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Basics Training

Allen Jackson Ministries

November 22, 2020

27:29

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

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Basics Training

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♪♪♪
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Pastor Allen Jackson:I believe, in 2020,
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God's put usin training.
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We need the church to bedifferent, more alive, more
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vital, more prayerful, morediscerning, able to hear with
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greater confidence, more filledwith the Word of God.
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And God has sent us home totrain, train ourselves
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to be Godly.
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♪♪♪
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♪♪♪
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Pastor Allen Jackson: The titlefor this session is,
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"Basics Training."
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Basics training.
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Matthew 24 is Jesus's mostlengthy prophetic discourse.
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And I want to read you just acouple of verses from
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Matthew 24.
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Jesus is talking about our worldin the season before he returns.
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And he says, "Becauselawlessness is increased,
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most people's lovewill grow cold.
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But the one who endures to theend will be saved.
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And the gospel of the kingdomwill be preached in the whole
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world as a testimony to all thenations, and then the end
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will come."
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Jesus's presentation concludeswith the penultimate event, he
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said this gospel of the Kingdomwill be preached in the
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whole world.
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So don't be discouraged ordissuaded by the dozen or more
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things that Jesus said will beindicators of the conclusion of
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the age, some of them are prettyintimidating.
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Because the ultimate event isthe proclamation of the gospel
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of the kingdom to the wholeworld.
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We have the tools and thetechnology and the opportunities
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to make that assignmentachievable in this generation.
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But Jesus said something elsethat I want to draw your
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attention to, these are thewords of our Lord.
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He said, "because lawlessness isincreased, most people's love
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will grow cold."
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Now, in Greek there's multiplewords for love.
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There's eros for physical love,and philia for brotherly love,
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but the word that's used here isthe word that's translated for a
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God kind of love.
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So he's talking about the lovein the hearts of the people
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of God.
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That the radical, dramaticincrease in lawlessness will
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cause the people of God towithdraw from an attitude
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of love.
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Now, you don't have to be verydiscerning to see that that's
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taking place right now.
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In fact, I'll start within thechurch, just some simple
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observations how we've turnedaway from the law of God.
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It's not uncommon to hear itwithin the context of
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church discussions.
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People say things like, well, Ijust don't believe God would
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send anyone to hell.
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Well, I respect your right toyour opinion, but that's not an
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informed one.
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Because the Scripture tells usjust the opposite.
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Or I'll hear people say, well,the Old Testament is just too
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harsh, I'm a New Testament kindof a person.
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Well, I appreciate that youwould prefer to think about
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happy things, but the NewTestament also houses the book
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of Revelation.
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And a significant portion of theearth's population is destroyed
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by the judgment of God in theNew Testament.
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I don't want to highlight thedarkness, but I don't want us to
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be naive and to deny the truth.
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Or we'll hear others say, well,you know, God is about love.
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And he is.
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But he's also about justice.
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It's commonplace in many of ourChristian settings these days to
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question the authority ofScripture, to question its
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authenticity, its veracity.
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We may use it as a point ofhistorical information, but
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we've rejected it in far toomany settings as a rule of faith
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and practice.
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Please don't imagine yourself tobe a Christ follower unless you
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accept the Word of God as yourrule of faith and practice.
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We have turned away from thefoundations.
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It's equally popular in manyChristian settings to question
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or even deny the uniqueness orthe Lordship of Jesus.
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We'll talk about multiple pathsto God, we'll talk about other
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expressions of faith in ourworld, other religious leaders,
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Buddha or Muhammad.
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Jesus said, "I'm the way, thetruth, and the life, no one
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comes to the Father exceptthrough me."
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Jesus of Nazareth is either theincarnate son of God or
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a deceiver.
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You can't have it both ways.
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We've got to turn our heartsback to the rule of God.
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Others will say, thou shalt notis just a little too harsh, can
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we be a little less blatant, alittle more inclusive?
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Or some will say that the thoushalt statements are appropriate
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if you have some free time ornothing better to do, but you
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surely shouldn't take them as asdirectives in your life.
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I see a greater crumbling of anattitude of respect for God's
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boundaries and God's foundationsand God's law within the church
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than I see a crumbling of therule of law in our secular
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society, and that is crumblingbefore our very eyes.
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We've been asleep.
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We just haven't paid muchattention.
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It hasn't mattered enough to us.
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We've shrugged our shoulders andsaid, well, whatever.
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In our nation, it's frighteningwhat we're watching.
