Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Do Christians Immediately Go To Heaven When They Die?

February 8, 2026 | 27:29

Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Do Christians Immediately Go To Heaven When They Die? | February 8, 2026

♪ music ♪
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From the pulpit of the first baptist church
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Of dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
00:00:08.631 --> 00:00:11.534
With dr. robert jeffress.
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Hi, i'm robert jeffress,
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And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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Just like me, you want to enjoy
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A long, happy, and fulfilling life.
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But the reality is a tragic accident
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Could snatch us away at any moment.
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So what can we expect to happen immediately after we die?
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Well, some people believe that there's a gap of time
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That separates the end of this life
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From the beginning of the next one.
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So today i want to share
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What the bible says will happen the moment we pass away.
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We're answering the question,
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"do christians immediately go to heaven when they die?"
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On today's edition of "pathway to victory".
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♪ the sun was darkened and the heavens thundered ♪
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♪ and for a moment death had thought it conquered ♪
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♪ but it wasn't over 'til you said it's over ♪
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♪ your word is greater still ♪
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♪ the perfect sacrifice your body broken ♪
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♪ as you restored to us what sin had stolen ♪
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♪ once and for all you tore the veil wide open ♪
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♪ your power is stronger still ♪
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♪ all praise, all praise ♪
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♪ to the name above all names ♪
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♪ jesus, you reign ♪
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♪ 'cause you're the name above all names ♪
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♪ all praise, all praise ♪
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♪ to the name above all names ♪
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-♪ jesus ♪ -♪ you reign ♪
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♪ you reign ♪
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♪ 'cause you're the name above all names ♪
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♪ hallelujah ♪
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♪ every voice will proclaim ♪
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♪ there is no higher name ♪
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♪ hallelujah ♪
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♪ age to age we will sing ♪
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♪ there is no higher name ♪
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♪ all praise, all praise ♪
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♪ to the name above all names ♪
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♪ jesus, you reign ♪
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♪ 'cause you're the name above all names ♪
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♪ you're the name above all names ♪
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♪ you're the name above all names ♪
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-♪ jesus ♪
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-whoo! -(congregation applauding)
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When loss leaves you searching for hope,
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Turn your eyes toward heaven.
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In "encouragement from a place called heaven,"
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Dr. robert jeffress offers comfort
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Drawn from god's promises about eternity,
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Not the myths and misconceptions tv and movies tell us,
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But what scripture truly reveals.
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Whether you are grieving a loved one,
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Facing illness, or walking alongside someone in pain,
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This beautiful hardcover book
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Provides the encouragement you need.
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Request "encouragement from a place called heaven"
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When you give a generous gift to "pathway to victory."
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♪ music ♪
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A minnesota couple decided they wanted to escape
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The harsh winter weather
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And take a one week vacation to florida.
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At the last minute,
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The wife had to stay back an extra day,
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So her husband went on ahead of her to get things ready.
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Once he had checked into the hotel at key west,
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He decided to sit down and fire off a brief email
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To his wife telling her that he had arrived safely.
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He didn't notice that he had accidentally
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Transposed two letters in his wife's email address.
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Meanwhile, in chicago,
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A woman returned home, a minister's wife
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After burying her husband of 45 years.
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She felt kind of alone after the funeral service,
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Lonely, and she decided to sit down and check her emails
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To see if there were any words of condolences.
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The first email that popped up,
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She read immediately.
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She let out a scream and fainted.
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(congregation laughs)
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Her daughter rushed in to see what was going on.
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And after the daughter revived her mom,
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The daughter read the email that caused her mom to faint.
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And here's what it said,
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"darling wife,
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I'm sure you're surprised to hear from me.
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(congregation laughing)
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I've just arrived and checked in,
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And i wanted to send you a quick note saying,
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'i can't wait for you to get here.'
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(congregation laughs)
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'the staff has everything ready for you.
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I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.'
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(congregation laughing)
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'and if everything goes as planned,
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You should get here as quickly as i did.'
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(congregation laughs)
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'ps: it sure is hot down here,
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I know you're going to love it.'"
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(congregation laughing)
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-isn't that great? -(congregation laughs)
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Kind of perverse, but it's great.
