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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Unfamiliar Paths (Part 2)

March 10, 2025 | 27:29

Allen Jackson - Unfamiliar Paths (Part 2)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#Faith #TrustGod #Healing #SeekGod #Religion #Mind #Thinking #Miracles #AllenJacksonMinistries #AllenJackson

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Unfamiliar Paths (Part 2) | March 10, 2025
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: and mark chapter 10,
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  • Jesus is on his way to jerusalem.
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  • The last city he'll pass through, the significant
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  • City is jericho.
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  • It's one of the oldest oases in the world, one of the oldest
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  • Inhabited locations on the planet.
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  • It's a miserable hot place at the north end of the dead sea.
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  • And jesus is moving through there on his way to jerusalem,
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  • And there's a man there who's a beggar, he's blind.
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  • You know the story, many of you.
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  • His name is bartimaeus.
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  • He's the son of timaeus.
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  • And when he hears that jesus is coming through town, he starts
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  • To scream, "have mercy on me."
  • 00:00:36.820 --> 00:00:38.955
  • Now, i don't know how he knew about jesus.
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  • I don't know if this is nearing the end of jesus's ministry.
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  • I don't know if his reputation had grown to the point that he'd
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  • Heard stories of blind people being healed.
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  • I don't know.
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  • There's enough drama around it that zachaeus in jericho climbs
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  • The tree 'cause he wants to see jesus.
  • 00:00:54.304 --> 00:00:56.639
  • So, perhaps the reputation is driving this, but when this
  • 00:00:56.639 --> 00:00:59.909
  • Blind beggar hears that jesus is coming through town, he decides
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  • To be a nuisance.
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  • That's where we step in.
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  • "many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all
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  • The more, son of david, have mercy on me!"
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  • The more they tried to shut him up, the louder he got.
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  • "and jesus stopped and said, 'call him.'
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  • So, they called to the blind man, 'cheer up!
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  • On your feet! he's calling you.'
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  • Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and he came
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  • To jesus."
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  • And jesus asked him this question, "what do you want me
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  • To do for you?"
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  • Now, when you're reading this, you think, "well, that's
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  • Obvious," but it isn't so obvious.
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  • I mean, he has the attention of jesus.
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  • "what would you like me to do for you?"
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  • I can't imagine the battle that rages in him.
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  • I suspect all of heaven grew a bit still.
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  • What will he say?
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  • I promise you there was a great battle in his mind and
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  • His thoughts.
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  • You can't ask for that.
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  • "'lord, i want to see,' he said, 'i wanna see.'"
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  • He's been screaming.
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  • I suspect he said it with some authority.
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  • "i would like to see, sir."
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  • You know what jesus said next?
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  • "your faith has healed you."
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  • And the man could see.
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  • You think he was loud before?
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  • Whoo-hoo!
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  • Game on.
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  • Walking around looking at the crowd, "oh, you don't look like
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  • Your voice.
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  • You had a young thin voice.
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  • You had such a beautiful voice."
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  • Well, most of us don't look like our voices.
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  • I want to see.
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  • There were many rebukes.
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  • There was no meaningful support.
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  • There was no support group.
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  • They didn't pry open a hole in the roof and let him down in
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  • Front of jesus.
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  • They're trying to shut him down.
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  • Jesus initiated the interaction.
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  • He said, "call him, i want to talk to that man."
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  • "what is it you want with me?"
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  • "lord, i want to see."
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  • I've been praying that lately, "lord, i wanna see.
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  • I want understanding.
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  • I would like insight."
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  • I'm not content to say i know all the important things.
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  • I've learned all the things that are really necessary.
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  • Lord, i wanna walk unfamiliar paths.
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  • I need you to open my eyes.
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  • In luke 24, this is a part of our reading portion.
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  • This is after the resurrection.
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  • After the resurrection, there's a great debate amongst
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  • The disciples.
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  • The women go to the tomb and the tomb is empty, and they come
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  • Back with some story about having seen angels, and the
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  • Men go look and the tomb is empty, but they don't see any
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  • Angels and they don't believe the women.
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  • Gee, that's never happened since.
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  • And now these two men are on a--traveling to a city that's
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  • Seven miles beyond jerusalem and a man joins them and talks to
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  • Them and they said, you know, "haven't you heard what's
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  • Happened in jerusalem?
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  • We thought everybody had heard. we had hoped."
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  • They said, "we had hoped that this man jesus was the messiah,
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  • But the romans killed him.
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  • We had hope, but the romans killed our hope.
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  • And it's been three days and we've left town."
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  • And we step into that story.
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  • Says, "when he was at the table with them, he took bread," he is
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  • Jesus, "and he gave thanks, he broke it and began to give it
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  • To them.
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  • Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he
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  • Disappeared from their sight."
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  • To understand that passage, we have to think about something
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  • More than the physical dimension because that's not just about
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  • Physical eyesight or awareness of jesus.
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  • It's not their physical eyesight which is limited.
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  • They're walking along a road, they recognized a stranger, they
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  • Joined him, they've been having a dialogue, their minds are
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  • Working, but the grief is great, the despair is great.
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  • They have limited understanding and awareness.
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  • Great enough to--the despair is enough that it's limited
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  • Their perception.
