Allen Jackson - What's Next (Part 1)

March 25, 2026 | 27:29

Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - What's Next (Part 1) | March 25, 2026
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  • Allen jackson: you know, around the world,
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  • People are searching for truth, and together we're doing our
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  • Very best to help them find it.
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  • Have heard the gospel otherwise.
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  • Together, we can stand firm in our faith and make god's truth
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  • Known right here at home and around the earth, wherever
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  • God opens a door.
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  • Let's keep gathering his people and building his church until
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  • The day our king returns.
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  • You can find more about becoming a ministry partner
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  • At allenjackson.com/partner.
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  • Allen: i think the question uppermost in my heart at least
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  • Is, what's next?
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  • One of the things that was very clear in watching last evening
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  • Was that we're very much a nation divided and whether
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  • You're celebrating or mourning, that reality should not be okay
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  • With us.
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  • And so i think it's a question i would like to process with you
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  • A little bit for this evening, and i really wanna start before
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  • I get to the scriptures with an honest, as transparent a
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  • Response as i can give you, and that's that all day long.
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  • I've been walking around with is just quiet sense in me just to
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  • Say thank you to the lord.
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  • It doesn't feel boisterous to me.
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  • There's no swagger in it.
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  • You know, i'm grateful for every prayer that we were able to pray
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  • For every hour we were able to pray for.
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  • I'm grateful, but i don't imagine that we have seen
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  • Anything except an expression of god's mercy.
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  • I believe he would have been--i think he would be fully
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  • Justified had he chosen to respond to us with judgment.
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  • And i believe, in a remarkable way, he has shown us grace and
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  • Mercy, and my understanding of that at this point is that we've
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  • Been presented with an opportunity that we have yet
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  • Another chance to serve the lord and i don't think we can afford
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  • To treat that shabbily or casually or with indifference.
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  • I don't believe we can afford to squander it on selfishness
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  • Or foolishness.
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  • It seems to me to be a very sobering thing this time.
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  • I think the lord heard prayers in so many unique ways, and i
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  • Wanna encourage you just to quietly say thank you to the
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  • Lord with humility, with a sense of awe at the kindness of god.
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  • He is good to us.
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  • Our lives are defined by the goodness of god and the grace of
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  • God and the mercy of god, and when you have the awareness to
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  • Recognize that he's acted towards us out of mercy, to be
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  • Anything less than grateful for that.
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  • God heard the prayers of his people.
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  • You know, i'm very conscious.
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  • We've talked about it a bit and i'm not gonna--that's not my
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  • Point tonight when the church fails, great suffering ensues,
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  • And we were at a place where i believe the church had stumbled
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  • Significantly enough that god would have been appropriate in
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  • Bringing judgment to us, and because in his mercy, he has
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  • Given us another opportunity.
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  • It feels like a sacred thing to me and i didn't bring
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  • Commitment cards.
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  • I'm not signing you up for anything yet.
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  • But i wanna start with this notion that we're called by god,
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  • 1 corinthians 1, it's not an unfamiliar passage, i suspect to
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  • Most of us but it very much seemed on point to me today.
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  • I woke up with it bouncing around in my heart.
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  • It says, "brothers, think of what you were when you
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  • Were called."
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  • You know god called us, right?
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  • Before we saw him, he called us.
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  • He called us out of darkness.
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  • He chose us to participate in the kingdom of his son.
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  • He sent his son on a search and rescue mission when we were
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  • Still rebellious and godless.
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  • You understand the nature of that equation, right?
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  • We didn't seek god out of our moral clarity or the great--
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  • The wonder of our character.
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  • God reached out to us.
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  • "think of what you were when you were called.
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  • Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were
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  • Influential; not many were of noble birth.
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  • But god chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;
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  • God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
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  • He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised
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  • Things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that
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  • Are, so that no one may boast before him.
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  • It is because of him that you are in christ jesus, who has
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  • Become for us wisdom from god--that is, our righteousness,
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  • Holiness and redemption.
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  • Therefore, as it is written, 'let him who boast boast in
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  • The lord."'
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  • You know, that's a pretty phenomenal passage of scripture.
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  • Paul's writing to the church in corinth, and he said, "you need
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  • To reflect for just a moment on who you were when god
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  • Called you."
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  • He said you were the group nobody wanted.