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(congregation laughing)
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Theologian, reinhold niebuhr said one time,
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"it's unwise for christians to claim a knowledge
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Of either the furniture of heaven
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Or the temperature of hell."
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And while it's true,
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There are certain things about heaven and hell
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We can't know for sure.
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There's one thing that is crystal clear,
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And that is we are all going to die one day,
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An because of that, we are going to one of two
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Of those destinations, heaven or hell.
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In his book, "heaven",
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Randy alcorn observes that worldwide,
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Three people die every second,
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180 die every minute, and 11,000 every hour.
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If the bible is right
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About what happens to us after death,
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It means more than 250,000 people every day
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Go either to heaven or to hell.
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That blows our minds, doesn't it?
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So many people dying every day.
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Why is it that none of us gets out of this world alive?
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Why is it that death is inevitable for every one of us?
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The actor, jack nicholson,
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A few years ago, was in a movie with morgan freeman
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Called "the bucket list."
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Many of you might have seen that movie.
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It was about two men who had terminal cancer,
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And they decided that they would do everything
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On their list of things they wanted to do
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Before they kicked the bucket.
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But jack nicholson in an interview
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Said that the making of that movie
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Was transformational in his own life,
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In his own thinking.
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In an interview, nicholson said,
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"i used to live so freely.
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The mantra for my generation was, 'be your own man.'
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I always said, 'hey, you can have whatever rules you want,
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I'm going to have mine.
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I'll accept the guilt, i'll pay the check,
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I'll do the time.'
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I chose my own way.
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That was my philosophical position well into my 50s.
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As i've gotten older, i've had to adjust."
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We all want to go on forever, don't we?
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We fear the unknown.
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Everybody goes to that wall,
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Yet nobody knows what's on the other side,
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That's why we fear death.
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It's understandable for unbelievers to fear death.
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But if we're honest, for many who are christians,
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There's also a fear of death because of an unknown,
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What is it that awaits us on the other side?
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What happens to a christian when he dies?
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One of my mentors in seminary used to admonish us
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To make heaven the centrality of our preaching.
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He would say, "men, remember,
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We are not in the land of the living
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Headed to the land of the dying.
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Instead, we are in the land of the dying
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On our way to the land of the living."
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And that's true for a christian.
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To understand what happens to a christian
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When he or she dies,
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It is important that we distinguish
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Between what i call the present heaven
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And the future heaven.
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We've talked about this before,
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The fact that when we talk about the present heaven,
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The third heaven, that is where god is right now.
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And that is where we go the moment we die,
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We go into the presence of god.
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How do i know that?
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Look at what the scripture says
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About the immediacy of our entrance into god's presence.
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In acts 7:59, the bible says
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"they went on stoning stephen
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As he called upon the lord and said,
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'lord jesus, receive my spirit.'"
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In philippians 1:23, paul said,
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"but i paul am hard pressed from both directions,
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Having the desire to depart and be with christ,
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For that is much better."
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We can't be in two locations at once.
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As long as we are here, we can't be there.
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I had a great illustration of that in my own life this week.
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The last minute i had to make a quick trip
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To new york city for about 36 hours.
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And i went there, it was fine,
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I like new york city just fine.
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I had a nice hotel room,
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It was adequate for my needs.
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I had a jam-packed schedule,
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Assignments that i had to fulfill
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From four in the morning until midnight, i was busy.
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I met people, for the first time, that i didn't know.
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I met a lot of friends i already had.
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But the whole time i was there,
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I couldn't wait to get back home.
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And the reason is new york city is not my home.
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It's a temporary place for me,
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But it's not my home.
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My home is in dallas.
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But as long as i continued to be up there,
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I can continued not to be here at my real home.
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Now, that's what paul is saying for a christian.
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Now, you may wonder, "well, what part of us
00:11:45.060 --> 00:11:48.030
Goes home to be with the lord?"
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You know, it's certainly not our physical body.
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Aren't you glad we don't drag this body we have with us
00:11:52.968 --> 00:11:55.838
And all eternity?"
00:11:55.838 --> 00:11:57.640
It's not this body, it gets buried, gets cremated,
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Something happens to it.
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What happens to us when we die?
00:12:02.411 --> 00:12:03.979
We know our spirit goes to be with the lord
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Awaiting that final resurrection body
00:12:06.682 --> 00:12:09.552
That will occur at the rapture.