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And it isn't just with 2020 andCOVID and the challenges that
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sheltering in place have broughtto us.
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We've watched, in the publicsquare now for quite a season of
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time, discussions, arguments infavor of open borders.
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The idea is we should haveimmigration without restraint.
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If we do, we no longer willexist as a sovereign nation.
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It's impossible.
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We've watched an intentionalundermining of confidence in law
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enforcement and military.
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This isn't something that'sgonna happen at some other point
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in history, it's happeningbefore us.
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And if we don't guard ourhearts, our response is, well,
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it really hasn't touched us.
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[speaking in foreign language]
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If we don't use our voices nowwhile we have the freedom and
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the liberty to be together, whenthey bring it to our doorstep,
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when they're throwing somethingthrough the window of your home
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or your business, there won't beanybody to speak for you.
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So what do we do?
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Pray!
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Talk about it with your friends!
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Help awaken those that areasleep!
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Don't relent!
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All of this is made possible bya distracted population, and an
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informed a group of people andat the heart of that is the
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church because we've pushed awaythe Word of God, we haven't
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welcomed the input of the HolySpirit.
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We've been consumed with our ownselfishness and our own comfort
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and our own convenience, and wehave failed to be the watchman
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on the walls that God called usto be.
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We are salt and light.
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The church holds the potentialto see this turn back, not a
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politician or a political party.
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It's an exciting time.
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Basics training.
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Let me start with the obvious,Jesus of Nazareth is Lord.
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Philippians chapter 2 in verse 9says, "God exalted him,"
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Jesus, "to the highest place."
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The creator of heaven and earth,the one that spoke this world
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into existence, gave Jesus the"highest place, gave him the
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name that's above every name,that at the name of Jesus every
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knee should bow, in heaven andon earth, and under the earth,
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and every tongue confess thatJesus Christ is Lord, to the
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glory of God the Father.
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Don't let there be any confusionin your heart or your thoughts.
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Don't let there be any relentingin your dialog.
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We've chosen Jesus of Nazarethas Lord of our lives because
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there's none to equal him.
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He's been given the highest namein heaven and earth and under
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the earth.
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In time and beyond time.
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He has the most exalted place.
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And we are honored to call himLord.
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To bear the name of Jesus is thegreatest privilege of your life.
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It's a greater privilege thanwhatever other groups you may
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belong to, whatever degrees youmay have earned, whatever
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resources you may haveaccumulated.
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Whatever else you use todescribe yourself, it is
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secondary to the honor and theprivilege of bearing the name
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of Jesus.
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I don't believe we have to beobnoxious, I don't believe we
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have to be condemning, I don'tbelieve we have to be critical,
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but I do not believe thatcapitulating and being tolerant
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of lies and untruth anddeception and the occult and
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ungodliness honors the Lord, norgives us a greater opportunity.
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My observation is that ourwillingness to be tolerant and
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surrender the field has not beenreciprocated with an equal
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expression of tolerance.
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And I don't intend to yield.
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I want to see Jesus's namehonored in our classrooms again,
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on our university campuses, inour courtrooms, and the halls of
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our hospitals.
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It's our heritage as a people.
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It's been a part of our nationfrom our foundation, and how
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dare anyone say that ourheritage is illegitimate and
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shouldn't be honored.
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Now, that's the assignment ofthe church.
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Jesus is Lord.
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There's a second basic you needto know.
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You've been invited into thekingdom.
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You have.
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Regardless of your lifecircumstances, how grand or how
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humble, the pathway is open toall.
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In Romans 10 in verse 9 it says,if you confess with your mouth,
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Jesus is Lord, and if youbelieve in your heart that God
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raised him from the dead, youwill be saved.
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Saved from what?
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Saved from an eternity apartfrom a God of grace and mercy.
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Saved from an eternity ofjudgment for rejecting Jesus of
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Nazareth as Lord of your life.
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Don't allow the hypocrisy or thewickedness of other people who
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may have embraced Jesus or stoodbeneath the umbrella of the
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Christian faith to cause you toforfeit the opportunity
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before you.
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Pastor Allen Jackson: I cantell you this, that Christianity
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has been the single mostprofound influence in shaping
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the values, the course, andthe direction of our nation.
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And I believe because of ourfaith, we have been uniquely
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blessed by God.
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Now, our nation's not perfect.
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But if we neglect or set asidethe value sets which spawned our
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freedoms, I assure you ourfreedoms will not persist.
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Pastor Allen Jackson: Our nationis at a crossroads.
