"Pathway to Victory" follows the life and teachings of Dr. Robert Jeffress, as he uses biblical principles to offer guidance on living a fulfilling and faithful life. Each episode focuses on a specific theme or passage from the Bible, providing viewers with practical insights and encouragement. Through storytelling, sermons, and reflections, Dr. Jeffress navigates topics such as faith, forgiveness, legacy, and the power of God's love. Viewers are inspired to deepen their relationship with God, live out their faith in practical ways, and find hope and purpose in the midst of life's challenges.
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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - How To Die With A Smile On Your Face (Part 2) | November 21, 2025
- ...
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- ♪♪♪
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- Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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- Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory" with
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- Dr. robert jeffress.
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- Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress, and welcome
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- Again to "pathway to victory."
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- Many people reach their final years marked by disappointment
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- And regret.
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- They're haunted by missed opportunities, broken
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- Relationships, and unfulfilled dreams, but it doesn't have to
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- Be that way.
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- Today i wanna show you how abraham lived his final years
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- With satisfaction and purpose.
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- Together, we'll discover the biblical principles for ending
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- Well and facing eternity with confidence.
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- My message is titled "how to die with a smile on your face" on
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- Today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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- ♪♪♪
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- ♪ i saw the lord seated high and lifted up. ♪
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- ♪ projecting his splendour. ♪
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- ♪ i saw the lord seated high and lifted up. ♪
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- ♪ filling the temple. ♪
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- ♪ his glory declaring the words of his praise. ♪
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- ♪ his mercies surrounding the depth of his praise. ♪
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- ♪ holy, holy is the lord. ♪
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- ♪ worthy, worthy is the lamb. ♪
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- ♪ he was and is and evermore shall reign. ♪
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- ♪ we sing glory, glory to his name. ♪
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- ♪ we sing glory, glory to his name. ♪
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- ♪ my eyes have seen the king. ♪
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- ♪ the lord of hosts is with us. ♪
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- ♪ and by majesty ♪
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- ♪ this land redeemed in--♪
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- ♪ holy, holy is the lord. ♪
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- ♪ worthy, worthy is the lamb--♪
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- ♪♪♪
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- ♪ we sing glory, glory to his name. ♪
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- ♪ to his name. ♪♪
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- [congregation applauding]
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- Announcer: the bible is filled with stories about heroes, but
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- Abraham rises above the rest as a true champion of faith.
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- In "walking by faith," dr. robert jeffress shares how to
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- Step forward in faith 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" when you give a generous
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- Gift to support the ministry of "pathway to victory."
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- Jeffress: do you know some people who when they get older
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- They get more stingy?
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- They just hold on to their money tighter and tighter and tighter.
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- They're living illustrations of that old adage, philosophy, "get
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- All you can, can all you get, and sit on the can."
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- Well, abraham refused to sit on the can, so to speak, with his
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- Money anyway.
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- He was very, very wealthy, but all of his life he was generous.
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- Remember when he saw melchizedek after having that great victory?
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- He willingly gave a tenth of his assets to the lord through
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- Melchizedek, he willingly gave the choicest land to lot, he
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- Willingly gave up his right to riches after defeating the king
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- Of the east, and now we see the same generosity in verse 5.
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- He realized everything he had wasn't his.
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- It was god's.
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- He was just a manager.
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- And so verse 5 says, in genesis 25, while he was living he gave
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- A generous gift to isaac and to his other children.
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- Now, look, we are stewards and the bible says we need to take
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- Care of the money that god gives us, and that's why every
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- Christian for sure ought to have a will that specifies what
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- Happens to your money when you've gone.
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- You either get to decide or the government gets to decide.
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- I'd rather decide.
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- Wouldn't you?
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- Make sure you have a will and your money is going to take care
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- Of your family.
- 00:06:03.785 --> 00:06:05.153
- 1 timothy 5:8, if anybody doesn't care for his own, he's
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- Worse than an infidel, denied the faith.
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- Make sure your children are cared for.
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- Did you know proverbs 13:22 even says we're to care for
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- Our grandchildren?
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- A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children.
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- That's the triplet's favorite verse they've memorized.
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- No, i'm just kidding.
