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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Thoughts, Words, and Reality (Part 1)

September 6, 2025 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - Thoughts, Words, and Reality (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#NegativeThoughts #PositiveThoughts #Confession/PowerofWords #Actions #Mind #RelationshipwithGod #WalkwithGod #Salvation

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Thoughts, Words, and Reality (Part 1) | September 6, 2025
  • ...
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  • Allen jackson: i'm of the opinion that professional
  • 00:00:06.822 --> 00:00:09.058
  • Christians like myself, we tend to make christianity
  • 00:00:09.191 --> 00:00:11.393
  • Too difficult.
  • 00:00:11.527 --> 00:00:12.761
  • We use big words and big concepts.
  • 00:00:12.895 --> 00:00:13.529
  • You know, we'll talk about hermeneutics and homiletics and
  • 00:00:14.830 --> 00:00:18.133
  • Exegetical specificity and reading the koine greek and the
  • 00:00:18.133 --> 00:00:21.937
  • Masoretic hebrew.
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  • And i've studied a lot, and i understand the words,
  • 00:00:23.672 --> 00:00:26.008
  • And i could probably even come up with some definitions.
  • 00:00:26.008 --> 00:00:28.410
  • But in reality, i don't think our faith is that complicated.
  • 00:00:28.410 --> 00:00:31.480
  • Well, i've written a new book that's really at the heart.
  • 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:34.183
  • It's a concept that changed my life,
  • 00:00:34.183 --> 00:00:35.517
  • And it's changed my relationship with the lord.
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  • It's my friend jesus.
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  • See, i think you and i know how to be a friend.
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  • We know what we want from a friend.
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  • We know what our friends imagine is appropriate from us.
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  • Well, i wanna be jesus's friend.
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  • I wanna do things that make him smile.
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  • I don't wanna be involved with things that make him angry.
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  • When he sees me, i want it to be a pleasant interaction.
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  • I wanna be jesus's friend. it'll change your faith.
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  • I believe this book will help open a whole new door in your
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  • Relationship with the lord.
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  • It'll be a blessing to you.
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  • Cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
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  • Allen: my title for the session, which my titles are usually
  • 00:01:12.554 --> 00:01:15.557
  • Underwhelming, but "thoughts, words and reality."
  • 00:01:15.557 --> 00:01:17.793
  • And there is a progression there that i wanna unpack with you
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  • Because i believe truthfully your thoughts lead to your words
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  • And those will ultimately define your reality.
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  • That's more than a myth and it's more than some
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  • Leadership mantra.
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  • But i wanna start really my--this little study for me has
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  • Come out of a meeting that i have had multiple times,
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  • Different people, different settings, but it feels like the
  • 00:01:41.850 --> 00:01:45.120
  • Messaging in the meeting has been so similar, or the concerns
  • 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:48.924
  • In the meeting, that it's just become a bible study for me.
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  • And so i'm just gonna share a little bit with you from the
  • 00:01:52.294 --> 00:01:54.897
  • Overflow of that.
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  • And i put a passage in your notes from galatians 5.
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  • It's the fruit of the spirit passage.
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  • I suspect you know it pretty well.
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  • But the issue that's been on the table multiple times is the
  • 00:02:03.205 --> 00:02:06.475
  • Challenge we face in initiating and sustaining either spiritual
  • 00:02:06.475 --> 00:02:11.613
  • Growth or momentum or even having the awareness that
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  • That's important.
  • 00:02:14.917 --> 00:02:17.186
  • And so we lose our zeal, we lose a lot.
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  • You know, in revelation it says you lost your first love to one
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  • Of the churches.
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  • And i've had this--some version of this discussion repeatedly in
  • 00:02:25.928 --> 00:02:29.131
  • The last few weeks and over a variety of settings, people from
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  • Different places.
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  • And, you know, what do you do when you find that?
  • 00:02:33.969 --> 00:02:36.471
  • And there really seems to be a great deal of if not
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  • Ambivalence, a lack of a response.
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  • And i'm not a particularly complicated person.
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  • And the image that is so real to me, the reason i put the fruit
  • 00:02:48.917 --> 00:02:53.088
  • Of the spirit, i love summer vegetables in tennessee.
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  • You know, if you don't, you know, if you're still eating
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  • Pizza and chicken fingers, i'm happy for you, but you're
  • 00:02:58.860 --> 00:03:01.029
  • Missing out.
  • 00:03:01.029 --> 00:03:03.298
  • Kathy made something today with some little new potatoes that
  • 00:03:03.298 --> 00:03:06.235
  • Were fresh and, you know, the green beans and the new potatoes
  • 00:03:06.235 --> 00:03:09.605
  • And the fresh tomatoes.
  • 00:03:09.605 --> 00:03:11.974
  • And i mean, it's just, it's amazing.
  • 00:03:11.974 --> 00:03:15.911
  • And, you know, most of us probably get those things from
  • 00:03:15.911 --> 00:03:18.447
  • The farmers' market or the grocery store or--
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  • But it wasn't too long ago that if you were gonna have summer
  • 00:03:21.617 --> 00:03:23.885
  • Vegetables, you had to have a garden.
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  • And i didn't do that a great deal, but i did it enough to
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  • Know that i didn't wanna do it a great deal.
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  • And i remember the process: if you're gonna have a garden in
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  • One fashion or another, you have to break up the soil whether you
  • 00:03:37.466 --> 00:03:40.869
  • Plow it and disk it or you till it or you've got a shovel or
  • 00:03:40.869 --> 00:03:44.406
  • Some way or another, you have to break up the soil.
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  • And then you prepare the soil and you plant the seeds and then
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  • You have to nurture those.
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  • You have to water them and protect them from the weeds and
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  • The bugs and all the stuff.
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  • And oversee that growth period and if you're reasonably
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  • Successful with that and there's enough moisture available, you
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  • Get to the harvest time.