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It's a line of demarcation.
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We're gonna choose a directionvery soon, and it's not about
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an election.
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I believe what's in front of usis as important as Gettysburg
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has proven to be in our history.
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We need a God perspective.
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The challenge that we face isn'tabout the depravity of
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the wicked.
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The great challenge we face isthe indifference of
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the faithful.
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We've got to have a heartchange.
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Well, I worked for several weeksand put together some lessons
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that I've shared with our churchand I want to share them
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with you.
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We put them in a book, "GodBless America Again."
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There's no question God hasblessed this nation.
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He called us into existence, andhe has sustained us.
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What we will be in the futurehas more to do with the hearts
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of God's people than apolitician or a political party
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or an election.
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We need a prophetic perspectivefrom God right now.
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Enjoy the book.
00:11:37.789 --> 00:11:39.124
male announcer: When donatingtoday, you'll receive Pastor
00:11:39.157 --> 00:11:41.359
Allen's sermon CD that discusseswhat it will take to bring
00:11:41.392 --> 00:11:44.662
healing to our nation.
00:11:44.696 --> 00:11:46.197
Plus, those who donate $25 ormore will also receive his new
00:11:46.231 --> 00:11:50.068
book, "God Bless America Again."
00:11:50.101 --> 00:11:52.337
So give today by calling1-800-880-5102, or by
00:11:52.937 --> 00:11:57.642
visiting allenjackson.com.
00:11:57.675 --> 00:12:00.311
Pastor Allen Jackson: Thekingdom of God will be comprised
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of people from every nation,
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every race, everylanguage, and every tribe.
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Everyone is welcome at the footof the cross.
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It's not about your IQ or yourbank account, it's not about the
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gifts you have or that you don'thave.
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It's not about the treatment youhave received from people good
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or bad.
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You have a choice to make.
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Will you acknowledge Jesus asLord of your life?
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Jesus is Lord,and you've been invited
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into the kingdom.
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Thirdly, it's an invitation to anew way of life.
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Not to a religious experience,or to join a church, but a new
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way of life.
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Romans 14 in verse 7 says, "Noneof us lives to himself alone,
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and none of us dies to himselfalone.
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If we live, we live for theLord, and if we die, we die for
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the Lord.
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So whether we live or die, webelong to the Lord."
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See, the objective of thisChristian journey isn't the
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recitation of a prayer and a dipin a pool, it's to reorient your
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life to live a new way.
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And that's more than anappointment on the weekends for
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a religious service, it has todo with every aspect of your
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life, how you do business, howyou conduct your relationships,
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how do you interact with yourfamily system, how you interact
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with the world around us.
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Our faith has persisted formillennia across many changes in
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cultures and ideologies andpolitical systems and
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economic systems.
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Our faith has persevered becauseit transcends those things.
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It's why we can't relinquish thefoundations of our faith.
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If we do, our culture willcrumble.
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It isn't progressive to rejectthe Word of God.
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We've been called to a new wayof life.
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In Ephesians 4 in verse 22, itsays, "You were taught with
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regard to your former way oflife, to put off your old self."
00:13:47.085 --> 00:13:51.656
If there's a former way of life,it's only logical that there's a
00:13:52.523 --> 00:13:55.727
new way of life.
00:13:55.760 --> 00:13:57.095
And the good news of our faithis that whatever's defined your
00:13:57.562 --> 00:14:00.498
life, whatever limits there havebeen, wherever evil has touched
00:14:00.531 --> 00:14:03.167
you, whatever brokenness hastouched you, through the power
00:14:03.201 --> 00:14:06.170
of the cross and the shed bloodof Jesus, you can be restored,
00:14:06.204 --> 00:14:09.741
delivered, set free, renewed,you can have a new future.
00:14:09.774 --> 00:14:13.278
Your past, your failures, thesins of others does not have the
00:14:14.312 --> 00:14:18.349
authority to limit your future.
00:14:18.383 --> 00:14:20.919
The cross is sufficient.
00:14:20.952 --> 00:14:23.521
We have a message for the world,folks.
00:14:23.554 --> 00:14:26.257
It is good news.
00:14:26.291 --> 00:14:27.592
It's not a message ofcondemnation or hatred
00:14:27.625 --> 00:14:29.994
or belittlement.
00:14:30.028 --> 00:14:31.329
It's a message of freedom.
00:14:31.362 --> 00:14:32.864
Now, there's one last basic Iwant to be certain that you have
00:14:35.066 --> 00:14:37.669
on the radar of your heart.
