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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Enjoy Your Intermission (Part 2) | January 10, 2025
- ♪ music ♪
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- [announcer] from the pulpit
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- Of the first baptist church of dallas, texas,
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- This is "pathway to victory" with dr. robert jeffress.
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- Hi, i am robert jeffress
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- And welcome again to "pathway to victory".
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- After a major blunder, it can often feel
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- As if life has hit a dead end,
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- But god always gives his children a second chance.
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- Sometimes we just have to wait for it.
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- And today we're going to discover
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- That these pauses in our life story aren't meant
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- To be permanent endings rather than divine opportunities
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- For a fresh start.
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- My message is titled, enjoy your intermission
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- On today's edition of "pathway to victory".
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- ♪ music ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb ♪
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- ♪ slain from the foundation ♪
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- ♪ of the world ♪
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- ♪ for sinners crucified ♪
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- ♪ o holy sacrifice ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb of god ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb ♪
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- ♪ crown him crown him ♪
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- ♪ crown him crown him ♪
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- ♪ worthy is ♪
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- ♪ the lamb ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb ♪
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- ♪ slain from the foundation ♪
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- ♪ of the world ♪
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- ♪ for sinners crucified ♪
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- ♪ o holy sacrifice ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb of god ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb of god ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb of god ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb ♪
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- ♪ music ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb ♪
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- ♪ behold the lamb ♪
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- (congregation cheering)
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- [narrator] we all make mistakes
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- Almost every hour of every day,
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- But because of god's grace,
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- Failure does not have to be fatal.
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- Dr. robert jeffress has written a book
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- Called "second chance, second act"
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- Featuring biblical insights, trustworthy wisdom,
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- And practical strategies
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- For turning your messes into successes.
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- Discover how god can transform your biggest mistake
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- Into a new beginning.
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- Request the bestselling book, "second chance, second act"
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- When you give a generous gift to support the ministry
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- Of "pathway to victory".
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- ♪ music ♪
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- I've seen these middle-aged crazies,
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- These wrong decisions happen at every age.
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- In fact, i'll have to tell you honestly, as a pastor,
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- I've seen as many people in their senior adult life
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- And senior adult years make disastrous choices
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- As i have those in their young adult lives.
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- We can fail at any time.
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- That's why we have to be on guard all the time.
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- But because we can fail at any time in life,
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- Our intermission can occur at any time in life as well.
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- Number three, intermissions are varying lengths.
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- Intermissions are of varying lengths.
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- You know, for moses it was 40 years,
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- But it's not always 40 years.
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- For the israelites, it was 70 years in babylon.
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- For peter, it was seven weeks between his failure
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- And his preaching at pentecost.
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- For paul, it was three years in the desert.
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- For jonah, it was three days in the belly of a great fish
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- While he reassessed his calling.
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- Intermissions are of various links
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- And you know the thing is in a theatrical program,
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- If you open up the program,
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- You often see the intermission is scheduled.
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- It says there will be an intermission of 20 minutes
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- So you know exactly how long it is until the second act.
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- And in case you don't have a watch,
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- They begin flickering the lights
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- When it's time for the second act to begin.
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- You don't find the same phenomenon in life.
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- Intermissions are a varying lengths.
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- But whatever length your intermission is,
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- It is important that you learn and profit from it.
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- How can you profit from your intermission?
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- Many of you who are here today are watching
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- Or listening to this broadcast,
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- You feel like you're in an intermission.
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- You're waiting and waiting and waiting.
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- Remember, waiting time doesn't have to be wasted time.
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- Five principles.
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- Number one, resist the urge to skip your intermission.
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- Resist the urge to skip your intermission.
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- You know, so many times after we have failed,
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- We want to move immediately into our second act.
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- I see this all the time.
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- People get apprehensive during an intermission.
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- They think because they've been out of work for six months,
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- That they're going to be unemployed the rest of their lives,
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- So they begin to panic and make some wrong choices.
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- Or maybe they've lost their mate
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- And they hate the idea of being alone,
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- And because they've been alone for a year,
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- They think they're going to spend the rest of their lives alone
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- As well and they make a wrong decision.
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- I've seen this so many times as a pastor.
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- Somebody loses their mate either through death
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- Or through divorce,
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- And they are terrified at the prospect
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- Of living the rest of their lives alone.
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- So they go out and they make a disastrous choice
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- For a next mate, and they just compound the heartache
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- They've already experienced.
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- You see, people who skip intermissions
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- Become victims of what a friend of mine
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- Calls the blizzard effect.
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- Now you know what a blizzard is. think about it.
