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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - America At The Crossroads (Part 2) | July 2, 2025
- ...
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- ♪♪♪
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- Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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- Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory" with
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- Dr. robert jeffress.
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- Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress, and welcome
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- Again to "pathway to victory."
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- Every year we set aside july 4th to honor our nation's
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- Independence and the freedoms god has given to us but make no
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- Mistake, our christian liberties are under attack from enemies
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- Who live on foreign soil to the enemies who live among us.
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- And now, america has come to a critical moment of decision:
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- Which direction will she turn?
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- My message is titled: america at the crossroad,
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- On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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- ♪ all the colors of the rainbow, ♪
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- ♪ all the voices of the wind, ♪
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- ♪ every dream that reaches out, ♪
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- ♪ that reaches out to find where love begins, ♪
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- ♪ every word of every story, ♪
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- ♪ every star in every sky, ♪
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- ♪ every corner of creation lives to testify. ♪
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- ♪ for as long as i shall live, ♪
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- ♪ i will testify to love. ♪
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- ♪ i'll be a witness in the silences ♪
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- ♪ when words are not enough. ♪
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- ♪ with every breath i take, ♪
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- ♪ i will give thanks to god above. ♪
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- ♪ for as long as i shall live, ♪
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- ♪ i will testify to love. ♪
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- ♪ from the mountains to the valleys, ♪
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- ♪ from the rivers to the sea ♪
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- ♪ every hand that reaches out, ♪
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- ♪ every hand that reaches out to offer peace ♪
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- ♪ every simple act of mercy, ♪
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- ♪ every step to kingdom come, ♪
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- ♪ all the hope in every heart ♪
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- ♪ will speak what love has done. ♪
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- ♪ for as long as i shall live, ♪
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- ♪ i will testify to love. ♪
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- ♪ i'll be a witness in the silences ♪
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- ♪ when words are not enough. ♪
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- ♪ with every breath i take, ♪
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- ♪ i will give thanks to god above. ♪
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- ♪ for as long as i shall live, ♪
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- ♪ i will testify to love. ♪
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- ♪♪♪
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- ♪ i'll testify, testify for as long as i shall live. ♪
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- ♪ testify, testify. ♪
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- ♪ i just can't help but testify, ♪
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- ♪ testify, testify. ♪
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- ♪ all of creation, testify ♪
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- ♪ for as long as i shall live, ♪
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- ♪ i will testify to love. ♪
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- ♪ i'll be a witness in the silences ♪
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- ♪ with every breath i take, ♪
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- ♪ i will give thanks to god above. ♪
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- ♪ for as long as i shall live, ♪
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- ♪ i will testify to love. ♪
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- ♪ for as long as i shall live, ♪
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- ♪ i will testify to love. ♪
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- ♪ i'll be a witness in the silences ♪
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- ♪ when words are not enough. ♪
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- ♪ with every breath i take, ♪
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- ♪ i will give thanks to god above. ♪
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- ♪ for as long as i shall live, ♪
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- ♪ i will testify to love. ♪
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- ♪ testify, testify, ♪
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- ♪ for as long as i shall live. ♪♪
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- Female: whoo!
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- [congregation applauding]
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- Announcer: jesus declared, "you are the salt of the earth
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- And the light of the world."
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- With so much darkness creeping into our schools and
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- Communities, now is the time to answer that calling.
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- Become the salt and light
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- The world desperately needs through
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- The "pathway to victory" salt
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- And light matching challenge.
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- Your gift today, doubled in ministry impact, will empower
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- "pathway to victory" to proclaim the gospel and stand for
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- Biblical truth.
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- Push back and hold strong against moral decline by joining
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- The salt and light matching challenge.
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- Jeffress: ladies and gentlemen, over the last 50 years,
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- There have been three explosive decisions
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- By our united states supreme court,
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- That have so weakened the moral and spiritual infrastructure of
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- This nation, that our country's collapse is inevitable.
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- We've already had the explosions.
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- The implosion is coming, we're just living in that moment
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- Of delay.
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- He said, "well, what are those explosive decisions, pastor?"
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- The first one occurred in 1962.
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- It was the supreme court case of engle versus vitale.
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- This is the case that removed prayer from the public schools.
- 00:06:03.074 --> 00:06:08.146
- Of course, this was just the first in a series of court
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- Decisions against christianity and faith in the public square.
