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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Mary, Mary, Quite Extraordinary (Part 2) | November 26, 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,
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- And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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- Throughout the history of the church,
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- Christians have held wildly different views
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- About the mother of jesus.
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- Some have exalted mary to a position nearly as high
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- As jesus himself.
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- Others have chosen to ignore her completely.
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- So, what's the proper way to regard this remarkable
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- Woman named mary?
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- Well, today, we'll turn to luke, chapter 1 where we find
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- The defining passage on the mother of jesus.
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- My message is titled, "mary, mary, quite extraordinary,"
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- On 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 would be made right. ♪
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- ♪ no darkness, no night. ♪
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- ♪ the son 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 today. ♪
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- ♪ he who was. ♪
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- ♪ he who is. ♪
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- ♪ he who was. ♪
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- ♪ he who is. ♪
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- ♪ he who is to come ♪
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- ♪ is christ the son of man. ♪
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- ♪ he's riding on the clouds ♪
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- ♪ 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. ♪
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- ♪ hallelujah. ♪
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- ♪ he who is to come ♪
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- ♪ is christ the son of man. ♪
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- ♪ he's riding on the clouds ♪
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- ♪ 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. ♪
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- ♪ hallelujah. ♪
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- ♪ hallelujah. ♪
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- ♪ hallelujah. ♪
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- ♪ hallelujah. ♪
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- ♪ hallelujah. ♪♪
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- Announcer: now is the time to shine the light of the gospel
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- Into our homes, towns, and nation.
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- New 2026 pathway to victory daily devotional.
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- Let's share the hope of the gospel while there's still time.
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- ♪♪♪
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- Jeffress: jehoiachin.
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- He was the last king of judah before babylon, nebuchadnezzar
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- Came and took israel captive for 70 years.
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- He was the last king of judah.
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- Now, this isn't gonna cost you anything extra, but i thought
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- You'd be interested in this.
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- I was reading this week about jehoiachin.
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- Did you know there's not any secular
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- Reference to jehoiachin?
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- Nobody could ever find him in history.
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- The only place he was found in the bible--skeptics said there's
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- One more example of the bible's just making up things that have
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- No historical basis whatsoever.
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- Well, guess what?
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- In iraq, which is where babylon is located today,
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- Two tablets have been found
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- Called the tablets of jehoiachin.
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- They are tablets that came from jehoiachin that date his reign
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- Exactly to those dates that are recorded in the scripture.
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- That's just one more example of the authenticity and credibility
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- Of the bible.
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- But anyway, this king jehoiachin was so evil that god
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- Placed a curse on him.
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- God was so mad at jehoiachin that he not only allowed judah
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- To be taken captive, but he gave this curse.
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- And let's get down to jeremiah 22, verse 30.
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- "thus says the lord, 'write this man down as childless,
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- A man who will not prosper in his days;
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- For no man of his descendants will prosper sitting on the
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- Throne of david or ruling again in judah."
- 00:05:31.610 --> 00:05:35.781
- God said, "here's the curse on jehoiachin: not one of his
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- Descendants will ever prosper on the throne of david."
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- Well, that presents a big problem;
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- Because if you've got david here,
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- And you've got jehoiachin here, then it means nobody who's a
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- Descendant from that point on could ever be qualified to be
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- The messiah 'cause they can't prosper on the throne.
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- And yet the bible says the messiah,
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- Whoever he is, has to be a descendant of david.
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- And for him down here to be a descendant of david up there,
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- He has to pass through jehoiachin.
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- Well, how do you solve that naughty problem?
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- You solve it through a virgin birth.
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- Now, here's my simple point.
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- Had joseph been the biological father of jesus,
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- Jesus would've inherited the curse of jehoiachin.
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- He would've inherited that curse.
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- He could not have been the messiah.
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- But because he was not the biological son,
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- Jesus escaped the curse.
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- But by being the legal son of joseph,
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- Which he was--joseph was his legal guardian.
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- He inherited the right to rule as being a descendant of david.
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- That is an amazing thing.
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- Only god could come up with a solution like that to cure the
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- Curse of jehoiachin.
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- The fourth reason a virgin birth is necessary
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- Is it fulfills prophecy.
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- Seven hundred years earlier, god had said through isaiah the
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- Prophet that the messiah would be virgin born.
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- "therefore the lord himself will give you a sign: behold,
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- A virgin will be with child and shall bear a son,
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- And you shall call his name immanuel."
- 00:07:07.672 --> 00:07:10.775
- And you remember i've said that word "virgin" is translated from
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- The word "almah," which means young woman.