00:12:09.552 --> 00:12:11.053
At the rapture, we're going to receive that new body.
00:12:11.053 --> 00:12:14.456
We're going to receive that brand new body
00:12:14.456 --> 00:12:16.325
That is forever free from suffering and death.
00:12:16.325 --> 00:12:20.529
But some people say maybe until that time,
00:12:20.529 --> 00:12:24.366
We receive a temporary body
00:12:24.366 --> 00:12:26.902
Until the rapture of the church.
00:12:26.902 --> 00:12:29.171
Now, the bible is really silent about that,
00:12:29.171 --> 00:12:32.074
That is just conjecture.
00:12:32.074 --> 00:12:33.776
But what we do know with absolute certainty is,
00:12:33.776 --> 00:12:37.813
When a christian dies,
00:12:37.813 --> 00:12:39.481
He is immediately ushered into the presence of jesus.
00:12:39.481 --> 00:12:42.785
To be absent from the body
00:12:42.785 --> 00:12:45.087
Is to be at home with the lord.
00:12:45.087 --> 00:12:48.424
Now, some people may say,
00:12:48.424 --> 00:12:49.758
"well, what about those who died before jesus?
00:12:49.758 --> 00:12:53.963
What happened to the old testament saints?
00:12:53.963 --> 00:12:56.432
What happened to abraham and david and jeremiah?
00:12:56.432 --> 00:12:59.535
Where are those people right now?
00:12:59.535 --> 00:13:01.937
Where did they go when they died?"
00:13:01.937 --> 00:13:04.306
It's an interesting question.
00:13:04.306 --> 00:13:05.975
First of all, were they even saved?
00:13:05.975 --> 00:13:08.811
I mean, they lived before jesus,
00:13:08.811 --> 00:13:11.247
Before jesus offered his sacrifice.
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How were the old testament saints saved?
00:13:13.549 --> 00:13:15.985
There's a very simple answer to that.
00:13:15.985 --> 00:13:18.087
People in the old testament
00:13:18.087 --> 00:13:19.355
Were saved just like you and i are saved.
00:13:19.355 --> 00:13:21.757
They were saved by the death of jesus on the cross
00:13:21.757 --> 00:13:24.493
For their sins.
00:13:24.493 --> 00:13:26.428
Jesus was the only one who could pay the sin penalty.
00:13:26.428 --> 00:13:29.698
You say, "well, wait a minute,
00:13:29.698 --> 00:13:31.367
They lived before jesus.
00:13:31.367 --> 00:13:33.402
How could jesus' death save them
00:13:33.402 --> 00:13:35.738
If they lived before jesus?"
00:13:35.738 --> 00:13:37.439
Have you ever wondered about that?
00:13:37.439 --> 00:13:39.341
Well, it's easy, they were saved on credit.
00:13:39.341 --> 00:13:42.511
Amen.
00:13:42.511 --> 00:13:43.979
Now you understand the concept of credit.
00:13:44.847 --> 00:13:47.950
Maybe some of you all too well,
00:13:47.950 --> 00:13:49.418
You understand the concept of credit.
00:13:49.418 --> 00:13:52.054
You know it's an amazing thing when you think about it.
00:13:52.054 --> 00:13:55.124
You can go to home depot
00:13:55.124 --> 00:13:59.061
Or you can go to sears
00:13:59.061 --> 00:14:01.463
And you can buy a washing machine.
00:14:01.463 --> 00:14:04.566
And the funny thing is,
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You don't have to pay a dollar for it.
00:14:05.801 --> 00:14:07.603
All you have to do is take out
00:14:07.603 --> 00:14:08.971
This little worthless piece of plastic,
00:14:08.971 --> 00:14:11.740
Hand it to the clerk, and guess what?
00:14:11.740 --> 00:14:13.909
You can walk out with that washing machine
00:14:13.909 --> 00:14:15.878
Without paying $1.
00:14:15.878 --> 00:14:19.148
It's yours for free
00:14:19.615 --> 00:14:21.884
Until the bill comes due 30 days later,
00:14:22.718 --> 00:14:25.321
Then it has to be paid for, doesn't it?
00:14:25.321 --> 00:14:27.723
Now, it was the same way with the old testament saints.
