Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - How To Die With A Smile On Your Face

May 30, 2025 | 27:29

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 - How To Die With A Smile On Your Face | May 30, 2025

♪ music ♪
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[narrator] 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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One day, all of us will pass from this life
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Into the next one.
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So when your time comes, how do you want to be remembered?
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Today we're going to look at the final moments
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In abraham's story.
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The words that summarize his life
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Would make a beautiful epitaph,
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And one that we should all strive for.
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My message is titled "how to die with a smile on your face",
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On today's edition of "pathway to victory".
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♪ music ♪
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[narrator] the bible is filled
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With stories about heroes...
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♪ music ♪
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But abraham rises above the rest
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As a true champion of faith.
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In "walking by faith", dr. robert jeffress
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Shares how to step forward in faith,
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Even when the future appears uncertain.
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Your faith can thrive despite the challenges you face.
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Request your copy of "walking by faith"
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When you give a generous gift
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To support the ministry of "pathway to victory".
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♪ music ♪
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A book titled "die broke" offers a unique perspective
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On death and finances.
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In this bestselling book, the author proposes
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That instead of trying to accumulate a lot of money
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And leave it behind,
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You ought to spend everything you have while you're alive
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Until you have zero in your bank account.
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He says, "in fact, your last cheque you write
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Ought to be to the undertaker,
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And that cheque ought to bounce.
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That's how you know if you're successful."
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(everyone laughing)
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A lot of you are on the way to that, right? amen.
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(congregation laughing)
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One popular writer notes that in addition to dying broke,
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A lot of people are dying broken.
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As they come to the final years of their life,
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Their lives are marked by regrets,
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Isolation, loneliness, bitterness.
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Do you know people like that?
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You just feel the bitterness oozing out of their body
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Whenever you're around them.
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I don't know about you, but when i'm around those people
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I want to run as far and as fast from them as i can.
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But, more importantly,
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I want to make sure i don't become like them.
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Instead, i want to face life and death
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Just like our character, our friend abraham.
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And today we're going to look
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At the final chapter in abraham's life,
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And discover some important principles
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For how to die with a smile on your face.
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If you have your bibles, turn to-
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Not genesis 25, we'll get there,
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But turn over to 2 peter chapter one.
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Some people wonder, "why do we devote
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So much time to abraham?
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Why does he receive so much ink in the book of genesis?"
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F.b. meyers says it's because abraham models
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That one quality god desires most in each of us,
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The quality of faith.
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Remember hebrews 11:6, "without faith
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It's impossible to please god."
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Abraham is a model of faith,
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And all of the qualities that stem from faith.
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I want you to notice that abraham's faith, like ours,
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Should be growing. he had a growing faith.
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So many people think that once they trust in christ
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For the forgiveness for their sins, that's it.
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That's the ultimate, that's the destination.
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No, that's just the starting place of your christian faith.
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That's the basic faith.
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But god wants other things in our life as well.
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Look at 2 peter 1, beginning with verse 5.
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"now, for this very reason,
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Applying all diligence, in your faith you supply,"
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And then he mentions seven qualities,
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"moral excellence, knowledge," and so forth.
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This word diligence refers to a runner
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Who's giving it everything he has
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As he gets toward the finish line.
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He said we're to have that same attitude,
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Again, not about earning our salvation
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But working for our christ-likeness, our sanctification.
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And that takes effort.
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There's this faulty philosophy among christians
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That, "oh, just as you can't do anything
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To earn your salvation,
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There's nothing you need to do for your sanctification.
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Just let go and let god,"
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Que será, será, whatever happens, happens.
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You will end up with a spiritually bankrupt life
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If you do that.
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It requires effort to live as a christian.
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You supply, and abraham is a model
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Of every one of these qualities.
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The basic thing is faith, we exercise faith.
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Genesis 15:6, "abraham believed what god said,
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And his faith was counted as righteousness."
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But peter says, "to your faith, add moral excellence."
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That was abraham.
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Now, he wasn't perfect, he made some mistakes.
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Remember the hagar fiasco and his trip to egypt?
