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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Work and Money (Part 1)

August 14, 2025 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - Work and Money (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#Work #WorkofYourHands #Money #Finances #Freedom #Giving #Generosity #HandofGod #Provision #Abundance #Blessing #Grace

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Work and Money (Part 1) | August 14, 2025
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  • Cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
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  • Allen jackson: and i sat down recently with my father to do a
  • 00:00:06.855 --> 00:00:09.258
  • Podcast for my culture and christianity podcast, and it was
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  • So valuable to me.
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  • I mean, it was stories that obviously i'm familiar with, but
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  • As i heard him recount his faith, it ignited something in
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  • Me about the faithfulness of god across generations.
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  • Well, i encouraged my dad to put together a book about his
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  • Experiences with the holy spirit.
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  • It changed his life, my parents' life, ultimately my
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  • Family's life.
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  • I believe the book will be a real encouragement to you.
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  • I wanna make it available to you right along with "unleashing the
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  • Power of the holy spirit."
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  • It's something i put together a while back that's been one of
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  • The most effective tools we've ever had in the ministry.
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  • Together they'll open the doorway for you not just to have
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  • Language around the holy spirit, but to have something to
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  • Actually do to invite him into your life on a regular basis to
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  • Give you the wisdom you need to help you unlock the problems
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  • That we face, the spirit of god within us to help us, guide us,
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  • And direct us, that's invaluable and these books will help
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  • You understand.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen: i wanna continue a study we've been working on for two or
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  • Three sessions under this general theme of "god's plan and
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  • God's promises and god's people," and i believe they're
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  • Very related.
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  • I believe god has a plan not only for his kingdom in the
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  • Earth, for his church in the earth, but i believe he has a
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  • Plan for his people.
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  • That the goal in our lives isn't just to be born again,
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  • Experience a new birth or conversion so we can have a
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  • Different kind of eternity.
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  • I think the purpose of that new birth into the kingdom is that
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  • We can be effective ambassadors for god in our journey
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  • Through time.
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  • Which means he has a plan and a purpose for our lives beyond
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  • Just eternity.
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  • I think we can imagine that more clearly with the jewish people
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  • With the hebrew bible, the old testament, there's a significant
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  • Focus on that that god intended to give them a particular piece
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  • Of property, a promised land right at the end of
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  • The mediterranean.
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  • Today we know it as the modern nation of israel, but he
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  • Promised it to abraham and his descendants forever way back in
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  • The book of genesis.
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  • And he's still watching over that promise.
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  • And that's still the inheritance of the jewish people, but for
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  • The larger community of faith, he hasn't promised us a piece
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  • Of territory.
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  • He didn't give the jewish people the land of israel and those of
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  • Us with my accent, the southeastern parts of the
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  • United states.
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  • For the non-jewish people in the kingdom of god, we have been
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  • Given the land denoted by his promises.
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  • And peter, he says it so eloquently that our inheritance
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  • Is the promises of god.
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  • And so god's provisions for you and me are in his promises.
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  • But every promise has to be appropriated.
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  • It doesn't just fall on you.
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  • And i think we struggle with this mightily.
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  • You know, we adopt a lot of language in christianity that i
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  • Think is not helpful and i don't think we typically do it with an
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  • Intent of being destructive, but we've kind of adopted some
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  • Platitudes and we missed the point that god has given us
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  • A choice.
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  • One of the great gifts he's given to humanity is the ability
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  • To choose.
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  • He gave you a free will.
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  • It distinguishes you from the rest of creation.
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  • You're not an insect that's driven or an animal that's just
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  • Driven by instinct in the same way that the salmon know which
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  • River to swim back up when it's time for them to spawn and die.
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  • God has given us a free will.
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  • And the opportunity of that free will is to choose god.
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  • And we are amazingly resistant to that proposition.
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  • We're reading through the book of judges now and when you're
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  • Reading about those generations of people, you think, my
  • 00:04:08.530 --> 00:04:10.832
  • Goodness, they were stubborn people.
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  • And then i think, oh, it couldn't be us.
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  • But we are amazingly resistant to choosing god.
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  • But in order to appropriate the promises, we have to choose god.
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  • In multiple ways, along multiple decision points, on multiple
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  • Fronts, our entrance into the kingdom of god requires that god
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  • Has made a complete provision for our participation in
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  • His kingdom.
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  • Jesus on the cross won a complete, total, irreversible
  • 00:04:42.130 --> 00:04:45.233
  • Victory over satan and his entire kingdom which is very
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  • Good news, but for it to benefit you or me or any other person,
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  • We have to choose.
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  • We have to choose jesus as lord of our lives.
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  • It's not enough to believe that he existed or that he was a
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  • Miracle worker or a healer or a religious figure or
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  • Whatever else.
  • 00:05:06.722 --> 00:05:08.123
  • You can believe all of those things and still miss the
  • 00:05:08.123 --> 00:05:10.058
  • Kingdom of god.
  • 00:05:10.058 --> 00:05:11.393
  • You have to choose jesus as lord of your life.
  • 00:05:11.393 --> 00:05:15.530
  • Well, the same is true with forgiveness.
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  • Jesus on the cross provided forgiveness for you and me from
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  • All of our sin.
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  • But in order for that to accumulate for it to become a
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  • Part of our experience, we first of all have to forgive those who
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  • Sin against us.
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  • And then we have to repent, which means we have to say, "i
  • 00:05:32.347 --> 00:05:36.084
  • Was thinking wrong and i behaved wrong."
  • 00:05:36.084 --> 00:05:39.988
  • And if you don't forgive others and you don't repent of your
  • 00:05:39.988 --> 00:05:42.591
  • Sins, jesus's atoning work does not bring forgiveness to you.
