Robert Jeffress - The One Prayer God Always Answers

April 22, 2025 | S25:E191

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 One Prayer God Always Answers | April 22, 2025
  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit
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  • Of the first baptist church of dallas, texas,
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  • This is "pathway to victory" with dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress,
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  • And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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  • It's disappointing when a prayer goes unanswered.
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  • Sometimes our heavenly father clearly says, "no."
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  • Other times, he tells us to wait,
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  • And we don't like either one of those responses.
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  • Well, today, we're going to look at a request
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  • That god responds to every single time.
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  • It's probably not your favorite answer,
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  • But you'll soon see why it should be.
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  • My message is titled, "the one prayer god always answers,"
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  • On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: you know, in the bible god uses the term
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  • "righteousness" in two distinct ways.
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  • Sometimes, when the bible talks about "righteousness,"
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  • It's talking about a "judicial righteousness,
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  • Our standing before god."
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  • To be righteous is to be in a right relationship,
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  • A right standing with god.
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  • Paul said in romans 4, verse 5,
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  • "but to the one who does not work,
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  • But instead believes in him who justifies the ungodly,
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  • His faith is counted as righteousness."
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  • The moment you trust in jesus christ
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  • For the forgiveness of your sins,
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  • In the great courtroom of heaven,
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  • God pronounces you forgiven, righteous.
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  • You are in a right standing with himself.
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  • But, other times, the word "righteousness"
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  • In the bible refers to "right acting before god."
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  • It's our conduct, our obedience.
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  • It's an ethical, not a judicial
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  • But an ethical kind of righteousness.
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  • For example, in 1 peter 3:12, peter says,
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  • "for the eyes of the lord are toward the righteous.
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  • And his ears attend to their prayer.
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  • But the face of the lord is against those who do evil."
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  • One reason we don't get our prayers answered sometime
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  • Is we're not acting righteously.
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  • We may be in a right relationship with god;
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  • We may be forgiven of our sins, but if we don't act righteously,
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  • God doesn't hear our prayers.
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  • Judicial righteousness.
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  • Ethical righteousness.
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  • But jesus said the prerequisite for both of them,
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  • Both a right standing with god and a right acting
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  • Before god is to want it.
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  • It's to hunger for it.
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  • Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
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  • My friend and bible scholar r.t. kendall
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  • Tells about a time that he was nine years old,
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  • And he was staying one night with his grandmother,
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  • And the next day, he had a test at school
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  • That he wasn't prepared for, so when he awakened
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  • The next morning, he told his grandmother
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  • That he wasn't feeling well and didn't feel like
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  • Going to school.
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  • She said, "okay, well, go back to bed."
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  • And he protested and said,
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  • "well, i would like breakfast first."
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  • She said, "if you have an appetite,
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  • That means there isn't much wrong with you,
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  • So you go get dressed for school,
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  • And i'll prepare breakfast."
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  • We know jesus is saying the same thing here.
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  • Your appetite is a pretty good indication
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  • Of your spiritual health.
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  • If you're a christian this morning and you have a hunger,
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  • You have a thirst for being more obedient to god,
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  • Then you're in pretty good spiritual shape.
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  • You may not feel like it, but you're on the road
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  • To spiritual health.
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  • In fact, 2 peter 1, verse 3, says,
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  • "you have everything you need for life and godliness."
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  • If you hunger for an ethical righteousness,
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  • Obedience to god, you're on your way to spiritual health,
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  • But if you're not a christian this morning,
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  • If you're just here by accident, perhaps you tuned in
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  • To this broadcast by accident, but you have a desire,
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  • A hunger to be clean, to be forgiven,
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  • To be in a right relationship with god,
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  • It's a good indication that you are also on your road
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  • To spiritual health.
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  • In fact, if that's true of you this morning,
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  • You are only seven words away from a right relationship
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  • With god, and today we're going to discover
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  • What those seven words are in a familiar parable.
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  • Turn to your bibles into luke chapter 18,
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  • Beginning with verse 9, as we look at the one prayer
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  • God always promises to answer.
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  • Luke chapter 18.
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  • Now, this is one of those parables jesus told
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  • That's very easy to interpret because luke gives us
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  • The right interpretation at the beginning of the parable.
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  • He tells us the reason jesus told it.
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  • Look at verse 9: "and jesus also told them this parable to some
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  • People who trusted in themselves that they were righteous
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  • And viewed others with contempt."