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- But we need to be careful to give to our family, take care of
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- Them in our death; but abraham did it while he was alive.
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- You know, i think about my grandfather.
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- He wasn't an extremely wealthy person by today's standard, but
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- God had blessed him with some money and for more than just tax
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- Reasons he decided he wanted to give money away while he
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- Was alive.
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- He wanted to see his children and grandchildren enjoy what he
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- Had worked for and take care of some of the needs that they had.
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- That's a wise way to live.
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- That's what abraham did.
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- He had a growing generosity.
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- Now, here's abraham's life.
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- 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; and the one way
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- That describes the way he faced death is the word satisfied.
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- I remember reading a poll in "usa today" that asked people
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- The question, how do you know if you're successful in life?
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- What is your yardstick for success?
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- Interestingly, only 25% said, "my yardstick of success is
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- Money," 60% said it was expertise in your career, 63%
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- Said, "successful children are the way i measure success," but
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- 83% of people said the real measure of success was being
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- Satisfied with your life, satisfied with your life.
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- By that standard, abraham was extremely successful.
- 00:08:04.406 --> 00:08:08.877
- Look at the verses describing his death.
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- Genesis 25, verses 7 and 8, "these are all the years of
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- Abraham's life that he lived, one hundred and
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- Seventy-five years.
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- And abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age,
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- An old man satisfied with life; and he was gathered together
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- With his people."
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- Boy, i would love to have that as my epitaph.
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- Wouldn't you?
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- "he died at a ripe old age satisfied with life and gathered
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- Together with his people."
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- How do you pull that off?
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- I want you to notice from abraham's life three facets of
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- Being satisfied with your life.
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- First of all, he was satisfied with his past.
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- He was at peace.
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- He was content.
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- That's what the word satisfied means, content.
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- He was content with his past.
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- Doesn't mean he had a perfect past.
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- He didn't.
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- The first 60 years of his life he was an idolater.
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- He was an idol worshiper just like his father had been.
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- He had made big mistakes not only before he was a believer
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- But even after he was a believer.
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- He sinned, but he knew his sins had been forgiven.
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- That's the only way you'll be at peace with your past.
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- Genesis 15:6, abraham believed god and his faith was counted
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- As righteousness.
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- Remember in romans 4 paul uses that experience as an example of
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- What saving faith is.
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- Romans 4:5, "but to the one who does not work but believes in
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- Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted
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- As righteousness.
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- Blessed is the man whose sin the lord does not take
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- Into account."
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- Abraham knew that as blemished as his past was his past had
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- Been forgiven, forgotten forever by god because of his faith.
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- Do you have that assurance?
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- Do you know that your sins have been wiped away through the
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- Blood of jesus christ?
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- That's the only way you're gonna end your life satisfied, if
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- You're satisfied with your past.
- 00:10:14.736 --> 00:10:16.337
- Not only that, abraham was satisfied with his present, his
- 00:10:16.337 --> 00:10:20.742
- Present life, especially with his children.
- 00:10:20.742 --> 00:10:24.612
- He knew as he faced death that he had successfully passed on
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- The baton of faith to his children and his
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- Children's children.
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- Where do i get that?
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- Listen to hebrews 11, verse 17.
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- "by faith abraham, when he was tested, offered up isaac; and he
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- Who had received the promises was offering up his only
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- Begotten son."
- 00:10:46.034 --> 00:10:47.435
- Now, look at verse 20.
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- "by faith," abraham's son, "isaac blessed jacob and esau,"
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- His grandchildren, "even regarding things to come.
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- And then by faith jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the
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- Sons of joseph," his great-grandson joseph, "and
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- Worshiped, leaning on his staff.
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- And by faith joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the
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- Exodus of the sons of israel, and gave instructions concerning
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- His bones."
- 00:11:15.663 --> 00:11:17.031
- You get that by faith, by faith, by faith down the generational
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- Line until 430 years after joseph.
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- When moses was ready to leave the exodus, the children of
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- Israel remembered the instructions of joseph made 430
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- Years earlier.
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- Why did they remember them?
- 00:11:34.916 --> 00:11:36.251
- Because the faith had been passed on and on and on
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- Throughout the generations.