  • 00:05:42.591 --> 00:05:51.666
  • We together so far?
  • 00:05:51.666 --> 00:05:54.136
  • So we have to believe the promises, we have to appropriate
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  • Them in order for the benefit to accrue to us.
  • 00:05:57.205 --> 00:06:00.375
  • And christians, so often we say, "you know, i just want
  • 00:06:00.375 --> 00:06:03.044
  • Everything god has for me."
  • 00:06:03.044 --> 00:06:05.747
  • Well, that's an incomplete statement.
  • 00:06:05.747 --> 00:06:08.917
  • That'd be much like me saying, "you know, i just want
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  • Everything the gym has for me.
  • 00:06:10.952 --> 00:06:13.855
  • I drive by it every day.
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  • I just feel healthier.
  • 00:06:15.223 --> 00:06:19.194
  • In fact, you know, i not only drive by the gym, now i go and
  • 00:06:19.194 --> 00:06:22.330
  • Drive--i drove around the health food store three times.
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  • Well, actually, i did that while i was eating the doughnuts i
  • 00:06:27.302 --> 00:06:29.571
  • Bought at the drive-through at the donut shop."
  • 00:06:29.571 --> 00:06:32.374
  • And we have this kind of laissez-faire attitude towards
  • 00:06:32.374 --> 00:06:35.944
  • Our faith, that god should track us down and shake us and the
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  • Bible says that god is the rewarder of those who diligently
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  • Seek him.
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  • I'm not trying to raise the bar.
  • 00:06:45.687 --> 00:06:47.989
  • I'm not trying to get you to run faster and jump higher.
  • 00:06:47.989 --> 00:06:50.425
  • What i wanna invite you towards is an imagination that your
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  • Relationship with god involves your choice and not just the
  • 00:06:53.628 --> 00:06:57.833
  • Choice you made historically, but the choices you made today.
  • 00:06:57.833 --> 00:07:01.703
  • Did you choose to honor the lord today?
  • 00:07:01.703 --> 00:07:04.473
  • How did you give expression to that?
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  • How did you communicate that?
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  • How did you invest time and energy and focus and all the
  • 00:07:08.376 --> 00:07:12.214
  • Things that described your day?
  • 00:07:12.214 --> 00:07:15.517
  • Or do we relegate god to an occasional interaction or some
  • 00:07:15.517 --> 00:07:21.189
  • Point in our journey where we think we got most of our god
  • 00:07:21.189 --> 00:07:24.326
  • Business done?
  • 00:07:24.326 --> 00:07:26.761
  • So we've been looking at several different promises and how we
  • 00:07:26.761 --> 00:07:29.664
  • Might take some steps to appropriate them.
  • 00:07:29.664 --> 00:07:31.666
  • We looked at fear and anxiety and worry.
  • 00:07:31.666 --> 00:07:35.637
  • And we began on sunday with something that i wanna continue
  • 00:07:35.637 --> 00:07:38.373
  • For another session, looking at the general theme of money,
  • 00:07:38.373 --> 00:07:43.044
  • Which usually takes the air out of the room, but we're not
  • 00:07:43.044 --> 00:07:46.381
  • Distributing commitment cards or launching a campaign.
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  • It isn't really about trying to separate you from your money.
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  • I want to invite you to the notion that god has given us
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  • Some counsel on how to deal with possessions.
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  • And that if we will heed his counsel, it will go better
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  • For us.
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  • God doesn't need anything i have.
  • 00:08:05.200 --> 00:08:08.370
  • The earth and everything in it belongs to him.
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  • I'm on a very temporary assignment here and god
  • 00:08:11.806 --> 00:08:14.409
  • Entrusted me some small portion of his overall asset base, but
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  • I'm not taking it with me beyond time.
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  • Somebody else is gonna take my baton in time and take it a bit
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  • Further and they're gonna be entrusted with some assets, but
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  • What we do with our assets for that little brief period of time
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  • Has a significant impact on our opportunities in eternity.
  • 00:08:33.261 --> 00:08:39.301
  • I know, who knew?
  • 00:08:39.301 --> 00:08:41.937
  • But it's biblical jesus, there's more biblical discussion around
  • 00:08:41.937 --> 00:08:45.974
  • Money than there is about prayer.
  • 00:08:45.974 --> 00:08:49.678
  • But it's just one of those things that we get--we don't
  • 00:08:49.678 --> 00:08:51.780
  • Talk about a lot.
  • 00:08:51.780 --> 00:08:53.114
  • So in this session we're gonna talk about work and money, two
  • 00:08:53.114 --> 00:08:55.450
  • Just very exciting topics.
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  • Thank you for your enthusiastic response.
  • 00:08:57.252 --> 00:09:00.121
  • I'll start in 2 corinthians 9 because that really is
  • 00:09:00.121 --> 00:09:02.724
  • Our promise.
  • 00:09:02.724 --> 00:09:04.993
  • Says, "remember this: whoever sows sparingly will reap
  • 00:09:04.993 --> 00:09:08.296
  • Sparingly, and whoever sows generously will reap generously.
  • 00:09:08.296 --> 00:09:11.466
  • Each man should give what he's decided in his heart to give,
  • 00:09:11.466 --> 00:09:14.035
  • Not reluctantly or under compulsion, for god loves a
  • 00:09:14.035 --> 00:09:16.404
  • Cheerful giver."
  • 00:09:16.404 --> 00:09:18.273
  • And so far it's just kind of a background.
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  • That what you harvest is a reflection of what you sow.
  • 00:09:21.376 --> 00:09:24.479
  • If you're gonna harvest--it's summertime in tennessee.