00:14:27.723 --> 00:14:30.092
They didn't have any plastic credit cards,
00:14:30.092 --> 00:14:32.261
But what they did have was faith.
00:14:32.261 --> 00:14:34.263
-amen! -genesis 15:6 says,
00:14:34.263 --> 00:14:37.099
"abraham believed in the lord
00:14:37.099 --> 00:14:40.769
And god reckoned literally a candidate to him
00:14:40.769 --> 00:14:44.907
As righteousness."
00:14:44.907 --> 00:14:47.509
Abraham as well as all the old testament saints
00:14:47.509 --> 00:14:50.646
Believed whatever god revealed to them,
00:14:50.646 --> 00:14:53.749
And their little bit of faith, in and of itself,
00:14:53.749 --> 00:14:56.719
Was just as worthless as a plastic credit card.
00:14:56.719 --> 00:15:00.089
Faith can't save us,
00:15:00.089 --> 00:15:01.290
It can't save you, it can't save me.
00:15:01.290 --> 00:15:03.092
We can only be saved by the blood of christ.
00:15:03.092 --> 00:15:06.095
But their exercise of their little amount of faith
00:15:06.095 --> 00:15:09.264
In believing whatever god told them,
00:15:09.264 --> 00:15:11.633
Allowed them to be saved on credit.
00:15:11.633 --> 00:15:14.470
And the bill for their sins,
00:15:14.470 --> 00:15:16.138
Just like the bill for our sins,
00:15:16.138 --> 00:15:17.806
Came due, well, not 30 days later,
00:15:17.806 --> 00:15:20.609
-2,000 years later. -amen!
00:15:20.609 --> 00:15:22.911
It came due on mount calvary,
00:15:22.911 --> 00:15:25.347
And jesus paid that debt for all of us.
00:15:25.347 --> 00:15:28.817
You remember the story jesus told:
00:15:28.817 --> 00:15:31.253
Two men died.
00:15:31.253 --> 00:15:32.688
One man was a poor man, his name was lazarus.
00:15:32.688 --> 00:15:35.891
And when he died,
00:15:35.891 --> 00:15:37.159
He immediately went to abraham's bosom.
00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:40.696
Now, he didn't go to a place of blessing
00:15:40.696 --> 00:15:43.999
Because he was poor.
00:15:43.999 --> 00:15:45.534
There's nothing righteous about being poor necessarily.
00:15:45.534 --> 00:15:49.571
He went there because he trusted in god.
00:15:49.571 --> 00:15:51.673
In fact, that's what the name lazarus means,
00:15:51.673 --> 00:15:53.542
"god is my helper."
00:15:53.542 --> 00:15:55.677
That's why he was welcomed
00:15:55.677 --> 00:15:57.046
Into the place of the righteous.
00:15:57.046 --> 00:15:58.480
The rich man died and he went to hades.
00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:01.550
Now, look at verse 22.
00:16:01.550 --> 00:16:03.052
"now it came about that the poor man died
00:16:03.052 --> 00:16:05.220
And was carried away by the angels to abraham's bosom,
00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:08.490
And the rich man also died and was buried.
00:16:08.490 --> 00:16:11.293
And in hades, the rich man lifted up his eyes,
00:16:11.293 --> 00:16:15.297
Being in torment, and he saw abraham,"
00:16:15.297 --> 00:16:18.300
Now underline this, "far away,
00:16:18.300 --> 00:16:21.503
And lazarus was in his bosom."
00:16:21.503 --> 00:16:23.505
"and he cried out and said,
00:16:23.505 --> 00:16:24.907
'father abraham have mercy on me.
00:16:24.907 --> 00:16:26.942
Send lazarus, that he might dip
00:16:26.942 --> 00:16:29.044
The tip of his finger in water
00:16:29.044 --> 00:16:30.946
And cool off my tongue,
00:16:30.946 --> 00:16:32.581
For i am in agony in this flame.'"
00:16:32.581 --> 00:16:36.585
You know, this passage reminds us of a couple of things.
00:16:36.585 --> 00:16:40.089
First of all, not everyone goes
00:16:40.089 --> 00:16:43.192
To the same location when they die.
00:16:43.192 --> 00:16:45.594
There's not one destiny, there are two destinies.
