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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Mirror, Mirror On The Wall (Part 1)

August 11, 2025 | S25 E382 | 29:0

Robert Jeffress - Mirror, Mirror On The Wall (Part 1)
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#inActive #WordofGod #Seed #Soul #TrustGod #Patience #Disobedience #Fear

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Mirror, Mirror On The Wall (Part 1) | August 11, 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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  • We've all heard the expression actions speak louder than words,
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  • But when it comes to our faith, many christians seem to be
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  • Content to be professional listeners, attending bible
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  • Studies, memorizing scripture, and debating doctrine without
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  • Ever putting god's word into practice.
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  • Well, today we're going to discover why faith requires more
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  • Than just hearing god's word, it demands doing it.
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  • My message is titled "mirror mirror on the wall" on today's
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  • Edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: where there's genuine faith, there will always
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  • Be visible fruit.
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  • In his brand new book "how to know if you're really saved,"
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  • Dr. robert jeffress helps you take stock of the evidence of
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  • Your faith, the spiritual fruit in your daily life.
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  • This outstanding verse by verse walk through the book of james
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  • Will help you cultivate the spiritual fruit that reflects
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  • Genuine faith.
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  • Request "how to know if you're really saved" when you give a
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  • Generous gift to support the ministry of "pathway
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  • To victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: i want you to imagine for a moment, that the deacons
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  • Of our church granted me a one year sabbatical in hawaii.
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  • Now, i know it's a fantasy for me.
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  • Maybe that's a fantasy for you as well, to have me gone for
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  • A year, i don't know, but let's just say, using our imagination,
  • 00:01:55.705 --> 00:01:59.742
  • They said we're going to give you some time off, and so while
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  • Amy and i are in hawaii i send back regular emails to
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  • The church.
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  • I'm concerned about what's happening in the church.
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  • I send suggestions for maybe new programs we ought to implement,
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  • Things we need to watch out for and give attention to, and as
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  • The sabbatical draws to a close, i say to amy, "let's go back
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  • A week early and just surprise everybody," and so we come back
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  • And we're the ones who are surprised.
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  • We walk by the flower beds and notice that they're overgrown
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  • With weeds.
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  • We walk by our beautiful fountain and see it's just
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  • Green, slimy water in there.
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  • We come into the facility and notice the carpets are dirty.
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  • The service is already started.
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  • We slip in at the back and we're shocked.
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  • There just a handful of people here.
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  • The choir is off key, they haven't rehearsed in nine
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  • Months, and the speaker for the day gives a ten minute nothing
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  • More than a motivational pep talk.
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  • We just can't believe it, and i run into our chairman of deacons
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  • And i say, "mike, what has happened around here?
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  • Didn't you receive my emails?"
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  • He said, "oh yes, pastor.
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  • In fact, every time you send a new email, we read it to the
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  • Congregation and they loved everything you said.
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  • You just have a way with words, pastor.
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  • We listened to them.
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  • In fact, not only did we listen to them, some of our members
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  • Actually memorized portions of your emails.
  • 00:03:32.068 --> 00:03:35.838
  • They could quote them by heart.
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  • In fact, we had such interest in those emails we started
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  • A discipleship university class led by dr. wicker on the emails
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  • Of pastor jeffress, and we studied the historic background
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  • Of those emails.
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  • We parsed every verb in the emails.
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  • Yes, we've studied them very carefully."
  • 00:03:53.823 --> 00:03:56.793
  • I said, "you tell me you've received the emails, you've
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  • Studied them, you've memorized them, but did you do what i said
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  • In them?"
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  • "do?
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  • Never even crossed our minds."
  • 00:04:06.703 --> 00:04:09.972
  • Now that analogy is not original with me, but it illustrates
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  • A very important truth.
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  • It's possible to love the word of god, to read the word of god,
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  • To defend the word of god without ever doing the word
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  • Of god.
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  • We have been called to be doers of the word of god and not
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  • Hearers only, and that's the point of the passage we're going
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  • To look at today.
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  • If you have your bibles, turn to james chapter 1.
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  • Now, understanding the context of this letter is key to
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  • Interpreting and applying it correctly.
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  • Remember, james was the leader of the jerusalem church.
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  • He was writing to jewish christians who had been
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  • Scattered throughout the world, and when they would come back to
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  • Jerusalem for the festivals and the feast, james noticed that
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  • There was a disparity between what these jewish christians
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  • Professed and what they actually practiced in their faith.
  • 00:05:05.061 --> 00:05:09.065
  • They were drifting away from the faith and james said, "this
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  • Isn't right.
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  • You need to examine yourself and see if you're really saved or
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  • Not," and here's the thing with the book.
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  • Genuine faith will produce genuine fruit.
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  • Wherever there is saving faith, there will be visible results,
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  • And if there are not results, then it means your faith
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  • Is worthless.
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  • And so throughout this letter, james gives several ways to test
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  • Yourself to see if you are really a christian or not.
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  • First of all, how do you respond to trials, the inevitable trials
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  • Of life?
