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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Developing An Obedient Heart (Part 1)

July 15, 2025 | 29:0

Robert Jeffress - Developing An Obedient Heart (Part 1)
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#SpiritualGrowth #Heart #Obedience #Believe #Jesus #EternalLife #Salvation #Faith #TrustGod #God'sWill #Honor #GlorifyGod

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Developing An Obedient Heart (Part 1) | July 15, 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 dr. robert
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  • 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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  • Have you ever noticed that some people seem to naturally follow
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  • Instructions while others resist authority at every turn?
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  • As employers, parents, and leaders, we tend to favor those
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  • Who willingly comply with our requests, and yet many
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  • Christians have bought into the false idea that believing in
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  • Jesus is essential for salvation, but obeying him
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  • Is optional.
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  • Today i want to show you why a true follower of christ must
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  • Have an obedient heart.
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  • My message is titled, "developing an obedient heart"
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  • On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
  • 00:00:53.510 --> 00:01:01.050
  • Announcer: give your heart the encouragement it needs.
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  • Start and end each day meditating on god's word with
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  • "encouragement for the heart of a disciple."
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  • This brand new, beautiful, full-color padded hardcover book
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  • By dr. robert jeffress features 80 breathtaking images of
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  • Creation paired with scripture, prayers, and insights you can
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  • Read in under two minutes.
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  • Perfect for your coffee table or as a thoughtful gift for
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  • A loved one.
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  • Request "encouragement for the heart of a disciple" when you
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  • Give a generous gift to "pathway to victory."
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  • Jeffress: i don't know about you but i like people who obey me.
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  • I just do.
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  • Especially people under my authority.
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  • I'm not saying i'm some tyrannical despot, but i'd like
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  • People who do what i ask them to do without a lot of hassle.
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  • You know, i mean, i hired a painter not long ago to do some
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  • Touch up work around the house.
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  • I'm telling you everything we ask was met with resistance.
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  • He'd give us a list of reasons he couldn't do the simple things
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  • We ask him to do.
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  • And amy and i vowed we will never use that painter again.
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  • You know, i think about our staff, we've got such a gifted
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  • And wonderful staff here.
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  • But i appreciate those staff members who do what i ask them
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  • To do, even though they may not understand why.
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  • At least they believe maybe i know something they don't know
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  • About a situation and they comply with my request.
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  • Those are the staff members admittedly, that i favor.
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  • Those are the ones who get the raises and the promotions
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  • Because they do what i asked them to do.
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  • Hint to staff members listening today.
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  • I think about my own children.
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  • You know, i remember many years ago i was talking to one of my
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  • Daughters about a particular behavior and i said, "you know,
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  • Honey, i love you and i want the best for you.
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  • That's why i want you to do this."
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  • I didn't know how she would react.
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  • And she said, "dad, i'll do what you asked me to do."
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  • Am the--at that moment she could have asked me for anything in
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  • The world.
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  • I'm glad she didn't but she could have and i would have
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  • Given it to her.
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  • Because i wanna reward my children when they obey me.
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  • Now, why is it that i use contractors, i favor employees,
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  • And i reward children who obey me?
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  • It's because i am made in the image of a god who uses favors
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  • And rewards those who obey him.
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  • God rewards those who obey him because they understand the
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  • Nature of their relationship to him, they trust his judgment,
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  • And they trust his motives.
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  • Today, we're in our series on "7 marks of a disciple."
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  • And today we're going to discover another one of those
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  • Marks of a follower of jesus christ.
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  • And that is, an obedient heart.
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  • A true follower of christ is one who obeys jesus in all things
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  • That he has commanded them according to matthew chapter 28.
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  • You know, jesus demands from us an obedient heart.
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  • Just listen to some of the commands in scripture that
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  • He gave.
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  • John 14:21.
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  • He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves
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  • Me, and he who loves me shall be loved by my father, and i will
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  • Love him and will disclose myself to him.
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  • Or john 8:51, truly, truly i say to you, if anyone keeps my word,
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  • He shall never see death,"
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  • Or john 3:36.
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  • This is a great one to memorize.
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  • He who believes in the son has eternal life; but he who does
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  • Not obey the son shall not see life, but the wrath of god
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  • Abides on him."
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  • You know, one of the downsides of the evangelical faith
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  • Tradition is this idea that we have that somehow belief in
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  • Jesus is essential for salvation, but obedience to
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  • Jesus is optional.
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  • We give people the idea that you can trust in god to take care of
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  • You in the next life without trusting him enough to obey him
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  • In this life.
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  • But jesus never gives us that option.
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  • He never gives us a dichotomy between trusting him for
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  • Salvation, but distrust in him for obedience.
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  • You know, it's no accident that the words in the bible, the
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  • Greek word obey and trust are very similar.
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  • The greek word obey, "peitho," the greek word trust, "pisteuo"
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  • Are very similar because they're really the same thing.