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- It doesn't have to mean virgin.
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- It could mean just a young woman.
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- But, again, god was in it, because this prophecy had an
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- Immediate fulfillment in a young woman in isaiah's day,
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- But an ultimate fulfillment in the birth of jesus,
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- Which we'll see in a moment.
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- When gabriel quotes this verse, he uses the greek word,
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- Matthew does, parthenos, which means virgin.
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- Now, mary didn't ask for a sign that all of this was going to
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- Happen, but gabriel gave her one anyway.
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- Look at verse 36.
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- "and behold, even your relative elizabeth," her cousin,
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- "has also conceived a son in her old age: and she who was called
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- Barren is now in her sixth month."
- 00:07:55.320 --> 00:07:58.056
- Gabriel was saying, "mary, if you really want to know this is
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- Gonna happen, your cousin's already pregnant.
- 00:08:00.292 --> 00:08:04.129
- Elizabeth, she's going to have a child.
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- It's god's sign that he's going to perform this miracle for
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- You, as well.
- 00:08:08.767 --> 00:08:10.101
- And look at mary's response.
- 00:08:10.101 --> 00:08:12.304
- Verse 38, "'behold, the bondslave of the lord;
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- Be it done to me according to your word.'
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- And the angel departed from her."
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- That word "bondslave" is the lowest kind of slave there is.
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- In other words, mary was saying, "god,
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- Whatever you want to do with my life, do it.
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- I am yours. i am here to serve you."
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- That commitment could've cost her a lot,
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- As we'll see in just a moment.
- 00:08:35.860 --> 00:08:39.130
- Turn over to matthew chapter 1, beginning with verse 19.
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- Now, if you were mary, and gabriel had made such an
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- Astounding announcement to you, who's the first person you would
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- Go and tell about it?
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- Probably your boyfriend, your fiancé, joseph.
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- That's exactly what she did.
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- She went and told joseph, but he didn't have the reaction she
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- Was hoping for.
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- Look at verse 19.
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- "and joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to
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- Disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly."
- 00:09:11.630 --> 00:09:16.868
- Now let's don't be too hard on joseph here.
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- I mean, put yourself in joseph's sandals for just a moment.
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- Your fiancé, your girlfriend, comes and tells you,
- 00:09:23.074 --> 00:09:27.112
- "you know, joseph, we haven't had sex."
- 00:09:27.112 --> 00:09:28.980
- "yeah, i know, i know, i know."
- 00:09:28.980 --> 00:09:32.450
- "you know, we haven't had sex before,
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- But i need to let you know an angel appeared to me and told me
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- I'm pregnant.
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- I'm pregnant, and god's the father."
- 00:09:39.190 --> 00:09:42.627
- Now, can you imagine joseph's reaction to that?
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- I mean, he thought, "either i'm engaged to a liar
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- Or to a lunatic.
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- But, either way, i'm not going to spend rest of my life
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- With her."
- 00:09:53.238 --> 00:09:54.739
- I mean, that's a normal reaction with anybody
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- With that kind of a fantastic story.
- 00:09:57.108 --> 00:09:59.644
- And yet, even though by law he could've put her away
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- And had her stoned to death as an adulteress.
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- Joseph didn't do that.
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- He still loved mary.
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- And because of his great love for mary,
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- He didn't want to disgrace her.
- 00:10:13.024 --> 00:10:14.526
- He certainly didn't want to see her executed.
- 00:10:14.526 --> 00:10:16.995
- So, the bible says he wanted to put her away secretly
- 00:10:16.995 --> 00:10:20.865
- In the relationship.
- 00:10:20.865 --> 00:10:22.701
- But god wasn't finished at all.
- 00:10:22.767 --> 00:10:24.369
- Look at verse 20 of matthew 1.
- 00:10:24.369 --> 00:10:26.237
- "but when joseph had considered this,
- 00:10:26.237 --> 00:10:28.339
- Behold, an angel of the lord appeared to joseph in a dream,
- 00:10:28.339 --> 00:10:32.010
- Saying, 'joseph, son of david, do not be afraid to take mary as
- 00:10:32.010 --> 00:10:36.147
- Your wife: for that which has been conceived in her is of the
- 00:10:36.147 --> 00:10:40.351
- Holy spirit.
- 00:10:40.351 --> 00:10:41.986
- And she will bear a son; and you shall call his name jesus;
- 00:10:41.986 --> 00:10:45.523
- For it is he who will save his people from their sins.'