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- A blizzard occurs when you have very small particles
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- Of frozen precipitation that are harmless
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- In and of themselves, but a storm comes through
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- And starts blowing those frozen particles around
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- Where you can't see anything in front of you.
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- It's the same way in life.
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- Many times we'll have a storm come into our life.
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- It may be a heartbreaking death, a painful divorce,
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- An unexpected termination,
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- But something comes into our life, the storm,
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- And it just starts blowing everything around.
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- Even the smallest details of our life get blown around
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- Where we can't see clearly to make wise decisions.
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- Now, just as you would never try to drive in a blizzard
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- But would stop until the storm passed through.
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- So after a first act failure, we should never try
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- To make an immediate decision.
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- We need to wait until the storm passes
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- And we can see clearly.
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- Don't skip your intermission.
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- Number two, during your intermission,
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- Refresh your physical and emotional batteries.
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- Refresh your physical and your emotional batteries.
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- My old professor, dr. howard hendricks, used to say,
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- "sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do
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- Is to take a nap."
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- And he was right.
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- He was right.
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- Sometimes that's the best thing we can do.
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- Elijah certainly discovered that the hard way.
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- Remember his story, 1 kings 18,
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- After his great, great victory on mount carmel
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- Where he proved jehovah not baal was the true god
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- And he decimated all of the prophets of baal.
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- He acted out of faith,
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- But that faith quickly turned to fear when jezebel said,
- 00:09:06.836 --> 00:09:10.006
- "i'm going to get you."
- 00:09:10.006 --> 00:09:12.942
- And so he started to run and run and run and run
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- Until finally he collapsed under that juniper tree,
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- Exhausted and depressed,
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- And he cried out, "lord, please take my life."
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- He was having a pity party.
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- He didn't really mean it.
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- If he had meant it, he could have just stayed back in israel
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- And jezebel would've answered his plea.
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- But he had the wrong perspective,
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- He was exhausted.
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- God didn't answer his request to take his life.
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- Instead, he said, "elijah, it's time to take a nap."
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- And so well, elijah went to sleep.
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- And when elijah awakened, god had generously
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- Provided a jar of water
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- And the angels had brought a cake for elijah.
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- That's where we get angels food cake.
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- -no, i'm just kidding. -(congregation laughing)
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- That's not where we get it from,
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- But the angels brought that cake.
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- And so elijah ate and he drank and he took a nap.
- 00:10:06.128 --> 00:10:09.131
- Then he awakened and he ate some more and he took a nap
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- And awakened more and took a nap.
- 00:10:11.434 --> 00:10:13.002
- You see, he just needed to refresh himself,
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- Physically and emotionally.
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- Failure can take an exacting toll on your life emotionally
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- As well as physically,
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- And that's why we need to use any intermission word
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- Given to refresh ourselves.
- 00:10:25.448 --> 00:10:27.316
- You know, for example, let's say you lose a job,
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- You're terminated unexpectedly.
- 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:31.687
- Let me give you this piece of advice.
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- If you know you're about to be fired, bargain, plead,
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- Beg with your employer for as much severance pay
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- As you can possibly get.
- 00:10:42.732 --> 00:10:44.533
- Remember, you don't have anything to lose
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- At that point anyway, just fall down
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- And beg for as much time as you can have
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- And then use that time wisely.
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- Most of the time, certainly you would use
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- To find new employment, but use a few days of that time
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- Or a week of that time just to refresh yourself.
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- Take a trip, do some projects around the house.
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- There's something about refreshment
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- That gives us a new perspective on life.
- 00:11:08.958 --> 00:11:11.827
- Number three, during your intermission,
- 00:11:11.827 --> 00:11:14.230
- Reflect on where you've been
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- And visualize where you want to go.
- 00:11:16.766 --> 00:11:19.435
- Use your intermission to reflect on where you've been
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- And visualize where you want to go.
- 00:11:22.037 --> 00:11:24.807
- Somebody asked my friend, james dobson one time,
- 00:11:25.775 --> 00:11:28.010
- "dr. dobson, have you ever had a midlife crisis?"
- 00:11:28.010 --> 00:11:31.180
- He said, "no, but i've had a serious midlife reevaluation."
- 00:11:31.180 --> 00:11:35.684
- We all need to have a reevaluation,
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- Especially after some first act failure in our life.
- 00:11:38.554 --> 00:11:42.158
- We need a time where we pause
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- And reflect on where we've been
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- And where we think god is leading us.
- 00:11:45.728 --> 00:11:48.464
- Now, take a day off.