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  • W. e. vine says, "when a man obeys god, he gives the only
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  • Possible evidence that in his heart he believes god."
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  • Go back to john 3:36 for a moment.
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  • Look at this, "he who believes," i want you to underline that
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  • Word, believes.
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  • "he who believes in the son has eternal life; but he who does
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  • Not,"--he doesn't say believe.
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  • "he who does not obey the son shall not see life."
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  • You see how jesus is using the words belief and
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  • Obey simultaneously.
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  • They're the same words: belief and obey.
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  • To believe is to obey, to obey is to believe.
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  • It was bonhoeffer who said, "only he who believes truly
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  • Obeys, and only he who obeys truly believes."
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  • You can't truly believe christ without obeying christ.
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  • That's what jesus is saying to us.
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  • Jesus not only commanded obedience, but he demonstrated
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  • Obedience in his own relationship with god.
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  • In john 4:34, he said, "my food is to do the will of him who
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  • Sent me and to accomplish his work."
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  • In john 6:38, he said, "for i have come down from heaven, not
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  • To do my own will, but to do the will of him who sent me."
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  • Let me ask you, can you say honestly that when you wake up
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  • In the morning, your first thought is, "what would god have
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  • Me to do today?"
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  • When you go to sleep at night, before you drift off to sleep,
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  • Is your thought, "god, have i pleased you today?
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  • Is there anything i've done to displease you?"
  • 00:07:51.594 --> 00:07:54.897
  • A true disciple of christ has as his passion, obedience to god.
  • 00:07:54.897 --> 00:08:00.469
  • And jesus demonstrated that not just in his words, but in
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  • His actions.
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  • In fact, jesus in his life demonstrated three key
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  • Characteristics of an obedient heart.
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  • The kind of obedience that god demands from us.
  • 00:08:11.347 --> 00:08:15.051
  • First of all, jesus's life demonstrates immediate obedience
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  • To god, immediate obedience to god.
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  • Now, i'm not suggesting jesus was some divine robot who was
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  • Programmed to say yes automatically to god.
  • 00:08:25.328 --> 00:08:28.264
  • Jesus struggled with doing the will of god sometimes.
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  • There was no greater struggle he experienced than that
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  • Of gethsemane.
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  • I was in gethsemane earlier this week.
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  • I looked at one of those giant trees there that many of them
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  • Are thousands of years old.
  • 00:08:43.412 --> 00:08:46.382
  • Perhaps one of those trees was the one jesus knelt down, but
  • 00:08:46.382 --> 00:08:49.518
  • You remember that struggle he went through the night before he
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  • Was crucified.
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  • In luke 22:42, he said, "father, if thou art willing, remove this
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  • Cup, this experience from me."
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  • Jesus did not want to go to the cross.
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  • Not only because of the physical torture, but because of the
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  • Spiritual agony for the first time ever being separated from
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  • His heavenly father because he was bearing the sins of
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  • The world.
  • 00:09:16.479 --> 00:09:17.847
  • So, he begged, "find another way, god," and yet after that
  • 00:09:17.847 --> 00:09:22.184
  • Semicolon, he quickly added, "yet not my will, but your will
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  • Be done."
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  • Let me give you a little insight here.
  • 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:32.628
  • When we develop an obedient heart, the more we obey god, we
  • 00:09:32.628 --> 00:09:37.733
  • Find that interval between god's command and our obedience
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  • Shorter, and shorter, and shorter.
  • 00:09:41.971 --> 00:09:44.507
  • But here's the flip side to that.
  • 00:09:44.507 --> 00:09:46.542
  • The longer the gap between god's command and our obedience, the
  • 00:09:46.542 --> 00:09:52.848
  • Greater the opportunity for satan to gain a victory in
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  • Our life.
  • 00:09:55.651 --> 00:09:57.386
  • When god speaks, the longer we say, "well, god, let me think
  • 00:09:57.386 --> 00:10:00.222
  • About that and get back to you on it."
  • 00:10:00.222 --> 00:10:03.059
  • The greater the opportunity for satan to persuade us to go
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  • Another way.
  • 00:10:06.462 --> 00:10:07.797
  • Jesus demonstrated immediate obedience.
  • 00:10:07.797 --> 00:10:10.933
  • Secondly, jesus demonstrated complete obedience to god.
  • 00:10:10.933 --> 00:10:15.971
  • The puritan writer, thomas brooks said, "no man obeys god
  • 00:10:15.971 --> 00:10:20.476
  • Truly who does not endeavor to obey god fully,"
  • 00:10:20.476 --> 00:10:27.249
  • Complete obedience.
  • 00:10:27.249 --> 00:10:29.719
  • You know, most of us treat our obedience to god like a buffet.
  • 00:10:29.719 --> 00:10:33.823
  • I probably shouldn't talk about buffets so close to lunch
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  • Right now.