- 00:10:45.523 --> 00:10:49.127
- Now, all this took place that what was spoken by the lord
- 00:10:49.127 --> 00:10:52.731
- Through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying,
- 00:10:52.731 --> 00:10:55.433
- 'behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son;
- 00:10:55.433 --> 00:10:59.437
- And shall call his name immanuel,' which translated
- 00:10:59.437 --> 00:11:02.941
- Means 'god with us.'"
- 00:11:02.941 --> 00:11:04.642
- That's the quotation of isaiah 7:14.
- 00:11:04.642 --> 00:11:06.845
- "and joseph arose from his sleep and did as the angel of the lord
- 00:11:06.845 --> 00:11:10.415
- Commanded him; and took her as his wife,
- 00:11:10.415 --> 00:11:13.151
- And kept her a virgin," underline,
- 00:11:13.151 --> 00:11:16.588
- "until she gave birth to a son, and he called his name jesus."
- 00:11:16.588 --> 00:11:23.128
- Now, i believe it was all of this that was taking place
- 00:11:23.128 --> 00:11:27.499
- Between verses 38 and 39.
- 00:11:27.499 --> 00:11:29.834
- Mary leaves nazareth, flees to judah,
- 00:11:29.834 --> 00:11:33.271
- And ordered to talk to elizabeth.
- 00:11:33.271 --> 00:11:37.709
- Look at verse 39.
- 00:11:37.709 --> 00:11:39.811
- "now at this time mary arose and went with haste to the hill
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- Country to a city of judah, and entered the house of zacharias
- 00:11:44.082 --> 00:11:48.753
- And greeted elizabeth.
- 00:11:48.753 --> 00:11:50.622
- And it came about that when elizabeth heard mary's greeting,
- 00:11:50.622 --> 00:11:54.292
- The baby," that's elizabeth's baby,
- 00:11:54.292 --> 00:11:57.095
- 6 months in the womb, john the baptist,
- 00:11:57.095 --> 00:11:59.931
- "the baby leaped in her womb."
- 00:11:59.931 --> 00:12:03.001
- Remember the prediction about john the baptist?
- 00:12:03.001 --> 00:12:05.470
- Luke 1:15 says he would be filled--
- 00:12:05.470 --> 00:12:08.406
- That means controlled by the holy spirit.
- 00:12:08.406 --> 00:12:11.643
- And so here you have this 6-month baby in the womb,
- 00:12:11.643 --> 00:12:15.747
- Who hears the voice of mary, the mother of jesus,
- 00:12:15.747 --> 00:12:19.818
- And he leaps in elizabeth's womb.
- 00:12:19.818 --> 00:12:23.354
- By the way, this verse is a powerful,
- 00:12:23.354 --> 00:12:26.057
- Powerful argument against abortion.
- 00:12:26.057 --> 00:12:30.395
- That baby in elizabeth's womb was not some biological blob.
- 00:12:30.395 --> 00:12:35.867
- He was a person.
- 00:12:35.867 --> 00:12:37.202
- Here was a baby who was being controlled by the holy spirit
- 00:12:37.202 --> 00:12:40.405
- Of god in elizabeth's womb.
- 00:12:40.405 --> 00:12:42.340
- Now notice this.
- 00:12:42.340 --> 00:12:43.675
- Verse 41 says, "and elizabeth was filled
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- With the holy spirit."
- 00:12:46.344 --> 00:12:48.179
- Now why is that important that elizabeth was
- 00:12:48.179 --> 00:12:50.248
- Controlled by the holy spirit?
- 00:12:50.248 --> 00:12:51.583
- Because of verse 42.
- 00:12:51.583 --> 00:12:53.318
- "elizabeth cried out, when she saw mary,
- 00:12:53.318 --> 00:12:55.386
- With a loud voice and said, 'blessed among women are you
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- And blessed is the fruit of your womb.
- 00:12:59.324 --> 00:13:02.760
- And how has it happened to me that the mother of my lord
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- Should come to me?'"
- 00:13:06.331 --> 00:13:08.666
- Now wait a minute.
- 00:13:08.666 --> 00:13:10.235
- How did elizabeth know that her cousin mary was going to be
- 00:13:10.235 --> 00:13:13.972
- The mother of the messiah?
- 00:13:13.972 --> 00:13:16.641
- All mary had said when she came through the door was "hello."
- 00:13:16.641 --> 00:13:21.613
- Now, how did she know this?
- 00:13:21.613 --> 00:13:23.648
- The answer right there, verse 41.