- 00:11:40.388 --> 00:11:42.190
- Dr. criswell used to say, "every civilization is only one
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- Generation away from barbarism."
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- If we don't pass the faith to the next generation, the faith
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- Is lost.
- 00:11:55.470 --> 00:11:56.838
- Abraham knew he had passed on his faith successfully.
- 00:11:56.838 --> 00:12:01.342
- Now, i know some of you feel guilty about that right now
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- Because maybe your faith hasn't been passed on to your children
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- And your grandchildren.
- 00:12:14.088 --> 00:12:16.357
- You know, i remember--my parents are now in heaven.
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- When i was a little boy, i used to walk into their bedroom and
- 00:12:20.195 --> 00:12:22.831
- There was a picture on the wall of me and my brother and my
- 00:12:22.831 --> 00:12:26.768
- Sister and the verse under it was 3 john, verse 4: "i have no
- 00:12:26.768 --> 00:12:33.041
- Greater joy than this, than to know my children walk in
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- The truth."
- 00:12:37.111 --> 00:12:38.746
- There's a great joy when you know your children are walking
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- In truth.
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- There's a great pain when they aren't walking in truth.
- 00:12:43.551 --> 00:12:46.955
- If that's true of you, let me just remind you ultimately
- 00:12:46.955 --> 00:12:50.625
- You're not responsible for your children's response.
- 00:12:50.625 --> 00:12:54.929
- God was a perfect father and yet he had two wayward children
- 00:12:54.929 --> 00:12:58.433
- Named adam and eve who departed from the faith even though
- 00:12:58.433 --> 00:13:02.871
- They'd been raised in a perfect environment, the garden of eden.
- 00:13:02.871 --> 00:13:06.641
- But just remember this.
- 00:13:06.641 --> 00:13:08.243
- The final chapter of your children's life hasn't been
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- Revealed yet.
- 00:13:11.112 --> 00:13:13.014
- Your duty is to pass on that faith and keep loving them,
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- Keep praying for them.
- 00:13:18.353 --> 00:13:20.321
- The end hasn't been revealed yet.
- 00:13:20.321 --> 00:13:22.690
- Abraham did the best he could in passing along his faith to his
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- Children and to his grandchildren.
- 00:13:27.528 --> 00:13:30.665
- Thirdly, abraham was not only satisfied with his past and his
- 00:13:30.665 --> 00:13:34.369
- Present, he was satisfied with his future.
- 00:13:34.369 --> 00:13:37.372
- Look at verse 8: "abraham breathed his last and died at
- 00:13:37.372 --> 00:13:41.276
- A ripe old age, an old man satisfied with life; and he was
- 00:13:41.276 --> 00:13:45.446
- Gathered to his people."
- 00:13:45.446 --> 00:13:48.883
- What does that mean, gathered to his people?
- 00:13:48.883 --> 00:13:51.052
- Some people try to downplay this.
- 00:13:51.052 --> 00:13:53.054
- I read some commentators who said, "oh, that just means he
- 00:13:53.054 --> 00:13:55.623
- Was buried with his ancestors."
- 00:13:55.623 --> 00:13:59.027
- Well, no, that's not what happened.
- 00:13:59.027 --> 00:14:00.995
- He wasn't buried with his ancestors.
- 00:14:00.995 --> 00:14:02.630
- He was buried with sarah but none of his other ancestors.
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- No.
- 00:14:06.801 --> 00:14:08.136
- Who were abraham's people?
- 00:14:08.136 --> 00:14:09.504
- They were the godly who had gone before him.
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- Seth, enoch, noah, methuselah.
- 00:14:11.506 --> 00:14:15.843
- All of those.
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- Where were his people?
- 00:14:17.712 --> 00:14:19.080
- Not in the cemetery.
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- They were in heaven.
- 00:14:20.415 --> 00:14:21.783
- This is an expression for going to heaven.
- 00:14:21.783 --> 00:14:24.419
- When abraham died his last, he died at a ripe old age and he
- 00:14:24.419 --> 00:14:29.123
- Was gathered with his people in heaven.
- 00:14:29.123 --> 00:14:31.893
- Let me ask you a question.