  • 00:04:04.693 --> 00:04:07.296
  • And then, again, we're kind of spoiled, you know, we have
  • 00:04:07.296 --> 00:04:09.231
  • Freezers and all sorts of things, but there was a time
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  • That if you wanted to maintain the produce from the harvest,
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  • You not only collected the harvest, then you had to have a
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  • Provision to sustain it, whether you canned it or you transformed
  • 00:04:16.772 --> 00:04:21.009
  • It into something else that was more sustainable or you only got
  • 00:04:21.009 --> 00:04:24.112
  • The benefit for a very few short days or weeks.
  • 00:04:24.112 --> 00:04:29.051
  • And here's the challenge, if you wanted a garden next summer, you
  • 00:04:29.051 --> 00:04:35.390
  • Couldn't just get out the pictures of last summer.
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  • You couldn't invite your neighbors over and say, "tell me
  • 00:04:39.094 --> 00:04:41.697
  • About your garden last year."
  • 00:04:41.697 --> 00:04:43.999
  • "oh, i would love to.
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  • I have pictures.
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  • We had an amazing tomato crop.
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  • The vines were breaking.
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  • There were so many tomatoes.
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  • Do you still look at the pictures that were made?"
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  • No, if you wanted that, you had to do it all over again.
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  • That i would submit to you that if you and i are going to have
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  • The fruit of the spirit in our lives,
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  • If we're gonna maintain an edge of spiritual momentum, of
  • 00:05:07.689 --> 00:05:11.193
  • Spiritual growth, disciples, we have all kinds of words and
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  • Programs and vocabularies, but what i find is we're really
  • 00:05:14.896 --> 00:05:18.033
  • Short on intent.
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  • If you're gonna have the garden again, you gotta break up
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  • The soil.
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  • You gotta plant the seeds.
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  • You gotta care for 'em.
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  • You gotta weed it and spray it and harvest it and then deal
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  • With the harvest 'cause the harvest, you know,
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  • It's overwhelming.
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  • You get tired of tomatoes.
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  • It's like i don't want any more green beans.
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  • We had strawberries for a while.
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  • And, you know, for the first week fresh strawberries
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  • Were great.
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  • By week four i'm like, god, if you want a strawberry, go
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  • Get it.
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  • You know, then, you know, my parents would know that we were
  • 00:05:50.732 --> 00:05:52.868
  • Tired of the strawberry juice, "don't you want to pick some
  • 00:05:52.868 --> 00:05:55.036
  • Strawberries for your friends?"
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  • No.
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  • If my friends want strawberry that's their problem.
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  • I picked all the strawberries, you know, harvest time can
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  • Get overwhelming.
  • 00:06:03.545 --> 00:06:06.415
  • And i think, if you and i, you know, we have all these things
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  • We say we want to happen and that we want the lord to do and
  • 00:06:09.885 --> 00:06:12.821
  • The real question on the table is, are we willing to engage in
  • 00:06:12.821 --> 00:06:18.026
  • The behaviors that will allow god to bring new growth?
  • 00:06:18.026 --> 00:06:24.699
  • And what i find is we're far more comfortable getting at our
  • 00:06:24.699 --> 00:06:26.968
  • Pictures from the gardens of years past and telling stories
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  • Of what god has done and what we have experienced with the,
  • 00:06:31.506 --> 00:06:36.011
  • Really, with the--the message that's being conveyed is we've
  • 00:06:36.011 --> 00:06:39.748
  • Done the heavy lifting.
  • 00:06:39.748 --> 00:06:43.218
  • We've made the big changes.
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  • We've turned away from the things that needed turned away
  • 00:06:45.487 --> 00:06:47.656
  • From and we found freedom where there was freedom to be had and
  • 00:06:47.656 --> 00:06:50.559
  • There's really nothing much left for us to experience, so let us
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  • Show you our pictures of our wonderful gardening experience.
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  • And that does not align itself with what i find in my bible.
  • 00:06:59.601 --> 00:07:03.772
  • Apostle paul went to ephesus,
  • 00:07:03.772 --> 00:07:05.574
  • Spent a couple of years there ministering.
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  • The whole region was impacted.
  • 00:07:09.144 --> 00:07:10.846
  • God did extraordinary miracles, it says, through his hands.
  • 00:07:10.846 --> 00:07:14.483
  • You know what most of us would call an ephesus experience?
  • 00:07:14.483 --> 00:07:17.619
  • As a professional christian, do you know what we call that?
  • 00:07:17.619 --> 00:07:19.688
  • A career.
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  • We would, we'd have gone back home, we'd have written a book
  • 00:07:23.091 --> 00:07:26.695
  • About what god did in ephesus.
  • 00:07:26.695 --> 00:07:28.997
  • We'd have done a video series today.
  • 00:07:28.997 --> 00:07:31.566
  • We'd have written a small group curriculum, a list of prayers,
  • 00:07:31.566 --> 00:07:33.935
  • Prayers from ephesus that will change your city.
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  • We'd have gotten on the banquet circuit and we would have taken
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  • Some ephesians with us.
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  • Tell us about what you burned in the big fire at ephesus.
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  • You know the drill.
  • 00:07:45.547 --> 00:07:47.782
  • But that wasn't paul's attitude at all.
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  • He picked up and went to the next city and to the next city
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  • And to the next city and oftentimes there was a riot or
  • 00:07:53.688 --> 00:07:56.725
  • A physical threat or violence against him or things to
  • 00:07:56.725 --> 00:08:00.929
  • Be overcome.
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  • Church, we gotta be growing.
  • 00:08:02.297 --> 00:08:08.837
  • Oh, i'm just talking, i mean, yeah, i think the community
  • 00:08:08.837 --> 00:08:11.072
  • Where we serve should be growing, but i think far more
  • 00:08:11.072 --> 00:08:14.376
  • Importantly, in our hearts, we've gotta have
  • 00:08:14.376 --> 00:08:16.144
  • That same desire.
  • 00:08:16.144 --> 00:08:17.479
  • We want somebody else to grow the vegetables and bring us
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  • A basket.
  • 00:08:19.014 --> 00:08:21.316
  • We'll sell them, but we'll tell them they're great farmers.
  • 00:08:21.316 --> 00:08:24.185
  • Bring me a picture of your garden.
  • 00:08:24.185 --> 00:08:25.554
  • I'd like to see it.