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- In 1963, bible reading was removed from the school, and on,
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- And on, and on it went, until 1980, in the case of stone
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- Versus graham, the united states of the supreme court
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- Said, "you can no longer even post copies of the ten
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- Commandments in a kentucky school."
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- The second explosion occurred in 1973.
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- It was a case that actually started right here in dallas,
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- A few blocks from this church; 1973 the case of roe versus
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- Wade, the court case that legalized abortion in
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- Our country.
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- And since the roe decision, more than 60 million children have
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- Been murdered in the womb, and an additional 1.3 million
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- Children are murdered every year through abortion.
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- What is god's attitude toward a nation that not only allows, but
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- Celebrates the freedom, and i never let people end it there, i
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- Never let them say the freedom to choose, i always make them
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- Complete the sentence, that celebrates the freedom to choose
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- To murder your own child?
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- What does god say about a nation like that?
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- All you have to do is look at how god dealt with his own
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- Nation of israel.
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- I mean, really, when you think about it, israel was the only
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- Nation that could be truly called god's chosen people.
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- God created israel.
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- He has a special blessing for israel.
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- But remember what happened when they went into the
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- Promised land?
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- They started following after the pagan god, molech, and started
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- Adopting the worship of molech, and part of the worship of that
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- Canaanite god involved the sacrifice of children.
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- The israelites would take their own young children, even their
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- Babies, and burn them alive on the altar of molech.
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- And when god looked down and he saw what his own people were
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- Doing in jeremiah 32:35, he said, "it would not have even
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- Entered my mind that you would have done such a
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- Detestable thing.
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- But because you have, this is what i'm going to do: i will
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- Raise up the babylonians," the terrorist of your day, if you
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- Will, "and they will invade your land and they will take
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- You captive."
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- And that's exactly what god did.
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- If god is going to deal with his own nation of israel that way,
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- Is there any real doubt of what god is going to do to america?
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- The third explosion occurred just january the 26th, 2015.
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- It was the case of obergefell versus hodges.
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- This was the supreme court case that legalized same
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- Sex marriage.
- 00:09:00.652 --> 00:09:02.387
- Now, i know, i look, i know what some of you are thinking, "oh,
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- Pastor, why do we have to talk about that?
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- Why do we have to talk about that?
- 00:09:08.693 --> 00:09:10.028
- I mean, if gays want to get married, they love one another,
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- Why do you get so worked up about that?
- 00:09:12.297 --> 00:09:14.032
- It's no skin off of your nose.
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- You must be homophobic to talk about this."
- 00:09:16.334 --> 00:09:18.703
- No, we don't hate gay people.
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- We don't hate anybody, but the reason we stand against gay
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- Marriage is because we know how that story ends.
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- We know what the end result is.
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- Sociologists have done a long term study, the hoover
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- Institute, has done a long-term study of scandinavian countries
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- That legalized same sex marriage years ago.
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- And you know what they discovered, it was very
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- Interesting, they discovered after 10 years, not that many
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- Gays actually ended up getting married.
- 00:09:47.932 --> 00:09:50.568
- What they found was instead the rate of heterosexual marriage
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- Declined precipitously.
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- He said, well, wait a minute, that doesn't make any sense.
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- Why would gays being allowed to marry have anything to do with
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- The heterosexual marriage rate declining?
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- Well, that's an easy one.
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- Whenever you counterfeit something, you cheapen the value
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- Of the real thing.
- 00:10:10.789 --> 00:10:12.657
- I mean, if marriage is whatever you want it to be, a man and a
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- Woman, two men, two women, three men and a woman, if it's
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- Whatever you want it to be, why even bother going through the
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- Hassle of getting married?
- 00:10:21.499 --> 00:10:23.334
- And that's what's happening in our country already.
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- In the last two years, the marriage rate has declined among
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- Heterosexuals to the lowest in 92 years, and we know the
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- Implications on society for that.
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- We know what happens when children are reared in an
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- Atmosphere without a father or a mother.
- 00:10:40.085 --> 00:10:44.222
- I mean, sociology studies have shown that sat scores plummet,
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- Depression and suicide rates, drug use increase.
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- You see, children are designed in such a way that they need
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- Both a father and a mother.
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- You know, sarah mclanahan is a sociologist at
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- Princeton university.
- 00:11:03.742 --> 00:11:05.143
- Now, this isn't dallas theological seminary, this is
- 00:11:05.143 --> 00:11:07.946
- Princeton university, and she said one time, "if we were
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- Trying to design the ideal arrangement environment in which
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- To rear a child, it would be one in which the child was connected
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- To both of its biological parents."
