Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Finding Your "One Thing" in Life (Part 2) | January 2, 2025
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- ♪♪♪
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- Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church
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- Of dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory
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- With dr. robert jeffress."
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- Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress and welcome
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- Again to "pathway to victory."
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- Of all the images the bible uses to describe the church, the
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- Most frequently used image is that of the human body.
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- Christ is the head and we are the parts of his body, but very
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- Few christians truly understand where they fit into this
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- Intricate system.
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- Today, i'm going to show you why finding your unique purpose in
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- Life is not only key to your own fulfillment, but it's also key
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- To the local church reaching her potential.
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- My message is titled "finding your one thing in life" on
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- Today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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- ♪♪♪
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- ♪ there is a day coming ♪
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- ♪ when the old will pass away. ♪
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- ♪ and every wrong will be made right. ♪
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- ♪ no darkness, no night. ♪
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- ♪ the sun will light the way. ♪
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- ♪ there is a king coming. ♪
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- ♪ the one who conquered death and grave. ♪
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- ♪ no more pain and no more sorrow. ♪
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- ♪ this hope for tomorrow. ♪
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- ♪ is our hope for the day. ♪
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- ♪ he who was, he who is. ♪
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- ♪ he who is to come. ♪
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- ♪ it's christ the son of man. ♪
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- ♪ is riding on the clouds with a crown upon his head. ♪
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- ♪ every eye will see him. ♪
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- ♪ with the nail scars in his hands. ♪
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- ♪ hallelujah, hallelujah. ♪
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- ♪ he who is to come. ♪
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- ♪ it's christ. ♪
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- ♪ it's christ the son of man. ♪
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- ♪ is riding on the cloud with a crown upon his head. ♪
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- ♪ and every eye will see him. ♪
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- ♪ with the nail scars in his hands. ♪
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- ♪ hallelujah, hallelujah. ♪
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- ♪♪♪
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- [congregation applauding]
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- Announcer: it's okay to have questions about your faith,
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- But you need answers you can trust.
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- In his book "how can i know?"
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- Dr. robert jeffress addresses seven of life's
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- Most important questions.
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- If you've ever wondered how you can know the bible is true or
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- How you can know if you're going to heaven,
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- This book makes a compelling case for answers you
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- Can embrace with confidence.
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- Request your copy of "how can i know?"
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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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- ♪♪♪
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- Jeffress: god has always chosen, mercifully, to allow us to be
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- Partners with him in work.
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- Do you do those read through the bible programs?
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- I started mine again this week, and of course landed back in
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- Genesis, just waiting to get to the begats, but i was back
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- In genesis.
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- Remember reading about creation?
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- Remember, god created the garden of eden absolutely perfect.
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- He needed no help from adam and eve to do that, but after he
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- Created the perfect garden, remember what he said to adam
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- And eve?
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- He said i've created it, but your job is to cultivate it and
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- To keep it.
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- I've done my part, here's your part.
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- Remember, god said to noah, he said, noah, i'm gonna send a
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- Flood and destroy the world.
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- I'm gonna save you and a select few, that's what i'm gonna do,
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- But it's your responsibility to build the ark.
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- God said to nehemiah, nehemiah, i'm gonna miraculously change
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- The king's heart and allow your people to go back to israel.
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- That's what i'm doing, but i want you to build a wall around
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- The city.
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- And god has said to you and to me, i have sent my son jesus
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- Christ to offer the greatest gift of all time, the gift of
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- Salvation, that's what i'm doing, but i've commissioned you
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- To go and share that gospel with as many people as possible.
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- And in case anybody misses what that mission is that we need to
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- Connect to, listen to jesus's final words to his disciples
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- Before he ascended into heaven.
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- Matthew 28:19-20, "go therefore and make disciples of all
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- Nations, baptizing them in the name of the
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- Father, the son, and the holy spirit,
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- Teaching them to observe all that i commanded you.
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- And lo, i am with you always, even to the end of the age."
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- You know, you read through the new testament and you'll find
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- One of the metaphors used extensively throughout the new
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- Testament is that of christians being a soldier, being
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- A soldier.
