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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - The Problem With Prosperity (Part 1)

November 4, 2025 | 29:0

Robert Jeffress - The Problem With Prosperity (Part 1)
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#Prosperity #Abundance #PromiseLand #Prayer #SeekGod #God'sWill #Division #Strife #Unity #GlorifyGod #RobertJeffress

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - The Problem With Prosperity (Part 1) | November 4, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church
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  • Of dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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  • With dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress
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  • And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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  • Trials have a way of strengthening our resolve and
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  • Teaching us to rely on god.
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  • But in many cases, times of peace and prosperity can be
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  • An even greater test of our faith.
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  • Today we're going to conduct a case study on abraham
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  • And his nephew lot.
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  • The consequence of one man's choice reveals
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  • An important lesson about the dangers of success.
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  • My message is titled "the problem with prosperity"
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  • On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • Announcer: the bible is filled with stories about heroes.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Announcer: but abraham rises above the rest
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  • As a true champion of faith.
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  • In "walking by faith,"
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  • Dr. robert jeffress shares how to step forward in faith,
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  • Even when the future appears uncertain.
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  • Your faith can thrive despite the challenges you face.
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  • Request your copy of "walking by faith"
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  • When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of
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  • "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: it was the scottish essayist, thomas carlyle,
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  • Who said, "for every one-hundred people who can handle adversity,
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  • Only one can handle prosperity."
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  • What is it about prosperity
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  • That causes some people to stumble in life?
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  • There's something about prosperity that naturally lures
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  • People away from god.
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  • Now i know what you're thinking,
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  • I can read your minds by looking at you.
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  • You're thinking, "pastor, this is one message that certainly
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  • Doesn't apply to me, i'm not a wealthy person."
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  • Well, you better think again.
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  • The fact is, by the world's standard, if you know how you're
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  • Gonna eat for the next week, you're not worried about food
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  • For the next week, if you have an automobile to drive,
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  • If you have a place to stay, you are a wealthy person,
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  • By the world's standards.
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  • In fact, caroline pulled up a chart for me, just this week,
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  • That says in 2022 if you're a family of four, two adults
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  • And two children, and you have an income of $50,000
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  • You are wealthier than 89.7% of the rest of the world.
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  • We are wealthy, whether we realize it or not.
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  • And the danger of wealth, is it can lead us
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  • To make decisions apart from god.
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  • Let me illustrate that: there's hardly a person in this room,
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  • Or watching television right now, who, if you wanted to,
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  • Couldn't go out to dfw airport and either pay for,
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  • Or at least charge on a piece of plastic,
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  • A ticket to just about anywhere in the world.
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  • You could go anywhere you wanted to.
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  • You might spend the next thirty years paying it off,
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  • But you could go anywhere in the world you wanted to go,
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  • Without ever asking god about his plan for his life.
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  • Whether that was in his will for you or not.
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  • That's the danger of wealth.
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  • And today we're going to look at the episode in abraham's life
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  • That best illustrates the problem with prosperity,
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  • Living apart from god.
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  • If you have your bibles, turn to genesis, chapter 13,
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  • As we discover the problem with prosperity.
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  • Now, first of all, let's set the context for this story.
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  • Context is all important.
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  • Remember when abraham was 60 years of age, he was an idol
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  • Worshipper, he wasn't a godly person, he was
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  • An idol worshipper, and yet, he lived in ur of the chaldeans,
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  • And god said to him,
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  • "abraham, i'm choosing you for a special purpose.
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  • I'm gonna give you a land, a piece of real estate
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  • That's gonna be yours's and your decedents's forever.
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  • I'm gonna make you the father of a great nation.
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  • And through you, all of the nations of the world
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  • Will be blessed."
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  • Abraham believed god and he packed up his family, which, by
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  • The way, he shouldn't have done, god told him not to take his
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  • Family, but he said, "what's a little family time,
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  • That'd be good.
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  • We'll all go together as a family to this land."
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  • But remember what happened, he didn't go all the way there,
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  • He stopped in haran because of his ungodly father's influence.
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  • And he spent 15 years living in haran, living in disobedience.
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  • Finally, his dad dies, and abraham decides to obey god,
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  • After god comes back to him and said, "abraham, you're not there
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  • Yet, go to the promised land."
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  • And he arrives in the promised land, he builds an altar there,
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  • Thanks god for keeping his promise.
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  • But no sooner had he been in the promised land,
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  • Than he faced a crisis.
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  • There was a drought in the land, that caused a famine.
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  • It threatened abraham's livestock
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  • And abraham's family members.
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  • And he was faced with an important question:
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  • Could i trust that the god who brought me to this new place,
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  • Will sustain me in this new place?
