • But god's promises are no less real for you and me, not for a
  • 00:05:19.936 --> 00:05:25.041
  • Geographical location, but as an expression of his intent and his
  • 00:05:25.041 --> 00:05:30.179
  • Purposes for our lives.
  • 00:05:30.179 --> 00:05:31.914
  • If we're going to experience god's best, if we're going to
  • 00:05:31.914 --> 00:05:35.351
  • Inherit the promises that he has given to us, it will require
  • 00:05:35.351 --> 00:05:39.522
  • Expressions of faith from us.
  • 00:05:39.522 --> 00:05:43.259
  • The descendants of abraham, isaac, and jacob did not occupy
  • 00:05:43.259 --> 00:05:48.064
  • The promised land by accident.
  • 00:05:48.064 --> 00:05:51.100
  • In fact, the language that theologians use, the biblical
  • 00:05:51.100 --> 00:05:53.836
  • Scholars use, is they call it the conquest.
  • 00:05:53.836 --> 00:05:58.007
  • They had to actually take a military plan and conquer
  • 00:05:58.007 --> 00:06:02.078
  • Their inheritance.
  • 00:06:02.078 --> 00:06:03.579
  • God's promises for you and me will not fill our lives easily.
  • 00:06:03.579 --> 00:06:06.883
  • They're not--they will not attribute to your existence
  • 00:06:06.883 --> 00:06:10.386
  • By accident.
  • 00:06:10.386 --> 00:06:12.522
  • It's a very purposeful accumulation of god's will for
  • 00:06:12.522 --> 00:06:17.493
  • Your life and that's what i wanna look at.
  • 00:06:17.493 --> 00:06:19.962
  • We're just gonna--this is a fun lesson to me.
  • 00:06:19.962 --> 00:06:21.664
  • We're gonna have a little fun with it.
  • 00:06:21.664 --> 00:06:23.166
  • We're gonna take a handful of promises and see if we can
  • 00:06:23.166 --> 00:06:25.568
  • Understand what it would look like to begin to orient our
  • 00:06:25.568 --> 00:06:28.304
  • Lives so what god has said he would like us to have could
  • 00:06:28.304 --> 00:06:31.574
  • Actually become a part of our journey.
  • 00:06:31.574 --> 00:06:34.410
  • It won't happen by accident.
  • 00:06:34.410 --> 00:06:36.145
  • God won't force it upon you.
  • 00:06:36.145 --> 00:06:37.980
  • He won't force anybody to be born again.
  • 00:06:37.980 --> 00:06:39.715
  • God loves every human being.
  • 00:06:39.715 --> 00:06:42.552
  • But not everybody will be a part of his eternal kingdom.
  • 00:06:42.552 --> 00:06:46.956
  • Their choice, not his.
  • 00:06:46.956 --> 00:06:49.525
  • And the same is true with god's other promises.
  • 00:06:49.525 --> 00:06:52.395
  • We have to believe them.
  • 00:06:52.395 --> 00:06:53.763
  • We have to appropriate them.
  • 00:06:53.763 --> 00:06:55.097
  • Not all of the people who left egypt through the supernatural
  • 00:06:55.097 --> 00:06:58.768
  • Intervention of god and the plagues upon egypt and the
  • 00:06:58.768 --> 00:07:01.170
  • Parting of the red sea, not all the people who ate manna in the
  • 00:07:01.170 --> 00:07:03.606
  • Wilderness, not all the people who followed the pillar of cloud
  • 00:07:03.606 --> 00:07:06.976
  • And the pillar of fire went into the promised land.
  • 00:07:06.976 --> 00:07:09.612
  • In fact, the overwhelming majority of them did not.
  • 00:07:09.612 --> 00:07:13.149
  • They said what?
  • 00:07:13.149 --> 00:07:14.484
  • "it's too difficult.
  • 00:07:14.484 --> 00:07:16.652
  • The people that live in the land, they're bigger than
  • 00:07:16.652 --> 00:07:18.521
  • We are.
  • 00:07:18.521 --> 00:07:19.856
  • They're stronger, their cities are well fortified.
  • 00:07:19.856 --> 00:07:21.991
  • We feel inadequate, we feel incomplete.
  • 00:07:21.991 --> 00:07:24.160
  • We'll just stay here in the desert and eat manna."
  • 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:27.463
  • Too many people that attend church, that have bibles, that
  • 00:07:27.463 --> 00:07:29.832
  • Have some facade, some form, some attachment to faith, live
  • 00:07:29.832 --> 00:07:35.538
  • Far below the promises of god.
  • 00:07:35.538 --> 00:07:38.741
  • I don't want to do that.
  • 00:07:38.741 --> 00:07:40.109
  • I don't want you to do that.
  • 00:07:40.109 --> 00:07:42.044
  • We're on a journey.
  • 00:07:42.044 --> 00:07:43.446
  • 2 peter chapter 1 and verse 3, you have it.
  • 00:07:43.446 --> 00:07:45.715
  • It says: "his divine power has given us everything we need for
  • 00:07:45.715 --> 00:07:49.285
  • Life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us
  • 00:07:49.285 --> 00:07:51.754
  • By his own glory and goodness.
  • 00:07:51.754 --> 00:07:53.956
  • And through these he's given us his very great and precious
  • 00:07:53.956 --> 00:07:57.760
  • Promises, so that through them you may participate in the
  • 00:07:57.760 --> 00:08:00.863
  • Divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused
  • 00:08:00.863 --> 00:08:05.368
  • By evil desires."
