LifeLift

A few weeks ago, my friend Barry Cosper reached out about the LifeLift project.

“Can you come talk about it at the minsters conference we do each Monday?”

“Sure,” I replied.

“And can you bring your Dad?”

Dad wrote the original version of LifeLift 20+ years ago— back when he pastored Hilldale Baptist Church in Centerpoint (where I grew up). He handed the material over to me a few years ago to rewrite, reboot, upgrade… and then worked through the editing process with me afterwards. 

Barry provided us a date— which happened to fall on Spring Break. Dad’s schedule was clear, so he and my Mom drove down from HSV, spent some time with the kids, and then we went to the Metro Birmingham Baptist Association to speak with their crew.

Somewhere during that week, we were offered ANOTHER invitation to talk on their podcast, just before the weekly conference. So, of course, we obliged— and we’re honored to do so.

What’d we talk about…?

Easy…

⭐️ What LifeLift is

⭐️ How the framework empowers you to live the life you were created for, using your unique personality and design and more to fulfill your purpose

⭐️ How to get the book free…

Hint, grab it at www.Jenkins.tv/free 

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Note: this is a re-broodcast of Chris Crain’s podcast (he’s the Director of Mission at the Birmingham Metro Baptist Association. The podcast originally aired 3-28-2022 on their channels:

https://podbay.fm/p/undivided-birmingham-podcast/e/1648504297 

https://podbay.fm/p/undivided-birmingham-podcast/e/1648504297 

https://www.podbean.com/site/EpisodeDownload/PB11E42A2E8SUE 

So many people are looking for a grand word from the Lord about some secret revelation or the next big thing for their life, but they overlook the things He’s already clearly said. Namely, they side-step— even if unintentionally— His Word. 

In this talk we discuss the notion that the Word: 

There are three main ideas in this talk.

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✅ To build on the Word, we need to understand the full scope of what the “Word of God” is. 

Notably, Jesus is the Word, and Jesus does the Word.

And, the phrase “The Way, the Truth, the Life” is far more revealing that the “exclusivity claim” we typically make it. Rather, it means something like “I came to show you how to live the text, and do so in connection with the Father and with each other.”

Furthermore, Jesus— the Word— should be both explained and experienced. 

✅ Use the Word to “bulletproof your life” and protect what God wants to do through you. 

The kings in the Old Testament were given very clear advice: “Write it on paper so it becomes written in your heart.”

(Neuro-scientists tell us that writing is a completely different brain-process than listening or even typing. It actually wires the brain in a stronger way.)

This is important, because the enemy may very likely attack you at the point of your greatest potential. That is, he may very well go after those areas where you can do things in your own strength, side-stepping the empowerment of the Spirit. This means, all the more, that you must anchor yourself on an objective standard. 

✅ The “will of God” for your life begins in a very concrete way— according to the Word. 

Again, many people are looking for something hidden or a path that must be figured out. But Scripture outlines a few things which are “absolutes” for each of us…

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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free 

Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift 

The second facet of the “power, love, sound mind” trifecta is love— something that’s been watered-down in our cancel culture. 

In this talk we make four observations related to love.

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We begin here…

✅ The context of 1 Corinthians 13 isn’t (specifically) about marriage, it’s about spiritual gifts— that is, the supernatural empowerments God gifts His people (these are the focus on part 3 of LifeLift.)

The “love chapter” actually highlights multiple spiritual gifts. 

The main point seems to be something akin to this: if you can’t exercise your gift in a loving way, then don’t use it. In other words, if you can share love, go work on you— and then go back and serve others.

Here’s why this matters—

✅ An environment of love is more important than the expression of the gifts, because the gifts were given to express the heart of the Father. 

John, the “beloved disciple” (a title he gave himself after being enraptured by Jesus’ love) makes a great point here.

✅ 1 John 4:18 becomes our framework to live-out this love: “perfect love casts out fear.” 

We outline three parts of this verse: 

In other words…

✅ The caution = don’t do it without love. 

(That is, as you live out your purpose, do it in the right way.)

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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free 

Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift 

The longest talk in the entire LifeLift framework follows the shortest. Here, we begin by discussing power, which leads us to the topic of the Holy Spirit. 

Listen for five main headings— 

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The first is this— 

✅ Jesus is the Baptizer of the Holy Spirit. 

John the Baptist said he baptized with water— but that Jesus would baptize people in the Holy Spirit, something we never see fulfilled during Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Peter interprets Acts 2 / Pentecost as the “baptism of the Holy Spirit,” something prophesied in Joel 2:28-32, which he credits Jesus as doing.

I’ve intentionally used the word “baptism” throughout the next, even though many people are nervous about it. HEre’s why— it’s the term used in the Bible. 

✅ Don’t fear a term used in Scripture; redeem the term and use it in a beneficial manner. 