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He had some zigs and some zags along the road to godliness.
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And you do too, and i as well.
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But, generally, his life was characterized
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By moral excellence.
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For example, when he got those rewards
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From the kings of the east, he could have kept it.
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They were rightfully his,
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But he was concerned more with the glory of god
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Than his own wealth, and so he freely gave that away.
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That is moral excellence.
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"to your faith, add moral excellence and then knowledge."
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Not just knowledge in general but a knowledge of god.
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Abraham grew in his knowledge of god,
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From the moment he trusted god at age 60
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Till the moment he went home to be with god at age 175.
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One writer says it this way about abraham,
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"all of his life, he was a student
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In god's college of divinity."
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Are you learning more every day about god
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Through your relationship with him?
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Add knowledge. to your knowledge, add self-control.
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Proverbs 16:32 says, "he who is slow to anger
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Is better than the mighty,
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And he who rules over his spirit
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Is better than he who captures a city."
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You see that over and over again in abraham's life.
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For example, when lot takes advantage of him,
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Takes the choice land,
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He doesn't become angry and resentful.
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He guards himself against anger.
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When he hears the news that sodom and gomorrah
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Have been destroyed, knowing his relatives there,
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He doesn't become overcome by worry but overcome with faith.
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Self-control. to your self-control, add perseverance.
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I've cited it before but i love eugene peterson's book,
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"a long obedience in the same direction".
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What a perfect description of the christian life.
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It's going the same direction.
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Again, you'll have detours along the way,
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But over the long haul your life is characterized
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By marching toward god and godliness.
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I think about abraham, especially those three days
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He and isaac walked to mount moriah, the place of sacrifice.
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As i imagine that experience,
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I think that abraham had to pray for strength
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To take every step he took,
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Every additional step knowing that he was about to sacrifice
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That which he loved the most.
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The only reason he was able to do that is, remember,
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He believed that god is able to raise his son from the dead.
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He believed god that much.
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And i'm sure as he tried to find that strength
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To take the next step, he had to say over and over again,
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"god is able. god is able. god is able."
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That's perseverance,
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Continuing to march toward god and godliness.
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And that's the next word,
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To your perseverance add godliness.
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That comes from an english word, god-likeness.
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Abraham was like a piece of metal
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That was drawn by a magnet to god.
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His heart was always drawn to god.
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Whenever he went to a new location,
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The first thing he did was to build an altar to worship god.
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That's godliness.
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To your godliness add brotherly kindness.
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Remember, that word kindness means usefulness.
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To really care about somebody
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Is to give them what they need, not what they deserve.
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Abraham did that.
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He rescued lot, taking him from the kings of the east,
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Even though lot didn't deserve abraham's kindness,
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Because of what he had done to him,
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In taking that choice land.
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Abraham was still kind, he did what was useful for lot.
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Aren't you glad god treats us with kindness?
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Titus 3:4 says that god demonstrated his kindness toward us
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By sending christ to die for us.
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Even though we deserved eternal death,
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God offers us eternal life.
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And the final word, love.
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This word love is not some (indistinct),
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Sentimental kind of love, it's agape love, a god love.
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You see that in abraham.
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Genesis chapter 22, he was willing to offer that
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Which meant the most to him, his son isaac,
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Because of his love for god.
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Abraham's final years, his faith was growing.
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But i want you to also notice something about abraham,
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His final years were marked
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By a special attitude, i'll call bullish.
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He was bullish in his attitude
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Toward these final years of life.
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Now i want you to think about abraham,
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Put yourself in his sandals for a moment.
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His wife, sarah, had died.
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His son was finally out of the tent
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And on to have his own family, and so forth.
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He had all the money he could possibly want.
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Remember, the bible says abraham was wealthy,
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Literally heavy, he was loaded with wealth.
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He could do whatever he wanted to do.
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Now if you were abraham, what would you do?
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Move to florida?
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Buy a condo?
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Spend your time chasing a little ball
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With a stick around a putting green?
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Get in a winnebago and tour the country?
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Not abraham. he still had things to do.