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- For example, 2 timothy 2:4 says,
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- "no soldier in active service
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- Entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may
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- Please the one who enlisted him as a soldier."
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- How many people in the military, since we're reaching a military
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- Audience now, how many people in the military do you know who
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- Wake up in the morning and say, gee, i wonder what i ought to
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- Do today?
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- I wonder how i can fill my hours today.
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- I wonder what i would like to do.
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- Nobody's gonna survive in the military with that kind
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- Of attitude.
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- The military, people in the military, have one job and that
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- Is to obey their commanding officer, to make his commanding
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- Officer's agenda, his agenda, and it's the same way with us.
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- You know, in paul's day, a roman soldier had one goal, and that
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- Was to fulfill the emperor's command, and that is to go and
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- Expand the territory of the kingdom, to expand the roman
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- Empire, and it's the same way with you and me.
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- We've been enlisted by god to expand the king's empire, that
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- Is the job for which we have been called.
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- God didn't leave us here in this world to accumulate a lot
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- Of money.
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- He didn't leave us here to have a successful career.
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- He didn't even leave us here to have a happy family life.
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- God left us here to expand the kingdom.
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- Now, what have we seen?
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- First of all, god has created you for a unique purpose.
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- Secondly, your purpose should be connected to god's kingdom
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- Purpose, and that leads to a third truth.
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- Now, hang on to your pews here, because it's gonna get a little
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- Bumpy for a moment, but i want you to hear me out.
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- Your purpose is to be centered within the local church.
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- Now, that statement is made with two assumptions.
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- So, assumption number one, every christian is to be involved
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- In ministry.
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- Every christian is to be involved in ministry.
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- Do you know most christians don't understand that?
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- They think, well, my job is what i do 60 hours a week, but then i
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- Come to church to kind of relax and soak in some
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- Spiritual truth.
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- No, listen to ephesians 4:11-12.
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- "and christ gave some to the church as apostles, and some as
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- Prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastor
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- Teachers for the equipping of the saints," for the work of
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- Service, "to the building up of the body of christ."
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- You know what my job is as pastor teacher here?
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- It's not just to do the work of the ministry, it is to equip you
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- To do the work of ministry.
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- That's what that word "equip" means, "katartismos."
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- It literally refers to the loading up of a ship with
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- Supplies before it sets out on a long journey.
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- You know, a lot of people think, you know, the goal of our church
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- Service is to see how many people can be saved.
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- That's not the goal of the church service, you know why i
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- Say that?
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- Lost people very rarely come to church to begin with.
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- You may have a few sprinkled out there, but lost people, by
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- Definition, don't come to church.
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- I always present the gospel in a service, because i know there's
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- Some unbelievers who stumble in for one reason or another, but
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- The purpose of this church service is to equip you, to give
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- You the tools that are needed to go out and read the people at
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- Your work, the people in your community, with the gospel
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- Of jesus christ.
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- Equipping the saints for the work of service.
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- You see, god's plan was never for just a few paid
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- Professionals to do the work of ministry.
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- We're to be equipping you to do the work of ministry.
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- You know, i think about the late bud wilkinson, professional
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- Football player, who after he left the nfl became the chairman
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- Of the president's council on physical fitness under
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- Lyndon johnson.
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- And at a press conference one time, a reporter asked
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- Wilkinson, "mr.
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- Wilkinson, what contribution has professional football made to
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- The health of the american people?"
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- Wilkinson said, "absolutely none."
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- He said, "think about it.
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- In football, you have 22 men on the field desperately in need of
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- Rest, being cheered on by 80,000 spectators in the stands,
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- Desperately in need for exercise."
- 00:10:33.723 --> 00:10:38.027
- And you know, that's a picture of the average church.
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- You've got a few people out there on the playing field, the
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- Pastor, the staff, a few deacons, but the members are in
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- The stands.
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- Now, if the church is doing well, they cheer them on.