00:16:45.594 --> 00:16:49.031
Remember, jesus is the one saying this,
00:16:49.031 --> 00:16:51.166
There is a place of blessing
00:16:51.166 --> 00:16:52.601
And there is a place of judgment.
00:16:52.601 --> 00:16:55.104
And secondly, this passage reminds us
00:16:55.904 --> 00:16:58.373
That when we die, we immediately begin experiencing
00:16:58.373 --> 00:17:03.612
Either god's blessing or god's wrath.
00:17:04.413 --> 00:17:07.816
There's not a waiting time for the future.
00:17:07.816 --> 00:17:10.185
Believers go immediately into god's presence.
00:17:10.185 --> 00:17:13.122
And while we are there,
00:17:13.122 --> 00:17:14.790
We're awaiting that creation of the new heaven
00:17:14.790 --> 00:17:18.160
And the new earth that will be our permanent destination.
00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:21.997
Now, that leads to the question,
00:17:21.997 --> 00:17:23.665
Well, what happens to unbelievers when they die?
00:17:23.665 --> 00:17:27.769
Just like believers have a current destination,
00:17:27.769 --> 00:17:31.540
The third heaven, and a future destination,
00:17:31.540 --> 00:17:34.376
The new heaven and new earth,
00:17:34.376 --> 00:17:35.911
So there is a temporary
00:17:35.911 --> 00:17:37.913
And eternal destination for the unsaved.
00:17:37.913 --> 00:17:41.483
The unsaved immediately go to this place called hades.
00:17:41.483 --> 00:17:46.822
Hades is the temporary waiting place of the unsaved dead.
00:17:47.956 --> 00:17:51.793
It's not purgatory.
00:17:52.261 --> 00:17:54.329
It is a place of horrible torment
00:17:54.329 --> 00:17:57.132
That begins the moment an unbeliever dies.
00:17:57.132 --> 00:18:00.235
That's where the unbelievers go right now
00:18:00.235 --> 00:18:01.837
To this place called hades.
00:18:01.837 --> 00:18:03.705
But that's not their final destination.
00:18:03.705 --> 00:18:06.041
Their final destination is the lake of fire.
00:18:06.041 --> 00:18:10.279
Turn over to revelation 20:11 and 15.
00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:14.917
John talks about what happens after the millennium,
00:18:14.917 --> 00:18:18.086
Before the new heaven and new earth.
00:18:18.086 --> 00:18:20.155
John says, "and i saw a great white throne
00:18:20.155 --> 00:18:22.524
And him who sat upon it,
00:18:22.524 --> 00:18:23.792
And whose presence earth and heaven fled away
00:18:23.792 --> 00:18:26.195
And no place was found for them.
00:18:26.195 --> 00:18:28.030
And i saw the dead and the great and the small
00:18:28.030 --> 00:18:30.265
Were standing before the throne
00:18:30.265 --> 00:18:32.067
And the books were opened.
00:18:32.067 --> 00:18:33.635
And another book was opened,
00:18:33.635 --> 00:18:34.937
Which is the book of life.
00:18:34.937 --> 00:18:36.438
And the dead were judged
00:18:36.438 --> 00:18:37.906
From the things written in the books
00:18:37.906 --> 00:18:39.775
According to their deeds.
00:18:39.775 --> 00:18:41.643
And the sea gave up the dead, which were in it,"
00:18:41.643 --> 00:18:43.912
And look at this, "and death and hades,"
00:18:43.912 --> 00:18:47.316
The temporary place of all the unsafe
00:18:47.316 --> 00:18:49.484
Since the days of adam, "hades gave up the dead,
00:18:49.484 --> 00:18:52.521
Which were in them and they were judged,
00:18:52.521 --> 00:18:55.123
Every one of them, according to their deeds."
00:18:55.123 --> 00:18:57.593
"and death and hades were thrown into where?
00:18:57.593 --> 00:19:00.896
The lake of fire."
00:19:00.896 --> 00:19:02.731
"this is the second death, the lake of fire.
00:19:02.731 --> 00:19:05.701
And if anyone's name was not found written
00:19:05.701 --> 00:19:07.836
In the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
00:19:07.836 --> 00:19:11.406
It is a place of eternal suffering.