  • 00:10:36.225 --> 00:10:37.960
  • But you know what we do through a buffet, you know, we select
  • 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:40.596
  • The things we want to put on our plate.
  • 00:10:40.596 --> 00:10:42.298
  • A lot of us treat god's will that way.
  • 00:10:42.298 --> 00:10:44.400
  • We're going through the lines and "oh, yes, i'll do that.
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  • Yes, i'll do that.
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  • I'll have some of that.
  • 00:10:48.437 --> 00:10:49.772
  • Oh, no, not gonna do that.
  • 00:10:49.772 --> 00:10:52.875
  • Nothing appealing about that."
  • 00:10:52.875 --> 00:10:55.644
  • We think we can pick and choose which parts of god's will we're
  • 00:10:55.644 --> 00:10:58.948
  • Going to obey.
  • 00:10:58.948 --> 00:11:00.316
  • No, a true disciple is one who obeys all things jesus said in
  • 00:11:00.316 --> 00:11:04.720
  • Matthew 28, "whatsoever, i have commanded you."
  • 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:09.792
  • Have you ever read some of these bizarre stories in the old
  • 00:11:09.792 --> 00:11:12.628
  • Testament and really kind of wondered why they're there?
  • 00:11:12.628 --> 00:11:17.133
  • Stories that seem to make god seem awfully severe, kind of
  • 00:11:17.133 --> 00:11:20.503
  • Overreacting sometimes.
  • 00:11:20.503 --> 00:11:22.872
  • I mean, remember, for example, the story of the israelites
  • 00:11:22.872 --> 00:11:26.909
  • Being defeated at ai because of one man, achan, who decided to
  • 00:11:26.909 --> 00:11:32.381
  • Keep some of the treasure for himself.
  • 00:11:32.381 --> 00:11:34.683
  • The whole army was defeated because of one man keeping
  • 00:11:34.683 --> 00:11:37.186
  • A few treasures.
  • 00:11:37.186 --> 00:11:38.554
  • Or remember king saul, who was forced to give up his kingship
  • 00:11:38.554 --> 00:11:41.857
  • Only because he kept a few sheep instead of having them
  • 00:11:41.857 --> 00:11:44.493
  • Slaughtered like he was commanded.
  • 00:11:44.493 --> 00:11:46.896
  • Or remember that bizarre case of uzzah in 2 samuel chapter 6.
  • 00:11:46.896 --> 00:11:52.101
  • He was a guy who was walking alongside the ark of the
  • 00:11:52.101 --> 00:11:54.737
  • Covenant when they were transporting it.
  • 00:11:54.737 --> 00:11:56.639
  • And the oxen started to stumble, and the ark started to tip over,
  • 00:11:56.639 --> 00:12:01.310
  • And uzzah reached out, and touched the ark.
  • 00:12:01.310 --> 00:12:04.547
  • And god struck him dead.
  • 00:12:04.547 --> 00:12:06.949
  • He was trying to do a good thing to sturdy the ark, but god
  • 00:12:06.949 --> 00:12:09.585
  • Struck him dead because god said, "nobody is to touch
  • 00:12:09.585 --> 00:12:12.922
  • The ark."
  • 00:12:12.922 --> 00:12:14.557
  • Why does god overreact like that?
  • 00:12:14.557 --> 00:12:17.993
  • Well, he's teaching us a lesson.
  • 00:12:17.993 --> 00:12:20.563
  • The obedience that god demands from each of us is not just
  • 00:12:20.563 --> 00:12:24.733
  • A partial obedience, it is complete obedience.
  • 00:12:24.733 --> 00:12:29.505
  • And by the way, jesus demonstrated that in philippians
  • 00:12:29.505 --> 00:12:32.174
  • 2:8 when he said, "and being found in the appearance of a
  • 00:12:32.174 --> 00:12:36.011
  • Man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point
  • 00:12:36.011 --> 00:12:41.083
  • Of death, even death on a cross."
  • 00:12:41.083 --> 00:12:45.287
  • Jesus's obedience wasn't partial, it was complete.
  • 00:12:45.287 --> 00:12:48.858
  • And then finally, the kind of obedience god demands from us is
  • 00:12:48.858 --> 00:12:52.661
  • A joyful obedience.
  • 00:12:52.661 --> 00:12:55.431
  • Just imagine parents, that you're having a dinner party one
  • 00:12:55.431 --> 00:12:58.100
  • Friday night at your home.
  • 00:12:58.100 --> 00:12:59.702
  • And in the middle of the dinner party, the trash is running
  • 00:12:59.702 --> 00:13:02.271
  • Over, so you say to your ten-year-old son, "so, would you
  • 00:13:02.271 --> 00:13:05.374
  • Empty the trash?"
  • 00:13:05.374 --> 00:13:07.009
  • Your son stomps around and growls about how unfair you are
  • 00:13:07.009 --> 00:13:10.880
  • And so forth.