- 00:11:48.464 --> 00:11:50.966
- If you are terminated a job you've had some days off,
- 00:11:50.966 --> 00:11:55.337
- But even if you haven't been fired,
- 00:11:55.337 --> 00:11:56.939
- There ought to be a time on a regular basis
- 00:11:56.939 --> 00:11:59.441
- Where you get alone
- 00:11:59.441 --> 00:12:00.676
- And ask yourself some important questions
- 00:12:00.676 --> 00:12:02.411
- About where you've been and where you think
- 00:12:02.411 --> 00:12:04.914
- God might be leading you.
- 00:12:04.914 --> 00:12:06.448
- Let me give you five signal questions that you ought to ask
- 00:12:06.448 --> 00:12:09.618
- During a midlife or any time in life reevaluation.
- 00:12:09.618 --> 00:12:14.190
- Number one, what three things would i like
- 00:12:14.190 --> 00:12:17.026
- To accomplish before i die?
- 00:12:17.026 --> 00:12:19.528
- That's a great question.
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- What three things would i like to accomplish before i die?
- 00:12:21.764 --> 00:12:25.634
- Question number two, am i in the job now
- 00:12:25.634 --> 00:12:28.404
- That i want to be doing 10 years from now?
- 00:12:28.404 --> 00:12:31.407
- Am i in the job that i want to be doing 10 years from now?
- 00:12:31.407 --> 00:12:35.578
- That doesn't mean necessarily you need to quit
- 00:12:35.578 --> 00:12:37.112
- Your job right now,
- 00:12:37.112 --> 00:12:38.848
- But if it's not the job you want to be in,
- 00:12:38.848 --> 00:12:40.549
- You need to ask god for some leadership
- 00:12:40.549 --> 00:12:42.685
- And how to transition
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- To what you believe he's leading you to do.
- 00:12:44.119 --> 00:12:46.288
- Number three, what do i feel
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- Passionate about in life?
- 00:12:49.959 --> 00:12:51.794
- What do i feel passionate about in life?
- 00:12:51.794 --> 00:12:53.762
- You know, philippians 2 says, "god is at work within you,
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- Giving you both the power
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- And the desire to accomplish his will."
- 00:12:58.801 --> 00:13:02.071
- God gives all of us different passions in life,
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- And one way to know god's direction for your life
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- Is the particular passion he's placed within you.
- 00:13:10.212 --> 00:13:13.082
- Number four, what do other people seem
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- To think i'm gifted to do?
- 00:13:15.451 --> 00:13:17.853
- Now, that's one way to know by the way,
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- If you're doing what you're supposed to be doing.
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- You know what is it that you do when you do it?
- 00:13:24.293 --> 00:13:26.528
- People come up to you and say,
- 00:13:26.528 --> 00:13:28.130
- "man, you are so good at that.
- 00:13:28.130 --> 00:13:30.566
- You make it seem so effortless.
- 00:13:30.566 --> 00:13:33.035
- You were born to do this."
- 00:13:33.035 --> 00:13:35.604
- That's a good way to know the unique gifts
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- That god has given you.
- 00:13:37.973 --> 00:13:40.142
- And finally, who is the one person who knows me best
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- And loves me most with whom
- 00:13:43.846 --> 00:13:46.015
- I could have a heart to heart talk about my situation.
- 00:13:46.015 --> 00:13:49.585
- If you're in an intermission time,
- 00:13:49.585 --> 00:13:51.420
- You're in that waiting mode,
- 00:13:51.420 --> 00:13:53.289
- Who's somebody who loves you and knows you very well,
- 00:13:53.289 --> 00:13:58.027
- Who could give you some wise counsel?
- 00:13:58.027 --> 00:14:00.462
- Reflect on where you've been
- 00:14:01.063 --> 00:14:02.464
- And visualize where god wants you to go.
- 00:14:02.464 --> 00:14:04.633
- Number four, during your intermission,
- 00:14:04.633 --> 00:14:07.002
- Renew your relationship with god.
- 00:14:07.002 --> 00:14:10.973
- I'll tell you something about myself
- 00:14:11.774 --> 00:14:13.309
- I bet you don't have a hard time believing,
- 00:14:13.309 --> 00:14:16.111
- I hate silence.
- 00:14:16.111 --> 00:14:19.081
- I hate solitude.
- 00:14:19.081 --> 00:14:21.717
- I hate being by myself.
- 00:14:21.717 --> 00:14:24.586
- I hate doing nothing.
- 00:14:24.586 --> 00:14:26.322
- I always want to be doing something,
- 00:14:26.322 --> 00:14:29.825
- But that's not a good thing.
- 00:14:29.825 --> 00:14:32.094
- You know, the french philosopher pascal talked about
- 00:14:32.094 --> 00:14:34.897
- Our natural aversion to silence.