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  • You weren't born to the right families you didn't study in the
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  • Right schools.
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  • You lived on the wrong side of the tracks.
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  • Is that there really wasn't much about you that was noble.
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  • I think it's true.
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  • As i was watching the election returns come in, the part that
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  • Touched my heart the most, i think, was i'd watched these
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  • People go to those maps and i had great compassion on them
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  • Because i've tried to use one of those maps in front of groups of
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  • People and i look like the village idiot and they can go
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  • Back and forth to this year and that year and this county and
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  • How many people have voted and what color their hair was, and
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  • I'm just sitting there in amazement.
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  • But the part that touched my heart was they would go to the
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  • Heart of our nation where there weren't great big cities and the
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  • Population counts weren't huge, and they would say, "an enormous
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  • Percentage of the people in this county have voted."
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  • And they would touch on another one and they'd say, "you
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  • Know what?
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  • And a significant portion of people in this county
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  • Have voted."
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  • And i watched it ripple through the evening and by the end of
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  • The evening, if they were voting in the way that whoever would
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  • Be, i'd like to watch all the different channels because you
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  • Get a variety of emotions that way.
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  • And if it was on a channel that was celebrating the outcomes,
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  • There would be joy and if there wasn't, there would be
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  • Bewilderment about all these people.
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  • And that passage kept coming back to my mind because they
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  • Were pointing at the really center part of the
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  • United states.
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  • It weren't where the great cities were and they weren't
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  • Often the great population centers or where there were
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  • Great numbers of electoral votes.
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  • They weren't swing states, it was flyover country.
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  • They were supposedly the irrelevant people.
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  • You know, the blue color people, the unsophisticated people, the
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  • Working class people, the people easily dismissed by others.
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  • All sorts of pejorative labels have been attached to them.
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  • And as i watched that unfold, i was so deeply grateful to stand
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  • With him.
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  • I thought what an honor because what seemed to either bring joy
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  • Or consternation, depending on perspectives, was that within
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  • Those people, there was still a vestige, a remnant of a memory
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  • Of a biblical worldview, that they still retained a sense of
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  • From a judeo christian perspective of right and wrong.
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  • And while there wasn't a lot of neon where they lived and nobody
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  • Particularly cared, they went and stood in line and said, "we
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  • Would rather honor the lord."
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  • And i thought of what paul said to the corinthians, "think of
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  • What you were when you were called."
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  • And i thought of the statement that was being made in
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  • Our nation.
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  • It's why all day long
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  • I haven't been saying thank you because of an election outcome.
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  • Folks, our problem is not political.
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  • Our problem is spiritual.
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  • If you haven't awakened to that yet.
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  • But i thought god, there are still untold numbers of people
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  • Who will stand up and say, "i think we should honor the lord."
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  • There may not be cameras rolling and they may not be considered
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  • Celebrities and they may not have a huge list of influencers,
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  • But their names are known in heaven.
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  • And i would rather be counted with them than any group of
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  • People i can think of.
  • 00:10:05.721 --> 00:10:12.795
  • We've lost our balance a bit.
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  • We've talked about it a lot over the last few months and even
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  • Years and even in the church, we've lost our balance and the
  • 00:10:16.999 --> 00:10:20.369
  • Church in general has not been doing a great job of leading
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  • Because we want the affirmation that comes from some of those
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  • Places that have higher attention.
  • 00:10:28.711 --> 00:10:31.547
  • But you could feel that or i could feel the response coming
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  • From that heartland--to the things we've been--men shouldn't
  • 00:10:35.685 --> 00:10:40.189
  • Be competing with women in sports, they shouldn't be boxing
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  • With the women,
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  • Or that marriage was a biblical definition long before it was a
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  • Cultural or a political definition.
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  • Then it doesn't mean our marriages are always easy, or
  • 00:10:56.839 --> 00:10:59.775
  • Perfect, or that sometimes they don't break.
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  • But it doesn't mean that we have the permission to change
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  • The definition.
  • 00:11:07.183 --> 00:11:10.152
  • And i felt as if they were saying, you know, biological
  • 00:11:10.152 --> 00:11:12.822
  • Sexually isn't confusing, because if you've ever taken
  • 00:11:12.822 --> 00:11:17.359
  • Care of a herd of animals, it's just not that confusing.
