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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Against All Odds | January 27, 2025
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- [announcer] from the pulpit of the first baptist church
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- Of dallas, texas, this is 'pathway to victory,'
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- 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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- When hard times come our way,
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- We often ask god to remove those burdens from our lives,
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- And while sometimes he does that, other times he doesn't.
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- Gratefully god has given us the faith
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- To handle either situation.
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- In the conclusion of hebrews 11,
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- The writer reminds us
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- That faith both enables us to conquer problems,
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- And to endure problems,
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- And those who persevere will be rewarded greatly.
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- My message is titled, "against all odds,"
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- On today's edition of 'pathway to victory.'
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- ♪ music ♪
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- [announcer] in a world filled with noise and
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- Clutter, god invites us to look past the distractions
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- And connect with him on a deeply personal level.
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- Take a moment to anchor yourself in the calming
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- Truth of god's word with the brand new 2025 pathway to
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- Victory daily devotional.
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- And now with larger print, the 260 practical insights
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- From dr. robert jeffress are easier to read.
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- Request a brand new 2025 pathway to victory daily
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- Devotional when you give a generous gift to pathway to victory.
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- ♪ music ♪
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- Dr. john pemberton wasn't really a doctor,
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- But after all, who would buy a product called,
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- Mr. pemberton's liver pills?
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- No one.
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- And so this local pharmacist who lived during the civil war
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- Came up with concoctions like,
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- Dr. pemberton's globe of flower cough syrup,
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- And other names.
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- But his real dream was to create a medicine
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- That would cure headaches and hangovers.
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- He experimented with extracts of fruits, and nuts,
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- And leaves but that was for taste.
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- What he really needed
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- Was some kind of stimulant like caffeine,
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- And so he came up with a formula that pleased him,
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- But now he needed some financial backing,
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- By this time, dr. pemberton had moved to atlanta.
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- During the summer of 1886,
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- Dr. pemberton took a jug of his reddish-brown syrup
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- To jacob's pharmacy,
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- Which bought a couple of jugs of the potion.
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- 'just mix with water and drink,' were the instructions,
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- But sales were slow that summer.
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- The residents of atlanta
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- Didn't suffer from too many headaches.
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- But one day a customer stumbled into jacob's pharmacy
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- With a hangover,
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- And the clerk suddenly remembered dr. pemberton's syrup,
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- And he went back to mix some up.
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- He was new on the job
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- And he accidentally used carbonated water,
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- And the results were so tasteful
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- That the word of this new potion begin to spread.
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- Unfortunately, dr. pemberton couldn't heal himself.
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- He died when his little headache remedy business
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- Could have been bought for $2,000.
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- In spite of his hard work and persistence,
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- He never lived to see what that business would become.
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- It's a business that's known today
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- As the coca-cola corporation.
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- History is filled with people
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- Who never saw the full results of their hard work.
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- That's true, by the way, not only in the realm of business,
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- But in the realm of faith.
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- Although god occasionally allows us
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- To experience just a taste of the rewards
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- For our faith in him,
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- Most people end up dying
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- Without ever fully seeing the results of their faith
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- In this life at least.
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- But the kind of faith that pleases god
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- Is a faith that obeys god, in spite of any visible results,
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- And in spite of adverse circumstances.
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- And that's the kind of faith described in hebrews 11.
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- If you have your bibles turn to hebrews 11,
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- As we look at men and women who obeyed god against all odds.
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- You remember in verse one,
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- The writer defines what faith is.
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- Contrary to popular thinking,
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- Faith is not a wish, it's not a hope, it's not a desire.
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- Instead, faith is the assurance
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- That god will do what he has promised to do,
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- And then acting accordingly.
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- You see that on your outline.
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- Let me say it one more time.
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- Faith is not a hope, wish, or desire.
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- It is the assurance, it is the conviction
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- That god will do what he's promised to do,
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- And acting accordingly.
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- After giving us that definition,
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- Then we've seen in hebrews 11
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- The example of what faith is,
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- And these men and women from the old testament
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- Demonstrated different aspects of faith.
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- And now when we come to the concluding section
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- Of hebrews 11, beginning with verse 30,
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- The writer's going to explain what real faith does.
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- And really he's going to talk
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- About two different kind of believers
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- Who exercise two different kinds of faith,
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- With two very different results.
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- Beginning in verse 30, you might come to the conclusion
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- That this is just a hodgepodge of characters
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- That came to the writer's minds.
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- But as you look more closely
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- At these verses we're going to look at,
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- You'll discover there's a reason
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- They are listed the way they are.