- 00:14:34.897 --> 00:14:36.865
- He said, "i have often said that the sole cause
- 00:14:36.865 --> 00:14:40.269
- Of man's unhappiness is that he does not know
- 00:14:40.269 --> 00:14:44.740
- How to stay quietly in his room."
- 00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:47.843
- There is a value to silence.
- 00:14:48.444 --> 00:14:52.414
- You see, we all, i think,
- 00:14:52.414 --> 00:14:53.916
- Or many of us have an addiction to busyness, to activity.
- 00:14:53.916 --> 00:14:56.552
- The problem with that is it's in busyness and activity
- 00:14:56.552 --> 00:15:01.156
- That we fail to hear the voice of god.
- 00:15:01.156 --> 00:15:04.360
- You see, god is always speaking to us.
- 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:06.261
- If we're his children, he's always speaking to us.
- 00:15:06.261 --> 00:15:08.597
- The problem is we're not always listening to him.
- 00:15:08.597 --> 00:15:11.633
- And an intermission in life is a great time to stop
- 00:15:11.633 --> 00:15:15.838
- And to start listening to the voice of god.
- 00:15:15.838 --> 00:15:18.807
- I mean, think about elijah for a moment.
- 00:15:18.807 --> 00:15:20.876
- You know, elijah was addicted to activity.
- 00:15:20.876 --> 00:15:23.045
- He loved preaching sermons and performing miracles
- 00:15:23.045 --> 00:15:25.981
- And killing false prophets.
- 00:15:25.981 --> 00:15:27.383
- I mean, he was addicted to activity,
- 00:15:27.383 --> 00:15:30.085
- But he wasn't listening to god.
- 00:15:30.085 --> 00:15:31.553
- And so after elijah had some r and r and he had eaten
- 00:15:31.553 --> 00:15:36.492
- And he had rested up, god sent him to mount horeb
- 00:15:36.492 --> 00:15:40.662
- And he took up residence in a cave there.
- 00:15:40.662 --> 00:15:43.532
- Elijah still thought he was the only righteous person
- 00:15:44.633 --> 00:15:47.403
- Left on the face of the earth
- 00:15:47.403 --> 00:15:48.937
- And that the chances of any kind of great revival were gone.
- 00:15:48.937 --> 00:15:54.209
- But god told elijah one day to step out of the cave
- 00:15:55.244 --> 00:15:57.679
- And god wanted to give elijah a bigger perspective
- 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:01.183
- And a display of god's power.
- 00:16:01.183 --> 00:16:03.552
- We read that passage in 1 kings 19 11-13.
- 00:16:03.552 --> 00:16:07.322
- "so god said, 'go forth and stand on the mountain
- 00:16:07.322 --> 00:16:10.492
- Before the lord.'
- 00:16:10.492 --> 00:16:11.794
- And, behold, the lord was passing by,
- 00:16:11.794 --> 00:16:14.863
- And a great and strong wind was rendering the mountains,
- 00:16:14.863 --> 00:16:17.800
- And brake in pieces the rocks before the lord;
- 00:16:17.800 --> 00:16:20.969
- But the lord was not in the wind and after the wind
- 00:16:20.969 --> 00:16:24.306
- An earthquake; but the lord was not in the earthquake.
- 00:16:24.306 --> 00:16:28.077
- And after the earthquake a fire;
- 00:16:28.077 --> 00:16:30.212
- But the lord was not in the fire:
- 00:16:30.212 --> 00:16:32.381
- And after the fire, a sound of a gentle blowing.
- 00:16:32.381 --> 00:16:37.719
- And it came about when elijah heard it,"
- 00:16:38.587 --> 00:16:40.622
- That is the gentle blowing, "that he wrapped his face
- 00:16:40.622 --> 00:16:44.226
- In his mantle, and he went out,
- 00:16:44.226 --> 00:16:46.028
- And he stood in the entrance of the cave.
- 00:16:46.028 --> 00:16:48.297
- And, behold a voice came to him
- 00:16:48.297 --> 00:16:50.132
- And said, 'what are you doing here, elijah?'"
- 00:16:50.132 --> 00:16:55.003
- Wasn't in the fire, the wind, the earthquake.
- 00:16:55.938 --> 00:16:58.040
- It was in that gentle blowing, in that moment of quietness
- 00:16:58.040 --> 00:17:02.478
- That elijah heard god say, "why are you still here?"
- 00:17:02.478 --> 00:17:07.783
- Your second act is ready to begin.