- 00:13:23.648 --> 00:13:25.516
- She was filled with the holy spirit,
- 00:13:25.516 --> 00:13:28.419
- Controlled by the holy spirit.
- 00:13:28.419 --> 00:13:30.121
- Have you ever had this happen to you before,
- 00:13:30.121 --> 00:13:32.590
- Where you just know something?
- 00:13:32.590 --> 00:13:35.026
- A word of knowledge comes to you.
- 00:13:35.026 --> 00:13:36.728
- You know something about a circumstance or about a person.
- 00:13:36.728 --> 00:13:40.798
- Nobody told you. you just know.
- 00:13:40.798 --> 00:13:44.369
- Parents, have you ever had that happen with your child?
- 00:13:44.369 --> 00:13:46.704
- You know something about them?
- 00:13:46.704 --> 00:13:48.573
- You know something they've done, and nobody's told you.
- 00:13:48.573 --> 00:13:52.210
- You just know.
- 00:13:52.210 --> 00:13:53.678
- What we call intuition is many times the holy spirit of god.
- 00:13:53.678 --> 00:13:58.016
- The holy spirit gave elizabeth this information.
- 00:13:58.016 --> 00:14:02.553
- And notice how elizabeth praises mary in verse 45.
- 00:14:02.553 --> 00:14:08.359
- She says, "and blessed is she," talking about mary,
- 00:14:08.359 --> 00:14:12.096
- "who believed there would be a fulfillment of what had been
- 00:14:12.096 --> 00:14:15.066
- Spoken to her by the lord."
- 00:14:15.066 --> 00:14:18.036
- Mary was uncomfortable with that kind of praise,
- 00:14:18.036 --> 00:14:20.939
- And so she quickly turns the attention to god himself.
- 00:14:20.939 --> 00:14:24.575
- And in verses 46 to 56 you have some of the most beautiful and
- 00:14:24.575 --> 00:14:28.279
- Poetic words in all of the scripture in
- 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:30.982
- Mary's praise to god.
- 00:14:30.982 --> 00:14:32.717
- We many times refer to it as mary's magnificat.
- 00:14:32.717 --> 00:14:36.454
- The magnificat, it comes from the latin translation "magnify"
- 00:14:36.454 --> 00:14:40.925
- That you find in verse 46, when mary said,
- 00:14:40.925 --> 00:14:44.529
- "my soul magnifies the lord."
- 00:14:44.529 --> 00:14:48.099
- We don't have time to look at these verses,
- 00:14:48.099 --> 00:14:49.834
- But look at just the first four with me.
- 00:14:49.834 --> 00:14:52.337
- "and mary said, 'my soul exalts, magnifies the lord,
- 00:14:52.337 --> 00:14:57.041
- And my spirit has rejoiced in god my savior.
- 00:14:57.041 --> 00:15:00.411
- For he has regard for the humble state of his bondslave;
- 00:15:00.411 --> 00:15:04.582
- For behold, from this time all the generations
- 00:15:04.582 --> 00:15:08.219
- Will count me blessed.
- 00:15:08.219 --> 00:15:10.421
- For the mighty one has done great things for me;
- 00:15:10.421 --> 00:15:13.658
- And holy is his name.'"
- 00:15:13.658 --> 00:15:17.528
- Now, remember, this is coming from a 13-year-old.
- 00:15:17.528 --> 00:15:20.932
- Just two things i'd point out about these verses.
- 00:15:20.932 --> 00:15:24.102
- First of all, notice how she begins by referring to god as
- 00:15:24.102 --> 00:15:28.373
- Her savior.
- 00:15:28.373 --> 00:15:30.475
- "god, my savior."
- 00:15:30.475 --> 00:15:32.677
- Mary was under no illusion that she was sinless.
- 00:15:32.677 --> 00:15:35.646
- She was a sinner just like all of us are sinners.
- 00:15:35.646 --> 00:15:38.883
- She needed a savior just like we all need a savior.
- 00:15:38.883 --> 00:15:43.554
- The second thing i notice about these verses is how many
- 00:15:43.554 --> 00:15:46.591
- References there are to the old testament.
- 00:15:46.591 --> 00:15:49.227
- She is endlessly quoting the old testament scriptures.
- 00:15:49.227 --> 00:15:52.463
- Just jot these down.
- 00:15:52.463 --> 00:15:53.798
- 1 samuel 2, psalm 34, psalm 35, psalm 103.
- 00:15:53.798 --> 00:15:58.669
- Her words are dripping with quotations
- 00:15:58.669 --> 00:16:01.906
- From the old testament.