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- Now, note this on your outline.
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- Write these words in.
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- In verse 30 to 34 we find a list of believers
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- Who conquered problems,
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- But in verses 35 to 40,
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- This is a record of believers who endured problems.
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- In verses 30 to 34, this is an illustration of faith
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- In god's ability to deliver them out of their problems.
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- But in verses 35 through 40,
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- These are men and women who demonstrate the faith
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- In god's ability to sustain them through their problems.
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- In verses 30 to 34, this is a demonstration
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- Of promises of god that were fulfilled.
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- Verses 35 to 40 described the promises of god
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- That were delayed.
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- Two very different categories of faith.
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- First of all, some people exercise a faith
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- That actually conquers problems,
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- And sometimes that will be true in your life.
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- There'll be occasions when faith absolutely
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- Allows you to conquer once and for all
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- Whatever problem you're facing.
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- I want you to notice that in this first section,
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- Versus 30 to 35, there were two characteristics
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- That were common of these men and women.
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- First of all,
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- They obeyed god's instructions in spite of reason.
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- A faith that conquers problems,
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- Obeys god's instructions even when they don't make sense,
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- In spite of reason.
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- And here's a good illustration, verse 30,
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- "by faith the walls of jericho fell down,
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- "after they had been encircled for seven days."
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- Many times when god promises something,
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- He expects us to have some participation
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- In the fulfillment of that promise.
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- The only thing, the only promise of god
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- We have absolutely no hand in, is the gift of salvation.
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- That is completely god's work by grace.
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- But many other times, god tells us
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- We're going to have a part in the fulfillment of that promise.
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- That was true for joshua.
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- The angel said to joshua, remember in chapter six,
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- "this is what i want you to do.
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- "i want you to take your men,
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- "and i want you to march around
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- "the walls of jericho once a day for six days.
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- "and then on the seventh day,
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- "you and your men are to march
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- "around the city wall seven times.
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- "and on that seventh time,
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- "which plus six the other days before,
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- "on the 13th time you're to blow the trumpet,
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- "and shout at the top of your lungs,
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- "and the wall will come crashing down."
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- Now, can you think how illogical
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- That must have seemed to joshua?
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- You want us to do what?
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- Just march.
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- Just march once a day for six days, last day for seven days.
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- You know, many times god's commands
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- Just don't seem to make sense to us.
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- Think about noah.
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- God told noah to build an ark in the middle of the desert
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- To save himself and his family from a flood
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- When it had never rained on the earth before.
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- But noah obeyed god.
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- Or think about naaman,
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- Remember the captain of the syrian army
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- Who was suffering from leprosy?
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- He sent word to the prophet of god,
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- What am i supposed to do?
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- And god told the prophet,
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- Tell naaman to go to the muddy jordan river,
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- And dip himself seven times in that muddy river,
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- And the leprosy will fall away.
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- It made no sense, but all three of those men,
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- Naaman, and noah, and now joshua,
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- They obeyed god in spite of reason.
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- You see, that's the kind of faith that pleases god,
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- A faith that conquers,
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- Obeys god's instructions when they don't make any sense.
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- Not only that,
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- But i want you to notice a second characteristic
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- Of conquering faith.
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- Each of these men and women received god's blessing
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- In spite of themselves.
- 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:07.730
- They received god's blessing in spite of themselves.
- 00:10:07.730 --> 00:10:10.032
- Look at verse 31.
- 00:10:10.032 --> 00:10:11.567
- "by faith, rahab the harlot,
- 00:10:11.567 --> 00:10:13.602
- "did not perish with those who were disobedient,
- 00:10:13.602 --> 00:10:17.573
- "after she had welcomed the spies in peace."
- 00:10:17.573 --> 00:10:20.843
- This is a part of the joshua and jericho story,
- 00:10:20.843 --> 00:10:23.546
- But it occurs a few chapters before joshua 6,
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- It's back in joshua 2.
- 00:10:26.449 --> 00:10:28.718
- While joshua was still overlooking the city of jericho,
- 00:10:28.718 --> 00:10:32.621
- Trying to figure out what he was going to do,
- 00:10:32.621 --> 00:10:34.924
- He sent two spies into the city itself
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- On a reconnaissance mission
- 00:10:38.894 --> 00:10:40.362
- To see what kind of obstacles they were going to face.
- 00:10:40.362 --> 00:10:43.199
- These two spies were risking their lives,
- 00:10:43.199 --> 00:10:45.501
- And there was a city prostitute
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- Who lived between the two walls i talked about.