  • 00:08:25.554 --> 00:08:29.658
  • But i believe god is calling us to a season where the only way
  • 00:08:29.658 --> 00:08:34.596
  • To secure what is gonna be needed for ahead of us is if
  • 00:08:34.596 --> 00:08:37.933
  • We're bearing fruit.
  • 00:08:37.933 --> 00:08:40.835
  • And so that's really the--i'm just gonna take one slice of
  • 00:08:40.835 --> 00:08:43.204
  • That as we walk through this, but it has to do with our
  • 00:08:43.204 --> 00:08:45.040
  • Thoughts and our words and our reality.
  • 00:08:45.040 --> 00:08:47.676
  • And it's really simple.
  • 00:08:47.676 --> 00:08:49.044
  • It's a little bit of a tag to what we started on sunday.
  • 00:08:49.044 --> 00:08:51.780
  • But i'll begin this session with the benefits of thanksgiving
  • 00:08:51.780 --> 00:08:56.918
  • And praise.
  • 00:08:56.918 --> 00:08:58.286
  • And again, i think we kind of stretch and yawn and go, "pastor
  • 00:08:58.286 --> 00:09:00.455
  • Couldn't you, you know, couldn't we talk about prophecy?"
  • 00:09:00.455 --> 00:09:04.960
  • Well, i can, but you won't survive it if you don't
  • 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:07.395
  • Understand the link between your thoughts and your words and
  • 00:09:07.395 --> 00:09:12.867
  • Your future.
  • 00:09:12.867 --> 00:09:16.771
  • It's through praise that we acknowledge the greatness of god
  • 00:09:16.771 --> 00:09:19.341
  • And we're reluctant to praise the lord.
  • 00:09:19.341 --> 00:09:22.243
  • We truly are.
  • 00:09:22.243 --> 00:09:23.578
  • I heard a videotape this week.
  • 00:09:23.578 --> 00:09:24.946
  • It touched my heart.
  • 00:09:24.946 --> 00:09:26.281
  • It was some of the young people who had been caught in some of
  • 00:09:26.281 --> 00:09:29.551
  • The flood.
  • 00:09:29.551 --> 00:09:31.453
  • And as they had been rescued or gathered, they were in a van of
  • 00:09:31.453 --> 00:09:35.256
  • Some sort and they were singing a little chorus.
  • 00:09:35.256 --> 00:09:38.793
  • And i just heard the video and there was such a freedom in
  • 00:09:38.793 --> 00:09:43.498
  • Their words.
  • 00:09:43.498 --> 00:09:45.333
  • I thought, oh, we missed that.
  • 00:09:45.333 --> 00:09:47.802
  • We withdraw from worship if it's not the chorus we like or the
  • 00:09:47.802 --> 00:09:50.338
  • Leader we like or the tone we like or whatever.
  • 00:09:50.338 --> 00:09:54.876
  • We worship god not because he needs to be reminded of who
  • 00:09:54.876 --> 00:09:57.412
  • He is.
  • 00:09:57.412 --> 00:09:58.780
  • We worship god and give thanks to god and we give praise to god
  • 00:09:58.780 --> 00:10:02.417
  • Because there's a continual battle in our hearts and our
  • 00:10:02.417 --> 00:10:05.153
  • Minds and our thoughts about who god is.
  • 00:10:05.153 --> 00:10:09.324
  • And by a decision of my will, i will raise my voice in praise
  • 00:10:09.324 --> 00:10:13.628
  • And thanksgiving to god.
  • 00:10:13.628 --> 00:10:16.231
  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:10:16.231 --> 00:10:19.501
  • It is very seldom driven by the condition of my emotions.
  • 00:10:19.501 --> 00:10:24.873
  • Just to be completely--there's some days, yes, you feel like
  • 00:10:24.873 --> 00:10:27.409
  • It, but at night, the majority of the time, i make that--that
  • 00:10:27.409 --> 00:10:31.079
  • Expression that comes out of me is by a decision of my will and
  • 00:10:31.079 --> 00:10:34.049
  • My emotions have to find it.
  • 00:10:34.049 --> 00:10:39.788
  • Psalm 33, "sing joyfully to the lord, you righteous: it is
  • 00:10:39.788 --> 00:10:43.692
  • Fitting for the upright to praise him."
  • 00:10:43.692 --> 00:10:46.127
  • That's enough.
  • 00:10:46.127 --> 00:10:48.229
  • If you imagine yourself to be upright before the lord, if you
  • 00:10:48.229 --> 00:10:50.765
  • Desire to, what's a behavior that will help you sustain
  • 00:10:50.765 --> 00:10:53.535
  • That place?
  • 00:10:53.535 --> 00:10:55.003
  • Praise him.
  • 00:10:55.003 --> 00:10:57.138
  • Praise him.
  • 00:10:57.205 --> 00:10:59.040
  • And don't think about praise just when the band plays or the
  • 00:10:59.040 --> 00:11:01.576
  • Vocalist walks out and they, you know, it's a music that's
  • 00:11:01.576 --> 00:11:05.113
  • Emotive to you.
  • 00:11:05.113 --> 00:11:06.581
  • Praise the lord when you're with your friends.
  • 00:11:06.581 --> 00:11:08.416
  • Praise your lord when you go to work.
  • 00:11:08.416 --> 00:11:09.751
  • Praise the lord when you have a good conversation.
  • 00:11:09.751 --> 00:11:11.152
  • "how are you doing?"
  • 00:11:11.152 --> 00:11:12.487
  • "i'm doing really well today 'cause god has blessed me."
  • 00:11:12.487 --> 00:11:16.024
  • Just drag the goodness of the lord into all
  • 00:11:16.024 --> 00:11:18.460
  • Your conversations.
  • 00:11:18.460 --> 00:11:23.164
  • "well, people will think i'm crazy."
  • 00:11:23.164 --> 00:11:24.632
  • They already do.
  • 00:11:24.632 --> 00:11:26.000
  • You might as well think they're crazy for jesus.
  • 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:28.903
  • You think people don't talk about you already?