- 00:16:01.906 --> 00:16:03.741
- This 13-year-old girl knew the scriptures
- 00:16:03.741 --> 00:16:07.412
- Backward and forwards.
- 00:16:07.412 --> 00:16:10.481
- And the reason she knew the scriptures is her parents made
- 00:16:10.481 --> 00:16:13.718
- That a priority in her training to teach her the word of god.
- 00:16:13.718 --> 00:16:18.890
- It's the scriptures that gave mary the foundation
- 00:16:18.890 --> 00:16:22.660
- To understand what god was doing in her life.
- 00:16:22.660 --> 00:16:27.965
- Mary recognized that her selection by god was the result
- 00:16:27.965 --> 00:16:32.904
- Of god's graciousness in her life.
- 00:16:32.904 --> 00:16:36.307
- Now, i know we read this, and we think,
- 00:16:36.307 --> 00:16:37.942
- "well, certainly, this helps me understand the virgin birth
- 00:16:37.942 --> 00:16:40.278
- Of christ, but what does this have to do with me?
- 00:16:40.278 --> 00:16:45.183
- I mean, after all, this event was a once-in-history event,
- 00:16:45.183 --> 00:16:49.787
- The virgin birth of jesus christ.
- 00:16:49.787 --> 00:16:51.522
- How does what happened to this peasant teenage girl 2,000 years
- 00:16:51.522 --> 00:16:55.359
- Ago impact my life?
- 00:16:55.359 --> 00:16:57.795
- You know, i think all of us, hopefully,
- 00:16:57.795 --> 00:17:02.133
- Desire to live more than an ordinary life.
- 00:17:02.133 --> 00:17:05.736
- Wouldn't you like for god to use you to do something
- 00:17:05.736 --> 00:17:08.706
- Extraordinary, something that would really make a difference
- 00:17:08.706 --> 00:17:12.677
- In the world and his kingdom?
- 00:17:12.677 --> 00:17:16.481
- As i read through this passage, and look at the life of mary,
- 00:17:16.481 --> 00:17:20.151
- I think we can learn three characteristics of the kind of
- 00:17:20.151 --> 00:17:23.654
- Person god chooses to use in an extraordinary way.
- 00:17:23.654 --> 00:17:27.825
- First of all--jot these down-- god uses those who are pure.
- 00:17:27.825 --> 00:17:34.132
- He uses those who are pure.
- 00:17:34.132 --> 00:17:35.666
- Let's don't turn mary into a plaster saint.
- 00:17:35.666 --> 00:17:39.937
- She wasn't.
- 00:17:39.937 --> 00:17:41.305
- She was a normal teenage girl with all the normal drives of a
- 00:17:41.305 --> 00:17:44.909
- Teenage girl, and she was in love.
- 00:17:44.909 --> 00:17:49.180
- She was engaged.
- 00:17:49.180 --> 00:17:51.682
- I mean, couldn't she and joseph have rationalized any premarital
- 00:17:51.682 --> 00:17:56.320
- Sexual relationship?
- 00:17:56.320 --> 00:17:58.756
- They had already decided they were going to get married.
- 00:17:58.756 --> 00:18:00.658
- They would be married soon.
- 00:18:00.658 --> 00:18:02.326
- They certainly, i'm sure, were tempted just like other young
- 00:18:02.326 --> 00:18:05.863
- Adults are to enter into a premarital sexual relationship.
- 00:18:05.863 --> 00:18:09.934
- But had mary done that--
- 00:18:09.934 --> 00:18:12.336
- It's not that she couldn't have been forgiven.
- 00:18:12.336 --> 00:18:13.971
- Of course she could've been forgiven,
- 00:18:13.971 --> 00:18:15.773
- But she would've been disqualified from this
- 00:18:15.773 --> 00:18:18.643
- Unique role that god had prepared for her.
- 00:18:18.643 --> 00:18:23.648
- You see, given a choice between using someone who is pure and
- 00:18:23.648 --> 00:18:28.920
- Someone who is impure, god will always choose the pure vessel
- 00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:33.824
- Over the impure vessel.
- 00:18:33.824 --> 00:18:35.526
- And that's what paul has in mind in 2 timothy chapter 2 when
- 00:18:35.526 --> 00:18:39.330
- He writes, "now in a large house there are not only gold and
- 00:18:39.330 --> 00:18:42.967
- Silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware,
- 00:18:42.967 --> 00:18:47.338
- And some to honor and some to dishonor.
