Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - The Necessary Ingredient (Part 1)

May 4, 2026 | 27:29

Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - The Necessary Ingredient (Part 1) | May 4, 2026

♪ music ♪
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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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Hi, i am robert jeffress
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And welcome again to "pathway to victory".
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The word faith is pervasive today, it's woven into lyrics,
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Books, and speeches,
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But even though it's familiar,
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Most of us could choose a refresher course
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On the true meaning of faith.
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Today we're beginning a brand new study in hebrews 11
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Called spiritual fitness.
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And we'll start by defining this all important word, faith.
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My message is titled the necessary ingredient
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On today's edition of "pathway to victory",
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♪ music ♪
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And around the world, but there are still so many
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♪ music ♪
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♪ music ♪
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I remember at the beginning of this pandemic,
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The very outset of it, a reporter asked me,
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"pastor, what do you think the long-term consequences
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Are going to be if this quarantine,
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The shutdown goes for months and months?"
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And i said, "my prediction is
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You're going to see divorce rates rise dramatically."
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And sure enough months later,
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That is exactly what we have seen happen.
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We're seeing divorce rates go up in texas,
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In california, in florida.
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In fact, i came across an interview
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With a divorce attorney this week
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Who explained why that was.
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He said, "i would say the phone is ringing much more
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Where it used to be that a couple was able
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To get away from each other during the days
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Or in the evenings with their extracurricular activities.
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Now they don't have that opportunity."
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So now people are more acutely aware
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That they just can't stay together.
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Now, will you listen to what that attorney is saying?
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He is saying that being cooped up with your mate,
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Let me change that.
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Spending quality time with your beloved
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(congregation laughing)
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Is not the cause of problems in the marriage,
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But it reveals problems that were already in the marriage.
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That's an important distinction.
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The fact is pressure from the outside
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Doesn't always cause problems,
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It simply reveals problems.
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Think about a hairline fracture in a sidewalk
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Or in a road that you can't see with the naked eye,
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But you put pressure on that fracture,
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Whether it's a 4,000 pound truck
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Or an 18,000 pound semi.
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You put pressure on that, that fracture becomes visible
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And it even widens because of the pressure.
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That's true in almost every aspect of life,
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Including our relationship with god.
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The fact is, problems from the outside
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Don't fracture our relationship with god.
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Problems from the outside simply reveal fractures
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In our relationship with god
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And widens them.
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You know, we don't hear that often
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In christian teaching these days.
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Haven't you heard people say, "oh, problems are wonderful.
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You've lost your mate, you're going through an illness,
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You're experiencing financial difficulty.
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Well, you ought to rejoice in that
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Because that strengthens your faith in god."
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We even have verses we quote to say that like james 1:2
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"count it all joy, my brothers,
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When you encounter various trials
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Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."
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Or sometimes that's true,
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But not all the time.
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That verse "testing of your faith,"
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That word testing, docking neon, is a word that refers
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To the process by which a potter forms a piece of pottery
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Out of clay and then he puts it in a firing oven.
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Turns up the temperature, hundreds and hundreds of degrees
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And the heat of that oven sometimes strengthens
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That piece of pottery.
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But sometimes that oven,
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The heat reveals a problem in that piece of pottery
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And causes it to shatter.
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If the piece of pottery survives the firing oven,
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The pottery takes it out and he writes on the bottom,
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He would write the greek word dokimon, tested, approved.
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It's made it through the fire
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And it's stronger because of it.
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But if that piece of pottery would shatter in the oven,
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It was thrown away forever.
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It's the same way with our faith.
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When we go through fiery problems in our life,
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Sometimes those problems can strengthen us,
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But sometimes they can cause our faith to shatter.
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What's the difference?
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What is it that determines
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Whether or not problems strengthen us or destroy us?
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In a word, faith.
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Faith is the necessary ingredient that allows us to survive
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And even thrive in problems
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Rather than be shattered by them.
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Whether or not problems draw us closer to god
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Or drive us away from god depends upon faith.
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And faith is the subject of our chapter
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We've come to in our study of the book of hebrews,
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Hebrews 11.