  • 00:11:28.903 --> 00:11:32.774
  • Let's give them a good reason.
  • 00:11:32.774 --> 00:11:37.512
  • Allen: hey, i've written a new book.
  • 00:11:41.349 --> 00:11:42.817
  • It's called "my friend jesus."
  • 00:11:42.817 --> 00:11:44.619
  • You know, i'm a pastor--a lot of ritual,
  • 00:11:44.619 --> 00:11:46.688
  • Tradition, a lot of formality in the way we know god.
  • 00:11:46.688 --> 00:11:50.091
  • It's not bad.
  • 00:11:50.091 --> 00:11:51.426
  • There's some good things in that,
  • 00:11:51.426 --> 00:11:52.827
  • But when i'm in real trouble or i have something i wanna
  • 00:11:52.827 --> 00:11:54.763
  • Celebrate, i call a friend.
  • 00:11:54.763 --> 00:11:56.898
  • Well, i wanna live my life with jesus of nazareth as my friend.
  • 00:11:56.898 --> 00:12:00.301
  • It changes everything in both celebration
  • 00:12:00.301 --> 00:12:03.138
  • And when there's a problem.
  • 00:12:03.138 --> 00:12:04.472
  • Wrote the book to help.
  • 00:12:04.472 --> 00:12:05.807
  • I think it'll open your life to god in a more personal,
  • 00:12:05.807 --> 00:12:08.243
  • Transformational way than ever before.
  • 00:12:08.243 --> 00:12:11.012
  • Enjoy the book.
  • 00:12:11.012 --> 00:12:12.347
  • Female announcer: in his book,
  • 00:12:12.347 --> 00:12:13.681
  • "my friend jesus," pastor allen shares how friendship with jesus
  • 00:12:13.681 --> 00:12:16.217
  • Brings clarity, strength, and peace in every part of life.
  • 00:12:16.217 --> 00:12:20.088
  • This isn't about following a religion or religious rules.
  • 00:12:20.088 --> 00:12:23.458
  • It's about cultivating a cherished relationship that will
  • 00:12:23.458 --> 00:12:25.960
  • Help your faith become more personal,
  • 00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:28.296
  • More joyful, and more powerful each day.
  • 00:12:28.296 --> 00:12:31.166
  • Request "my friend jesus" with your donation of $25 or more
  • 00:12:31.166 --> 00:12:35.003
  • Today at allenjackson.com or by calling...
  • 00:12:35.003 --> 00:12:41.676
  • Allen: there's a second benefit of praise and thanksgiving.
  • 00:12:41.743 --> 00:12:44.078
  • It dislodges, it breaks up, it dispels despair.
  • 00:12:44.078 --> 00:12:50.418
  • In isaiah 61, "to proclaim the year of the lord's favor and the
  • 00:12:50.418 --> 00:12:53.521
  • Day of the vengeance of our god, to comfort all who mourn, and
  • 00:12:53.521 --> 00:12:57.358
  • Provide for those who grieve in zion--to bestow on them a crown
  • 00:12:57.358 --> 00:13:00.428
  • Of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead
  • 00:13:00.428 --> 00:13:03.198
  • Of mourning."
  • 00:13:03.198 --> 00:13:04.532
  • There's an exchange taking place.
  • 00:13:04.532 --> 00:13:07.535
  • "a crown of beauty instead of ashes."
  • 00:13:07.535 --> 00:13:09.404
  • You put ashes on your head as a sign of grief or great mourning.
  • 00:13:09.404 --> 00:13:13.842
  • "a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness
  • 00:13:13.842 --> 00:13:16.878
  • Instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a
  • 00:13:16.878 --> 00:13:21.416
  • Spirit of despair."
  • 00:13:21.416 --> 00:13:24.352
  • If you do those things, there's a label that comes.
  • 00:13:24.352 --> 00:13:26.454
  • "you'll be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the
  • 00:13:26.454 --> 00:13:30.458
  • Lord for the display of his splendor."
  • 00:13:30.458 --> 00:13:33.061
  • But there's a change of attitude, a change of posture.
  • 00:13:33.061 --> 00:13:37.832
  • A change of spirit that's described there.
  • 00:13:37.832 --> 00:13:41.736
  • Instead of ashes on your head, there's a crown of beauty and
  • 00:13:41.736 --> 00:13:45.340
  • Instead of mourning, there's the oil of gladness.
  • 00:13:45.340 --> 00:13:47.508
  • Oil was a, really, means of monetary exchange.
  • 00:13:47.508 --> 00:13:52.513
  • So i mean, there's a sense of opportunity about you instead of
  • 00:13:52.513 --> 00:13:57.986
  • A sense of despair that you put on a garment of praise and not
  • 00:13:57.986 --> 00:14:02.257
  • That spirit of heaviness.
  • 00:14:02.257 --> 00:14:05.226
  • I meet people all the time, frequently, on a route, "you
  • 00:14:05.226 --> 00:14:07.629
  • Know, pastor, i just don't watch the news.
  • 00:14:07.629 --> 00:14:09.297
  • It's too heavy."
  • 00:14:09.297 --> 00:14:10.665
  • No, watch the news to see what god is doing.
  • 00:14:10.665 --> 00:14:15.103
  • I have to step into that world a bit more than i once did, and i
  • 00:14:15.103 --> 00:14:18.006
  • Can tell you, every day there are things for which i can--only
  • 00:14:18.006 --> 00:14:20.775
  • God could have done that.
  • 00:14:20.775 --> 00:14:22.477
  • Oh my god, yes, every day you can find something the
  • 00:14:22.477 --> 00:14:24.646
  • Devil's doing.
  • 00:14:24.646 --> 00:14:26.581
  • You find that in the opening chapters of genesis.
  • 00:14:26.581 --> 00:14:30.184
  • God created the heavens and the earth and everything that's in
  • 00:14:30.184 --> 00:14:32.520
  • Them, and he said it's very good, and here comes the devil.
  • 00:14:32.520 --> 00:14:36.391
  • And that theme is gonna follow you all the way through to the
  • 00:14:36.391 --> 00:14:38.426
  • End of the book of revelation.