- 00:11:19.791 --> 00:11:24.295
- Now, i remember so well a few years ago
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- When one of these decisions attacking
- 00:11:26.464 --> 00:11:28.032
- Traditional marriage came down from the supreme court
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- I was on fox news the night of that decision
- 00:11:30.568 --> 00:11:33.438
- Debating a gay activist.
- 00:11:33.438 --> 00:11:36.074
- And i had done some research on him and discovered
- 00:11:36.074 --> 00:11:39.010
- That he and his partner had just adopted a child
- 00:11:39.010 --> 00:11:41.713
- And so i was talking about the sociological studies
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- Of why children need both a father and a mother
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- And i was talking about that he interrupted me.
- 00:11:48.486 --> 00:11:50.922
- He said, "pastor, i just want you to know i'm offended
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- By what you're saying.
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- Because you're suggesting that a heterosexual relationship
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- Is superior to a homosexual relationship."
- 00:12:00.131 --> 00:12:04.903
- I said, "well, sir, i'm sorry you're offended but the fact is
- 00:12:04.903 --> 00:12:09.107
- You wouldn't be alive here and arguing with me tonight
- 00:12:09.107 --> 00:12:12.343
- If it were not a heterosexual relationship
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- That had brought you into this world."
- 00:12:15.013 --> 00:12:18.917
- I mean, that is god's way of saying
- 00:12:18.917 --> 00:12:20.351
- This a special relationship.
- 00:12:20.351 --> 00:12:23.188
- Now i know that's not always possible to have
- 00:12:23.188 --> 00:12:25.089
- A father and mother; death, divorce, other things,
- 00:12:25.089 --> 00:12:28.193
- But government ought to be encouraging
- 00:12:28.193 --> 00:12:30.395
- That ideal relationship instead of counterfeiting it.
- 00:12:30.395 --> 00:12:34.098
- Now, here's my point in all of this, what i'm simply saying is
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- This, no nation that outlaws the mention of god in the public
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- Square, that celebrates the murder of its own children, that
- 00:12:41.739 --> 00:12:45.643
- Destroys the most basic unit of society, the family, no nation
- 00:12:45.643 --> 00:12:50.248
- Is going to survive that.
- 00:12:50.248 --> 00:12:52.417
- The explosions have already happened.
- 00:12:52.417 --> 00:12:55.587
- The implosion is coming, we are just living in that in
- 00:12:55.587 --> 00:12:58.990
- Between time.
- 00:12:58.990 --> 00:13:00.625
- What are we supposed to do about that?
- 00:13:00.625 --> 00:13:02.360
- Some of you are saying, "this is the most depressing message i've
- 00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:04.429
- Ever listened to."
- 00:13:04.429 --> 00:13:06.564
- No, this is not depressing as long as you understand our
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- Purpose as christians.
- 00:13:12.070 --> 00:13:13.438
- If you understand our purpose as christians, there's never been a
- 00:13:13.438 --> 00:13:16.274
- Better time to be alive and living in america than right
- 00:13:16.274 --> 00:13:19.611
- Now, as long as we understand the mission.
- 00:13:19.611 --> 00:13:21.880
- What are we supposed to be doing right now?
- 00:13:21.880 --> 00:13:23.748
- Jesus told us in matthew chapter 5.
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- Turn there to matthew 5, verse 13.
- 00:13:26.184 --> 00:13:29.087
- You probably never thought we'd get into the bible.
- 00:13:29.087 --> 00:13:30.455
- Here we are right now.
- 00:13:30.455 --> 00:13:31.923
- Matthew 5, jesus said, first of all, "you are the salt of the
- 00:13:31.923 --> 00:13:36.127
- Earth," verse 13, "but if the salt has become tasteless, how
- 00:13:36.127 --> 00:13:39.864
- Will it be made salty again?
- 00:13:39.864 --> 00:13:41.799
- It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and
- 00:13:41.799 --> 00:13:45.503
- Trampled underfoot by men."
- 00:13:45.503 --> 00:13:48.006
- Jesus said we are to be salt in this decaying world.
- 00:13:48.006 --> 00:13:53.845
- Now, remember in jesus day, salt was a preservative.
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- Before the days of refrigeration, salt was used as
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- A preservative.
- 00:14:02.353 --> 00:14:03.688
- Now, get this, salt could not prevent the decay of meat, but
- 00:14:03.688 --> 00:14:08.026
- It could delay the decay of meat.