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- "go, pastor, go staff, go deacons," but the church starts
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- To go south, no longer cheers but jeers, boos, hisses, "call
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- In the second string."
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- Now, that may make for exciting football, but that is a lousy
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- Way to run a church.
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- God never meant for just a few people to be on the field
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- Playing the game.
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- God's purpose is to equip all of us, you, the saints, for the
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- Work of service to the building up of the body of christ.
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- That's why i say every christian is to be involved in ministry.
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- And secondly, our ministry is to be centered in the local church.
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- You know, people have a funny idea about the local
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- Church today.
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- They kind of think of it as a second-class christian
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- Organization, a necessary evil.
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- Yeah, i guess we ought to support the church.
- 00:11:44.927 --> 00:11:47.196
- But there's this group over here that's doing such an exciting
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- Work for god, and this group over here that's doing this
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- Great--this is where the action is, but you know, i'll give
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- A little pittance of my time and money to the church, but this is
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- Where the excitement is.
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- No, the bible says the church is the one organization that god
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- Himself created to fulfill his great commission.
- 00:12:05.714 --> 00:12:10.252
- You know, there are many fine christian organizations outside
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- Of the church, but they all have one thing in common, they were
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- All created by a man or woman, and they all will end one day.
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- Only the church of jesus christ was actually created by god.
- 00:12:22.932 --> 00:12:28.337
- In fact, in ephesians 3 verse 21, paul says, "to him," god,
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- "be the glory in the church and in christ jesus to all
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- Generations forever and ever."
- 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:39.949
- It was god who thought up the idea of the church.
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- It was god who thought up the idea of a pastor and deacons.
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- It was god that gave to the church the commission to go into
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- All the world and preach the gospel.
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- In fact, when you read the new testament, you can't find one
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- Person in one ministry or one missionary who was not under the
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- Authority of a local church.
- 00:12:57.132 --> 00:13:00.002
- God's plan to fulfill his mission is through
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- The local church.
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- That's why our church ought to receive the bulk of our giving,
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- But it also ought to receive the bulk of our time in ministry.
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- God's purpose is to be lived out in the local church.
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- You say, well, then how do i find my ministry in the
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- Local church?
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- How do i know what my ministry should be?
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- Let me share with you this simple formula that i think will
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- Help you find the unique place of ministry god has for you
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- Through his church.
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- Simple equation, my gifts, plus my passion, plus the church's
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- Need equals my ministry.
- 00:13:41.343 --> 00:13:45.814
- My gifts, plus my passion, plus the church's need equal
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- My ministry.
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- Let's break that down.
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- First of all, your gifts, what do i mean by your gifts?
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- You know, when you were saved, you not only received the gift
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- Of forgiveness, the bible says god gave you a unique spiritual
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- Gift, a divine empowerment to be used to spread his message to
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- Other people.
- 00:14:13.142 --> 00:14:14.510
- In fact, in romans chapter 12 the bible lists the seven gifts,
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- And says that we have one of those motivational gifts that is
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- Our basic motivation to wanna share christ's message
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- With others.
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- In fact, look at romans 12 verses 6 to 8.
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- "since we have gifts that differ according to the grace
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- Given to us, let each exercise them accordingly.
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- If your gift is prophecy," that's the first one, "according
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- To the proportion of his faith.
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- If service," that's the second one, "in his serving, if in
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- Teaching, according to his teaching," that's number three.
- 00:14:45.741 --> 00:14:48.911
- "he who exhorts in his exhortation," that's
- 00:14:48.911 --> 00:14:52.047
- Number four.
- 00:14:52.047 --> 00:14:53.415
- "he who gives with liberality," that's number five.
- 00:14:53.415 --> 00:14:56.118
- "he who leads, leadership," that's number six, "with
- 00:14:56.118 --> 00:14:59.455
- Diligence, and he who shows mercy," that's the final gift,
- 00:14:59.455 --> 00:15:02.891
- "with cheerfulness."
- 00:15:02.891 --> 00:15:04.493
- And in the past i have preached a three-part series on
- 00:15:04.493 --> 00:15:07.496
- Discovering your spiritual gift where i explain this in depth.