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  • By the way, some of you right now
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  • Are facing that same question.
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  • Can you really trust in god?
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  • Can you trust that the god who brought you into this marriage
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  • Will keep you and provide for you in this marriage?
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  • Can you trust that the god that brought you to this strange city
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  • Will sustain and provide for you?
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  • Can you trust god to take care of your needs?
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  • Abraham came to the conclusion: he couldn't trust god.
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  • So, without consulting god, he went to egypt,
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  • And there in egypt remember, it was a disaster.
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  • Pharaoh tried to take abraham's wife, and finally
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  • God miraculously intervened, but the last time we saw abraham,
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  • He was making a beeline back to canaan
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  • With his tail tucked between his legs.
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  • He ended in disgrace and that's where we pick up the story in
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  • Genesis 13, beginning with verse 1, "so abram went up from egypt
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  • To the negev, and he and his wife and all that belonged to
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  • Him; and lot," his nephew was with him, underline that--
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  • Warning sign, this is gonna be a problem.
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  • "now abram was very rich in livestock,
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  • And in silver and in gold.
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  • And he went on his journeys from the negev as far as bethel,
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  • To the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between
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  • Bethel and ai, to the place of the altar, which he had made
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  • There formerly; and there abram called on the name of the lord."
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  • Have you ever experienced a failure in your life?
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  • Failures can do one of two things: they can either drive us
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  • Further away from god or they can drive us toward god.
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  • When you have failed, satan will do everything he can
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  • To persuade you that your live is over.
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  • This mistake is too big to overcome.
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  • God can never forgive you.
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  • You are gonna be placed on the shelf forever.
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  • That's satan's lies, don't believe it,
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  • There is always a path back to god.
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  • Remember the prodigal son?
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  • He took his inheritance early, he went to the far country,
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  • Dissipated on wine and women and every other thing you can
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  • Imagine, and when he came to the end of himself, he couldn't
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  • Afford enough to eat.
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  • So, he took a job feeding the swine, the pigs,
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  • He fed them the husk of grain, that was pig slop.
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  • And one day, he came to himself, he came to him senses
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  • And he says, "this is insane!
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  • I'm here barely existing and my father's slaves
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  • Have more than i have.
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  • I will get up and i will return to my father, and say thus,
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  • And thus, and thus, and thus."
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  • You know somebody once said, "swine husks are often
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  • The hors d'oeuvres before the fatted calf."
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  • Sometimes we have to get to the very end of ourself.
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  • We have to reach rock bottom before we come to our senses and
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  • Return to the father who loves us.
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  • There's always a path back to god,
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  • But it begins with repentance.
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  • That word repentance, metanoia in greek,
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  • Means literally to change your mind.
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  • Repentance begins with a change of mind, that says,
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  • "i don't wanna keep going this direction.
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  • I'm gonna do a u-turn and change directions in life,"
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  • And that's what abraham did.
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  • He acknowledged his mistake, he went back to that altar,
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  • Where he had been before, praying to god in canaan,
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  • The promised land.
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  • Remember this: the point of your departure is often the point--
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  • The beginning place of your return to god.
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  • Most every one of us can point to a bad decision we made that
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  • Led to bad consequences.
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  • The point of return is going back to that bad decision,
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  • Repenting of it, and asking god for a new direction.
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  • That's what abraham did.
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  • And so, when we last saw abraham, he's back in that altar
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  • Near bethel, praying, asking for god's forgiveness.
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  • But even though he received god's forgiveness,
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  • That forgiveness didn't exempt him from future problems.
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  • Right around the corner,
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  • There's yet another crisis awaiting abraham.
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  • But this time the crisis isn't concerning how he's gonna
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  • Deal with a famine, with poverty,
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  • It's how he's gonna deal with prosperity.
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  • And you see the conflict beginning in verse 5.
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  • Actually, there are two players, two characters in today's story.
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  • One is abraham and the other is his nephew, lot.
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  • Go back to verse 2 for a moment.
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  • "now abram was very rich in livestock,
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  • In silver and in gold."
  • 00:10:22.611 --> 00:10:24.914
  • That word translated, "very rich," is the hebrew word kabed,
  • 00:10:24.914 --> 00:10:29.251
  • Literally means heavy.
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  • Abraham was heavy with riches.
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  • As one expositor says in today's language,
  • 00:10:35.725 --> 00:10:39.028
  • We would say abraham was loaded.
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  • He was weighed down with possessions, very, very wealthy.
  • 00:10:42.331 --> 00:10:47.169
  • But he wasn't the only wealthy person in this story.