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  • This parable is directed toward a group of people,
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  • Specifically the pharisees, who trusted in themselves.
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  • Literally, in the greek text, it says,
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  • "who, based on themselves, thought they were righteous."
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  • They thought god looked on them with favor that they had
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  • A judicial righteousness; they were not guilty before god;
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  • They also were ethically righteous;
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  • They did all the right things, but the reason they
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  • Believed that was a standard that was based on themselves.
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  • You know, today, there's a lot of talk about having self-esteem
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  • And that people suffer from a bad self-image,
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  • But the truth is the problem with most of us is not that
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  • We think too little of ourselves but that we think too much
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  • Of ourselves.
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  • Dr. david myers is a psychologist
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  • Who has written a lot about what he calls
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  • The "inflated-self syndrome" in america.
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  • He reports that, when the college board surveyed
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  • High school seniors, they found that amazingly zero percent
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  • Of high school seniors thought that they were below average
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  • Compared to other students.
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  • Sixty percent believed they were in the top ten percent
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  • In their ability to get along with others,
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  • And he concluded that the most common error in people's
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  • Self-image is not unrealistically low self-esteem
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  • But, rather, self-serving pride.
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  • It was not an inferiority complex
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  • But a superiority complex.
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  • That was the group that jesus was talking to,
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  • Those who thought they were righteous.
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  • And notice the second phrase he uses:
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  • "and they viewed others with contempt."
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  • And that's the byproduct of feeling superior.
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  • What's the good of being superior if you can't look down
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  • On other people, right?
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  • And there are actually some people who are proud
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  • Of their own humility.
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  • Whenever i read this parable that jesus told about
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  • The pharisees, i'm reminded of the third grade
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  • Sunday school teacher who, after teaching this lesson
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  • To the children, said,
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  • "now, children, let's bow our heads in prayer
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  • And thank god that we're not like the pharisees."
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  • There are people who feel that way.
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  • The purpose of this parable that jesus told is very clear
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  • In verse 9.
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  • This parable is not a parable that teaches us how to pray.
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  • It's not a parable that answers the question why god
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  • Answers some prayers and doesn't answer other prayers.
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  • This parable is about how to be righteous,
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  • How to be in a right standing with god.
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  • And in this parable, we find two very different approaches
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  • To god, one that is based on our goodness,
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  • Our own works, and one that is based on god's grace.
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  • Now, let's look at the two characters,
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  • The two players in this parable.
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  • Verse 10, jesus said, "two men went up to the temple to pray,
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  • One a pharisee and the other a tax collector."
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  • If jesus were telling the story today, he might say,
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  • "two people went into the church to pray,
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  • A preacher and a prostitute."
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  • That's the contrast jesus is trying to give us here.
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  • The pharisee, let's look at him, first of all.
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  • Now, today--and this is so important to understand--
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  • We think of the "pharisees" as "the villain."
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  • They were highly revered, respected men.
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  • They knew the old testament backwards and forwards,
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  • And not only that, they were thought
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  • To be truly godly people.
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  • They had a desire to be godly.
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  • Their problem was they had the wrong idea of godliness.
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  • They thought that godliness was based on themselves
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  • And not the grace of god.
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  • Now, notice his prayer.
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  • The bible says, jesus said,
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  • "this pharisee, when he went to pray, he stood to pray."
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  • Now, a lot of people make a big deal out of that:
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  • "oh, look how proud he is. he stood."
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  • There's nothing wrong with standing to pray.
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  • In fact, a good jew would stand to pray.
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  • Today, if you go to the western wall,
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  • The wailing wall, people stand there and pray
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  • And pour out their hearts to god.
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  • The problem with this man's prayer was not his posture.
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  • It was his attitude, and you see that in the second phrase:
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  • "he stood, and he prayed to himself."
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  • Ha-hah, isn't that a funny phrase?
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  • "he prayed to himself."
  • 00:10:52.441 --> 00:10:54.176
  • Now, he probably didn't think he was praying to himself,
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  • But you look at the prayer here.
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  • It was a prayer of self-congratulations
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  • About all he had done.
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  • Look at verses 11 and 12: "the pharisee stood,
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  • Praying this to himself: 'god, i thank you that
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  • I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers,
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  • Or even like this tax collector over here, standing next to me.
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  • I fast twice a week.
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  • I pay tithes of all that i get.'"
  • 00:11:21.070 --> 00:11:24.807
  • This pharisee's problem was he had an "i" problem:
  • 00:11:24.807 --> 00:11:28.611
  • "i, i, i, i."