In fact, I mention a safe way to study = the checking principle. (See what others have said, too.)

Then, we walk through what others say about the Holy Spirit and the “normal” Christian life. 

(This is part of the reason this section is a bit longer, but it’s great info.)

✅ Four truths throughout the Book of Acts describe our relationship with the Holy Spirit. 

( I assumed that using the “checking principle” would lead to massive disagreement among different denominations and backgrounds, but I found widespread AGREEMENT.)

Here’s what I learned— 

We may use different words for these experiences, but we all align far more closely than I originally envisioned.

✅ There are at least three reasons the Holy Spirit comes— and continues coming— to us. 

In conclusion, we determine that we want to… 

✅ Embrace everything God has for us— even if we don’t understand it. 

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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free 

Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift 

Download the Redemption book, mentioned in this talk, free: www.Jenkins.tv/R 

In talk #2 of the Presence part of the LifeLift framework, we outline a “framework within the framework,” using 2 Timothy 1:7— 

“God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”

This verse provides us a great outline to not only do the things Jesus did (i.e., WWJD?), but to ALSO do them in the same way Jesus did them…

That is, we want to live do the ACTIONS of Christ will also living with the same ATTITUDE (notice, Paul said to let “this mind” be in you that was in Christ— not just “let this movement” be in you— see Philippians 2:5-11).

Here are a few ideas we discuss— in what turns out to be in the shortest talk in this series: 

✅ Jesus isn’t physically here in the same way He was during the Incarnation.

✅ A deeper question than WWJD = How...

✅ Our outline = Power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).

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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free 

Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift 

There  are four facets to the LifeLift framework. The first two are— 

👉 Identity (knowing who we really are), which was the subject of the previous 5 talks 

👉 Presence (since we “live” Christ, as we learned in those five, developing an awareness of His presence is one of the best habits we can develop. 

In this talk we shift from the first part of our framework to the second. We begin discussing what it means to live with an awareness of His presence. 

The first concept related to this provides us a great segway from Identity to Presence, because we discuss the form / design we all have. Further, we talk about the issue(s) that distort it… 

(I know, that sounds super-vague, but we’ll make it highly practical.)

There are four main ideas in this talk…

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✅ You were designed for glory— that’s God’s original intent for each of us. 

We usually focus on the first part of Romans 3:23, but we need to remember the entire verse.

We weren’t created to just reflect the glory of God; we were designed to possess it.

✅ Sin isn’t just a “wrong” thing we do (or a “right” thing we omit doing), it’s a distortion of our true form, of our original design. 

We we understand what sin truly is, we see a greater glimpse of what it means to walk away from our form.

You are God’s workmanship, created specifically for great works which grace empowers you to do.

The same grace which saves you is also the very grace which empowers you to live the purpose for which you were designed (your destiny— and you call— is also empowered by grace).

Grace is bigger— and existed before— than any of your sin.

No sin in your past is great enough to erase God’s purposes.

✅  Embrace your unique form / design, and leave behind the lesser things. 

✅  Prioritize the Presence over the supernatural power; lean into the Giver, not the gifts. 

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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free 

Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift 

We concluded the previous talk with the assertion that we’re now “full” of the “fullness of Christ,” who was full with the very presence of the Godhead. This reality enables us to live His presence— and empowers us to walk in HIs power throughout this world, functioning at a level that exceeds our natural capacity. 

In this talk, we make four observations as to what this means… 

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Here’s our first observation:

✅ Christ being “formed” in us is bigger than having a moral compass or keeping a standard of rules. 

That is, our faith should be larger— and cast a bigger shadow— than just what we’re “for” and what we’re “against.”

The early Church was known not only for what they believed, but also for the power He — and they— demonstrated. 

The full formation of Christ in us includes the Resurrection power also moving through us, as well. Our full potential, then, is to express His presence and power through us. 

That leads to this:

✅ Once Christ is formed in us, “for me to live” is actually for Christ to live, as Galatians 2:20 says. 

The Bible affirms that— 

We will do greater things than He did, that is, we serve beyond our personal capacity and “do things” at the capacity of Heaven. 

✅ It looks like Jesus, yet it also looks like you. It looks like you, but it also looks like Him. 

When we do something, it’s as if He does it. Yet, at the same time, we do it.

The result is Divine partnership at a high-level of intimacy. 

Fourth, finally, it’s important to remember this… 

✅ In the same way Jesus was sent to reveal the Father, so also you are sent to reveal the Father. Jesus sends us into the world.

Jesus sends us into the world to reveal what He is like (remember, as we discussed in episode 100, He shows us who we are.)

Since we reveal Him (mirror image) and His fullness is in us, unveiling Him is a natural expression of the new life we’ve received.

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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free 

Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift 

In the previous episode we discussed the reality that we’ve been “included” in every facet of Jesus’ life…

… including His death, His burial, and His resurrection. 