  • 00:08:05.368 --> 00:08:07.670
  • Simple language, god's given us everything we need.
  • 00:08:07.670 --> 00:08:10.940
  • It's in the past tense.
  • 00:08:10.940 --> 00:08:12.275
  • It's already been accomplished.
  • 00:08:12.275 --> 00:08:13.643
  • Everything we need for life and godliness.
  • 00:08:13.643 --> 00:08:15.344
  • He's not going to do it.
  • 00:08:15.344 --> 00:08:17.213
  • He's made that provision.
  • 00:08:17.213 --> 00:08:19.148
  • And secondly, his provision is in his promises.
  • 00:08:19.148 --> 00:08:23.085
  • So we can say it this way: god's promises are our inheritance.
  • 00:08:23.085 --> 00:08:27.557
  • And the outcome of those promises when they're believed
  • 00:08:27.557 --> 00:08:29.825
  • And applied in our lives is they enable us to participate in the
  • 00:08:29.825 --> 00:08:33.029
  • Divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused
  • 00:08:33.029 --> 00:08:35.731
  • By evil.
  • 00:08:35.731 --> 00:08:37.600
  • So if you're interested in that, i can show you a pathway that's
  • 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:42.405
  • Different than just attending church or being moral or good or
  • 00:08:42.405 --> 00:08:45.041
  • Kind or polite or sweet.
  • 00:08:45.041 --> 00:08:47.843
  • Not opposed to those things, but there's another--a better way
  • 00:08:47.843 --> 00:08:49.946
  • To go.
  • 00:08:49.946 --> 00:08:52.181
  • I think the word "promises" sometimes we get hung up on.
  • 00:08:52.181 --> 00:08:55.751
  • I think it's a fascinating conversation.
  • 00:08:55.751 --> 00:08:58.020
  • I don't want to get sidetracked, but i think you could evaluate
  • 00:08:58.020 --> 00:09:01.123
  • The quality of your life based on the degree to which promises
  • 00:09:01.123 --> 00:09:05.461
  • Have been kept by yourself and the significant people in
  • 00:09:05.461 --> 00:09:09.565
  • Your life.
  • 00:09:09.565 --> 00:09:11.801
  • They define our lives and i assure you god's promises define
  • 00:09:11.801 --> 00:09:15.805
  • Your eternity.
  • 00:09:15.805 --> 00:09:19.175
  • Numbers 23 says: "god is not a man, that he should lie, nor a
  • 00:09:19.175 --> 00:09:23.045
  • Son of man, that he should change his mind.
  • 00:09:23.045 --> 00:09:26.282
  • Does he speak and then not act?
  • 00:09:26.282 --> 00:09:27.783
  • Does he promise and not fulfill?"
  • 00:09:27.783 --> 00:09:29.285
  • The last two are rhetorical questions and the answer is
  • 00:09:29.285 --> 00:09:32.154
  • Obviously no.
  • 00:09:32.154 --> 00:09:34.223
  • The statement that is made is, "god is not a man, that he
  • 00:09:34.223 --> 00:09:37.059
  • Should lie"; men lie.
  • 00:09:37.059 --> 00:09:40.129
  • Our hearts are deceitful until they're transformed by the power
  • 00:09:40.129 --> 00:09:43.199
  • Of a living god.
  • 00:09:43.199 --> 00:09:45.935
  • And so learning god's promises changes our existence and i'll
  • 00:09:45.935 --> 00:09:50.539
  • Start with what i suppose is obvious: that not all of god's
  • 00:09:50.539 --> 00:09:53.943
  • Promises are simply preferential.
  • 00:09:53.943 --> 00:09:57.446
  • Some of the promises we'll look at, you could say, "well, you
  • 00:09:57.446 --> 00:09:59.448
  • Know, i'm not gonna invest the effort to make that a part of
  • 00:09:59.448 --> 00:10:03.285
  • My journey."
  • 00:10:03.285 --> 00:10:05.054
  • But not all of god's promises are presented to you and me as
  • 00:10:05.054 --> 00:10:08.257
  • If we can go, "no, i'll pass on that."
  • 00:10:08.257 --> 00:10:11.460
  • They're not intended to be a menu.
  • 00:10:11.460 --> 00:10:13.663
  • The ten commandments, not promises, but those ten
  • 00:10:13.663 --> 00:10:17.400
  • Statements towards human behavior from the designer were
  • 00:10:17.400 --> 00:10:20.169
  • Not presented to us as options on a menu.
  • 00:10:20.169 --> 00:10:24.273
  • It's not like a cafeteria plan where i'll take 1, 3, and 8.
  • 00:10:24.273 --> 00:10:31.814
  • 2, 4, and 6, may want to lean into those a little bit.
  • 00:10:31.814 --> 00:10:36.986
  • Well, there are some promises that are presented to us which
  • 00:10:36.986 --> 00:10:40.523
  • Are intended to be guidelines for our lives.
  • 00:10:40.523 --> 00:10:42.958
  • I can give you an example.
  • 00:10:42.958 --> 00:10:44.427
  • In john chapter 3, jesus is talking to a religious leader, a
  • 00:10:44.427 --> 00:10:47.563
  • Very educated man, and jesus said to him, "you should not be
  • 00:10:47.563 --> 00:10:51.701
  • Surprised at my saying that 'you must be born again.'"
  • 00:10:51.701 --> 00:10:54.403
  • The man is completely shocked.
  • 00:10:54.403 --> 00:10:56.806
  • And jesus is chastising him.
  • 00:10:56.806 --> 00:10:58.908
  • He said, "you shouldn't be shocked by this.