- 00:14:08.026 --> 00:14:11.429
- Salt gave the meat a longer shelf life.
- 00:14:11.429 --> 00:14:15.166
- Eventually, the meat would rot.
- 00:14:15.166 --> 00:14:16.734
- It would have to be thrown out, but the salt helped preserve it
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- For a little bit longer.
- 00:14:20.438 --> 00:14:22.774
- Now, jesus said in the same way, the reason he has left us in
- 00:14:22.774 --> 00:14:26.711
- This world instead of taking us to heaven immediately, is to be
- 00:14:26.711 --> 00:14:30.014
- A preservative in this world, to not prevent the decay, but to
- 00:14:30.014 --> 00:14:34.686
- Delay the decay of the world.
- 00:14:34.686 --> 00:14:36.454
- Now, before salt can impact meat, guess what?
- 00:14:36.454 --> 00:14:39.991
- It has to penetrate the meat.
- 00:14:39.991 --> 00:14:41.659
- As long as it stays in the salt shaker, it is
- 00:14:41.659 --> 00:14:43.761
- Absolutely worthless.
- 00:14:43.761 --> 00:14:45.763
- And i'm gonna tell you one thing that really concerns me, is the
- 00:14:45.763 --> 00:14:48.633
- Number of christians, the number of pastors, who are still in the
- 00:14:48.633 --> 00:14:51.936
- Salt shaker.
- 00:14:51.936 --> 00:14:53.705
- They have siloed themselves.
- 00:14:53.705 --> 00:14:55.673
- They have said things like, "oh, well, if it's all gonna
- 00:14:55.673 --> 00:14:59.210
- End anyway, why should i even bother to get involved?
- 00:14:59.210 --> 00:15:02.347
- You know, we're going to hell in a hand basket.
- 00:15:02.347 --> 00:15:03.948
- Why should i do anything?
- 00:15:03.948 --> 00:15:05.283
- Shouldn't we be welcoming jesus's return anyway?
- 00:15:05.283 --> 00:15:07.919
- Why should we care about what's happening in the culture?"
- 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:10.555
- You know how i respond to that?
- 00:15:10.555 --> 00:15:13.124
- I know i'm gonna die one day, nothing's gonna change that.
- 00:15:13.124 --> 00:15:17.395
- But the reason i get up and run every morning, the reason i gag
- 00:15:17.395 --> 00:15:20.531
- Down that raisin bran for breakfast instead of an egg
- 00:15:20.531 --> 00:15:22.834
- Mcmuffin every day, the reason i do those things is to delay the
- 00:15:22.834 --> 00:15:27.205
- Inevitable, not to prevent it, but to delay it.
- 00:15:27.205 --> 00:15:31.409
- And it's not because i'm afraid of dying, it's i wanna live here
- 00:15:31.409 --> 00:15:35.113
- As long as i can and do what god has called me to do before i go
- 00:15:35.113 --> 00:15:38.850
- Home to meet the lord.
- 00:15:38.850 --> 00:15:40.385
- And it's the same way with our culture.
- 00:15:40.385 --> 00:15:42.587
- We're not afraid of the end, we know the best chapter is yet to
- 00:15:42.587 --> 00:15:46.424
- Be revealed when christ returns, but the bible says we're to push
- 00:15:46.424 --> 00:15:50.061
- Back against evil.
- 00:15:50.061 --> 00:15:51.462
- We're to try to delay the premature collapse of our
- 00:15:51.462 --> 00:15:54.165
- Country and our world so that we have longer to preach the gospel
- 00:15:54.165 --> 00:15:57.235
- Of jesus christ.
- 00:15:57.235 --> 00:15:58.736
- How do we do that?
- 00:15:58.736 --> 00:16:00.338
- How do we push back against evil in the world?
- 00:16:00.338 --> 00:16:04.409
- One way we do it in our country, a major way we do it is through
- 00:16:04.409 --> 00:16:08.346
- The government officials that we elect.
- 00:16:08.346 --> 00:16:11.682
- I know some of you are saying, "we knew jefferson was gonna get
- 00:16:11.682 --> 00:16:14.852
- Involved in politics.
- 00:16:14.852 --> 00:16:16.487
- If we came here today, we knew this was gonna be a
- 00:16:16.487 --> 00:16:18.990
- Political message.
- 00:16:18.990 --> 00:16:20.358
- Christians shouldn't be involved in politics, and pastors
- 00:16:20.358 --> 00:16:23.928
- Certainly shouldn't be involved in politics."