- 00:14:31.893 --> 00:14:34.028
- When you shut your eyes for the very last time here on earth,
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- Who are the people you're gonna be gathered with?
- 00:14:38.333 --> 00:14:41.469
- Are you gonna be gathered together in heaven with the
- 00:14:41.469 --> 00:14:43.871
- Saints who have gone before you or are you going to be gathered
- 00:14:43.871 --> 00:14:49.177
- In hell with the blasphemers, the skeptics, the critics?
- 00:14:49.177 --> 00:14:54.649
- We're all gonna be gathered with one group of people or
- 00:14:54.649 --> 00:14:57.852
- The other.
- 00:14:57.852 --> 00:14:59.187
- Abraham knew he was gonna be gathered together in heaven with
- 00:14:59.187 --> 00:15:03.024
- His ancestors.
- 00:15:03.024 --> 00:15:04.726
- You say, "pastor, that sure is reading a lot into this to read
- 00:15:04.726 --> 00:15:08.696
- Heaven into this.
- 00:15:08.696 --> 00:15:10.031
- How do you get heaven out of this?"
- 00:15:10.031 --> 00:15:12.533
- By reading the bible.
- 00:15:12.533 --> 00:15:14.235
- Hebrews chapter 11, verses 9 and 10: "by abraham lived as an
- 00:15:14.235 --> 00:15:19.474
- Alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in
- 00:15:19.474 --> 00:15:24.212
- Tents with isaac and jacob, fellow heirs of the same
- 00:15:24.212 --> 00:15:27.548
- Promise; for abraham was looking for the city which has
- 00:15:27.548 --> 00:15:32.053
- Foundations, whose architect and builder is god."
- 00:15:32.053 --> 00:15:37.658
- Even though he was a wealthy man, he never owned a piece of
- 00:15:37.658 --> 00:15:40.461
- Land until the end when he bought a cemetery plot.
- 00:15:40.461 --> 00:15:44.032
- He never built a permanent house.
- 00:15:44.032 --> 00:15:46.034
- He lived in a tent even though he could have afforded
- 00:15:46.034 --> 00:15:48.603
- Much more.
- 00:15:48.603 --> 00:15:49.971
- Why?
- 00:15:49.971 --> 00:15:51.305
- He was looking for something better, and at the end he
- 00:15:51.305 --> 00:15:54.809
- Experienced it because of faith.
- 00:15:54.809 --> 00:15:56.878
- Abraham was willing to let go of his desire for money, for
- 00:15:56.878 --> 00:16:01.482
- Approval, for fame in order to grab hold of that which
- 00:16:01.482 --> 00:16:05.920
- Is eternal.
- 00:16:05.920 --> 00:16:08.322
- That's why we honor the life and the death of abraham.
- 00:16:08.322 --> 00:16:12.593
- When i think about letting go of the temporary to gain the
- 00:16:12.593 --> 00:16:15.763
- Eternal, i think of that legend from india that erwin lutzer
- 00:16:15.763 --> 00:16:20.735
- Recounts in his book "your eternal rewards."
- 00:16:20.735 --> 00:16:24.372
- Remember the legend a beggar stood beside the road with
- 00:16:24.372 --> 00:16:28.076
- A little bowl to beg for rice from those who would stop by?
- 00:16:28.076 --> 00:16:33.481
- One day, a wealthy chariot pulled up and a wealthy raja
- 00:16:33.481 --> 00:16:39.454
- Descended from the chariot.
- 00:16:39.454 --> 00:16:41.456
- He went over to the beggar, looked into his bowl, and said,
- 00:16:41.456 --> 00:16:44.358
- "give me a grain of rice."
- 00:16:44.358 --> 00:16:47.261
- The beggar was perplexed.
- 00:16:47.261 --> 00:16:48.663
- "why would a wealthy man want a grain of rice?"
- 00:16:48.663 --> 00:16:51.833
- But he gave it to him.
- 00:16:51.833 --> 00:16:53.167
- Felt obligated to it.
- 00:16:53.167 --> 00:16:56.571
- The wealthy raja asked again, "give me another grain."
- 00:16:56.571 --> 00:17:00.908
- And now angry the beggar gave him another grain.