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- Her name was rahab,
- 00:10:49.972 --> 00:10:51.941
- And she risked her life to hide these spies.
- 00:10:51.941 --> 00:10:55.377
- Why did she do such a thing?
- 00:10:55.377 --> 00:10:57.613
- Because joshua too says she believed in the god of israel.
- 00:10:57.613 --> 00:11:00.883
- I don't know how she came to know about the god of israel,
- 00:11:00.883 --> 00:11:03.419
- But she did, she believed, and because of that,
- 00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:06.789
- She spared these spies and they spared her life
- 00:11:06.789 --> 00:11:10.893
- When they invaded the city.
- 00:11:10.893 --> 00:11:13.062
- By faith, god used this spy, this harlot named rahab
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- To preserve the life of the spies.
- 00:11:19.235 --> 00:11:21.771
- Now, rahab is not somebody you would normally think of
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- That god would use, but when you follow her genealogy,
- 00:11:25.374 --> 00:11:28.377
- What is fascinating is this city prostitute
- 00:11:28.377 --> 00:11:33.249
- Became the mother of boaz,
- 00:11:33.249 --> 00:11:35.117
- Who married ruth in the old testament.
- 00:11:35.117 --> 00:11:37.820
- She became the great-great-grandmother
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- Of the great king david.
- 00:11:41.056 --> 00:11:42.992
- And when you turn to matthew 1,
- 00:11:42.992 --> 00:11:45.628
- The genealogy of jesus, you look at his family tree,
- 00:11:45.628 --> 00:11:49.064
- It goes all the way through rahab the harlot.
- 00:11:49.064 --> 00:11:53.335
- Rahab the harlot was an ancestor of jesus christ, our lord.
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- Don't ever think, ladies and gentlemen,
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- That god could never use you
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- Because of some sin in your past.
- 00:12:03.913 --> 00:12:06.982
- God used rahab the harlot.
- 00:12:06.982 --> 00:12:09.218
- Why? because she was a forgiven harlot.
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- The grace, the blood of jesus christ
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- Is sufficient to cleanse you,
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- Not just of some unrighteousness,
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- But of all unrighteousness.
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- In fact, when you read through this list of people
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- In verses 30 to 35, all of them,
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- Jephthah, david, samson,
- 00:12:28.537 --> 00:12:30.439
- They all had tremendous character flaws.
- 00:12:30.439 --> 00:12:34.076
- They had made humongous mistakes in their life,
- 00:12:34.076 --> 00:12:37.313
- But god used them, not because of their sinlessness,
- 00:12:37.313 --> 00:12:41.317
- But because of their faithfulness.
- 00:12:41.317 --> 00:12:43.786
- And the same is true for you and me.
- 00:12:43.786 --> 00:12:46.455
- It's a miracle when god conquers a problem,
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- And removes it from your life once and for all,
- 00:12:49.091 --> 00:12:52.061
- But there is another kind of faith,
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- And you find it in verse 35.
- 00:12:53.963 --> 00:12:55.531
- And what you find beginning in that section
- 00:12:55.531 --> 00:12:57.733
- All the way through verse 40 is a different kind of faith.
- 00:12:57.733 --> 00:13:00.369
- A faith that doesn't conquer problems,
- 00:13:00.369 --> 00:13:02.705
- But a faith that allows you to endure problems.
- 00:13:02.705 --> 00:13:06.542
- And that's where most of us are.
- 00:13:06.542 --> 00:13:08.944
- Most of us don't experience
- 00:13:08.944 --> 00:13:10.512
- Once for all conquering of problems.
- 00:13:10.512 --> 00:13:13.148
- So what good is faith?
- 00:13:13.148 --> 00:13:14.450
- Faith allows you to endure problems.
- 00:13:14.450 --> 00:13:16.585
- That's the norm for most people.
- 00:13:16.585 --> 00:13:18.988
- Look at verse 35,
- 00:13:18.988 --> 00:13:20.456
- "women received back their dead by resurrection,
- 00:13:20.456 --> 00:13:23.158
- "and others were tortured, not accepting their release,
- 00:13:23.158 --> 00:13:29.598
- "so that they might obtain a better resurrection."
- 00:13:29.598 --> 00:13:32.134
- Underline that word, tortured.
- 00:13:32.134 --> 00:13:35.170
- "and others experienced mockings and scourings,
- 00:13:35.170 --> 00:13:38.307
- "yes, also chains and imprisonment, they were stoned."
