Pastor Alan is on the road and you're invited. Check out pastorallen.org for more information. But if you live in the Carolinas, you're invited to a men's event in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on February 27th. And if you're in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, join us at the Epic Conference open to all in late February. Plus, catch Pastor Alan preaching at Sojourn Church in Carrollton, Texas on March 1st.
All the details at pastorallen.org. Yeah. Here's Pastor Alan Wright with Today's Blessing, a biblical, faith-filled vision for your life. They say that nine out of ten people give up before the finish line.
So if you don't quit, you're already in the top 10%. I bless you to keep going. to the end. We can lay aside every weight and run with endurance the race that's set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12.1. You don't have to be the fastest, the strongest, the youngest.
or the smartest. All you need. is perseverance.
So I'm blessing you to keep your eyes on Jesus. And it just keep running. If you don't give up, You're already a star. Pastor, author, and Bible teacher Alan Wright. This one church in its 112-year history has prayed for more individuals than Jesus ever did in his full three years of ministry.
This one church has Fulfilled the promise of John 14 that you'll do greater works. What about churches all across the face of the globe and Christians by the billions that are the body of Christ on earth? That's who you are. That's Pastor Alan Wright. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light.
I'm Daniel Britt. Excited for you to hear the teaching today in the series, Abide, taken from John 14 through 17, as presented at Renolda Church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire broadcast today, I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now, which can be yours for your donation this month to Allen Wright Ministries.
So as you listen to today's message, go deeper as we send you today's special offer. At any point, contact us at pastorallen.org. That's pastorallen.org. Or call 877-544-4860. That's 877-544-4860.
More on this later in the program. But now, let's get started with today's teaching. Here. is Alan Wright. And a father uses his strength.
This is what a healthy father does. He uses his strength for the well-being of the child. He's got a power that could destroy the child, but instead he uses it in advocacy for the child. The father has not only tied up his happiness with the well-being of the child, but is committed in a covenantal relationship. in such a way that when the child hurts, the father's heart hurts.
But no amount of waywardness or woundedness in the child can override the love. that is indelibly etched into the Father's heart. Can we see the Father? Yes. You've seen him in Jesus.
How are we in a relationship? You are also a son, a daughter. of God. as the Son is in the Father.
So you are in the sun. In everything you ask in my name. is being heard from that perspective. Wow.
So this leads to a third question. If we are here now in the flesh, but Jesus is not. How do we carry on? What's going to happen now that Jesus is leaving the earth? That's a natural question any follower would have.
And it gets answered in this text. This is where it becomes more mind-bending and glorious because He's in you, and you're in Him. Jesus is going to show us here profoundly you continue Jesus' ministry. Look at verse 12. Truly, truly, that is in Greek, Amen, Amen.
This is a Greek. way of speech to say This is really important. If you don't pay attention to anything, pay attention to this. This is Jesus saying: don't miss this. I'm in, I'm in.
Truly, truly, I say to you, you'll see that throughout the gospel sometimes, he says that. Really pay attention to this. Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do. And greater works than these will he do. Because I'm going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, this I'll do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And if you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. Wow.
This, at the very least, means that Jesus is clearly saying that. People that are in him. His people. have his own spirit. and have therefore The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and healed the sick and loved the distressed.
That same spirit moving and operating and working organically within the life of the believer, such that. All of the ministry of Jesus would continue. There's no clearer place in all of the New Testament. Where we seek Absolutely for sure, Jesus is saying, my good work, including my miracles, are going to continue and they're going to continue through you. That's amazing.
And so it's incredibly hopeful. But I think that Jesus is not here primarily, of course, talking about some. qualitative way. in which you'll do greater works than him because Who can do a miracle better than Jesus? We're not going to raise the dead better than him.
We're not going to cast out demons better than Jesus. We're not going to say shh to a hurricane and calm it better than Jesus. Let's just be honest. Got a room full of people and we've got a Terrible, demonically afflicted person, and we got Jesus with us.
Somebody needs to cast that out. We're going, okay, Jesus, you do it. You know what I mean? He's saying that it's not that you as an individual or you as a people are going to do something that is qualitatively greater. He doesn't say that it is quantitatively.
It is in scope. It is so much more far-reaching. Because Jesus in the flesh was not omnipresent, God is. But Jesus in his personhood on earth was in one place at one time, maybe the hillsides of Galilee, maybe in Jerusalem, maybe walking through Samaria. But he's one person in one place.
At one time, And he say unto them, I'm going to leave. And it might feel distressing to you, but what I've been trying to show you is that in me, you've seen the Father. And you are going to be indwelt by my Spirit, and the same kind of ministry, and the same kind of love. and the same kind of mercy and the same kind of reaching people with good news, all of that is going to absolutely continue. And it's really good that I'm going because It's going to be bigger and more far-reaching than you could ever imagine.
And that is what has been happening for centuries. Through you. We had a memorial service here in this worship center yesterday. that I did not lead or participate in. The family attends our Kernersville campus.