- 00:15:07.496 --> 00:15:11.066
- So, first of all, your place of ministry begins with your gifts.
- 00:15:11.066 --> 00:15:14.536
- Secondly, your passion.
- 00:15:14.536 --> 00:15:16.505
- My gifts plus my passion.
- 00:15:16.505 --> 00:15:20.275
- You know, this is one of the greatest discoveries i ever made
- 00:15:20.275 --> 00:15:22.845
- About finding god's will.
- 00:15:22.845 --> 00:15:24.813
- One of the best ways to know what god wants you to do is ask
- 00:15:24.813 --> 00:15:28.617
- Yourself what do i want to do?
- 00:15:28.617 --> 00:15:32.121
- The fact is, one of the ways god leads us is through the desires
- 00:15:32.121 --> 00:15:35.924
- He places in our hearts, and it's true in ministry as well.
- 00:15:35.924 --> 00:15:41.230
- You know, you may see that there's a need for workers in
- 00:15:41.230 --> 00:15:44.266
- The seventh grade, and that may be a legitimate need.
- 00:15:44.266 --> 00:15:48.470
- And you may say to yourself, well, you know, i'd rather have
- 00:15:48.470 --> 00:15:50.973
- My left arm cut off than go work for seventh graders, but if the
- 00:15:50.973 --> 00:15:54.543
- Church needs that, i guess that's what i'll do.
- 00:15:54.543 --> 00:15:59.982
- Let me encourage you, you know, be kind to yourself, be kind to
- 00:15:59.982 --> 00:16:05.587
- Those seventh graders, and don't go teach there, please.
- 00:16:05.587 --> 00:16:08.690
- If you don't want to be there, they'll be the first to know it
- 00:16:08.690 --> 00:16:11.994
- And you'll be the first to know it.
- 00:16:11.994 --> 00:16:13.328
- No, if god is calling you to do something, he's gonna give you a
- 00:16:13.328 --> 00:16:16.832
- Passion for it.
- 00:16:16.832 --> 00:16:18.267
- You know why these wonderful men and women sing in the choir and
- 00:16:18.267 --> 00:16:21.837
- Play in our orchestra, devote countless hours to doing it?
- 00:16:21.837 --> 00:16:25.941
- It's not because they feel like martyrs and they have to do it,
- 00:16:25.941 --> 00:16:28.811
- They love doing it.
- 00:16:28.811 --> 00:16:31.847
- They get fulfilled by doing it, and that's the way it ought
- 00:16:31.847 --> 00:16:35.317
- To be.
- 00:16:35.317 --> 00:16:36.652
- You know why missionaries leave here and go serve in a
- 00:16:36.652 --> 00:16:40.255
- Third-world country?
- 00:16:40.255 --> 00:16:42.424
- It's not because they're miserable doing it or they wanna
- 00:16:42.424 --> 00:16:45.360
- Be martyrs, it's because they love doing that.
- 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:49.431
- They wouldn't be happy anywhere else doing anything else.
- 00:16:49.431 --> 00:16:53.335
- There's nothing wrong with that.
- 00:16:53.335 --> 00:16:54.670
- God leads us through the desires that he places in our heart.
- 00:16:54.670 --> 00:16:57.739
- Pastor, where do you get that in the bible?
- 00:16:57.739 --> 00:16:59.441
- Philippians 2:13, paul said, "for it is god who is at work in
- 00:16:59.441 --> 00:17:04.446
- You, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."
- 00:17:04.446 --> 00:17:07.950
- One paraphrase says, "for it is god who is working in you,
- 00:17:07.950 --> 00:17:10.986
- Giving you both the desire and the power to do his work."
- 00:17:10.986 --> 00:17:16.291
- Ask yourself the question, if i could do any one thing in the
- 00:17:16.291 --> 00:17:21.196
- Church, i would, and fill in the blank.
- 00:17:21.196 --> 00:17:24.299
- As you look around here, just ask yourself, if you could do
- 00:17:24.299 --> 00:17:27.269
- Any one thing in the church, what would you do?