- 00:13:38.307 --> 00:13:43.145
- This is probably a reference to jeremiah and stephen,
- 00:13:43.145 --> 00:13:46.248
- And other saints.
- 00:13:46.248 --> 00:13:47.583
- "they were sawn in two."
- 00:13:47.583 --> 00:13:50.953
- This is a reference to what happened to isaiah,
- 00:13:50.953 --> 00:13:54.223
- When isaiah refused to quit speaking out against
- 00:13:54.223 --> 00:13:57.660
- The adultery of the israelites.
- 00:13:57.660 --> 00:13:59.295
- King manasseh had him put to death by being sawn in two
- 00:13:59.295 --> 00:14:03.465
- With a wooden saw.
- 00:14:03.465 --> 00:14:05.567
- Can you imagine any more of a gruesome and slow death than that?
- 00:14:05.567 --> 00:14:10.239
- One historian records the scene of isaiah's death.
- 00:14:10.239 --> 00:14:15.044
- "others," the writer says, "were put into sheepskins,
- 00:14:15.044 --> 00:14:19.548
- "and in goatskins,."
- 00:14:19.548 --> 00:14:21.016
- Verse 38, "men of whom the world was not worthy,"
- 00:14:21.016 --> 00:14:27.189
- They went about in goatskins being destitute,
- 00:14:27.189 --> 00:14:29.959
- Afflicted and ill-treated.
- 00:14:29.959 --> 00:14:32.261
- "wandering in deserts and mountains
- 00:14:32.261 --> 00:14:34.263
- "and caves and holes in the ground."
- 00:14:34.263 --> 00:14:37.866
- Most scholars agree that this particular phrase
- 00:14:37.866 --> 00:14:41.437
- Refers to a specific time in history
- 00:14:41.437 --> 00:14:44.073
- Of intense persecution of god's people.
- 00:14:44.073 --> 00:14:47.509
- It occurred in 168 bc when antiochus epiphanes,
- 00:14:47.509 --> 00:14:51.847
- The king of syria ruled the world.
- 00:14:51.847 --> 00:14:55.084
- He was a type of the antichrist that is yet to come.
- 00:14:55.084 --> 00:14:59.521
- And anyone who dared followed
- 00:14:59.521 --> 00:15:01.590
- The god of abraham, isaac, jacob and joseph,
- 00:15:01.590 --> 00:15:04.526
- Suffered horrible consequences for doing so.
- 00:15:04.526 --> 00:15:08.964
- You understand why it is
- 00:15:09.465 --> 00:15:11.467
- That god rewarded these people not immediately,
- 00:15:11.467 --> 00:15:14.370
- But ultimately because of their faith.
- 00:15:14.370 --> 00:15:16.538
- What allowed them to endure their faith,
- 00:15:16.538 --> 00:15:20.809
- And their problems in spite of their circumstances?
- 00:15:20.809 --> 00:15:23.445
- I want you to notice two characteristics here.
- 00:15:23.445 --> 00:15:25.681
- First of all,
- 00:15:25.681 --> 00:15:27.282
- They were focused on future rewards
- 00:15:27.282 --> 00:15:30.285
- Instead of the present results.
- 00:15:30.285 --> 00:15:34.356
- They were focused on future rewards
- 00:15:34.356 --> 00:15:36.859
- Instead of present results.
- 00:15:36.859 --> 00:15:38.560
- Look again at verse 35.
- 00:15:38.560 --> 00:15:40.963
- "yes, women received back their dead by resurrection,
- 00:15:40.963 --> 00:15:43.599
- "but others were tortured, not accepting their release
- 00:15:43.599 --> 00:15:47.036
- "so that they might obtain a better resurrection."
- 00:15:47.036 --> 00:15:51.907
- One thing all of these men and women
- 00:15:51.907 --> 00:15:54.543
- In hebrews 11 had in common was,
- 00:15:54.543 --> 00:15:56.779
- They died without seeing the full results
- 00:15:56.779 --> 00:16:00.115
- Of their faithfulness to god.
- 00:16:00.115 --> 00:16:02.518
- They died without seeing the results
- 00:16:02.518 --> 00:16:05.020
- Of their faithfulness to god.
- 00:16:05.020 --> 00:16:06.455
- That is true about every one of these men and women.
- 00:16:06.455 --> 00:16:09.758
- And you know, that's been god's pattern throughout history.