  • 00:09:24.479 --> 00:09:27.349
  • If you want vegetables and green beans and new potatoes and
  • 00:09:27.349 --> 00:09:29.684
  • Tomatoes, you won't get those if what you planted was alfalfa.
  • 00:09:29.684 --> 00:09:35.090
  • There's a connection between what you plant and what
  • 00:09:35.090 --> 00:09:36.958
  • You harvest.
  • 00:09:36.958 --> 00:09:38.927
  • And paul's writing to the corinthians and he said,
  • 00:09:38.927 --> 00:09:41.329
  • "remember this, if you sow sparingly, you're gonna have a
  • 00:09:41.329 --> 00:09:43.665
  • Small harvest."
  • 00:09:43.665 --> 00:09:45.233
  • And the culmination of that is he said, "god loves someone
  • 00:09:45.233 --> 00:09:48.336
  • Who's generous, a cheerful giver."
  • 00:09:48.336 --> 00:09:50.739
  • So there's a baseline here what we wanna cultivate when we think
  • 00:09:50.739 --> 00:09:54.442
  • About our time, our attention, our energy, and our possessions
  • 00:09:54.442 --> 00:09:57.746
  • Is the spirit of generosity.
  • 00:09:57.746 --> 00:10:01.082
  • Not natural, not normal.
  • 00:10:01.082 --> 00:10:03.218
  • It's like sharing.
  • 00:10:03.218 --> 00:10:04.552
  • Sharing is not normal.
  • 00:10:04.552 --> 00:10:05.920
  • We're selfish by nature and being a generous person is
  • 00:10:05.920 --> 00:10:08.790
  • Not natural.
  • 00:10:08.790 --> 00:10:10.125
  • It would reflect your cooperation with the spirit
  • 00:10:10.125 --> 00:10:11.493
  • Of god.
  • 00:10:11.493 --> 00:10:12.827
  • But then there's a promise made to us in verse 8: "god is able
  • 00:10:12.827 --> 00:10:16.097
  • To make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all
  • 00:10:16.097 --> 00:10:20.101
  • Times, having all that you need, you will abound in every
  • 00:10:20.101 --> 00:10:23.238
  • Good work."
  • 00:10:23.238 --> 00:10:25.006
  • Wow, that is an amazing promise.
  • 00:10:25.006 --> 00:10:27.342
  • If you ask me for one verse that reflects the biblical definition
  • 00:10:27.342 --> 00:10:30.979
  • Of abundance in your life or mine, that would be the best
  • 00:10:30.979 --> 00:10:35.083
  • Single verse i know:
  • 00:10:35.083 --> 00:10:37.752
  • That god has caused grace to abound to us, all grace.
  • 00:10:37.752 --> 00:10:41.222
  • Grace is unearned, unmerited, undeserved.
  • 00:10:41.222 --> 00:10:44.492
  • Grace is the favor of god, unhooked from anything that
  • 00:10:44.492 --> 00:10:48.096
  • We earned.
  • 00:10:48.096 --> 00:10:50.198
  • So because of the god's grace, he says it's possible that in
  • 00:10:50.198 --> 00:10:54.202
  • All things at all times, we can have all that we need.
  • 00:10:54.202 --> 00:11:00.542
  • That's a blessing.
  • 00:11:00.542 --> 00:11:04.212
  • Allen: and i said that, when my father recently did a podcast,
  • 00:11:08.416 --> 00:11:11.586
  • He told the story how he came to faith, how god transformed
  • 00:11:11.586 --> 00:11:14.155
  • Our family.
  • 00:11:14.155 --> 00:11:15.523
  • They started a home bible study all the way up to the beginning
  • 00:11:15.523 --> 00:11:17.358
  • Of this church that i've served now for decades.
  • 00:11:17.358 --> 00:11:20.161
  • And as i listened, the heart of it was the work of the holy
  • 00:11:20.161 --> 00:11:22.530
  • Spirit in his life and through his life.
  • 00:11:22.530 --> 00:11:25.033
  • I asked him to do a book around the topic and we have it so that
  • 00:11:25.033 --> 00:11:28.737
  • You can invite the spirit of god to be the dynamic presence of
  • 00:11:28.737 --> 00:11:32.340
  • The power of god to bring change in life and hope no matter what
  • 00:11:32.340 --> 00:11:36.077
  • The circumstances.
  • 00:11:36.077 --> 00:11:37.445
  • You'll enjoy the book.
  • 00:11:37.445 --> 00:11:38.780
  • Female announcer: experience the holy spirit in a deeper way with
  • 00:11:38.780 --> 00:11:41.249
  • This new book by pastor allen's dad, "the eternal breath
  • 00:11:41.249 --> 00:11:44.419
  • Of life."
  • 00:11:44.419 --> 00:11:45.754
  • Request your copy when you donate any amount today.
  • 00:11:45.754 --> 00:11:48.556
  • And when you get $50 or more, you can also request "unleashing
  • 00:11:48.556 --> 00:11:52.560
  • The power of the holy spirit."
  • 00:11:52.560 --> 00:11:54.596
  • It's a collection of pastor allen's sermons that will help
  • 00:11:54.596 --> 00:11:57.198
  • You understand the holy spirit in new ways.
  • 00:11:57.198 --> 00:12:00.101
  • Request yours today at allenjackson.com or
  • 00:12:00.101 --> 00:12:03.338
  • By calling...
  • 00:12:03.338 --> 00:12:06.674
  • Allen: i wanna start--i wanna just read you three or four
  • 00:12:08.710 --> 00:12:10.545
  • Verses and then i'm gonna come back and offer you
  • 00:12:10.545 --> 00:12:12.380
  • Some comments.