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  • Or that they understood that, ultimately, you can't just keep
  • 00:11:23.466 --> 00:11:26.335
  • Spending more money than you earn.
  • 00:11:26.335 --> 00:11:29.872
  • It's not sustainable and $37 trillion in debt and mounting
  • 00:11:29.872 --> 00:11:37.480
  • Every moment is an intimidating number.
  • 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:43.452
  • And i thought, god, there are still people who listened
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  • To you and i thank you for that.
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  • I mean it as sincerely--i put together some more lesson and i
  • 00:11:53.496 --> 00:11:57.233
  • Will give it to you, but if i could send you home with any
  • 00:11:57.233 --> 00:12:00.069
  • Idea, it would just to be to walk about and quietly say to
  • 00:12:00.069 --> 00:12:04.173
  • The lord, "thank you for people who trust you.
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  • Thank you for those people."
  • 00:12:08.911 --> 00:12:13.082
  • They make a difference.
  • 00:12:13.082 --> 00:12:15.818
  • They make a difference.
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  • Folks, we have traded away too much of our faith for approval.
  • 00:12:18.788 --> 00:12:24.193
  • Approval of people that we consider to be more fashionable,
  • 00:12:24.193 --> 00:12:27.463
  • Or wealthy or who live lives that we think are somehow more
  • 00:12:27.463 --> 00:12:31.734
  • Rewarding than the ones that we have.
  • 00:12:31.734 --> 00:12:35.571
  • My experience is, most of life is about maintaining a routine.
  • 00:12:35.571 --> 00:12:41.210
  • You know, as a young person, my dad was a veterinarian and you
  • 00:12:41.210 --> 00:12:44.246
  • Know the stories, we grew up around animals and it's not just
  • 00:12:44.246 --> 00:12:47.750
  • Your end.
  • 00:12:47.750 --> 00:12:49.084
  • You know, if you got one pet, that's something.
  • 00:12:49.084 --> 00:12:50.452
  • But if you've got 40 that belong to somebody else, that's not
  • 00:12:50.452 --> 00:12:53.656
  • Quite as much fun.
  • 00:12:53.656 --> 00:12:56.959
  • And you have to feed the animals, and water the animals
  • 00:12:56.959 --> 00:13:00.629
  • And clean up after the animals, and it sounds really fun if you
  • 00:13:00.629 --> 00:13:04.800
  • Go visit the vet clinic for 20 minutes and you get to play with
  • 00:13:04.800 --> 00:13:07.903
  • All the puppies.
  • 00:13:07.903 --> 00:13:10.606
  • But if you live with them seven days a week, 365 days a year, 12
  • 00:13:10.606 --> 00:13:14.476
  • Months, it's not always such a blessing.
  • 00:13:14.476 --> 00:13:21.450
  • The stalls don't stay clean.
  • 00:13:21.450 --> 00:13:25.688
  • And from that, i found a joy in that.
  • 00:13:25.688 --> 00:13:30.993
  • But i have discovered as my life has continued to unfold, much of
  • 00:13:30.993 --> 00:13:34.063
  • Life is about routine.
  • 00:13:34.063 --> 00:13:37.967
  • Tasks that we do repetitively.
  • 00:13:37.967 --> 00:13:42.238
  • And if you don't choose to do them for the lord, if you don't
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  • Attach meaning to them and value to them, they feel like drudgery
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  • And a burden.
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  • I mean, church can have that feeling.
  • 00:13:50.579 --> 00:13:52.081
  • I'm within 72 hours of a deadline every day.
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  • Okay, let's go serve the lord.
  • 00:13:56.485 --> 00:14:01.624
  • Then your life has its own set of routines.
  • 00:14:01.624 --> 00:14:04.994
  • And i feel like we've been co-opted a bit by this desire to
  • 00:14:04.994 --> 00:14:08.731
  • Be something we're not.
  • 00:14:08.731 --> 00:14:11.233
  • And in order to qualify, we've been trading away integrity, and
  • 00:14:11.233 --> 00:14:17.239
  • Trading away our understanding of biblical morality 'cause
  • 00:14:17.239 --> 00:14:20.442
  • Maybe it's a little bit more fun to be a little more immoral and
  • 00:14:20.442 --> 00:14:26.181
  • We compromise.