  • 00:14:38.426 --> 00:14:41.029
  • So you and i have to decide that, every day, which of those
  • 00:14:41.029 --> 00:14:44.399
  • Things we're going to put on?
  • 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:45.733
  • Are we gonna put ashes on our head?
  • 00:14:45.733 --> 00:14:47.969
  • We gonna take on an attitude of mourning or are we gonna put
  • 00:14:47.969 --> 00:14:50.538
  • On a garment of praise?
  • 00:14:50.538 --> 00:14:55.343
  • I'm not trying to bring some quick fix, some facade.
  • 00:14:55.343 --> 00:15:02.850
  • I'm telling you there's a fundamental change in the
  • 00:15:02.850 --> 00:15:05.286
  • Thoughts that you welcome into your life, how you view the
  • 00:15:05.286 --> 00:15:08.856
  • World around you.
  • 00:15:08.856 --> 00:15:11.893
  • And that'll be reflected in the words that you use, not just
  • 00:15:11.893 --> 00:15:14.829
  • Your church words.
  • 00:15:14.829 --> 00:15:19.634
  • Thanksgiving and praise prepare a way for god's involvement in
  • 00:15:19.634 --> 00:15:22.236
  • Our lives.
  • 00:15:22.236 --> 00:15:23.638
  • Then we could spend multiple sessions unpacking this.
  • 00:15:23.638 --> 00:15:26.975
  • I brought you a couple of familiar stories because i
  • 00:15:26.975 --> 00:15:28.943
  • Didn't think it would take much time.
  • 00:15:28.943 --> 00:15:30.278
  • One is jonah.
  • 00:15:30.278 --> 00:15:31.612
  • We all know jonah.
  • 00:15:31.612 --> 00:15:33.581
  • He's a rebel of the first class and he's a prophet of god.
  • 00:15:33.581 --> 00:15:38.086
  • Can you balance those two things?
  • 00:15:38.086 --> 00:15:40.188
  • I want to disrupt your smugness.
  • 00:15:40.188 --> 00:15:44.125
  • So many of the people who were introduced in scripture are very
  • 00:15:44.125 --> 00:15:46.461
  • Deeply rooted in a life with god and very uncooperative.
  • 00:15:46.461 --> 00:15:51.933
  • Jesus told a parable about a pharisee and a very
  • 00:15:51.933 --> 00:15:55.003
  • Public sinner.
  • 00:15:55.003 --> 00:15:56.471
  • And the public sinner had a better god attitude than the
  • 00:15:56.471 --> 00:15:58.740
  • Very religious person.
  • 00:15:58.740 --> 00:16:01.109
  • Should give us pause, we're in church frequently.
  • 00:16:01.109 --> 00:16:04.679
  • And jonah's a prophet, somebody god trusts with a message.
  • 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:09.150
  • Somebody that god has designed an assignment that he thinks is
  • 00:16:09.150 --> 00:16:11.652
  • Unique enough that he's pretty persistent with jonah.
  • 00:16:11.652 --> 00:16:14.722
  • And yet jonah says, no, i don't wanna do that.
  • 00:16:14.722 --> 00:16:18.993
  • And i really think the root of it was he didn't like the
  • 00:16:18.993 --> 00:16:21.496
  • Political implications of it.
  • 00:16:21.496 --> 00:16:24.932
  • He understood assyria was the rising empire, the greatest
  • 00:16:24.932 --> 00:16:27.769
  • Threat to the liberties and the freedoms of the people of israel
  • 00:16:27.769 --> 00:16:31.572
  • And he would have much rather seen god's judgment poured out
  • 00:16:31.572 --> 00:16:33.941
  • Upon them than god's blessings.
  • 00:16:33.941 --> 00:16:35.476
  • And when god said, "i want you to go give them a message to
  • 00:16:35.476 --> 00:16:37.545
  • Repent," he said, "no, i don't want to."
  • 00:16:37.545 --> 00:16:41.182
  • In fact, when they did repent and judgment didn't come,
  • 00:16:41.182 --> 00:16:43.851
  • Remember what jonah said?
  • 00:16:43.851 --> 00:16:45.920
  • "i'm so mad i wanna die."
  • 00:16:45.920 --> 00:16:51.059
  • And god said, "what's wrong with you?"
  • 00:16:51.059 --> 00:16:53.127
  • Living bible.
  • 00:16:53.127 --> 00:16:55.663
  • "what's wrong with you?
  • 00:16:55.663 --> 00:16:57.799
  • You're more upset about your shade drying up than you are the
  • 00:16:57.799 --> 00:17:01.702
  • People of this city."
  • 00:17:01.702 --> 00:17:05.273
  • And the real answer was, "well, i perceived them as a threat."
  • 00:17:05.273 --> 00:17:11.679
  • But in the middle of the belly of the whale, jonah realizes
  • 00:17:11.679 --> 00:17:17.285
  • He's desperate.
  • 00:17:17.285 --> 00:17:19.620
  • It's in your notes.
  • 00:17:19.620 --> 00:17:22.156
  • "from inside the fish jonah prayed," no kidding.
  • 00:17:22.156 --> 00:17:28.463
  • "and he said, 'in my distress i called to the lord, and he
  • 00:17:28.463 --> 00:17:30.998
  • Answered me.
  • 00:17:30.998 --> 00:17:32.333
  • From the depths of the grave i called for help, and you
  • 00:17:32.333 --> 00:17:33.935
  • Listened to my cry.'"
  • 00:17:33.935 --> 00:17:35.736
  • And then we're given just a little bit of the prayer.
  • 00:17:35.736 --> 00:17:38.973
  • "with a song of thanksgiving, i will sacrifice to you.
  • 00:17:38.973 --> 00:17:44.245
  • What i have vowed i will make good."
  • 00:17:44.245 --> 00:17:46.581
  • With the song of thanksgiving in a dark, frightening,
  • 00:17:46.581 --> 00:17:51.052
  • Uncomfortable, terrifying, miserable place, jonah said, "i
  • 00:17:51.052 --> 00:17:56.090
  • Will give thanks to the lord."