- 00:16:09.758 --> 00:16:13.062
- The people god has blessed most,
- 00:16:13.062 --> 00:16:15.531
- Are people who have died without seeing the full results
- 00:16:15.531 --> 00:16:19.334
- Of their faithfulness to god.
- 00:16:19.334 --> 00:16:20.836
- I think about the great colonial pastor, cotton mather.
- 00:16:20.836 --> 00:16:24.173
- He prayed for years and years and years
- 00:16:24.173 --> 00:16:27.242
- For a revival in america,
- 00:16:27.242 --> 00:16:30.045
- And yet the great awakening began the year that he died.
- 00:16:30.045 --> 00:16:34.016
- Or i think about william wilberforce,
- 00:16:34.016 --> 00:16:36.251
- The christian abolitionist who prayed,
- 00:16:36.251 --> 00:16:38.887
- And worked and worked and worked for 50 years
- 00:16:38.887 --> 00:16:41.924
- To remove slavery from great britain.
- 00:16:41.924 --> 00:16:44.793
- And again, it was only on his deathbed
- 00:16:44.793 --> 00:16:46.829
- That the british people decided to rid
- 00:16:46.829 --> 00:16:50.833
- Their continent of that terrible practice of human slavery.
- 00:16:50.833 --> 00:16:54.736
- I think about hudson taylor, a missionary to china.
- 00:16:54.736 --> 00:16:57.506
- He spent decades witnessing,
- 00:16:57.506 --> 00:16:59.641
- Sharing his faith to the chinese
- 00:16:59.641 --> 00:17:01.610
- With only a handful of converts.
- 00:17:01.610 --> 00:17:04.113
- And yet today, millions of chinese
- 00:17:04.113 --> 00:17:06.482
- Embrace the christian faith,
- 00:17:06.482 --> 00:17:08.117
- Because of the faithful witness of hudson taylor.
- 00:17:08.117 --> 00:17:11.587
- That's what true faith is.
- 00:17:11.587 --> 00:17:13.522
- You will never exercise obedience to god,
- 00:17:13.522 --> 00:17:16.859
- Until you are focused on future rewards,
- 00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:19.895
- Rather than present results.
- 00:17:19.895 --> 00:17:22.131
- Remember hebrews 11:6,
- 00:17:22.131 --> 00:17:23.665
- "those who come to god must believe that god is,
- 00:17:23.665 --> 00:17:27.069
- "and he is a rewarder of those
- 00:17:27.069 --> 00:17:29.338
- "who diligently follow after him."
- 00:17:29.338 --> 00:17:32.040
- You will never consistently obey god in your life,
- 00:17:32.040 --> 00:17:35.410
- Until you are absolutely convinced
- 00:17:35.410 --> 00:17:37.312
- That god will reward you, not immediately,
- 00:17:37.312 --> 00:17:41.116
- But ultimately for your faithfulness to him.
- 00:17:41.116 --> 00:17:44.520
- A second characteristic these christians have
- 00:17:44.520 --> 00:17:47.022
- In verses 35 to 40,
- 00:17:47.022 --> 00:17:48.857
- Is that they were more concerned with god's approval
- 00:17:48.857 --> 00:17:53.262
- Than they were their own comfort.
- 00:17:53.262 --> 00:17:57.032
- They were absolutely focused on god's approval,
- 00:17:57.032 --> 00:18:00.636
- Not their own comfort.
- 00:18:00.636 --> 00:18:01.904
- Look at verse 39, "and all of these,
- 00:18:01.904 --> 00:18:04.139
- "having gained approval through their faith,
- 00:18:04.139 --> 00:18:07.442
- "did not receive what was promised."
- 00:18:07.442 --> 00:18:10.445
- Remember the words i read in hebrews 10,
- 00:18:10.445 --> 00:18:13.215
- Or matthew 10:28 last week?
- 00:18:13.215 --> 00:18:15.784
- Jesus said, "do not fear those who kill the body,
- 00:18:15.784 --> 00:18:19.087
- "but are unable to kill the soul.
- 00:18:19.087 --> 00:18:21.323
- "instead, fear him who is able to destroy
- 00:18:21.323 --> 00:18:23.825
- "both the body and the soul in hell."
- 00:18:23.825 --> 00:18:27.696
- Listen to me,
- 00:18:27.696 --> 00:18:29.698
- You will never consistently obey god
- 00:18:29.698 --> 00:18:32.868
- Until you start to live your life for an audience of one,
- 00:18:32.868 --> 00:18:37.573
- Remembering that it's really in the end
- 00:18:37.573 --> 00:18:40.142
- Only what god thinks of you that really matters.