  • 00:14:26.181 --> 00:14:27.549
  • And if we say we believe the bible is authoritative, people
  • 00:14:27.549 --> 00:14:30.853
  • Will look down on us like we're a little antiquated and a little
  • 00:14:30.853 --> 00:14:33.188
  • Out of date and we'd rather be perceived as
  • 00:14:33.188 --> 00:14:38.827
  • Fashionably informed.
  • 00:14:38.827 --> 00:14:43.832
  • And i was so grateful that i could stand with a group of
  • 00:14:43.832 --> 00:14:48.070
  • People that say, "i think i'll honor the lord."
  • 00:14:48.070 --> 00:14:53.208
  • Allen: hey, i have a suggestion.
  • 00:14:56.979 --> 00:14:58.314
  • Let's stop waiting for somebody else to be a better leader.
  • 00:14:58.314 --> 00:15:00.783
  • Let's determine this year to lead with faith.
  • 00:15:00.783 --> 00:15:03.252
  • I've written a book to help.
  • 00:15:03.252 --> 00:15:04.620
  • It's a practical collection of tools that you and i can use the
  • 00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:08.057
  • Influence of our lives, faith first in the marketplace, in our
  • 00:15:08.057 --> 00:15:11.860
  • Homes, with our friends.
  • 00:15:11.860 --> 00:15:13.228
  • Folks, it's time for us to stop waiting for somebody else to
  • 00:15:13.228 --> 00:15:15.965
  • Step forward.
  • 00:15:15.965 --> 00:15:17.333
  • Let's determine to lead with faith.
  • 00:15:17.333 --> 00:15:18.867
  • We can do that and i believe we can change our homes, our
  • 00:15:18.867 --> 00:15:21.971
  • Neighborhoods, our churches, maybe even our nation.
  • 00:15:21.971 --> 00:15:25.074
  • Announcer: choosing to lead with faith starts with a simple
  • 00:15:25.074 --> 00:15:28.010
  • Decision: to be intentional right where you are.
  • 00:15:28.010 --> 00:15:30.946
  • In his new book "lead with faith," pastor allen shares
  • 00:15:30.946 --> 00:15:34.016
  • Biblical insight and practical tools to help you live out your
  • 00:15:34.016 --> 00:15:37.319
  • Faith in meaningful ways every day.
  • 00:15:37.319 --> 00:15:40.189
  • This book will encourage you to stand for truth with wisdom,
  • 00:15:40.189 --> 00:15:43.392
  • Clarity, and courage without waiting for someone else to
  • 00:15:43.392 --> 00:15:46.395
  • Go first.
  • 00:15:46.395 --> 00:15:47.730
  • Request "lead with faith" with your gift of $30 or more at
  • 00:15:47.730 --> 00:15:50.799
  • Allenjackson.com or call ...
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  • Announcer: getting the latest messages from pastor allen has
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  • Your faith.
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  • Read it on the app, or let the app read it to you.
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  • Download the app and be encouraged by the word today.
  • 00:16:47.523 --> 00:16:54.163
  • Allen: in philippians chapter 3, paul's picking up a
  • 00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:01.870
  • Similar idea.
  • 00:17:01.870 --> 00:17:04.807
  • He's listed a few of his qualifications.
  • 00:17:04.807 --> 00:17:06.942
  • You know, he said, "i had an impeccable pedigree.
  • 00:17:06.942 --> 00:17:13.749
  • I was born in the right family, and my family belonged to the
  • 00:17:13.749 --> 00:17:17.853
  • Right clan and my clan belonged to the right tribe and i was the
  • 00:17:17.853 --> 00:17:22.124
  • Best student in my family, clan, and tribe.
  • 00:17:22.124 --> 00:17:27.329
  • I was the brightest star and i had the most potential.
  • 00:17:27.329 --> 00:17:32.101
  • And then i met jesus."
  • 00:17:32.101 --> 00:17:35.003
  • And he said, "i count it all as loss, as dung, for the sake of
  • 00:17:35.003 --> 00:17:40.609
  • Knowing christ jesus my lord."
  • 00:17:40.609 --> 00:17:44.146
  • I wanna invite you back to that, folks.
  • 00:17:44.146 --> 00:17:47.516
  • We've been given a little window of opportunity and i don't
  • 00:17:47.516 --> 00:17:52.321
  • Pretend to understand all that means, other than i believe it
  • 00:17:52.321 --> 00:17:55.224
  • Will come with invitations.
