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. Your hardships aren't defeating you. They're making you stronger.
Paul explains it plainly. We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance. and endurance produces character. And character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame. Romans 5:3 to 5.
So you're like an NFL football player in spring training. No one's on the field right now. No touchdown passes are being tossed. No last-second field goals being kicked. But the days in the weight room.
Hidden days of strain and pain build the muscle It wins games on bright fall afternoons. Every hardship you face gives you the chance to persevere, and every time you persevere, You put muscle into your character and change on the inside. And then you become a person of hope who sees a bright future.
So I bless you to rejoice at the hardships and trials and every challenge. Because tomorrow You're stronger. Pastor, author, and Bible teacher Alan Wright. Just because you're not going to see me for a while, and then when you don't see me in the flesh, don't be troubled. I'm going, but the Holy Spirit's coming.
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, Abu, taken from John 14 through 17, as presented at Rinolda 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.
Okay, a family of God, are you ready for some good news? You are no longer an orphan. Orphans no more. It is good news, I promise. You are no longer orphans.
It is a spiritual metaphor. In which Jesus is making an astounding promise. that will change your whole life. If you can know and experience what it is to be A child. of God.
The assurance the security of that Attachment, love, the security of that love is the basis. Of the adventure, courage, joy, and peace. of your life. It's really a beautiful passage.
So, so much fun. We got to keep grandbaby Mia. She's two and a half for three days while we are at the beach, and it was a great place to do it. You know, it's the biggest natural playground you could possibly have.
So it was so fun. And first time that these parents, our son and Darla, had been away from the baby. And I thought, man, they are going to be just pining away. Texting us every hour, wanting to FaceTime every few hours. How's it going?
We didn't really hear from them. I mean, somewhere on the second day, I said, well, we're doing fine here. All I got was a thumbs up. I'm like.
Okay. Uh I mean, it was fun to see, you know, 24 when you're with her just 24 hours a day, that's when it's like you get to see everything. And no parents there, we're having to do it.
So if there's anything that had to be, you know. Corrected, we've got to do that, but we're the grandparents.
So it's fun. I was really, several things. I'm just so pleased with, you know, what I care about. You hear me talk about it from a gospel perspective all the time, but I care about it for little children. I just want them to know themselves love so that they'll be secure in this world.
And if you get secure attachment, as psychologists called it, you are going to be a pretty emotionally healthy person. If you don't get that, then it's tough. It's tough. And she's had so much secure attachment. Parents are doing such a great job.
And the first thing I notice is she's so adventuresome and unashamed. She loves to dance. And oh, to be a two-year-old who has no shame. Oh, to be a two-year-old who has no shame.
So at the beach, they have a concert on Friday night out in a big park, and people get out there and dance. And we told me, I said, We're going to the concert tonight. And she said, I'm going to wear my fancy dress. And she said, because I'm going to do some fancy dancing. And she looked forward to it all day.
As soon as we got there, she just pointed to the dance floor and literally was out there for an hour and a half. And before there was even a crowd on the dance floor, she just went out and owned it. I might have a little video here. I don't know. Oh, I do.
She's just owning it, but she can do a twirl. Dentio, she's expansive, you know, and I mean, she doesn't, she's dancing to the museum and then the twirl. She hadn't quite figured out the thing that can happen when you twirl too much to Disney. And so, oh, to be a two-year-old like that. I was also very pleased at her transitions.
I like to see how a child does. going from one thing to the next. Like you're doing something fun and now you got to do something less fun. What do you do with that? I'm still working on that.
What about you? You know, that's a tough one for me. I'm doing something fun. I got to do something less fun. I don't throw a tantrum, but I get a little sad.
But I want to watch her. And she was very secure about that. Like, okay, it's time to quit playing.
Now it's time to get in bed.
Now, she would try to one story you and one song you to, you know, infinity. But when you finally said, no, we got to go now, she's not going to go to bed. And she said that first night, she said, maybe when I wake up tomorrow, mommy and daddy will be back. And I said, no, not tomorrow. She said, they've got meetings.
I said, they've got meetings. And so she lay her head down and went to sleep. She's secure, is what I'm talking about.
So got to see all of that. This is what love does in a child. It makes them adventuresome. You can dance on the big stage. And you can be secure and move from one thing to the next and even face your disappointments without totally losing it.