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  • And it just says in that 31st verse that, "their eyes were
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  • Opened and they recognized jesus."
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  • It wasn't like, you know, he moved his jacket and they saw
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  • His name tag.
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  • They knew enough about it and they've recited his story.
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  • It's there in the gospel account.
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  • It's not unrealistic to think they had heard him minister or
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  • Certainly knew about him, but they don't see, they lack
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  • The awareness.
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  • So, i have a question, what limits our perception?
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  • What do you imagine could keep us from seeing and understanding
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  • What god is doing?
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  • There's a whole list of things.
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  • We can come back and talk about spiritual blindness, but not in
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  • This session.
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  • In john chapter 3, jesus is having a discussion
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  • With nicodemus.
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  • It's the born again passage.
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  • Most of you know that part.
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  • But nicodemus is a religious leader.
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  • He's a leader of the jews, but he comes to jesus at night.
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  • He doesn't want to have the encounter in the daytime.
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  • He very much wants to be certain that the conversation
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  • Remains private.
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  • And jesus says to him, "i tell you the truth," and you know by
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  • Now when you see that little phrase, a truth bomb is about
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  • To drop.
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  • "i tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of god
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  • Unless he's born again."
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  • Now, the word "see" there i suppose could have more than
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  • One definition.
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  • I suppose you could extrapolate a bit that
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  • To see means to enter.
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  • You can't see the kingdom, you can't enter, but he didn't
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  • Say enter.
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  • He said see.
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  • You can't see the kingdom of god.
  • 00:07:14.517 --> 00:07:17.053
  • Another way of understanding that, perhaps a more literal way
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  • Is you can't have awareness of the kingdom of god until you're
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  • Born again.
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  • It remains opaque to you.
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  • It takes a step of faith.
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  • "nicodemus, you know much scripture.
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  • You're an expert in the rules.
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  • You even have the heart of a searcher, you've come to
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  • See me."
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  • Said, "no one could do the things you're doing unless god
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  • Were with him."
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  • I mean, jesus chides him.
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  • It's a little bit of an awkward conversation.
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  • "how can you be a leader of my people and not understand this?"
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  • He said.
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  • But he gives us this key about insight.
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  • He said, "until you're born again, there are things that
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  • Remain invisible to you."
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  • You see, if spiritual things are completely invisible to you, i
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  • Would encourage you to begin by being certain that you've taken
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  • That step with jesus as lord of your life.
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  • I don't mean a prayer someplace in the distant past.
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  • I mean, are you living as if jesus is lord of your life?
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  • I'm not suggesting you lost anything.
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  • I'm suggesting there should be fruit from it.
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  • And if we can't see, i think the place we want to begin is by
  • 00:08:19.215 --> 00:08:25.755
  • Establishing our participation in the kingdom.
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  • So, i brought you another prayer.
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  • It's a version of one i've been praying myself for quite a
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  • Bit now.
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  • Quite a season.
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  • It's really an acknowledgement that i wanna see.
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  • I wanna see more than i've been able to.
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  • Not because i'm nosy, not because i wanna rebuke god.
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  • I don't want to stumble around in the dark.
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  • I don't want to have to fumble.
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  • I don't wanna have to navigate by painful interruptions of
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  • Things that i don't see.
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  • How do we--i want to engage with as much awareness as the lord
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  • Will give to me.
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  • Don't you?
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  • Are you asking the lord for that?
  • 00:09:13.903 --> 00:09:17.039
  • See, i find we have this passive component to our faith.
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  • "well, i'm open for whatever god has for me."
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  • That's not what the bible says.
  • 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:26.215
  • The bible says that, "god is the rewarder of those who diligently
  • 00:09:26.215 --> 00:09:28.985
  • Seek him," that if we hunger and thirst after righteousness,
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  • We'll be filled.
  • 00:09:31.721 --> 00:09:33.055
  • He didn't say we'll be filled if we're just open.
  • 00:09:33.055 --> 00:09:38.294
  • We've had this passing, "well, you know, god will do whatever.
  • 00:09:38.294 --> 00:09:40.630
  • Just god, whatever your will is."
  • 00:09:40.630 --> 00:09:44.500
  • And we think we're being so pious.
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  • "i don't wanna be presumptive, so i'm just open to the will
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  • Of god."
  • 00:09:50.606 --> 00:09:51.974
  • How about presume to read your bible until you can understand
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  • Enough of god's will to pray in accordance with scripture.
  • 00:09:54.543 --> 00:10:01.917
  • "well, pastor, i've been born again and i've been baptized.
  • 00:10:01.917 --> 00:10:06.589
  • What are you?"
  • 00:10:06.589 --> 00:10:10.559
  • I'm inviting you to serve the lord.
  • 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:14.730
  • Angels, demons, and you.
  • 00:10:14.730 --> 00:10:19.568
  • I brought you a prayer.
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  • Let's read this one together.
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  • We're not done yet. don't run for the exits.
  • 00:10:23.005 --> 00:10:26.008
  • "almighty god, we want to see!
  • 00:10:26.008 --> 00:10:29.211
  • Open our hearts to see!
  • 00:10:29.211 --> 00:10:31.347
  • Grant us wisdom and insight that we might serve you.