  • 00:12:12.380 --> 00:12:13.715
  • There's a theme in all of these verses.
  • 00:12:13.715 --> 00:12:15.283
  • You don't have to be particularly attentive even
  • 00:12:15.283 --> 00:12:18.653
  • To identify it.
  • 00:12:18.653 --> 00:12:20.021
  • Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, "whoever loves money never has money
  • 00:12:20.021 --> 00:12:23.458
  • Enough; and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with
  • 00:12:23.458 --> 00:12:26.761
  • His income."
  • 00:12:26.761 --> 00:12:28.897
  • In luke chapter 16, jesus is teaching.
  • 00:12:28.897 --> 00:12:32.267
  • And jesus said, "no servant can serve two masters.
  • 00:12:32.267 --> 00:12:34.836
  • Either he'll hate the one and love the other, or he'll be
  • 00:12:34.836 --> 00:12:37.505
  • Devoted to the one and despise the other.
  • 00:12:37.505 --> 00:12:40.074
  • You cannot serve both god and money."
  • 00:12:40.074 --> 00:12:44.345
  • That's an absolute statement that jesus made.
  • 00:12:44.345 --> 00:12:46.948
  • Remember, jesus is the one teaching at this point.
  • 00:12:46.948 --> 00:12:49.117
  • He said, "you cannot serve god and money.
  • 00:12:49.117 --> 00:12:52.153
  • You'll serve one or the other.
  • 00:12:52.153 --> 00:12:53.888
  • The pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering
  • 00:12:53.888 --> 00:12:58.092
  • At jesus."
  • 00:12:58.092 --> 00:13:00.562
  • Does that strike you as interesting as it does me?
  • 00:13:00.562 --> 00:13:03.698
  • The pharisees, the religious leaders, the most religious
  • 00:13:03.698 --> 00:13:08.102
  • Amongst them, while jesus is teaching, they're sneering
  • 00:13:08.102 --> 00:13:11.940
  • At him.
  • 00:13:11.940 --> 00:13:13.675
  • Heckling, mocking, openly showing their derision for him.
  • 00:13:13.675 --> 00:13:18.112
  • Their lack of respect.
  • 00:13:18.112 --> 00:13:20.882
  • They're not even pretending that they're going to practice what
  • 00:13:20.882 --> 00:13:25.186
  • He's saying.
  • 00:13:25.186 --> 00:13:28.990
  • You understand there's still people who sneer at jesus--
  • 00:13:28.990 --> 00:13:32.560
  • Religious people, influential people, powerful people?
  • 00:13:32.560 --> 00:13:36.764
  • And one of the mistakes we make oftentimes is because we want
  • 00:13:36.764 --> 00:13:39.734
  • The approval of the wrong group of people when they sneer at
  • 00:13:39.734 --> 00:13:44.105
  • Jesus, we will distance ourselves from him.
  • 00:13:44.105 --> 00:13:48.877
  • And i wanna encourage you to understand who the lord of your
  • 00:13:48.877 --> 00:13:53.114
  • Life is and step as closely to him as you can no matter
  • 00:13:53.114 --> 00:13:57.285
  • Who sneers.
  • 00:13:57.285 --> 00:13:59.687
  • Not easy.
  • 00:13:59.687 --> 00:14:02.423
  • So jesus said to them, to the pharisees, "you are the ones who
  • 00:14:02.423 --> 00:14:06.361
  • Justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but god knows
  • 00:14:06.361 --> 00:14:10.265
  • Your hearts.
  • 00:14:10.265 --> 00:14:11.633
  • What is highly valued among men is detestable in god's sight."
  • 00:14:11.633 --> 00:14:17.071
  • That's another statement of fact that you need to build into your
  • 00:14:17.071 --> 00:14:19.974
  • Little portfolio about what the scripture tells us about
  • 00:14:19.974 --> 00:14:23.278
  • Our possessions.
  • 00:14:23.278 --> 00:14:24.913
  • Jesus said, what is highly valued amongst men is detestable
  • 00:14:24.913 --> 00:14:29.550
  • In god's sight.
  • 00:14:29.550 --> 00:14:30.885
  • Not tolerated, it's detested.
  • 00:14:30.885 --> 00:14:34.555
  • So that we have a valuation system that god looks at and he
  • 00:14:34.555 --> 00:14:37.558
  • Goes, you know, that's just foolish.
  • 00:14:37.558 --> 00:14:40.094
  • Well, that should have our attention.
  • 00:14:40.094 --> 00:14:42.563
  • Because the messaging, the--all of the things that come to us to
  • 00:14:42.563 --> 00:14:47.802
  • Orient our lives in a very similar way to people who have
  • 00:14:47.802 --> 00:14:51.506
  • Little or no knowledge of the kingdom of god, who have little
  • 00:14:51.506 --> 00:14:54.876
  • Or no interest in pleasing jesus.
  • 00:14:54.876 --> 00:14:57.512
  • If we are building our lives, if we're building our asset bases,
  • 00:14:57.512 --> 00:15:01.449
  • If we're imagining our security is aligned identically with
  • 00:15:01.449 --> 00:15:06.654
  • People who could care less about the kingdom of god, that i think
  • 00:15:06.654 --> 00:15:12.360
  • We are on the wrong path.
  • 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:15.096
  • Look at 1 timothy 6.
  • 00:15:15.096 --> 00:15:18.099
  • Paul's writing this to a young man he's
  • 00:15:18.099 --> 00:15:20.134
  • Mentoring, he said, "we brought nothing into the world, and we
  • 00:15:20.134 --> 00:15:22.070
  • Can take nothing out of it.