- 00:17:27.269 --> 00:17:30.572
- Your gifts plus your passions, thirdly, plus the church's need.
- 00:17:30.572 --> 00:17:35.611
- Yes, you ought to look at where the needs are in the church to
- 00:17:35.611 --> 00:17:39.114
- See where your gifts and passion meet a need.
- 00:17:39.114 --> 00:17:42.451
- Now, we've seen that every christian has a purpose.
- 00:17:42.451 --> 00:17:46.188
- Our purpose is connected to god's purpose.
- 00:17:46.188 --> 00:17:48.857
- Our purpose is to be centered in the local church.
- 00:17:48.857 --> 00:17:51.994
- Finally, living your purpose is the key to fulfillment in life.
- 00:17:51.994 --> 00:17:58.300
- Living your purpose is the key to fulfillment in life.
- 00:17:58.300 --> 00:18:01.103
- It's the key to present enjoyment in your life.
- 00:18:01.103 --> 00:18:05.107
- Psychologist carl jung, in his book, "modern man in search of a
- 00:18:05.107 --> 00:18:08.911
- Soul," wrote, "about a third of my cases are suffering from no
- 00:18:08.911 --> 00:18:15.083
- Clinically definable neurosis, but from the senselessness and
- 00:18:15.083 --> 00:18:20.122
- Emptiness of their lives.
- 00:18:20.122 --> 00:18:22.424
- This can be described as the general neurosis of our time."
- 00:18:22.424 --> 00:18:28.964
- Even though jung wrote those words more than a hundred years
- 00:18:28.964 --> 00:18:31.600
- Ago, they're just as true today as they were then.
- 00:18:31.600 --> 00:18:34.970
- That sense of purposelessness and meaninglessness.
- 00:18:34.970 --> 00:18:39.875
- I mean, think about it.
- 00:18:39.875 --> 00:18:41.210
- People are searching everywhere for meaning and purpose in life.
- 00:18:41.210 --> 00:18:44.213
- Some people try their jobs.
- 00:18:44.213 --> 00:18:46.181
- They spend 60% of their waking hours at their job and yet
- 00:18:46.181 --> 00:18:50.485
- They're not happy and fulfilled there.
- 00:18:50.485 --> 00:18:52.955
- If you don't believe that, listen to these statistics.
- 00:18:52.955 --> 00:18:55.324
- One-third of americans say i hate my job.
- 00:18:55.324 --> 00:18:59.194
- Two-thirds of workers say that they have chosen the
- 00:18:59.194 --> 00:19:01.997
- Wrong career.
- 00:19:01.997 --> 00:19:03.632
- Most suicides occur on sunday nights.
- 00:19:03.632 --> 00:19:07.436
- Most heart attacks occur on monday mornings.
- 00:19:07.436 --> 00:19:11.306
- Not finding fulfillment in their work, people think, well, i'll
- 00:19:11.306 --> 00:19:14.209
- Try pleasure, i'll try addictions, or maybe i'll try
- 00:19:14.209 --> 00:19:18.347
- Accumulating money and having a luxurious life, but that's empty
- 00:19:18.347 --> 00:19:22.351
- As well.
- 00:19:22.351 --> 00:19:23.685
- Solomon, the richest man who ever lived, tried every pleasure
- 00:19:23.685 --> 00:19:27.623
- Under the sun and he came away saying in ecclesiastes 2:10-11,
- 00:19:27.623 --> 00:19:32.027
- "all is vanity and striving after wind and there is no
- 00:19:32.027 --> 00:19:36.465
- Profit under the sun."
- 00:19:36.465 --> 00:19:39.635
- Why is it that people keep searching for some new pleasure,
- 00:19:39.635 --> 00:19:43.872
- Some new achievement, a new mate, but they never find
- 00:19:43.872 --> 00:19:50.078
- That satisfaction?
- 00:19:50.078 --> 00:19:52.247
- Here's the simple reason, eternal beings can only be
- 00:19:52.247 --> 00:19:58.687
- Filled with the eternal.