  • 00:10:31.347 --> 00:10:35.284
  • Deliver us from confusion, deception, and darkness.
  • 00:10:35.284 --> 00:10:38.988
  • We choose to turn our attention to you and away from this
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  • Present world order.
  • 00:10:42.291 --> 00:10:44.093
  • Holy spirit, direct our attention and grant us
  • 00:10:44.093 --> 00:10:47.430
  • Understanding in jesus' name, amen."
  • 00:10:47.430 --> 00:10:53.369
  • Allen: hey, i believe 2025 is gonna be a year of change,
  • 00:10:57.540 --> 00:11:01.043
  • Significant change, and i don't think it's gonna be limited to
  • 00:11:01.043 --> 00:11:04.647
  • Washington, dc.
  • 00:11:04.647 --> 00:11:06.382
  • I think in that, there's a tremendous opportunity.
  • 00:11:06.382 --> 00:11:08.484
  • It's not a threat to me. it's really a promise from god.
  • 00:11:08.484 --> 00:11:11.353
  • In fact, i want to suggest that we take this year as a year for
  • 00:11:11.353 --> 00:11:13.956
  • Some real breakthroughs, that we imagine god's intervention in
  • 00:11:13.956 --> 00:11:17.359
  • Our lives, in our homes, in our communities, in our
  • 00:11:17.359 --> 00:11:20.162
  • Congregations, in our nation.
  • 00:11:20.162 --> 00:11:22.498
  • Well, to do that we can't just maintain the status quo.
  • 00:11:22.498 --> 00:11:25.367
  • We've got to be willing to be different.
  • 00:11:25.367 --> 00:11:26.869
  • So i wanna suggest a tool.
  • 00:11:26.869 --> 00:11:28.370
  • It's a book i have written called, "intentional faith," and
  • 00:11:28.370 --> 00:11:31.741
  • It invites you towards some very simple behaviors, but if you
  • 00:11:31.741 --> 00:11:35.411
  • Will build in the intent for them to become a part of your
  • 00:11:35.411 --> 00:11:38.714
  • Routine, it opens your life to god's intervention, it
  • 00:11:38.714 --> 00:11:42.651
  • Facilitates breakthroughs.
  • 00:11:42.651 --> 00:11:44.487
  • Let's not just be passive and hope god does something.
  • 00:11:44.487 --> 00:11:47.389
  • Let's choose a pathway where we raise our hand and say, "god, we
  • 00:11:47.389 --> 00:11:50.526
  • Are here, we will cooperate."
  • 00:11:50.526 --> 00:11:52.394
  • And let's make 2025 a year of god's breakthrough for each
  • 00:11:52.394 --> 00:11:56.499
  • Of us.
  • 00:11:56.499 --> 00:11:58.334
  • Female announcer: think of the places where you are purposely
  • 00:11:58.334 --> 00:12:00.503
  • And intentionally saying yes to god.
  • 00:12:00.503 --> 00:12:03.139
  • Maybe it's reading your bible every day or being faithful
  • 00:12:03.139 --> 00:12:06.075
  • To pray.
  • 00:12:06.075 --> 00:12:07.409
  • It might be helping a neighbor instead of pretending you don't
  • 00:12:07.409 --> 00:12:09.779
  • Notice their need.
  • 00:12:09.779 --> 00:12:11.147
  • When you take time to purposely seek god and follow his lead,
  • 00:12:11.147 --> 00:12:14.817
  • You begin to see breakthroughs emerge, change in your faith,
  • 00:12:14.817 --> 00:12:18.120
  • Your life, and your relationship that only god could orchestrate.
  • 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:21.924
  • Pastor allen's book, "intentional faith," provides
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  • Ten simple things you can do to invite god's direction into your
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  • Life and help you draw closer to him.
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  • It provides a pathway to help deepen your faith in just
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  • 100 days.
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  • Allen: and i wanna plant a seed.
  • 00:12:51.053 --> 00:12:52.388
  • I really want to ask you to spend some
  • 00:12:52.388 --> 00:12:53.756
  • Time reflecting on it.
  • 00:12:53.756 --> 00:12:56.559
  • Allow the spirit of god to make it real to you.
  • 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:59.128
  • You wanna think consciously about the places where you are
  • 00:12:59.128 --> 00:13:02.364
  • Purposefully, very intentionally, saying yes to the
  • 00:13:02.364 --> 00:13:06.035
  • Lord, and i would submit to you, you want that list to grow.
  • 00:13:06.035 --> 00:13:11.707
  • You don't want to reflect upon it.
  • 00:13:11.707 --> 00:13:13.275
  • You don't wanna--it's not like a history lesson: "these are the
  • 00:13:13.275 --> 00:13:15.611
  • Places where i did say yes to the lord."
  • 00:13:15.611 --> 00:13:18.714
  • You wanna be able to tell that narrative in the way, "these are
  • 00:13:18.714 --> 00:13:20.816
  • The places where i am currently engaged with god," because those
  • 00:13:20.816 --> 00:13:25.855
  • Are the places where breakthroughs emerge.
  • 00:13:25.855 --> 00:13:28.791
  • Absent those, i believe you are forfeiting god's interventions.