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Today we're beginning a new series
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Based on these final three chapters in the book of hebrews.
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I'm calling this series spiritual fitness:
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Strengthening our faith in troubled times.
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Now, you probably are familiar with hebrews 11.
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It has many names.
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People have called it the westminster abbey of christianity,
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God's hall of honor, the roll call of faith.
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But the problem with hebrews 11 is sometimes we become
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So familiar with it, we miss the teaching of it.
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Like psalm 23 or 1 corinthians 13,
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We get caught up in the beauty of the language
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Rather than the meaning of the text.
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When the writer of hebrews sat down to write hebrews 11,
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He wasn't trying to write the most eloquent treatise
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On the subject of faith ever created.
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Instead, he was addressing a very real problem
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Among the hebrew christians.
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These new christians who had come out of judaism
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And embraced christianity were starting to feel the heat
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For their decision.
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They were facing pressure, testing from the roman government
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That was beginning an empire-wide ban on christianity,
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But they were also feeling the heat
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From their own family members.
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Jews who didn't understand why they would abandon tradition
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And their families for this new religion
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Called christianity.
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How were these hebrew christians reacting to that pressure?
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Some were allowing it to shatter their beliefs
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And they were considering going back into judaism.
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And so the writer of hebrews says,
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"don't lose your confidence.
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Don't give up your faith in jesus, that superior priest
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Who offered the superior sacrifice
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To obtain a superior salvation.
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Why would you let go of what you know to be true?"
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And so he says, "the key to holding onto your beliefs
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Is your faith."
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How can you as christians today living in the 21st century,
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Make sure that you endure
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Rather than buckle under the problems you're facing?
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What is the key to holding onto your beliefs
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Rather than letting go of them in difficult times?
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What is it that will preserve your relationship with god
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Until christ returns one day?
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Again, in a word, it's faith.
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And today in these first seven verses, if hebrews 11,
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The author's going to do three things.
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First of all, he's going to define faith.
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Secondly, he's going to give us two examples of faith,
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And then third, he's going to explain
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The two requirements of faith.
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First of all, let's talk about a definition of faith.
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When we're talking about faith, what are we talking about?
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I think the best way to explain faith is to begin
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By explaining what it's not.
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Today there is a lot of fuzzy thinking
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About what faith is.
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You know, i remember reading a book
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By the late robert schuller
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And robert schuller had some good things to say,
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But also some not so good things to say. (laughs)
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He was america's premier possibility thinker,
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And i remember reading a paragraph in one of his books
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And he said, "the greatest threat
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To the world today is not thermonuclear war.
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It's not environmental disaster,"
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No, this is what he said the greatest problem was, quote,
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"the greatest problem is that the human being
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Will lose faith
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That he can manage to overcome those problems."
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What is the solution to the biggest problem?
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I am and i can.
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Powerful positive self-esteem
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Is what we all need.
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By the way, when you hear people say,
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"oh, i'm a person of faith,"
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Or, "he or she's a person of faith,"
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We're going to hear that a lot in the next few months.
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"oh, they're a person of faith."
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You always need to ask the question, faith in what?
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Faith in what?
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Faith in yourself like schuller says,
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I am and i can?
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Faith in other people?
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Faith that somehow everything's going to turn out okay.
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Faith always demands an object,
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And the only worthy object of our faith is god himself.
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That's what faith is about.
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It's not faith in me or faith in circumstances.
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It is faith in god.
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No, faith is not positive thinking.
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It's not conjuring up this emotion that,
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Oh, i believe, i believe, i believe.
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That if you believe something hard enough,
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You can will it into existence.
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That's not faith, that's presumption.
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No, he tells us exactly what real biblical faith is.
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First of all by words. look at verse one.
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"now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
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It is the conviction of things not seen.
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Underline those words, assurance and conviction.
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Look at that word assurance.
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It's the greek word hupostasis it from two greek words,
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Actually stasis, which means a concrete pillar
00:11:54.103 --> 00:11:57.406
That holds something up.
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Hupo means underneath below.
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It refers to the foundation
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That holds those pillars into faith.