00:19:11.406 --> 00:19:13.976
People aren't destroyed in the lake of fire.
00:19:13.976 --> 00:19:16.211
We have satan, the beast, and the false prophet,
00:19:16.211 --> 00:19:19.414
Are all thrown into the lake of fire before the millennium.
00:19:19.414 --> 00:19:22.351
1,000 years later, they are still alive
00:19:22.351 --> 00:19:25.587
And they are still burning and being tormented.
00:19:25.587 --> 00:19:28.523
So it will be with all unbelievers.
00:19:28.523 --> 00:19:32.494
It is a place of forever suffering.
00:19:32.494 --> 00:19:36.498
Right now, when an believer dies,
00:19:36.498 --> 00:19:39.268
He goes immediately to this terrible place called hades.
00:19:39.268 --> 00:19:44.206
The common experience though
00:19:44.806 --> 00:19:46.908
In both the temporary location, hades,
00:19:46.908 --> 00:19:49.444
And the ultimate place for the unsaved,
00:19:49.444 --> 00:19:51.380
The lake of fire, is agony, physical pain.
00:19:51.380 --> 00:19:56.184
Notice again in luke 16:24,
00:19:56.184 --> 00:19:58.854
The rich man says he is in agony
00:19:58.854 --> 00:20:02.324
Because of the flames.
00:20:02.324 --> 00:20:03.959
2 peter 2:9 tells us, "the lord knows
00:20:03.959 --> 00:20:07.562
How to rescue the godly from temptation
00:20:07.562 --> 00:20:10.432
And to keep the unrighteous under punishment
00:20:10.432 --> 00:20:14.002
For the day of judgment."
00:20:14.002 --> 00:20:15.771
What peter is saying is right now,
00:20:15.771 --> 00:20:17.539
Those who die without christ are in hades
00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:20.642
Awaiting their final judgment,
00:20:20.642 --> 00:20:22.678
The great white throne judgment.
00:20:22.678 --> 00:20:24.713
Here is the basic truth everyone needs to understand:
00:20:24.713 --> 00:20:29.384
When we die, we immediately begin experiencing
00:20:30.352 --> 00:20:34.723
Either god's blessing or god's judgment.
00:20:34.723 --> 00:20:38.560
And while it's true that at some future day,
00:20:38.560 --> 00:20:42.164
Believers will change location
00:20:42.164 --> 00:20:44.966
From the third heaven to the heaven on this new earth.
00:20:44.966 --> 00:20:48.804
And while it's true that unbelievers
00:20:48.804 --> 00:20:50.605
Will also change location
00:20:50.605 --> 00:20:52.140
From hades into the lake of fire,
00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:55.110
A change of location is not the same
00:20:55.110 --> 00:20:58.380
As a change of eternal destiny.
00:20:58.380 --> 00:21:01.183
Heaven and hell are eternal choices.
00:21:01.183 --> 00:21:06.121
Amen!
00:21:06.121 --> 00:21:07.356
My friend, erwin lutzer, says it this way,
00:21:07.356 --> 00:21:11.526
"five minutes after you die,
00:21:11.526 --> 00:21:15.063
You'll either have had your first glimpse of heaven
00:21:15.063 --> 00:21:18.033
With its euphoria and bliss,
00:21:18.033 --> 00:21:21.336
Or your first genuine experience
00:21:21.336 --> 00:21:23.939
Of unrelenting horror and regret.
00:21:23.939 --> 00:21:27.743
Either way, your future will be irrevocably fixed
00:21:27.743 --> 00:21:31.913
And eternally unchangeable.
00:21:31.913 --> 00:21:34.383
In those first moments,
00:21:34.383 --> 00:21:36.485
You will be more alive than you have ever been.
00:21:36.485 --> 00:21:39.521
Vivid memories of your friends
00:21:39.521 --> 00:21:41.356
In your life on planet earth
00:21:41.356 --> 00:21:43.558
Will be mingled with a daunting anticipation of eternity.
00:21:43.558 --> 00:21:48.897
You will have had your first direct glimpse of christ,
00:21:49.998 --> 00:21:52.534
Or you will have had your first encounter with evil
00:21:52.534 --> 00:21:56.505
As you have never known it,
00:21:56.505 --> 00:21:58.874
And it will be too late to change your address."