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  • He was focused on himself.
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  • Have you ever noticed people today who try to give
  • 00:11:35.417 --> 00:11:37.453
  • A testimony, but they can't help but make themselves
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  • The hero of the story?
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  • Their testimonies are what one friend of mine call
  • 00:11:43.893 --> 00:11:46.762
  • "bragamonies."
  • 00:11:46.762 --> 00:11:49.198
  • It's about "me, me, me, me, me."
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  • Contrast him to the other character in this story,
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  • The tax collector.
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  • The tax collector.
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  • The jewish people hated tax collectors for two reasons:
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  • First of all, they were helping fund the oppressive
  • 00:12:04.013 --> 00:12:06.949
  • Roman government that was occupying their land,
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  • But not only that, they were cheating people,
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  • Taking more than they were supposed to take.
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  • And so this tax collector went up to pray as well.
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  • Don't miss the point that this tax collector was
  • 00:12:19.895 --> 00:12:23.299
  • Just as much under god's judgment as the pharisee was.
  • 00:12:23.299 --> 00:12:28.470
  • They both went to the temple to pray,
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  • But notice his prayer in contrast to the pharisee's:
  • 00:12:32.208 --> 00:12:35.878
  • "the tax collector, standing some distance away,
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  • Was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven,
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  • But instead was beating his breast, saying,
  • 00:12:43.853 --> 00:12:46.922
  • 'god, be merciful to me, the sinner.'"
  • 00:12:46.922 --> 00:12:52.528
  • This is one of the shortest prayers in the bible,
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  • Seven words in the english language,
  • 00:12:55.064 --> 00:12:57.299
  • Six words in the greek text, and, yet this prayer reveals
  • 00:12:57.299 --> 00:13:00.870
  • The two essentials for righteousness,
  • 00:13:00.870 --> 00:13:04.373
  • For a right standing with god for god's salvation.
  • 00:13:04.373 --> 00:13:08.277
  • First of all, he expresses sorrow for his sin.
  • 00:13:08.277 --> 00:13:13.148
  • You hear that in the prayer: "be merciful to me,"
  • 00:13:13.148 --> 00:13:16.352
  • "the sinner" is what it actually says in greek.
  • 00:13:16.352 --> 00:13:20.022
  • It's articular.
  • 00:13:20.022 --> 00:13:21.423
  • There's an article before the word "sinner."
  • 00:13:21.423 --> 00:13:23.525
  • It's not "be merciful to me, a sinner,"
  • 00:13:23.525 --> 00:13:26.695
  • Just like everybody else in the world.
  • 00:13:26.695 --> 00:13:28.497
  • No, "be merciful to me, the sinner."
  • 00:13:28.497 --> 00:13:31.200
  • "i am the chief sinner of all."
  • 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:35.237
  • By the way, notice his position.
  • 00:13:35.237 --> 00:13:38.741
  • He stood some distance away.
  • 00:13:38.741 --> 00:13:41.577
  • Away from what?
  • 00:13:41.577 --> 00:13:43.178
  • Well, probably away from the altar of sacrifice,
  • 00:13:43.178 --> 00:13:46.515
  • Representing the presence of god,
  • 00:13:46.515 --> 00:13:49.018
  • But he even stood away from the pharisee.
  • 00:13:49.018 --> 00:13:51.287
  • "oh, i can't be near a holy man.
  • 00:13:51.287 --> 00:13:53.722
  • I can't be near to him,
  • 00:13:53.722 --> 00:13:55.557
  • And i certainly can't stand near to god."
  • 00:13:55.557 --> 00:13:58.027
  • But here's the paradox: by standing far away from god,
  • 00:13:58.027 --> 00:14:02.264
  • He was closer to god than the pharisee.
  • 00:14:02.264 --> 00:14:05.701
  • Here's one thing you understand: the more you understand
  • 00:14:05.701 --> 00:14:08.570
  • The true holiness of god, the more you understand
  • 00:14:08.570 --> 00:14:12.875
  • How sinful you and i really are.
  • 00:14:12.875 --> 00:14:16.578
  • A real encounter with the genuine god
  • 00:14:16.578 --> 00:14:19.882
  • Leads you to understand your own unholiness.
  • 00:14:19.882 --> 00:14:24.153
  • Isaiah expressed that.
  • 00:14:24.153 --> 00:14:26.388
  • Remember in isaiah 6, when he had the vision of god
  • 00:14:26.388 --> 00:14:29.058
  • On his throne and the angels flying around the throne?