  • 00:10:47.169 --> 00:10:49.572
  • Verse 5 says, "now lot, who went with abram,
  • 00:10:49.572 --> 00:10:53.209
  • Also had flocks and herds and tents."
  • 00:10:53.209 --> 00:10:55.745
  • Lot was abraham's nephew.
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  • He was the son of abraham's dead brother, haran.
  • 00:10:57.913 --> 00:11:01.951
  • We don't know where lot got his wealth,
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  • May have been he inherited it from his dad.
  • 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:07.223
  • May have been abraham gave him some of his wealth.
  • 00:11:07.223 --> 00:11:11.026
  • But he was very, very wealthy,
  • 00:11:11.026 --> 00:11:12.795
  • And that was going to provide a problem.
  • 00:11:12.795 --> 00:11:16.232
  • He had flocks and herds and tents.
  • 00:11:16.232 --> 00:11:18.968
  • Now, the difference was, never once do we find lot ever
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  • Acknowledging his gratitude to god for his wealth.
  • 00:11:24.173 --> 00:11:28.077
  • Never once, he thought it was his own doing, he could do
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  • Whatever he wanted to do.
  • 00:11:31.013 --> 00:11:33.415
  • Now we need to stop here, and answer a question bible students
  • 00:11:33.415 --> 00:11:36.752
  • Have wrestled with, and that is: was lot a believer?
  • 00:11:36.752 --> 00:11:41.524
  • Was he a believer?
  • 00:11:41.524 --> 00:11:43.559
  • And the bible doesn't hesitate in answering that question.
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  • Yes, without doubt, he was a believer.
  • 00:11:46.829 --> 00:11:50.032
  • How can i say that with such certainty?
  • 00:11:50.032 --> 00:11:52.768
  • In second peter, chapter two, peter gives a commentary on this
  • 00:11:52.768 --> 00:11:56.672
  • Old testament story, and listen to what he says in
  • 00:11:56.672 --> 00:11:59.975
  • Verses 7 and 8, "and if god rescued righteous lot,"
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  • He calls him righteous.
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  • "if god rescued righteous lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct
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  • Of unprincipled men (for by what lot saw and heard that
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  • Righteous--" there it is again, "man, while living among them,
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  • Felt his--" and here it is again, his, "righteous soul
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  • Tormented day after day by their lawless deeds)."
  • 00:12:22.898 --> 00:12:26.836
  • Three times, peter says lot was a righteous man,
  • 00:12:26.836 --> 00:12:31.273
  • But he acted unrighteously.
  • 00:12:31.273 --> 00:12:34.176
  • Like so many christians today, he was carnal, he was fleshly,
  • 00:12:34.176 --> 00:12:38.080
  • He walked not by faith, like his uncle, he walked by sight.
  • 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:43.385
  • Now, the bible doesn't come out and say this.
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  • This is my imagination, but i think it's
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  • A sanctified imagination.
  • 00:12:51.160 --> 00:12:53.629
  • I think lot was the reason--one of the strong reasons abraham
  • 00:12:53.629 --> 00:12:58.334
  • Made that disastrous decision to go to egypt.
  • 00:12:58.334 --> 00:13:01.871
  • Remember, god had said, at the very beginning, "abram,
  • 00:13:01.871 --> 00:13:05.608
  • I'm gonna call you to a land, and i want you
  • 00:13:05.608 --> 00:13:08.310
  • To separate yourself from your family."
  • 00:13:08.310 --> 00:13:12.681
  • And abraham didn't do it.
  • 00:13:12.681 --> 00:13:15.351
  • And the first consequence of that was terah, the father,
  • 00:13:15.351 --> 00:13:19.154
  • Caused abram to stumble and stay in haran for 15 years instead
  • 00:13:19.154 --> 00:13:25.327
  • Of going to the promised land.
  • 00:13:25.327 --> 00:13:27.396
  • God had to take terah home, through death, before abraham
  • 00:13:27.396 --> 00:13:30.766
  • Got the personal fortitude to march on to canaan.
  • 00:13:30.766 --> 00:13:34.803
  • And now, he takes lot with him to canaan.
  • 00:13:34.803 --> 00:13:38.607
  • Because he didn't separate himself from lot, i believe when
  • 00:13:38.607 --> 00:13:42.544
  • They got to canaan, the promised land, and they suffered that
  • 00:13:42.544 --> 00:13:45.347
  • Drought, lot, a man lacking in faith, was the one who sounded
  • 00:13:45.347 --> 00:13:49.351
  • The alarm and said, "abraham, we gotta do something!
  • 00:13:49.351 --> 00:13:52.488
  • To protect our family, our livestock.
  • 00:13:52.488 --> 00:13:54.623
  • The only rational thing to do is to go down to egypt,
  • 00:13:54.623 --> 00:13:57.559
  • Where there's plenty of places for our animals to graze."