00:21:58.874 --> 00:22:05.380
If you wait until you die
00:22:05.947 --> 00:22:08.817
To choose your destination,
00:22:09.418 --> 00:22:12.754
You will have waited one second too long.
00:22:13.622 --> 00:22:18.894
Hell and heaven are forever choices.
00:22:19.694 --> 00:22:24.199
♪ music ♪
00:22:24.199 --> 00:22:28.603
Friend, it is never too late to begin doing what's right,
00:22:29.738 --> 00:22:33.775
Unless of course you wait until death knocks at your door.
00:22:33.775 --> 00:22:38.280
My prayer is that you decide right at this very moment
00:22:38.280 --> 00:22:41.983
To trust in jesus christ to be your savior.
00:22:41.983 --> 00:22:45.620
In making this decision,
00:22:45.620 --> 00:22:47.155
You'll secure your eternal destiny in heaven.
00:22:47.155 --> 00:22:51.693
As we wrap up today's program,
00:22:51.693 --> 00:22:53.662
I want to share a recent note from a friend
00:22:53.662 --> 00:22:56.164
Of "pathway to victory".
00:22:56.164 --> 00:22:57.933
This woman wrote, "pastor jeffress, in this confusing time,
00:22:57.933 --> 00:23:01.670
You are helping me decipher truth from untruth.
00:23:01.670 --> 00:23:05.574
You're showing me how to help others
00:23:05.574 --> 00:23:07.542
Discern the truth as well.
00:23:07.542 --> 00:23:09.811
In fact, i'm sharing your teaching
00:23:09.811 --> 00:23:11.713
With my husband and teenage boys.
00:23:11.713 --> 00:23:14.816
Thank you for standing firm in god's word."
00:23:14.816 --> 00:23:18.386
Isn't that encouraging?
00:23:18.386 --> 00:23:20.255
Well, if you're one of our faithful team of supporters,
00:23:20.255 --> 00:23:23.692
This woman's thanks really belongs to you.
00:23:23.692 --> 00:23:27.229
Together, we are piercing the darkness
00:23:27.229 --> 00:23:30.532
With the light of god's word.
00:23:30.532 --> 00:23:32.701
Now, stay right there,
00:23:32.701 --> 00:23:34.002
I'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
00:23:34.002 --> 00:23:36.371
In just a moment.
00:23:36.371 --> 00:23:38.807
Whether you're mourning someone you love
00:23:39.641 --> 00:23:41.409
Or facing your own difficult season,
00:23:41.409 --> 00:23:43.812
Grief can feel overwhelming.
00:23:43.812 --> 00:23:46.047
But the bible tells us not to be discouraged
00:23:46.047 --> 00:23:48.383
Because this life is not the end.
00:23:48.383 --> 00:23:50.952
Dr. robert jeffress wants to help lift your eyes
00:23:50.952 --> 00:23:53.755
From earth's sorrows to heaven's certainty
00:23:53.755 --> 00:23:56.224
With "encouragement from a place called heaven."
00:23:56.224 --> 00:23:59.060
This beautifully designed book combines inspiring scripture,
00:23:59.060 --> 00:24:02.163
Stunning photography, and powerful biblical truths
00:24:02.163 --> 00:24:05.467
You can keep close during difficult times.
00:24:05.467 --> 00:24:08.169
The greatest hope we have is the promise of heaven.
00:24:08.169 --> 00:24:11.806
In this book of encouragement,
00:24:11.806 --> 00:24:13.508
I want to remind you what awaits us
00:24:13.508 --> 00:24:15.076
After this life is over,
00:24:15.076 --> 00:24:17.012
Not the myths and misconceptions
00:24:17.012 --> 00:24:19.214
Tv and movies tell us about,
00:24:19.214 --> 00:24:21.283
But what god's word has promised.
00:24:21.283 --> 00:24:23.818
This padded hardcover book makes a thoughtful gift
00:24:23.818 --> 00:24:26.454
For anyone navigating grief, chronic illness,
00:24:26.454 --> 00:24:29.324
Or stressful circumstances.
00:24:29.324 --> 00:24:31.359
Request your copy
00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:32.694
Of "encouragement from a place called heaven"
00:24:32.694 --> 00:24:34.863
When you give a generous gift to "pathway to victory."