- 00:18:40.142 --> 00:18:45.080
- That's the kind of faith that endures problems.
- 00:18:45.080 --> 00:18:50.552
- When i think of somebody who lived their life,
- 00:18:50.552 --> 00:18:53.322
- And died without seeing the results
- 00:18:53.322 --> 00:18:56.658
- Of their obedience to god,
- 00:18:56.658 --> 00:18:59.461
- I think about the story of william borden.
- 00:18:59.461 --> 00:19:04.600
- You may remember his name from history.
- 00:19:04.600 --> 00:19:07.769
- William borden grew up an heir to the great borden fortune
- 00:19:07.769 --> 00:19:12.741
- In the last century.
- 00:19:12.741 --> 00:19:14.543
- By the time he was in high school, he was a millionaire,
- 00:19:14.543 --> 00:19:19.147
- Which in the early 1900s was a lot, a lot of money.
- 00:19:19.147 --> 00:19:23.318
- He and his family assumed that he would become an heir,
- 00:19:23.318 --> 00:19:26.521
- And worker in the family business.
- 00:19:26.521 --> 00:19:28.824
- He would take it over after he had graduated from college.
- 00:19:28.824 --> 00:19:32.261
- So after he graduated from high school,
- 00:19:32.261 --> 00:19:34.029
- Before he was to enroll in yale university,
- 00:19:34.029 --> 00:19:37.332
- His family sent him on a around the world trip
- 00:19:37.332 --> 00:19:40.569
- As a graduation present.
- 00:19:40.569 --> 00:19:42.971
- And he went to africa, he went to the middle east,
- 00:19:42.971 --> 00:19:45.207
- He went to china.
- 00:19:45.207 --> 00:19:46.875
- And while he was in china, god began to speak to him,
- 00:19:46.875 --> 00:19:50.479
- And called him distinctly to spend the rest of his life
- 00:19:50.479 --> 00:19:54.016
- Sharing the gospel with muslims in china.
- 00:19:54.016 --> 00:19:57.386
- In fact, he was so certain
- 00:19:57.386 --> 00:19:59.021
- That that was god's call in his life,
- 00:19:59.021 --> 00:20:01.189
- In the back of his bible he wrote these words,
- 00:20:01.189 --> 00:20:03.892
- "no reserves," and he dated it.
- 00:20:03.892 --> 00:20:08.196
- He came back and told his parents
- 00:20:08.196 --> 00:20:11.967
- What god had said to them.
- 00:20:11.967 --> 00:20:13.969
- They weren't very encouraging.
- 00:20:13.969 --> 00:20:15.737
- They said, "you must be mistaken.
- 00:20:15.737 --> 00:20:17.572
- "you're supposed to take over the family business."
- 00:20:17.572 --> 00:20:20.275
- He said, "no, god has spoken to me."
- 00:20:20.275 --> 00:20:22.244
- And so he went to yale, graduated in 1909,
- 00:20:22.244 --> 00:20:26.682
- And once again was faced with what he was going to do.
- 00:20:26.682 --> 00:20:30.352
- And instead of taking over the family business,
- 00:20:30.352 --> 00:20:33.588
- He enrolled in princeton theological seminary
- 00:20:33.588 --> 00:20:36.425
- To train as a minister of the gospel.
- 00:20:36.425 --> 00:20:40.095
- His family threatened him and said,
- 00:20:40.095 --> 00:20:41.697
- "if you do this, we're going to disinherit you."
- 00:20:41.697 --> 00:20:47.069
- He wasn't going to be deterred by that,
- 00:20:47.069 --> 00:20:49.071
- And in the back of his bible,
- 00:20:49.071 --> 00:20:50.706
- Under the words, "no reserves,"
- 00:20:50.706 --> 00:20:52.841
- He wrote two more words and dated them.
- 00:20:52.841 --> 00:20:55.744
- "no retreat."
- 00:20:55.744 --> 00:20:58.213
- No retreat.
- 00:20:58.213 --> 00:21:00.682
- He went to princeton seminary, graduated in 1913,
- 00:21:00.682 --> 00:21:04.953
- Said goodbye to his family and friends,
- 00:21:04.953 --> 00:21:06.822
- And set sail for china.
- 00:21:06.822 --> 00:21:09.157
- On the way to china he stopped in egypt,
- 00:21:09.157 --> 00:21:12.260
- In order to learn the muslim language,
- 00:21:12.260 --> 00:21:14.830
- And to learn about their habits and customs
- 00:21:14.830 --> 00:21:18.433
- So he could minister to them more effectively.