- 00:19:58.687 --> 00:20:02.224
- Eternal beings can only be satisfied by that which
- 00:20:02.224 --> 00:20:05.994
- Is eternal.
- 00:20:05.994 --> 00:20:07.362
- Think about it.
- 00:20:07.362 --> 00:20:08.697
- You couldn't fill the pacific ocean with a bucket of water,
- 00:20:08.697 --> 00:20:11.366
- Can you?
- 00:20:11.366 --> 00:20:12.734
- It takes more than that, and it's the same with us.
- 00:20:12.734 --> 00:20:16.872
- Solomon said god has placed eternity in our hearts.
- 00:20:16.872 --> 00:20:21.243
- Whether you're a christian or non-christian, you have a sense
- 00:20:21.243 --> 00:20:24.046
- Of eternal, the eternal, and only that which is eternal can
- 00:20:24.046 --> 00:20:28.684
- Fill that eternal void.
- 00:20:28.684 --> 00:20:31.787
- That means we need an eternal companion, one who transcends
- 00:20:31.787 --> 00:20:35.957
- This life, and secondly, we need an eternal purpose to give our
- 00:20:35.957 --> 00:20:40.996
- Lives to.
- 00:20:40.996 --> 00:20:42.964
- Living out our purpose is the key to fulfillment in this
- 00:20:42.964 --> 00:20:47.035
- Present life, but secondly, it's also the key to future reward.
- 00:20:47.035 --> 00:20:52.774
- Second corinthians 5:9-10, "therefore," paul said, "we have
- 00:20:52.774 --> 00:20:57.112
- As our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to
- 00:20:57.112 --> 00:21:00.749
- God," why?
- 00:21:00.749 --> 00:21:02.084
- "for we must all appear before the judgment seat of christ, so
- 00:21:02.084 --> 00:21:06.355
- That each one of us may be recompensed, rewarded for what
- 00:21:06.355 --> 00:21:09.725
- We've done in the body, according to what he has done,
- 00:21:09.725 --> 00:21:15.197
- Whether it is good or worthless."
- 00:21:15.197 --> 00:21:19.201
- We're all going to stand before that judgment seat of christ,
- 00:21:19.201 --> 00:21:22.537
- And we're gonna be evaluated on whether we invested our life in
- 00:21:22.537 --> 00:21:26.608
- Fulfilling god's purpose our own.
- 00:21:26.608 --> 00:21:30.445
- I love the way randy alcorn has put it.
- 00:21:30.445 --> 00:21:33.382
- He says, "because this life is so brief, we might easily
- 00:21:33.382 --> 00:21:38.186
- Conclude it's also inconsequential.
- 00:21:38.186 --> 00:21:41.590
- Our brief stay here may indeed seem unimportant, but nothing
- 00:21:41.590 --> 00:21:46.561
- Could be further from the truth.
- 00:21:46.561 --> 00:21:48.430
- For the bible tells us that while men may not remember or
- 00:21:48.430 --> 00:21:52.200
- Care what our lives have been, god remembers perfectly and
- 00:21:52.200 --> 00:21:57.239
- Cares very much, so much that the door of eternity swings on
- 00:21:57.239 --> 00:22:03.345
- The hinges of our present life on earth.
- 00:22:03.345 --> 00:22:06.815
- Eternity will hold for us what this life has invested in it."
- 00:22:06.815 --> 00:22:15.457
- Let me ask you this morning, what are you investing your life
- 00:22:15.457 --> 00:22:20.162
- In really?
- 00:22:20.162 --> 00:22:23.932
- What you investing it in?
- 00:22:23.932 --> 00:22:26.435
- Where are you putting your money?
- 00:22:26.435 --> 00:22:29.871
- Where are you spending your time?
- 00:22:29.871 --> 00:22:33.875
- Where are you dreaming your dreams?
- 00:22:33.875 --> 00:22:37.312
- Are those things invested in that which is temporal or that
- 00:22:37.312 --> 00:22:42.217
- Which is eternal?