  • 00:14:29.058 --> 00:14:32.828
  • What was isaiah's response?
  • 00:14:32.828 --> 00:14:37.132
  • He fell down, and he said, "woe to me, for i am undone.
  • 00:14:37.132 --> 00:14:40.669
  • I am a man of unclean lips."
  • 00:14:40.669 --> 00:14:44.173
  • Or remember when the apostle peter saw the glorified lord,
  • 00:14:44.173 --> 00:14:47.943
  • In luke 5:8?
  • 00:14:47.943 --> 00:14:49.445
  • He said, "depart from me, lord, for i am a sinful man."
  • 00:14:49.445 --> 00:14:53.949
  • Or remember the apostle john in the book of revelation,
  • 00:14:53.949 --> 00:14:57.319
  • There on the island of patmos, when he saw the vision
  • 00:14:57.319 --> 00:15:00.622
  • Of the glorified christ in the state he'll be
  • 00:15:00.622 --> 00:15:03.425
  • When he returns one day?
  • 00:15:03.425 --> 00:15:05.194
  • What did he do?
  • 00:15:05.194 --> 00:15:06.528
  • The bible says he fell down as a dead man.
  • 00:15:06.528 --> 00:15:09.732
  • That's what happens to any sinner who confronts a holy god.
  • 00:15:09.732 --> 00:15:14.269
  • You're aware of your need.
  • 00:15:14.269 --> 00:15:16.772
  • But an expression of sorrow for your sin
  • 00:15:16.772 --> 00:15:19.108
  • Isn't enough to be forgiven.
  • 00:15:19.108 --> 00:15:21.744
  • It's not enough for salvation.
  • 00:15:21.744 --> 00:15:23.545
  • There's a second ingredient you see in this brief prayer,
  • 00:15:23.545 --> 00:15:26.782
  • And that is, he requested god's mercy to cover his sin.
  • 00:15:26.782 --> 00:15:32.955
  • He said, "god be merciful to me, the sinner."
  • 00:15:32.955 --> 00:15:37.926
  • Now, that word, greek word translated,
  • 00:15:37.926 --> 00:15:40.629
  • "merciful," is not just any word for "mercy."
  • 00:15:40.629 --> 00:15:43.766
  • It's a very special word.
  • 00:15:43.766 --> 00:15:46.035
  • It's a word that is a form of the word that was used
  • 00:15:46.035 --> 00:15:49.538
  • To describe the mercy seat in the temple.
  • 00:15:49.538 --> 00:15:54.710
  • Remember, in the temple, the holiest place of all
  • 00:15:54.710 --> 00:15:57.846
  • Was the holy of holies.
  • 00:15:57.846 --> 00:16:00.082
  • It was behind the veil, and only one person
  • 00:16:00.082 --> 00:16:03.085
  • Could enter into the holy of holy once a year.
  • 00:16:03.085 --> 00:16:06.288
  • That was the high priest.
  • 00:16:06.288 --> 00:16:08.390
  • Remember, in the holy of holies, behind the veil,
  • 00:16:08.390 --> 00:16:10.959
  • There was the ark of the covenant, and that ark,
  • 00:16:10.959 --> 00:16:14.463
  • Among other things, contained the two tablets,
  • 00:16:14.463 --> 00:16:17.633
  • Moses's tablets with the ten commandments.
  • 00:16:17.633 --> 00:16:20.569
  • On top of the ark, which was more like a box,
  • 00:16:20.569 --> 00:16:23.639
  • There was a lid covered in gold.
  • 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:26.508
  • It was called the mercy seat, and on each end
  • 00:16:26.508 --> 00:16:30.946
  • Of the mercy seat was the replication of an angel,
  • 00:16:30.946 --> 00:16:36.318
  • A cherub, and the cherub, on each end,
  • 00:16:36.318 --> 00:16:39.321
  • Had outstretched wings.
  • 00:16:39.321 --> 00:16:42.291
  • They were thought to protect the holiness of god,
  • 00:16:42.291 --> 00:16:45.427
  • And it was believed that the spirit of god dwelt
  • 00:16:45.427 --> 00:16:48.130
  • Between the cherubim on that ark of the covenant.
  • 00:16:48.130 --> 00:16:52.267
  • And the picture was very clear:
  • 00:16:52.267 --> 00:16:54.136
  • It's a picture of god's judgment.
