#721: The Power of Gratitude & Thanksgiving

In the midst of God moving in the earth through remarkable miracles, demonstrations of His Spirit, and the fulfillment of prophecies, we must come to terms with the existence of evil. The second week of Advent is about peace and preparation, and in this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses how we can have peace and be prepared for our God-given assignments, even when we're surrounded by expressions of evil. Pastor Allen shares the story of Jesus' birth, highlighting the uncertainty each person felt, even as they walked in obedience to God. Our stories will look similar, but we don't need to be overcome with fear or anxiety. As we practice obedience, Jesus promises to give us peace—and His peace is everlasting.

God's movements can bring discontinuity, discomfort, or hardship—but they also result in extraordinary outcomes. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses what it looks like when God moves in the earth and why choosing to hope in the Lord is essential. Afterall, hope (the theme of the first week of the Advent season) is about the future. Our futures may look tenuous, and we may have misplaced or outright abandoned our hope—but when we choose to reject despair, and hope in God's faithfulness and trustworthiness, we can find a joy that lasts even in the midst of sorrow. 

After feeling disappointed by someone or something we trusted in, how can we know where to place our hope? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses hope, the topic of the first week of Advent, and how we can be certain that God is trustworthy. He teaches about the importance of guarding our hearts and practicing patience through the discomfort of hardship. Suffering will come to all of us because expressions of evil in our world are real, but the Bible teaches that even through difficult seasons, we can rejoice. We find everlasting joy and peace when we place our hope in the Lord!

Discontentment may try to arise as you begin this year's holiday celebrations, but let's aim to cultivate thankfulness. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses five ways we can practice gratitude this Thanksgiving season in obedience to God and His Word. He shares biblical methods of expressing gratitude to God, fostering thankfulness for the blessings in our lives, repenting of ungratefulness, being thankful in spite of the hardships we face, and living humbly in service and generosity to those around us. The discipline of a grateful attitude instead of a grumbling one will bless us this holiday season.  

Life can be demanding, especially during the holidays. Instead of focusing on things to complain or be anxious about, God asks us to shift our perspectives and choose a different outlook instead. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the importance of fostering an attitude of thankfulness. He shares activities for the three days leading up to Thanksgiving to help us refocus our minds and hearts on the Lord and His many blessings in our lives. Our daily stressors and difficulties are real—but God is more powerful than any of them.  

The Church in our nation is at a point where only God's intervention can change our future. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses preparing ourselves and welcoming God to do something new in His Church. The Bible tells us we shouldn't just expect the same things we've seen the Lord do before; instead, we should seek Him and look forward to something better. Pastor Allen draws from the stories of men like Daniel, David, and Peter to demonstrate that what we anticipate is rarely what God has in store—in fact, He has plans far beyond our understanding. To overcome evil and further the Lord's Kingdom, are we ready for Him to do something we've never seen before?

When God moves, we can find ourselves in uncomfortable situations; it's often the nature of the assignment. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the theme of the first week of Advent—hope—and how it can help us overcome fear and discomfort. He shares the stories of those involved with and surrounding the birth of Jesus, like Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, and Anna and Simeon. They all faced situations full of uncertainty and anxiety, but through their obedience, they became a part of the greatest story ever told: when God sent His only Son to Earth to save us. God is moving in our lives today, and even though the changes may not be comfortable at first, pursuing our God-given assignments will lead to a life of purpose and meaning, as we share His perfect hope with a lost world.

We're watching as resistance to God's Kingdom increases and darkness in our nation and around the globe grows bolder—but when we learn to recognize God's character, intentions, and voice, His movement in the earth becomes more visible than the expressions of evil around us. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the figure and spirit of antichrist discussed in the book of Revelation. He offers history about the expressions of the antichrist we've witnessed before, and he shares how we can persevere in the face of growing lawlessness and persecution. We have a choice to make: Will we capitulate to fear and darkness, or will we decide to focus our attention and energy on the triumphant Lion of Judah?

Hardship and troubling times won't come because of political or economic turmoil; these seasons will be driven by the degradation of human character. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses how we can live with peace through frightening times. We see in the Book of Revelation that we will need courage to persevere through persecution, but Pastor Allen reminds us that we can rely on God's judgment, justice, and provision to stand boldly. God has sent us the Holy Spirit as our helper, counselor, and comforter, and through Him, we can fulfill the assignment of the Church: sharing the Good News of God's Kingdom to the ends of the earth.

We should all strive to mature in our faith, but what does that look like? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses what it means to grow up spiritually and truly live out a transformational faith. He teaches that maturity means being responsible and accountable, and he shares biblical and practical advice on how to develop these traits in our daily lives. Practicing politeness and gratitude can change our thoughts and attitudes to align better with Scripture's definition of growth. Maturity won't exempt us from suffering, but it gives us the strength and skills we need to navigate difficult seasons. Our faith is intended to be transformational—not to get our way, but to be changed from the inside out.