  • 00:13:28.791 --> 00:13:35.664
  • Allen: let's choose to cooperate with god's breakthrough and make
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  • 2025 a year where we see god's best in our lives, our
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  • Homes, and our families.
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  • Announcer: request your book and journal today at
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  • Allenjackson.com or by calling...
  • 00:13:48.510 --> 00:13:54.950
  • Allen: so, that first direction is i wanna see.
  • 00:13:57.620 --> 00:13:59.255
  • I wanna add one more to it.
  • 00:13:59.255 --> 00:14:01.023
  • Help my unbelief, and particularly in the context of
  • 00:14:01.023 --> 00:14:05.494
  • Spiritual power, folks.
  • 00:14:05.494 --> 00:14:07.529
  • We're not gonna outthink evil or outwork evil or
  • 00:14:07.529 --> 00:14:09.632
  • Out-organize evil.
  • 00:14:09.632 --> 00:14:11.000
  • We need a power greater than ourselves.
  • 00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:13.702
  • And the good news is it's available to us, but we don't
  • 00:14:13.702 --> 00:14:16.939
  • Control it.
  • 00:14:16.939 --> 00:14:18.841
  • It requires us to be submitted to an
  • 00:14:18.841 --> 00:14:20.476
  • Authority greater than ourselves.
  • 00:14:20.476 --> 00:14:21.810
  • If we're sitting on the throne of our lives, ruling from a
  • 00:14:21.810 --> 00:14:24.580
  • Carnal position, we should not imagine the power of god will be
  • 00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:27.783
  • Made evident through our lives.
  • 00:14:27.783 --> 00:14:30.152
  • We have to submit to the lordship of jesus.
  • 00:14:30.152 --> 00:14:33.289
  • We have to put to death our old adamic, carnal nature, that
  • 00:14:33.289 --> 00:14:36.158
  • "i think, i want, i feel," and decide we will serve the lord.
  • 00:14:36.158 --> 00:14:43.065
  • In mark chapter 9, there's a father that brings his son to
  • 00:14:43.065 --> 00:14:46.835
  • Jesus and the disciples are ineffective.
  • 00:14:46.835 --> 00:14:52.074
  • And jesus is a bit frustrated with them, and he turns to the
  • 00:14:52.074 --> 00:14:54.877
  • Father and he's asking for the symptomology, and he said,
  • 00:14:54.877 --> 00:14:57.413
  • "well, there's something--there's a spirit that
  • 00:14:57.413 --> 00:14:59.148
  • Throws him into the fire or into the water, it would destroy him.
  • 00:14:59.148 --> 00:15:03.085
  • It happens frequently.
  • 00:15:03.085 --> 00:15:04.420
  • It's happened since he was a child."
  • 00:15:04.420 --> 00:15:07.289
  • "jesus asked the father, 'how long has he been like this?'
  • 00:15:07.289 --> 00:15:09.792
  • 'from childhood.
  • 00:15:09.792 --> 00:15:11.160
  • It's often thrown him into a fire or water to kill him.'"
  • 00:15:11.160 --> 00:15:13.796
  • Do you understand the purpose of satan is to kill you.
  • 00:15:13.796 --> 00:15:17.533
  • He's not content just to tempt you.
  • 00:15:17.533 --> 00:15:20.002
  • He intends to destroy you.
  • 00:15:20.002 --> 00:15:22.671
  • When you entertain him, when you cooperate with him, when you
  • 00:15:22.671 --> 00:15:27.042
  • Give him a place, his objective is destruction.
  • 00:15:27.042 --> 00:15:32.414
  • "'but if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.'
  • 00:15:32.414 --> 00:15:36.485
  • And jesus said, 'if you can?'"
  • 00:15:36.485 --> 00:15:39.521
  • There's a bit of incredulity in jesus.
  • 00:15:39.521 --> 00:15:41.390
  • "if i can?
  • 00:15:41.390 --> 00:15:43.759
  • I speak to the wind and the waves.
  • 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:46.895
  • Is this the first meeting you've been to?
  • 00:15:46.895 --> 00:15:48.530
  • Have you not seen?
  • 00:15:48.530 --> 00:15:49.865
  • If i can?"
  • 00:15:49.865 --> 00:15:51.467
  • I don't know if that's the tone in which jesus said it or not,
  • 00:15:51.467 --> 00:15:53.769
  • To be honest, there's many ways it could be understood, but when
  • 00:15:53.769 --> 00:15:56.705
  • I read it, it's the way i hear it.
  • 00:15:56.705 --> 00:15:59.174
  • "and jesus said, 'everything is possible for him who believes.'"
  • 00:15:59.174 --> 00:16:03.679
  • And the boy's father responded with the cry of a
  • 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:06.315
  • Father's heart.
  • 00:16:06.315 --> 00:16:08.584
  • He said, "oh, i believe.
  • 00:16:08.584 --> 00:16:10.586
  • If you can help my son, i believe.
  • 00:16:10.586 --> 00:16:12.021
  • You tell, i believe it.
  • 00:16:12.021 --> 00:16:13.389
  • If you can help my boy, i believe."
  • 00:16:13.389 --> 00:16:16.358
  • And then his brain overrode his emotions.