  • 00:16:54.136 --> 00:16:55.938
  • God, a holy god, is looking down on the law, his law,
  • 00:16:55.938 --> 00:17:00.342
  • Which he gave his people,
  • 00:17:00.342 --> 00:17:02.044
  • A law which the israelites broke every day of every year.
  • 00:17:02.044 --> 00:17:06.448
  • It was a picture of the judgment that god's people deserved
  • 00:17:06.448 --> 00:17:10.986
  • For the law they had broken, but once a year on yom kippur,
  • 00:17:10.986 --> 00:17:16.391
  • The day of atonement, the high priest,
  • 00:17:16.391 --> 00:17:19.561
  • After making an atonement for his own sins,
  • 00:17:19.561 --> 00:17:22.397
  • Would take the blood of an innocent animal,
  • 00:17:22.397 --> 00:17:24.967
  • And he would come into the holy of holies
  • 00:17:24.967 --> 00:17:27.503
  • In the presence of god, and he would take that blood,
  • 00:17:27.503 --> 00:17:30.472
  • And he would sprinkle it on the mercy seat that covered
  • 00:17:30.472 --> 00:17:33.976
  • The broken law, and the picture was,
  • 00:17:33.976 --> 00:17:37.446
  • As god looked down, he no longer saw
  • 00:17:37.446 --> 00:17:40.282
  • The law that had been broken, but he saw the covering,
  • 00:17:40.282 --> 00:17:43.719
  • The atoning of that innocent animal.
  • 00:17:43.719 --> 00:17:47.322
  • And, of course, all of that was a picture of what jesus christ,
  • 00:17:47.322 --> 00:17:51.927
  • Our perfect high priest, would do one day.
  • 00:17:51.927 --> 00:17:55.964
  • The high priest, for hundreds of years,
  • 00:17:55.964 --> 00:17:58.167
  • Would have to come in year after year after year.
  • 00:17:58.167 --> 00:18:02.137
  • He would have to, first of all, make an atonement
  • 00:18:02.137 --> 00:18:04.206
  • For his own sins.
  • 00:18:04.206 --> 00:18:05.707
  • He would come with the blood of an animal,
  • 00:18:05.707 --> 00:18:08.243
  • And he had to do it repeatedly.
  • 00:18:08.243 --> 00:18:11.113
  • But jesus christ is our perfect high priest,
  • 00:18:11.113 --> 00:18:14.850
  • And he's entered not a man-made temple but the true temple,
  • 00:18:14.850 --> 00:18:18.287
  • The presence of god, and he approached the temple of god
  • 00:18:18.287 --> 00:18:21.456
  • And the throne of god, not with the blood of the animal
  • 00:18:21.456 --> 00:18:24.426
  • That was worthless but with his own blood,
  • 00:18:24.426 --> 00:18:27.429
  • And he obtained, what?
  • 00:18:27.429 --> 00:18:28.830
  • Eternal redemption.
  • 00:18:28.830 --> 00:18:31.366
  • That's what the writer of hebrews said
  • 00:18:31.366 --> 00:18:32.935
  • In hebrews chapter 9, verses 11 to 12:
  • 00:18:32.935 --> 00:18:35.504
  • "but when christ appeared as a high priest
  • 00:18:35.504 --> 00:18:38.540
  • Of the good things to come, he entered through the greater
  • 00:18:38.540 --> 00:18:41.543
  • And more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands,
  • 00:18:41.543 --> 00:18:44.713
  • That is, not to say of this creation,
  • 00:18:44.713 --> 00:18:47.015
  • And not through the blood of goats and calves,
  • 00:18:47.015 --> 00:18:49.851
  • But through his own blood.
  • 00:18:49.851 --> 00:18:51.820
  • He entered the holy place once for all,
  • 00:18:51.820 --> 00:18:55.090
  • Having obtained eternal redemption."
  • 00:18:55.090 --> 00:18:58.860
  • Why do i mention this?
  • 00:18:58.860 --> 00:19:01.363
  • Because, when this tax collector said,
  • 00:19:01.363 --> 00:19:04.266
  • "lord, be merciful to me," he was asking for a blood
  • 00:19:04.266 --> 00:19:09.271
  • Atonement, a covering that would wipe away his sins.
  • 00:19:09.271 --> 00:19:14.543
  • He understood he was powerless to forgive himself.
  • 00:19:14.543 --> 00:19:17.746
  • He needed the forgiveness that was based on the sacrifice
  • 00:19:17.746 --> 00:19:20.782
  • Of the true high priest, jesus christ.