- 00:16:23.928 --> 00:16:26.798
- Well, before you say that, before you say that, remember
- 00:16:26.798 --> 00:16:30.601
- Two things: number one, god is the one who designed government.
- 00:16:30.601 --> 00:16:37.275
- Government is god's idea.
- 00:16:37.275 --> 00:16:40.578
- Did you know the bible says there are three institutions
- 00:16:40.578 --> 00:16:43.314
- That god created, not two, not five, there are three.
- 00:16:43.314 --> 00:16:48.219
- In genesis 2, he created the family.
- 00:16:48.219 --> 00:16:51.556
- In genesis 9, he created the government, and in acts chapter
- 00:16:51.556 --> 00:16:55.793
- 2, he created the church.
- 00:16:55.793 --> 00:16:58.930
- Did you know government is just as ordained and holy as the
- 00:16:58.930 --> 00:17:03.367
- Church is?
- 00:17:03.367 --> 00:17:05.002
- Government is just as ordained by god as the church is.
- 00:17:05.002 --> 00:17:08.873
- Both were created by god for unique purposes.
- 00:17:08.873 --> 00:17:13.578
- Government's not being called to share the gospel we have, but
- 00:17:13.578 --> 00:17:16.481
- Government has been called to be a restrainer of evil.
- 00:17:16.481 --> 00:17:21.686
- God designed government to keep order and morality in society,
- 00:17:21.686 --> 00:17:26.557
- And that means when we elect government officials, we are
- 00:17:26.557 --> 00:17:31.062
- Determining the moral and spiritual direction of
- 00:17:31.062 --> 00:17:33.464
- Our country.
- 00:17:33.464 --> 00:17:34.832
- And that's the second thing i want you to understand
- 00:17:34.832 --> 00:17:36.601
- About government.
- 00:17:36.601 --> 00:17:37.969
- We have the privilege of choosing our leaders.
- 00:17:37.969 --> 00:17:41.339
- Every time we go into the voting booth, we decide which direction
- 00:17:41.339 --> 00:17:45.409
- This nation is going to be headed.
- 00:17:45.409 --> 00:17:47.545
- If you don't hear another word i say this morning, hear this:
- 00:17:47.545 --> 00:17:50.581
- What we're facing in this country is not a battle between
- 00:17:50.581 --> 00:17:53.684
- Republicans and democrats.
- 00:17:53.684 --> 00:17:55.286
- It is a battle between good and evil, between the kingdom of god
- 00:17:55.286 --> 00:17:59.891
- And the kingdom of satan.
- 00:17:59.891 --> 00:18:01.492
- That's exactly what is at stake in this country.
- 00:18:01.492 --> 00:18:04.529
- God is not republican or democrat, okay?
- 00:18:05.463 --> 00:18:08.499
- And that is why i'm just as critical of the republican party
- 00:18:08.499 --> 00:18:12.303
- As i am the democrat party.
- 00:18:12.303 --> 00:18:14.438
- Earlier this month, the house of representatives
- 00:18:14.438 --> 00:18:18.476
- Passed a bill that would make it illegal abortion after 20 weeks.
- 00:18:18.476 --> 00:18:25.049
- After 20 weeks, the house passed that bill.
- 00:18:25.049 --> 00:18:27.552
- That spoke to me personally.
- 00:18:27.552 --> 00:18:29.387
- Because as you know my daughter julia is pregnant with triplets
- 00:18:29.387 --> 00:18:33.457
- Right now.
- 00:18:33.457 --> 00:18:34.792
- And just a few weeks ago she was at that 20 week mark.
- 00:18:34.792 --> 00:18:39.397
- And i saw a sonogram of my grandchildren.
- 00:18:39.397 --> 00:18:42.833
- They weren't biological blobs.
- 00:18:42.833 --> 00:18:45.403
- They were real children in that womb.
- 00:18:45.403 --> 00:18:47.738
- And now our house of representatives
- 00:18:47.738 --> 00:18:50.975
- Said we're going to end the barbaric practice
- 00:18:50.975 --> 00:18:53.277
- Of aborting children after 20 weeks.
- 00:18:53.277 --> 00:18:56.447
- In fact, one of the republican leaders you all know very well
- 00:18:56.447 --> 00:19:01.352
- Said, "we're not going to deal with this,
- 00:19:01.352 --> 00:19:03.487
- We have other more pressing priorities than this."