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  • Do they push you toward god or away from god?
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  • How do you respond to temptation?
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  • Do you bite that bait that satan dangles out in front of you or
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  • Do you turn the other way?
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  • James is gonna give us a third test of whether we're saved or
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  • Not, and it's how we respond to the word of god.
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  • Now, in verses 17 and 18, he has a general word to say about the
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  • Word of god.
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  • He says, "every good thing given and every perfect gift is from
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  • Above, coming down from the father of lights, with whom
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  • There is no variation or shifting shadow.
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  • In the exercise of god's will he brought us forth by the word of
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  • Truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among
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  • His creatures."
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  • By god's word, he made us spiritually alive.
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  • That's what james is saying.
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  • God's word was central in your salvation.
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  • If you're really saved, god's word led you to a saving
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  • Knowledge and belief in jesus christ, and that made
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  • You a first fruit of those who are asleep.
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  • What is that talking about?
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  • Jesus was the first one raised from the dead in his new
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  • Resurrection body.
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  • 1 corinthians 15:20 says he was among the first fruits, the
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  • Sample of a greater harvest that is yet to come of all
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  • Believers everywhere.
  • 00:07:10.820 --> 00:07:13.155
  • God saved you by his word, but god's word was not only
  • 00:07:13.155 --> 00:07:17.393
  • Instrumental in your salvation, it's instrumental in
  • 00:07:17.393 --> 00:07:20.796
  • Your sanctification.
  • 00:07:20.796 --> 00:07:22.798
  • That is in becoming more like jesus every day of your life.
  • 00:07:22.798 --> 00:07:27.270
  • God's desire for your life is not just to take you to heaven
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  • One day.
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  • God wants you in this life to become more and more like
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  • Christ, so that you might attract others to the gospel.
  • 00:07:35.711 --> 00:07:39.649
  • Romans 8:29 says, "for whom god foreknew, he predestined to
  • 00:07:39.649 --> 00:07:44.754
  • Become conformed," shaped, "into the image of his son."
  • 00:07:44.754 --> 00:07:49.825
  • How does god shape you and me and the image of his son?
  • 00:07:49.825 --> 00:07:54.063
  • It's through the word of god.
  • 00:07:54.063 --> 00:07:56.599
  • God's word is like a chisel that chisels away all of the
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  • Attitudes and actions in our life that are not like jesus.
  • 00:08:01.337 --> 00:08:05.641
  • Or to use another analogy from ephesians 5, god's word is like
  • 00:08:05.641 --> 00:08:10.513
  • A bar of soap that removes the grit and the grime, the sin from
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  • Our life that mars the image of christ we possess, but, you
  • 00:08:16.052 --> 00:08:21.057
  • Know, for soap to do its work, it can't stay in the
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  • Soap dispenser.
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  • It has to come out of that soap dish and actually make contact
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  • With our body, with our lives, and so it is with the word of
  • 00:08:32.301 --> 00:08:36.839
  • God, and that's the theme of verses 19 to 27.
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  • How we respond to the word of god.
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  • Commentator ron blue says there are three action points in
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  • This passage.
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  • First of all, if we're truly saved, we will accept the
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  • Word of god.
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  • Secondly, we will act on the word of god.
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  • And thirdly, we will abide in the word of god.
  • 00:08:58.494 --> 00:09:02.365
  • Now for the few minutes we have, let's unpack those commands in
  • 00:09:02.365 --> 00:09:05.701
  • Just a moment.
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  • We're to first of all, accept the word of god.
  • 00:09:07.036 --> 00:09:09.772
  • Look at verse 19.
  • 00:09:09.772 --> 00:09:11.374
  • "this you know, my beloved brethren, but everyone must be
  • 00:09:11.374 --> 00:09:16.212
  • Quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger."
  • 00:09:16.212 --> 00:09:22.318
  • Notice the three commands there.
  • 00:09:22.318 --> 00:09:23.886
  • First of all, we are to be quick to hear.
  • 00:09:23.886 --> 00:09:27.456
  • You have two ears, james says, use them.
  • 00:09:27.456 --> 00:09:31.127
  • Now what else would we do with our ears?
  • 00:09:31.127 --> 00:09:34.430
  • Well, people have ears to hear, that's a given, but not everyone
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  • Has a heart to heed.
  • 00:09:39.669 --> 00:09:41.671
  • You know, in the bible, to hear god's word and not to obey it is
  • 00:09:41.671 --> 00:09:46.275
  • Not to hear at all.
  • 00:09:46.275 --> 00:09:47.710
  • That's why jesus said in matthew 11:15, "'let everyone who has
  • 00:09:47.710 --> 00:09:52.314
  • Ears to hear, let him hear.'"
  • 00:09:52.314 --> 00:09:56.318
  • For example, have you ever said to your kids or your grandkids,
  • 00:09:56.318 --> 00:10:00.990
  • "did you hear what i said?"
  • 00:10:00.990 --> 00:10:04.360
  • Now what are you asking him when you ask that question?