  • 00:19:20.782 --> 00:19:24.686
  • You see that even in the way he prayed.
  • 00:19:24.686 --> 00:19:29.157
  • James montgomery boice points out the simple
  • 00:19:29.157 --> 00:19:31.760
  • Sentence structure of this prayer.
  • 00:19:31.760 --> 00:19:34.529
  • It's a prayer that starts with god and ends with the sinner
  • 00:19:34.529 --> 00:19:39.067
  • But has mercy in the middle.
  • 00:19:39.067 --> 00:19:42.204
  • It is god's mercy, it is god's grace that connects sinful man
  • 00:19:42.204 --> 00:19:48.343
  • To a holy god.
  • 00:19:48.343 --> 00:19:51.079
  • "god, be merciful to me, the sinner."
  • 00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:55.817
  • Two men with two very different ways to approach god,
  • 00:19:55.817 --> 00:19:59.888
  • One who tries to approach god, based on his own righteousness,
  • 00:19:59.888 --> 00:20:04.026
  • And one who approaches god, based on god's grace.
  • 00:20:04.026 --> 00:20:09.998
  • Now, if jesus had stopped right here with a prayer and said,
  • 00:20:09.998 --> 00:20:15.103
  • "now i'm gonna give you a pop quiz, audience.
  • 00:20:15.103 --> 00:20:17.739
  • You've heard the story.
  • 00:20:17.739 --> 00:20:19.341
  • Which man walked away from the mountain justified,
  • 00:20:19.341 --> 00:20:24.613
  • In a right relationship with god?"
  • 00:20:24.613 --> 00:20:26.748
  • The audience, without a doubt, would've said,
  • 00:20:26.748 --> 00:20:29.084
  • "why, the pharisee, of course.
  • 00:20:29.084 --> 00:20:32.654
  • The pharisee is the one who ended up righteous.
  • 00:20:32.654 --> 00:20:35.324
  • I mean, look at all of the things he's done: he's tithed.
  • 00:20:35.324 --> 00:20:38.427
  • He's fasted.
  • 00:20:38.427 --> 00:20:39.795
  • He's not like these adulterers and murderers.
  • 00:20:39.795 --> 00:20:42.564
  • He's righteous.
  • 00:20:42.564 --> 00:20:46.635
  • Why would that tax collector think a little seven-word prayer
  • 00:20:46.635 --> 00:20:50.972
  • Suddenly makes everything all right with god?"
  • 00:20:50.972 --> 00:20:53.408
  • Haven't you heard that before?
  • 00:20:53.408 --> 00:20:55.143
  • How can people think that praying a prayer of salvation
  • 00:20:55.143 --> 00:20:57.446
  • Erases all of the bad that they've ever done before?
  • 00:20:57.446 --> 00:21:02.117
  • They would've picked the pharisee for sure,
  • 00:21:02.117 --> 00:21:05.554
  • And that's why jesus turns their expectations upside down
  • 00:21:05.554 --> 00:21:09.224
  • In verse 14.
  • 00:21:09.224 --> 00:21:10.559
  • He says, "no, i tell you, this man, the tax collector,
  • 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:15.130
  • Went to his house justified rather than the other."
  • 00:21:15.130 --> 00:21:22.804
  • You know what's interesting to me?
  • 00:21:22.804 --> 00:21:25.207
  • I'm sure, when the pharisee finished his self-congratulatory
  • 00:21:25.207 --> 00:21:28.643
  • Prayer, i'm sure he felt great.
  • 00:21:28.643 --> 00:21:32.981
  • I'm sure he left the temple mount that day, saying,
  • 00:21:32.981 --> 00:21:35.951
  • "you know, nothing like some good quality prayer time
  • 00:21:35.951 --> 00:21:38.820
  • With the lord," and i imagined that the tax collector probably
  • 00:21:38.820 --> 00:21:43.725
  • Left just as miserable as he went,
  • 00:21:43.725 --> 00:21:48.163
  • Feeling bad and terrible about his sin, but guess what?
  • 00:21:48.163 --> 00:21:53.435
  • Your relationship with god isn't based on how you feel
  • 00:21:53.435 --> 00:21:57.639
  • About your relationship with god.