  • 00:10:58.908 --> 00:11:01.143
  • You're a leader of my people.
  • 00:11:01.143 --> 00:11:03.713
  • You should be teaching the people this."
  • 00:11:03.713 --> 00:11:07.550
  • That tension still exists in the world.
  • 00:11:07.550 --> 00:11:09.652
  • The notion of conversion, salvation, the new birth, seems
  • 00:11:09.652 --> 00:11:13.389
  • To be a surprise.
  • 00:11:13.389 --> 00:11:18.127
  • In romans 10, we're told how we can participate.
  • 00:11:18.127 --> 00:11:21.897
  • Says: "if you confess with your mouth, 'jesus is lord,' and
  • 00:11:21.897 --> 00:11:24.300
  • Believe in your heart that god raised him from the dead, you'll
  • 00:11:24.300 --> 00:11:26.435
  • Be saved.
  • 00:11:26.435 --> 00:11:28.370
  • For it's with your heart that you believe and you're
  • 00:11:28.370 --> 00:11:30.306
  • Justified, and it's with your mouth that you confess and
  • 00:11:30.306 --> 00:11:32.775
  • You're saved."
  • 00:11:32.775 --> 00:11:34.143
  • Verse 9 is the promise: you can be saved, but you have to meet
  • 00:11:34.143 --> 00:11:38.914
  • The conditions.
  • 00:11:38.914 --> 00:11:40.282
  • There's that little preposition "if" at the beginning of those
  • 00:11:40.282 --> 00:11:42.017
  • Two verses.
  • 00:11:42.017 --> 00:11:43.385
  • If you confess with your mouth and if you believe in your
  • 00:11:43.385 --> 00:11:46.555
  • Heart, you can be saved.
  • 00:11:46.555 --> 00:11:48.257
  • If you don't confess with your mouth and believe in your heart,
  • 00:11:48.257 --> 00:11:50.392
  • You won't be.
  • 00:11:50.392 --> 00:11:51.727
  • There's only two categories of human beings, those that are
  • 00:11:51.727 --> 00:11:53.829
  • Saved and those who aren't, there's no third rail.
  • 00:11:53.829 --> 00:11:57.466
  • There's no plan b.
  • 00:11:57.466 --> 00:12:01.704
  • Jesus said, "no one comes to the father except by me.
  • 00:12:01.704 --> 00:12:03.172
  • I'm the way, the truth, and the life."
  • 00:12:03.172 --> 00:12:05.474
  • All roads don't lead to the same place.
  • 00:12:05.474 --> 00:12:08.644
  • There's a promise extended to humanity.
  • 00:12:08.644 --> 00:12:10.646
  • "every human being," in romans chapter 1, it says, "every human
  • 00:12:10.646 --> 00:12:13.449
  • Being is given a revelation of god."
  • 00:12:13.449 --> 00:12:16.786
  • It's true we'll be evaluated by the opportunities we've been
  • 00:12:16.786 --> 00:12:20.756
  • Given, "to whom much is given, much is required."
  • 00:12:20.756 --> 00:12:23.626
  • But every human being, the scripture says, has a revelation
  • 00:12:23.626 --> 00:12:26.695
  • Of god by what has been created.
  • 00:12:26.695 --> 00:12:29.632
  • So we're all given the opportunity to choose jesus.
  • 00:12:29.632 --> 00:12:34.403
  • If you'll do that, you receive the promise.
  • 00:12:34.403 --> 00:12:37.740
  • It's a transformational promise.
  • 00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:41.710
  • But it doesn't come by sitting in church or being moral
  • 00:12:41.710 --> 00:12:44.914
  • Or generous.
  • 00:12:44.914 --> 00:12:46.248
  • There will be moral, generous people in hell.
  • 00:12:46.248 --> 00:12:50.386
  • Isn't that awkward?
  • 00:12:50.386 --> 00:12:52.855
  • It's why i hope you're willing to talk to people about your
  • 00:12:52.855 --> 00:12:55.524
  • Relationship with jesus, not to preach a sermon to them, not to
  • 00:12:55.524 --> 00:12:59.662
  • Tell them all the things they're doing wrong, let them feel your
  • 00:12:59.662 --> 00:13:02.298
  • Enthusiasm for what has happened to you.
  • 00:13:02.298 --> 00:13:04.767
  • The promise of god has changed my life.
  • 00:13:04.767 --> 00:13:08.537
  • I was without a hope.
  • 00:13:08.537 --> 00:13:09.872
  • I had no future.
  • 00:13:09.872 --> 00:13:11.240
  • I was desperate.
  • 00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:12.575
  • I thought my strength and my resources were the only things
  • 00:13:12.575 --> 00:13:14.777
  • Available to me.
  • 00:13:14.777 --> 00:13:16.111
  • And then i met jesus.
  • 00:13:16.111 --> 00:13:17.980
  • And he's changed my existence.
  • 00:13:17.980 --> 00:13:20.983
  • He's written a new future for me and brought a new hope to my
  • 00:13:20.983 --> 00:13:23.752
  • Life and given me a new perspective on current events.
  • 00:13:23.752 --> 00:13:26.989
  • I can understand my world beyond just the talking heads that i
  • 00:13:26.989 --> 00:13:30.326
  • See on the screens that i have access to.
  • 00:13:30.326 --> 00:13:35.698
  • Allen: hey, i sat down with my father recently, did a podcast.
  • 00:13:39.902 --> 00:13:43.038
  • He told the story of how he came to faith, how god transformed
  • 00:13:43.038 --> 00:13:45.608
  • Our family.