  • 00:10:04.360 --> 00:10:07.697
  • Are you saying, "did the vibrations of my voice enter
  • 00:10:07.697 --> 00:10:12.101
  • Your ear and shake the little bones in your ear that would
  • 00:10:12.101 --> 00:10:16.672
  • Bang on the ear drum that you have in the inner ear?
  • 00:10:16.672 --> 00:10:19.909
  • Did that happen?"
  • 00:10:19.909 --> 00:10:21.243
  • No, that's not what you're asking.
  • 00:10:21.243 --> 00:10:22.611
  • You're saying, "did you take seriously what i said?
  • 00:10:22.611 --> 00:10:26.348
  • Enough to do it instead of ignoring it?"
  • 00:10:26.348 --> 00:10:29.652
  • That's what the bible means when it says, "be quick to hear."
  • 00:10:29.652 --> 00:10:34.323
  • Secondly, to accept god's word means to be slow to speak.
  • 00:10:34.323 --> 00:10:38.194
  • Accepting god's word means be slow to speak.
  • 00:10:38.194 --> 00:10:41.130
  • Now he's not talking about controlling your speech.
  • 00:10:41.130 --> 00:10:43.799
  • He's gonna do that at length when we get to chapter 3.
  • 00:10:43.799 --> 00:10:47.670
  • Boy, talk about a convicting subject, learning to control
  • 00:10:47.670 --> 00:10:50.906
  • Your words, but that's not what he has in mind here when he
  • 00:10:50.906 --> 00:10:54.510
  • Says, "be slow to speak."
  • 00:10:54.510 --> 00:10:56.879
  • He's talking about be slow to excuse your disobedience.
  • 00:10:56.879 --> 00:11:00.483
  • Our natural response to hearing something from god is to argue
  • 00:11:00.483 --> 00:11:06.355
  • With him about it, give reasons why we can't obey his commands.
  • 00:11:06.355 --> 00:11:11.293
  • He said, "be slow to speak," and then thirdly, "be slow
  • 00:11:11.293 --> 00:11:15.264
  • To anger."
  • 00:11:15.264 --> 00:11:16.866
  • Again, this isn't just a general kind of anger he's
  • 00:11:16.866 --> 00:11:19.769
  • Talking about.
  • 00:11:19.769 --> 00:11:21.103
  • That would be out of place.
  • 00:11:21.103 --> 00:11:22.638
  • The anger he's talking about is an anger that comes from the
  • 00:11:22.638 --> 00:11:26.142
  • Conviction of god's spirit when we read his word about sin that
  • 00:11:26.142 --> 00:11:30.579
  • Needs to be eradicated from our life.
  • 00:11:30.579 --> 00:11:33.649
  • You know, some of the angriest people i know and have known are
  • 00:11:33.649 --> 00:11:38.154
  • People who are under the most conviction by god about
  • 00:11:38.154 --> 00:11:41.557
  • Their sin.
  • 00:11:41.557 --> 00:11:42.925
  • If you have a mate who's perpetually angry or children or
  • 00:11:42.925 --> 00:11:46.562
  • Parents, not all the time, but many times it's because of their
  • 00:11:46.562 --> 00:11:50.566
  • Rebellion against god's word and god's will for their life.
  • 00:11:50.566 --> 00:11:55.471
  • He goes on to say in verse 21, to accept the word of god means
  • 00:11:55.471 --> 00:11:59.675
  • To receive the word of god.
  • 00:11:59.675 --> 00:12:01.777
  • Look at verse 21.
  • 00:12:01.777 --> 00:12:03.479
  • "therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains
  • 00:12:03.479 --> 00:12:08.384
  • Of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted,
  • 00:12:08.384 --> 00:12:13.956
  • Which is able to save your soul."
  • 00:12:13.956 --> 00:12:17.226
  • Would you underline that word filthiness in verse 21.
  • 00:12:17.226 --> 00:12:20.696
  • To accept the word of god, you have to remove all filthiness.
  • 00:12:20.696 --> 00:12:25.701
  • That word filthiness in greek is the word rhupos.
  • 00:12:25.701 --> 00:12:29.572
  • Now i don't want to get too gross right before lunch here,
  • 00:12:29.572 --> 00:12:32.775
  • But the word rhupos refers to the build up of wax in
  • 00:12:32.775 --> 00:12:37.713
  • A person's ear.
  • 00:12:37.713 --> 00:12:39.648
  • Do you ever deal with ear wax?
  • 00:12:39.648 --> 00:12:42.318
  • If you don't deal with it, you're probably not hearing
  • 00:12:42.318 --> 00:12:44.620
  • Anything i'm saying today because ear wax keeps you
  • 00:12:44.620 --> 00:12:48.424
  • From hearing.
  • 00:12:48.424 --> 00:12:49.792
  • There comes a point in which you need to get that q-tip out and
  • 00:12:49.792 --> 00:12:53.495
  • Remove the stuff that is in your ear if you want to
  • 00:12:53.495 --> 00:12:56.465
  • Hear completely.