  • 00:21:57.639 --> 00:21:59.408
  • It's how god views you, how he sees you,
  • 00:21:59.408 --> 00:22:03.812
  • How he feels about you, and jesus said,
  • 00:22:03.812 --> 00:22:06.047
  • "i'm telling you, regardless of this tax collector's feelings,
  • 00:22:06.047 --> 00:22:10.085
  • He left the mountain that day justified,
  • 00:22:10.085 --> 00:22:15.290
  • Declared not guilty because his prayer wasn't based
  • 00:22:15.290 --> 00:22:19.828
  • On his righteousness.
  • 00:22:19.828 --> 00:22:21.663
  • It was based on my mercy."
  • 00:22:21.663 --> 00:22:24.599
  • And then jesus adds this word, these familiar words:
  • 00:22:24.599 --> 00:22:28.036
  • "for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
  • 00:22:28.036 --> 00:22:33.008
  • But he who humbles himself will be exalted.
  • 00:22:33.008 --> 00:22:39.147
  • The person who refuses to bow before god and admit his need
  • 00:22:39.147 --> 00:22:45.020
  • For forgiveness will, one day, be humbled.
  • 00:22:45.020 --> 00:22:50.392
  • One day, he will be shocked to hear from the lord
  • 00:22:50.392 --> 00:22:53.462
  • He thought he served, utter these words:
  • 00:22:53.462 --> 00:22:56.798
  • "depart from me, you worker of iniquity,
  • 00:22:56.798 --> 00:23:00.435
  • For i never knew you.
  • 00:23:00.435 --> 00:23:04.372
  • On the other hand, the person who bows before god and says,
  • 00:23:04.372 --> 00:23:09.244
  • "god, i am a sinner; i am the sinner,
  • 00:23:09.244 --> 00:23:12.380
  • And i have no hope except jesus christ,"
  • 00:23:12.380 --> 00:23:16.251
  • Person who humbles themself will one day be exalted
  • 00:23:16.251 --> 00:23:20.288
  • And will be welcomed into god's kingdom.
  • 00:23:20.288 --> 00:23:25.293
  • As a.w. tozer said, "in ourselves, nothing.
  • 00:23:25.293 --> 00:23:31.533
  • In christ, everything."
  • 00:23:31.533 --> 00:23:34.903
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:23:34.903 --> 00:23:40.108
  • Jeffress: when we ask for righteousness,
  • 00:23:40.108 --> 00:23:41.943
  • We can be absolutely certain that god will answer our prayer.
  • 00:23:41.943 --> 00:23:46.848
  • Well, in closing i wanna read
  • 00:23:46.848 --> 00:23:48.550
  • An encouraging note i received from debra.
  • 00:23:48.550 --> 00:23:51.286
  • She wrote, "i've been a christian most of my life,
  • 00:23:51.286 --> 00:23:54.322
  • And i'm now 64 years old.
  • 00:23:54.322 --> 00:23:56.691
  • My husband passed away this year unexpectedly.
  • 00:23:56.691 --> 00:24:00.228
  • In the months that followed, your messages have become
  • 00:24:00.228 --> 00:24:02.964
  • My lifeline.
  • 00:24:02.964 --> 00:24:04.633
  • Thank you for your teaching."
  • 00:24:04.633 --> 00:24:07.102
  • Well, friends, when you support "pathway to victory,"
  • 00:24:07.102 --> 00:24:10.305
  • And when you especially become a pathway partner, you're making
  • 00:24:10.305 --> 00:24:14.309
  • It possible for people like debra to find hope and healing.
  • 00:24:14.309 --> 00:24:18.914
  • Thanks for linking arms with us.
  • 00:24:18.914 --> 00:24:21.182
  • Together, god is using our partnership to pierce
  • 00:24:21.182 --> 00:24:24.519
  • The darkness with the light of his word.
  • 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:27.355
  • Now, stay right there.
  • 00:24:27.355 --> 00:24:28.690
  • I'll be back with more in just a moment.
  • 00:24:28.690 --> 00:24:31.793
  • Jeffress: we know that easter is much more than chocolate bunnies
  • 00:24:34.496 --> 00:24:37.132
  • And easter eggs.
  • 00:24:37.132 --> 00:24:38.767
  • Easter celebrates the most important event
  • 00:24:38.767 --> 00:24:40.869
  • In all of human history.
  • 00:24:40.869 --> 00:24:43.071
  • Announcer: in "the power of the cross,"
  • 00:24:43.071 --> 00:24:44.673
  • Dr. robert jeffress retraces the steps of jesus
  • 00:24:44.673 --> 00:24:47.742
  • Each day of holy week, from bethany to jerusalem
  • 00:24:47.742 --> 00:24:51.513
  • To calvary and to the empty tomb.