  • 00:16:16.358 --> 00:16:19.928
  • And he said, "you better help my unbelief.
  • 00:16:19.928 --> 00:16:24.066
  • Oh, if you could help my boy, i believe, but help my unbelief."
  • 00:16:24.066 --> 00:16:30.472
  • So, i think we need to have that--enough humility to pray
  • 00:16:30.472 --> 00:16:33.909
  • That prayer, "lord help my unbelief."
  • 00:16:33.909 --> 00:16:39.114
  • Folks, we've had such little--we're like peter.
  • 00:16:39.114 --> 00:16:40.816
  • Are we really that dull?
  • 00:16:40.816 --> 00:16:42.151
  • Yeah, we have been.
  • 00:16:42.151 --> 00:16:44.787
  • Do you still not understand jesus would say to
  • 00:16:44.787 --> 00:16:46.755
  • The disciples?
  • 00:16:46.755 --> 00:16:48.590
  • You know, on two occasions he fed thousands of people with a
  • 00:16:48.590 --> 00:16:50.893
  • Happy meal.
  • 00:16:50.893 --> 00:16:53.095
  • I mean, in essence.
  • 00:16:53.095 --> 00:16:55.264
  • And he's climbing into the boat with the disciples one day and
  • 00:16:55.264 --> 00:16:57.466
  • He said, "beware the yeast of the pharisees," and they start
  • 00:16:57.466 --> 00:16:59.568
  • Having an argument.
  • 00:16:59.568 --> 00:17:00.903
  • "he's mad at us 'cause we don't have enough bread."
  • 00:17:00.903 --> 00:17:03.872
  • And jesus just shakes his head and he says, "are you--do you
  • 00:17:03.872 --> 00:17:06.241
  • Still not understand?"
  • 00:17:06.241 --> 00:17:07.609
  • And the answer is no, they really don't.
  • 00:17:07.609 --> 00:17:10.012
  • And i feel like i fit right in with them.
  • 00:17:10.012 --> 00:17:14.016
  • So oftentimes i go, "lord, i feel like i'm in the slow group.
  • 00:17:14.016 --> 00:17:18.921
  • I want to understand. help my unbelief."
  • 00:17:18.921 --> 00:17:21.623
  • Look at john 5, and verse 28.
  • 00:17:21.623 --> 00:17:24.426
  • Jesus, "don't be amazed at this,
  • 00:17:24.426 --> 00:17:25.828
  • There's a time coming when all who are in their graves will
  • 00:17:25.828 --> 00:17:28.063
  • Hear his voice and they'll come out--
  • 00:17:28.063 --> 00:17:30.999
  • Those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have
  • 00:17:30.999 --> 00:17:33.235
  • Done evil will rise to be condemned."
  • 00:17:33.235 --> 00:17:35.938
  • It's fashionable right now to try to diminish judgment, that
  • 00:17:35.938 --> 00:17:41.977
  • God would never condemn anyone.
  • 00:17:41.977 --> 00:17:44.713
  • Folks, the scripture is very clear he will, but the passage
  • 00:17:44.713 --> 00:17:47.015
  • Is a statement about the power of god, a power greater than
  • 00:17:47.015 --> 00:17:50.452
  • Death and decay.
  • 00:17:50.452 --> 00:17:51.820
  • There's a day coming when god will raise those who have died.
  • 00:17:51.820 --> 00:17:56.325
  • He'll bring life to our physical bodies.
  • 00:17:56.325 --> 00:18:00.195
  • Do you think--do you know god has that kind of power?
  • 00:18:00.195 --> 00:18:05.534
  • Do you live like it?
  • 00:18:05.534 --> 00:18:08.303
  • "well, it's--what do you mean?"
  • 00:18:08.303 --> 00:18:09.972
  • I mean, how do--i'm not sure.
  • 00:18:09.972 --> 00:18:11.607
  • We haven't really spent much time thinking about it.
  • 00:18:11.607 --> 00:18:14.810
  • I'm not asking you to be weird.
  • 00:18:14.810 --> 00:18:16.278
  • Weird does not make you spiritual.
  • 00:18:16.278 --> 00:18:20.449
  • There's much we don't understand.
  • 00:18:20.449 --> 00:18:23.585
  • A good scientist will readily tell you there's much they
  • 00:18:23.585 --> 00:18:26.155
  • Don't understand.
  • 00:18:26.155 --> 00:18:27.923
  • That's why they continue to posit a hypothesis and do the
  • 00:18:27.923 --> 00:18:31.460
  • Test and try to learn and observe and understand
  • 00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:33.896
  • More fully.
  • 00:18:33.896 --> 00:18:35.264
  • Surely as christ followers, we could have the same humility of
  • 00:18:35.264 --> 00:18:38.700
  • A learning community.
  • 00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:41.503
  • We'd like to learn and grow.
  • 00:18:41.503 --> 00:18:42.838
  • We will seek, we'll do studies, we'll engage in careful enough
  • 00:18:42.838 --> 00:18:47.910
  • Behaviors that we could call it research.
  • 00:18:47.910 --> 00:18:50.379
  • "holy spirit, teach me, open my eyes."