- 00:17:00.908 --> 00:17:05.179
- "i want another," the raja demanded.
- 00:17:05.179 --> 00:17:10.118
- And seething with bitterness, this beggar gave him the last
- 00:17:10.118 --> 00:17:15.756
- Grain of rice that he had.
- 00:17:15.756 --> 00:17:18.493
- The raja left.
- 00:17:18.493 --> 00:17:20.895
- The beggar was standing there not understanding, resenting
- 00:17:20.895 --> 00:17:24.365
- What had just happened until he looked into that little bowl and
- 00:17:24.365 --> 00:17:27.935
- He noticed something glittering.
- 00:17:27.935 --> 00:17:30.605
- It was a piece of gold, a grain of gold the size of the grain of
- 00:17:30.605 --> 00:17:34.175
- Rice that had been taken.
- 00:17:34.175 --> 00:17:35.977
- And as he looked further in the bowl, there was a second, there
- 00:17:35.977 --> 00:17:38.946
- Was a third.
- 00:17:38.946 --> 00:17:40.615
- For every grain of rice he had given to the wealthy man, the
- 00:17:40.615 --> 00:17:44.418
- Wealthy man had exchanged it for a grain of gold.
- 00:17:44.418 --> 00:17:49.090
- And then erwin makes this application.
- 00:17:49.090 --> 00:17:52.026
- "if we clutch our bowl of rice, we shall lose our reward.
- 00:17:52.026 --> 00:17:58.132
- If we are faithful and give god each grain, he gives us gold in
- 00:17:58.132 --> 00:18:03.371
- Return, and the gold god gives will surely survive the fire."
- 00:18:03.371 --> 00:18:11.812
- Abraham was willing to let go of that which was temporal to gain
- 00:18:11.812 --> 00:18:17.318
- Hold of that which is eternal and will never fade away.
- 00:18:17.318 --> 00:18:22.490
- He's a perfect demonstration of hebrews 11:6: "for he who comes
- 00:18:22.490 --> 00:18:28.596
- To god must believe that god is, and that he is a rewarder of
- 00:18:28.596 --> 00:18:35.269
- Those who diligently seek after him."
- 00:18:35.269 --> 00:18:39.006
- That's the life of abraham.
- 00:18:39.006 --> 00:18:42.677
- Jeffress: perhaps god is prompting you to take your next
- 00:18:46.781 --> 00:18:49.717
- Steps of faith, and maybe that means letting go of something
- 00:18:49.717 --> 00:18:53.187
- You've desperately been trying to control.
- 00:18:53.187 --> 00:18:55.990
- You'll never regret it.
- 00:18:55.990 --> 00:18:57.758
- Give it to god.
- 00:18:57.758 --> 00:18:59.093
- This is his promise.
- 00:18:59.093 --> 00:19:00.461
- God will reward you for trusting him.
- 00:19:00.461 --> 00:19:04.332
- Now, in closing today, i wanna share a stirring note i received
- 00:19:04.332 --> 00:19:07.501
- From a fellow viewer of "pathway to victory."
- 00:19:07.501 --> 00:19:10.504
- Her story gives us a beautiful illustration of what it means to
- 00:19:10.504 --> 00:19:14.075
- Walk with god.
- 00:19:14.075 --> 00:19:15.576
- Cindy wrote, "pastor, i was saved as a young girl but
- 00:19:15.576 --> 00:19:18.813
- Strayed for years.
- 00:19:18.813 --> 00:19:20.581
- I renewed my faith 4 years ago.
- 00:19:20.581 --> 00:19:23.184
- I read your books and watch your tv program every single day.
- 00:19:23.184 --> 00:19:27.421
- Your messages help me so much, and i want my friends and family
- 00:19:27.421 --> 00:19:31.993
- To have the same peace and assurance that only comes from
- 00:19:31.993 --> 00:19:35.363
- Faith in christ.
- 00:19:35.363 --> 00:19:36.831
- I know i can count on you to provide me with the tools i
- 00:19:36.831 --> 00:19:39.934
- Need, and i'm using them to help my friends and family as well."
- 00:19:39.934 --> 00:19:44.872
- Thank you, cindy, for those encouraging comments.