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He had a bullishness toward life.
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And you find that in three ways.
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First of all, he got a new wife. (laughs)
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Look at verse one,
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"now abraham took another wife, whose name was keturah."
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We don't know much about keturah,
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I think one thing we can safely assume was
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She wasn't a canaanite
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Because of abraham's instruction to aliazar
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About the son for isaac, se wasn't an unbeliever.
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But we don't know much about her at all.
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Well, abraham decided he was going to have a new wife.
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Uh-oh, here it comes.
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And with the new wife came a new family.
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Abraham had six more children with keturah.
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He was 140 when he started the new family.
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Had a new wife, he had a new family.
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And notice there was a new, a growing generosity in abraham.
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He realized everything he had wasn't his, it was god's.
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He was just a manager.
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And so verse five says in genesis 25, while he was living
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He gave a generous gift to isaac and to his other children.
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Now look, we are stewards,
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And the bible says we need to take care
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Of the money that god gives us,
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And that's why every christian for sure ought to have a will
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That specifies what happens to your money when you're gone.
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You either get to decide or the government gets to decide.
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I'd rather decide, wouldn't you?
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Make sure you have a will,
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And your money's going to take care of your family.
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But abraham did it while he was alive.
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I think about my grandfather.
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He wasn't an extremely wealthy person by today's standard,
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But god had blessed him with some money
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And, for more than just tax reasons, he decided
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He wanted to give money away while he was alive.
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He wanted to see his children and grandchildren
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Enjoy what he had worked for,
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And take care of some of the needs that they had.
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That's a wise way to live, that's what abraham did.
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He had a growing generosity.
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Now here's abraham's life, his faith was growing,
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His attitude was bullish.
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New wife, new family, generosity.
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Now we come to abraham's death, his departure,
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And the one word that describes the way he faced death
00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:27.830
Is the word satisfied.
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Look at the verses describing his death,
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Genesis 25:7-8, "these are all the years of abraham's life
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That he lived, 175 years.
00:13:39.408 --> 00:13:43.679
And abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age,
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An old man satisfied with life,
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And he was gathered together with his people."
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Boy, i would love to have that as my epitaph, wouldn't you?
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He died at a ripe old age, satisfied with life,
00:13:59.762 --> 00:14:05.034
And gathered together with his people.
00:14:05.868 --> 00:14:08.137
How do you pull that off?
00:14:08.137 --> 00:14:09.939
I want you to notice from abraham's life
00:14:09.939 --> 00:14:12.875
Three facets of being satisfied with your life.
00:14:12.875 --> 00:14:15.577
First of all, he was satisfied with his past.
00:14:15.577 --> 00:14:18.914
He was at peace, he was content.
00:14:18.914 --> 00:14:20.816
That's what the word satisfied means, content.
00:14:20.816 --> 00:14:23.819
He was content with his past.
00:14:23.819 --> 00:14:25.587
It doesn't mean he had a perfect past, he didn't.
00:14:25.587 --> 00:14:27.856
The first 60 years of his life, he was an idolater.
00:14:27.856 --> 00:14:30.826
He was an idol worshiper, just like his father had been.
00:14:30.826 --> 00:14:33.963
He had made big mistakes, not only before he was a believer
00:14:35.164 --> 00:14:38.067
But even after he was a believer, he sinned.
00:14:38.067 --> 00:14:40.970
But he knew his sins had been forgiven.
00:14:40.970 --> 00:14:42.771
That's the only way you'll be at peace with your past.
00:14:42.771 --> 00:14:45.674
Genesis 15:6, "abraham believed god
00:14:45.674 --> 00:14:49.378
And his faith was counted as righteousness."
00:14:49.378 --> 00:14:53.315
Remember in romans 4 paul uses that experience
00:14:53.315 --> 00:14:56.485
As an example of what saving faith is.
00:14:56.485 --> 00:14:59.788
Romans 4:5, "but to the one who does not work
00:14:59.788 --> 00:15:03.225
But believes in him who justifies the ungodly,
00:15:03.225 --> 00:15:06.528
His faith is counted as righteousness.