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In other words, hupostasis, assurance
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Isn't some mystical hope that something might happen.
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It is the concrete assurance that something is going to happen.
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And what is our concrete assurance in?
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Again, it's not that what we want to happen will happen.
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Faith is the assurance, listen to this,
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That god will do what he has promised to do.
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It's not that god will do what i want him to do,
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It's that god will do what he has promised to do.
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So many christians get mixed up on this.
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They think to pray in faith
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Means to just get this positive attitude that says,
00:12:44.386 --> 00:12:47.857
"god's going to do what i want him to do
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And if i believe it long enough,
00:12:49.658 --> 00:12:51.026
Hard enough and say it often enough,
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God will be forced to do what i want him to do."
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I say it's like that little engine that could,
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Remember going up the hill,
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"i think i can, i think i can, i think i can."
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A lot of people think that's what faith is.
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I think god will, i think god will, i think god will.
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And somehow if you say that long enough,
00:13:07.977 --> 00:13:10.179
God will be forced to do it.
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That's not faith, that's presumption.
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Faith is believing that god will do
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What he's promised to do.
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Well, what does he promised to do?
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Listen, god never promised to spare you from illness.
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He never promised to spare you from heartache.
00:13:25.027 --> 00:13:28.931
He never promised to spare you from death,
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But what he has promised to do is to redeem you when you die
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And take you with him forever.
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That is what you can know for sure
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That god has promised to do.
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I remember talking to a couple a while back,
00:13:43.078 --> 00:13:46.949
They were suffering the pain and heartbreak of infertility.
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They had prayed and prayed and prayed
00:13:51.153 --> 00:13:53.088
That god would give them a child.
00:13:53.088 --> 00:13:55.557
They'd gone through expensive treatments, nothing worked.
00:13:55.557 --> 00:13:59.328
Now i remember what they said to me,
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They said, "you know, pastor, we believe
00:14:00.529 --> 00:14:04.033
That whether or not god gives us a child,
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God is going to use our experience
00:14:07.002 --> 00:14:09.138
To help and encourage others who are going
00:14:09.138 --> 00:14:11.073
Through this problem."
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And they ended up leading a support group in our church
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For those who go through infertility.
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You see, they exercised faith,
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Not the faith that god was going to give them a child.
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In fact, he never gave them a child.
00:14:23.752 --> 00:14:25.988
But faith that god could use their pain for good.
00:14:25.988 --> 00:14:29.959
Faith that like 2 corinthians 1 says,
00:14:29.959 --> 00:14:32.027
"god comforts us in our affliction
00:14:32.027 --> 00:14:34.930
That we can comfort others with the same comfort
00:14:34.930 --> 00:14:38.467
With which we are comforted in all of our affliction."
00:14:38.467 --> 00:14:42.538
That's what god has promised to do.
00:14:42.538 --> 00:14:44.440
He hasn't promised to take you out
00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:46.208
Of your problems right now,
00:14:46.208 --> 00:14:47.576
But he's promised if you're willing to use you
00:14:47.576 --> 00:14:50.212
As an encouragement to others as well.
00:14:50.212 --> 00:14:53.282
That's what biblical faith is.
00:14:53.282 --> 00:14:55.351
It's an assurance that god will do what he's promised to do.
00:14:55.351 --> 00:14:58.654
But notice the second word,
00:14:58.654 --> 00:15:00.055
It's not just an assurance, it is a conviction.
00:15:00.055 --> 00:15:03.692
It's a conviction of the things not seen.
00:15:03.692 --> 00:15:07.830
Verse two, "for by it," that is faith.
00:15:07.830 --> 00:15:10.366
"the men of old gained approval."
00:15:10.366 --> 00:15:12.501
Conviction has the idea of doing something
00:15:12.501 --> 00:15:16.505
As a result of your faith.
00:15:16.505 --> 00:15:18.674
It refers to obeying god.
00:15:18.674 --> 00:15:21.443
As we look at hebrews 11 in the next few weeks,
00:15:22.378 --> 00:15:25.214
We'll discover one thing all of these men and women
00:15:25.214 --> 00:15:27.516
Had in common is they believed god
00:15:27.516 --> 00:15:30.986
And they acted according to their belief in god.