  • 00:17:56.090 --> 00:17:59.193
  • That's just not easily done, folks.
  • 00:17:59.193 --> 00:18:00.695
  • That's not an emotional response.
  • 00:18:00.695 --> 00:18:02.697
  • That's not feeling-based prayers.
  • 00:18:02.697 --> 00:18:06.601
  • Well, our christianity is way too squishy.
  • 00:18:06.601 --> 00:18:09.537
  • If you're gonna have a garden, you don't just tend it on the
  • 00:18:09.537 --> 00:18:11.405
  • Days where it's comfortable and cool.
  • 00:18:11.405 --> 00:18:14.976
  • If you're gonna get a good harvest from your efforts,
  • 00:18:14.976 --> 00:18:18.146
  • You're gonna work it when it's inconvenient, you're
  • 00:18:18.146 --> 00:18:19.981
  • Gonna--you'll have to put in effort that most people won't
  • 00:18:19.981 --> 00:18:22.016
  • Put in.
  • 00:18:22.016 --> 00:18:24.018
  • You gotta have a vision for what you want weeks and months before
  • 00:18:24.018 --> 00:18:27.755
  • You're actually going to attain it.
  • 00:18:27.755 --> 00:18:29.123
  • There's some delayed gratification in that.
  • 00:18:29.123 --> 00:18:30.791
  • There's an investment that's somewhat faith based 'cause
  • 00:18:30.791 --> 00:18:33.594
  • Without the part that you can't do, without the moisture and the
  • 00:18:33.594 --> 00:18:35.997
  • Sunshine and all the intangibles, you could invest
  • 00:18:35.997 --> 00:18:39.200
  • All that effort and not get very much for it.
  • 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:43.471
  • Are we willing to give thanks to the lord?
  • 00:18:43.471 --> 00:18:46.674
  • It starts in our thoughts.
  • 00:18:46.674 --> 00:18:49.677
  • And it'll find its way to our words and if we will stay
  • 00:18:49.677 --> 00:18:53.014
  • Focused and determined and persistent, it will end up
  • 00:18:53.014 --> 00:18:56.717
  • Defining our reality.
  • 00:18:56.717 --> 00:18:59.187
  • I brought you another example.
  • 00:18:59.187 --> 00:19:00.555
  • Again, it's a very familiar story.
  • 00:19:00.555 --> 00:19:02.723
  • It's paul, and at this point, his traveling team is silas.
  • 00:19:02.723 --> 00:19:07.862
  • And they've been stripped and beaten.
  • 00:19:07.862 --> 00:19:09.931
  • That's humiliating in any generation.
  • 00:19:09.931 --> 00:19:13.668
  • Arrested in public, stripped and beaten.
  • 00:19:13.668 --> 00:19:15.903
  • That is not the way to launch your ministry.
  • 00:19:15.903 --> 00:19:21.509
  • See, if we start a small group initiative and you invite four
  • 00:19:21.509 --> 00:19:24.912
  • People and three of them say no, you're like, oh, i tried.
  • 00:19:24.912 --> 00:19:28.683
  • I invited four people and three of them said no.
  • 00:19:28.683 --> 00:19:32.386
  • And one of them was my wife and the other was my brother and--
  • 00:19:32.386 --> 00:19:38.759
  • I mean, i read this and we read it like it's normal, but there's
  • 00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:42.263
  • Nothing about this scenario that fits into our
  • 00:19:42.263 --> 00:19:45.032
  • Experience profile.
  • 00:19:45.032 --> 00:19:46.534
  • "and after they've been severely beaten, they were thrown into
  • 00:19:46.534 --> 00:19:49.103
  • Prison, and the jailer commanded the guard to guard them.
  • 00:19:49.103 --> 00:19:52.907
  • And he put them in the inner cell, and he fastened their feet
  • 00:19:52.907 --> 00:19:55.543
  • In the stocks."
  • 00:19:55.543 --> 00:19:56.877
  • I mean, everything about this is uncomfortable.
  • 00:19:56.877 --> 00:19:59.113
  • "at about midnight paul and silas," were complaining about
  • 00:19:59.113 --> 00:20:02.883
  • Who had planned this missions trip.
  • 00:20:02.883 --> 00:20:04.752
  • How many of you know the story, we've all heard it a 100 times
  • 00:20:04.752 --> 00:20:09.156
  • In a message of one kind or another, they're praying and
  • 00:20:09.156 --> 00:20:11.392
  • Singing hymns to god.
  • 00:20:11.392 --> 00:20:14.295
  • And we read that like, oh, isn't that sweet?
  • 00:20:14.295 --> 00:20:16.163
  • No, it's not. that's hard.
  • 00:20:16.163 --> 00:20:18.599
  • It's difficult, it's uncomfortable.
  • 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:20.468
  • It goes against every emotion they had, it's illogical.
  • 00:20:20.468 --> 00:20:24.538
  • They didn't feel like it.
  • 00:20:24.538 --> 00:20:28.209
  • Paul, we got here 'cause of that stinking vision you had.
  • 00:20:28.209 --> 00:20:30.511
  • It wasn't a vision, it was indigestion.
  • 00:20:30.511 --> 00:20:33.748
  • What were you thinking?
  • 00:20:33.748 --> 00:20:36.550
  • I mean, i read that and i think, how did they have the awareness
  • 00:20:36.550 --> 00:20:38.919
  • And understanding to recognize there was a spiritual conflict
  • 00:20:38.919 --> 00:20:41.922
  • Raging that had left marks on their physical body and yet they
  • 00:20:41.922 --> 00:20:48.362
  • Didn't disengage?
  • 00:20:48.362 --> 00:20:51.532
  • They didn't say, "this is too difficult.
  • 00:20:51.532 --> 00:20:56.737
  • We have contusions.
  • 00:20:56.737 --> 00:20:58.072
  • We are bleeding.
  • 00:20:58.072 --> 00:21:00.341
  • We've been humiliated.
  • 00:21:00.341 --> 00:21:01.709
  • We have lost all of our momentum."
  • 00:21:01.709 --> 00:21:04.945
  • But rather than seeing it from that vantage point, they said,
  • 00:21:04.945 --> 00:21:08.316
  • "god is doing something.