00:15:06.528 --> 00:15:09.665
Blessed is the man whose sin
00:15:09.665 --> 00:15:12.701
The lord does not take into account."
00:15:12.701 --> 00:15:15.938
Abraham knew that as blemished as his past was,
00:15:15.938 --> 00:15:19.808
His past had been forgiven, forgotten forever by god
00:15:19.808 --> 00:15:23.746
Because of his faith.
00:15:23.746 --> 00:15:25.214
Do you have that assurance?
00:15:25.214 --> 00:15:26.982
Do you know that your sins have been wiped away
00:15:26.982 --> 00:15:30.519
Through the blood of jesus christ?
00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:33.188
That's the only way you're going to end your life satisfied,
00:15:33.188 --> 00:15:36.425
If you're satisfied with your past.
00:15:36.425 --> 00:15:38.160
Not only that, abraham was satisfied with his present.
00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:42.231
His present life, especially with his children.
00:15:42.231 --> 00:15:46.268
He knew, as he faced death,
00:15:46.268 --> 00:15:49.538
That he had successfully passed on the baton of faith
00:15:49.538 --> 00:15:53.175
To his children and his children's children.
00:15:53.175 --> 00:15:55.844
Where do i get that? listen to hebrews 11:17,
00:15:55.844 --> 00:15:59.415
"by faith, abraham, when he was tested, offered up isaac.
00:15:59.415 --> 00:16:04.086
And he who had received the promises
00:16:04.086 --> 00:16:06.522
Was offering up his only begotten son."
00:16:06.522 --> 00:16:09.224
Now look at verse 20,
00:16:09.224 --> 00:16:10.659
"by faith, abraham's son isaac blessed jacob and esau,"
00:16:10.659 --> 00:16:15.931
His grandchildren, "even regarding things to come.
00:16:16.965 --> 00:16:19.735
And then by faith, jacob, as he was dying,
00:16:19.735 --> 00:16:22.638
Blessed each of the sons of joseph,"
00:16:22.638 --> 00:16:24.873
His great-grandson joseph,
00:16:24.873 --> 00:16:28.010
"and worshiped, leaning on his staff.
00:16:28.010 --> 00:16:30.045
And by faith, joseph, when he was dying,
00:16:30.045 --> 00:16:32.915
Made mention of the exodus of the sons of israel
00:16:32.915 --> 00:16:35.751
And gave instructions concerning his bones."
00:16:35.751 --> 00:16:38.587
You get that? by faith, by faith, by faith,
00:16:38.587 --> 00:16:41.990
Down the generational line, until 430 years after joseph
00:16:41.990 --> 00:16:47.329
When moses was ready to lead the exodus,
00:16:48.197 --> 00:16:49.865
The children of israel remembered the instructions of joseph
00:16:49.865 --> 00:16:54.203
Made 430 years earlier.
00:16:54.203 --> 00:16:56.505
Why did they remember them?
00:16:56.505 --> 00:16:57.806
Because the faith had been passed on
00:16:57.806 --> 00:17:00.576
And on, and on, throughout the generations.
00:17:00.576 --> 00:17:04.046
Dr. criswell used to say, "every civilization
00:17:04.046 --> 00:17:08.517
Is only one generation away from barbarism."
00:17:08.517 --> 00:17:12.888
If we don't pass the faith to the next generation,
00:17:12.888 --> 00:17:16.725
The faith is lost.
00:17:16.725 --> 00:17:18.660
Abraham knew he had passed on his faith successfully.
00:17:18.660 --> 00:17:23.098
Now, i know some of you feel guilty about that right now
00:17:23.098 --> 00:17:28.670
Because maybe your faith hasn't been passed on
00:17:29.605 --> 00:17:34.877
To your children and your grandchildren.
00:17:35.744 --> 00:17:37.646
I remember my parents, who are now in heaven.
00:17:38.580 --> 00:17:42.050
When i was a little boy i used to walk into their bedroom,
00:17:42.050 --> 00:17:44.586
And there was a picture on the wall
00:17:44.586 --> 00:17:46.421
Of me and my brother and my sister.