- 00:19:44.872 --> 00:19:47.642
- We love hearing that you've reengaged in your walk with god,
- 00:19:47.642 --> 00:19:52.113
- But we're especially pleased to know that you're helping others
- 00:19:52.113 --> 00:19:55.349
- Stay connected with him as well.
- 00:19:55.349 --> 00:19:57.618
- And to our pathway partners and faithful donors, thank you for
- 00:19:57.618 --> 00:20:01.422
- Making testimonies like cindy's possible.
- 00:20:01.422 --> 00:20:04.592
- Now, please stay right there.
- 00:20:04.592 --> 00:20:06.294
- I'll be back with more "pathway to victory" in just a moment.
- 00:20:06.294 --> 00:20:10.564
- Jeffress: the story of abraham is an invitation to come back to
- 00:20:10.631 --> 00:20:15.636
- The altar of god.
- 00:20:15.636 --> 00:20:18.372
- He fell into disobedience and ultimately disgrace.
- 00:20:18.372 --> 00:20:25.012
- Repentance begins with a change of mind that says, "i don't
- 00:20:25.012 --> 00:20:28.249
- Wanna keep going this direction."
- 00:20:28.249 --> 00:20:30.651
- And that's what abraham did.
- 00:20:30.651 --> 00:20:33.421
- Picture right now a challenge you're facing.
- 00:20:33.421 --> 00:20:37.325
- It may be a challenge with a child or a grandchild.
- 00:20:37.325 --> 00:20:41.128
- It may be a financial need.
- 00:20:41.128 --> 00:20:43.631
- It might be a physical problem with you or somebody you
- 00:20:43.631 --> 00:20:46.834
- Care about.
- 00:20:46.834 --> 00:20:48.502
- Do you believe the same god who's been faithful in the past
- 00:20:48.502 --> 00:20:51.539
- To you will be faithful to you now?
- 00:20:51.539 --> 00:20:54.342
- Is god still alive?
- 00:20:54.342 --> 00:20:56.243
- Is god still working?
- 00:20:56.243 --> 00:20:58.212
- Can you really trust in god?
- 00:20:58.212 --> 00:21:02.016
- The one quality god admires, god desires more than any other
- 00:21:02.016 --> 00:21:07.621
- Quality in our life is faith.
- 00:21:07.621 --> 00:21:11.392
- What is faith?
- 00:21:11.392 --> 00:21:12.927
- It's believing that god will do what he has promised to do and
- 00:21:12.927 --> 00:21:17.631
- Acting accordingly.
- 00:21:17.631 --> 00:21:23.137
- If the story of abraham tells us anything, it tells us this.
- 00:21:23.137 --> 00:21:27.475
- It doesn't matter how old you are.
- 00:21:27.475 --> 00:21:28.976
- It doesn't matter how far you've drifted away from god.
- 00:21:28.976 --> 00:21:32.780
- You can come back.
- 00:21:32.780 --> 00:21:37.485
- Jeffress: carmella, that is a great question and one of the
- 00:21:41.722 --> 00:21:44.525
- Most basic questions we can ever ask.
- 00:21:44.525 --> 00:21:47.561
- I have found that as a pastor for more than 40 years the two
- 00:21:47.561 --> 00:21:50.664
- Most important issues in life deal with forgiveness: receiving
- 00:21:50.664 --> 00:21:54.802
- God's forgiveness for our salvation; and then secondly,
- 00:21:54.802 --> 00:21:58.672
- Granting forgiveness to other people who have wronged us, and
- 00:21:58.672 --> 00:22:02.910
- They are both inseparably linked together.
- 00:22:02.910 --> 00:22:05.913
- You know, c.s. lewis
- 00:22:05.913 --> 00:22:07.248
- Said one time, "forgiveness is a beautiful word
- 00:22:07.248 --> 00:22:10.418
- Until you have somebody to forgive."
- 00:22:10.418 --> 00:22:12.820
- It's tough to forgive, to let go of offenses, but the bible says
- 00:22:12.820 --> 00:22:17.992
- We can't control what other people do to us.
- 00:22:17.992 --> 00:22:20.394
- We can't keep people from hurting us and wronging us,
- 00:22:20.394 --> 00:22:23.898
- But we can choose how to respond to that hurt.