  • 00:15:22.070 --> 00:15:24.572
  • But if we have food and clothing, we'll be content
  • 00:15:24.572 --> 00:15:26.741
  • With that.
  • 00:15:26.741 --> 00:15:28.109
  • People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap into
  • 00:15:28.109 --> 00:15:30.945
  • Many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin
  • 00:15:30.945 --> 00:15:33.881
  • And destruction."
  • 00:15:33.881 --> 00:15:35.984
  • Doesn't say that wealth is bad.
  • 00:15:35.984 --> 00:15:38.052
  • The bible never says that.
  • 00:15:38.052 --> 00:15:40.254
  • People often misquote this next sentence and they say, "well,
  • 00:15:40.254 --> 00:15:42.623
  • The bible says that money is the root of all evil."
  • 00:15:42.623 --> 00:15:44.692
  • No, it doesn't say that at all.
  • 00:15:44.692 --> 00:15:47.161
  • Look at the next verse.
  • 00:15:47.161 --> 00:15:48.496
  • It says, "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
  • 00:15:48.496 --> 00:15:51.666
  • And some people, eager for money, have wandered from the
  • 00:15:51.666 --> 00:15:53.901
  • Faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
  • 00:15:53.901 --> 00:15:58.206
  • So there's a cautionary note and it's reflected in many
  • 00:15:58.206 --> 00:16:01.876
  • Perspectives and more than we'll take up in this session
  • 00:16:01.876 --> 00:16:04.612
  • Certainly that your attitude towards money has the potential
  • 00:16:04.612 --> 00:16:08.149
  • To bring the blessings of god to your life or it can bring
  • 00:16:08.149 --> 00:16:11.052
  • Tremendous pain to your life.
  • 00:16:11.052 --> 00:16:13.721
  • And it's in our best interests to know the difference.
  • 00:16:13.721 --> 00:16:15.890
  • And not having money doesn't eliminate you from that arena.
  • 00:16:15.890 --> 00:16:18.760
  • It isn't the presence of things or the absence of things that
  • 00:16:18.760 --> 00:16:22.797
  • Makes you godly or less godly.
  • 00:16:22.797 --> 00:16:25.366
  • You can be poor and wicked or rich and wicked.
  • 00:16:25.366 --> 00:16:28.703
  • Poor does not make you holy.
  • 00:16:28.703 --> 00:16:34.142
  • Amen, pastor.
  • 00:16:34.142 --> 00:16:35.743
  • Hebrews 13.
  • 00:16:35.743 --> 00:16:37.211
  • "keep your lives free from the love of money and be content
  • 00:16:37.211 --> 00:16:41.449
  • With what you have, because god has said, 'never will i leave
  • 00:16:41.449 --> 00:16:43.985
  • You; never will i forsake you.'"
  • 00:16:43.985 --> 00:16:47.155
  • There's one phrase repeated in each of those four passages.
  • 00:16:47.155 --> 00:16:49.490
  • Did you pick it up?
  • 00:16:49.490 --> 00:16:52.093
  • In each case it talks about the love of money.
  • 00:16:52.093 --> 00:16:55.463
  • Whoever loves money never has enough.
  • 00:16:55.463 --> 00:16:57.965
  • The pharisees, because they loved money, sneered at
  • 00:16:57.965 --> 00:17:01.469
  • Jesus's counsel.
  • 00:17:01.469 --> 00:17:03.638
  • They liked their economic plan better than the one jesus was
  • 00:17:03.638 --> 00:17:07.275
  • Giving them.
  • 00:17:07.275 --> 00:17:09.377
  • Paul wrote to timothy and he said, "be careful, the love of
  • 00:17:09.377 --> 00:17:11.679
  • Money is a root of all kinds of evil."
  • 00:17:11.679 --> 00:17:15.249
  • Well, if you understand the root of all kinds of evil, you would
  • 00:17:15.249 --> 00:17:17.652
  • Want to do everything in your life to eliminate that root.
  • 00:17:17.652 --> 00:17:24.158
  • And finally, the author of hebrews said just to keep your
  • 00:17:24.158 --> 00:17:27.495
  • Lives free from the love of money.
  • 00:17:27.495 --> 00:17:30.098
  • And the antidote is suggested there is contentment.
  • 00:17:30.098 --> 00:17:34.735
  • I'll give you one more verse, then i want to just offer some
  • 00:17:34.735 --> 00:17:36.604
  • Comments from those passages.
  • 00:17:36.604 --> 00:17:37.972
  • James 3 says, "where you have envy and selfish ambition, there
  • 00:17:37.972 --> 00:17:41.342
  • You find disorder in every evil practice."
  • 00:17:41.342 --> 00:17:45.246
  • You know what envy is, right?
  • 00:17:45.246 --> 00:17:47.381
  • You want what somebody else has.
  • 00:17:47.381 --> 00:17:49.584
  • You think you have a right to what somebody else has.
  • 00:17:49.584 --> 00:17:52.453
  • "well, i should have that."
  • 00:17:52.453 --> 00:17:53.821
  • Do you understand the degree to which that message is thundered
  • 00:17:53.821 --> 00:17:57.058
  • Across our culture these days?
  • 00:17:57.058 --> 00:18:01.162
  • All the people who don't pay their fair share what you have a
  • 00:18:01.162 --> 00:18:03.631
  • Right to?
  • 00:18:03.631 --> 00:18:05.032
  • So i just brought you some observations from
  • 00:18:05.032 --> 00:18:06.734
  • Those passages.
  • 00:18:06.734 --> 00:18:08.102
  • The love of money is a problem.
  • 00:18:08.102 --> 00:18:09.437
  • Biblically, it's a problem.