- 00:19:03.487 --> 00:19:07.725
- Let me tell you what, if that republican senator
- 00:19:07.725 --> 00:19:09.493
- Were a 20 week old baby in his mother's womb,
- 00:19:09.493 --> 00:19:12.430
- I guarantee you that bill would be a priority for him
- 00:19:12.430 --> 00:19:15.499
- Because his survival would depend on it.
- 00:19:15.499 --> 00:19:17.368
- What i'm saying to you is this:
- 00:19:17.368 --> 00:19:19.637
- This is a battle between good and evil.
- 00:19:19.637 --> 00:19:22.039
- You know, how often in church do we pray this prayer?
- 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:25.810
- We pray it all the time, the lord's prayer, "thy kingdom
- 00:19:25.810 --> 00:19:29.347
- Come, thy will be done on earth as it is being done in heaven."
- 00:19:29.347 --> 00:19:35.686
- What in the heck are we praying for, when we pray that?
- 00:19:35.686 --> 00:19:38.389
- Have you ever thought about it?
- 00:19:38.389 --> 00:19:39.757
- We're saying, "god, we are praying for it, we are working
- 00:19:39.757 --> 00:19:43.394
- For your will to be done, not just in the by and by, but right
- 00:19:43.394 --> 00:19:47.298
- Now on earth."
- 00:19:47.298 --> 00:19:48.666
- Let me ask you, is it god's will for 1.3 million children to be
- 00:19:48.666 --> 00:19:52.670
- Murdered in the womb every year?
- 00:19:52.670 --> 00:19:54.672
- Is it god's will for his name to be outlawed from the public
- 00:19:54.672 --> 00:19:57.775
- Square, and for crosses to be taken off war memorials?
- 00:19:57.775 --> 00:20:01.879
- Is it god's will for christians around this world, like we have
- 00:20:01.879 --> 00:20:05.516
- Here today, to be persecuted, tortured, and beheaded by isis
- 00:20:05.516 --> 00:20:09.654
- And other radical islamic terrorists?
- 00:20:09.654 --> 00:20:11.656
- Of course, it's not god's will, and we have the power to
- 00:20:11.656 --> 00:20:14.625
- Stop it.
- 00:20:14.625 --> 00:20:15.960
- It's time for us to rise up and say, "enough!
- 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:17.795
- We are pushing back against the evil in this world."
- 00:20:17.795 --> 00:20:20.865
- That is what god has called us to do.
- 00:20:20.865 --> 00:20:28.272
- We've got the power.
- 00:20:28.272 --> 00:20:37.548
- Now, god has said, "you're to be salt, you're to be the
- 00:20:37.548 --> 00:20:42.486
- Preservative," but that's not all he said.
- 00:20:42.486 --> 00:20:44.822
- He said, "the reason you're to push back against evil is so
- 00:20:44.822 --> 00:20:48.559
- That you have the opportunity to do what you've been called to
- 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:51.562
- Do, and that's to share the light of jesus christ."
- 00:20:51.562 --> 00:20:55.499
- And that's what he said in matthew 5:14-16, "you are the
- 00:20:55.499 --> 00:20:59.537
- Light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hidden."
- 00:20:59.537 --> 00:21:04.375
- You know, the best way to deal with darkness in our culture?
- 00:21:04.375 --> 00:21:07.812
- It's not to isolate yourself from the darkness.
- 00:21:07.812 --> 00:21:11.082
- It's not to curse the darkness.
- 00:21:11.082 --> 00:21:15.286
- It is to confront the darkness with the light of god's truth.
- 00:21:15.286 --> 00:21:20.358
- Let there be light.
- 00:21:20.358 --> 00:21:21.726
- Light overpowers darkness.
- 00:21:21.726 --> 00:21:24.295
- And we've been called to share the message of jesus christ with
- 00:21:24.295 --> 00:21:28.199
- As many people as possible before his return.
- 00:21:28.199 --> 00:21:31.869
- You know, the only way, listen to this, the only way we will
- 00:21:31.869 --> 00:21:34.939
- Ever change the direction of america is by changing the
- 00:21:34.939 --> 00:21:39.243
- Hearts of americans.
- 00:21:39.243 --> 00:21:41.812
- And the only way to change a person's heart is by their
- 00:21:41.812 --> 00:21:44.615
- Personal relationship with jesus christ, the jesus who can
- 00:21:44.615 --> 00:21:48.419
- Forgive their sins and give them a whole new way of living.