- 00:22:42.217 --> 00:22:44.853
- Is your life about fulfilling your dreams or god's dreams?
- 00:22:44.853 --> 00:22:50.792
- Is your life self-focused or god focused?
- 00:22:50.792 --> 00:22:56.531
- It's one or the other, it can't be both.
- 00:22:56.531 --> 00:23:03.138
- On the wall of my study for many years was a little plaque, ben,
- 00:23:03.138 --> 00:23:09.611
- Your grandparents gave me when i went to my first church, and i
- 00:23:09.611 --> 00:23:13.748
- Looked at it every day.
- 00:23:13.748 --> 00:23:16.485
- "only one life will soon be passed.
- 00:23:16.485 --> 00:23:20.655
- Only what's done for christ will last."
- 00:23:20.655 --> 00:23:25.527
- That's the secret to fulfillment in life.
- 00:23:25.527 --> 00:23:30.198
- Jeffress: god doesn't want your purpose to remain a mystery, and
- 00:23:34.436 --> 00:23:38.173
- I truly hope today's message helps you determine god's
- 00:23:38.173 --> 00:23:41.276
- Calling for your life.
- 00:23:41.276 --> 00:23:43.612
- Jeffress: well, as we begin a new year together,
- 00:23:43.612 --> 00:23:46.047
- I'm inviting you to link arms with "pathway to victory" as one
- 00:23:46.047 --> 00:23:49.651
- Of our pathway partners.
- 00:23:49.651 --> 00:23:51.820
- A pathway partner is someone who commits to give a generous gift
- 00:23:51.820 --> 00:23:55.690
- In the amount of your choosing every month.
- 00:23:55.690 --> 00:23:59.227
- In addition to receiving a number of benefits,
- 00:23:59.227 --> 00:24:01.997
- Here's the best part.
- 00:24:01.997 --> 00:24:03.798
- Your monthly giving will help "pathway to victory" to grow and
- 00:24:03.798 --> 00:24:07.202
- Expand into new opportunities this year.
- 00:24:07.202 --> 00:24:10.605
- As a pathway partner, you'll be part of an exclusive circle of
- 00:24:10.605 --> 00:24:14.743
- Friends who maximize our impact through television,
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- Radio, podcasting, digital streaming,
- 00:24:18.113 --> 00:24:21.483
- And many other avenues that we're using to pierce the
- 00:24:21.483 --> 00:24:24.886
- Darkness with the light of god's word.
- 00:24:24.886 --> 00:24:28.056
- Now stay right there.
- 00:24:28.056 --> 00:24:29.591
- I'll be back with more "pathway to victory" in just a moment.
- 00:24:29.591 --> 00:24:34.029
- Announcer: if a friend or one of your children came up to you
- 00:24:34.095 --> 00:24:36.565
- And asked, "how do you know christianity
- 00:24:36.565 --> 00:24:38.767
- Is the right religion?"
- 00:24:38.767 --> 00:24:40.335
- Could you give a clear and credible answer?
- 00:24:40.335 --> 00:24:43.104
- We'd like to send you a book from dr. robert jeffress
- 00:24:43.104 --> 00:24:45.907
- Containing answers to life's seven most important questions.
- 00:24:45.907 --> 00:24:49.744
- It's titled "how can i know?"
- 00:24:49.744 --> 00:24:51.947
- Jeffress: if we're honest, every one of us has questions
- 00:24:51.947 --> 00:24:54.583
- About our faith, questions like:
- 00:24:54.583 --> 00:24:56.484
- How can i know the bible is true?
- 00:24:56.484 --> 00:24:58.853
- Or: how can i know god exists?
- 00:24:58.853 --> 00:25:01.590
- In my book "how can i know?"
- 00:25:01.590 --> 00:25:03.491
- I tackle seven important questions and provide
- 00:25:03.491 --> 00:25:06.595
- Biblically-based answers
- 00:25:06.595 --> 00:25:08.597
- You can embrace with confidence.
- 00:25:08.597 --> 00:25:10.765
- Announcer: seven straightforward answers
- 00:25:10.765 --> 00:25:12.367
- To seven pressing questions.