00:15:30.986 --> 00:15:34.023
They did something as a demonstration of their faith.
00:15:34.023 --> 00:15:38.927
That's what conviction is
00:15:38.927 --> 00:15:41.163
And that leads me to the definition of faith
00:15:41.163 --> 00:15:43.465
That i want us to use throughout the study.
00:15:43.465 --> 00:15:45.834
Faith is believing.
00:15:45.834 --> 00:15:48.170
Faith is the assurance that god will do
00:15:48.170 --> 00:15:51.707
What he's promised to do and acting accordingly.
00:15:51.707 --> 00:15:56.645
Faith without works is a dead faith.
00:15:56.645 --> 00:15:58.981
Faith is the assurance that god will do
00:15:58.981 --> 00:16:01.617
What he's promised to do and acting accordingly.
00:16:01.617 --> 00:16:04.920
Notice the illustration he gives of what it means
00:16:04.920 --> 00:16:07.656
To believe, to be convicted of things not seen.
00:16:07.656 --> 00:16:12.127
Look at verse three.
00:16:12.127 --> 00:16:13.529
"by faith we understand that the worlds were prepared
00:16:13.529 --> 00:16:16.899
By the word of god, so that what is seen
00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:19.468
Was not made out of things which are visible."
00:16:19.468 --> 00:16:22.905
In other words, the first thing you have to believe,
00:16:23.972 --> 00:16:26.542
The first example of faith is the first verse of the bible,
00:16:26.542 --> 00:16:29.578
"in the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth."
00:16:29.578 --> 00:16:33.382
We didn't see that happen.
00:16:33.382 --> 00:16:34.983
We didn't see how god did it,
00:16:34.983 --> 00:16:36.485
But we believe that by faith.
00:16:36.485 --> 00:16:40.622
In fact, if you can believe genesis 1:1,
00:16:41.490 --> 00:16:43.592
You don't have any trouble believing in the resurrection
00:16:43.592 --> 00:16:45.828
Or the incarnation
00:16:45.828 --> 00:16:47.129
Or any of the other miracles in the bible.
00:16:47.129 --> 00:16:49.031
That's the most basic miracle.
00:16:49.031 --> 00:16:51.033
By faith, we understand that these things happen.
00:16:51.033 --> 00:16:54.103
Now, it's true that there's a lot of evidence
00:16:54.103 --> 00:16:57.439
That god created this world, that it didn't just happen.
00:16:57.439 --> 00:17:00.909
I think about the 18th century minister, william paley,
00:17:00.909 --> 00:17:03.912
He used this analogy.
00:17:03.912 --> 00:17:05.414
He said, "if you're walking through a field
00:17:05.414 --> 00:17:08.117
And you stumble upon a rock, a large rock,
00:17:08.117 --> 00:17:12.154
You can assume that that rock is there by chance.
00:17:12.154 --> 00:17:17.493
It's just a sliver of a larger mineral deposit
00:17:18.393 --> 00:17:20.696
That just ended up there.
00:17:20.696 --> 00:17:22.664
But if you walk a little further and you see a gold,
00:17:22.664 --> 00:17:26.335
Ornate pocket watch there and you open it up
00:17:26.335 --> 00:17:29.171
And you open it and inside see that intricate mechanism,
00:17:29.171 --> 00:17:33.175
You know that watch isn't there by chance.
00:17:33.175 --> 00:17:36.845
There is a designer, an intelligent designer
00:17:36.845 --> 00:17:40.616
Who made order out of chaos, who put that watch together."
00:17:40.616 --> 00:17:45.220
It's the same, in looking at the creation,
00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:47.823
You can look around this creation
00:17:47.823 --> 00:17:49.458
And know it didn't happen by chance.
00:17:49.458 --> 00:17:51.660
That's why the bible says, "the fool has said in his heart,
00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:54.296
There is no god.
00:17:54.296 --> 00:17:55.430
Only a fool would believe
00:17:55.430 --> 00:17:56.899
That all of this happened by chance."
00:17:56.899 --> 00:18:00.335
We believe that god created this world.