- 00:21:48.419 --> 00:21:52.590
- You know, dr. criswell, who was pastor here for 50 years,
- 00:21:52.590 --> 00:21:56.293
- Said 35 years ago, from the pulpit of this church, talking
- 00:21:56.293 --> 00:21:59.864
- About america, he said, the nation cannot turn to god, if i
- 00:21:59.864 --> 00:22:05.803
- Do not turn to god.
- 00:22:05.803 --> 00:22:07.838
- The nation cannot repent, if i do not repent.
- 00:22:07.838 --> 00:22:11.509
- God doesn't win nations or companies, or crowds, or
- 00:22:11.509 --> 00:22:15.546
- Thrones, he wins souls, one by one.
- 00:22:15.546 --> 00:22:20.584
- And the only way we can lift our nation godward, is if i am
- 00:22:20.584 --> 00:22:25.723
- Moved godward.
- 00:22:25.723 --> 00:22:28.626
- Many of you are familiar with the french diplomat, alexis de
- 00:22:28.626 --> 00:22:32.363
- Tocqueville, who came and visited our country in the
- 00:22:32.363 --> 00:22:35.566
- 19th century.
- 00:22:35.566 --> 00:22:36.901
- He, then, wrote a book about his discoveries in america.
- 00:22:36.901 --> 00:22:40.905
- Do you remember his famous words?
- 00:22:40.905 --> 00:22:43.574
- He said, "i sought for the greatness and genius of america
- 00:22:43.574 --> 00:22:46.744
- In her harbors and her ample rivers, in her fertile fields
- 00:22:46.744 --> 00:22:51.315
- And boundless prairies, in her rich minds and her vast world
- 00:22:51.315 --> 00:22:55.252
- Commerce, in her public school systems and in her institutions
- 00:22:55.252 --> 00:22:59.156
- Of learning, and in her democratic congress and her
- 00:22:59.156 --> 00:23:02.960
- Matchless constitution, but it wasn't there, not until i went
- 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:09.333
- Into the churches of america, and heard her pulpits aflame
- 00:23:09.333 --> 00:23:14.338
- With righteousness, that i understand the secret of her
- 00:23:14.338 --> 00:23:18.509
- Genius and power.
- 00:23:18.509 --> 00:23:21.011
- America is great because she is good, and if america ever ceases
- 00:23:21.011 --> 00:23:27.618
- To be good, america will cease to be great."
- 00:23:27.618 --> 00:23:32.957
- ♪♪♪
- 00:23:33.023 --> 00:23:37.995
- Jeffress: that powerful statement has
- 00:23:37.995 --> 00:23:40.097
- Implications for our country today.
- 00:23:40.097 --> 00:23:42.299
- The questions remain: will our leaders choose to honor
- 00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:45.903
- Their christian heritage that has made our nation great?
- 00:23:45.903 --> 00:23:49.740
- Or, will we continue making choices that defy god's goodness
- 00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:54.111
- And holiness?
- 00:23:54.111 --> 00:23:55.946
- Well, i want to remind you that time is running out
- 00:23:55.946 --> 00:23:58.782
- For our "pathway to victory"
- 00:23:58.782 --> 00:24:00.451
- Salt and light matching challenge.
- 00:24:00.451 --> 00:24:02.653
- Thanks to this opportunity
- 00:24:02.653 --> 00:24:04.722
- Your gift will have twice the impact
- 00:24:04.722 --> 00:24:07.558
- As we reach more people across our nation
- 00:24:07.558 --> 00:24:10.327
- With bold biblical truth.
- 00:24:10.327 --> 00:24:12.763
- But the deadline is july 6th at midnight.
- 00:24:12.763 --> 00:24:15.966
- Friends, this isn't time to retreat but to step forward.
- 00:24:15.966 --> 00:24:20.104
- Your generosity today will make double the impact
- 00:24:20.104 --> 00:24:24.174
- As we stand for biblical truth and proclaim
- 00:24:24.174 --> 00:24:27.211
- The life transforming gospel.
- 00:24:27.211 --> 00:24:29.647
- Thank you for partnering with us to be the salt and light
- 00:24:29.647 --> 00:24:33.050
- Our nation urgently needs.
- 00:24:33.050 --> 00:24:35.653
- Now stay right there, i'll be back in just a moment
- 00:24:35.653 --> 00:24:38.589
- With more "pathway to victory"
- 00:24:38.589 --> 00:24:41.191
- Announcer: the moral decline in today's world can feel
- 00:24:41.258 --> 00:24:43.727
- Overwhelming, but god calls us to shine his light and make a
- 00:24:43.727 --> 00:24:47.698
- Difference for him in a world that has lost its way.