  • 00:13:57.559 --> 00:14:00.896
  • And abraham made that mistake of listening to lot,
  • 00:14:00.896 --> 00:14:03.933
  • And he went to egypt.
  • 00:14:03.933 --> 00:14:06.168
  • He comes back, realizing he'd made a mistake, he knelt down
  • 00:14:06.168 --> 00:14:09.305
  • At the altar at bethel, and began to pray.
  • 00:14:09.305 --> 00:14:11.607
  • Now what did he pray for?
  • 00:14:11.607 --> 00:14:13.375
  • I'm sure he asked for god's forgiveness for the bad mistake.
  • 00:14:13.375 --> 00:14:16.578
  • I'm sure he also prayed for god's forgiveness for his
  • 00:14:16.578 --> 00:14:20.416
  • Disobedience, and not separating himself from his family.
  • 00:14:20.416 --> 00:14:24.520
  • I'm sure he said, "god, i should have listened to you, years ago,
  • 00:14:24.520 --> 00:14:27.723
  • And separated from lot.
  • 00:14:27.723 --> 00:14:29.825
  • Please help me get out of this situation."
  • 00:14:29.825 --> 00:14:34.163
  • Be careful of what you pray for,
  • 00:14:34.163 --> 00:14:36.598
  • God just might answer that prayer.
  • 00:14:36.598 --> 00:14:39.401
  • In fact, sometimes we pray-- we really don't know whether
  • 00:14:39.401 --> 00:14:43.205
  • God will say yes or no, because we don't know
  • 00:14:43.205 --> 00:14:45.774
  • If we're praying in god's will.
  • 00:14:45.774 --> 00:14:48.010
  • Faith in praying means boldly asking god for what is in our
  • 00:14:48.010 --> 00:14:51.613
  • Heart, but quietly trusting in his answer,
  • 00:14:51.613 --> 00:14:54.483
  • Whatever the answer is.
  • 00:14:54.483 --> 00:14:56.085
  • However, whenever we pray for something,
  • 00:14:56.085 --> 00:14:58.687
  • We know is the will of god, according to scripture,
  • 00:14:58.687 --> 00:15:01.623
  • We can be certain god is going to answer.
  • 00:15:01.623 --> 00:15:04.626
  • That's what first john, 5:14, is all about, "and this is
  • 00:15:04.626 --> 00:15:08.397
  • The confidence we have in him, that, if we ask anything
  • 00:15:08.397 --> 00:15:11.300
  • According to his will, we know that he hears us."
  • 00:15:11.300 --> 00:15:17.139
  • If you ask anything according to the will of god, you can know
  • 00:15:17.139 --> 00:15:20.909
  • That god is going to answer that prayer.
  • 00:15:20.909 --> 00:15:23.278
  • And he may do it in an unusual way.
  • 00:15:23.278 --> 00:15:25.814
  • That's how he answered the prayer for abraham,
  • 00:15:25.814 --> 00:15:28.050
  • To separate from lot.
  • 00:15:28.050 --> 00:15:30.319
  • He sent this crisis that came from great wealth.
  • 00:15:30.319 --> 00:15:34.056
  • Look at verse 6, "and the land--" that is canaan, what
  • 00:15:34.056 --> 00:15:38.827
  • Would be israel, "could not sustain abraham and lot while
  • 00:15:38.827 --> 00:15:43.032
  • Dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that
  • 00:15:43.032 --> 00:15:46.702
  • They were not able to remain together."
  • 00:15:46.702 --> 00:15:48.904
  • Their wealth had grown so much, especially the livestock,
  • 00:15:48.904 --> 00:15:51.473
  • There wasn't enough land to feed them on.
  • 00:15:51.473 --> 00:15:54.009
  • And that produced strife, look at verse 7,
  • 00:15:54.009 --> 00:15:56.645
  • "and there was strife between the herdsmen
  • 00:15:56.645 --> 00:15:59.348
  • Of abram's livestock and the herdsman of lot's livestock."
  • 00:15:59.348 --> 00:16:03.685
  • You know what's interesting, this is the first time--
  • 00:16:03.685 --> 00:16:06.955
  • This is the first chapter in the bible where wealth is mentioned.
  • 00:16:06.955 --> 00:16:11.393
  • And it's in the negative context.
  • 00:16:11.393 --> 00:16:14.563
  • Wealth causes conflict.
  • 00:16:14.563 --> 00:16:17.332
  • Now, it's not saying wealth is necessarily sinful.
  • 00:16:17.332 --> 00:16:20.936
  • You can use wealth for great good, but just be aware that
  • 00:16:20.936 --> 00:16:25.007
  • Wealth can cause conflict.