They came into our Kernsville campus.
some few years ago towards the back end of the COVID years. And when the Howland family joined, The dad. Had COVID. And Sadly, it worsened, his condition worsened. And two weeks after they had come into our church He died.
And Ginger, his wife, was grief-stricken along with their kids and. grandkids and so. And so, having been grieving over this still over the last few years, you could imagine the pain. that this precious family felt when Ginger's daughter, her grown daughter, Amy. had to go in for a heart procedure, otherwise healthy.
and the surgery did not go well and there were complications. And she didn't make it through the surgery. And so now her grief is on top of her grief.
Some of you have experienced that. Where you feel like, I haven't even finished grieving this loss, and here comes another loss, and there they are. They held the memorial service here, and this. Worship center because the crowd was going to be large, and this is our largest space. Pastor Barrett led the service.
And they worship God. And they comforted the family. And hundreds and hundreds of people came and filled this place up. I talked to Ginger this week. I didn't know her, but I just...
Called her and we spoke and here's the miracle. and her grief upon grief. There was real hope in her voice. And where her heart went and her mind was, I'm so thankful for this church. and what the body of Christ means to me.
And I can see the hand of God providentially bringing us into this fellowship just in time. for us to be in a place where we would have the the comfort of the people and the presence of the Holy Spirit. And she could see that. And I thought Ashley Johnson, who's Pastor Barrett's wife, and she works with our discipleship and women's ministry. And she said that over the last few days, there was so much family that was gathering.
Amy, though she was single and did not have children, she was like a second mom to many nieces and nephews, and they just loved her, and they're grieving really hard. And so the Carnersville fellowship Has been providing meals both at breakfast and dinner to just help them through these days. This is what we do. That's Alan Wright. And we'll have more teaching in a moment from today's important series.
Are you ready for some good news? In a world filled with confusion and false advertising, Jesus knew exactly who He was and exactly what His work would accomplish. He did not leave us guessing. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. What if the Christian life is not about striving harder?
but about abiding. Living with God, not just under Him or for Him. But in him. Living as secure, spirit-filled children of God, not as spiritual orphans. Living with the Holy Spirit as our live-in teacher, helper, reminder, and guide, so we do not have to rely only on our own voice.
This month's featured resource from Pastor Alan is Abide, Experiencing Jesus in John 14 through 17, a powerful digital audio series that explores Jesus' most intimate words to his disciples. Through teaching from these chapters in John, you will discover the freedom and confidence that come from living in Christ's finished work. As our thanks when you give today, you will receive digital access to Abide, Experiencing Jesus in John 14 through 17. The gospel is shared when you give to Allen Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support.
When you give today, we will send you today's special offer. We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Allen Wright Ministries. Call us at 877-544-455. 4860. That's 877.
five four four forty eight sixty. Or come to our website, pastorallen.org. Today's teaching now continues. Here once again. is Alan Wright.
Most people, unless you go through a bereavement, you would never even know what all happens for a bereaved family. It's just what we do. Just spontaneously, we normally Try to feed the family. We just love. We organically, instinctively love during times of loss.
This is what the body of Christ does. And so they were doing this, and Ashley, she got tears, and she said, I need you to know that one. person who brought food over. was thinking about all those nieces and nephews and little kids that loved Amy so much. And so she carved a watermelon.
into the shape of a frog.
So that the kids could reach into the frog's mouth and pull out melon balls and have a fun time with it. And I just was touched. And I sort of chuckled and I said, I say it with all respect and reverence: Jesus never carved a watermelon frog. I think Jesus was thinking about the total breadth of what would happen in the body of Christ for the centuries to come. He had stood by the grave of Lazarus and wept, but he was talking about the ages and ages of.
Saints that would mourn with those who mourn and comfort them with the comfort by which they themselves had been comforted. He had in mind all the meals that would be brought and the mercy that would be shared and the hugs and embraces that would be had and maybe even the watermelon frogs. You'll do greater things. This one church in its 112-year history has prayed for more individuals than Jesus ever did in his full three years of ministry. This one church has Fulfilled the promise of John 14 that you'll do greater works.
What about churches all across the face of the globe and Christians by the billions that are the body of Christ on earth? That's who you are. So um Can we see the Father? Yes. In Jesus you have Saint Ah.
Well, where are we in this whole relationship? You're in him. And he's your father too.
Well, how do we care? You are now the body of Christ. The ministry doesn't stop. It expands. And all you need to know Is this not about you trying to get up under God or get over God or get from God or even work for God?
It's just by the presence of the Holy Spirit being with him being In him. I was thinking about it on Father's Day years ago. Bennett and I went on a father-son retreat. Hosted by Crigma Ventures and Dudley Hall at his gorgeous ranch. in Mineral Wells, Texas, that overlooks a chasm down into the Brussels River.
It's beautiful. And they do this every year. And dads, you could take your sons and go. I wanted to go when Bennett was about 15 because I wanted to help welcome him towards manhood. And so you go and you learn, you study scripture together, and then you do a lot of manly things, you know, while you're there.