That means that— in this life— we live a “resurrected life” rather than a pre-Cross life. Yes, we should be willing to “take up our Cross” and deny ourselves, but that’s only part of the story. The same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives in us (Romans 8:11).

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In this talk we outline— using 5 main ideas— what this means for us.

Here’s the first… 

✅ Jesus looked different before and after the Resurrection. We see this in at LEAST three different events.

This leads us to our next main idea…

✅ Jesus (and we) look different post-Resurrection than we do pre-Resurrection. 

(Since we’re included in everything He did, this only makes sense.)

✅ Here’s why the previous point is true: Jesus created a new humanity, a genealogy unchained to sin and yoked to the power of the Holy Spirit. 

There are two titles attributed two Jesus (titles rarely spoken about) which affirm this: The Last Adam and the Second Man.

In the same way death spread to all, so also does life spread to all. 

We now live in the line of the Second Man (Jesus)— not the First Man (Adam).

And that all means this…

✅ The new you is as unrecognizably different from the old you as the pre- Cross Jesus was from the post-Resurrection Jesus. 

(Our perception of “new” as opposed to the Bible’s presentation of new is very different. I explain in the talk.)

And, of course, there’s this… 

✅ The fullness of God was in Jesus and the fullness of Jesus is in you. 

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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free 

Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift 

Everyone wants to be included. In this talk we discuss how you were included— supernaturally— in every significant part of Jesus’ work on earth (and even some of His work in Heaven). 

Here’s where we begin… 

👉 Baptism is a picture of our eternal reality. 

It might just “look” like a religious ritual, but there’s far more being signified by a person going “in and out” of the water than what you might have imagined.

Once we understand what baptism is, we readily grasp the next main point of our talk…

👉 You were present to each event of Christ’s life, meaning you are included in every defining moment. 

That means…

✅ You were crucified with Christ.

✅ You died with Christ.

✅ You were buried with Christ.

✅ You arose from the grave with Christ.

✅ You ascended with Christ. 

And, even though it hasn’t happened yet… 

✅ You will be seen with Him in glory when He returns.

All of that means this…

👉 Now, we live according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. 

Your spirit has been reborn— when you were raised— with “perfect seed.”

You now also partake in the Christ’s divine nature. 

And, of course, rather than grading each other by the mere externals, what we CAN see…

👉  We should now see each other in light of how Jesus sees us, not as we typically view ourselves. 

Stop judging by mere external appearances.

The “glorious exchange” means Jesus traded everything that was ours for all of what

He has— and that transforms everything.

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📱 The LifeLift app = www.Jenkins.tv/1 

All the books mentioned in the talk = 

📗 Identity (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/32WSaC1 

📗 Presence (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/33oSbhW 

📗 Expression (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3qaa78B 

📗 Perspective (5.5x8.5) = https://amzn.to/3JWDvqZ 

📗 The workbook (8.25x11)= https://amzn.to/3tdOpT5 

📗 The “big book” in paperback (5.5 x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3Fe9wqK 

📗 The “big book” in hardback (6x9)= https://amzn.to/3qXf9EE 

In this talk we pick up where we left off in the previous…

(Last episode = Jesus shows us what God is actually like. This episode = He shows us what we’re really like, too.)

Here’s the outline…

✅ The name change = Jesus declared who Peter is before we ever saw the evidence.

Jesus named Peter for who he was designed to be in the future, not how he acted in the past (or even the present). 

It takes a while before Peter evidences “fruit” of what Jesus has deemed to be true.

(This happens with us, too!)


✅ The post-Resurrection Peter is different than the pre-Resurrection Peter. We often identity with the wrong one.

(The Peter we see “failing” is the Peter we see figuring out who he really is.)


✅ In the same way, Jesus shows us who we are. 

Jesus reveals who we are so intimately that looking at Him is like looking at ourselves in a mirror.

We must begin with “identity" first— with who we are, not what we do.

And, as in the case of Peter, we’ll likely see “evidence” in our lives that what Jesus says about us isn’t actually true. But, give it time… and transformation occurs.

✅ The problem = We forget what we (spiritually) look like. We forget the image from the mirror.

In the same way we recognize ourselves physically, we should also recognize ourselves spiritually.

As we bring these truths together we begin to understand the bigger picture…


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📱 The LifeLift app = www.Jenkins.tv/1 

All the books mentioned in the talk =

📗 Identity (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/32WSaC1 

📗 Presence (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/33oSbhW 

📗 Expression (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3qaa78B 

📗 Perspective (5.5x8.5) = https://amzn.to/3JWDvqZ 

📗 The workbook (8.25x11)= https://amzn.to/3tdOpT5 

📗 The “big book” in paperback (5.5 x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3Fe9wqK 

📗 The “big book” in hardback (6x9)= https://amzn.to/3qXf9EE