  • 00:21:08.316 --> 00:21:09.650
  • There's tremendous opposition so there has to be something
  • 00:21:09.650 --> 00:21:11.919
  • Tremendous god has for us."
  • 00:21:11.919 --> 00:21:16.023
  • There was something in their thoughts that is too deficient
  • 00:21:16.023 --> 00:21:19.894
  • Amongst us.
  • 00:21:19.894 --> 00:21:21.228
  • I live in the midst of the people of god and i'm grateful
  • 00:21:21.228 --> 00:21:24.031
  • For that, but i'm telling you there's a great opportunity in
  • 00:21:24.031 --> 00:21:27.668
  • Front of us.
  • 00:21:27.668 --> 00:21:29.036
  • If we can transform our thoughts and then our words, we will have
  • 00:21:29.036 --> 00:21:32.006
  • A different kind of a future.
  • 00:21:32.006 --> 00:21:35.476
  • The devil will be so concerned when you roll up in a new job or
  • 00:21:35.476 --> 00:21:39.280
  • A new community or a new season of opportunity that he'll start
  • 00:21:39.280 --> 00:21:44.251
  • Disruptions ahead of any logical reason to do it.
  • 00:21:44.251 --> 00:21:50.624
  • You know the end of it.
  • 00:21:50.624 --> 00:21:51.992
  • There's an earthquake and the chains fall off and the jails
  • 00:21:51.992 --> 00:21:55.262
  • Opened and the jailer and his family accept the lord and
  • 00:21:55.262 --> 00:21:59.066
  • They're baptized and they care for paul.
  • 00:21:59.066 --> 00:22:00.801
  • He makes the magistrates of the city come down and apologize.
  • 00:22:00.801 --> 00:22:05.373
  • Not sneaking out of town.
  • 00:22:05.373 --> 00:22:08.609
  • But the bigger principle is important--that thanksgiving and
  • 00:22:08.609 --> 00:22:11.712
  • Praise, they prepare a way for the involvement of god in
  • 00:22:11.712 --> 00:22:14.782
  • Your life.
  • 00:22:14.782 --> 00:22:16.150
  • If you would like god more involved in your life, if there
  • 00:22:16.150 --> 00:22:18.552
  • Are circumstances where the only imaginable outcome, acceptable
  • 00:22:18.552 --> 00:22:21.956
  • Outcome is that, you begin to thank god.
  • 00:22:21.956 --> 00:22:26.060
  • God, i thank you that you'll make a way,
  • 00:22:26.060 --> 00:22:28.496
  • That you'll open a door,
  • 00:22:28.496 --> 00:22:29.864
  • That you'll bring life to our bodies or peace to our minds or
  • 00:22:29.864 --> 00:22:32.600
  • Hope to this circumstance.
  • 00:22:32.600 --> 00:22:34.802
  • Whatever it may be, lord, there's an immovable wall or an
  • 00:22:34.802 --> 00:22:38.105
  • Impassable barrier and you're the--you can make a way through
  • 00:22:38.105 --> 00:22:41.242
  • That or around that or over that or under that or whatever you
  • 00:22:41.242 --> 00:22:44.545
  • Need to do, god, i wanna give you thanks for that.
  • 00:22:44.545 --> 00:22:47.948
  • Or, god, i'm discouraged and i'm tired and i'm weary, but i'm
  • 00:22:47.948 --> 00:22:51.719
  • Gonna choose to say thank you.
  • 00:22:51.719 --> 00:22:53.154
  • I'm gonna give glory to you.
  • 00:22:53.154 --> 00:22:55.256
  • Whether you move the rock or not, you are worthy of all glory
  • 00:22:55.256 --> 00:22:58.192
  • And honor and praise and thanksgiving and i will
  • 00:22:58.192 --> 00:23:00.928
  • Not relent.
  • 00:23:00.928 --> 00:23:02.797
  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:23:02.797 --> 00:23:05.933
  • You see, there's something fundamental that we've got to
  • 00:23:05.933 --> 00:23:08.135
  • Bring to it.
  • 00:23:08.135 --> 00:23:09.503
  • It doesn't matter if anybody else joins you.
  • 00:23:09.503 --> 00:23:12.640
  • People say to me, "well, pastor just nobody worships."
  • 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:14.708
  • Why don't you?
  • 00:23:14.708 --> 00:23:21.415
  • When everybody else is worshiping, adding one more--
  • 00:23:21.415 --> 00:23:23.384
  • That's not difficult.
  • 00:23:23.384 --> 00:23:24.718
  • That's groupthink.
  • 00:23:24.718 --> 00:23:26.086
  • That's not too hard to build on.
  • 00:23:26.086 --> 00:23:27.788
  • And there's times and places, there's a momentum in that and
  • 00:23:27.788 --> 00:23:30.024
  • We may use it to help extend something, but the reality is
  • 00:23:30.024 --> 00:23:33.561
  • It's an individual decision.
  • 00:23:33.561 --> 00:23:36.063
  • I'm really not talking to you about something corporate.
  • 00:23:36.063 --> 00:23:38.032
  • I'm talking about if you want a crop of godliness in your life,
  • 00:23:38.032 --> 00:23:42.470
  • It's gonna have a great deal to do with the thoughts that you
  • 00:23:42.470 --> 00:23:45.272
  • Intentionally cultivate and the words that give expression
  • 00:23:45.272 --> 00:23:48.576
  • To that.
  • 00:23:48.576 --> 00:23:51.812
  • Every bit is intentional, if you wanna lose a bit of weight.
  • 00:23:51.812 --> 00:23:57.985
  • If you're past about 25, that's not random.
  • 00:23:57.985 --> 00:24:02.356
  • If you're 19, i don't wanna hear about your diet.
  • 00:24:02.356 --> 00:24:06.227
  • Your metabolism's disgusting.
  • 00:24:06.227 --> 00:24:12.199
  • And we're jealous.
  • 00:24:12.199 --> 00:24:15.269
  • Praise will silence the enemy, which is a very, very, very
  • 00:24:15.269 --> 00:24:19.240
  • Powerful tool.