00:18:00.335 --> 00:18:03.438
Do you remember the name carl sagan,
00:18:03.438 --> 00:18:05.741
The astronomer who spent his life studying the cosmos.
00:18:05.741 --> 00:18:11.146
Carl sagan died when he was 62,
00:18:11.780 --> 00:18:14.116
But before he died he said to a religious friend of his,
00:18:14.116 --> 00:18:18.453
He said, "you're so smart.
00:18:18.453 --> 00:18:20.789
How can you believe in god?"
00:18:20.789 --> 00:18:23.258
And she replied, "carl, you're so smart.
00:18:23.258 --> 00:18:25.627
How can you not believe in god?"
00:18:25.627 --> 00:18:28.263
She then asked him, "carl, do you believe in love?
00:18:28.263 --> 00:18:30.999
You've never seen it, but do you believe it?"
00:18:30.999 --> 00:18:33.602
He said, "well, yes. i love my wife with all my heart."
00:18:33.602 --> 00:18:38.340
She said, "can you prove love exists?"
00:18:38.340 --> 00:18:41.210
He said, "yes, i can prove it."
00:18:41.210 --> 00:18:44.112
But then he agreed he really couldn't prove love exists.
00:18:44.112 --> 00:18:48.483
The fact is we believe in things all the time
00:18:48.483 --> 00:18:51.053
That aren't visible to us, but we believe in them.
00:18:51.053 --> 00:18:54.856
I think about vance havner who said one time,
00:18:54.856 --> 00:18:57.492
"i have never seen electricity.
00:18:57.492 --> 00:18:59.361
I don't understand it,
00:18:59.361 --> 00:19:00.796
But i don't plan to stumble around in the darkness
00:19:00.796 --> 00:19:02.931
Because of that."
00:19:02.931 --> 00:19:04.266
I mean you believe in the things you haven't seen.
00:19:05.300 --> 00:19:07.035
It's the same way in our relationship with god,
00:19:07.035 --> 00:19:10.005
But ultimately it's a matter of faith.
00:19:10.005 --> 00:19:13.308
Now, to give us an example of what it means
00:19:13.308 --> 00:19:15.744
To be assured of what god has said
00:19:15.744 --> 00:19:18.480
In acting accordingly, notice the two examples of faith
00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:21.984
Beginning in verses four and five.
00:19:21.984 --> 00:19:24.319
First of all, he takes us back to the story of able.
00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:28.523
Abel who demonstrates a faith that saves.
00:19:28.523 --> 00:19:32.828
Faith is integral, it is basic to salvation.
00:19:32.828 --> 00:19:36.632
Look at verse four,
00:19:36.632 --> 00:19:38.233
"by faith able offered to god a better sacrifice than cain,
00:19:38.233 --> 00:19:43.272
Through which he obtained the testimony
00:19:44.072 --> 00:19:45.641
That he was righteous,
00:19:45.641 --> 00:19:47.075
God testifying about his gifts
00:19:47.075 --> 00:19:49.077
And through faith though he is dead, he still speaks."
00:19:49.077 --> 00:19:52.848
Remember, cain and abel
00:19:52.848 --> 00:19:54.182
Were the first two children of adam and eve.
00:19:54.182 --> 00:19:56.485
By the way, adam and eve had other children,
00:19:56.485 --> 00:19:59.054
Sons and daughters the bible says,
00:19:59.054 --> 00:20:01.290
Which answers the old question,
00:20:01.290 --> 00:20:02.691
Where did cain get his wife?
00:20:02.691 --> 00:20:04.126
Have you ever heard that before?
00:20:04.126 --> 00:20:05.761
It was from the other children.
00:20:05.761 --> 00:20:08.230
I know you're thinking,
00:20:08.230 --> 00:20:09.398
"ew, that is so gross and disgusting."
00:20:09.398 --> 00:20:11.166
But if you think about marrying your sister,
00:20:11.166 --> 00:20:13.669
But the fact is that's how they procreated
00:20:13.669 --> 00:20:17.239
In those early days.