00:14:37.702 --> 00:14:39.604
And that's that, before we'redone with this, there'll be
00:14:39.637 --> 00:14:41.506
an evaluation.
00:14:41.539 --> 00:14:42.874
Romans 14 in verse 10, it says,"We will all stand before God's
00:14:44.175 --> 00:14:47.979
judgment seat.
00:14:48.012 --> 00:14:49.380
'As it is written, as surely asI live,' says the Lord, 'every
00:14:50.081 --> 00:14:53.051
knee will bow before me, andevery tongue will
00:14:53.084 --> 00:14:54.419
confess to God.'"
00:14:54.452 --> 00:14:56.621
"So then, each of us will givean account of himself to God."
00:14:56.654 --> 00:15:01.159
Every one of us.
00:15:01.192 --> 00:15:03.061
Now, for the Christ follower,it's not a judgment of
00:15:03.094 --> 00:15:06.097
destination, it's not a judgmentof heaven or hell.
00:15:06.130 --> 00:15:09.500
If you've declared Jesus as Lordof your life, it's a judgment
00:15:09.534 --> 00:15:12.236
for what you've done with yourdays under the sun.
00:15:12.270 --> 00:15:14.105
It's a judgment of what you'veaccumulated with the things that
00:15:15.673 --> 00:15:18.142
God entrusted to you, the giftshe's given to you and the
00:15:18.176 --> 00:15:20.545
opportunities he presented toyou.
00:15:20.578 --> 00:15:22.113
It's important.
00:15:23.614 --> 00:15:24.949
Do you want to live for therewards that God has for you?
00:15:24.983 --> 00:15:29.087
You may think God's notwatching.
00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:30.655
You may be dabbling inungodliness and wickedness and
00:15:31.622 --> 00:15:34.258
immorality, and you think you'regetting away with it and nobody
00:15:34.292 --> 00:15:37.762
notices, or it's your life, orit's the privacy of your own
00:15:37.795 --> 00:15:40.631
life and you can do with it asyou choose.
00:15:40.665 --> 00:15:42.967
And there's some truth in that,you have a choice to do
00:15:43.001 --> 00:15:45.370
as you choose.
00:15:45.403 --> 00:15:47.505
But the Scripture is very clear,there's a life path that God
00:15:47.538 --> 00:15:50.208
will reward.
00:15:50.241 --> 00:15:51.609
And the invitation from theSpirit of God is to live in such
00:15:53.578 --> 00:15:56.280
a way so that when you step outof time and step into eternity,
00:15:56.314 --> 00:15:59.817
the creator of heaven and earthcan say to you, well done.
00:16:00.218 --> 00:16:02.987
Now, I want to take the minutesI've got left and talk a little
00:16:04.155 --> 00:16:07.225
bit about what God is doingaround us and before us, the
00:16:07.258 --> 00:16:09.994
opportunities that come fromthose basics.
00:16:10.028 --> 00:16:12.130
God is putting together avolunteer army.
00:16:12.430 --> 00:16:15.666
He'll invite you.
00:16:19.270 --> 00:16:21.205
He'll put those invitationsbefore you, but you'll have to
00:16:21.239 --> 00:16:23.574
choose to participate.
00:16:23.608 --> 00:16:25.009
In fact, God is identifiedthroughout the Scripture as the
00:16:25.043 --> 00:16:28.546
Lord of the armies.
00:16:28.579 --> 00:16:30.214
I've been in some academicsettings that were pretty
00:16:31.616 --> 00:16:34.952
liberal, and very few thingsmade them angrier than a
00:16:34.986 --> 00:16:38.456
presentation of the Lord of thearmies.
00:16:38.489 --> 00:16:41.192
They prefer to think of God as apacifist.
00:16:42.260 --> 00:16:44.195
He's not.
00:16:44.228 --> 00:16:45.563
The phrase in Scripture is, theLord of the hosts.
00:16:46.064 --> 00:16:49.534
The most literal translation isthe Lord of the armies.
00:16:50.101 --> 00:16:52.470
It's Psalm 46 in verse 7, itsays, "The Lord of host is with
00:16:52.503 --> 00:16:56.040
us, the God of Jacob is ourstronghold."
00:16:56.074 --> 00:16:59.644
And then in 2 Timothy chapter 2,Paul is giving instructions to a
00:17:00.745 --> 00:17:04.482
young man that he's coaching,he's mentoring in the faith.
00:17:04.515 --> 00:17:07.452
Listen to his instructions,they're appropriate for you and
00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:10.421
me into this season.