00:17:46.421 --> 00:17:49.591
And the verse under it was 3 john, verse 4,
00:17:49.591 --> 00:17:54.029
"i have no greater joy than this,
00:17:54.029 --> 00:17:56.798
Than to know my children walk in the truth."
00:17:56.798 --> 00:18:00.602
There's a great joy when you know your children
00:18:00.602 --> 00:18:03.572
Are walking in truth,
00:18:03.572 --> 00:18:05.107
There's a great pain when they aren't walking in truth.
00:18:05.107 --> 00:18:08.777
If that's true of you, let me just remind you:
00:18:08.777 --> 00:18:11.780
Ultimately, you're not responsible
00:18:11.780 --> 00:18:13.715
For your children's response.
00:18:13.715 --> 00:18:16.718
God was a perfect father
00:18:16.718 --> 00:18:18.220
And yet he had two wayward children named adam and eve,
00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:22.191
Who departed from the faith,
00:18:22.191 --> 00:18:24.326
Even though they'd been raised in a perfect environment,
00:18:24.326 --> 00:18:26.995
The garden of eden.
00:18:26.995 --> 00:18:28.463
But just remember this, the final chapter
00:18:28.463 --> 00:18:31.133
Of your children's life hasn't been revealed yet.
00:18:31.133 --> 00:18:34.836
Your duty is to pass on that faith and keep loving them,
00:18:34.836 --> 00:18:40.108
Keep praying for them.
00:18:40.609 --> 00:18:41.910
The end hasn't been revealed yet.
00:18:41.910 --> 00:18:44.713
Abraham did the best he could
00:18:44.713 --> 00:18:47.282
In passing along his faith to his children
00:18:47.282 --> 00:18:50.152
And to his grandchildren.
00:18:50.152 --> 00:18:52.487
Thirdly, abraham was not only satisfied
00:18:52.487 --> 00:18:55.190
With his past and his present,
00:18:55.190 --> 00:18:56.758
He was satisfied with his future.
00:18:56.758 --> 00:18:59.294
Look at verse eight, "abraham breathed his last
00:18:59.294 --> 00:19:02.397
And died at a ripe old age, an old man satisfied with life,
00:19:02.397 --> 00:19:06.568
And he was gathered to his people."
00:19:06.568 --> 00:19:10.439
What does that mean, gathered to his people?
00:19:11.340 --> 00:19:12.975
Some people try to downplay this.
00:19:12.975 --> 00:19:15.077
I read some commentators who said,
00:19:15.077 --> 00:19:16.645
"oh, that just means he was buried with his ancestors."
00:19:16.645 --> 00:19:21.049
Well, no, that's not what happened.
00:19:21.049 --> 00:19:22.985
He wasn't buried with his ancestors,
00:19:22.985 --> 00:19:24.686
He was buried with sarah but none of his other ancestors.
00:19:24.686 --> 00:19:28.757
No. who were abraham's people?
00:19:28.757 --> 00:19:30.659
They were the godly who had gone before him,
00:19:30.659 --> 00:19:33.228
Seth, enoch, noah, methuselah, all of those.
00:19:33.228 --> 00:19:39.034
Where were his people?
00:19:39.534 --> 00:19:40.802
Not in the cemetery, they were in heaven.
00:19:40.802 --> 00:19:42.838
This is an expression for going to heaven.
00:19:43.739 --> 00:19:46.308
When abraham died, his last, he died at a ripe old age
00:19:46.308 --> 00:19:50.679
And he was gathered with his people in heaven.
00:19:50.679 --> 00:19:55.217
Let me ask you a question.
00:19:55.784 --> 00:19:57.953
When you shut your eyes
00:19:57.953 --> 00:19:59.588
For the very last time here on earth,
00:19:59.588 --> 00:20:02.758
Who are the people you're going to be gathered with?