00:24:34.863 --> 00:24:37.599
And when your gift is $75 or more,
00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:40.335
We'll also send you dr. jeff's bestselling book,
00:24:40.335 --> 00:24:43.138
"a place called heaven," along with the complete,
00:24:43.138 --> 00:24:45.974
"a place called heaven" teaching series
00:24:45.974 --> 00:24:47.909
On both cd and dvd.
00:24:47.909 --> 00:24:49.844
It's not going to be very long till we go
00:24:49.844 --> 00:24:51.413
To that place called heaven,
00:24:51.413 --> 00:24:53.014
But knowing that our future is secure
00:24:53.014 --> 00:24:56.284
Ought be a motivation for us
00:24:56.284 --> 00:24:58.353
To live the most effective lives for god
00:24:58.353 --> 00:25:00.722
That we can right now
00:25:00.722 --> 00:25:02.424
Your generosity empowers this ministry
00:25:02.424 --> 00:25:04.926
To pierce the darkness with the light of god's word.
00:25:04.926 --> 00:25:10.332
James once said that our lives are like a vapor,
00:25:11.266 --> 00:25:14.436
A tiny puff that appears for a little while
00:25:14.436 --> 00:25:17.872
And then disappears into eternity.
00:25:17.872 --> 00:25:20.709
And i hope today's message
00:25:20.709 --> 00:25:22.310
Has given you a sense of peace and comfort
00:25:22.310 --> 00:25:25.413
Regarding your transition from this world
00:25:25.413 --> 00:25:28.350
To the next one.
00:25:28.350 --> 00:25:30.118
Well, many christians believe
00:25:30.118 --> 00:25:31.753
That everyone will have the same experience in heaven.
00:25:31.753 --> 00:25:35.223
But as we'll discover next time,
00:25:35.223 --> 00:25:36.825
That's not the case.
00:25:36.825 --> 00:25:38.660
In fact, the kind of heaven we experience in the next life
00:25:38.660 --> 00:25:42.430
Will be largely determined
00:25:42.430 --> 00:25:44.199
By how we conduct ourselves in this life.
00:25:44.199 --> 00:25:47.869
Stay tuned for a preview
00:25:47.869 --> 00:25:49.137
Of what's coming up next in our series,
00:25:49.137 --> 00:25:51.673
"a place called heaven."
00:25:51.673 --> 00:25:54.442
While our works are worthless
00:25:55.076 --> 00:25:57.579
In securing us a place in heaven,
00:25:57.579 --> 00:26:00.348
They are integral in determining our experience in heaven.
00:26:00.348 --> 00:26:04.986
Good works can't earn you your place in heaven,
00:26:05.987 --> 00:26:08.590
That's only by god's grace, by trusting christ.
00:26:08.590 --> 00:26:11.626
But once you've done that,
00:26:11.626 --> 00:26:13.061
Your good works matter in determining
00:26:13.061 --> 00:26:15.864
The kind of experience you will have in heaven.
00:26:15.864 --> 00:26:19.501
Set your dvr and join us next time for the message,
00:26:19.501 --> 00:26:22.904
"will heaven be the same for everyone?"
00:26:22.904 --> 00:26:25.640
Here on "pathway to victory."
00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:27.342
♪ music ♪
00:26:27.342 --> 00:26:29.544
Experience a journey that will refresh your spirit
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And renew your faith
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To the charming frontier towns
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Of juneau, ketchikan, and skagway,
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You'll witness god's handiwork on full display.
00:26:53.768 --> 00:26:57.405
Imagine standing on decks
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Surrounded by towering glaciers and snow-capped mountains
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While enjoying powerful bible teaching from dr. jeffress.
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Then enjoy spirit-lifting worship
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Led by michael o'brien,
00:27:07.515 --> 00:27:09.250
And share plenty of laughter with dennis swanberg,
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America's minister of encouragement.
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This is more than just a vacation.
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It's a sacred pause to reconnect with the lord.
00:27:16.257 --> 00:27:19.694
To reserve your cabin
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On the 2026 "pathway to victory" cruise to alaska,
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Robert Jeffress - Do Christians Immediately Go To Heaven When They Die?

February 8, 2026 | 27:29

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