And I was just miserably failing at all the manly things. We went rappelling on a steep cliff. I'd never tried to rappel. How hard could it be?
Well, it's terrifying. And uh You get harnessed up, and you're supposed to throw yourself back off and start doing your feet. I just stood there, and finally they said, Alan, you got to go. And so I kind of threw myself off, swung out, came back, and hit my shin against a gigantic rock. And I'm kind of yelping there and finally they pitifully just sort of lowered me down.
And Bennett got up there and just rappelled right down that wall. And then we went skeet shooting. I am no hunter. I'm just, I don't know what it is. You're supposed to when you're shooting a shotgun, you got both eyes open, you gotta just lead the clay pigeon.
I just can't do it. I'm missing everything. Finally, they said, well, just close one eye. You're not even supposed to shoot that way. I got one.
You know, Bennett's over there, pop, pop, pop, just nay on him. Then we went down to play football. in the Brassos River in waist-deep water. Do you know how hard it is to try to run with a football and waist-deep water with all that water resistance against you? But I said, I'm in it.
I'm going to be down here. I'm playing football with my son and all these boys out there. And they're tackling me in the water, and I'm about drowning, and I can't breathe. And so after about five minutes, I went over to the side with the old dads. They were just floating around watching it.
Couldn't do any of the stuff, I was like. But then on the closing night, we had this kind of ceremony down by the river is dark. And we had these flaming torches that lined up this open area, and all the boys on one side, all the dads on the other. and one by one we'd call them to come join the community of men. I'll never forget it when I stepped up and I said, Matthew Bennett Wright, come.
Come to the men and join the community of men. Come.
Son to your father. Um he runs over there. 15-year-old boy falling into my arms and It's a moment like that and you're like You're so glad he said, man. You really stink at rappelling and skeet shooting, and I wish you could have played football. No, he didn't say any of that because I.
Okay, I don't know. Because what being a son and a father is all about is not In the end, it Just how glorious the Father is, or what you can get from the Father, or what you can do for the Father. It's about. Being with them. Here we come.
It's all about being in him, in his arms. Everything else flows out of that. I used to think that all in means I got to try really hard, I got to be all, I got to be all in for Jesus, you know, and then I'd feel guilty that I was being too selfish or something like that.
Now I'm going to think of all in meaning all. In him. In that sense, beloved, you're all in. That's what the Christian life's about. And that's the gospel.
Pastor Alan Wright, our good news message all in from the series Avide. Please stay with us. Pastor Alan is back here, joining me in the studio, sharing a parting good news thought for all of us in just a moment. Unlock the power of blessing your life. Discover God's grace-filled vision for your life by signing up for Alan Wright's free daily blessing.
If you want to fill your heart with grace and encouragement, get Alan Wright's Daily Blessing. It's free, and just a click away at pastoralen.org. Are you ready for some good news? In a world filled with confusion and false advertising, Jesus knew exactly who He was and exactly what His work would accomplish. He did not leave us guessing.
He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. What if the Christian life is not about striving harder? but about abiding. Living with God, not just under Him or for Him, but in Him. Living as secure, spirit-filled children of God, not as spiritual orphans.
Living with the Holy Spirit as our live-in teacher, helper, reminder, and guide, so we do not have to rely only on our own voice. This month's featured resource from Pastor Alan is Abide, Experiencing Jesus in John 14 through 17, a powerful digital audio series that explores Jesus' most intimate words to his disciples. Through teaching from these chapters in John, you will discover the freedom and confidence that come from living in Christ's finished work. As our thanks when you give today, you will receive digital access to Abide, Experiencing Jesus in John 14 through 17. The gospel is shared when you give to Allen Wright Ministries.
This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you give today, we will send you today's special offer. We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Allen Wright Ministries. Call us at 877-544-4860. That's 877-5444-4444.
five four four forty eight sixty. Or come to our website, pastorallen.org. Back here sitting with Pastor Alan in the studio at the conclusion of All In.
Some are allergic to churchy kind of language or churchy kind of words. And so, and I use the word like fellowship or commune. And maybe we could even use the word abide and say, okay, but those, if you can get past that formality of some of these words, there's something really good and special about them. I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works I do. This is extraordinary.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do. If you ask anything in my name, I'll do it. These are extraordinary promises that sometimes I don't even know what to do with them because we're like, I don't know if that matches up with my experience. But I think what God is saying here is that in Christ, as Paul said in Ephesians, is every spiritual blessing. And so, when you are abiding in Him and your life, therefore, is tuned in to the very heartbeat of God, then our.
Our requests of God now are so lined up with his own heart that there's this kind of. Partnership and synergy, even with the exalted Son of God, that. Yes, we're all in him, and so we're all in, and therefore blessings are flowing. That's what I mean by all in. Thanks for listening today.
Visit us online at pastorallen.org or call 877-544-4860. That's 877-544-4860. If you only caught part of today's teaching, not only can you listen again online, but also get a daily email devotional that matches today's teaching delivered right to your email inbox free. Find out more about these and other resources at pastorallen.org. That's pastoralan.org.
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