- 00:17:08.517 --> 00:17:11.954
- It's important that we take time to listen
- 00:17:12.855 --> 00:17:15.958
- To the voice of god.
- 00:17:15.958 --> 00:17:17.626
- Let me encourage you if you're in an intermission time,
- 00:17:17.626 --> 00:17:21.997
- And by the way, you don't have to wait till an intermission
- 00:17:21.997 --> 00:17:23.966
- To do it, but if you are in an intermission time,
- 00:17:23.966 --> 00:17:26.335
- Spend some time alone with god to allow him to speak to you.
- 00:17:26.335 --> 00:17:30.305
- Now, if you're not used to doing that,
- 00:17:30.305 --> 00:17:31.640
- Don't think you're going to go spend a week
- 00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:33.308
- With god by yourself.
- 00:17:33.308 --> 00:17:34.543
- That usually doesn't work.
- 00:17:34.543 --> 00:17:36.011
- You may not even be able to spend a whole day
- 00:17:36.011 --> 00:17:38.280
- Or a half a day, but just take one
- 00:17:38.280 --> 00:17:40.282
- Or two hours to spend alone with god.
- 00:17:40.282 --> 00:17:42.985
- And i want to give you three suggestions for what to do
- 00:17:42.985 --> 00:17:46.188
- During your time alone with god.
- 00:17:46.188 --> 00:17:47.823
- Number one, during that time, if it's an hour, two hours,
- 00:17:47.823 --> 00:17:51.193
- However long it is, allow god to speak to you
- 00:17:51.193 --> 00:17:54.730
- Through his word.
- 00:17:54.730 --> 00:17:56.098
- Allow god to speak to you through his word.
- 00:17:56.098 --> 00:17:58.200
- Whenever you're reading scripture, you can know
- 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:00.736
- For sure you're listening to the voice of god.
- 00:18:00.736 --> 00:18:03.972
- God speaks through his word.
- 00:18:03.972 --> 00:18:06.175
- Let me give you a couple of passages that you might use
- 00:18:06.175 --> 00:18:09.178
- To allow god to speak to you.
- 00:18:09.178 --> 00:18:10.712
- Psalm 34, which extols the faithfulness of god.
- 00:18:10.712 --> 00:18:15.450
- Or psalm 51, that reminds us of the forgiveness of god,
- 00:18:15.450 --> 00:18:19.254
- Especially after failure.
- 00:18:19.254 --> 00:18:21.023
- We need to be reminded of that, don't we?
- 00:18:21.023 --> 00:18:22.758
- This is david's prayer of confession, psalm 51.
- 00:18:22.758 --> 00:18:26.528
- One of my favorites is romans 8, that reminds us
- 00:18:26.528 --> 00:18:30.165
- Of the love of god from which we can never be separated.
- 00:18:30.165 --> 00:18:34.436
- Use part of that time to allow god
- 00:18:34.436 --> 00:18:36.371
- To speak to you through his word.
- 00:18:36.371 --> 00:18:37.873
- Secondly, during part of that time,
- 00:18:37.873 --> 00:18:40.375
- Read a chapter or two from a good christian book
- 00:18:40.375 --> 00:18:43.912
- That emphasizes the character of god.
- 00:18:43.912 --> 00:18:47.983
- Remember, during your intermission,
- 00:18:48.717 --> 00:18:50.953
- You're trying to reconnect,
- 00:18:50.953 --> 00:18:54.556
- Not with a set of ideas,
- 00:18:54.556 --> 00:18:56.792
- But with a person, with god.
- 00:18:56.792 --> 00:18:59.294
- And during our intermission,
- 00:18:59.294 --> 00:19:00.529
- We need to remind ourselves of who god is.
- 00:19:00.529 --> 00:19:03.498
- So that's why i say read a chapter or two
- 00:19:03.498 --> 00:19:05.867
- Of a good christian book that centers on the attributes,
- 00:19:05.867 --> 00:19:08.570
- The characteristics of god.
- 00:19:08.570 --> 00:19:10.105
- Let me mention three.
- 00:19:10.105 --> 00:19:11.240
- One is "knowing god" by j.i. packer.
- 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:15.777
- The other two are by a.w. tozer,
- 00:19:16.411 --> 00:19:18.947
- "the knowledge of the holy"
- 00:19:18.947 --> 00:19:20.616
- And "the pursuit of the holy",
- 00:19:20.616 --> 00:19:22.117
- Both classic volumes about the attributes of god.
- 00:19:22.117 --> 00:19:26.788
- And number three, during your time with god,
- 00:19:26.788 --> 00:19:28.657
- Allow god to speak to your situation
- 00:19:28.657 --> 00:19:31.426
- By asking him some specific questions.