  • 00:13:45.608 --> 00:13:46.942
  • They started a home bible study, all the way up to the beginning
  • 00:13:46.942 --> 00:13:48.777
  • Of this church that i've served now for decades.
  • 00:13:48.777 --> 00:13:51.647
  • As i listened, the heart of it was the work of the holy spirit
  • 00:13:51.647 --> 00:13:54.350
  • In his life and through his life.
  • 00:13:54.350 --> 00:13:56.485
  • I asked him to do a book around the topic, and we have it, so
  • 00:13:56.485 --> 00:13:59.922
  • That you can invite the spirit of god to be the dynamic
  • 00:13:59.922 --> 00:14:02.825
  • Presence of the power of god to bring change and life and hope,
  • 00:14:02.825 --> 00:14:06.996
  • No matter what the circumstances.
  • 00:14:06.996 --> 00:14:08.797
  • You'll enjoy the book.
  • 00:14:08.797 --> 00:14:10.165
  • Female announcer: experience the holy spirit in a deeper way with
  • 00:14:10.165 --> 00:14:12.635
  • This new book by pastor allen's dad, "the eternal breath
  • 00:14:12.635 --> 00:14:15.838
  • Of life."
  • 00:14:15.838 --> 00:14:17.206
  • Request your copy when you donate any amount today, and
  • 00:14:17.206 --> 00:14:20.209
  • When you give $50 or more, you can also request, "unleashing
  • 00:14:20.209 --> 00:14:24.046
  • The power of the holy spirit."
  • 00:14:24.046 --> 00:14:26.048
  • It's a collection of pastor allen's sermons that will help
  • 00:14:26.048 --> 00:14:28.651
  • You understand the holy spirit in new ways.
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  • Request yours today at
  • 00:14:31.587 --> 00:14:33.355
  • Allenjackson .com
  • 00:14:33.355 --> 00:14:34.990
  • Or by calling...
  • 00:14:34.990 --> 00:14:37.893
  • Allen: i'll give you another promise of god.
  • 00:14:40.429 --> 00:14:43.399
  • And this one isn't presented as optional, really, either.
  • 00:14:43.399 --> 00:14:46.001
  • Not necessary conversion in the same way of salvation was.
  • 00:14:46.001 --> 00:14:49.805
  • But when jesus first presented this opportunity, this promise,
  • 00:14:49.805 --> 00:14:54.276
  • He gave it with the word of a command.
  • 00:14:54.276 --> 00:14:55.878
  • It's in acts chapter 1, it said, "while he was eating with his
  • 00:14:55.878 --> 00:14:59.815
  • Disciples," this is post resurrection, "he gave them
  • 00:14:59.815 --> 00:15:04.653
  • This command."
  • 00:15:04.653 --> 00:15:06.021
  • You should circle that word "command."
  • 00:15:06.021 --> 00:15:08.457
  • He said, "don't leave jerusalem, but wait for the gift that my
  • 00:15:08.457 --> 00:15:11.593
  • Father promised."
  • 00:15:11.593 --> 00:15:13.729
  • He's telling them about a promise.
  • 00:15:13.729 --> 00:15:15.064
  • He's had a lengthy discourse with them about the promised
  • 00:15:15.064 --> 00:15:18.200
  • Gift of the spirit of god.
  • 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:21.370
  • In john's gospel, it's spelled out over--it's a long
  • 00:15:21.370 --> 00:15:25.441
  • Conversation he has with the disciples about this topic and
  • 00:15:25.441 --> 00:15:28.310
  • It's confusing and they're a bit frustrated by it because he
  • 00:15:28.310 --> 00:15:31.480
  • Tells them he's going away and where he's going, they can't
  • 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:34.283
  • Come and that's not the bargain they think they've struck.
  • 00:15:34.283 --> 00:15:38.087
  • And so post resurrection now, he's had a 40-day seminar with
  • 00:15:38.087 --> 00:15:41.623
  • Them on the kingdom of god and then he's wrapping it up.
  • 00:15:41.623 --> 00:15:45.060
  • He's about to ascend back to heaven and he gives them
  • 00:15:45.060 --> 00:15:48.731
  • A commandment.
  • 00:15:48.731 --> 00:15:50.065
  • He says, "don't leave jerusalem until you receive the gift that
  • 00:15:50.065 --> 00:15:53.135
  • My father promised."
  • 00:15:53.135 --> 00:15:54.503
  • He's talking to them about a promise.
  • 00:15:54.503 --> 00:15:58.007
  • "you've heard me speak about.
  • 00:15:58.007 --> 00:16:00.109
  • John baptized with water, but in a few days you'll be baptized
  • 00:16:00.109 --> 00:16:02.911
  • With the holy spirit."
  • 00:16:02.911 --> 00:16:04.913
  • It's a gift.
  • 00:16:04.913 --> 00:16:06.281
  • It's a fulfillment of a promise and it's available today.
  • 00:16:06.281 --> 00:16:10.652
  • And the benefit of that promise is verse 8: "you'll receive
  • 00:16:10.652 --> 00:16:13.522
  • Power when the holy spirit comes on you; and you'll be my
  • 00:16:13.522 --> 00:16:16.225
  • Witnesses in jerusalem, and judea and samaria, and to the
  • 00:16:16.225 --> 00:16:19.028
  • Ends of the earth."
  • 00:16:19.028 --> 00:16:20.429
  • That description of jerusalem, judea, samaria and to the ends
  • 00:16:20.429 --> 00:16:23.098
  • Of the earth, those are expanding concentric circles.