  • 00:13:10.880 --> 00:13:12.248
  • So, after about 20 minutes of cajoling them, you finally get
  • 00:13:12.248 --> 00:13:15.050
  • Him to agree to take out the trash.
  • 00:13:15.050 --> 00:13:18.487
  • Now, what is your attitude toward him?
  • 00:13:18.487 --> 00:13:21.090
  • Probably he gets some credit for finally doing what you've asked
  • 00:13:21.090 --> 00:13:24.393
  • Him to do.
  • 00:13:24.393 --> 00:13:25.728
  • But aren't you embarrassed having seen all of your friends
  • 00:13:25.728 --> 00:13:29.498
  • Witness that lack of respect for your authority and that argument
  • 00:13:29.498 --> 00:13:33.335
  • Back and forth?
  • 00:13:33.335 --> 00:13:35.137
  • Did you know the bible says right now there is a whole
  • 00:13:35.137 --> 00:13:39.375
  • Audience watching our relationship to god, how we
  • 00:13:39.375 --> 00:13:43.178
  • Respond to god our father.
  • 00:13:43.178 --> 00:13:45.014
  • The audience consists of people here on earth who are watching
  • 00:13:45.014 --> 00:13:47.983
  • Whether or not we obey god completely, and fully,
  • 00:13:47.983 --> 00:13:50.920
  • And joyfully.
  • 00:13:50.920 --> 00:13:52.254
  • But there's also an unseen audience in heaven.
  • 00:13:52.254 --> 00:13:55.424
  • Those who've gone before us and are in heaven.
  • 00:13:55.424 --> 00:13:58.294
  • Not to mention the invisible angels and demons who are
  • 00:13:58.294 --> 00:14:01.664
  • Watching everything.
  • 00:14:01.664 --> 00:14:03.432
  • And we either give glory to god or we hurt god's reputation for
  • 00:14:03.432 --> 00:14:08.737
  • How we respond to the commands of our heavenly father.
  • 00:14:08.737 --> 00:14:12.574
  • If you think that's a stretch, consider hebrews chapter 12 that
  • 00:14:12.574 --> 00:14:16.979
  • Compares our life to a race, an olympic style race.
  • 00:14:16.979 --> 00:14:21.583
  • And god has a specific course he's laid out for us to run.
  • 00:14:21.583 --> 00:14:26.622
  • And as we go around that course to complete it, it takes
  • 00:14:26.622 --> 00:14:30.025
  • Perspiration and determination.
  • 00:14:30.025 --> 00:14:32.294
  • And whenever we're tempted to give up, hebrews 12:2 says we
  • 00:14:32.294 --> 00:14:36.265
  • Need to look at somebody else who finished the course that was
  • 00:14:36.265 --> 00:14:39.702
  • Set before him.
  • 00:14:39.702 --> 00:14:41.103
  • "fixing our eyes on jesus, the author and perfecter of faith,
  • 00:14:41.103 --> 00:14:44.974
  • Who for the joy set before him endured the cross."
  • 00:14:44.974 --> 00:14:50.245
  • No, jesus wasn't giddy about the idea of going to calvary.
  • 00:14:50.245 --> 00:14:55.117
  • But he did it anyway, why?
  • 00:14:55.117 --> 00:14:57.386
  • Because he was able to look past the agony of calvary and look to
  • 00:14:57.386 --> 00:15:02.424
  • The ecstasy of the unending reward god had planned for him.
  • 00:15:02.424 --> 00:15:07.296
  • And that's the kind of obedience god wants from us.
  • 00:15:07.296 --> 00:15:10.532
  • To obey without a lot of argument.
  • 00:15:10.532 --> 00:15:13.669
  • Obey because we trust god's plan for our life.
  • 00:15:13.669 --> 00:15:18.173
  • What is it that keeps us from that complete, immediate, and
  • 00:15:18.173 --> 00:15:22.177
  • Joyful obedience?
  • 00:15:22.177 --> 00:15:24.513
  • Let me mention several barriers to that kind of obedience that
  • 00:15:24.513 --> 00:15:28.917
  • God commands to specifically.
  • 00:15:28.917 --> 00:15:31.387
  • One is our distance from god.
  • 00:15:31.387 --> 00:15:35.324
  • Let's just be honest, it's hard to obey an invisible being,
  • 00:15:35.324 --> 00:15:40.629
  • Isn't it?
  • 00:15:40.629 --> 00:15:41.964
  • One we've never seen, one who seems so far away.
  • 00:15:41.964 --> 00:15:46.368
  • By the way, that's nothing new.
  • 00:15:46.368 --> 00:15:47.870
  • The israelites had trouble obeying god because of their
  • 00:15:47.870 --> 00:15:51.173
  • Distance from god.
