You can hear the gospel, you can embrace the gospel, you can be an advocate for the

gospel, but not have the depth in order to maintain that faith. And repentance is a very important part of this journey.

The beginning of the foundation for maturity is the practice of repentance, not an experience with it, the practice of it.

In fact, biblically, repentance precedes faith.

If you want your faith to grow, your confidence in God to grow,

repentance is a part of your daily routine will have to grow.

You're listening to Alan Jackson Ministries.

You can get the outlines for this episode at Alan Jackson.com slash podcast.

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Now it's on to Pastor Allen.

Be blessed.

We're working to a little study under the theme of how to thrive in the midst of big trouble.

Big trouble is the vernacular, it's just the plain English word for the biblical word tribulation.

And I suspect many of you know that the Bible ends with this story of a great tribulation at the end of

the age that will ultimately be resolved by the return of our king.

But between where we are and that ultimate trouble,

there will be expressions of trouble and disruption.

The Bible describes it in the language of the beginning of birth pains.

And I grew up watching lots of different things be birthed, and I can tell you once that process is initiated

those birth pains continue to increase in both frequency and intensity.

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