  • 00:12:56.465 --> 00:12:58.000
  • James likens that to moral filthiness.
  • 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:01.637
  • If you want to hear god speak to you, part of accepting god's
  • 00:13:01.637 --> 00:13:04.940
  • Word is removing the spiritual wax, the filthiness that keeps
  • 00:13:04.940 --> 00:13:10.312
  • You from truly hearing god.
  • 00:13:10.312 --> 00:13:12.514
  • Many people can't hear from god when they read the bible.
  • 00:13:12.514 --> 00:13:15.918
  • They can't hear from god because they've had this sin that is
  • 00:13:15.918 --> 00:13:19.421
  • Built up in their life that makes them spiritually deaf.
  • 00:13:19.421 --> 00:13:24.393
  • The word implanted, he goes on to say, verse 21, to accept
  • 00:13:24.393 --> 00:13:30.332
  • God's word means to allow the word to implanted.
  • 00:13:30.332 --> 00:13:34.436
  • Just like a seed is implanted in soil before it can grow, we need
  • 00:13:34.436 --> 00:13:39.675
  • To let the word of god become implanted in our hearts.
  • 00:13:39.675 --> 00:13:43.746
  • What does that mean?
  • 00:13:43.746 --> 00:13:45.114
  • You know, this brings to mind jesus parable in matthew 13,
  • 00:13:45.114 --> 00:13:50.686
  • James's older brother jesus.
  • 00:13:50.686 --> 00:13:52.821
  • Remember the parable he told about the sower of seed and
  • 00:13:52.821 --> 00:13:56.792
  • The soil?
  • 00:13:56.792 --> 00:13:58.160
  • In jesus's day, you would take a bag of seeds and you would just
  • 00:13:58.160 --> 00:14:01.297
  • Walk down paths and just start spreading the seed, and jesus
  • 00:14:01.297 --> 00:14:05.968
  • Described four types of soil which the seed, representing the
  • 00:14:05.968 --> 00:14:09.972
  • Word of god, fell on.
  • 00:14:09.972 --> 00:14:12.141
  • There were four different types of soil, remember that, that
  • 00:14:12.141 --> 00:14:15.911
  • Represent the condition of the human heart.
  • 00:14:15.911 --> 00:14:18.380
  • He said, as the soil went out and scattered the seeds, some of
  • 00:14:18.380 --> 00:14:23.052
  • It fell on hard ground.
  • 00:14:23.052 --> 00:14:26.155
  • Hard ground, it was ground that had become compacted because of
  • 00:14:26.155 --> 00:14:29.992
  • The foot traffic on the path.
  • 00:14:29.992 --> 00:14:32.294
  • That seed couldn't penetrate the soil, so it never grew anything.
  • 00:14:32.294 --> 00:14:37.733
  • The birds came and ate it.
  • 00:14:37.733 --> 00:14:39.435
  • The seed also fell on what jesus called thin soil.
  • 00:14:39.435 --> 00:14:44.406
  • This is soil that looked rich and deep, but underneath the
  • 00:14:44.406 --> 00:14:47.876
  • Soil was a bed of limestone so that the plant could never grow
  • 00:14:47.876 --> 00:14:52.614
  • Strong roots that would get the nourishment that it needed, and
  • 00:14:52.614 --> 00:14:56.018
  • When the sun came out, the leaf would wither up and die.
  • 00:14:56.018 --> 00:15:00.756
  • Some of the seed fell on weed infested soil.
  • 00:15:00.756 --> 00:15:04.393
  • Again, it began to take root, but there was already a network
  • 00:15:04.393 --> 00:15:08.263
  • Of weeds in that soil that strangled the life out of
  • 00:15:08.263 --> 00:15:12.401
  • The seed.
  • 00:15:12.401 --> 00:15:13.836
  • Some of the seed though fell on good soil.
  • 00:15:13.836 --> 00:15:17.673
  • It was soil that was soft, not hard.
  • 00:15:17.673 --> 00:15:20.209
  • It was deep, not thin.
  • 00:15:20.209 --> 00:15:21.643
  • It was clean, not weed infested.
  • 00:15:21.643 --> 00:15:24.246
  • This is the seed that brought forth fruit.
  • 00:15:24.246 --> 00:15:27.816
  • And in the same way, god's word can fall on different types
  • 00:15:27.816 --> 00:15:31.820
  • Of hearts.
  • 00:15:31.820 --> 00:15:33.155
  • Some of the hearts are so hard, the word of god can't
  • 00:15:33.155 --> 00:15:36.392
  • Penetrate it.
  • 00:15:36.392 --> 00:15:38.260
  • Some is thin, that is their hearts don't have depth to them
  • 00:15:38.260 --> 00:15:44.833
  • To produce much fruit, and when trials come, they wither up in
  • 00:15:44.833 --> 00:15:49.905
  • Their faith.