  • 00:17:55.224 --> 00:18:00.362
  • And we'll have choices to make.
  • 00:18:00.362 --> 00:18:04.867
  • And i want you to begin to prepare your heart to say, "i
  • 00:18:04.867 --> 00:18:07.603
  • Would count everything a loss compared for the privilege of
  • 00:18:07.603 --> 00:18:11.073
  • Serving my lord."
  • 00:18:11.073 --> 00:18:13.742
  • Because there's really nothing better than that.
  • 00:18:13.742 --> 00:18:16.512
  • There's no award, there's no trip, there's no accumulation,
  • 00:18:16.512 --> 00:18:21.683
  • There's no blessing.
  • 00:18:21.683 --> 00:18:23.652
  • We've compromised for too long.
  • 00:18:23.652 --> 00:18:26.822
  • That's how we find ourselves in a fine mess like this:
  • 00:18:26.822 --> 00:18:30.926
  • Where half of our nation really has very little understanding of
  • 00:18:30.926 --> 00:18:33.495
  • What a biblical worldview even is.
  • 00:18:33.495 --> 00:18:36.598
  • You understand that has not always been our circumstance.
  • 00:18:36.598 --> 00:18:40.769
  • In the not distant past, things that are accepted as normative
  • 00:18:40.769 --> 00:18:44.940
  • Today were not considered normal.
  • 00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:48.610
  • Things that we tolerate and embrace and are a part of our
  • 00:18:48.610 --> 00:18:51.647
  • Public education were not a part of public education.
  • 00:18:51.647 --> 00:18:58.253
  • And that hasn't happened because evil found some new trick, it
  • 00:18:58.253 --> 00:19:01.623
  • Happened because the people of god lost their perspective.
  • 00:19:01.623 --> 00:19:07.796
  • And so paul writes in that same chapter beginning in verse 12,
  • 00:19:07.796 --> 00:19:11.099
  • He said, "not that i've already obtained all of this, or have
  • 00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:13.769
  • Already been made perfect, but i press on to take hold of that
  • 00:19:13.769 --> 00:19:16.872
  • For which christ jesus took hold of me.
  • 00:19:16.872 --> 00:19:20.108
  • Brothers, i don't consider myself yet to have taken hold
  • 00:19:20.108 --> 00:19:22.744
  • Of it.
  • 00:19:22.744 --> 00:19:24.079
  • But one thing i do: forgetting what is behind and straining
  • 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:26.748
  • Toward what is ahead.
  • 00:19:26.748 --> 00:19:28.283
  • I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which god has
  • 00:19:28.283 --> 00:19:31.486
  • Called me heavenward in christ jesus."
  • 00:19:31.486 --> 00:19:35.891
  • And that's really my invitation.
  • 00:19:35.891 --> 00:19:37.226
  • That's what's in my heart.
  • 00:19:37.226 --> 00:19:39.428
  • Lord, i wanna serve you in a way i've never served you before.
  • 00:19:39.428 --> 00:19:43.098
  • Doesn't necessarily mean we're gonna run faster and
  • 00:19:43.098 --> 00:19:45.133
  • Jump higher.
  • 00:19:45.133 --> 00:19:46.501
  • It may be you have some routine you want me to tend with
  • 00:19:46.501 --> 00:19:50.305
  • Focused attention.
  • 00:19:50.305 --> 00:19:51.640
  • I'm all in.
  • 00:19:51.640 --> 00:19:54.109
  • I'll be delighted to do that.
  • 00:19:54.109 --> 00:19:57.079
  • How may i help?
  • 00:19:57.079 --> 00:19:59.514
  • What would you have me do?
  • 00:19:59.514 --> 00:20:01.783
  • How may i participate in your kingdom?
  • 00:20:01.783 --> 00:20:05.053
  • How may i lend my strength or my ability or my awareness or
  • 00:20:05.053 --> 00:20:09.458
  • Whatever you've entrusted me to me to see the name of jesus
  • 00:20:09.458 --> 00:20:12.594
  • Lifted up?
  • 00:20:12.594 --> 00:20:15.831
  • I want to do that in a way that is pleasing to you.