- 00:18:47.338 --> 00:18:50.708
- Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things,
- 00:18:50.708 --> 00:18:54.378
- He will be a vessel for honor, sanctified,
- 00:18:54.378 --> 00:18:58.182
- Useful to the master, prepared for every good work."
- 00:18:58.182 --> 00:19:05.489
- Given the choice between pure and impure,
- 00:19:05.489 --> 00:19:07.625
- God will always choose pure.
- 00:19:07.625 --> 00:19:09.794
- Think about mary's situation.
- 00:19:09.794 --> 00:19:11.229
- I'm sure in nazareth there were teenage girls who were more
- 00:19:11.229 --> 00:19:15.666
- Beautiful, more talented, more gifted than mary,
- 00:19:15.666 --> 00:19:19.470
- But mary was pure, and that's why god chose her.
- 00:19:19.470 --> 00:19:23.608
- By the way, i'm talking to some of you on tv.
- 00:19:23.608 --> 00:19:25.576
- You might say, "well, pastor, i've messed that one up.
- 00:19:25.576 --> 00:19:29.914
- I guess god can't use me anymore,
- 00:19:29.914 --> 00:19:31.515
- Because i have fallen in that area."
- 00:19:31.515 --> 00:19:33.918
- No, god can cleanse you.
- 00:19:33.918 --> 00:19:36.621
- He can forgive you, and you can make a commitment to god from
- 00:19:36.621 --> 00:19:39.991
- This point on, that you're going to be a pure vessel available
- 00:19:39.991 --> 00:19:45.196
- For god's use in an extraordinary way.
- 00:19:45.196 --> 00:19:47.798
- God uses those who are pure.
- 00:19:47.798 --> 00:19:49.600
- Secondly, god uses those who believe his word.
- 00:19:49.600 --> 00:19:53.404
- Remember what elizabeth said about mary?
- 00:19:53.404 --> 00:19:55.806
- Blessed, happy is she who believes that there would be
- 00:19:55.806 --> 00:20:00.244
- A fulfillment of what had been spoken to her.
- 00:20:00.244 --> 00:20:03.681
- A simple reason that god chose mary was mary
- 00:20:03.681 --> 00:20:06.183
- Believed what god said.
- 00:20:06.183 --> 00:20:08.052
- She had faith.
- 00:20:08.052 --> 00:20:10.121
- You know, hebrews 11:6 says, "without faith,
- 00:20:10.121 --> 00:20:14.191
- It is impossible to please god.
- 00:20:14.191 --> 00:20:18.029
- What is faith?
- 00:20:18.029 --> 00:20:19.563
- Faith is believing that god will do what he has promised to do.
- 00:20:19.563 --> 00:20:25.736
- We don't know whether god is going to heal that person we
- 00:20:25.736 --> 00:20:30.308
- Care about so much who is ill.
- 00:20:30.308 --> 00:20:32.476
- We don't know if god is going to bring us this job or not.
- 00:20:32.476 --> 00:20:36.180
- We don't know if god's gonna heal this relationship or not.
- 00:20:36.180 --> 00:20:39.183
- We can't know ahead of time.
- 00:20:39.183 --> 00:20:40.785
- Faith is not believing that god's going to do what we want
- 00:20:40.785 --> 00:20:43.254
- Him to do.
- 00:20:43.254 --> 00:20:44.588
- Faith is believing that god will do
- 00:20:44.588 --> 00:20:45.923
- What he's already promised to do.
- 00:20:45.923 --> 00:20:47.925
- God had already spoken to mary.
- 00:20:47.925 --> 00:20:50.294
- He said, "you're going to be the mother of a savior."
- 00:20:50.294 --> 00:20:53.898
- And mary believed god.
- 00:20:53.898 --> 00:20:55.900
- God uses those who believe his word.
- 00:20:55.900 --> 00:20:59.470
- And finally, god uses those who are willing to sacrifice that
- 00:20:59.470 --> 00:21:04.408
- Which is most important to them.
- 00:21:04.408 --> 00:21:07.912
- God uses those who are willing to sacrifice that which is most
- 00:21:07.912 --> 00:21:11.482
- Important to them.
- 00:21:11.482 --> 00:21:13.517
- When mary said to gabriel, "i'm your bondservant,
- 00:21:13.517 --> 00:21:16.020
- God, to do whatever you want to do," mary was only 13,
- 00:21:16.020 --> 00:21:20.024
- But she knew what she was saying.
- 00:21:20.024 --> 00:21:21.859
- She knew that her acquiescence to being the mother of the lord
- 00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:26.230
- Might very well end the relationship with the man she
- 00:21:26.230 --> 00:21:31.602
- Loved more than any other person on earth.