  • 00:15:49.905 --> 00:15:51.440
  • Sometimes god's word falls on hearts that are so concerned,
  • 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:56.145
  • Jesus said, with the worries and the riches of this world, that
  • 00:15:56.145 --> 00:16:00.482
  • Those things strangle the spiritual life out of the word
  • 00:16:00.482 --> 00:16:03.852
  • Of god.
  • 00:16:03.852 --> 00:16:05.487
  • Who's responsible for the condition of your heart,
  • 00:16:05.487 --> 00:16:09.058
  • My heart?
  • 00:16:09.058 --> 00:16:10.426
  • We are.
  • 00:16:10.426 --> 00:16:11.760
  • We cultivate the kind of heart that receives the word of god,
  • 00:16:11.760 --> 00:16:16.632
  • And that's why it's very important that we have a heart
  • 00:16:16.632 --> 00:16:19.701
  • That is open to the word of god.
  • 00:16:19.701 --> 00:16:22.271
  • Remember what the psalmist said, "open my eyes, that i may behold
  • 00:16:22.271 --> 00:16:26.608
  • Wonderful things out of your law."
  • 00:16:26.608 --> 00:16:28.744
  • That i may what?
  • 00:16:28.744 --> 00:16:31.046
  • Know your word, no.
  • 00:16:31.046 --> 00:16:32.881
  • Defend your word, no.
  • 00:16:32.881 --> 00:16:34.883
  • Open my eyes that i may see so that i may live and obey
  • 00:16:34.883 --> 00:16:40.456
  • Your word.
  • 00:16:40.456 --> 00:16:41.824
  • The best thing you can do to keep your heart ready to receive
  • 00:16:41.824 --> 00:16:47.463
  • The word of god is to make sure you're obeying what you already
  • 00:16:47.463 --> 00:16:51.767
  • Know to be true.
  • 00:16:51.767 --> 00:16:53.735
  • The most dangerous thing you can do to your spiritual heart is to
  • 00:16:53.735 --> 00:16:59.174
  • Engage in selective obedience to god.
  • 00:16:59.174 --> 00:17:02.611
  • Let's just suppose for a moment you go to the doctor complaining
  • 00:17:02.611 --> 00:17:05.647
  • Of chronic fatigue, shortness of breath.
  • 00:17:05.647 --> 00:17:08.851
  • Your doctor does a series of tests and he comes back and
  • 00:17:08.851 --> 00:17:12.187
  • Says, "man, you've got lots of problems.
  • 00:17:12.187 --> 00:17:14.323
  • Your cholesterol is through the roof.
  • 00:17:14.323 --> 00:17:16.692
  • You've got plaque blocking your arteries, and you've got a weak
  • 00:17:16.692 --> 00:17:20.796
  • Heart muscle.
  • 00:17:20.796 --> 00:17:22.164
  • You better make some changes."
  • 00:17:22.164 --> 00:17:23.966
  • You say, "well, doctor, i'll do whatever you want me to."
  • 00:17:23.966 --> 00:17:26.335
  • He says, "okay, you're gonna take a cholesterol tablet every
  • 00:17:26.335 --> 00:17:29.771
  • Day to deal with that.
  • 00:17:29.771 --> 00:17:31.673
  • You have to engage in a vigorous exercise program and you need to
  • 00:17:31.673 --> 00:17:35.611
  • Start a low fat diet."
  • 00:17:35.611 --> 00:17:37.513
  • Well, you're all enthused about doing that for a little while,
  • 00:17:37.513 --> 00:17:41.250
  • But pretty soon you notice you just can't bring yourself
  • 00:17:41.250 --> 00:17:44.186
  • To exercise.
  • 00:17:44.186 --> 00:17:45.554
  • It doesn't work with your schedule, so you cut that out.
  • 00:17:45.554 --> 00:17:48.991
  • Secondly, you can't stand that low fat diet anymore, so you cut
  • 00:17:48.991 --> 00:17:53.362
  • That out, and you say, "well, i'm gonna still take my
  • 00:17:53.362 --> 00:17:55.597
  • Cholesterol tablet."
  • 00:17:55.597 --> 00:17:57.766
  • Now what happens to you when you do that?
  • 00:17:57.766 --> 00:18:00.502
  • Two things.
  • 00:18:00.502 --> 00:18:01.837
  • One's obvious.
  • 00:18:01.837 --> 00:18:03.205
  • You have now deprived yourself of the benefits of exercise and
  • 00:18:03.205 --> 00:18:07.242
  • A low fat diet, but something even more sinister happens.
  • 00:18:07.242 --> 00:18:12.714
  • You've developed a habit of selectively obeying what your
  • 00:18:12.714 --> 00:18:17.085
  • Doctor tells you to do.
  • 00:18:17.085 --> 00:18:18.954
  • You've learned how to tune him out, to say no to him.
  • 00:18:18.954 --> 00:18:23.659
  • What if he comes to you later on and says something more serious?
  • 00:18:23.659 --> 00:18:27.462
  • You need to have a stent put in or you need a heart transplant.