00:20:03.825 --> 00:20:06.928
Are you going to be gathered together in heaven
00:20:06.928 --> 00:20:09.064
With the saints who have gone before you,
00:20:09.064 --> 00:20:12.067
Or are you going to be gathered in hell
00:20:12.934 --> 00:20:16.305
With the blasphemers, the skeptics, the critics?
00:20:16.305 --> 00:20:20.242
We're all going to be gathered
00:20:20.242 --> 00:20:21.610
With one group of people or the other.
00:20:21.610 --> 00:20:24.579
Even though he was a wealthy man,
00:20:24.579 --> 00:20:26.181
He never owned a piece of land until the end
00:20:26.181 --> 00:20:28.583
When he bought a cemetery plot.
00:20:28.583 --> 00:20:30.686
He never built a permanent house.
00:20:30.686 --> 00:20:32.754
He lived in a tent,
00:20:32.754 --> 00:20:34.022
Even though he could have afforded much more.
00:20:34.022 --> 00:20:35.891
Why? he was looking for something better,
00:20:35.891 --> 00:20:40.329
And at the end he experienced it because of faith.
00:20:40.329 --> 00:20:43.699
Abraham was willing to let go of his desire for money,
00:20:43.699 --> 00:20:48.036
For approval, for fame,
00:20:48.036 --> 00:20:50.405
In order to grab hold of that which is eternal.
00:20:50.405 --> 00:20:55.110
That's why we honor the life and the death of abraham.
00:20:55.110 --> 00:20:59.348
When i think about letting go
00:20:59.348 --> 00:21:00.916
Of the temporary to gain the eternal,
00:21:00.916 --> 00:21:03.685
I think of that legend from india that irwin lutzer
00:21:03.685 --> 00:21:07.622
Recounts in his book "your eternal rewards".
00:21:07.622 --> 00:21:11.126
Remember the legend of a beggar stood beside the road
00:21:11.126 --> 00:21:14.596
With a little bowl to beg for rice
00:21:14.596 --> 00:21:17.966
From those who would stop by.
00:21:17.966 --> 00:21:20.268
One day a wealthy chariot pulled up,
00:21:20.268 --> 00:21:23.705
And a wealthy raja descended from the chariot.
00:21:23.705 --> 00:21:28.343
He went over to the beggar, looked into his bowl, and said,
00:21:28.343 --> 00:21:30.979
"give me a grain of rice."
00:21:30.979 --> 00:21:34.116
The beggar was perplexed.
00:21:34.116 --> 00:21:35.417
Why would a wealthy man want a grain of rice?
00:21:35.417 --> 00:21:38.553
But he gave it to him, felt obligated to do it.
00:21:38.553 --> 00:21:42.324
The wealthy raja asked again, "give me another grain."
00:21:43.425 --> 00:21:47.095
And now angry, the beggar gave him another grain.
00:21:48.096 --> 00:21:51.867
"i want another," the raja demanded.
00:21:51.867 --> 00:21:57.139
And seething with bitterness,
00:21:57.773 --> 00:22:00.208
This beggar gave him the last grain of rice that he had.
00:22:00.208 --> 00:22:04.780
The raja left, the beggar was standing there
00:22:05.714 --> 00:22:09.284
Not understanding, resenting what had just happened,
00:22:09.284 --> 00:22:12.187
Until he looked into that little bowl
00:22:12.187 --> 00:22:14.656
And he noticed something glittering.
00:22:14.656 --> 00:22:16.792
It was a piece of gold, a grain of gold
00:22:17.659 --> 00:22:19.795
The size of the grain of rice that had been taken.
00:22:19.795 --> 00:22:23.398
And as he looked further in the bowl
00:22:23.398 --> 00:22:25.233
There was a second, there was a third.
00:22:25.233 --> 00:22:28.303
For every grain of rice he had given to the wealthy man,
00:22:28.303 --> 00:22:31.873
The wealthy man had exchanged it for a grain of gold.
00:22:31.873 --> 00:22:36.745
And then irwin makes this application,
00:22:36.745 --> 00:22:39.481
"if we clutch our bowl of rice, we shall lose our reward.