  • 00:16:25.007 --> 00:16:27.076
  • I see it all the time, a couple gets married in their young
  • 00:16:27.076 --> 00:16:31.480
  • Adult years and they barely scrape by, providing for
  • 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:35.417
  • Themselves and their family.
  • 00:16:35.417 --> 00:16:37.252
  • But they get to a certain stage of life in which they experience
  • 00:16:37.252 --> 00:16:40.155
  • Prosperity and guess what?
  • 00:16:40.155 --> 00:16:43.058
  • They realize they don't need each other.
  • 00:16:43.058 --> 00:16:45.160
  • And they decide to separate from one another.
  • 00:16:45.160 --> 00:16:47.996
  • They can be self-sufficient without the other person.
  • 00:16:47.996 --> 00:16:51.166
  • Or here's a family run company, they start together,
  • 00:16:51.166 --> 00:16:54.837
  • Barely making it, wondering how they're gonna meet payroll
  • 00:16:54.837 --> 00:16:57.739
  • Week after week.
  • 00:16:57.739 --> 00:16:59.341
  • But god prospers the business, and with that business comes
  • 00:16:59.341 --> 00:17:02.911
  • Disagreements among the family members.
  • 00:17:02.911 --> 00:17:05.514
  • When should we sell the company?
  • 00:17:05.514 --> 00:17:07.416
  • Who ought to succeed the ceo?
  • 00:17:07.416 --> 00:17:09.985
  • And all of these conflicts, money creates that's what
  • 00:17:09.985 --> 00:17:13.155
  • Happened with abraham and lot.
  • 00:17:13.155 --> 00:17:15.257
  • It caused conflict.
  • 00:17:15.257 --> 00:17:17.159
  • There's not enough land.
  • 00:17:17.159 --> 00:17:18.794
  • This land isn't big enough for the two of us,
  • 00:17:18.794 --> 00:17:21.463
  • We've got to do something.
  • 00:17:21.463 --> 00:17:23.065
  • Now notice the parenthetical statement in verse 7, "now
  • 00:17:23.065 --> 00:17:26.635
  • The canaanite and the perizzite were dwelling in the land."
  • 00:17:26.635 --> 00:17:32.141
  • What is that all about?
  • 00:17:32.141 --> 00:17:34.710
  • You know who lived in canaan before abraham got there?
  • 00:17:34.710 --> 00:17:37.479
  • This is a bible quiz.
  • 00:17:37.479 --> 00:17:40.282
  • Who lived in canaan before abraham got there?
  • 00:17:40.282 --> 00:17:43.051
  • The canaanites.
  • 00:17:43.051 --> 00:17:45.854
  • Took me 7 years in seminary to figure that out.
  • 00:17:45.854 --> 00:17:49.324
  • The canaanites lived in canaan, they were ungodly, they were not
  • 00:17:49.324 --> 00:17:53.162
  • Thrilled with abraham and lot being interlopers
  • 00:17:53.162 --> 00:17:56.665
  • Who took their land from them.
  • 00:17:56.665 --> 00:17:58.700
  • And so, they were looking for any opportunity to overthrow
  • 00:17:58.700 --> 00:18:01.637
  • Abraham and lot and their family and get them out of the land.
  • 00:18:01.637 --> 00:18:09.678
  • You know what?
  • 00:18:09.678 --> 00:18:11.480
  • Abraham said, "let's not let that happen.
  • 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:15.184
  • Let's don't let there be strife between you and me,
  • 00:18:15.184 --> 00:18:17.986
  • For we are brothers."
  • 00:18:17.986 --> 00:18:21.156
  • Abraham understood the truth that jesus would echo many years
  • 00:18:21.156 --> 00:18:24.826
  • Later when he said, "a house divided
  • 00:18:24.826 --> 00:18:27.362
  • Against itself cannot stand."
  • 00:18:27.362 --> 00:18:30.199
  • You know people are so ignorant of the bible today, they think
  • 00:18:30.199 --> 00:18:33.435
  • Abraham lincoln is the one who came up with those words.
  • 00:18:33.435 --> 00:18:36.205
  • Abraham lincoln stole that from jesus.
  • 00:18:36.205 --> 00:18:39.074
  • Jesus is the one who said,
  • 00:18:39.074 --> 00:18:41.109
  • "a house divided against itself cannot stand."
  • 00:18:41.109 --> 00:18:44.313
  • Abraham was saying, "look lot: we're brothers,
  • 00:18:44.313 --> 00:18:47.849
  • We're one family.
  • 00:18:47.849 --> 00:18:49.751
  • The enemy is not you or me, the enemy is them.