- 00:21:18.433 --> 00:21:22.270
- And while in egypt, he contracted cerebral meningitis.
- 00:21:22.270 --> 00:21:27.242
- They put him in the hospital,
- 00:21:27.242 --> 00:21:29.411
- And within 30 days he died at the age of 25,
- 00:21:29.411 --> 00:21:33.615
- Without ever making it to china.
- 00:21:33.615 --> 00:21:36.785
- The headlines around the world capture the story,
- 00:21:36.785 --> 00:21:39.621
- "heir to borden fortune dies at age 25."
- 00:21:39.621 --> 00:21:44.359
- Unbelievers said, what a tragedy,
- 00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:46.428
- Somebody gives up all of their wealth
- 00:21:46.428 --> 00:21:49.197
- In order to go and do that.
- 00:21:49.197 --> 00:21:51.600
- Even christians said, what a shame
- 00:21:51.600 --> 00:21:54.970
- That somebody who would give up so much,
- 00:21:54.970 --> 00:21:57.572
- Died even before they got to the mission field in china.
- 00:21:57.572 --> 00:22:01.410
- What a waste.
- 00:22:01.410 --> 00:22:06.481
- What is it that was a secret of william borden's life?
- 00:22:03.044 --> 00:22:10.652
- After he died, they found his bible.
- 00:22:10.652 --> 00:22:14.356
- And in the back of the bible,
- 00:22:14.356 --> 00:22:16.425
- Underneath those phrases, "no reserves and no retreat,"
- 00:22:16.425 --> 00:22:24.299
- They found two more words.
- 00:22:24.299 --> 00:22:27.002
- As he laid dying in that cairo hospital,
- 00:22:27.002 --> 00:22:30.639
- William borden had written the words, "no regrets."
- 00:22:30.639 --> 00:22:36.411
- No regrets.
- 00:22:36.411 --> 00:22:40.282
- The kind of faith that endures problems
- 00:22:40.282 --> 00:22:45.053
- Is a faith that is without reserve,
- 00:22:45.053 --> 00:22:47.989
- Without retreat,
- 00:22:47.989 --> 00:22:50.492
- And without regrets.
- 00:22:50.492 --> 00:22:52.794
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:22:52.794 --> 00:22:57.933
- I hope today's message sets you on a course
- 00:22:57.933 --> 00:23:00.669
- To live your life without regret.
- 00:23:00.669 --> 00:23:03.705
- When we give our all to the cause of christ,
- 00:23:03.705 --> 00:23:06.241
- He gives strength to get through any trial
- 00:23:06.241 --> 00:23:08.877
- That may come our way.
- 00:23:08.877 --> 00:23:10.779
- Now, before our time is up for today,
- 00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:12.614
- Let me underscore the importance
- 00:23:12.614 --> 00:23:14.816
- Of your partnership with 'pathway to victory'.
- 00:23:14.816 --> 00:23:18.153
- Because of your generosity,
- 00:23:18.153 --> 00:23:19.821
- We are postured to reach more people in the days ahead
- 00:23:19.821 --> 00:23:22.524
- Than ever before,
- 00:23:22.524 --> 00:23:23.892
- As we expand into cities around the world
- 00:23:23.892 --> 00:23:26.228
- That desperately need light in the darkness.
- 00:23:26.228 --> 00:23:29.397
- Momentum is on our side because more and more friends
- 00:23:29.397 --> 00:23:33.001
- Are raising their hand and saying,
- 00:23:33.001 --> 00:23:34.769
- "dr. jeffress, i'm willing to be counted among your team."
- 00:23:34.769 --> 00:23:38.740
- Are you willing to jump on board as well?
- 00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:41.376
- Give today and join the growing movement
- 00:23:41.376 --> 00:23:44.079
- So that every city in america and around the world
- 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:47.215
- Will eventually have access to 'pathway to victory.'
- 00:23:47.215 --> 00:23:51.152
- Now, stay right there,
- 00:23:51.152 --> 00:23:52.287
- I'll be back in just a moment
- 00:23:52.287 --> 00:23:53.822
- To wrap up today's program.
- 00:23:53.822 --> 00:23:56.791
- [announcer] when was the last time you heard god
- 00:23:56.791 --> 00:23:58.760
- Speak to you from his word?
- 00:23:58.760 --> 00:24:00.662
- Dr. robert jeffress believes that growing closer to god
- 00:24:00.662 --> 00:24:03.565
- Begins with reading your bible and spending time in prayer.