00:20:17.239 --> 00:20:18.573
But cain and abel were the first two children
00:20:18.573 --> 00:20:20.876
Of adam and eve.
00:20:20.876 --> 00:20:22.077
And remember god said to them,
00:20:22.077 --> 00:20:23.812
"i want you to bring a sacrifice to me."
00:20:23.812 --> 00:20:26.548
And he prescribed the kind of sacrifice he wanted.
00:20:26.548 --> 00:20:30.352
And abel brought a sacrifice.
00:20:30.352 --> 00:20:34.189
He was a shepherd,
00:20:34.189 --> 00:20:36.358
And so he brought one of his animals
00:20:36.358 --> 00:20:38.327
And offered a blood sacrifice to god.
00:20:38.327 --> 00:20:41.830
Cain decided that he would try to offer
00:20:41.830 --> 00:20:44.266
His own sacrifice to god
00:20:44.266 --> 00:20:45.801
And he brought some of the produce that he had raised.
00:20:45.801 --> 00:20:49.871
And the bible says that god accepted abel's offering,
00:20:49.871 --> 00:20:53.075
But he rejected cain's offering.
00:20:53.075 --> 00:20:55.510
And cain was so despondent over the fact
00:20:55.510 --> 00:20:57.879
That god rejected him,
00:20:57.879 --> 00:20:59.848
That he became enraged at his brother abel
00:20:59.848 --> 00:21:02.818
And killed him, the first murder in the bible.
00:21:02.818 --> 00:21:06.154
Why is it that god accepted abel's sacrifice
00:21:06.154 --> 00:21:10.359
But rejected cain's offering?
00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:14.029
I've heard pastors speculate about that.
00:21:14.029 --> 00:21:16.064
I've read bible commentators who said,
00:21:16.064 --> 00:21:17.999
"well, it was in their attitude.
00:21:17.999 --> 00:21:20.535
Abel brought his sacrifice as an act of love,
00:21:20.535 --> 00:21:25.307
But cain brought his to satisfy a religious ritual
00:21:25.307 --> 00:21:30.645
And it was their attitude that made the difference."
00:21:31.713 --> 00:21:33.315
That sounds so good, but it's so wrong.
00:21:33.315 --> 00:21:35.751
I mean, the fact is the bible tells us exactly why god
00:21:35.751 --> 00:21:39.354
Accepted abel sacrifice and rejected cain.
00:21:39.354 --> 00:21:42.257
Look at verse four,
00:21:42.257 --> 00:21:43.425
"by faith abel offered to god
00:21:43.425 --> 00:21:46.528
A better sacrifice than cain."
00:21:46.528 --> 00:21:50.665
Apparently, in words we don't have recorded,
00:21:50.665 --> 00:21:53.068
God told both men exactly what he wanted.
00:21:53.068 --> 00:21:56.938
He prescribed a blood sacrifice, a blood offering
00:21:56.938 --> 00:22:00.542
Of an innocent animal that would foretell
00:22:00.542 --> 00:22:03.278
The coming many years later of the lamb of god,
00:22:03.278 --> 00:22:06.448
Jesus christ, who would take away the sins of the world.
00:22:06.448 --> 00:22:09.718
And abel, although he didn't understand why god said that,
00:22:09.718 --> 00:22:13.555
He couldn't see down the corridor of history to jesus christ
00:22:13.555 --> 00:22:16.925
Had made no sense to him to kill an innocent
00:22:16.925 --> 00:22:19.194
And good animal.
00:22:19.194 --> 00:22:20.929
He obeyed god.
00:22:20.929 --> 00:22:22.898
He believed what god said and acted accordingly,
00:22:22.898 --> 00:22:26.701
But not cain.
00:22:26.701 --> 00:22:28.236
He thought he could come to god any way he wanted to.
00:22:28.236 --> 00:22:31.773
In fact, did you know in the new testament, jude 11,
00:22:31.773 --> 00:22:35.644
The writer says, "avoid the way of cain."
00:22:35.644 --> 00:22:40.949
You know what the way of cain is?
00:22:41.683 --> 00:22:43.084
It's trying to come to god on your own terms.