  • 00:16:23.098 --> 00:16:27.236
  • You'll start at home, you'll go into the region immediately
  • 00:16:27.236 --> 00:16:30.639
  • Around us.
  • 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:31.974
  • You'll extend beyond that until it's covered the whole earth and
  • 00:16:31.974 --> 00:16:35.044
  • In the millennia since then, that's precisely
  • 00:16:35.044 --> 00:16:36.979
  • What's happened.
  • 00:16:36.979 --> 00:16:38.380
  • And the spirit of god is still doing that in the earth.
  • 00:16:38.380 --> 00:16:40.582
  • The promise is that "you'll receive power to be
  • 00:16:40.582 --> 00:16:42.484
  • My witnesses."
  • 00:16:42.484 --> 00:16:44.286
  • How will you do that?
  • 00:16:44.286 --> 00:16:45.621
  • The holy spirit will come on you.
  • 00:16:45.621 --> 00:16:47.523
  • That promise is as available today as it was in the
  • 00:16:47.523 --> 00:16:49.925
  • First century.
  • 00:16:49.925 --> 00:16:52.161
  • I think it's worth noting that it was presented as
  • 00:16:52.161 --> 00:16:54.063
  • A commandment.
  • 00:16:54.063 --> 00:16:55.831
  • I think we're way too casual.
  • 00:16:55.831 --> 00:16:59.134
  • I think we're way too casual.
  • 00:16:59.201 --> 00:17:07.309
  • Do you happen to remember who wrote the book of acts?
  • 00:17:07.309 --> 00:17:10.746
  • It's not a trick question.
  • 00:17:10.746 --> 00:17:12.481
  • Luke, the same author that wrote the gospel that bears his name,
  • 00:17:12.481 --> 00:17:17.453
  • Wrote the book of acts.
  • 00:17:17.453 --> 00:17:18.821
  • He wrote the gospel to tell us the story of jesus up through
  • 00:17:18.821 --> 00:17:21.857
  • His crucifixion and his resurrection, and he wrote the
  • 00:17:21.857 --> 00:17:24.660
  • Book of acts to tell us what happened after jesus's ascension
  • 00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:29.198
  • With his closest friends.
  • 00:17:29.198 --> 00:17:31.366
  • So i wanna borrow a couple of passages from luke's gospel that
  • 00:17:31.366 --> 00:17:35.437
  • Give you a bit of the backstory on acts chapter 1, luke chapter
  • 00:17:35.437 --> 00:17:40.609
  • 10: jesus told his disciples, "the harvest is plentiful, but
  • 00:17:40.609 --> 00:17:43.545
  • The workers are few.
  • 00:17:43.545 --> 00:17:45.447
  • Ask the lord of the harvest to send out workers into his
  • 00:17:45.447 --> 00:17:48.016
  • Harvest field.
  • 00:17:48.016 --> 00:17:49.718
  • Go!
  • 00:17:49.718 --> 00:17:51.086
  • I'm sending you out like lambs among wolves.
  • 00:17:51.086 --> 00:17:53.622
  • Don't take a purse or a bag or sandals; and don't greet anyone
  • 00:17:53.622 --> 00:17:56.892
  • On the road."
  • 00:17:56.892 --> 00:17:58.660
  • I know that's jesus and he's talking to his friends, but
  • 00:17:58.660 --> 00:18:01.497
  • That's a really harsh thing.
  • 00:18:01.497 --> 00:18:04.733
  • He said, "i'm sending you out.
  • 00:18:04.733 --> 00:18:06.835
  • You can't just keep hanging around on my coattails.
  • 00:18:06.835 --> 00:18:09.471
  • You've got to go."
  • 00:18:09.471 --> 00:18:11.673
  • And he says, "now i'm sending you out like lambs
  • 00:18:11.673 --> 00:18:14.276
  • Amongst wolves."
  • 00:18:14.276 --> 00:18:19.148
  • I came out of the house the other morning to go work out and
  • 00:18:19.148 --> 00:18:21.450
  • They've baled hay in my front yard.
  • 00:18:21.450 --> 00:18:23.418
  • They're those big round bales.
  • 00:18:23.418 --> 00:18:25.621
  • And it was just--the sun was just coming up and vision--
  • 00:18:25.621 --> 00:18:29.658
  • Visibility wasn't great, but i-- there was something on top of
  • 00:18:29.658 --> 00:18:32.194
  • That hay bale.
  • 00:18:32.194 --> 00:18:33.529
  • I thought maybe it's a hawk.
  • 00:18:33.529 --> 00:18:34.897
  • Sometimes they'll sit there and--i thought, that's a pretty
  • 00:18:34.897 --> 00:18:37.566
  • Big bird.
  • 00:18:37.566 --> 00:18:39.635
  • And i was curious enough, i started to pull out into the
  • 00:18:39.635 --> 00:18:41.403
  • Field and it was a coyote sitting up on top of that
  • 00:18:41.403 --> 00:18:43.672
  • Hay bale.
  • 00:18:43.672 --> 00:18:46.808
  • Couple of days later, i was working outside and i saw a doe,
  • 00:18:46.808 --> 00:18:52.915
  • Mama deer, come across the field and right behind it was a new
  • 00:18:52.915 --> 00:18:57.085
  • Fawn, thank you.
  • 00:18:57.085 --> 00:19:03.392
  • And about 15 seconds behind the doe and the fawn was a coyote.
  • 00:19:03.392 --> 00:19:09.565
  • And i thought, "oh, mama, i hope you're watching.