  • 00:18:50.379 --> 00:18:55.584
  • We act as if belief is something mystical like fairy dust, that
  • 00:18:55.584 --> 00:18:59.988
  • Somebody's gonna sprinkle on us and we've gone from being an
  • 00:18:59.988 --> 00:19:02.090
  • Unbeliever to a believer.
  • 00:19:02.090 --> 00:19:05.794
  • In my life, it's emerged when i've been willing to trust the
  • 00:19:05.794 --> 00:19:08.997
  • Lord and obey the truth that i know and stand in an
  • 00:19:08.997 --> 00:19:12.668
  • Uncomfortable place and go, "i don't know exactly how this is
  • 00:19:12.668 --> 00:19:15.671
  • Gonna turn out, but i believe god will meet me here."
  • 00:19:15.671 --> 00:19:23.045
  • "help my unbelief.
  • 00:19:23.045 --> 00:19:24.746
  • Oh, i wanna believe.
  • 00:19:24.746 --> 00:19:27.282
  • I'll spend more time with your word, i'll spend more time with
  • 00:19:27.282 --> 00:19:29.751
  • People that encourage me to believe.
  • 00:19:29.751 --> 00:19:32.020
  • I wanna see."
  • 00:19:32.020 --> 00:19:39.595
  • We have minimized spiritual power and authority.
  • 00:19:39.595 --> 00:19:43.865
  • We've acted as if another study would fix it.
  • 00:19:43.865 --> 00:19:47.869
  • Most of us are educated way beyond our level of obedience.
  • 00:19:47.869 --> 00:19:55.410
  • We ignore warnings regarding disruptive spiritual things.
  • 00:19:55.410 --> 00:19:59.915
  • He said, "well, i don't, you know, i don't know.
  • 00:19:59.915 --> 00:20:01.483
  • I'm not sure i believe that.
  • 00:20:01.483 --> 00:20:03.986
  • I wish my lack of belief would eliminate the devil."
  • 00:20:03.986 --> 00:20:09.758
  • Look at matthew 26.
  • 00:20:09.758 --> 00:20:11.126
  • I know we gotta go.
  • 00:20:11.126 --> 00:20:13.061
  • This is jesus in gethsemane.
  • 00:20:13.061 --> 00:20:14.396
  • He's being arrested.
  • 00:20:14.396 --> 00:20:16.131
  • The disciples aren't really sure what to do.
  • 00:20:16.131 --> 00:20:19.301
  • Peter draws a sword, some are ready to run.
  • 00:20:19.301 --> 00:20:21.770
  • It's a very confusing time.
  • 00:20:21.770 --> 00:20:23.205
  • They're not prepared for this, and i understand that.
  • 00:20:23.205 --> 00:20:25.907
  • If jesus can speak to the wind and the waves and raise the
  • 00:20:25.907 --> 00:20:29.144
  • Dead, and they've seen him walk through angry mobs that wanted
  • 00:20:29.144 --> 00:20:31.546
  • To kill him, they're totally unprepared for a group of
  • 00:20:31.546 --> 00:20:34.916
  • Soldiers that could lay hands on him.
  • 00:20:34.916 --> 00:20:36.451
  • They have had no experience like this, and they're having a hard
  • 00:20:36.451 --> 00:20:40.555
  • Time processing it.
  • 00:20:40.555 --> 00:20:42.691
  • Jesus has told them some things are gonna happen, but they can't
  • 00:20:42.691 --> 00:20:45.060
  • Believe it.
  • 00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:46.395
  • It's beyond the realm of possibility.
  • 00:20:46.395 --> 00:20:48.330
  • Do you understand that god will put us on a path that is beyond
  • 00:20:48.330 --> 00:20:51.366
  • The realm of what we can imagine?
  • 00:20:51.366 --> 00:20:54.236
  • You know, we think of that in terms of blessings, that god
  • 00:20:54.236 --> 00:20:56.204
  • Would give more to you than you could ever imagine he would
  • 00:20:56.204 --> 00:20:58.340
  • Give, and gratefully, he often does that, but he also puts us
  • 00:20:58.340 --> 00:21:01.543
  • On paths where we walk through things that are more difficult
  • 00:21:01.543 --> 00:21:04.012
  • Than we thought they could be.
  • 00:21:04.012 --> 00:21:06.982
  • When the challenges are so real and the battle is so in the open
  • 00:21:06.982 --> 00:21:10.218
  • And we're like, "i don't know."
  • 00:21:10.218 --> 00:21:11.653
  • I mean, well the disciples are in that place.
  • 00:21:11.653 --> 00:21:14.022
  • They've come to arrest jesus, they've done it at night in a
  • 00:21:14.022 --> 00:21:16.325
  • Private place.
  • 00:21:16.325 --> 00:21:17.693
  • They're afraid of the crowds.
  • 00:21:17.693 --> 00:21:19.027
  • The disciples understand judas is betraying him.
  • 00:21:19.027 --> 00:21:23.265
  • It feels, i mean, how can this be?
  • 00:21:23.265 --> 00:21:26.768
  • Jesus looks at him and says, "do you think i cannot call on my
  • 00:21:26.768 --> 00:21:29.504
  • Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve
  • 00:21:29.504 --> 00:21:33.241
  • Legions of angels?