  • 00:18:27.462 --> 00:18:31.733
  • You can easily, having developed a sense of disobedience, ignore
  • 00:18:31.733 --> 00:18:36.638
  • What he says about something serious.
  • 00:18:36.638 --> 00:18:39.241
  • It's the same way with god.
  • 00:18:39.241 --> 00:18:41.210
  • When we selectively obey god, when we obey god when it's easy,
  • 00:18:41.210 --> 00:18:47.049
  • Then we develop a resistance to hearing god's voice speak
  • 00:18:47.049 --> 00:18:51.186
  • Through his word.
  • 00:18:51.186 --> 00:18:52.654
  • Again, selective obedience is one of the most dangerous things
  • 00:18:52.654 --> 00:18:57.292
  • You can do for the well-being of your spiritual heart.
  • 00:18:57.292 --> 00:19:01.063
  • We need to accept god's word.
  • 00:19:01.063 --> 00:19:04.066
  • That means being receptive to it.
  • 00:19:04.066 --> 00:19:06.335
  • I think of paul's words about the thessalonians.
  • 00:19:06.335 --> 00:19:09.605
  • In 1 thessalonians 2:13, he said, "for this reason we also
  • 00:19:09.605 --> 00:19:14.409
  • Constantly thank god that when you receive the word of god,
  • 00:19:14.409 --> 00:19:19.548
  • Which you heard from us, you accepted it for what it really
  • 00:19:19.548 --> 00:19:23.785
  • Is, not the mere words of man, but the word of god, which works
  • 00:19:23.785 --> 00:19:29.124
  • In your heart who believe."
  • 00:19:29.124 --> 00:19:31.560
  • We need to accept the word of god.
  • 00:19:31.560 --> 00:19:33.996
  • Secondly, we need to act on the word of god.
  • 00:19:33.996 --> 00:19:38.233
  • Look at verse 22.
  • 00:19:38.233 --> 00:19:39.901
  • Once we've accepted god's word, once we've welcomed it into our
  • 00:19:39.901 --> 00:19:44.239
  • Hearts to do its work, we need to act on the word of god.
  • 00:19:44.239 --> 00:19:47.643
  • Look at verse 22, "but prove yourselves doers of the word,
  • 00:19:47.643 --> 00:19:53.882
  • And not merely hearers who delude themselves."
  • 00:19:53.882 --> 00:20:00.789
  • I want you to listen to this very carefully.
  • 00:20:00.789 --> 00:20:02.924
  • It's worth the price of the sermon.
  • 00:20:02.924 --> 00:20:05.694
  • Best quote i've come across in years.
  • 00:20:05.694 --> 00:20:08.830
  • Comes from the late bible teacher warren wiersbe.
  • 00:20:08.830 --> 00:20:12.234
  • He said, "many people have the mistaken idea that hearing a
  • 00:20:12.234 --> 00:20:17.806
  • Good sermon or bible study is what makes them grow and gets
  • 00:20:17.806 --> 00:20:22.044
  • God's blessings.
  • 00:20:22.044 --> 00:20:23.945
  • It is not the hearing, but the doing that brings the blessing.
  • 00:20:23.945 --> 00:20:29.584
  • Too many christians mark their bibles, but their bibles never
  • 00:20:29.584 --> 00:20:34.723
  • Mark them.
  • 00:20:34.723 --> 00:20:36.625
  • If you think you are spiritual because you have heard the word
  • 00:20:36.625 --> 00:20:39.795
  • Of god, then you are only kidding yourselves."
  • 00:20:39.795 --> 00:20:45.233
  • Isn't that what james says?
  • 00:20:45.233 --> 00:20:47.836
  • If you think hearing the word of god is enough, you are deluding
  • 00:20:47.836 --> 00:20:52.774
  • Yourself is what the scripture says.
  • 00:20:52.774 --> 00:20:54.676
  • You are deceiving yourself.
  • 00:20:54.676 --> 00:20:57.212
  • Don't be deceived.
  • 00:20:57.212 --> 00:20:59.281
  • Do you know satan really doesn't care that much whether you come
  • 00:20:59.281 --> 00:21:03.585
  • To the worship services of first baptist church dallas?
  • 00:21:03.585 --> 00:21:07.589
  • He doesn't care that much if you come.
  • 00:21:07.589 --> 00:21:10.492
  • What causes him to shake in his boots is the possibility that
  • 00:21:10.492 --> 00:21:15.130
  • You might apply on monday something you heard on sunday.
  • 00:21:15.130 --> 00:21:20.469
  • That's what threatens the gates of hell.
  • 00:21:20.469 --> 00:21:24.172
  • No, don't be just hearers of the word, be doers of the word.
  • 00:21:24.172 --> 00:21:29.111
  • In fact, he gives this illustration.
  • 00:21:29.111 --> 00:21:31.113
  • Look at verse 23, "if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a
  • 00:21:31.113 --> 00:21:36.485
  • Doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
  • 00:21:36.485 --> 00:21:42.157
  • For once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has
  • 00:21:42.157 --> 00:21:45.360
  • Immediately forgotten what kind of person he was."