- 00:19:31.426 --> 00:19:34.863
- Now, if you want to hear god speak to your situation,
- 00:19:35.897 --> 00:19:38.433
- There's some specific questions you ought to ask him.
- 00:19:38.433 --> 00:19:41.136
- Here are four of them.
- 00:19:41.136 --> 00:19:42.904
- We looked at them earlier.
- 00:19:42.904 --> 00:19:44.006
- Let's look at them again.
- 00:19:44.006 --> 00:19:45.240
- Number one, what am i doing in my life
- 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:48.310
- That is displeasing you?
- 00:19:48.310 --> 00:19:50.178
- When you pray, "lord, show me anything in my life
- 00:19:51.179 --> 00:19:53.482
- That is displeasing to you," i guarantee you
- 00:19:53.482 --> 00:19:55.317
- That's one prayer god answers every time.
- 00:19:55.317 --> 00:19:58.220
- He's happy to point it out if you're willing to ask.
- 00:19:58.220 --> 00:20:01.023
- Number two, "what do you want me to do
- 00:20:01.023 --> 00:20:03.659
- That i'm not now doing?"
- 00:20:03.659 --> 00:20:05.794
- "lord, is there anything you want me to start doing
- 00:20:05.794 --> 00:20:07.929
- In my life that i'm not now doing?"
- 00:20:07.929 --> 00:20:10.565
- Number three, "am i more interested in pleasing you
- 00:20:10.565 --> 00:20:13.902
- Or in pleasing others?"
- 00:20:14.403 --> 00:20:15.704
- That's a key question.
- 00:20:15.704 --> 00:20:17.873
- And number four, am i defining success and failure
- 00:20:17.873 --> 00:20:21.276
- By your standards or other people's standards?
- 00:20:21.276 --> 00:20:24.813
- When we feel like we failed
- 00:20:24.813 --> 00:20:26.548
- And we're in an intermission, we need to really know,
- 00:20:26.548 --> 00:20:28.984
- Is this failure legitimate
- 00:20:28.984 --> 00:20:31.953
- Or is it because i've failed to meet
- 00:20:31.953 --> 00:20:34.723
- Some unrealistic standard, not god's standard?
- 00:20:34.723 --> 00:20:38.060
- Fifth principle, remember,
- 00:20:38.627 --> 00:20:41.430
- The curtain will rise again.
- 00:20:41.430 --> 00:20:44.533
- You know, our failure in our first act seems so final,
- 00:20:44.533 --> 00:20:48.303
- But ladies and gentlemen, it doesn't have to be final.
- 00:20:48.303 --> 00:20:51.573
- Your failure doesn't have to be a period,
- 00:20:51.573 --> 00:20:54.509
- It can be a comma in your life story.
- 00:20:54.509 --> 00:20:57.813
- A great illustration of that is found
- 00:20:58.580 --> 00:21:00.716
- In the life of jesus himself.
- 00:21:00.716 --> 00:21:03.819
- Think about jesus' life.
- 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:06.221
- By the time good friday had rolled around, jesus was thought
- 00:21:06.221 --> 00:21:11.226
- To have been a failure by most people.
- 00:21:11.226 --> 00:21:13.295
- I mean after all the movement he started
- 00:21:13.295 --> 00:21:15.230
- That attracted thousands of people had dwindled
- 00:21:15.230 --> 00:21:17.933
- To just a handful of followers,
- 00:21:17.933 --> 00:21:19.968
- And most of those had deserted him.
- 00:21:19.968 --> 00:21:22.938
- His promise of a kingdom,
- 00:21:22.938 --> 00:21:24.373
- A new kingdom that failed to materialize.
- 00:21:24.373 --> 00:21:27.476
- And instead, jesus christ was crucified.
- 00:21:27.476 --> 00:21:31.380
- And when he died, he died alone.
- 00:21:31.380 --> 00:21:35.117
- He was deserted by his family members, his closest friends,
- 00:21:35.117 --> 00:21:40.455
- And even by his heavenly father.
- 00:21:41.089 --> 00:21:43.458
- My god, my god, why have you forsaken me?
- 00:21:43.458 --> 00:21:47.796
- Jesus was dead.
- 00:21:48.163 --> 00:21:49.731
- He had failed or so it seemed,
- 00:21:50.365 --> 00:21:53.702
- But that wasn't the end of his story.
- 00:21:53.702 --> 00:21:57.172
- As one writer says,
- 00:21:57.639 --> 00:21:59.741
- "and so they put his body in a cave."
- 00:21:59.741 --> 00:22:03.712
- That was their big mistake.