- 00:22:23.898 --> 00:22:26.667
- We can hold on to it until it metastasizes into a tumor of
- 00:22:26.667 --> 00:22:31.105
- Bitterness and destroys us and everything around us or we can
- 00:22:31.105 --> 00:22:35.342
- Make the decision to let go of that offense.
- 00:22:35.342 --> 00:22:38.846
- You see, that's what forgiveness is.
- 00:22:38.846 --> 00:22:40.648
- It's letting go of our right to hurt somebody else for
- 00:22:40.648 --> 00:22:44.585
- Hurting us.
- 00:22:44.585 --> 00:22:45.953
- When we forgive people, we're not denying that they
- 00:22:45.953 --> 00:22:48.456
- Wronged us.
- 00:22:48.456 --> 00:22:49.790
- We're not trying to rationalize it.
- 00:22:49.790 --> 00:22:51.692
- What we're doing is we're saying, "god, what this person
- 00:22:51.692 --> 00:22:54.862
- Did to me is wrong, but life is too short for me to keep holding
- 00:22:54.862 --> 00:22:58.999
- On to this.
- 00:22:58.999 --> 00:23:00.334
- I'm releasing them to you so that you can settle the score
- 00:23:00.334 --> 00:23:04.472
- And i can be free to get on with my life."
- 00:23:04.472 --> 00:23:07.708
- That's what forgiveness is.
- 00:23:07.708 --> 00:23:10.144
- You may remember or maybe you've participated in a three-legged
- 00:23:10.144 --> 00:23:15.483
- Race that they used to have at old-fashioned picnics where you
- 00:23:15.483 --> 00:23:19.553
- Would bind your leg to another person and you would hobble down
- 00:23:19.553 --> 00:23:23.724
- To the finish line while the audience would roar
- 00:23:23.724 --> 00:23:26.227
- With laughter.
- 00:23:26.227 --> 00:23:27.595
- And if you've ever been in a three-legged race, you know that
- 00:23:27.595 --> 00:23:30.297
- Sensation that you feel when you're trying to hobble along
- 00:23:30.297 --> 00:23:33.467
- With the person tied to you you think, "if i could just get free
- 00:23:33.467 --> 00:23:36.937
- From this idiot, i could run a lot faster and win the race."
- 00:23:36.937 --> 00:23:40.808
- Well, three-legged races don't allow for solo contenders.
- 00:23:40.808 --> 00:23:45.246
- You can go no further or faster than your partner.
- 00:23:45.246 --> 00:23:49.550
- Do you know that's exactly what happens when you refuse to
- 00:23:49.550 --> 00:23:52.653
- Forgive somebody?
- 00:23:52.653 --> 00:23:54.021
- You bind yourself, you tie yourself emotionally
- 00:23:54.021 --> 00:23:57.391
- To that person.
- 00:23:57.391 --> 00:23:58.726
- You can't be any happier in life than they are.
- 00:23:58.726 --> 00:24:01.962
- You can't go any further in your life and--as long as you're
- 00:24:01.962 --> 00:24:05.833
- Being tied to them.
- 00:24:05.833 --> 00:24:07.501
- Forgiveness is the process by what you say to this person, "i
- 00:24:07.501 --> 00:24:12.006
- Care too much about my life to allow it to be held back by you.
- 00:24:12.006 --> 00:24:16.710
- I'm letting go of that offense.
- 00:24:16.710 --> 00:24:18.612
- I'm gonna let god deal with it so that i can be free to get on
- 00:24:18.612 --> 00:24:22.583
- With the life god has given me."
- 00:24:22.583 --> 00:24:25.019
- You know, the bible is very clear about this.
- 00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:27.254
- Jesus said in matthew 6 if we forgive others, we will be
- 00:24:27.254 --> 00:24:31.492
- Forgiven; but if we refuse to forgive others, we will not be
- 00:24:31.492 --> 00:24:36.263
- Forgiven by god.
- 00:24:36.263 --> 00:24:38.365
- I'm not saying that we lose our salvation or earn our salvation,
- 00:24:38.365 --> 00:24:42.970
- But when you realize the great debt that god has forgiven you,
- 00:24:42.970 --> 00:24:47.942
- You only find it natural to want to forgive somebody else.