  • 00:21:33.241 --> 00:21:35.911
  • But how would the scriptures be fulfilled?
  • 00:21:35.911 --> 00:21:38.580
  • It has to happen like this.
  • 00:21:38.580 --> 00:21:41.516
  • They're not taking me away because i don't have options.
  • 00:21:41.516 --> 00:21:44.920
  • I need to go with them, fellas."
  • 00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:47.522
  • "why would you need to do that?"
  • 00:21:47.522 --> 00:21:50.726
  • See, i want to leap from victory to victory, triumphant point to
  • 00:21:50.726 --> 00:21:53.595
  • Triumphant point.
  • 00:21:53.595 --> 00:21:55.664
  • I don't ever want to be anxious.
  • 00:21:55.664 --> 00:21:57.032
  • I don't want to ever have a need.
  • 00:21:57.032 --> 00:21:58.367
  • I don't ever want to be faced with a challenge.
  • 00:21:58.367 --> 00:21:59.735
  • I don't.
  • 00:21:59.735 --> 00:22:01.703
  • I want one unbroken crescendo of "yea, god," don't you?
  • 00:22:01.703 --> 00:22:08.944
  • That's what faith is.
  • 00:22:08.944 --> 00:22:10.312
  • No, that's really not what the bible describes.
  • 00:22:10.312 --> 00:22:14.049
  • We have these amazing breakthroughs, remarkable
  • 00:22:14.049 --> 00:22:17.753
  • Breakthroughs, but we also walk through shadowed valleys.
  • 00:22:17.753 --> 00:22:23.024
  • We better learn how to walk through them.
  • 00:22:23.024 --> 00:22:26.695
  • "i can call legions of angels," jesus said, "these clowns with
  • 00:22:26.695 --> 00:22:30.932
  • Swords from the temple guard, but i need to go with them."
  • 00:22:30.932 --> 00:22:37.606
  • There's something more powerful than soldiers that's available.
  • 00:22:37.606 --> 00:22:40.475
  • There's something more powerful than political forces that
  • 00:22:40.475 --> 00:22:42.978
  • Is available.
  • 00:22:42.978 --> 00:22:44.746
  • There's something more powerful than the kingdom of darkness
  • 00:22:44.746 --> 00:22:48.150
  • That's orchestrating this arrest.
  • 00:22:48.150 --> 00:22:51.219
  • We need to look at our world and understand there are forces at
  • 00:22:51.219 --> 00:22:54.589
  • Work beyond the ones the secular culture sees.
  • 00:22:54.589 --> 00:22:58.927
  • If the church does not embrace the truth with greater courage
  • 00:22:58.927 --> 00:23:03.732
  • And greater boldness and greater speed than our political leaders
  • 00:23:03.732 --> 00:23:08.570
  • Are, we will forfeit the freedoms that are gained.
  • 00:23:08.570 --> 00:23:12.841
  • It requires us to be salt and light.
  • 00:23:12.841 --> 00:23:17.979
  • We have received the mercy, we had better choose the truth.
  • 00:23:17.979 --> 00:23:23.452
  • One more passage, acts 12.
  • 00:23:23.452 --> 00:23:25.220
  • This is peter.
  • 00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:27.355
  • He's been arrested, "the night before herod was to bring him to
  • 00:23:27.355 --> 00:23:32.461
  • Trial, peter was sleeping between two soldiers."
  • 00:23:32.461 --> 00:23:34.796
  • Wouldn't that be fun?
  • 00:23:34.796 --> 00:23:36.765
  • "bound with two chains, sentries stood guard at the entrance."
  • 00:23:36.765 --> 00:23:40.569
  • This is the same peter that cut off the guy's ear in gethsemane.
  • 00:23:40.569 --> 00:23:45.440
  • "i can call legions of angels," jesus said, but he's been in
  • 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:49.478
  • Prison for days.
  • 00:23:49.478 --> 00:23:54.082
  • "and suddenly an angel of the lord appeared and a light shone
  • 00:23:54.082 --> 00:23:56.485
  • In the cell.
  • 00:23:56.485 --> 00:23:58.019
  • He struck peter on the side and woke him up.
  • 00:23:58.019 --> 00:24:00.255
  • 'quick, get up!' he said, and the chains
  • 00:24:00.255 --> 00:24:01.623
  • Fell off peter's wrist.
  • 00:24:01.623 --> 00:24:02.958
  • And the angel said to him, 'put on your clothes and sandals.'
  • 00:24:02.958 --> 00:24:05.894
  • And peter did so.
  • 00:24:05.894 --> 00:24:07.229
  • 'wrap your cloak around you and follow me,' the angel told him.
  • 00:24:07.229 --> 00:24:11.600
  • Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea what
  • 00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:13.802
  • The angel was doing--was really happening."
  • 00:24:13.802 --> 00:24:15.303
  • He thought he was seeing a vision.
  • 00:24:15.303 --> 00:24:17.606
  • "they passed the first and second guards, and they came to
  • 00:24:17.606 --> 00:24:19.875
  • The iron gate leading to the city.
  • 00:24:19.875 --> 00:24:21.309
  • It opened for them by itself, they went through it.