00:17:10.455 --> 00:17:11.789
Timothy--
00:17:12.890 --> 00:17:14.192
"Endure hardship with us like agood soldier of Christ Jesus.
00:17:14.225 --> 00:17:16.794
No one serving as a soldier getsinvolved in civilian affairs, he
00:17:17.528 --> 00:17:21.399
wants to please his commandingofficer.
00:17:21.432 --> 00:17:23.534
Similarly, if anyone competes asan athlete, he doesn't receive
00:17:24.368 --> 00:17:26.971
the victor's crown unless hecompetes according to the rules.
00:17:27.004 --> 00:17:29.674
The hardworking farmer should bethe first to receive a share of
00:17:30.374 --> 00:17:33.211
the crops.
00:17:33.244 --> 00:17:34.645
Reflect on what I'm saying, forthe Lord will give you insight
00:17:34.679 --> 00:17:37.482
into all of this.
00:17:37.515 --> 00:17:38.850
Endure hardship with us like agood soldier of Christ Jesus."
00:17:39.984 --> 00:17:44.122
1 Timothy 4, in verse 6, Paulsaid, "Train yourself to
00:17:44.956 --> 00:17:47.992
be godly.
00:17:48.025 --> 00:17:49.393
Physical training is of somevalue, but godliness has value
00:17:49.894 --> 00:17:52.964
for all things, holding promisefor both the present life and
00:17:52.997 --> 00:17:56.801
the life to come."
00:17:56.834 --> 00:17:58.136
Train yourself to be godly.
00:17:58.169 --> 00:17:59.871
Are you conscious that we're intraining in 2020?
00:18:00.104 --> 00:18:02.540
We're not just hangin' on to goback to February.
00:18:03.774 --> 00:18:06.444
God is training us to bedifferent than we were as this
00:18:07.245 --> 00:18:10.381
year has been unfolding.
00:18:10.414 --> 00:18:13.551
You know, I meet Christians allthe time and they say, Pastor,
00:18:13.584 --> 00:18:15.586
I'm trying.
00:18:15.620 --> 00:18:16.954
I appreciate that, but that'snot enough.
00:18:16.988 --> 00:18:18.322
If outcomes matter, trying isnot the bar.
00:18:20.191 --> 00:18:24.061
And our attitude, pretty muchacross the Christian church, has
00:18:25.463 --> 00:18:28.766
been, well, I tried.
00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:30.835
Well, bless your heart.
00:18:31.736 --> 00:18:34.572
I want to suggest a biblicalapproach.
00:18:34.605 --> 00:18:36.641
Train yourself to be godly.
00:18:36.941 --> 00:18:38.709
Training is engaging inbehaviors, with discipline and
00:18:38.743 --> 00:18:42.580
routine and intentionality, thatwill enable you to accomplish
00:18:42.613 --> 00:18:46.050
something in the future that'simpossible for you to accomplish
00:18:46.083 --> 00:18:49.487
in this moment.
00:18:49.520 --> 00:18:50.888
I believe, in 2020, God's put usin training.
00:18:51.656 --> 00:18:54.125
We need the church to bedifferent, more alive, more
00:18:55.426 --> 00:18:57.828
vital, more prayerful, morediscerning, able to hear with
00:18:57.862 --> 00:19:01.098
greater confidence, more filledwith the Word of God.
00:19:01.132 --> 00:19:03.734
And God has sent us home totrain.
00:19:03.768 --> 00:19:05.636
Train ourselves to be godly.
00:19:06.470 --> 00:19:09.040
There's a second component ofthis training.
00:19:09.941 --> 00:19:11.909
We're going to have to have athinking change.
00:19:11.943 --> 00:19:13.444
I'm quite certain that bootcamp,or basic training, comes with a
00:19:13.477 --> 00:19:16.847
very intentional reprogrammingof how we think.
00:19:16.881 --> 00:19:19.517
In the military, you've gottatransition from a
00:19:19.750 --> 00:19:21.385
civilian mindset.
00:19:21.419 --> 00:19:23.888
Paul said that no one who isengaged does what they wanna do,
00:19:23.921 --> 00:19:29.060
you want to please yourcommanding officer.
00:19:29.093 --> 00:19:31.462
There's got to be a thinkingchange.
00:19:33.931 --> 00:19:36.100
There's many, many examples inScripture, time prevents me from
00:19:36.634 --> 00:19:39.870
walking through them all withyou.