  • 00:18:09.437 --> 00:18:10.805
  • You can't love money and love god.
  • 00:18:10.805 --> 00:18:14.108
  • You don't have to hate money.
  • 00:18:14.108 --> 00:18:15.843
  • The bible doesn't tell us to do that.
  • 00:18:15.843 --> 00:18:18.579
  • But the love of money is a problem.
  • 00:18:18.579 --> 00:18:22.216
  • So you wanna guard your heart, you wanna give the spirit of god
  • 00:18:22.216 --> 00:18:24.619
  • Permission to help you do a personal inventory.
  • 00:18:24.619 --> 00:18:29.991
  • There's all kinds of evidence.
  • 00:18:29.991 --> 00:18:32.760
  • You know, professional athletes sign these crazy contracts.
  • 00:18:32.760 --> 00:18:35.296
  • I gave you some of the numbers.
  • 00:18:35.296 --> 00:18:36.631
  • I'm happy for them to make that money, but how many parents
  • 00:18:36.631 --> 00:18:39.133
  • Start with their children when they're this tall trying to
  • 00:18:39.133 --> 00:18:40.968
  • Teach them to hit a ball or to play whatever the sport is, to
  • 00:18:40.968 --> 00:18:46.541
  • Do whatever is, and as you listen, they say, "well, you
  • 00:18:46.541 --> 00:18:48.643
  • Know, one day you're gonna get that contract."
  • 00:18:48.643 --> 00:18:52.113
  • The real question is that the lifestyle you are really, is
  • 00:18:52.113 --> 00:18:56.017
  • That the ambition you have for your child?
  • 00:18:56.017 --> 00:19:01.422
  • Is that really the highest ambition you have for them?
  • 00:19:01.422 --> 00:19:04.792
  • Is that what you wanna plant in their hearts?
  • 00:19:04.792 --> 00:19:06.961
  • Strive for this.
  • 00:19:06.961 --> 00:19:09.163
  • Rearrange your life, your social calendar, everything you do
  • 00:19:09.163 --> 00:19:12.500
  • To succe--i like sports.
  • 00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:13.901
  • I played them a lot once upon a time.
  • 00:19:13.901 --> 00:19:16.704
  • I know it's hard to believe, but we had peach baskets, dinosaurs
  • 00:19:16.704 --> 00:19:23.644
  • And all those things, but i didn't imagine that they held
  • 00:19:23.644 --> 00:19:28.583
  • My future.
  • 00:19:28.583 --> 00:19:31.052
  • Our ambition, i hear the parents, you know, "we can sign
  • 00:19:31.052 --> 00:19:33.921
  • One of those $100 million--" or "you can get a scholarship."
  • 00:19:33.921 --> 00:19:37.258
  • The ambition is to put together a skill set and a character that
  • 00:19:37.258 --> 00:19:41.395
  • Will bring the blessings of god to your life.
  • 00:19:41.395 --> 00:19:46.133
  • We have to guard our hearts.
  • 00:19:46.133 --> 00:19:47.501
  • The messaging is so profound, so immense, so unrelenting.
  • 00:19:47.501 --> 00:19:52.673
  • Secondly, you don't have to have money to have the love of money.
  • 00:19:52.673 --> 00:19:59.513
  • You can have money and be broke.
  • 00:19:59.513 --> 00:20:03.684
  • You can.
  • 00:20:03.684 --> 00:20:05.620
  • If we got really honest, most of us have been there.
  • 00:20:05.620 --> 00:20:09.991
  • You know, we typically think, "well, the people who love me,
  • 00:20:09.991 --> 00:20:11.826
  • You know, people have a money problem, people have lots of it.
  • 00:20:11.826 --> 00:20:15.196
  • They got yachts and all this stuff and they love money, but
  • 00:20:15.196 --> 00:20:19.100
  • I--" no, no, no, no, no.
  • 00:20:19.100 --> 00:20:23.204
  • If it wasn't an active trigger, the politicians wouldn't use it
  • 00:20:23.204 --> 00:20:26.807
  • All the time, telling you, you deserve some of somebody
  • 00:20:26.807 --> 00:20:29.443
  • Else's money.
  • 00:20:29.443 --> 00:20:33.981
  • We need the help of the holy spirit.
  • 00:20:33.981 --> 00:20:36.484
  • Thirdly, i wanna submit to you that you shouldn't resent people
  • 00:20:36.484 --> 00:20:39.153
  • Who have more money than you.
  • 00:20:39.153 --> 00:20:44.692
  • You shouldn't.
  • 00:20:44.692 --> 00:20:46.961
  • See, i think we automat--for some reason it flourishes, we
  • 00:20:46.961 --> 00:20:50.364
  • Think, well, they've done something inappropriate or they
  • 00:20:50.364 --> 00:20:52.199
  • Wouldn't have that much.
  • 00:20:52.199 --> 00:20:54.802
  • You know, i don't know what they did.
  • 00:20:54.802 --> 00:20:56.304
  • I've never heard it, but it had to be something.
  • 00:20:56.304 --> 00:21:00.274
  • 'cause i worked hard and i did good and i honored god and i
  • 00:21:00.274 --> 00:21:02.943
  • Went to church six times a week and they get more than i did.
  • 00:21:02.943 --> 00:21:07.148
  • I know they're ungodly.
  • 00:21:07.148 --> 00:21:08.516
  • I don't know how, but i'm gonna keep watching.
  • 00:21:08.516 --> 00:21:13.788
  • It's phenomenal how that grows within us.
  • 00:21:13.788 --> 00:21:18.626
  • You know what happens when you hold that kind of resentment and
  • 00:21:18.626 --> 00:21:21.028
  • Bitterness and hatred?