  • 00:24:21.309 --> 00:24:24.713
  • When they'd walked the length of the street, suddenly the angel
  • 00:24:24.713 --> 00:24:27.549
  • Left him."
  • 00:24:27.549 --> 00:24:29.651
  • The backstory matters and the verses immediately
  • 00:24:29.651 --> 00:24:31.820
  • Preceding this.
  • 00:24:31.820 --> 00:24:33.154
  • James, one of the disciples, one of the apostles has been
  • 00:24:33.154 --> 00:24:35.056
  • Arrested and beheaded.
  • 00:24:35.056 --> 00:24:40.161
  • And it caused--the poll numbers went up for herod.
  • 00:24:40.161 --> 00:24:46.201
  • When he beheaded james, his approval rating went up, so he
  • 00:24:46.201 --> 00:24:49.905
  • Arrested peter.
  • 00:24:49.905 --> 00:24:52.507
  • "let's see if we can maintain the trend."
  • 00:24:52.507 --> 00:24:55.143
  • But it's a holiday, so he said, "well, let's not behead him in
  • 00:24:55.143 --> 00:24:57.479
  • The midst of a holiday," and peter sits in prison.
  • 00:24:57.479 --> 00:25:01.116
  • His fate is predetermined.
  • 00:25:01.116 --> 00:25:02.584
  • He is going to lose his life.
  • 00:25:02.584 --> 00:25:06.688
  • And he's asleep in the prison chained between two guards.
  • 00:25:06.688 --> 00:25:10.759
  • And it says, "an angel of the lord appeared and struck peter
  • 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:13.094
  • On the side."
  • 00:25:13.094 --> 00:25:14.462
  • That makes me smile.
  • 00:25:14.462 --> 00:25:16.264
  • The angels struck him, he didn't shake him awake.
  • 00:25:16.264 --> 00:25:20.368
  • He didn't say, "pete!"
  • 00:25:20.368 --> 00:25:22.704
  • He kicked him.
  • 00:25:22.704 --> 00:25:29.544
  • Sometimes god intervenes and spares our life and says, "i've
  • 00:25:29.544 --> 00:25:33.381
  • Got a different plan this time."
  • 00:25:33.381 --> 00:25:36.585
  • Angels, demons, and you, what do we know about spiritual forces
  • 00:25:36.585 --> 00:25:39.654
  • And spiritual power?
  • 00:25:39.654 --> 00:25:42.023
  • Are we willing to learn?
  • 00:25:42.023 --> 00:25:44.526
  • Are we willing to grow?
  • 00:25:44.526 --> 00:25:47.495
  • I want to.
  • 00:25:47.495 --> 00:25:50.231
  • We're gonna put some of these things into practice.
  • 00:25:50.231 --> 00:25:53.768
  • We're gonna pray together a bit more.
  • 00:25:53.768 --> 00:25:57.305
  • I brought you one last prayer, that's three.
  • 00:25:57.305 --> 00:26:02.577
  • Why don't you stand with me for this one?
  • 00:26:02.577 --> 00:26:12.087
  • There's an urgency in me for the church.
  • 00:26:12.087 --> 00:26:15.323
  • I don't just mean our congregation, but for
  • 00:26:15.323 --> 00:26:16.958
  • The church.
  • 00:26:16.958 --> 00:26:19.427
  • We have to have a new kind of awareness.
  • 00:26:19.427 --> 00:26:22.697
  • We have compromised with darkness for too long.
  • 00:26:22.697 --> 00:26:26.601
  • We've looked the other way, we've pretended like it didn't
  • 00:26:26.601 --> 00:26:29.004
  • Matter, we've been whatever, i don't know.
  • 00:26:29.004 --> 00:26:30.905
  • There's a--doesn't matter to me really.
  • 00:26:30.905 --> 00:26:33.375
  • I just wanna begin to say to the lord, "lord, i wanna see.
  • 00:26:33.375 --> 00:26:36.978
  • I want to see.
  • 00:26:36.978 --> 00:26:39.280
  • Help my unbelief."
  • 00:26:39.280 --> 00:26:43.151
  • Let's pray this prayer together.
  • 00:26:43.151 --> 00:26:44.719
  • "heavenly father, i have tolerated the intrusion of evil
  • 00:26:44.719 --> 00:26:48.556
  • For too long.
  • 00:26:48.556 --> 00:26:50.025
  • Forgive me for my lack of awareness.
  • 00:26:50.025 --> 00:26:52.661
  • I choose to seek you daily, to read your word, to gather with
  • 00:26:52.661 --> 00:26:57.365
  • Your people, and to walk in obedience.
  • 00:26:57.365 --> 00:27:00.568
  • Now grant me an understanding heart, give me a hunger for your
  • 00:27:00.568 --> 00:27:04.506
  • Kingdom, and a desire for truth.
  • 00:27:04.506 --> 00:27:07.676
  • Holy spirit, help my unbelief, in jesus' name, amen."
  • 00:27:07.676 --> 00:27:13.081
  • Take those prayers and pray them.
  • 00:27:13.081 --> 00:27:15.417
  • We're changing.
  • 00:27:15.417 --> 00:27:18.119
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:18.119 --> 00:27:29.564