- 00:24:03.565 --> 00:24:07.068
- Make god your priority by spending quality time in his
- 00:24:07.068 --> 00:24:10.772
- Word with the brand new 2025 pathway to victory daily devotional.
- 00:24:10.772 --> 00:24:15.110
- Of all the ways god could have revealed himself to us,
- 00:24:15.110 --> 00:24:18.847
- He chose to do it through the written word.
- 00:24:18.847 --> 00:24:21.850
- And that's why it's so important for you and for me
- 00:24:21.850 --> 00:24:24.152
- To set aside regular time to read the word of god.
- 00:24:24.152 --> 00:24:28.456
- [announcer] whether you've been a christian for a lot
- 00:24:28.456 --> 00:24:30.091
- Of years or just a short while, the principles found
- 00:24:30.091 --> 00:24:33.028
- In this year's devotional will help breathe new life
- 00:24:33.028 --> 00:24:35.830
- Into your walk with god.
- 00:24:35.830 --> 00:24:37.599
- Ready to get back to the basics of your christian faith?
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- 00:24:56.284 --> 00:24:58.320
- We'll discover one thing all of these men and women had
- 00:24:58.320 --> 00:25:00.789
- In common is they believed god and they acted according
- 00:25:00.789 --> 00:25:05.794
- To their belief in god.
- 00:25:05.794 --> 00:25:07.195
- They did something as a demonstration of their faith.
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- [announcer] thank you for giving generously to support
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- 00:25:21.843 --> 00:25:25.780
- God may not reward you immediately for your obedience.
- 00:25:26.815 --> 00:25:30.318
- In fact, there's a pretty good chance he won't,
- 00:25:30.318 --> 00:25:32.687
- But god will reward you ultimately
- 00:25:32.687 --> 00:25:35.490
- For your faithfulness to him.
- 00:25:35.490 --> 00:25:37.692
- That's a promise that gives us the strength
- 00:25:37.692 --> 00:25:40.328
- To stay on track.
- 00:25:40.328 --> 00:25:42.197
- Well, the most common metaphor in the bible
- 00:25:42.197 --> 00:25:44.566
- For the christian life is a race.
- 00:25:44.566 --> 00:25:47.202
- So how do we we develop the kind of endurance needed
- 00:25:47.202 --> 00:25:50.372
- To not only finish, but to win the race?
- 00:25:50.372 --> 00:25:53.541
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
- 00:25:53.541 --> 00:25:55.944
- In our series, 'spiritual fitness.'
- 00:25:55.944 --> 00:25:59.681
- You know, focus is so important for a runner.
- 00:25:59.681 --> 00:26:03.051
- If a runner is focused on those in the stands,
- 00:26:03.051 --> 00:26:06.254
- He's going to become distracted.
- 00:26:06.254 --> 00:26:08.323
- If he focuses on his feet, he's going to become distracted.
- 00:26:08.323 --> 00:26:12.794
- What he's got to do is focus on the finish line,
- 00:26:12.794 --> 00:26:15.296
- And the prize.
- 00:26:15.296 --> 00:26:17.432
- [announcer] set your dvr and join us next time
- 00:26:17.432 --> 00:26:19.701
- For the message, 'spiritual aerobics,'
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- Here on 'pathway to victory.'
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- ♪ music ♪
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- If you could go back in time
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- And walk with the apostle paul
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- On one of his journeys, would you do it?
- 00:26:32.981 --> 00:26:35.684
- This may let's go together on the life-changing
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- Pathway to victory journeys of paul mediterranean cruise.
- 00:26:38.386 --> 00:26:43.124
- [announcer] embark on a voyage of elegance
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- And refinement aboard the luxurious celebrity ascent.
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- Enjoy lavish state rooms, spacious balconies,
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- And world-class dining.
- 00:26:51.666 --> 00:26:53.368
- You'll experience breathtaking views, famous beaches,
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- And crystal clear water in beautiful island destinations
- 00:26:56.838 --> 00:27:00.341
- Like santorini, mykonos, and crete.
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- Walk with me and other believers
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- In the very places where god's word was written.
- 00:27:05.180 --> 00:27:08.583
- Join us as we study his word together.
- 00:27:08.583 --> 00:27:11.352
- Surrounded by natural beauty,
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- We will seek our creator in his creation.
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- [announcer] reserve your spot on the pathway to victory
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- Journeys of paul mediterranean cruise.
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- Call 888-280-6747, or visit ptv.org.
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