  • 00:20:15.831 --> 00:20:20.602
  • I wanna add to that this notion that if you've been called by
  • 00:20:20.602 --> 00:20:23.472
  • God, and you have, i wanna be certain you understand you've
  • 00:20:23.472 --> 00:20:26.908
  • Been called for a purpose.
  • 00:20:26.908 --> 00:20:29.544
  • Now, i've given you the short course, we just spent quite a
  • 00:20:29.544 --> 00:20:31.580
  • Few weeks in, the gospel of luke, and i didn't wanna go all
  • 00:20:31.580 --> 00:20:34.916
  • The way back through that.
  • 00:20:34.916 --> 00:20:36.251
  • But in luke's gospel, we're told that jesus first commissioned
  • 00:20:36.251 --> 00:20:38.987
  • His 12 apostles and he sent them out.
  • 00:20:38.987 --> 00:20:43.125
  • It was some pretty specific instructions about how to
  • 00:20:43.125 --> 00:20:45.327
  • Conduct themselves.
  • 00:20:45.327 --> 00:20:46.662
  • And he said, "i give you authority and power."
  • 00:20:46.662 --> 00:20:49.231
  • He didn't just send them out to do bible studies.
  • 00:20:49.231 --> 00:20:51.166
  • And please understand god does not send you and me into our
  • 00:20:51.166 --> 00:20:54.703
  • World just to provide polite bible studies.
  • 00:20:54.703 --> 00:20:59.741
  • We go with the authority of jesus's name.
  • 00:20:59.741 --> 00:21:04.279
  • We go as ambassadors for the eternal kingdom of almighty god.
  • 00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:10.118
  • And for far too long because of our timidity and our lack of
  • 00:21:10.118 --> 00:21:14.189
  • Trust and confidence in the word of god, we have gone with this
  • 00:21:14.189 --> 00:21:17.893
  • Apologetic notion.
  • 00:21:17.893 --> 00:21:20.362
  • But we just do polite bible studies.
  • 00:21:20.362 --> 00:21:22.230
  • Now, i'm an advocate for bible study, but we live our lives in
  • 00:21:22.230 --> 00:21:26.435
  • This world to give demonstration to the power and authority of
  • 00:21:26.435 --> 00:21:30.505
  • The god that we worship.
  • 00:21:30.505 --> 00:21:34.276
  • And after he sent out the 12, then he commissioned 72.
  • 00:21:34.276 --> 00:21:38.580
  • And i put that in your notes.
  • 00:21:38.580 --> 00:21:40.349
  • Says, "after this the lord appointed seventy-two others and
  • 00:21:40.349 --> 00:21:42.651
  • He sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place
  • 00:21:42.651 --> 00:21:45.687
  • Where he was about to go.
  • 00:21:45.687 --> 00:21:47.756
  • And he told them, 'the harvest is plentiful, but the workers
  • 00:21:47.756 --> 00:21:50.192
  • Are few.
  • 00:21:50.192 --> 00:21:51.526
  • Ask the lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers
  • 00:21:51.526 --> 00:21:53.895
  • Into his harvest field.
  • 00:21:53.895 --> 00:21:55.230
  • Go!
  • 00:21:55.230 --> 00:21:56.598
  • I'm sending you out like lambs among wolves.
  • 00:21:56.598 --> 00:21:58.834
  • Don't take a purse or a bag or sandals; and don't greet anyone
  • 00:21:58.834 --> 00:22:02.337
  • On the road.'"
  • 00:22:02.337 --> 00:22:04.306
  • Then he'll give them some instructions later and he'll
  • 00:22:04.306 --> 00:22:07.476
  • Say, "not only did take a bag and some sandals.
  • 00:22:07.476 --> 00:22:09.478
  • How many swords do you have?"
  • 00:22:09.478 --> 00:22:13.482
  • In this passage he simply says to them that "i'm sending you
  • 00:22:13.482 --> 00:22:16.518
  • Out like lambs among wolves."
  • 00:22:16.518 --> 00:22:18.820
  • We read that like that makes sense.
  • 00:22:18.820 --> 00:22:22.023
  • Imagine if i told you i sent your kids out to play with
  • 00:22:22.023 --> 00:22:24.259
  • The wolves.
  • 00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:27.662
  • A lamb amongst wolves is technically called lunch.
  • 00:22:27.662 --> 00:22:33.935
  • So the nature of the assignment that jesus was purposefully
  • 00:22:33.935 --> 00:22:37.372
  • Commissioning these people to was not simple or fun.