00:19:39.904 --> 00:19:41.239
I'll give you one.
00:19:41.272 --> 00:19:42.573
In Acts chapter 10, we get tolisten in to God as he's
00:19:42.607 --> 00:19:45.810
adjusting Peter's thinking.
00:19:45.843 --> 00:19:48.045
Now, before we look at theadjustment, let me remind you at
00:19:48.879 --> 00:19:51.182
this point, this is Acts chapter10.
00:19:51.215 --> 00:19:54.318
Peter is the leader of thechurch in Jerusalem.
00:19:54.352 --> 00:19:58.122
He's the one that presented themessage on the day of Pentecost,
00:19:58.155 --> 00:20:00.625
and 3.000 people got baptized.
00:20:00.658 --> 00:20:02.927
Peter spent three yearspersonally engaged with Jesus'
00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:06.397
ministry on earth.
00:20:06.430 --> 00:20:07.765
Peter walked on the water, Peterpicked up basketfuls of food
00:20:08.032 --> 00:20:11.035
after the multitude was fed,Peter was there when Lazarus was
00:20:11.068 --> 00:20:14.605
raised from the dead, Peter hasseen people raised from the dead
00:20:14.639 --> 00:20:17.775
from his own ministry.
00:20:17.808 --> 00:20:19.343
When Peter walked through thestreets of Jerusalem, they put
00:20:19.377 --> 00:20:21.846
sick people along the streetbecause, if his shadow fell on
00:20:21.879 --> 00:20:24.949
them, there were some healed.
00:20:24.982 --> 00:20:27.051
Peter is not a novice.
00:20:28.219 --> 00:20:30.588
He's not a beginner.
00:20:30.621 --> 00:20:31.922
In fact, his resume isintimidating.
00:20:31.956 --> 00:20:34.625
But in Acts chapter 10, Peterneeds to change how he thinks,
00:20:35.626 --> 00:20:39.930
or he's limited in what God cando in his life.
00:20:41.999 --> 00:20:44.568
He's waiting for his Noon meal.
00:20:47.872 --> 00:20:49.373
It's Acts 10 in verse 11, itsays, "He saw heaven opened and
00:20:50.708 --> 00:20:53.477
something like a large sheetbeing let down to earth by its
00:20:53.511 --> 00:20:57.181
four corners.
00:20:57.214 --> 00:20:58.549
And it contained all kinds offour-footed animals, as well as
00:20:58.582 --> 00:21:01.686
reptiles of the earth and birdsof the air.
00:21:01.719 --> 00:21:03.788
And a voice told him, 'Get up,Peter.'
00:21:03.821 --> 00:21:05.589
Kill and eat.
00:21:05.623 --> 00:21:06.991
And Peter said, 'Surely not,Lord!'"
00:21:07.224 --> 00:21:10.094
He's a good, observant Jewishman, he keeps the kosher rules,
00:21:10.127 --> 00:21:13.564
he can't eat what's on thatmenu.
00:21:13.597 --> 00:21:17.301
If he does, he forfeits hisstatus, his standing.
00:21:17.335 --> 00:21:21.639
Whatever you imagine would makeyou unclean spiritually, that's
00:21:21.672 --> 00:21:25.242
how Peter saw what was on thatmenu.
00:21:25.276 --> 00:21:27.011
And God was clearly saying, eatit.
00:21:27.044 --> 00:21:29.180
And Peter said, no, no, no, "Ihave never eaten anything impure
00:21:29.213 --> 00:21:37.521
or unclean.
00:21:37.555 --> 00:21:38.856
And the voice of the Lord spoketo him a second time, 'Do not
00:21:38.889 --> 00:21:40.591
call anything impure that Godhas made clean'".
00:21:40.624 --> 00:21:46.130
Don't call it impure, Peter.
00:21:46.163 --> 00:21:50.234
He had that same scene repeatedfor him three times, once
00:21:50.267 --> 00:21:53.037
was inadequate.
00:21:53.070 --> 00:21:55.005
He finds himself, before theweek passes, at the home of
00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:57.641
Cornelius in Caesarea, a RomanCenturion.
00:21:57.675 --> 00:22:00.644
And the events of Acts chapter 2in Jerusalem are duplicated in
00:22:00.945 --> 00:22:04.582
Caesarea in the home of a RomanCenturion, a Gentile, somebody
00:22:04.615 --> 00:22:08.085
with no covenant.