00:22:43.084 --> 00:22:45.854
And the world today is filled with people
00:22:45.854 --> 00:22:47.789
Who say they can come to god any way they want to.
00:22:47.789 --> 00:22:50.225
It doesn't matter what you believe.
00:22:50.225 --> 00:22:52.727
It's like you can approach god any way you want to
00:22:52.727 --> 00:22:55.297
From any direction
00:22:55.297 --> 00:22:56.631
And still go up the same mountain of truth
00:22:56.631 --> 00:22:59.134
And approach the same god.
00:22:59.134 --> 00:23:00.702
God says, "no, you cannot come to me any way you choose.
00:23:00.702 --> 00:23:05.073
You must come in my way."
00:23:05.073 --> 00:23:07.042
And for us today, it means believing in jesus christ
00:23:07.042 --> 00:23:10.278
To be our savior.
00:23:10.278 --> 00:23:11.680
Jesus said in john 14:6, "i am the way,
00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:14.950
The truth and the life.
00:23:14.950 --> 00:23:16.251
No man comes to the father except by me."
00:23:16.251 --> 00:23:20.121
The way to god is not broad, it is narrow.
00:23:20.121 --> 00:23:24.326
♪ music ♪
00:23:24.326 --> 00:23:27.996
We're off and running in this new teaching series
00:23:28.930 --> 00:23:32.200
About spiritual fitness
00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:34.102
And i'm hoping you'll make an appointment every day
00:23:34.102 --> 00:23:36.171
At this time as we move our way
00:23:36.171 --> 00:23:38.306
Through several chapters in the book of hebrews.
00:23:38.306 --> 00:23:41.276
Together we'll discover what it means to strengthen
00:23:41.276 --> 00:23:43.812
Our walk with god through faith.
00:23:43.812 --> 00:23:46.515
And i want to take this opportunity to remind you
00:23:46.515 --> 00:23:49.618
That you're watching this bible teaching program right now
00:23:49.618 --> 00:23:53.121
Because someone gave a generous gift
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To "pathway to victory".
00:23:55.524 --> 00:23:57.259
In doing so, they enabled us
00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:59.160
To deliver today's teaching on television, radio,
00:23:59.160 --> 00:24:02.297
And the internet, and we invite you to step forward
00:24:02.297 --> 00:24:05.500
And give a generous gift as well.
00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:07.736
God will use your investment to bring courage to someone
00:24:07.736 --> 00:24:11.339
Who needs to walk in faith today.
00:24:11.339 --> 00:24:14.309
Thank you in advance for your generosity.
00:24:14.309 --> 00:24:17.279
Now, please stay right there,
00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:18.613
I'll be back in just a moment with a preview
00:24:18.613 --> 00:24:20.882
Of what's ahead on "pathway to victory".
00:24:20.882 --> 00:24:24.586
Dr. robert jeff has written a book
00:24:25.320 --> 00:24:27.188
To help you rediscover the joy of time with god.
00:24:27.188 --> 00:24:30.525
It's called "spiritual essentials."
00:24:30.525 --> 00:24:32.794
In "spiritual essentials,"
00:24:32.794 --> 00:24:34.362
I share three simple, deeply personal ways
00:24:34.362 --> 00:24:38.033
You can make god's word a meaningful
00:24:38.033 --> 00:24:40.001
Part of your everyday life, including a practical plan
00:24:40.001 --> 00:24:43.905
To help you get started today.
00:24:43.905 --> 00:24:46.441
These are the same strategies i use in my own bible study.
00:24:46.441 --> 00:24:50.512
I'll also show you how to pray with purpose
00:24:50.512 --> 00:24:53.081
And confidence for your children and grandchildren.
00:24:53.081 --> 00:24:56.785
Whether you've been walking with god for decades
00:24:56.785 --> 00:24:58.820
Or you're just getting started,
00:24:58.820 --> 00:25:00.155
"spiritual essentials" will help you get back
00:25:00.155 --> 00:25:02.390
To the basics of your faith
00:25:02.390 --> 00:25:04.025
And experience god's presence in a fresh new way.