  • 00:21:21.028 --> 00:21:23.331
  • It keeps the blessings of god from your life.
  • 00:21:23.331 --> 00:21:27.268
  • In the same way, unforgiveness will.
  • 00:21:27.268 --> 00:21:31.005
  • Celebrate with other people, be grateful for 'em.
  • 00:21:31.005 --> 00:21:35.109
  • Tell them you're thankful.
  • 00:21:35.109 --> 00:21:38.212
  • I'll give you an example that might be easier to help
  • 00:21:38.212 --> 00:21:40.781
  • You unpack.
  • 00:21:40.781 --> 00:21:42.283
  • How many of you ever heard somebody or somebody said to you
  • 00:21:42.283 --> 00:21:44.118
  • That big churches are a problem?
  • 00:21:44.118 --> 00:21:47.221
  • I don't wanna go to a--how many of you said i don't wanna go to
  • 00:21:47.221 --> 00:21:49.357
  • A big church?
  • 00:21:49.357 --> 00:21:51.025
  • We're not gonna throw you out.
  • 00:21:51.025 --> 00:21:52.393
  • Come on, more than you, more than that, said it.
  • 00:21:52.393 --> 00:21:54.795
  • Two-thirds of the people i meet here for the first time, "i
  • 00:21:54.795 --> 00:21:57.398
  • Never said, 'i'd never come to a big church.'"
  • 00:21:57.398 --> 00:22:04.505
  • And the journals are filled with pastors and professional
  • 00:22:04.505 --> 00:22:07.074
  • Christians to tell you why, you know, and big churches are bad.
  • 00:22:07.074 --> 00:22:10.845
  • Let me add with that fact, let me ask you a follow-up question.
  • 00:22:10.845 --> 00:22:14.448
  • What do you think the chances are of a pastor who frequently
  • 00:22:14.448 --> 00:22:17.585
  • Says big churches are bad, what are the chances he has of
  • 00:22:17.585 --> 00:22:19.887
  • Leading his congregation to grow?
  • 00:22:19.887 --> 00:22:24.658
  • Be like slim and none.
  • 00:22:24.658 --> 00:22:29.130
  • Because what he's feeling, the attitude he's holding would
  • 00:22:29.130 --> 00:22:32.767
  • Prevent the blessing god might bring a fruitfulness to
  • 00:22:32.767 --> 00:22:35.970
  • His life.
  • 00:22:35.970 --> 00:22:38.339
  • Does that make sense?
  • 00:22:38.339 --> 00:22:40.341
  • Well, if it's true in a ministry setting, do you think it might
  • 00:22:40.341 --> 00:22:44.278
  • Be true if you have the wrong attitude about possessions, if
  • 00:22:44.278 --> 00:22:47.915
  • You resent people who have some?
  • 00:22:47.915 --> 00:22:50.885
  • Or if you love it--you see, if you love money, god can't bring
  • 00:22:50.885 --> 00:22:53.521
  • It to you.
  • 00:22:53.521 --> 00:22:55.656
  • He loves you too much to give you something that would
  • 00:22:55.656 --> 00:22:57.458
  • Destroy you.
  • 00:22:57.458 --> 00:23:03.564
  • So our attitude, we gotta listen to what god has said.
  • 00:23:03.564 --> 00:23:07.635
  • You know, it's like we hide our wallet in the car and we come to
  • 00:23:07.635 --> 00:23:09.703
  • Church 'cause we think somebody wants it.
  • 00:23:09.703 --> 00:23:11.038
  • God doesn't need what we have.
  • 00:23:11.038 --> 00:23:13.808
  • Folks, when we give at church, it's for our benefit.
  • 00:23:13.808 --> 00:23:18.179
  • I mean, i know that's a little-- this is an easier message to do
  • 00:23:18.179 --> 00:23:20.881
  • If it's not in a community that i have served or i'm serving in,
  • 00:23:20.881 --> 00:23:24.518
  • But the principles are true.
  • 00:23:24.518 --> 00:23:25.886
  • It's just i'm a little more removed from the equation in
  • 00:23:25.886 --> 00:23:28.088
  • Those settings.
  • 00:23:28.088 --> 00:23:30.224
  • When we give at church, we give because of our need to honor god
  • 00:23:30.224 --> 00:23:33.527
  • With the possessions that we have.
  • 00:23:33.527 --> 00:23:36.230
  • And there's a benefit that comes to the community where we live.
  • 00:23:36.230 --> 00:23:38.499
  • I'm not denying that or arguing that, but the real benefit is
  • 00:23:38.499 --> 00:23:42.837
  • What happens in our heart.
  • 00:23:42.837 --> 00:23:44.205
  • Our attitudes towards our stuff has an enormous impact on the
  • 00:23:44.205 --> 00:23:48.075
  • Promise and the fulfillment of it in our lives.
  • 00:23:48.075 --> 00:23:51.278
  • Number four, envy, covetousness, greed, and discontentment are
  • 00:23:51.278 --> 00:23:55.015
  • Not the problems of the rich.
  • 00:23:55.015 --> 00:23:59.520
  • Like most people i've met that have a whole lot of stuff,
  • 00:23:59.520 --> 00:24:01.755
  • They're not really envious.
  • 00:24:01.755 --> 00:24:05.192
  • It's those of us looking at their lives going, "i don't know
  • 00:24:05.192 --> 00:24:07.795
  • What they did, but i should have more of that."
  • 00:24:07.795 --> 00:24:13.267
  • You can't afford it.
  • 00:24:13.267 --> 00:24:17.304
  • And most of us aren't comparing our lives to jeff bezos.