  • 00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:22.009
  • If you can silence your enemy,
  • 00:24:22.009 --> 00:24:25.613
  • You know how powerful that is, to shut down the opposition?
  • 00:24:25.613 --> 00:24:31.585
  • Psalm 8 and verse 2 says, "from the lips of children and infants
  • 00:24:31.585 --> 00:24:34.388
  • You have ordained praise because of your enemies,
  • 00:24:34.388 --> 00:24:38.559
  • To silence the foe and the avenger."
  • 00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:43.464
  • Wow.
  • 00:24:43.464 --> 00:24:45.599
  • We have underestimated this.
  • 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:49.470
  • In revelation 12, it says, "the accuser of our brothers, who
  • 00:24:49.470 --> 00:24:54.074
  • Accuses them before our god day and night has been hurled down."
  • 00:24:54.074 --> 00:24:58.812
  • It's a scene in revelation of the throne of god, and satan is
  • 00:24:58.812 --> 00:25:02.182
  • Portrayed, presented to us--one of the titles given to him is
  • 00:25:02.182 --> 00:25:05.352
  • The accuser of the brethren.
  • 00:25:05.352 --> 00:25:09.757
  • In the book of job, you get a little snapshot of that.
  • 00:25:09.757 --> 00:25:11.892
  • Satan presents himself with the angels of light, critical
  • 00:25:11.892 --> 00:25:15.029
  • Of job.
  • 00:25:15.029 --> 00:25:17.298
  • Attacking job, diminishing job.
  • 00:25:17.298 --> 00:25:20.568
  • You know that battle.
  • 00:25:20.568 --> 00:25:22.903
  • Forget how satan got to heaven with the, you know, sometimes
  • 00:25:22.903 --> 00:25:26.307
  • I'm fascinated at how we process this stuff.
  • 00:25:26.307 --> 00:25:28.442
  • I've been in multiple bible studies.
  • 00:25:28.442 --> 00:25:30.544
  • We spend the whole time discussing how satan managed to
  • 00:25:30.544 --> 00:25:33.047
  • Appear with the angels of light.
  • 00:25:33.047 --> 00:25:35.249
  • Does he have access to the throne of god?
  • 00:25:35.249 --> 00:25:38.352
  • I mean i'm okay with the questions, but here's
  • 00:25:38.352 --> 00:25:40.187
  • The reality.
  • 00:25:40.187 --> 00:25:42.256
  • Satan puts all kinds of thoughts in your head on a very
  • 00:25:42.256 --> 00:25:44.858
  • Regular basis.
  • 00:25:44.858 --> 00:25:46.660
  • And i would submit to you it's far more important to know what
  • 00:25:46.660 --> 00:25:48.829
  • To do with the ungodly thoughts that will cripple our momentum
  • 00:25:48.829 --> 00:25:52.399
  • And our growth than it is to answer every theological nuance
  • 00:25:52.399 --> 00:25:56.203
  • And subtlety that you can find with the persistent study
  • 00:25:56.203 --> 00:25:59.139
  • Of scripture.
  • 00:25:59.139 --> 00:26:00.841
  • And i'm an advocate for the persistent study of scripture.
  • 00:26:00.841 --> 00:26:03.444
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:04.511 --> 00:26:11.118
  • Allen: you know, i'm so grateful to have had a few minutes
  • 00:26:11.185 --> 00:26:13.320
  • With you today.
  • 00:26:13.320 --> 00:26:14.655
  • These opportunities to open the word of god and open our lives
  • 00:26:14.655 --> 00:26:17.224
  • And invite god into the midst of it,
  • 00:26:17.224 --> 00:26:18.626
  • They're transformational.
  • 00:26:18.626 --> 00:26:20.594
  • I've learned to never take them for granted.
  • 00:26:20.594 --> 00:26:22.262
  • I used to imagine that they were unlimited,
  • 00:26:22.262 --> 00:26:24.064
  • That we could do it forever.
  • 00:26:24.064 --> 00:26:25.766
  • Every time i have an opportunity to talk with a friend and make a
  • 00:26:25.766 --> 00:26:28.869
  • Journey through the word of god for a bit,
  • 00:26:28.869 --> 00:26:31.205
  • I think it's something precious.
  • 00:26:31.205 --> 00:26:32.673
  • It's a gift from god.
  • 00:26:32.673 --> 00:26:34.008
  • I'm grateful we had this time together.
  • 00:26:34.008 --> 00:26:35.809
  • I've got a new book.
  • 00:26:35.809 --> 00:26:37.244
  • It's called "my friend jesus."
  • 00:26:37.244 --> 00:26:38.946
  • It's the culmination of years of my own spiritual journey,
  • 00:26:38.946 --> 00:26:41.682
  • Kind of peeling away the formality of theology and ritual
  • 00:26:41.682 --> 00:26:45.085
  • And routine, and opening the heart of what it means to be a
  • 00:26:45.085 --> 00:26:47.521
  • Christ follower.
  • 00:26:47.521 --> 00:26:48.856
  • I wanna live as jesus's friend.
  • 00:26:48.856 --> 00:26:50.624
  • When i'm in trouble, i call my friends.
  • 00:26:50.624 --> 00:26:52.826
  • When they're in trouble and i can help,
  • 00:26:52.826 --> 00:26:54.294
  • It's the delight of my life.
  • 00:26:54.294 --> 00:26:55.863
  • Well, i wanna pray with you.
  • 00:26:55.863 --> 00:26:57.197
  • Let's invite my friend jesus into the midst of our world.
  • 00:26:57.197 --> 00:27:00.000
  • He changes everything.
  • 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:01.635
  • Heavenly father, i thank you that you love us,
  • 00:27:01.635 --> 00:27:03.537
  • That you sent your son.
  • 00:27:03.537 --> 00:27:04.972
  • We need his help, his strength, his wisdom.
  • 00:27:04.972 --> 00:27:07.307
  • Open our hearts to know him as we've never known him before.
  • 00:27:07.307 --> 00:27:10.344
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:10.344 --> 00:27:27.327