  • 00:21:45.360 --> 00:21:48.864
  • Now some people say, well, the mistake here is that the person
  • 00:21:48.864 --> 00:21:52.534
  • Only looks briefly into the mirror.
  • 00:21:52.534 --> 00:21:55.237
  • He doesn't study it and contemplate it.
  • 00:21:55.237 --> 00:21:57.973
  • Maybe that's what he's saying, somebody doesn't look intently
  • 00:21:57.973 --> 00:22:01.376
  • At the word of god.
  • 00:22:01.376 --> 00:22:02.744
  • No, this greek word for look means to gaze at,
  • 00:22:02.744 --> 00:22:06.481
  • To study carefully.
  • 00:22:06.481 --> 00:22:08.016
  • The problem is not that the person doesn't know his face
  • 00:22:08.016 --> 00:22:11.620
  • Is dirty.
  • 00:22:11.620 --> 00:22:12.988
  • The problem is, even though he realizes his face is dirty,
  • 00:22:12.988 --> 00:22:18.193
  • He gets distracted and ends up doing nothing about it.
  • 00:22:18.193 --> 00:22:21.096
  • He walks away without cleaning his face.
  • 00:22:21.096 --> 00:22:24.332
  • So is a person who studies god's word, knows what's wrong, but
  • 00:22:24.332 --> 00:22:30.005
  • Never acts upon it.
  • 00:22:30.005 --> 00:22:32.140
  • The most dangerous interval in your spiritual life is that
  • 00:22:32.140 --> 00:22:38.346
  • Period of time between realizing what god wants you to do and
  • 00:22:38.346 --> 00:22:43.351
  • Actually doing what god wants you to do.
  • 00:22:43.351 --> 00:22:46.455
  • The longer that interval between realizing and doing, the longer
  • 00:22:46.455 --> 00:22:52.160
  • That interval, the greater foothold satan can gain in
  • 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:56.665
  • Your life.
  • 00:22:56.665 --> 00:22:57.999
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:22:57.999 --> 00:23:03.004
  • Jeffress: james reminds us that genuine faith produces
  • 00:23:03.004 --> 00:23:06.575
  • Genuine fruit.
  • 00:23:06.575 --> 00:23:08.109
  • We can't just be hearers of god's word, we must be doers,
  • 00:23:08.109 --> 00:23:12.380
  • And that's what this ministry is all about.
  • 00:23:12.380 --> 00:23:14.950
  • At "pathway to victory" we're committed to helping you not
  • 00:23:14.950 --> 00:23:17.719
  • Only understand the scripture but apply it to your daily life.
  • 00:23:17.719 --> 00:23:22.357
  • That's why we broadcast these programs every single day,
  • 00:23:22.357 --> 00:23:25.727
  • Through television, radio, and digital streaming platforms.
  • 00:23:25.727 --> 00:23:29.865
  • Your generous partnership enables us to be a consistent
  • 00:23:29.865 --> 00:23:33.301
  • Voice of truth, sharing practical, biblical teaching
  • 00:23:33.301 --> 00:23:36.972
  • That equips you to handle real life challenges.
  • 00:23:36.972 --> 00:23:40.408
  • So let me say thank you to our pathway partners and everyone
  • 00:23:40.408 --> 00:23:44.179
  • Who supports "pathway to victory."
  • 00:23:44.179 --> 00:23:46.581
  • Your support ensures that this ministry remains a source of
  • 00:23:46.581 --> 00:23:50.552
  • Daily encouragement and practical wisdom for christians
  • 00:23:50.552 --> 00:23:54.556
  • Around the world.
  • 00:23:54.556 --> 00:23:55.991
  • Together we are piercing the darkness with the light of
  • 00:23:55.991 --> 00:23:59.561
  • God's word.
  • 00:23:59.561 --> 00:24:00.896
  • Now stay right there.
  • 00:24:00.896 --> 00:24:02.230
  • I'll be back with more in just a moment.
  • 00:24:02.230 --> 00:24:05.600
  • Male announcer: every believer wants to see clear evidence of
  • 00:24:06.902 --> 00:24:09.504
  • Their spiritual growth and discover the fruit that god is
  • 00:24:09.504 --> 00:24:12.807
  • Producing in their lives.
  • 00:24:12.807 --> 00:24:14.676
  • Dr. robert jeffress shows you exactly how to recognize that
  • 00:24:14.676 --> 00:24:18.246
  • Fruit in his brand new book "how to know if you're really saved."
  • 00:24:18.246 --> 00:24:22.384
  • Jeffress: the book of james teaches us that the christian
  • 00:24:22.384 --> 00:24:24.753
  • Life is about more than just knowing god's word, it's about
  • 00:24:24.753 --> 00:24:28.924
  • Living it out.