  • 00:19:09.565 --> 00:19:13.335
  • I hope you're paying attention."
  • 00:19:13.335 --> 00:19:16.205
  • Well, jesus said he sent us out like sheep amongst wolves.
  • 00:19:16.205 --> 00:19:21.109
  • Worse than a coyote.
  • 00:19:21.109 --> 00:19:23.545
  • And then he said, "don't take anything with you.
  • 00:19:23.545 --> 00:19:25.314
  • Don't take a purse.
  • 00:19:25.314 --> 00:19:27.316
  • Don't take an extra pair of shoes.
  • 00:19:27.316 --> 00:19:30.686
  • You're on assignment."
  • 00:19:30.686 --> 00:19:32.054
  • Now that's luke chapter 10.
  • 00:19:32.054 --> 00:19:33.889
  • Luke chapter 22,
  • 00:19:33.889 --> 00:19:36.325
  • Jesus is just about to leave.
  • 00:19:36.325 --> 00:19:39.127
  • These are kind of his last instructions for his friends and
  • 00:19:39.127 --> 00:19:41.597
  • He said to them, "now if you have a purse, take it, and if
  • 00:19:41.597 --> 00:19:47.135
  • You have a bag, better take that too.
  • 00:19:47.135 --> 00:19:49.905
  • And if you don't have a sword, sell your coat and buy one."
  • 00:19:49.905 --> 00:19:55.777
  • And then luke slips in this little prophetic statement
  • 00:19:55.777 --> 00:19:59.681
  • About jesus.
  • 00:19:59.681 --> 00:20:01.049
  • "it is written: 'and he was numbered with the
  • 00:20:01.049 --> 00:20:03.185
  • Transgressors'; and i tell you that this must be fulfilled
  • 00:20:03.185 --> 00:20:07.456
  • In me.
  • 00:20:07.456 --> 00:20:08.924
  • Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."
  • 00:20:08.924 --> 00:20:11.593
  • He's about to say to them, "i'm gonna be identified as
  • 00:20:11.593 --> 00:20:15.530
  • A criminal."
  • 00:20:15.530 --> 00:20:17.899
  • "and the disciples said, 'lord, here are two swords.'
  • 00:20:17.899 --> 00:20:22.070
  • And he said, 'that's enough.'"
  • 00:20:22.070 --> 00:20:25.240
  • Do you understand jesus was telling them they needed to
  • 00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:27.776
  • Go armed?
  • 00:20:27.776 --> 00:20:29.845
  • I'm not telling you to get your carry permit.
  • 00:20:29.845 --> 00:20:31.647
  • Don't start a new rumor on me.
  • 00:20:31.647 --> 00:20:34.650
  • But i do want to point out that the change, what's emerging
  • 00:20:34.650 --> 00:20:38.487
  • Between luke chapter 10 and luke chapter 22, the season
  • 00:20:38.487 --> 00:20:41.923
  • Has changed.
  • 00:20:41.923 --> 00:20:43.659
  • In luke 10, jesus is still there.
  • 00:20:43.659 --> 00:20:45.394
  • They're gonna report back.
  • 00:20:45.394 --> 00:20:46.728
  • It's a temporary assignment.
  • 00:20:46.728 --> 00:20:48.096
  • He said, "you can go out in a hurry.
  • 00:20:48.096 --> 00:20:49.431
  • You don't need to take provisions.
  • 00:20:49.431 --> 00:20:50.766
  • It's a day trip.
  • 00:20:50.766 --> 00:20:52.134
  • You come back, i want to hear the report."
  • 00:20:52.134 --> 00:20:54.102
  • In luke chapter 22, he said, "no, this isn't a day trip.
  • 00:20:54.102 --> 00:20:57.739
  • You're not gonna be reporting back physically to me.
  • 00:20:57.739 --> 00:20:59.975
  • You're gonna be on your own.
  • 00:20:59.975 --> 00:21:01.543
  • You'll need a purse, you're gonna need a change of clothes,
  • 00:21:01.543 --> 00:21:04.179
  • And you're gonna need to be able to defend yourselves.
  • 00:21:04.179 --> 00:21:07.916
  • Because your boss," he said, "i'm gonna be labeled
  • 00:21:07.916 --> 00:21:10.919
  • A transgressor.
  • 00:21:10.919 --> 00:21:12.254
  • I'm gonna be labeled a criminal.
  • 00:21:12.254 --> 00:21:14.756
  • And if they label me a criminal they're gonna think
  • 00:21:14.756 --> 00:21:16.558
  • You're criminals."
  • 00:21:16.558 --> 00:21:19.828
  • Now that's luke 22.
  • 00:21:19.828 --> 00:21:21.196
  • Acts chapter 1 comes after that chronologically, comes after
  • 00:21:21.196 --> 00:21:25.200
  • That in your bible too, but it's kind of the rest of the story.
  • 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:28.270
  • So it's some days after luke 22 when jesus is with his disciples
  • 00:21:28.270 --> 00:21:32.908
  • Just prior to leaving, and he gave him this command, "don't
  • 00:21:32.908 --> 00:21:36.445
  • Leave jerusalem but wait for the gift my father promised."
  • 00:21:36.445 --> 00:21:40.649
  • What's the purpose of the gift?
  • 00:21:40.649 --> 00:21:42.017
  • It's verse 8: "you'll receive power when the holy spirit comes
  • 00:21:42.017 --> 00:21:44.720
  • On you, and you'll be my witnesses in jerusalem."
  • 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:48.056
  • He's giving them--they're being empowered to fulfill the promise
  • 00:21:48.056 --> 00:21:51.026
  • He gave them in luke 10 and luke 22.