- 00:21:31.602 --> 00:21:34.238
- She knew this might lead to the breakup of the engagement.
- 00:21:34.238 --> 00:21:37.975
- You know, that's an extraordinary sacrifice for
- 00:21:37.975 --> 00:21:40.010
- Anybody to make.
- 00:21:40.010 --> 00:21:41.345
- But for a teenage girl? think about that.
- 00:21:41.345 --> 00:21:44.148
- That was an extraordinary sacrifice,
- 00:21:44.148 --> 00:21:47.585
- But mary was able to make it, to sacrifice that relationship
- 00:21:47.585 --> 00:21:50.921
- Because of her love for and her commitment to god.
- 00:21:50.921 --> 00:21:56.527
- What about you?
- 00:21:56.527 --> 00:21:58.896
- Do you desire to be used by god in an extraordinary way.
- 00:21:58.896 --> 00:22:04.268
- God uses those who are pure.
- 00:22:04.268 --> 00:22:07.538
- He uses those who believe his word,
- 00:22:07.538 --> 00:22:11.342
- And he uses those who are willing to sacrifice that which
- 00:22:11.342 --> 00:22:15.146
- Is most important to them.
- 00:22:15.146 --> 00:22:17.515
- ♪♪♪
- 00:22:17.515 --> 00:22:22.653
- Jeffress: purity, belief, sacrifice,
- 00:22:22.653 --> 00:22:25.623
- We find these three traits modeled in the life of mary,
- 00:22:25.623 --> 00:22:29.026
- And they should become personal virtues that characterize
- 00:22:29.026 --> 00:22:31.729
- Our lives, as well.
- 00:22:31.729 --> 00:22:33.931
- Now, in closing today, let me invite you to take part in
- 00:22:33.931 --> 00:22:36.767
- A tremendous new opportunity at "pathway to victory."
- 00:22:36.767 --> 00:22:40.604
- Dedicated friends have established the now is
- 00:22:40.604 --> 00:22:43.441
- The time matching challenge, a $1.7 million matching fund,
- 00:22:43.441 --> 00:22:48.946
- And the largest in our ministry's history.
- 00:22:48.946 --> 00:22:51.782
- Over the past 12 months we've seen how progressive culture
- 00:22:51.782 --> 00:22:55.453
- Has caused millions to lose their moral compass.
- 00:22:55.453 --> 00:22:58.956
- They're fumbling in the darkness, grasping for anything
- 00:22:58.956 --> 00:23:02.193
- That might fill the void, and coming up empty every time.
- 00:23:02.193 --> 00:23:06.430
- Now is the time to stand up for biblical morality, for
- 00:23:06.430 --> 00:23:10.000
- Traditional marriage and family, and for religious freedom.
- 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:13.938
- Together, we're on a rescue mission to draw people out of
- 00:23:13.938 --> 00:23:17.074
- The darkness and into the light through our ministry.
- 00:23:17.074 --> 00:23:20.678
- So, i urge you to respond today.
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- Your gift between now and december 31 will be
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- Matched and therefore doubled in its impact.
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- Help us do more, spread more hope,
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- And impact more lives for christ.
- 00:23:32.256 --> 00:23:34.825
- Thank you in advance for your generous partnership
- 00:23:34.825 --> 00:23:37.695
- With "pathway to victory."
- 00:23:37.695 --> 00:23:39.463
- Now, stay right there.
- 00:23:39.463 --> 00:23:40.865
- I'll be back with more in just a moment.
- 00:23:40.865 --> 00:23:43.334
- Announcer: you want to grow closer to god.
- 00:23:44.635 --> 00:23:46.770
- You want your faith to be vibrant and real.
- 00:23:46.770 --> 00:23:49.573
- What if you could live every day abiding in christ, connected to
- 00:23:49.573 --> 00:23:53.577
- The vine that gives you life?
- 00:23:53.577 --> 00:23:56.146
- Discover what it means to truly abide with the brand new 2026
- 00:23:56.146 --> 00:24:01.118
- Pathway to victory daily devotional.
- 00:24:01.118 --> 00:24:03.587
- This beautiful tan leather devotional accented with brown
- 00:24:03.587 --> 00:24:06.824
- And gold foil features 260 biblical insights from dr.
- 00:24:06.824 --> 00:24:11.095
- Robert jeffress, now with larger print for easier reading.
- 00:24:11.095 --> 00:24:15.232
- Jeffress: jesus said, "i am the vine.