  • 00:24:28.924 --> 00:24:30.292
  • In my new book, "how to know if you're really saved," i'll walk
  • 00:24:30.292 --> 00:24:33.295
  • You through what it truly means to be a doer of the word,
  • 00:24:33.295 --> 00:24:37.032
  • Showing you how to respond to trials, control your speech,
  • 00:24:37.032 --> 00:24:40.835
  • Endure hardships, resist temptation, and so much more.
  • 00:24:40.835 --> 00:24:45.874
  • Male announcer: this outstanding 232 page book will help you
  • 00:24:45.874 --> 00:24:48.843
  • Examine the evidence of your faith and see the spiritual
  • 00:24:48.843 --> 00:24:52.213
  • Fruit that should be growing in your daily life.
  • 00:24:52.213 --> 00:24:55.250
  • Request your copy of "how to know if you're really saved"
  • 00:24:55.250 --> 00:24:58.320
  • When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of "pathway
  • 00:24:58.320 --> 00:25:01.523
  • To victory" or when you become a pathway partner.
  • 00:25:01.523 --> 00:25:04.726
  • With your ministry gift of $75 or more, we'll send you not just
  • 00:25:04.726 --> 00:25:08.863
  • The book, but also the personal and group study guide and the
  • 00:25:08.863 --> 00:25:12.534
  • Complete message series on both cd and dvd.
  • 00:25:12.534 --> 00:25:15.937
  • Jeffress: if you are truly saved, there's gonna be evidence
  • 00:25:15.937 --> 00:25:19.374
  • Of it.
  • 00:25:19.374 --> 00:25:20.709
  • There's some tests that you need to apply to your life.
  • 00:25:20.709 --> 00:25:23.945
  • Male announcer: thank you for your generous support of
  • 00:25:23.945 --> 00:25:25.814
  • "pathway to victory."
  • 00:25:25.814 --> 00:25:27.148
  • Your partnership helps us bring bold, biblical, and practical
  • 00:25:27.148 --> 00:25:30.819
  • Teaching into homes across the nation and around the world.
  • 00:25:30.819 --> 00:25:35.924
  • Jeffress: god's word is meant to transform us, not just
  • 00:25:37.559 --> 00:25:40.929
  • Inform us.
  • 00:25:40.929 --> 00:25:42.364
  • James warns about the danger of being spiritual spectators,
  • 00:25:42.364 --> 00:25:46.635
  • Those who hear god's word but never act on it.
  • 00:25:46.635 --> 00:25:50.205
  • Like someone who looks in a mirror and walks away without
  • 00:25:50.205 --> 00:25:53.575
  • Fixing what's wrong, we deceive ourselves when we fail to act on
  • 00:25:53.575 --> 00:25:57.979
  • What we've learned.
  • 00:25:57.979 --> 00:25:59.547
  • Next time we'll discover what it means to abide in god's word.
  • 00:25:59.547 --> 00:26:03.752
  • I'll also share five practical ways to make scripture a daily
  • 00:26:03.752 --> 00:26:08.089
  • Part of your life.
  • 00:26:08.089 --> 00:26:09.557
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:26:09.557 --> 00:26:12.060
  • Series "how to know if you're really saved."
  • 00:26:12.060 --> 00:26:16.498
  • Jeffress: no matter how small it is, no act of obedience is
  • 00:26:16.498 --> 00:26:21.036
  • Inconsequential to god.
  • 00:26:21.036 --> 00:26:23.605
  • Whether it's saying no to a temptation or saying yes to some
  • 00:26:23.605 --> 00:26:28.543
  • Everyday mundane responsibility, god sees and god rewards
  • 00:26:28.543 --> 00:26:34.983
  • Your obedience.
  • 00:26:34.983 --> 00:26:36.951
  • Male announcer: set your dvr and
  • 00:26:36.951 --> 00:26:38.286
  • Join us next time for part two
  • 00:26:38.286 --> 00:26:39.988
  • Of the message "mirror, mirror
  • 00:26:39.988 --> 00:26:41.456
  • On the wall," here on
  • 00:26:41.456 --> 00:26:43.191
  • "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:43.191 --> 00:26:45.960
  • Male announcer: witness god's glory on display in america's
  • 00:26:47.796 --> 00:26:50.632
  • Last frontier.
  • 00:26:50.632 --> 00:26:52.033
  • Jeffress: alaska's majestic wilderness showcases our
  • 00:26:52.033 --> 00:26:55.003
  • Creator's handiwork like nowhere else on earth, and you're
  • 00:26:55.003 --> 00:26:59.107
  • Invited to experience it firsthand on the 2026 "pathway
  • 00:26:59.107 --> 00:27:03.445
  • To victory" cruise to alaska.
  • 00:27:03.445 --> 00:27:05.613
  • Male announcer: experience the unforgettable adventure, june 13
  • 00:27:05.613 --> 00:27:08.883
  • Through 20, 2026.
  • 00:27:08.883 --> 00:27:10.852
  • To book your cabin, call ...
  • 00:27:10.852 --> 00:27:14.756
  • Or go to ptv.org.
  • 00:27:14.756 --> 00:27:14.756