  • 00:24:51.513 --> 00:24:55.050
  • Jeffress: through his incredible sacrifice,
  • 00:24:55.050 --> 00:24:56.785
  • Jesus conquered sin and death once and for all.
  • 00:24:56.785 --> 00:25:00.288
  • And this beautifully illustrated book provides a trustworthy and
  • 00:25:00.288 --> 00:25:03.992
  • Approachable way to share the good news with someone you love.
  • 00:25:03.992 --> 00:25:09.564
  • Announcer: "the power of the cross" is a full-color, 96-page,
  • 00:25:09.564 --> 00:25:12.834
  • Large-print book filled with imagery from the holy land
  • 00:25:12.834 --> 00:25:16.371
  • And photographic depictions of key scriptural events
  • 00:25:16.371 --> 00:25:19.641
  • That bring holy week to life.
  • 00:25:19.641 --> 00:25:22.577
  • Request "the power of the cross" when you give a generous gift
  • 00:25:22.577 --> 00:25:25.814
  • To pathway to victory.
  • 00:25:25.814 --> 00:25:28.116
  • And as you give $75 or more, you'll also receive eight
  • 00:25:28.116 --> 00:25:32.420
  • Powerful messages by dr. jeffress from the holy land
  • 00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:36.091
  • On dvd and mp3 format audio disc.
  • 00:25:36.091 --> 00:25:39.628
  • It's called "live from israel."
  • 00:25:39.628 --> 00:25:42.530
  • Thank you for partnering with pathway to victory
  • 00:25:42.530 --> 00:25:45.266
  • To share the life-changing truth of the gospel,
  • 00:25:45.266 --> 00:25:47.769
  • This easter season.
  • 00:25:47.769 --> 00:25:49.871
  • Together, we are proclaiming the radical transforming power
  • 00:25:49.871 --> 00:25:53.608
  • Of the cross of christ, the only hope
  • 00:25:53.608 --> 00:25:56.378
  • For our beloved country and world.
  • 00:25:56.378 --> 00:26:00.215
  • Jeffress: when we express sorrow for our sin and ask
  • 00:26:04.252 --> 00:26:07.122
  • For god's mercy to cover our sin,
  • 00:26:07.122 --> 00:26:10.191
  • We can know for certain that god will answer our prayer
  • 00:26:10.191 --> 00:26:14.029
  • And put us in a right standing with him.
  • 00:26:14.029 --> 00:26:17.399
  • Next time we'll begin a new series called "unleashed"
  • 00:26:17.399 --> 00:26:21.302
  • In which we'll discover how to experience more of god's power
  • 00:26:21.302 --> 00:26:25.306
  • In our everyday lives.
  • 00:26:25.306 --> 00:26:27.275
  • If you're longing for greater joy in your worship,
  • 00:26:27.275 --> 00:26:30.512
  • More answered prayers, and freedom from stubborn habits,
  • 00:26:30.512 --> 00:26:34.416
  • Make plans to join us for this powerful new study, "unleashed."
  • 00:26:34.416 --> 00:26:39.487
  • Stay tuned for a preview of the first message, coming up
  • 00:26:39.487 --> 00:26:42.590
  • On "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:42.590 --> 00:26:45.760
  • Jeffress: god isn't over here reserving something extra
  • 00:26:45.827 --> 00:26:47.529
  • That you need to beg him and ask him to do in your life.
  • 00:26:47.529 --> 00:26:49.464
  • He has granted to you everything you need to lead a supernatural,
  • 00:26:49.464 --> 00:26:54.502
  • A fulfilling existence while here on earth.
  • 00:26:54.502 --> 00:27:01.643
  • He has granted to you everything pertaining
  • 00:27:01.643 --> 00:27:04.045
  • To life and to godliness.
  • 00:27:04.045 --> 00:27:07.849
  • And everything he has given you is all
  • 00:27:07.849 --> 00:27:10.085
  • Wrapped up in the holy spirit of god.
  • 00:27:10.085 --> 00:27:13.054
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time
  • 00:27:14.189 --> 00:27:16.491
  • For the message "you're richer than you think,"
  • 00:27:16.491 --> 00:27:18.960
  • Part of the series, "unleashed: experiencing the power of the
  • 00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:22.530
  • Holy spirit," here on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:27:22.530 --> 00:27:22.530