  • 00:15:51.173 --> 00:15:52.908
  • Remember that story in exodus chapter 32 when the children of
  • 00:15:52.908 --> 00:15:56.211
  • Israel were at the foot of mount sinai
  • 00:15:56.211 --> 00:15:58.614
  • And moses went up the mountain to receive the
  • 00:15:58.614 --> 00:16:01.517
  • Commandments from god.
  • 00:16:01.517 --> 00:16:03.352
  • They thought he would be gone for just a few days and he ended
  • 00:16:03.352 --> 00:16:05.888
  • Up being gone for a long time.
  • 00:16:05.888 --> 00:16:07.623
  • So, what happened?
  • 00:16:07.623 --> 00:16:08.957
  • Listen to exodus 32, verse 1, "when the people saw that moses
  • 00:16:08.957 --> 00:16:13.695
  • Delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled
  • 00:16:13.695 --> 00:16:17.433
  • About aaron and said to him, 'come, make us a god who will
  • 00:16:17.433 --> 00:16:21.970
  • Go up before us.
  • 00:16:21.970 --> 00:16:23.305
  • And as for this moses, the man who brought us up from the land
  • 00:16:23.305 --> 00:16:26.575
  • Of egypt, we don't know what's become of him.'"
  • 00:16:26.575 --> 00:16:30.913
  • They were having a difficult time enough obeying a god
  • 00:16:30.913 --> 00:16:33.682
  • They've never seen.
  • 00:16:33.682 --> 00:16:35.084
  • But now their leader disappears.
  • 00:16:35.084 --> 00:16:37.386
  • So, what do they do?
  • 00:16:37.386 --> 00:16:38.754
  • They fall into immorality and disobedience.
  • 00:16:38.754 --> 00:16:41.957
  • Out of sight, out of mind.
  • 00:16:41.957 --> 00:16:44.493
  • I'm not saying that's a right excuse for disobeying god, but
  • 00:16:44.493 --> 00:16:47.996
  • At least helps us understand one reason we find it difficult to
  • 00:16:47.996 --> 00:16:51.700
  • Obey god.
  • 00:16:51.700 --> 00:16:53.168
  • But an even more potent barrier to obedience to god is our
  • 00:16:53.168 --> 00:16:57.840
  • Distrust of god.
  • 00:16:57.840 --> 00:16:59.975
  • It's not just our distance from god, at the heart of our
  • 00:16:59.975 --> 00:17:04.079
  • Disobedience to god, is a basic innate distrust we have of god.
  • 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:10.786
  • Not long ago, my car started leaking coolant, so i took it
  • 00:17:10.786 --> 00:17:14.156
  • Into the shop and they said, "oh, well, there's a leaky
  • 00:17:14.156 --> 00:17:17.159
  • Radiator hose."
  • 00:17:17.159 --> 00:17:18.961
  • I said, "how much would it cost to fix that?"
  • 00:17:18.961 --> 00:17:20.462
  • They said, "about a hundred dollars."
  • 00:17:20.462 --> 00:17:23.098
  • And i said, "well, fine, let's fix the hose."
  • 00:17:23.098 --> 00:17:25.367
  • A couple of hours later they call me and they said, "well,
  • 00:17:25.367 --> 00:17:27.336
  • You know, the mechanic found out it wasn't a leaky hose, it is
  • 00:17:27.336 --> 00:17:31.039
  • A gasket on the engine, a gasket that has gone bad, and it's
  • 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:34.743
  • Gonna cost $1300 to replace that gasket."
  • 00:17:34.743 --> 00:17:39.381
  • Now, i believed that mechanic knew more about my car than
  • 00:17:39.381 --> 00:17:44.453
  • I did.
  • 00:17:44.453 --> 00:17:45.821
  • That wasn't the issue.
  • 00:17:45.821 --> 00:17:47.389
  • The issue was, did i trust him or not?
  • 00:17:47.389 --> 00:17:51.293
  • Did i really trust that he wanted what is best for me or
  • 00:17:51.293 --> 00:17:55.197
  • What is best for him?
  • 00:17:55.197 --> 00:17:57.733
  • You know, a lot of the reason we have trouble obeying god is we
  • 00:17:57.733 --> 00:18:01.036
  • Don't doubt that god knows more than we do.
  • 00:18:01.036 --> 00:18:04.239
  • But at the heart of our question is, can we really trust god?
  • 00:18:04.239 --> 00:18:10.445
  • Does god care about us or does god only really care
  • 00:18:10.445 --> 00:18:13.782
  • About himself?
  • 00:18:13.782 --> 00:18:15.517
  • By the way, that was the basis of the first sin recorded in
  • 00:18:15.517 --> 00:18:20.489
  • The bible.
  • 00:18:20.489 --> 00:18:21.823
  • Remember in genesis chapter 3, god had said to adam and eve,
  • 00:18:21.823 --> 00:18:24.993
  • "now, adam and eve, i've given you this whole garden, every
  • 00:18:24.993 --> 00:18:28.664
  • Tree is yours, except one.