- 00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:17.501
- You are the branches.
- 00:24:17.501 --> 00:24:19.036
- The one who remains in me and i in him bears much fruit."
- 00:24:19.036 --> 00:24:23.474
- Abiding means staying connected to christ through his word, and
- 00:24:23.474 --> 00:24:27.311
- That daily connection produces real, lasting fruit in
- 00:24:27.311 --> 00:24:31.415
- Your life.
- 00:24:31.415 --> 00:24:32.783
- Announcer: start the year understanding who god is and
- 00:24:32.783 --> 00:24:35.352
- What he desires from you.
- 00:24:35.352 --> 00:24:37.187
- In spring, grow your roots and become more like christ in
- 00:24:37.187 --> 00:24:40.658
- Humility, obedience, and servanthood.
- 00:24:40.658 --> 00:24:43.427
- In summer, return to the basics of god's instruction manual
- 00:24:43.427 --> 00:24:47.064
- For living.
- 00:24:47.064 --> 00:24:48.432
- And end the year strongly planted in god's truth.
- 00:24:48.432 --> 00:24:51.769
- When you request the devotional, your gift will be doubled in
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- Impact because of the now is the time matching challenge,
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- Equipping us to reach our nation and world with the hope of
- 00:24:58.108 --> 00:25:01.278
- Our savior.
- 00:25:01.278 --> 00:25:03.380
- Are you ready to experience a deeper walk with god in 2026?
- 00:25:03.380 --> 00:25:07.918
- Request the 2026 pathway to victory daily devotional today.
- 00:25:07.918 --> 00:25:12.656
- Jeffress: god looked with favor on mary and chose her
- 00:25:16.727 --> 00:25:19.396
- For a special purpose.
- 00:25:19.396 --> 00:25:21.265
- And this passage in luke teaches us that god can use
- 00:25:21.265 --> 00:25:24.501
- Ordinary people in extraordinary ways.
- 00:25:24.501 --> 00:25:28.272
- Well, perhaps i'm speaking to someone today who feels
- 00:25:28.272 --> 00:25:31.241
- Like all is not quite right between you and god.
- 00:25:31.241 --> 00:25:34.345
- You want to enjoy the relationship with him
- 00:25:34.345 --> 00:25:36.847
- You once enjoyed, but you wonder if it's really possible.
- 00:25:36.847 --> 00:25:40.651
- Next time we're going to find encouragement for the journey
- 00:25:40.651 --> 00:25:43.454
- Home in the story of the prodigal son.
- 00:25:43.454 --> 00:25:47.124
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
- 00:25:47.124 --> 00:25:49.793
- On "pathway to victory".
- 00:25:49.793 --> 00:25:51.662
- Jeffress: how can god possibly forgive me for what i've done?
- 00:25:52.997 --> 00:25:56.834
- Even if he does forgive me, how can i make up for that time
- 00:25:56.834 --> 00:26:00.104
- I have spent apart from him?
- 00:26:00.104 --> 00:26:02.573
- And even if i do come home to a right relationship with god,
- 00:26:02.573 --> 00:26:05.809
- How do i know that i'll remain home?
- 00:26:05.809 --> 00:26:09.346
- I think the prodigal son probably had
- 00:26:09.346 --> 00:26:11.615
- Those same questions.
- 00:26:11.615 --> 00:26:13.851
- Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for
- 00:26:13.851 --> 00:26:16.186
- The message "the journey home," here on "pathway to victory."
- 00:26:16.186 --> 00:26:21.325
- Announcer: experience the beauty of alaska with the
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- Pathway to victory family june 13-20, 2026.
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- Sail through the calm waters of the legendary inside passage
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- Magnificent koningsdam.
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- Be inspired by award-winning musician michael o'brien's
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- Powerful worship; share laughter with dennis swanberg,
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- America's minister of encouragement;
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- All while exploring frontier towns like juneau,
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- Skagway, and ketchikan.
- 00:26:52.289 --> 00:26:54.291
- Jeffress: there's something powerful about connecting with
- 00:26:54.291 --> 00:26:56.560
- God and fellow believers in the majesty
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- Of his untamed wilderness.
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- From the majestic glaciers to soaring eagles,
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- These moments in god's creation will deepen your
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- Faith in powerful ways.
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- Announcer: join us for a spiritual journey through some
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- Of creation's most spectacular displays.
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- Secure your alaska adventure now.
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- Call ... or visit ptv.org.
- 00:27:19.717 --> 00:27:19.717