  • 00:18:49.751 --> 00:18:53.822
  • Let's remember we are brothers."
  • 00:18:53.822 --> 00:18:56.758
  • Christians, we need to remember that today.
  • 00:18:56.758 --> 00:18:59.695
  • In romans 12:10, paul said, "let us be devoted to one another
  • 00:18:59.695 --> 00:19:04.833
  • In brotherly love."
  • 00:19:04.833 --> 00:19:08.170
  • That word brotherly, adelphos in greek, means
  • 00:19:08.170 --> 00:19:10.572
  • We are from the same womb.
  • 00:19:10.572 --> 00:19:13.375
  • Paul is saying, the enemy we're facing is not another christian.
  • 00:19:13.375 --> 00:19:18.247
  • Quit the strife, quit the fighting.
  • 00:19:18.247 --> 00:19:20.949
  • Our enemy is not other christians, the enemy is satan.
  • 00:19:20.949 --> 00:19:24.486
  • And he's looking for any opportunity to divide christians
  • 00:19:24.486 --> 00:19:27.789
  • And destroy them.
  • 00:19:27.789 --> 00:19:29.458
  • We need to remember, we're from the same womb.
  • 00:19:29.458 --> 00:19:32.828
  • The same blood, the blood of jesus christ flows through us,
  • 00:19:32.828 --> 00:19:36.665
  • That's what unites us to one another.
  • 00:19:36.665 --> 00:19:39.868
  • Abraham understood that, and it's out of that spirit that he
  • 00:19:39.868 --> 00:19:43.805
  • Was going to offer a compromise.
  • 00:19:43.805 --> 00:19:46.708
  • Let's not let there be any strife.
  • 00:19:46.708 --> 00:19:49.678
  • You know, in our culture, compromise means weakness.
  • 00:19:49.678 --> 00:19:54.016
  • Our philosophy in america is,
  • 00:19:54.016 --> 00:19:56.385
  • "don't give an inch in negotiations.
  • 00:19:56.385 --> 00:19:58.720
  • Stand your ground.
  • 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:00.355
  • Don't leave anything on the table."
  • 00:20:00.355 --> 00:20:03.191
  • That is a carnal perspective.
  • 00:20:03.191 --> 00:20:05.994
  • God says, "be willing to make peace."
  • 00:20:05.994 --> 00:20:09.364
  • Proverbs 17:14 says, "the beginning of strife
  • 00:20:09.364 --> 00:20:12.467
  • Is like the letting out of water.
  • 00:20:12.467 --> 00:20:14.770
  • So, abandon the quarrel before it breaks out."
  • 00:20:14.770 --> 00:20:18.206
  • Proverbs 19:11, "a man's discretion
  • 00:20:18.206 --> 00:20:21.109
  • Makes him slow to anger.
  • 00:20:21.109 --> 00:20:23.412
  • And it is his glory to overlook a transgression."
  • 00:20:23.412 --> 00:20:26.982
  • So, in that spirit, abraham offers a compromise,
  • 00:20:26.982 --> 00:20:30.552
  • Look at genesis 13:9, "is not the whole land before you?
  • 00:20:30.552 --> 00:20:33.889
  • Please separate from me: if you want to go to the left,
  • 00:20:33.889 --> 00:20:37.659
  • Then i will go to the right; or if to the right,
  • 00:20:37.659 --> 00:20:39.761
  • Then i will go to the left."
  • 00:20:39.761 --> 00:20:41.430
  • In other words, "lot you choose whatever land you want,
  • 00:20:41.430 --> 00:20:43.832
  • And i'll take what is left over."
  • 00:20:43.832 --> 00:20:46.301
  • Why was abraham willing to do that?
  • 00:20:46.301 --> 00:20:49.071
  • Why was he willing to be taken advantage of?
  • 00:20:49.071 --> 00:20:52.407
  • Three reasons, first of all: abraham had a greater purpose.
  • 00:20:52.407 --> 00:20:56.511
  • He had a greater purpose in life.
  • 00:20:56.511 --> 00:20:59.114
  • You know, every life--listen to this, every life
  • 00:20:59.114 --> 00:21:02.150
  • Is either self-focused or it's god focused.
  • 00:21:02.150 --> 00:21:06.121
  • It's one or the other, it can't be both.
  • 00:21:06.121 --> 00:21:09.991
  • Lot was self-focused, his credo for living was get all you can,
  • 00:21:09.991 --> 00:21:15.864
  • Can all you get, and sit on the can.
  • 00:21:15.864 --> 00:21:20.235
  • That was lot's philosophy.
  • 00:21:20.235 --> 00:21:22.371
  • Look out for number one.