  • 00:18:28.664 --> 00:18:31.400
  • Just stay away from that tree, every other tree is yours."
  • 00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:35.137
  • So, when the serpent came to deceive eve, where did he center
  • 00:18:35.137 --> 00:18:39.174
  • Her attention?
  • 00:18:39.174 --> 00:18:40.542
  • Not on all the things god had said yes to, but on the one
  • 00:18:40.542 --> 00:18:43.745
  • Thing god had said no to.
  • 00:18:43.745 --> 00:18:46.181
  • He said, "come on, eve, have some of this fruit."
  • 00:18:46.181 --> 00:18:48.917
  • Eve said, "no, mr. serpent, i can't do that.
  • 00:18:48.917 --> 00:18:51.820
  • God said in the day we eat of the tree, we shall die."
  • 00:18:51.820 --> 00:18:55.891
  • What did the serpent say, verse 4 of genesis 3, "and the serpent
  • 00:18:55.891 --> 00:18:59.294
  • Said to the woman, "you surely shall not die!
  • 00:18:59.294 --> 00:19:03.632
  • For god knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will
  • 00:19:03.632 --> 00:19:07.869
  • Be opened, and you will be like god, knowing good and evil."
  • 00:19:07.869 --> 00:19:13.842
  • Eve, there's a reason god said not to eat of this tree.
  • 00:19:13.842 --> 00:19:16.945
  • He doesn't want you to be like him.
  • 00:19:16.945 --> 00:19:19.314
  • He's trying to keep something good, pleasurable from
  • 00:19:19.314 --> 00:19:21.783
  • Your wife.
  • 00:19:21.783 --> 00:19:23.986
  • "you can't trust god.
  • 00:19:23.986 --> 00:19:25.587
  • Go ahead and eat."
  • 00:19:25.587 --> 00:19:27.422
  • And that is the heart of every temptation that we face.
  • 00:19:27.422 --> 00:19:31.526
  • Can we really trust that god wants what is best for us?
  • 00:19:31.526 --> 00:19:35.998
  • You know, somebody has said all sin is basically contempt
  • 00:19:35.998 --> 00:19:40.769
  • For god.
  • 00:19:40.769 --> 00:19:42.437
  • Whenever we violate god's command, we're saying, "god, i
  • 00:19:42.437 --> 00:19:47.009
  • Don't trust you.
  • 00:19:47.009 --> 00:19:48.677
  • You may be more powerful than i am, but i don't really believe
  • 00:19:48.677 --> 00:19:52.147
  • What you've said is what is best for me."
  • 00:19:52.147 --> 00:19:54.750
  • Every time we sin, we're basically casting a no
  • 00:19:54.750 --> 00:19:58.120
  • Confidence vote in god.
  • 00:19:58.120 --> 00:20:00.822
  • That's the barrier to our obedience, our distrust of god.
  • 00:20:00.822 --> 00:20:06.528
  • How do we develop an obedient heart--a heart that reflexively
  • 00:20:06.528 --> 00:20:11.700
  • Obeys god completely, immediately, and joyfully?
  • 00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:16.471
  • It doesn't happen automatically.
  • 00:20:16.471 --> 00:20:19.007
  • We don't get one of those hearts the moment we are saved.
  • 00:20:19.007 --> 00:20:22.511
  • The key is we have to transform our hearts and it is a joint
  • 00:20:22.511 --> 00:20:26.248
  • Project between god and us.
  • 00:20:26.248 --> 00:20:27.716
  • Salvation is god's work alone but sanctification, becoming
  • 00:20:27.716 --> 00:20:31.119
  • More like christ, is a joint effort between god and us.
  • 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:35.157
  • Even jesus--you know, this is one of the most amazing verses
  • 00:20:35.157 --> 00:20:37.659
  • In the bible.
  • 00:20:37.659 --> 00:20:38.994
  • Hebrews 5, verse 8 says, "though jesus was a son, he learned
  • 00:20:38.994 --> 00:20:44.366
  • Obedience by the things that he suffered."
  • 00:20:44.366 --> 00:20:47.869
  • Now, think about this.
  • 00:20:47.869 --> 00:20:49.204
  • If jesus, the perfect son of god had to learn how to obey his
  • 00:20:49.204 --> 00:20:52.741
  • Heavenly father, how much more do you and i have to learn how
  • 00:20:52.741 --> 00:20:57.212
  • To obey god?
  • 00:20:57.212 --> 00:20:59.381
  • How do we do it?
  • 00:20:59.381 --> 00:21:00.749
  • Let me suggest four practical ways to develop this
  • 00:21:00.749 --> 00:21:03.518
  • Obedient heart.