- 00:24:47.698 --> 00:24:50.834
- In his brand new book "shine the light," dr. robert jeffress
- 00:24:50.834 --> 00:24:54.271
- Shows you how small faithful acts like teaching, serving, and
- 00:24:54.271 --> 00:24:57.775
- Encouraging can restore and renew christian values in your
- 00:24:57.775 --> 00:25:01.278
- Family, your church, and community.
- 00:25:01.278 --> 00:25:03.581
- Jeffress: the bible teaches that our primary purpose in life is
- 00:25:03.647 --> 00:25:07.084
- To influence the world with the gospel.
- 00:25:07.084 --> 00:25:10.020
- And in my new book, i'll show you how to live purposefully and
- 00:25:10.020 --> 00:25:13.791
- Leave behind a legacy of faith, wisdom, and compassion.
- 00:25:13.791 --> 00:25:18.295
- Announcer: the world may seem lost, but god's light has not
- 00:25:18.295 --> 00:25:21.165
- Dimmed, and neither has yours.
- 00:25:21.165 --> 00:25:23.400
- Request your copy of "shine the light" when you give a generous
- 00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:26.503
- Gift to the "pathway to victory" salt and
- 00:25:26.503 --> 00:25:28.572
- Light matching challenge.
- 00:25:28.572 --> 00:25:30.341
- And when your ministry gift is $100 or more, we'll also send
- 00:25:30.341 --> 00:25:34.278
- You the complete "shine the light" teaching series on dvd
- 00:25:34.278 --> 00:25:37.648
- And audio disc.
- 00:25:37.648 --> 00:25:39.016
- Jeffress: light is of little value in the light.
- 00:25:39.016 --> 00:25:41.885
- If we're gonna be effective, we're effective for christ, not
- 00:25:41.885 --> 00:25:45.122
- When we're around other light sources other christians.
- 00:25:45.122 --> 00:25:48.859
- It is when we're in the darkness.
- 00:25:48.859 --> 00:25:51.595
- Light has to confront the darkness.
- 00:25:51.595 --> 00:25:54.531
- Announcer: remember your gift today will have twice the impact
- 00:25:54.531 --> 00:25:57.568
- Thanks to the "pathway to victory" salt and light
- 00:25:57.568 --> 00:25:59.870
- Matching challenge.
- 00:25:59.870 --> 00:26:01.338
- Thank you for partnering with "pathway to victory" as we
- 00:26:01.338 --> 00:26:04.208
- Boldly proclaim the gospel and equip believers to shine god's
- 00:26:04.208 --> 00:26:08.112
- Light in a world that has lost its way.
- 00:26:08.112 --> 00:26:10.381
- Jeffress: while we celebrate our freedom in america,
- 00:26:13.417 --> 00:26:15.653
- We know that our liberty is waning.
- 00:26:15.653 --> 00:26:18.355
- The dynamite has been detonated and the implosion is near.
- 00:26:18.355 --> 00:26:23.227
- And i'm praying that you'll actively engage with us in
- 00:26:23.227 --> 00:26:26.130
- Delaying our demise.
- 00:26:26.130 --> 00:26:28.232
- Well, many people believe america was founded by leaders
- 00:26:28.232 --> 00:26:31.602
- Who wanted to create a secular nation to be free from any
- 00:26:31.602 --> 00:26:35.873
- Religious influence and next time i'll share with you
- 00:26:35.873 --> 00:26:39.743
- Why that version of american history is a complete myth.
- 00:26:39.743 --> 00:26:44.548
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
- 00:26:44.548 --> 00:26:47.151
- On "pathway to victory."
- 00:26:47.151 --> 00:26:50.054
- Jeffress: though it is completely politically incorrect
- 00:26:50.120 --> 00:26:52.856
- To say the truth is this: america was founded as a
- 00:26:52.856 --> 00:26:58.929
- Christian nation and our success as a nation depends
- 00:26:58.929 --> 00:27:03.834
- Upon our fidelity to god's word.
- 00:27:03.834 --> 00:27:06.637
- Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the message:
- 00:27:07.938 --> 00:27:11.742
- America is a christian nation
- 00:27:11.742 --> 00:27:13.911
- Here on "pathway to victory."
- 00:27:13.911 --> 00:27:28.225