  • 00:21:22.371 --> 00:21:24.673
  • Abraham's focus was the glory of god.
  • 00:21:24.673 --> 00:21:28.810
  • He knew that if strife broke out between them, if the canaanites
  • 00:21:28.810 --> 00:21:33.281
  • Overtook them because of that division, the reputation of god
  • 00:21:33.281 --> 00:21:37.652
  • Would be ruined.
  • 00:21:37.652 --> 00:21:39.388
  • Because god had promised them that land.
  • 00:21:39.388 --> 00:21:41.890
  • And so, he put the interest of god above his own.
  • 00:21:41.890 --> 00:21:45.660
  • He had a greater reward.
  • 00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:47.963
  • Secondly, not only did he have a greater purpose in life,
  • 00:21:47.963 --> 00:21:52.434
  • He possessed a greater faith than lot.
  • 00:21:52.434 --> 00:21:56.605
  • Now it hadn't always been that way.
  • 00:21:56.605 --> 00:21:58.707
  • There had been a time in abraham's life when he thought
  • 00:21:58.707 --> 00:22:01.209
  • He was responsible for his own wellbeing.
  • 00:22:01.209 --> 00:22:04.346
  • And that's what led him to make that disastrous trip to egypt,
  • 00:22:04.346 --> 00:22:07.516
  • That almost cost him his wife.
  • 00:22:07.516 --> 00:22:10.619
  • But after that he learned his lesson.
  • 00:22:10.619 --> 00:22:13.188
  • He believed that god could be trusted to take care of him.
  • 00:22:13.188 --> 00:22:16.992
  • I like what one biographer of abraham has written,
  • 00:22:16.992 --> 00:22:19.728
  • "the person who is sure of god, can afford to hold loosely
  • 00:22:19.728 --> 00:22:24.366
  • The things of this world."
  • 00:22:24.366 --> 00:22:26.601
  • And finally, he not only possessed a greater faith,
  • 00:22:26.601 --> 00:22:29.404
  • He looked for a greater reward.
  • 00:22:29.404 --> 00:22:32.707
  • He was looking for a greater reward.
  • 00:22:32.707 --> 00:22:34.309
  • You know, if you go to an investment counselor to get
  • 00:22:34.309 --> 00:22:38.380
  • Advice on how to invest your money, after they find out how
  • 00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:41.850
  • Much money you have, the question they will ask you is:
  • 00:22:41.850 --> 00:22:45.654
  • What is your investment horizon?
  • 00:22:45.654 --> 00:22:49.458
  • In other words, when are you gonna need this money?
  • 00:22:49.458 --> 00:22:52.494
  • If you're gonna need this money in the next year,
  • 00:22:52.494 --> 00:22:55.163
  • In the next 12 months, well you can't afford to take any risk,
  • 00:22:55.163 --> 00:22:57.766
  • You better put it in the bank.
  • 00:22:57.766 --> 00:22:59.501
  • You don't earn much, but you don't risk losing it.
  • 00:22:59.501 --> 00:23:02.304
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:23:02.304 --> 00:23:07.509
  • Jeffress: we're living in a world that's populated
  • 00:23:07.509 --> 00:23:09.511
  • With selfish consumers, just like lot.
  • 00:23:09.511 --> 00:23:12.514
  • And our sinful depravity drives us to pursue comfort,
  • 00:23:12.514 --> 00:23:16.852
  • At the expense of those around us.
  • 00:23:16.852 --> 00:23:19.120
  • There's much more to learn from this chapter in abraham's life,
  • 00:23:19.120 --> 00:23:22.724
  • So please join me again next time.
  • 00:23:22.724 --> 00:23:25.260
  • But right now, i wanna share a note from jefferey in virginia,
  • 00:23:25.260 --> 00:23:29.231
  • Who wrote to thank me for the daily email devotionals
  • 00:23:29.231 --> 00:23:31.900
  • He receives from "pathway to victory."
  • 00:23:31.900 --> 00:23:35.270
  • He said, "to me, the bible is hard to understand at times.
  • 00:23:35.270 --> 00:23:38.940
  • Your explanations and stories
  • 00:23:38.940 --> 00:23:41.176
  • Help me understand god's word better.
  • 00:23:41.176 --> 00:23:44.346
  • And helped me grow my faith in god.
  • 00:23:44.346 --> 00:23:47.048
  • Please keep them coming my way."
  • 00:23:47.048 --> 00:23:49.384
  • Well, jefferey i'm so glad these devotionals
  • 00:23:49.384 --> 00:23:51.686
  • Are helping you grow in your faith.