  • 00:24:17.304 --> 00:24:21.642
  • We just look at our neighbors and they got a bigger television
  • 00:24:21.642 --> 00:24:23.978
  • Than we've got.
  • 00:24:23.978 --> 00:24:26.213
  • And it's summertime and they got a lawn mower and it's got a
  • 00:24:26.213 --> 00:24:28.182
  • Bigger deck than the one i've got.
  • 00:24:28.182 --> 00:24:31.886
  • And it bugs us.
  • 00:24:31.886 --> 00:24:34.288
  • Or their kids have labels in their clothes that our kids
  • 00:24:34.288 --> 00:24:36.624
  • Don't have in their clothes.
  • 00:24:36.624 --> 00:24:38.526
  • Or they're going to a school and ours aren't or whatever it may
  • 00:24:38.526 --> 00:24:41.462
  • Be that happens to be their golf clubs are better than yours or
  • 00:24:41.462 --> 00:24:44.365
  • The gun they hunt with is better than the one you hunt with
  • 00:24:44.365 --> 00:24:46.767
  • Or whatever.
  • 00:24:46.767 --> 00:24:50.604
  • And it leaves you envious and covetous and discontented and
  • 00:24:50.604 --> 00:24:56.043
  • Disoriented and frustrated.
  • 00:24:56.043 --> 00:24:59.380
  • And it blocks the blessings of god.
  • 00:24:59.380 --> 00:25:02.283
  • I've offered a solution before.
  • 00:25:02.283 --> 00:25:03.851
  • It isn't overly clever, but if you recognize that's been a
  • 00:25:03.851 --> 00:25:07.588
  • Battle, i have a solution.
  • 00:25:07.588 --> 00:25:10.224
  • Just stand in your front yard and face each of your neighbors,
  • 00:25:10.224 --> 00:25:12.626
  • Do it individually and say, "i declare you the winner.
  • 00:25:12.626 --> 00:25:17.398
  • You have the best snow blower, you have the best lawn mower.
  • 00:25:17.398 --> 00:25:21.168
  • Your television is superior to mine.
  • 00:25:21.168 --> 00:25:24.271
  • Your kitchen is outfitted with better appliances than mine is
  • 00:25:24.271 --> 00:25:27.408
  • Outfitted with and your house is more tastefully done.
  • 00:25:27.408 --> 00:25:30.844
  • Martha stewart may be your cousin.
  • 00:25:30.844 --> 00:25:34.014
  • I declare you the winner.
  • 00:25:34.014 --> 00:25:37.217
  • I'm opting out.
  • 00:25:37.217 --> 00:25:40.020
  • I'm gonna be content."
  • 00:25:40.020 --> 00:25:44.758
  • That will open your life to the good things from the lord beyond
  • 00:25:44.758 --> 00:25:48.395
  • What you could imagine.
  • 00:25:48.395 --> 00:25:49.730
  • Number five, cultivate contentment.
  • 00:25:49.730 --> 00:25:51.098
  • It is of great value.
  • 00:25:51.098 --> 00:25:52.433
  • It's biblical.
  • 00:25:52.433 --> 00:25:54.868
  • Not complacency.
  • 00:25:54.868 --> 00:25:58.205
  • I'm not asking you to be complacent.
  • 00:25:58.205 --> 00:25:59.840
  • I'm asking you to be content.
  • 00:25:59.840 --> 00:26:01.208
  • There's a difference.
  • 00:26:01.208 --> 00:26:04.011
  • Allen: being a christ follower is not as much about an
  • 00:26:08.148 --> 00:26:10.618
  • Experience and a completed activity, a prayer, a visit to
  • 00:26:10.618 --> 00:26:14.154
  • An altar, a response to an evangelist.
  • 00:26:14.154 --> 00:26:17.358
  • It's certainly a beginning point of welcoming jesus into your
  • 00:26:17.358 --> 00:26:19.960
  • Heart, but it's a life that we lead so we continue to grow and
  • 00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:23.597
  • Learn and gain strength.
  • 00:26:23.597 --> 00:26:25.432
  • As life presents challenges, we get to know god in a new way.
  • 00:26:25.432 --> 00:26:28.869
  • Well, i believe this book about the holy spirit is a tool to
  • 00:26:28.869 --> 00:26:32.206
  • Help you gain a new momentum to grow through the things in your
  • 00:26:32.206 --> 00:26:36.110
  • Life under the direction of the power of the spirit of god.
  • 00:26:36.110 --> 00:26:39.413
  • Folks, we're not gonna out-work evil or out-think evil.
  • 00:26:39.413 --> 00:26:42.149
  • We're not gonna out-organize evil.
  • 00:26:42.149 --> 00:26:43.951
  • The only thing evil will yield to is a power greater than
  • 00:26:43.951 --> 00:26:46.687
  • Itself and that power is the spirit of god.
  • 00:26:46.687 --> 00:26:49.657
  • And you and me manifest in the earth through people of faith.
  • 00:26:49.657 --> 00:26:53.961
  • We're salt and light, we're change agents.
  • 00:26:53.961 --> 00:26:56.430
  • I wanna pray.
  • 00:26:56.430 --> 00:26:57.798
  • Heavenly father, give us a discernment to recognize your
  • 00:26:57.798 --> 00:27:00.834
  • Spirit, how we can welcome him into our lives and cooperate
  • 00:27:00.834 --> 00:27:04.171
  • With him to bring your breakthroughs into our lives,
  • 00:27:04.171 --> 00:27:06.874
  • Our homes, and our churches.
  • 00:27:06.874 --> 00:27:09.009
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:09.009 --> 00:27:27.461