- 00:25:12.367 --> 00:25:14.469
- The book "how can i know?"
- 00:25:14.469 --> 00:25:15.937
- Is yours today when you give a generous gift to support the
- 00:25:15.937 --> 00:25:19.207
- Ministry of "pathway to victory," or when you sign up to
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- Become a pathway partner.
- 00:25:22.544 --> 00:25:24.713
- And when your gift is $75 or more,
- 00:25:24.713 --> 00:25:27.916
- You'll also receive the complete series on dvd and audio disk
- 00:25:27.916 --> 00:25:32.320
- With newly updated content for 2025.
- 00:25:32.320 --> 00:25:35.323
- Jeffress: it's not a sin to have doubts.
- 00:25:35.323 --> 00:25:38.059
- Sometimes doubt is a prerequisite to genuine faith.
- 00:25:38.059 --> 00:25:42.964
- Announcer: thank you for investing financially
- 00:25:42.964 --> 00:25:45.100
- In "pathway to victory."
- 00:25:45.100 --> 00:25:46.601
- Your partnership will help our ministry broadcast god's truth
- 00:25:46.601 --> 00:25:50.171
- On television, on radio, and online,
- 00:25:50.171 --> 00:25:53.141
- Addressing doubts, clearly confusion,
- 00:25:53.141 --> 00:25:55.710
- And transforming lives through the bold,
- 00:25:55.710 --> 00:25:58.213
- Biblical teaching of god's word.
- 00:25:58.213 --> 00:26:00.515
- Jeffress: i first delivered today's message to our
- 00:26:04.119 --> 00:26:06.187
- Congregation at first baptist church in dallas,
- 00:26:06.187 --> 00:26:09.357
- But the growth that i long to see in my own church is the same
- 00:26:09.357 --> 00:26:12.961
- Growth i hope to see in yours as well.
- 00:26:12.961 --> 00:26:15.930
- And before any church can ever reach its full potential,
- 00:26:15.930 --> 00:26:19.501
- Every member has to be functioning at their
- 00:26:19.501 --> 00:26:22.604
- Full potential.
- 00:26:22.604 --> 00:26:24.572
- Well, at some point in life, we realize that we've got more
- 00:26:24.572 --> 00:26:27.909
- Years behind us than in front of us.
- 00:26:27.909 --> 00:26:30.979
- And next time, we're going to look at some great instruction
- 00:26:30.979 --> 00:26:33.581
- From moses on how to make the most of our days.
- 00:26:33.581 --> 00:26:37.786
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
- 00:26:37.786 --> 00:26:40.488
- On "pathway to victory."
- 00:26:40.488 --> 00:26:43.058
- Jeffress: time is a priceless commodity god gives to
- 00:26:43.124 --> 00:26:46.861
- Each of us.
- 00:26:46.861 --> 00:26:48.329
- What makes it priceless?
- 00:26:48.329 --> 00:26:49.798
- Well, first of all, it is limited.
- 00:26:49.798 --> 00:26:52.200
- It's things that are limited that have value,
- 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:55.737
- And our time is very limited.
- 00:26:55.737 --> 00:26:57.872
- God may allot to you 70 years.
- 00:26:57.872 --> 00:27:00.742
- He may give you 80 years.
- 00:27:00.742 --> 00:27:02.177
- He may give you a few more, a few less.
- 00:27:02.177 --> 00:27:04.312
- But god has a designated number of days,
- 00:27:04.312 --> 00:27:08.883
- Hours, minutes, and seconds that he has given to each one of you,
- 00:27:08.883 --> 00:27:12.787
- And they're ticking away just like that.
- 00:27:12.787 --> 00:27:15.623
- Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the message,
- 00:27:15.623 --> 00:27:18.927
- Your most priceless gift in the new year here on
- 00:27:18.927 --> 00:27:22.097
- "pathway to victory."
- 00:27:22.097 --> 00:27:24.532
- ...
- 00:27:27.569 --> 00:27:27.569