00:25:04.025 --> 00:25:07.896
Request your copy of "spiritual essentials"
00:25:07.896 --> 00:25:10.198
When you give a generous gift
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To support the ministry of "pathway to victory".
00:25:11.666 --> 00:25:14.369
And when you give $50 or more,
00:25:14.369 --> 00:25:16.471
We'll also send you the complete spiritual fitness
00:25:16.471 --> 00:25:19.407
Teaching series on both cd and dvd.
00:25:19.407 --> 00:25:22.410
When we go through fiery problems in our life,
00:25:22.410 --> 00:25:26.481
Sometimes those problems can strengthen us,
00:25:26.481 --> 00:25:30.852
But sometimes they can cause our faith to shatter.
00:25:30.852 --> 00:25:34.322
Thank you for giving generously
00:25:34.322 --> 00:25:36.024
To "pathway to victory."
00:25:36.024 --> 00:25:37.659
"every day your support makes it possible
00:25:37.659 --> 00:25:39.995
To reach people across the nation
00:25:39.995 --> 00:25:41.796
And around the world with the practical life-changing
00:25:41.796 --> 00:25:44.833
Truth of god's word, transforming lives,
00:25:44.833 --> 00:25:48.336
Strengthening families,
00:25:48.336 --> 00:25:49.971
And pointing a lost world toward hope in jesus christ.
00:25:49.971 --> 00:25:55.276
♪ music ♪
00:25:55.610 --> 00:25:57.012
Just as christians in the early church
00:25:57.012 --> 00:25:58.980
Faced enormous pressure,
00:25:58.980 --> 00:26:00.982
You and i are facing daily pressures as well,
00:26:00.982 --> 00:26:04.085
And our response to those problems
00:26:04.085 --> 00:26:05.987
Can either strengthen our faith or destroy it.
00:26:05.987 --> 00:26:09.391
The choice is up to you.
00:26:09.391 --> 00:26:11.593
Well, today we started our spiritual fitness series
00:26:12.594 --> 00:26:15.063
By defining the word faith,
00:26:15.063 --> 00:26:17.332
And next time i'm going to show you a real life example.
00:26:17.332 --> 00:26:20.935
His name was enoch.
00:26:20.935 --> 00:26:22.671
Stay tuned for a preview
00:26:22.671 --> 00:26:24.239
Of what's coming up next in our series, spiritual fitness.
00:26:24.239 --> 00:26:28.943
All of the men and women we're going to look at
00:26:28.943 --> 00:26:30.979
In the days ahead had one thing in common.
00:26:30.979 --> 00:26:33.848
They obeyed god and they died without fully seeing
00:26:33.848 --> 00:26:38.787
And realizing the promises of god.
00:26:38.787 --> 00:26:41.990
Nevertheless, they kept on obeying god.
00:26:41.990 --> 00:26:44.826
Set your dvr and join us next time
00:26:45.593 --> 00:26:47.796
For part two of the message,
00:26:47.796 --> 00:26:49.330
The necessary ingredient here on "pathway to victory".
00:26:49.330 --> 00:26:52.901
♪ music ♪
00:26:52.901 --> 00:26:56.938
The apostle paul sailed these waters, walked these streets,
00:26:58.139 --> 00:27:01.876
And the church was never the same.
00:27:01.876 --> 00:27:03.978
I'm inviting you to follow in paul's footsteps
00:27:03.978 --> 00:27:06.815
On the "pathway to victory" journeys of paul cruise
00:27:06.815 --> 00:27:09.818
Through the stunning greek islands and the ancient ephesus
00:27:09.818 --> 00:27:13.188
And many other destinations as well.
00:27:13.188 --> 00:27:15.657
This is purposeful travel at its finest.
00:27:15.657 --> 00:27:18.927
Set sail may 14th, 2027.
00:27:18.927 --> 00:27:21.496
Call 888-280-6747
00:27:21.496 --> 00:27:24.966
Or visit ptv.org.
00:27:24.966 --> 00:27:27.402
♪ music ♪
00:27:27.402 --> 00:27:27.402

Robert Jeffress - The Necessary Ingredient (Part 1)

May 4, 2026 | 27:29

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