  • 00:22:37.372 --> 00:22:42.911
  • And i wanna--we need to establish that baseline.
  • 00:22:42.911 --> 00:22:45.614
  • I believe we have in front of us an opportunity unlike any i have
  • 00:22:45.614 --> 00:22:49.117
  • Known in my lifetime for the cause of the kingdom of god.
  • 00:22:49.117 --> 00:22:54.089
  • I don't know another way to understand this most unique
  • 00:22:54.089 --> 00:22:56.691
  • Season in which we find ourselves.
  • 00:22:56.691 --> 00:22:58.827
  • But i also have the sense that it's gonna be a bit like lambs
  • 00:22:58.827 --> 00:23:01.630
  • Amongst wolves.
  • 00:23:01.630 --> 00:23:06.101
  • It's going to require of us a different note of courage,
  • 00:23:06.101 --> 00:23:10.472
  • Perhaps a different imagination of determination.
  • 00:23:10.472 --> 00:23:19.181
  • I think we will see god move and respond in ways beyond anything
  • 00:23:19.181 --> 00:23:22.350
  • We've ever known.
  • 00:23:22.350 --> 00:23:25.153
  • Again, do you remember who the author of the book of acts is?
  • 00:23:25.153 --> 00:23:29.157
  • It's luke because in luke's gospel, jesus commissions the 12
  • 00:23:29.157 --> 00:23:35.096
  • And he commissions the 72 and after his resurrection, he has
  • 00:23:35.096 --> 00:23:38.834
  • Some words for the disciples, prior to his resurrection he's
  • 00:23:38.834 --> 00:23:42.904
  • Trying to get them ready for what's coming.
  • 00:23:42.904 --> 00:23:44.439
  • And he does a little inventory of what's in their travel bag,
  • 00:23:44.439 --> 00:23:47.342
  • Their go bag.
  • 00:23:47.342 --> 00:23:49.211
  • But we get to acts chapter 1, which is luke's message as well,
  • 00:23:49.211 --> 00:23:52.848
  • And jesus last words, these are the last words he speaks to his
  • 00:23:52.848 --> 00:23:56.017
  • Disciples before his ascension back to heaven.
  • 00:23:56.017 --> 00:23:59.387
  • Now, he's not done with them, because a few chapters later,
  • 00:23:59.387 --> 00:24:01.656
  • He's back on the road to damascus with some words for one
  • 00:24:01.656 --> 00:24:05.026
  • Saul of tarsus.
  • 00:24:05.026 --> 00:24:07.229
  • It's a mistake to think that jesus is not engaged with his
  • 00:24:07.229 --> 00:24:10.131
  • Church in the earth.
  • 00:24:10.131 --> 00:24:13.301
  • He recruits saul of tarsus on the road to damascus.
  • 00:24:13.301 --> 00:24:15.837
  • In the book of revelation in the first chapter, john, the closest
  • 00:24:15.837 --> 00:24:19.941
  • Of the apostles to him.
  • 00:24:19.941 --> 00:24:21.276
  • It says, "on the lord's day, he was in the spirit and he heard a
  • 00:24:21.276 --> 00:24:23.812
  • Voice behind him."
  • 00:24:23.812 --> 00:24:28.517
  • It's an emotional passage.
  • 00:24:28.517 --> 00:24:30.118
  • John's an old man, his friends are gone.
  • 00:24:30.118 --> 00:24:33.922
  • Most of them have been martyred.
  • 00:24:33.922 --> 00:24:36.091
  • He's been arrested, he's imprisoned on an island, he's in
  • 00:24:36.091 --> 00:24:38.393
  • Exile, doing hard labor, and it says he's in the spirit on the
  • 00:24:38.393 --> 00:24:45.066
  • Lord's day and he hears a voice.
  • 00:24:45.066 --> 00:24:50.739
  • And he describes it in this beautiful poetic language.
  • 00:24:50.739 --> 00:24:54.743
  • But when he turns around it's jesus.
  • 00:24:54.743 --> 00:24:58.380
  • Jesus came to see his friend.
  • 00:24:58.380 --> 00:25:03.818
  • Look, i don't know what you're living for.
  • 00:25:03.818 --> 00:25:06.688
  • I understand a little bit of the temptation.
