816: Wise Choices [Lessons from Proverbs]

Are we aware of God shaking the earth, or are we too comfortable in our culture's arrogance? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the "storm conditions" present in the world and how Christ-followers should be responding to them. Our nation desperately needs a courageous Church, and that begins with us recognizing when God is moving. Pastor Allen discusses topics including fake news, family, and government from a biblical standpoint, and he encourages us to seek the Lord wholeheartedly. Navigating this season will require a new kind of boldness, but the Lord will help us!

The Spirit of God is inviting us to make Jesus Lord of our lives. That requires more than passing interest—it will take commitment. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses an intentional choice we must make regarding Jesus of Nazareth. Will we be like Nicodemus and Pilate—close to the Savior but missing the bigger picture—or will we be more like the Apostles and strive for a real relationship with God? Pastor Allen reminds us of the eternal consequences of that choice, and he encourages us to be honest with ourselves. No matter when we prayed the sinner's prayer or got baptized, let's serve Jesus as Lord today.

There is not a single promise of God that He won't keep, including His promises to us at the End of the Age. If we want to inherit His promises, we're going to need to be overcomers. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses how to experience God's promises and how to overcome. Both will require faith, patience, and endurance, and Pastor Allen shares the benefits of perseverance and obedience. When life brings disappointments, it's easy to become weary and tired. But as we persevere, God has promised He will be with us, and He will help us carry each of our burdens.

God's Word is overflowing with His promises to us, and when we obey Scripture and seek a relationship with Him, He will bless us. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses what it looks like to embrace God's promises—and it looks like change, repentance, and perseverance. Following the Lord isn't always easy or comfortable, but Pastor Allen reminds us that confessing our struggles and sins is what brings freedom and healing. Accepting God's promises and will for our lives often requires course corrections, but He is faithful to see us through.

The apex of our daily decision process should be asking ourselves, "What is most pleasing to the Lord?" When we're willing and obedient to His Word, God has said He'll bring His best to us. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses knowing God's character in order to please Him with our lives. Scripture reveals much to us about the nature of God—He is loving, just, sovereign, patient, and the Judge of all the earth—and He has made Himself known to us. Being aware God's character means we can understand His boundaries better, and obedience to God's principles brings blessings. Let's open our hearts and minds to understand who our Lord is.

"We're going to confront antisemitism, and we're going to let Israel and the Jewish people know that they are not alone," said Robin Van Etten, the U.S. CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. In this message, Pastor Allen Jackson interviews Van Etten and Max Long, a reservist in the Israeli Defense Force, about what October 7 means to them and what Christians can do to support Israel. Pastor Allen also shares why replacement theology is unbiblical and answers the questions "Why do the Jewish people matter to God?", "Should the Jewish people matter to us?", and "Is the nation of Israel biblically significant today?" The Jewish people matter to God, so they should matter to us. Let's be a friend to Israel today.

The hatred of the Jewish people cannot be understood through political, historical, or geographical terms—it's a spiritual conflict. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses why Israel still matters to God today and how current conflicts point to spiritual forces at work. He defines common terms and shares the history of the Middle East to dispel misunderstandings, and he draws from prophetic passages of Scripture to teach about the spirit of antichrist. God has not abandoned His chosen people, nor has He changed His mind about the land of Israel. The Bible tells us we will be targeted by the spirit of antichrist, much like the Jewish people are today, but in our willingness to stand in support of Israel, we will gain strength for the challenges before us.

Israel is the most tolerant, most diverse nation in the Middle East, yet its enemies believe that tiny nation is the source of all the turmoil in the region. What's the truth? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses six common accusations levied toward Israel and the Jewish people, including the claims of genocide in Gaza, stolen Palestinian land, and media control. He teaches about the history of the nation of Israel and the conflict in the region, and he shares why Israel and the Jewish people matter to Christ-followers and the Church. The hatred for the Jewish people isn't political—it's spiritual, and we need to stand up for God's chosen people.

Obedience to God has a greater impact on our futures than our education or upbringing does. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the spiritual ramifications of obedience and disobedience. We have an adversary, Satan, and the best way to combat his schemes is by trusting and obeying God and His Word. Pastor Allen teaches about the leadership of King Hezekiah to demonstrate how our choices today can impact the generations to come, and that repentance is a better idea than compromise. We don't have to respond to our culture's bullying with fear because we've been given the authority of the King. Let's walk in obedience to Him.

Across Scripture, we see an overarching story that directly applies to our lives: many challenges we face originate from spiritual forces rather than worldly ones. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the reality of the spiritual dimension and its impact on our lives. Jesus was engaged in conflict with the Devil, so as Christ-followers, we should be aware and prepared for spiritual conflict rather than remaining ignorant or unbelieving. Pastor Allen discusses characteristics of God and Satan that should influence our choices as we mature in our faith, and he shares how syncretism, or compromise, severely weakens our relationship with the Lord. God wants good for our lives, so let's decide to align more fully with Him.