00:22:08.119 --> 00:22:09.453
And Peter said, I now understandthat God is no respecter of
00:22:09.487 --> 00:22:13.224
persons, that what he's done forthe Jewish believers in
00:22:13.257 --> 00:22:16.193
Jerusalem he will do for thenon-Jewish believers
00:22:16.227 --> 00:22:19.330
anywhere else.
00:22:19.363 --> 00:22:22.500
The world shifted in Actschapter 10, the story of the New
00:22:22.533 --> 00:22:25.369
Testament shifted in Actschapter 10.
00:22:25.403 --> 00:22:27.738
It's as dramatic as the partingof the Red Sea.
00:22:27.772 --> 00:22:31.409
Prior to Acts chapter 10, thestory is predominantly a
00:22:31.442 --> 00:22:33.978
Jewish initiative.
00:22:34.011 --> 00:22:35.479
After Acts chapter 10, it's opento the entire globe.
00:22:35.513 --> 00:22:39.483
And God needed Peter, the rockin that early church, he needed
00:22:39.984 --> 00:22:43.521
him to change how he thinks.
00:22:43.554 --> 00:22:44.989
Now here's the question.
00:22:45.022 --> 00:22:49.059
Some of you have been Christiansa long time.
00:22:49.093 --> 00:22:52.229
Decades.
00:22:52.263 --> 00:22:53.597
Some of you've endured so manysermons that, if I stumble, you
00:22:53.631 --> 00:22:55.966
can complete the sentence.
00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:00.571
Do you have the imagination thatGod can introduce a change to
00:23:00.604 --> 00:23:05.109
your thinking?
00:23:05.142 --> 00:23:07.878
Are you willing to learn?Can we humble ourselves?
00:23:07.912 --> 00:23:12.983
Folks, the goal isn't to returnto someplace we were.
00:23:13.017 --> 00:23:16.587
It's not to recapture somemoment in our past.
00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:19.857
It's to say to the Lord, what doyou have for us?
00:23:19.890 --> 00:23:22.326
We need a thinking change.
00:23:22.359 --> 00:23:23.961
We've been enlisted on a newassignment.
00:23:23.994 --> 00:23:25.596
The world has changed this year.
00:23:25.629 --> 00:23:29.633
And it seems to me a thirdcomponent of basic training is
00:23:29.667 --> 00:23:31.902
learning to lead your life underauthority.
00:23:31.936 --> 00:23:34.705
Prior to your enlistment, youare your own authority.
00:23:34.738 --> 00:23:38.442
There may be some civil law, butthose are typically distant and
00:23:38.476 --> 00:23:42.012
can be negotiated.
00:23:42.046 --> 00:23:44.448
But if you enlist in themilitary structure, you
00:23:44.482 --> 00:23:47.351
forfeit that autonomy.
00:23:47.384 --> 00:23:52.389
Your life is placed under a verysignificant, a very serious, a
00:23:52.423 --> 00:23:56.393
very well-structured authority.
00:23:56.427 --> 00:23:58.863
And when you acknowledge Jesusas Lord of your life, it's not
00:23:58.896 --> 00:24:01.665
your life anymore.
00:24:01.699 --> 00:24:03.400
They're not your days anymore,it's not your calendar anymore,
00:24:03.434 --> 00:24:06.604
or your checkbook, or your bankaccount.
00:24:06.637 --> 00:24:09.740
We lead our lives under theauthority of the king.
00:24:09.773 --> 00:24:12.276
And if you're not doing that,then what exactly is the
00:24:12.309 --> 00:24:14.612
evidence, what is the mindsetthat you're a Christ follower?
00:24:14.645 --> 00:24:21.418
We lead our lives underauthority.
00:24:21.452 --> 00:24:23.187
Now, that's something we learn,it's something we grow into,
00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:25.289
it's something that's developedand cultivated.
00:24:25.322 --> 00:24:29.159
In 1 Corinthians 6 in verse 18,it says, "Flee from
00:24:29.193 --> 00:24:32.062
sexual immorality.
00:24:32.096 --> 00:24:35.566
All other sins a man commits areoutside his body, but he who
00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:38.302
sins sexually sins against hisown body.
00:24:38.335 --> 00:24:41.138
Don't you know that your body isa temple of the Holy Spirit, who
00:24:41.171 --> 00:24:44.008
is in you, that you've receivedfrom God?
00:24:44.041 --> 00:24:46.310
You're not your own, you werebought at a price.
00:24:46.343 --> 00:24:51.181
Therefore honor God with yourbody."
00:24:51.215 --> 00:24:55.419
God is watching.We're under his authority.