These are the goals that we all have, right? And but Having had three full days I can't believe I'm willing to admit this. I can't believe I'm going to say it. But I'm committed to honesty with you, and I'm going to say. My granddaughter is not perfect.
I've just said, I'm not saying she's not perfect. And in fact, she does. It's small. It's very, very small, but she has a sin nature. She does.
And here, I'm going to tell you two stories.
So she has a cousin who was born one day after her. They're the exact same age, she and Maddie. And one day I look over there and Ann who Mia calls puddin, Nana puddin, and Puddin is over there, and she's got Maddie snuggled up on the couch right here, reading her a book, just all snuggled in there. And I watched Mia, who noticed that Maddie was in her spot, you know? And I watched me.
I just want to see what happened. She walked right over to the couch, crawled up on the side, and just crawled right over Maddie, just like bone-crushing, you know, just right over, and just wedged herself in between Maddie and pudding. You're not gonna have my pudding, you know Like you can stay here and listen on, but you can't just get up here and have that. And then there was another occasion where Anne's sitting there, and she watches Mia go over and put her hand on Maddie, who is quiet and sweet as sugar. and Mia's all over the place.
And Mia goes in and puts her hand on Maddie like she's going to push her. And then Mia looks back over at Puddin. And Putin gives her a uh And so she doesn't push her. And Mia walks over to Puddin and says, Puddin, I thought about pushing her. And they had a little dialogue about that.
And Ann says, Well, that's very good that you didn't. It's good that sometimes we think about doing something wrong, but we don't do it. And that's good. And so Mia wandered around the room a little bit. She came back over and said, wouldn't she say, what?
She said, I'm still thinking about it. Even if you are nearly perfect, you got a sin nature inside of you. And there's just this part of us that if anything happens, anything happens. Where we don't feel like we've got our totally secure place of love. and we don't feel fully blessed, what happens?
Well, that sin nature rises up. 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 to day's special offer. We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Allan Wright Ministries.
Call us at eight seven seven five four four forty eight sixty. That's eight seven seven five four four forty eight sixty. Or come to our website, pastorallen.org. Today's teaching now continues. Here once again is Alan Wright.
In this passage, Jesus comes in and centers in on an extraordinary statement. I will not. will not leave you as orphans. I'm not going to leave you. Ever.
thinking and feeling. Like you. don't have a place that you belong. and you're loved. Because all of your life's adventure, obedience, and joy hinges on this.
the commitment of the heart of God. was not just to adopt you in the first place. But to ever increasingly show you his love so that you will know yourself to be an heir. and a co-air We're Christ. I want to show you this rhythm.
This This process, if you'll call it, by which we are able to be released into the world to have joy. To have courage, to be obedient to all of the things of God, to live rightly. as it flows out of this position of our adoption as sons and daughters. Yeah. As we look at the text, I want to just start in the middle of this.
Meaty middle of it. Then we're going to look at the beginning and the ending of it.
So start at verse 18. I'll not leave you as orphans. I'll come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me because I live, you also will live. In that day, you'll know that I'm in the Father and you in me.
And I and you. A little while. The world won't see me, but you will.
Well I think in the first place he's talking about his death and resurrection. I'll be placed in the tomb. You won't see me, then you'll see me. But I think more so he's talking about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He's talking about Pentecost.
That Jesus is going to ascend from the earth and you won't see him. But I'm coming to you in a different person. I'm coming to you in the Holy Spirit. But it's me. And you'll know it's me.
So, when the Holy Spirit had a mighty rushing wind and tongues of fire come upon them at Pentecost, and they began being filled with the Holy Spirit. They know This is the spirit of Jesus because he is Jesus' spirit. And they're where you But the world, the natural mind, does not understand spiritual things. You know it's Jesus. He's reassuring them that though they're feeling very uncertain right now.
and nervous about upcoming events. that his absence is not going to be long. And he makes them a promise. It's a promise that started in the beginning of this chapter: do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God, trust also in me.
In my father's house, there are many rooms. I go there to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, then I will come back to take you to be with me where I am. Would I be going to prepare a place and telling you all this if I didn't intend to always make you my own? Don't be troubled.
Just because you're not going to see me for a while And then when you don't see me in the flesh, don't be troubled. I'm going, but the Holy Spirit's coming. This is what he's saying. There's a promise, not just of the coming of. Jesus after a resurrection, but the coming of the Holy Spirit, and of course it's a promise.
of his coming at the consummation of the age. once and for all.