  • 00:21:51.026 --> 00:21:54.596
  • Folks, jesus is still commissioning men and women to
  • 00:21:54.596 --> 00:21:56.965
  • Do that.
  • 00:21:56.965 --> 00:21:59.301
  • But you and i will have to be willing to receive the promise
  • 00:21:59.301 --> 00:22:01.603
  • Of the spirit.
  • 00:22:01.603 --> 00:22:02.938
  • We'll have to cooperate.
  • 00:22:02.938 --> 00:22:04.906
  • Suppose you said about conversion, "well, if god wants
  • 00:22:04.906 --> 00:22:07.275
  • Me to be saved, he'll get me saved."
  • 00:22:07.275 --> 00:22:10.479
  • You go to hell that way.
  • 00:22:10.479 --> 00:22:13.315
  • He's told us how we can be saved: we have to believe with
  • 00:22:13.315 --> 00:22:15.684
  • Our heart and confess with our mouth.
  • 00:22:15.684 --> 00:22:18.487
  • But we have to choose, we have to believe, we have to respond,
  • 00:22:18.487 --> 00:22:22.157
  • And we have to respond to god to appropriate his promises.
  • 00:22:22.157 --> 00:22:26.762
  • Almost all of us know how to lose 5 pounds.
  • 00:22:26.762 --> 00:22:29.664
  • We just don't want to.
  • 00:22:29.664 --> 00:22:31.933
  • I don't wanna eat less and move more.
  • 00:22:31.933 --> 00:22:33.301
  • I wanna eat more and move less.
  • 00:22:33.301 --> 00:22:38.240
  • Eat clean, eat clean what?
  • 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.741
  • Eat clean oreos.
  • 00:22:39.741 --> 00:22:42.944
  • Don't eat them out of the dirt.
  • 00:22:42.944 --> 00:22:44.279
  • Open the package, eat them fresh, right?
  • 00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:50.385
  • We have the same challenge with the promises of god.
  • 00:22:50.385 --> 00:22:52.654
  • We have this rather smug, self-righteous attitude.
  • 00:22:52.654 --> 00:22:56.158
  • "well, i've done my significant god business.
  • 00:22:56.158 --> 00:22:58.260
  • Everything else is kind of inconsequential."
  • 00:22:58.260 --> 00:23:00.529
  • I don't believe that.
  • 00:23:00.529 --> 00:23:01.897
  • The promises matter.
  • 00:23:01.897 --> 00:23:04.766
  • Let me give you a third promise.
  • 00:23:04.766 --> 00:23:06.601
  • Jesus gave us a statement of intent, what he intends to do in
  • 00:23:06.601 --> 00:23:09.604
  • The earth.
  • 00:23:09.604 --> 00:23:10.972
  • I think this is important.
  • 00:23:10.972 --> 00:23:12.307
  • That we should know what our king intends to do.
  • 00:23:12.307 --> 00:23:15.744
  • You know, we're under authority.
  • 00:23:15.744 --> 00:23:18.280
  • It's the one encounter that jesus had that caused him to
  • 00:23:18.280 --> 00:23:22.150
  • Stop in amazement at the faith of the individual he was
  • 00:23:22.150 --> 00:23:25.320
  • Dealing with.
  • 00:23:25.320 --> 00:23:26.655
  • It was a roman centurion, a pagan, a hated roman, and jesus
  • 00:23:26.655 --> 00:23:31.626
  • Has an encounter with him, and he marvels at his faith.
  • 00:23:31.626 --> 00:23:34.463
  • And what the man said to jesus is, "i'm a man under authority."
  • 00:23:34.463 --> 00:23:38.967
  • He said, "i command soldiers, and i say to one 'go' and he
  • 00:23:38.967 --> 00:23:41.937
  • Goes, and to a servant, 'you do this,' and he does it."
  • 00:23:41.937 --> 00:23:45.340
  • And he said, "i recognize that you're a man of authority.
  • 00:23:45.340 --> 00:23:48.944
  • And if you'll say the word, my servant will be healed."
  • 00:23:48.944 --> 00:23:51.546
  • He said, "i recognize you have authority over sickness
  • 00:23:51.546 --> 00:23:54.449
  • And disease."
  • 00:23:54.449 --> 00:23:55.784
  • That roman centurion understood more about jesus than many, many
  • 00:23:55.784 --> 00:24:00.121
  • People who fill churches today.
  • 00:24:00.121 --> 00:24:04.392
  • So if there is a statement of intent from our lord, i would
  • 00:24:04.392 --> 00:24:08.864
  • Submit to you, it would be in our best interest to
  • 00:24:08.864 --> 00:24:11.600
  • Understand it.
  • 00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:13.301
  • If he is about something, i want to help.
  • 00:24:13.301 --> 00:24:18.006
  • So look with me at your notes.
  • 00:24:18.006 --> 00:24:19.341
  • It's matthew 16.
  • 00:24:19.341 --> 00:24:20.876
  • This is jesus speaking.
  • 00:24:20.876 --> 00:24:22.677
  • He said, "i will build my church, and the gates of hell
  • 00:24:22.677 --> 00:24:26.948
  • Will not overcome it."
  • 00:24:26.948 --> 00:24:30.051
  • Now, he wouldn't have had to put that second half of the sentence
  • 00:24:30.051 --> 00:24:33.021
  • In there unless there was going to be some seasons and times and
  • 00:24:33.021 --> 00:24:36.224
  • Presentations when it looked like the gates of hades might
  • 00:24:36.224 --> 00:24:39.194
  • Overcome it.