  • 00:21:03.518 --> 00:21:04.953
  • First of all, decide that obedience is a priority in
  • 00:21:04.953 --> 00:21:09.524
  • Your life.
  • 00:21:09.524 --> 00:21:11.126
  • Decide that obedience is a priority in your life.
  • 00:21:11.126 --> 00:21:13.462
  • I know that sounds simple, but let me just say, the reason most
  • 00:21:13.462 --> 00:21:17.265
  • Of us don't obey god regularly is because we have no intention
  • 00:21:17.265 --> 00:21:22.003
  • Of obeying god regularly.
  • 00:21:22.003 --> 00:21:25.574
  • We have to intentionally decide that we're going to obey god.
  • 00:21:25.574 --> 00:21:29.778
  • We have to come to the point in our life when we say, "god, i
  • 00:21:29.778 --> 00:21:33.014
  • Believe what you say is true, and i really do believe you want
  • 00:21:33.014 --> 00:21:36.284
  • What is best for me."
  • 00:21:36.284 --> 00:21:39.554
  • Number of years ago, i went to my gastroenterologist.
  • 00:21:39.554 --> 00:21:44.292
  • Having had both of my parents die at at an early age from
  • 00:21:44.292 --> 00:21:47.062
  • Cancer, i decided i didn't wanna go that way and go that early.
  • 00:21:47.062 --> 00:21:51.466
  • So, i asked my doctor for some advice--what i could do from
  • 00:21:51.466 --> 00:21:56.304
  • Contracting colon cancer.
  • 00:21:56.304 --> 00:21:57.639
  • He said, "well, that's real easy."
  • 00:21:57.639 --> 00:21:59.341
  • He said, "eat a bowl of bran flakes every morning with some
  • 00:21:59.341 --> 00:22:03.178
  • Unprocessed wheat bran on it.
  • 00:22:03.178 --> 00:22:05.147
  • And every night before you go to bed, have a glass of metamucil
  • 00:22:05.147 --> 00:22:08.049
  • And you'll be just fine.
  • 00:22:08.049 --> 00:22:09.418
  • And by the way, that'll be $120."
  • 00:22:09.418 --> 00:22:14.022
  • So, he took my money and i took his advice.
  • 00:22:14.022 --> 00:22:16.992
  • And i've been doing that every day for 35 years.
  • 00:22:16.992 --> 00:22:21.797
  • I gag down the bran flakes not because i like them.
  • 00:22:21.797 --> 00:22:24.766
  • There are many mornings i'd rather have a sausage biscuit
  • 00:22:24.766 --> 00:22:27.702
  • From mcdonald's.
  • 00:22:27.702 --> 00:22:30.071
  • Every night there are nights i'd rather have a milkshake than
  • 00:22:30.071 --> 00:22:32.808
  • A metamucil shake, but i do it anyway, why?
  • 00:22:32.808 --> 00:22:36.945
  • Because i have an intention of doing it.
  • 00:22:36.945 --> 00:22:40.315
  • Jeffress: developing an obedient heart isn't something that
  • 00:22:44.453 --> 00:22:47.088
  • Happens overnight.
  • 00:22:47.088 --> 00:22:48.557
  • It requires intentional effort and a daily commitment to trust
  • 00:22:48.557 --> 00:22:53.061
  • God's plan for our lives.
  • 00:22:53.061 --> 00:22:55.363
  • There's much more i wanna share with you on this important
  • 00:22:55.363 --> 00:22:57.899
  • Topic, so please make plans to join me again next time.
  • 00:22:57.899 --> 00:23:01.970
  • Now, before we wrap up today's program, i wanna thank those of
  • 00:23:01.970 --> 00:23:05.307
  • You who faithfully support "pathway to victory."
  • 00:23:05.307 --> 00:23:08.877
  • Your generous partnership allows us to reach you, your family,
  • 00:23:08.877 --> 00:23:12.814
  • And people in your community with the life-changing truth of
  • 00:23:12.814 --> 00:23:16.785
  • God's word.
  • 00:23:16.785 --> 00:23:18.119
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  • Occasional gift, your support makes it possible for us to
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  • Continue teaching the bible without compromise.
  • 00:23:25.227 --> 00:23:28.930
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  • 00:23:28.930 --> 00:23:32.534
  • Darkness with the light of god's word.
  • 00:23:32.534 --> 00:23:35.537
  • Now, stay right there, i'll be back with more "pathway to
  • 00:23:35.537 --> 00:23:37.939
  • Victory" in just a moment.
  • 00:23:37.939 --> 00:23:40.709
  • Announcer: we all need god's strength to make it through
  • 00:23:42.344 --> 00:23:44.546
  • The day.
  • 00:23:44.546 --> 00:23:45.914
  • "encouragement for the heart of a disciple" by dr. robert
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  • Jeffress provides the spiritual refreshment you need.
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  • In a large print format, every page bursts with breathtaking
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  • Imagery that draws you toward the beauty of god's creation.