Some years ago, told you about our dear friends Jay and Jane Helvey, who Jay said he heard distinctly from the Lord three times in his life, just like almost an audible voice from God. And the first was. to move from New York to start a life in North Carolina. I don't think you need to get a voice from God to know that you're better off than you are. But I, you know.
Secondly, the Lord spoke to him to start New Canaan's Men's Fellowship. It's a chapter of a national men's organization. He started here and has led it for 20 years this fall. And it's flourished, has touched so many men throughout the community. And he said the third time the Lord spoke to him was instructing them after they had grown children to adopt internationally.
And their hearts just couldn't let go of this. Leading of the Holy Spirit to adopt internationally, and they wound up. Getting connected through a long process to an orphanage in Ethiopia. And after anybody who's ever been through adoption, it's a long process. And eventually, as things began to be confirmed, they knew they were going to have twin siblings.
a little boy named Shiff and a little girl named Zinni. and they got their pictures in the mail. I asked Jay and Jane, I said, what was it like when you first saw their picture? And what was that moment like? And James said, they looked sad and I wanted to give them joy.
Just everything within me is just, I want to, can I help give them joy? And Jay said, I just wanted to help him. Everything within me, I just wanted to help them. If you ever wonder the nature of the heart of God. There's a good picture.
A father. who has much to give. and saw you from the distance. And your picture got etched into his heart. And he just wants to give you joy.
and wants to help you. You could just see it spilling over in the life of Jesus, can't you? Remember when Jesus was washing Peter's feet and Peter was like, no, you can't wash my feet. And Jesus is like, Peter, You must let me wash you. Let me serve you.
Let me help you. If you won't let me wash your feet, how are you going to let me die for you? I came. To help you and cause you joy. This is the heart.
Yeah. This is why adoption is such a beautiful picture and is the primary picture. in the Bible. of what it means to become a child of God. There's also the image, of course, from Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, where he says, you must be born again.
And it's beautiful to think that You're recreated in Christ, and that is true. But if you think about the whole sweep of Scripture, And the whole story of scripture. It really is about a father who wanted to. give away his joy. and share his wealth.
And Bless somebody. And so he has a spirit of adoption. and his nature. Long process, and then finally it comes to just a couple months before Jay and Jane will bring Schiff and Zenny home to America. And so Jay and his son, Cole, go over to visit and make preparations, and then they would be coming back in just a few months.
The kids didn't speak any English, except Schiff knew two words. Puppy was what he called Jay, and he knew the word America. And that was all I knew. And Jay, of course, and his son, they didn't speak any Amharic. They didn't know the language.
So they had an interpreter help them some. as they were trying to explain, we're going to be gone for a while and then we'll come back. But what they did, I thought wisely, they brought a photo album. and left it with the kids. And a photo album had a picture of the house, the dog, the big brothers, just all the stuff.
They leave and they left a photo album and said, this is where you're going to be living. This is your new home. And we're going to be gone and then in a couple of months, hard for kids to understand time, right? They don't understand time. We'll be back.
You know, a day can feel like an eternity to a kid. We're going to come back and we're going to take you to be with us where we are and you'll be part of our family. Pastor Alan Wright. Our good news message titled Orphans No More from the series Abide. Stay with us.
Pastor Alan is back here in just a moment with a parting good news thought for the day. Stick with us. 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 to 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 877-544-455. That's 877-544-465. 4860.
or come to our website, pastorallen.org. Back now with Pastor Alan in the studio and Orphans No More. And we're replacing the bookmark here with a moment for a good news thought to leave us with. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.
What a great promise from Jesus. What a deep assurance to every single believer. that what he said to those early disciples, like, I'm... I'm going to come back to you. Don't think because you see and hear the the woeful news of my death and crucifixion.
and of a tomb, that that means that now you're orphaned. I'll come back to you. And I think that his coming back Is not just in the future when he comes back to consummate all things, but I'm coming back in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of Jesus.
So he came back. And anyone who's in Christ does not have the spirit of an orphan, but the spirit of adoption. And it's really worth thinking about. What is this analogy all about, and the difference in an adopted heir versus an orphan in the way we think and feel? Today's good news message is a listener-supported production of Alan Wright Ministries.