- 00:24:47.942 --> 00:24:52.479
- Ephesians 4:32 says be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
- 00:24:52.479 --> 00:24:57.251
- Forgiving one another just as god and christ has forgiven you.
- 00:24:57.251 --> 00:25:03.290
- Forgiveness is the obligation of those who have really been
- 00:25:03.290 --> 00:25:07.561
- Forgiven by god.
- 00:25:07.561 --> 00:25:09.630
- Jeffress: very few leaders make it to the finish line in
- 00:25:10.898 --> 00:25:13.867
- A strong position, but abraham is a clear exception.
- 00:25:13.867 --> 00:25:18.072
- Although deeply human and sometimes flawed, this man of
- 00:25:18.072 --> 00:25:21.475
- Faith managed to honor god until his last breath.
- 00:25:21.475 --> 00:25:26.213
- Well, christmas is just around the corner, and next time we'll
- 00:25:26.213 --> 00:25:29.450
- Embark on a monthlong christmas series called "celebrate
- 00:25:29.450 --> 00:25:33.320
- The savior."
- 00:25:33.320 --> 00:25:34.655
- Make plans to join me throughout the christmas season as we
- 00:25:34.655 --> 00:25:38.025
- Celebrate the birth of jesus christ through teaching
- 00:25:38.025 --> 00:25:41.495
- And worship.
- 00:25:41.495 --> 00:25:42.863
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next on
- 00:25:42.863 --> 00:25:45.599
- "pathway to victory."
- 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:48.469
- Jeffress: usually god--have you found this out?
- 00:25:48.469 --> 00:25:50.371
- God usually waits until the very last moment when our backs are
- 00:25:50.371 --> 00:25:54.274
- Up against the wall to intervene on our behalf.
- 00:25:54.274 --> 00:25:57.511
- Because when he does, then there's no doubt who really
- 00:25:57.511 --> 00:26:00.981
- Performed the miracle.
- 00:26:00.981 --> 00:26:03.017
- That was the experience of the couple we're going to talk
- 00:26:03.017 --> 00:26:05.452
- About today.
- 00:26:05.452 --> 00:26:06.820
- If you have your bibles, i want you to turn to luke chapter 1 as
- 00:26:06.820 --> 00:26:10.190
- We discover one couple who was truly touched by an angel.
- 00:26:10.190 --> 00:26:15.963
- Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the message
- 00:26:15.963 --> 00:26:18.999
- "touched by an angel" here on "pathway to victory."
- 00:26:18.999 --> 00:26:22.936
- Jeffress: each of us will leave a legacy.
- 00:26:25.572 --> 00:26:27.408
- What will your legacy be?
- 00:26:27.408 --> 00:26:29.810
- Your legacy giving can further the gospel and be an example to
- 00:26:29.810 --> 00:26:33.681
- Your children about what matters most in life.
- 00:26:33.681 --> 00:26:37.484
- The world my daughters and grandchildren are growing up in
- 00:26:37.484 --> 00:26:40.754
- Is vastly different than the one you and i grew up in.
- 00:26:40.754 --> 00:26:44.692
- The gospel of jesus christ is our only answer, and naming
- 00:26:44.692 --> 00:26:49.530
- Pathway to victory as a beneficiary in your will help us
- 00:26:49.530 --> 00:26:53.400
- Guarantee that there will be a trusted ministry that will
- 00:26:53.400 --> 00:26:57.337
- Continue to be salt and light.
- 00:26:57.337 --> 00:26:59.873
- Like the ripples that emanate from a rock thrown into a pond,
- 00:26:59.873 --> 00:27:04.044
- Your influence for christ can keep going on and on after you
- 00:27:04.044 --> 00:27:08.449
- Die with a gift in your will.
- 00:27:08.449 --> 00:27:11.118
- What will your legacy be?
- 00:27:11.118 --> 00:27:13.821
- "only one life will soon be past.
- 00:27:13.821 --> 00:27:17.157
- Only what's done for christ will last."
- 00:27:17.157 --> 00:27:28.235