  • 00:25:06.688 --> 00:25:10.492
  • I know we look at our friends that are leading lives that, but
  • 00:25:10.492 --> 00:25:13.762
  • It, you know, it seems like they have gotten hold of the brass
  • 00:25:13.762 --> 00:25:16.731
  • Ring and we wanna do that too.
  • 00:25:16.731 --> 00:25:20.402
  • And there's not a lot of messaging that really encourages
  • 00:25:20.402 --> 00:25:23.505
  • You to give the lord your best and to sacrifice for the kingdom
  • 00:25:23.505 --> 00:25:26.775
  • Of god and to put your heart and soul into it.
  • 00:25:26.775 --> 00:25:30.278
  • But i want our congregation to be a place where that voice is
  • 00:25:30.278 --> 00:25:33.882
  • Repeated, where the children and the young people are encouraged
  • 00:25:33.882 --> 00:25:38.086
  • To give their very best to the lord,
  • 00:25:38.086 --> 00:25:42.190
  • Where we encourage one another to honor god with
  • 00:25:42.190 --> 00:25:44.526
  • Our daily choices
  • 00:25:44.526 --> 00:25:47.462
  • And we know the difference between right and wrong, to
  • 00:25:47.462 --> 00:25:49.497
  • Choose right with your whole heart.
  • 00:25:49.497 --> 00:25:52.834
  • When you have an opportunity to use your voice to affirm someone
  • 00:25:52.834 --> 00:25:57.772
  • In the kingdom that you're willing to use your voice, no
  • 00:25:57.772 --> 00:25:59.708
  • Matter what the consequences may be.
  • 00:25:59.708 --> 00:26:05.580
  • Allen: hey, i have a question.
  • 00:26:09.250 --> 00:26:10.585
  • Have you ever said, "i wish my pastor would lead with more
  • 00:26:10.585 --> 00:26:13.388
  • Courage," or "i wish my pastor would address what's happening
  • 00:26:13.388 --> 00:26:16.458
  • In the world with greater boldness"?
  • 00:26:16.458 --> 00:26:18.927
  • Folks, we can't change other people.
  • 00:26:18.927 --> 00:26:20.362
  • The only person we can ultimately change is ourselves.
  • 00:26:20.362 --> 00:26:22.764
  • I have a suggestion.
  • 00:26:22.764 --> 00:26:24.232
  • What if you and i begin to lead with faith in our own arenas
  • 00:26:24.232 --> 00:26:27.669
  • Of influence?
  • 00:26:27.669 --> 00:26:29.004
  • Well, i've written a book to help with that.
  • 00:26:29.004 --> 00:26:30.338
  • If that seems beyond you or intimidating to you, i believe
  • 00:26:30.338 --> 00:26:33.341
  • This book will help.
  • 00:26:33.341 --> 00:26:34.676
  • It'll give you some practical ways that you and i can begin to
  • 00:26:34.676 --> 00:26:37.512
  • Lead with faith in the marketplace, in our homes, with
  • 00:26:37.512 --> 00:26:40.482
  • Our friends, wherever that may be.
  • 00:26:40.482 --> 00:26:42.817
  • We have help in this.
  • 00:26:42.817 --> 00:26:44.452
  • The spirit of god will help us if we have the willingness to
  • 00:26:44.452 --> 00:26:47.222
  • Use our influence for the kingdom of god.
  • 00:26:47.222 --> 00:26:49.858
  • You can get a copy of the book at allenjackson.com.
  • 00:26:49.858 --> 00:26:52.427
  • You can go get your own today, but i wanna pray.
  • 00:26:52.427 --> 00:26:54.529
  • I wanna ask the spirit of god to help you and me lead with faith
  • 00:26:54.529 --> 00:26:58.366
  • This year as never before.
  • 00:26:58.366 --> 00:27:00.168
  • Let's pray.
  • 00:27:00.168 --> 00:27:01.503
  • Heavenly father, we ask for your help.
  • 00:27:01.503 --> 00:27:03.672
  • You have given us strengths and abilities and influence.
  • 00:27:03.672 --> 00:27:05.974
  • May we use it for the glory of your kingdom.
  • 00:27:05.974 --> 00:27:08.610
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:08.610 --> 00:27:10.311
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:10.311 --> 00:27:30.001