00:22:39.481 --> 00:22:44.886
If we are faithful and give god each grain,
00:22:45.787 --> 00:22:49.291
He gives us gold in return,
00:22:49.291 --> 00:22:52.127
And the gold god gives will surely survive the fire."
00:22:52.127 --> 00:22:58.366
Abraham was willing to let go of that which was temporal
00:22:59.501 --> 00:23:03.705
To gain hold of that which is eternal
00:23:04.473 --> 00:23:07.142
And will never fade away.
00:23:07.142 --> 00:23:09.511
He's a perfect demonstration of hebrews 11:6,
00:23:10.412 --> 00:23:15.350
"for he who comes to god must believe that god is,
00:23:16.384 --> 00:23:19.654
And that he is a rewarder of those
00:23:19.654 --> 00:23:23.325
Who diligently seek after him."
00:23:23.325 --> 00:23:26.761
That's the life of abraham.
00:23:26.761 --> 00:23:29.498
♪ music ♪
00:23:29.498 --> 00:23:34.035
Perhaps god is prompting you
00:23:34.636 --> 00:23:36.471
To take your next steps of faith,
00:23:36.471 --> 00:23:38.640
And maybe that means letting go
00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:40.408
Of something you've desperately been trying to control.
00:23:40.408 --> 00:23:43.745
You'll never regret it.
00:23:43.745 --> 00:23:45.814
Give it to god.
00:23:45.814 --> 00:23:47.382
This is his promise, god will reward you for trusting him.
00:23:47.382 --> 00:23:52.621
Now in closing, i want to share a stirring note
00:23:53.555 --> 00:23:55.457
I received from a fellow viewer of "pathway to victory".
00:23:55.457 --> 00:23:59.327
Her story gives us a beautiful illustration
00:23:59.327 --> 00:24:02.063
Of what it means to walk with god.
00:24:02.063 --> 00:24:04.966
Cindy wrote, "pastor, i was saved as a young girl
00:24:04.966 --> 00:24:08.169
But strayed for years.
00:24:08.169 --> 00:24:10.171
I renewed my faith four years ago.
00:24:10.171 --> 00:24:13.141
I read your books and watch your television program
00:24:13.141 --> 00:24:16.144
Every single day.
00:24:16.144 --> 00:24:18.113
Your messages help me so much,
00:24:18.113 --> 00:24:20.582
And i want my friends and family
00:24:20.582 --> 00:24:22.183
To have the same peace and assurance
00:24:22.183 --> 00:24:24.553
That only comes from faith in christ.
00:24:24.553 --> 00:24:27.389
I know i can count on you to provide me
00:24:27.389 --> 00:24:29.824
With the tools i need,
00:24:29.824 --> 00:24:31.526
And i'm using them to help my friends and family as well."
00:24:31.526 --> 00:24:35.730
Thank you, cindy, so much for your encouraging comments.
00:24:35.730 --> 00:24:38.800
We absolutely love hearing
00:24:38.800 --> 00:24:41.102
That you've reengaged in your walk with god,
00:24:41.102 --> 00:24:44.172
And we're especially pleased to know
00:24:44.172 --> 00:24:45.874
That you're helping others stay connected with him as well.
00:24:45.874 --> 00:24:49.678
Now stay right there, i'll be back
00:24:49.678 --> 00:24:51.813
With more "pathway to victory" in just a moment.
00:24:51.813 --> 00:24:55.584
[narrator] in the midst of our chaotic world
00:24:56.484 --> 00:24:58.720
And the personal problems that we face,
00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:01.056
Is it possible to find peace and contentment?
00:25:01.056 --> 00:25:04.025
Abraham did, and so can you.
00:25:04.025 --> 00:25:06.428
In "walking by faith", dr. robert jeffress shows you
00:25:06.428 --> 00:25:09.664
How to make courageous decisions,
00:25:09.664 --> 00:25:11.566
Ones that are far outside your comfort zone.
00:25:11.566 --> 00:25:14.669
In doing so, god will prove faithful.
00:25:14.669 --> 00:25:17.572
Abraham was far from perfect.