- 00:22:03.712 --> 00:22:06.448
- "his body was there for three days,
- 00:22:06.448 --> 00:22:09.284
- But they could not keep him there.
- 00:22:09.284 --> 00:22:11.953
- They forgot that god does some of his best work in caves.
- 00:22:11.953 --> 00:22:17.259
- The cave is where god resurrects dead things."
- 00:22:18.193 --> 00:22:24.132
- There's some of you right now
- 00:22:24.766 --> 00:22:26.835
- Who feel like you're in a cave,
- 00:22:27.469 --> 00:22:29.738
- If you don't feel like you're in a cave, trust me.
- 00:22:29.738 --> 00:22:31.673
- At some point in your life you will.
- 00:22:31.673 --> 00:22:34.843
- You'll have failed.
- 00:22:34.843 --> 00:22:36.778
- You'll think that because of a heartbreaking
- 00:22:36.778 --> 00:22:40.549
- End of a relationship, a divorce, a bankruptcy,
- 00:22:40.549 --> 00:22:44.686
- A termination, that your life story is over,
- 00:22:44.686 --> 00:22:48.590
- But your failure doesn't have to be final.
- 00:22:48.590 --> 00:22:51.760
- Your pause doesn't have to be permanent,
- 00:22:52.627 --> 00:22:55.797
- But instead it can be a prelude
- 00:22:55.797 --> 00:22:58.667
- To a great second act in your life.
- 00:22:58.667 --> 00:23:02.070
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:23:02.404 --> 00:23:06.441
- Perhaps you're watching right now
- 00:23:07.175 --> 00:23:08.810
- And you realize that your life is stuck in a cave.
- 00:23:08.810 --> 00:23:12.180
- You made some bad choices, regrettable mistakes,
- 00:23:12.180 --> 00:23:15.750
- But whatever your story, remember,
- 00:23:15.750 --> 00:23:18.353
- God does some of his best work in caves.
- 00:23:18.353 --> 00:23:22.324
- As we close today's program, let me reinforce
- 00:23:22.324 --> 00:23:25.527
- That your generous gifts are truly making a difference.
- 00:23:25.527 --> 00:23:29.331
- "pathway to victory" has expanded into new cities
- 00:23:29.331 --> 00:23:32.601
- All across the world through television, radio,
- 00:23:32.601 --> 00:23:35.871
- Podcasting, and the internet.
- 00:23:35.871 --> 00:23:38.240
- We also recently launched a spanish speaking ministry,
- 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:42.177
- And the impact so far has been tremendous.
- 00:23:42.177 --> 00:23:45.247
- And we've been able to do all of this
- 00:23:45.247 --> 00:23:47.249
- Because of the generous gifts from friends like you
- 00:23:47.249 --> 00:23:50.752
- And because of our faithful pathway partners.
- 00:23:50.752 --> 00:23:54.022
- If god is nudging your heart to join our team
- 00:23:54.022 --> 00:23:56.858
- Of monthly givers, let me encourage you
- 00:23:56.858 --> 00:23:59.361
- To take that step today.
- 00:23:59.361 --> 00:24:01.530
- Your consistent and continued support
- 00:24:01.530 --> 00:24:04.232
- Provides the stability we need
- 00:24:04.232 --> 00:24:06.301
- To grow the ministry of "pathway to victory"
- 00:24:06.301 --> 00:24:09.137
- And reach even more people with the hope of the gospel.
- 00:24:09.137 --> 00:24:13.375
- Thank you for partnering with us as we pierce the darkness
- 00:24:13.375 --> 00:24:17.212
- With the light of god's word.
- 00:24:17.212 --> 00:24:19.548
- Please stay right there.
- 00:24:19.548 --> 00:24:20.849
- I'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
- 00:24:20.849 --> 00:24:23.318
- In just a moment.
- 00:24:23.318 --> 00:24:25.220
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:24:25.554 --> 00:24:27.188
- [narrator] all of us carry some measure of regret
- 00:24:27.188 --> 00:24:29.257
- About the past.
- 00:24:29.257 --> 00:24:30.759
- Thankfully, no mistake is too big for god to forgive.
- 00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:34.095
- In his bestselling book, "second chance, second act",
- 00:24:34.095 --> 00:24:37.065
- Dr. robert jeffress shares
- 00:24:37.065 --> 00:24:38.533
- How god can turn your biggest mess
- 00:24:38.533 --> 00:24:40.936
- Into your greatest success.
- 00:24:40.936 --> 00:24:42.938
- In my book, "second chance, second act",
- 00:24:42.938 --> 00:24:45.507
- You'll discover five biblical strategies
- 00:24:45.507 --> 00:24:48.610
- For turning your messes into successes.