  • 00:24:39.194 --> 00:24:41.897
  • We needed that rest of the message.
  • 00:24:41.897 --> 00:24:44.299
  • "i will build my church," he said.
  • 00:24:44.299 --> 00:24:47.536
  • "i will give you the church, the keys of the kingdom of heaven;
  • 00:24:47.536 --> 00:24:50.472
  • And whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
  • 00:24:50.472 --> 00:24:52.641
  • Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
  • 00:24:52.641 --> 00:24:55.043
  • The promise, what's the promise?
  • 00:24:55.043 --> 00:24:58.513
  • Jesus will build his church, and hell will not be able to
  • 00:24:58.513 --> 00:25:02.684
  • Stop it.
  • 00:25:02.684 --> 00:25:04.452
  • Now, that makes me smile.
  • 00:25:04.452 --> 00:25:07.856
  • And he went on to say there'll be some keys for freedom
  • 00:25:07.856 --> 00:25:10.258
  • Available to the church.
  • 00:25:10.258 --> 00:25:12.294
  • Well, if jesus is in the business of establishing and
  • 00:25:12.294 --> 00:25:15.964
  • Expanding his church, watch me get involved.
  • 00:25:15.964 --> 00:25:20.569
  • However, whatever.
  • 00:25:20.569 --> 00:25:23.004
  • You know, people will say to me from time to time, do i think
  • 00:25:23.004 --> 00:25:24.973
  • The church is too large?
  • 00:25:24.973 --> 00:25:26.308
  • And i go, no, actually i'm a little embarrassed.
  • 00:25:26.308 --> 00:25:29.711
  • I've been working in this harvest field for a good while
  • 00:25:29.711 --> 00:25:32.080
  • And the city's grown exponentially, one of the
  • 00:25:32.080 --> 00:25:34.215
  • Fastest-growing cities in the state, one of the
  • 00:25:34.215 --> 00:25:36.384
  • Fastest-growing regions in the nation, and we're just--we're
  • 00:25:36.384 --> 00:25:39.554
  • Losing ground every day.
  • 00:25:39.554 --> 00:25:40.922
  • Fewer church people in rutherford county than any time
  • 00:25:40.922 --> 00:25:43.224
  • In the history of this county.
  • 00:25:43.224 --> 00:25:46.695
  • Am i grateful for what god's done?
  • 00:25:46.695 --> 00:25:48.196
  • Absolutely.
  • 00:25:48.196 --> 00:25:49.931
  • But it doesn't seem like something that we should be
  • 00:25:49.931 --> 00:25:51.733
  • Puffed up about.
  • 00:25:51.733 --> 00:25:53.868
  • Jesus is in the business of building his church.
  • 00:25:53.868 --> 00:25:57.472
  • And he's not gonna--that's not based on who's in political
  • 00:25:57.472 --> 00:26:00.875
  • Power or what the irs rules or what congress says or what the
  • 00:26:00.875 --> 00:26:05.814
  • Aclu does.
  • 00:26:05.814 --> 00:26:08.450
  • Jesus is building his church.
  • 00:26:08.450 --> 00:26:10.986
  • That makes me smile so much.
  • 00:26:10.986 --> 00:26:12.654
  • We're gonna see him one day.
  • 00:26:12.654 --> 00:26:17.359
  • Allen: being a christ follower is not as much about an
  • 00:26:21.496 --> 00:26:23.965
  • Experience and a completed activity, a prayer, a visit to
  • 00:26:23.965 --> 00:26:27.502
  • An altar, a response to an evangelist.
  • 00:26:27.502 --> 00:26:30.639
  • It's certainly a beginning point of welcoming jesus into your
  • 00:26:30.639 --> 00:26:33.274
  • Heart, but it's a life that we lead, so we continue to grow and
  • 00:26:33.274 --> 00:26:36.945
  • Learn and gain strength.
  • 00:26:36.945 --> 00:26:38.713
  • As life presents challenges, we get to know god in a new way.
  • 00:26:38.713 --> 00:26:42.183
  • Well, i believe this book about the holy spirit is a tool to
  • 00:26:42.183 --> 00:26:45.553
  • Help you gain a new momentum to grow through the things in your
  • 00:26:45.553 --> 00:26:49.424
  • Life under the direction of the power of the spirit of god.
  • 00:26:49.424 --> 00:26:52.727
  • Folks, we're not gonna outwork evil or outthink evil.
  • 00:26:52.727 --> 00:26:55.330
  • We're not gonna out-organize evil.
  • 00:26:55.330 --> 00:26:57.265
  • The only thing evil will yield to is a power greater than
  • 00:26:57.265 --> 00:27:00.035
  • Itself, and that power is the spirit of god, and you and me
  • 00:27:00.035 --> 00:27:04.305
  • Manifest in the earth through people of faith.
  • 00:27:04.305 --> 00:27:07.275
  • We're salt and light, we're change agents.
  • 00:27:07.275 --> 00:27:09.744
  • I wanna pray.
  • 00:27:09.744 --> 00:27:11.112
  • Heavenly father, give us a discernment to recognize your
  • 00:27:11.112 --> 00:27:14.149
  • Spirit, how we can welcome him into our lives and cooperate
  • 00:27:14.149 --> 00:27:17.485
  • With him to bring your breakthroughs into our lives,
  • 00:27:17.485 --> 00:27:20.188
  • Our homes, and our churches.
  • 00:27:20.188 --> 00:27:22.323
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:22.323 --> 00:27:27.395