00:25:17.572 --> 00:25:19.474
He made mistakes, including some really big ones.
00:25:19.474 --> 00:25:22.711
But through it all, he walked with god in faith,
00:25:22.711 --> 00:25:26.047
And you can too.
00:25:26.047 --> 00:25:27.449
[narrator] in this dynamic book,
00:25:27.449 --> 00:25:29.017
Dr. jeffress explains
00:25:29.017 --> 00:25:30.452
How to walk by faith in a faithless world,
00:25:30.452 --> 00:25:33.488
Squarely founded on the wisdom gained
00:25:33.488 --> 00:25:35.690
From the story of abraham.
00:25:35.690 --> 00:25:37.726
Request your copy of "walking by faith"
00:25:37.726 --> 00:25:40.395
When you give a generous gift to "pathway to victory",
00:25:40.395 --> 00:25:43.431
And when you give $75 or more
00:25:43.431 --> 00:25:46.201
We'll also send you all 11 messages
00:25:46.201 --> 00:25:48.737
For the "walking by faith" series on dvd video
00:25:48.737 --> 00:25:52.040
And mp3 format audio disc,
00:25:52.040 --> 00:25:54.509
Along with the personal and group study guidebook.
00:25:54.509 --> 00:25:57.679
If the story of abraham tells us anything,
00:25:57.679 --> 00:25:59.981
It tells us this.
00:25:59.981 --> 00:26:01.416
It doesn't matter how old you are,
00:26:01.416 --> 00:26:02.951
It doesn't matter how far you've drifted away from god,
00:26:02.951 --> 00:26:05.754
You can come back.
00:26:05.754 --> 00:26:07.288
[narrator] your gift today is important and appreciated,
00:26:07.288 --> 00:26:10.025
As we impact your home and reach a nation
00:26:10.025 --> 00:26:12.727
And world in spiritual need.
00:26:12.727 --> 00:26:14.929
God is clearly using "pathway to victory"
00:26:14.929 --> 00:26:17.766
To fulfill his mandate,
00:26:17.766 --> 00:26:19.267
To pierce the darkness with the light of his word.
00:26:19.267 --> 00:26:22.437
Thank you for investing in this important gospel work.
00:26:22.437 --> 00:26:26.708
♪ music ♪
00:26:27.042 --> 00:26:28.376
Without question, very few leaders
00:26:28.376 --> 00:26:30.445
Make it to the finish line in a strong position.
00:26:30.445 --> 00:26:33.982
But abraham is a clear exception.
00:26:33.982 --> 00:26:36.851
Although deeply human and sometimes flawed,
00:26:36.851 --> 00:26:39.954
Abraham is a man of faith
00:26:39.954 --> 00:26:42.090
Who managed to honor god until his final breath.
00:26:42.090 --> 00:26:46.227
Well, i'm going to turn the page to another topic tomorrow.
00:26:46.227 --> 00:26:49.964
Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
00:26:49.964 --> 00:26:52.801
On "pathway to victory".
00:26:52.801 --> 00:26:55.637
Paul and the early church continued to preach the gospel.
00:26:55.637 --> 00:27:00.208
They were unstoppable.
00:27:00.208 --> 00:27:02.711
Why? because they faced no opposition?
00:27:02.711 --> 00:27:05.980
Is everything calm now
00:27:05.980 --> 00:27:07.816
Or are they sailing on smooth oceans?
00:27:07.816 --> 00:27:10.719
No, not at all.
00:27:10.719 --> 00:27:12.253
And yet, that opposition was no match
00:27:12.253 --> 00:27:14.723
For the power of jesus christ.
00:27:14.723 --> 00:27:17.625
[narrator] set your dvr and join us next time
00:27:17.625 --> 00:27:19.761
For the start of a brand new series called
00:27:19.761 --> 00:27:22.063
"unstoppable power", here on "pathway to victory".
00:27:22.063 --> 00:27:25.500
♪ music ♪
00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:25.500

Robert Jeffress - How To Die With A Smile On Your Face

May 30, 2025 | 27:29

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