00:24:55.452 --> 00:25:00.424
In Luke 7, one of the mostdramatic events in Jesus's
00:25:00.457 --> 00:25:02.993
personal ministry.
00:25:03.027 --> 00:25:04.361
He's in Capernaum, and a Romancenturion sends messengers to
00:25:04.395 --> 00:25:08.699
Jesus, he said, "I need you tocome to heal a servant."
00:25:08.732 --> 00:25:12.870
And Jesus starts on his way andhe gets interrupted, and finally
00:25:12.903 --> 00:25:16.040
the Centurion arrives, he says,"Listen, I don't deserve to have
00:25:16.073 --> 00:25:18.175
you come into my home, you justsay the word and my servant will
00:25:18.208 --> 00:25:22.580
get better."
00:25:22.613 --> 00:25:23.914
He said, "I'm a man ofauthority," he said, "I command
00:25:23.948 --> 00:25:26.183
people and they do my bidding,and I recognize
00:25:26.216 --> 00:25:27.618
in you an authority,
00:25:27.651 --> 00:25:29.253
you've got authority oversickness and disease and demons
00:25:29.286 --> 00:25:31.689
and the wind and the waves.
00:25:31.722 --> 00:25:33.457
If you'll just speak the word,my servant will get better."
00:25:33.490 --> 00:25:38.462
And the Scripture sayssomething, it's one of the most
00:25:38.495 --> 00:25:40.297
remarkable statements in all theGospels, it says, Jesus was
00:25:40.331 --> 00:25:43.334
astonished at this man's faith.
00:25:43.367 --> 00:25:45.936
Wouldn't you like to have afaith that caused Jesus to
00:25:45.970 --> 00:25:47.838
be astonished?
00:25:47.871 --> 00:25:51.342
And you know that basically, itwasn't that the man had spent
00:25:51.375 --> 00:25:53.310
time in synagogue, he hadn'tspent the time studying any,
00:25:53.344 --> 00:25:56.146
there were no--it said that herecognized the authority in
00:25:56.180 --> 00:25:59.450
Jesus, and he would humblehimself and submit to
00:25:59.483 --> 00:26:02.319
the authority.
00:26:02.353 --> 00:26:04.855
We've been rebellious too long.We're a people under authority.
00:26:04.888 --> 00:26:09.393
People say to me frequently,"Pastor, yeah, I know what the
00:26:09.426 --> 00:26:11.261
Bible says, but let me tell youwhat I think."
00:26:11.295 --> 00:26:14.598
I will typically try to listenrespectively, but you know the
00:26:14.632 --> 00:26:17.334
real answer, folks.
00:26:17.368 --> 00:26:18.702
We've gotta bring alignment withwhat the Bible says and what
00:26:18.736 --> 00:26:20.571
we think.
00:26:20.604 --> 00:26:22.806
We may not understand it all, itmay take time, it may take a lot
00:26:22.840 --> 00:26:25.676
of time for us to bringalignment, but we have to intend
00:26:25.709 --> 00:26:28.879
to align ourselves with what Godsays.
00:26:28.912 --> 00:26:31.482
male announcer: Join us everyweek for another exciting
00:26:33.117 --> 00:26:35.152
message from Pastor AllenJackson.
00:26:35.185 --> 00:26:37.321
And until then, visit us onlineand discover remarkable
00:26:37.354 --> 00:26:40.858
information and resources tohelp take your Christian life to
00:26:40.891 --> 00:26:44.461
the next level.
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And when you visit online,consider joining our effort to
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continue sending this powerfuland challenging message around
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the globe.
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We want to share this programworldwide, but we can only do it
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with your help.
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So consider partnering with ustoday.
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And if you're visiting theNashville area, we'd love to see
00:27:00.210 --> 00:27:02.946
you at World Outreach Church inMurfreesboro.
00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:05.749
We're easy to find, so look usup when you're
00:27:05.783 --> 00:27:07.584
traveling through.
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And don't forget to connect withPastor Jackson every day through
00:27:08.952 --> 00:27:11.488
social media.
00:27:11.522 --> 00:27:13.323
Thanks so much for joining usand being a part
00:27:13.357 --> 00:27:15.559
of this ministry.
00:27:15.592 --> 00:27:16.894
We'll see you again next timefor another encounter with
00:27:16.927 --> 00:27:18.929
Pastor Allen Jackson.
00:27:18.962 --> 00:27:20.297
♪♪♪
00:27:20.330 --> 00:27:24.668

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