- 00:24:48.610 --> 00:24:51.880
- You'll learn to overcome the guilt, suffering,
- 00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:54.382
- And regret of your past mistakes,
- 00:24:54.382 --> 00:24:56.751
- And you'll read stories from scripture that prove
- 00:24:56.751 --> 00:24:59.454
- Beyond a shadow of a doubt
- 00:24:59.454 --> 00:25:01.256
- That god is in the business of second chances.
- 00:25:01.256 --> 00:25:05.026
- [narrator] a copy of the book, "second chance, second act"
- 00:25:05.026 --> 00:25:07.329
- Is yours today when you give a generous gift
- 00:25:07.329 --> 00:25:09.464
- To "pathway to victory".
- 00:25:09.464 --> 00:25:11.199
- And when your gift is $75 or more,
- 00:25:11.199 --> 00:25:14.135
- You'll also receive all eight
- 00:25:14.135 --> 00:25:15.737
- Of the original unabridged messages
- 00:25:15.737 --> 00:25:17.839
- From the "second chance, second act" teaching series
- 00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:20.575
- On dvd and mp3 format audio disc.
- 00:25:20.575 --> 00:25:23.645
- Ladies and gentlemen, i don't care
- 00:25:23.645 --> 00:25:25.380
- What failure you have experienced.
- 00:25:25.380 --> 00:25:28.717
- Your failure, your sin doesn't have
- 00:25:28.717 --> 00:25:30.952
- To be the final word about your life story.
- 00:25:30.952 --> 00:25:34.022
- That's what redemption is all about.
- 00:25:34.022 --> 00:25:37.192
- [narrator] together through the ministry
- 00:25:37.192 --> 00:25:38.526
- Of "pathway to victory",
- 00:25:38.526 --> 00:25:40.128
- We are sharing the timeless wisdom
- 00:25:40.128 --> 00:25:41.863
- And truth of god's word with the world in need,
- 00:25:41.863 --> 00:25:45.033
- And your support makes it possible.
- 00:25:45.033 --> 00:25:47.168
- Thank you for partnering with us to share the gospel
- 00:25:47.168 --> 00:25:49.938
- And change lives through the bold proclamation of scripture.
- 00:25:49.938 --> 00:25:55.610
- Today perhaps you're bearing a tremendous burden of guilt
- 00:25:56.745 --> 00:26:00.515
- And you're anxiously waiting for god to restore you.
- 00:26:00.515 --> 00:26:04.285
- Frankly, it feels like your life is over.
- 00:26:04.285 --> 00:26:07.222
- Well, let me assure you, your life isn't over.
- 00:26:07.222 --> 00:26:10.659
- In fact, this could be your greatest hour.
- 00:26:10.659 --> 00:26:13.795
- No, god won't erase the past, but he can redeem it.
- 00:26:13.795 --> 00:26:17.999
- He's in the business of turning your messes into successes.
- 00:26:17.999 --> 00:26:22.504
- And next time, i'm going
- 00:26:22.504 --> 00:26:23.772
- To show you five important principles
- 00:26:23.772 --> 00:26:26.241
- For knowing when your second act is about to begin.
- 00:26:26.241 --> 00:26:30.412
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
- 00:26:30.412 --> 00:26:32.914
- In our series, second chance, second act.
- 00:26:32.914 --> 00:26:37.452
- Wouldn't it be nice if we knew when our waiting time
- 00:26:37.452 --> 00:26:39.854
- Was over in life?
- 00:26:39.854 --> 00:26:41.423
- When we knew that relationship was about to begin
- 00:26:41.423 --> 00:26:44.626
- Or that job offer would come?
- 00:26:44.626 --> 00:26:46.695
- Usually, god doesn't give us a clear signal all the time
- 00:26:46.695 --> 00:26:51.032
- When intermission is over,
- 00:26:51.032 --> 00:26:52.600
- And the second act is about to begin.
- 00:26:52.600 --> 00:26:54.903
- However, today what i want us to do is look at
- 00:26:54.903 --> 00:26:57.038
- What i believe are five biblical principles
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- For knowing when god may be saying,
- 00:26:59.674 --> 00:27:02.243
- "intermission time is over,
- 00:27:02.243 --> 00:27:04.279
- And your second act is ready to begin."
- 00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:07.682
- [announcer] set your dvr
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- And join us next time for the message,
- 00:27:08.917 --> 00:27:10.785
- Begin your second act now here on "pathway to victory".
- 00:27:10.785 --> 00:27:10.785