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  • Jeffress: i know how challenging it can be to stay connected with
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  • God in our busy lives.
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  • In my new devotional, i provide personal reflections and
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  • Practical insights that will help you experience god's
  • 00:24:07.869 --> 00:24:11.273
  • Presence and encouragement throughout your day.
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  • Announcer: filled with stunning images of creation, scripture
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  • Verses, and prayers you can read in under two minutes, this
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  • Padded hardcover book is the perfect daily companion to help
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  • Refresh your spirit morning and night.
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  • It also makes a thoughtful gift to encourage a friend or
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  • Loved one.
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  • Request your copy of "encouragement for the heart of
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  • A disciple" when you give a generous gift to support the
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  • Book and life application guide, and the "7 marks of a disciple"
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  • Message series on both cd and dvd.
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  • And a nation in deep spiritual need with the transforming truth
  • 00:25:04.693 --> 00:25:08.763
  • Of god's word.
  • 00:25:08.763 --> 00:25:10.532
  • Jeffress: today we've seen that true belief in christ and
  • 00:25:12.167 --> 00:25:14.803
  • Obedience to christ are inseparable.
  • 00:25:14.803 --> 00:25:18.073
  • You can't have one without the other.
  • 00:25:18.073 --> 00:25:20.508
  • We've also seen how our distance from god and our distrust of his
  • 00:25:20.508 --> 00:25:24.512
  • Motives can make obedience difficult.
  • 00:25:24.512 --> 00:25:27.816
  • So, next time i'm going to share four practical steps you can
  • 00:25:27.816 --> 00:25:31.353
  • Take to develop that obedient heart that reflexively trusts
  • 00:25:31.353 --> 00:25:36.057
  • And follows god.
  • 00:25:36.057 --> 00:25:37.792
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:25:37.792 --> 00:25:40.428
  • Series, "7 marks of a disciple."
  • 00:25:40.428 --> 00:25:44.933
  • Jeffress: if you're going to obey god continually, yes, you
  • 00:25:44.933 --> 00:25:48.503
  • Must believe that god exists.
  • 00:25:48.503 --> 00:25:50.038
  • That's kind of a no-brainer, isn't it?
  • 00:25:50.038 --> 00:25:52.340
  • You must believe that god is.
  • 00:25:52.340 --> 00:25:54.209
  • But believing god is is not enough.
  • 00:25:54.209 --> 00:25:56.945
  • For consistently obeying god, you have to believe that one day
  • 00:25:56.945 --> 00:26:01.683
  • There's a payoff for your obedience.
  • 00:26:01.683 --> 00:26:04.252
  • That one day he is going to reward you for your obedience
  • 00:26:04.252 --> 00:26:07.856
  • To him.
  • 00:26:07.856 --> 00:26:09.190
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for part two of the
  • 00:26:09.190 --> 00:26:12.027
  • Message, "developing an obedient heart" here on "pathway
  • 00:26:12.027 --> 00:26:15.830
  • To victory."
  • 00:26:15.830 --> 00:26:17.799
  • Announcer: step away from your daily routine and immerse
  • 00:26:21.036 --> 00:26:23.738
  • Yourself in god's masterpiece on the "pathway to victory" cruise
  • 00:26:23.738 --> 00:26:27.142
  • To alaska, june 13 through 20, 2026.
  • 00:26:27.142 --> 00:26:30.845
  • Jeffress: imagine starting each day immersed in god's word, then
  • 00:26:30.845 --> 00:26:34.482
  • Stepping out to witness god's grandeur from the majestic
  • 00:26:34.482 --> 00:26:37.886
  • Glaciers to soaring eagles.
  • 00:26:37.886 --> 00:26:40.455
  • These moments in god's creation will deepen your faith in
  • 00:26:40.455 --> 00:26:44.025
  • Powerful ways.
  • 00:26:44.025 --> 00:26:45.393
  • Announcer: experience five-star dining, luxurious staterooms,
  • 00:26:45.393 --> 00:26:48.430
  • And exceptional service while visiting iconic ports like
  • 00:26:48.430 --> 00:26:51.599
  • Juneau, ketchikan, and skagway.
  • 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:54.102
  • Jeffress: we'll explore god's word together against the
  • 00:26:54.102 --> 00:26:56.538
  • Backdrop of his most impressive handiwork.
  • 00:26:56.538 --> 00:26:59.874
  • I promise, you'll return home with memories that will last
  • 00:26:59.874 --> 00:27:03.244
  • A lifetime and a heart renewed by god's presence.
  • 00:27:03.244 --> 00:27:07.415
  • Announcer: to book your spot on the 2026 "pathway to victory"
  • 00:27:07.415 --> 00:27:10.418
  • Cruise to alaska, call... or go to ptv.org.
  • 00:27:10.418 --> 00:27:27.235