  • 00:23:51.686 --> 00:23:54.189
  • And thank you, friends, for supporting "pathway to victory"
  • 00:23:54.189 --> 00:23:57.192
  • As pathway partners or faithful donors.
  • 00:23:57.192 --> 00:24:00.328
  • As we share the eternal truth and hope of the gospel
  • 00:24:00.328 --> 00:24:03.398
  • With those who need it most.
  • 00:24:03.398 --> 00:24:05.333
  • Stay right there,
  • 00:24:05.333 --> 00:24:06.668
  • I'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
  • 00:24:06.668 --> 00:24:09.170
  • In just a moment.
  • 00:24:09.170 --> 00:24:11.373
  • Jeffress: the story of abraham is an invitation to come back to
  • 00:24:11.439 --> 00:24:16.311
  • The altar of god.
  • 00:24:16.311 --> 00:24:19.080
  • He fell into disobedience and ultimately disgrace.
  • 00:24:19.080 --> 00:24:25.453
  • Repentance begins with a change of mind that says, "i don't want
  • 00:24:25.453 --> 00:24:28.757
  • To keep going this direction."
  • 00:24:28.757 --> 00:24:31.393
  • And that's what abraham did.
  • 00:24:31.393 --> 00:24:34.195
  • Picture right now a challenge you're facing.
  • 00:24:34.195 --> 00:24:38.066
  • It may be a challenge with a child or a grandchild.
  • 00:24:38.066 --> 00:24:41.703
  • It may be a financial need.
  • 00:24:41.703 --> 00:24:44.306
  • It might be a physical problem with you or somebody
  • 00:24:44.306 --> 00:24:46.808
  • You care about.
  • 00:24:46.808 --> 00:24:48.743
  • Do you believe the same god whose been faithful in the past
  • 00:24:48.743 --> 00:24:52.047
  • To you will be faithful to you now?
  • 00:24:52.047 --> 00:24:54.449
  • Is god still alive?
  • 00:24:54.449 --> 00:24:56.851
  • Is god still working and you really trust in god?
  • 00:24:56.851 --> 00:25:02.791
  • The one quality god admires, god desires more than any other
  • 00:25:02.791 --> 00:25:07.929
  • Quality in our lives is faith.
  • 00:25:07.929 --> 00:25:11.967
  • What is faith?
  • 00:25:11.967 --> 00:25:13.668
  • It's believing that god will do what he has promised to do
  • 00:25:13.668 --> 00:25:17.672
  • And acting accordingly.
  • 00:25:17.672 --> 00:25:23.912
  • If the story of abraham tells us anything it tells us this.
  • 00:25:23.912 --> 00:25:28.350
  • It doesn't matter how old you are.
  • 00:25:28.350 --> 00:25:29.751
  • It doesn't matter how far you've drifted away from god.
  • 00:25:29.751 --> 00:25:33.388
  • You can come back.
  • 00:25:33.388 --> 00:25:35.390
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:25:35.390 --> 00:25:41.262
  • Jeffress: like lot, many americans today are bent
  • 00:25:42.764 --> 00:25:45.433
  • On achieving comfort and success.
  • 00:25:45.433 --> 00:25:48.236
  • But in god's economy, we're invited to participate
  • 00:25:48.236 --> 00:25:51.272
  • In something far more exciting, and with eternal benefits.
  • 00:25:51.272 --> 00:25:55.777
  • I hope today's message is beginning to expand your vision,
  • 00:25:55.777 --> 00:25:59.414
  • To see beyond the here and now.
  • 00:25:59.414 --> 00:26:01.950
  • And be sure to join me next time for part two of this message,
  • 00:26:01.950 --> 00:26:05.153
  • When i'll show you the three mistakes lot made,
  • 00:26:05.153 --> 00:26:07.622
  • That led to his demise.
  • 00:26:07.622 --> 00:26:09.924
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
  • 00:26:09.924 --> 00:26:12.327
  • In our series, "walking by faith."
  • 00:26:12.327 --> 00:26:15.196
  • Jeffress: i loved what one writer said.
  • 00:26:16.097 --> 00:26:17.432
  • He said, "for abraham, the place of surrender
  • 00:26:17.432 --> 00:26:20.101
  • Became the place of possession."
  • 00:26:20.101 --> 00:26:23.538
  • When abraham opened his hands and said, "lord, for your glory,
  • 00:26:23.538 --> 00:26:27.108
  • I'll surrender this land."
  • 00:26:27.108 --> 00:26:28.843
  • And god said to abraham, "that's all i needed to hear.
  • 00:26:28.843 --> 00:26:31.680
  • This land is yours forever and ever and ever.
  • 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:34.783
  • Nobody will take to from you."
  • 00:26:34.783 --> 00:26:37.852
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for part two
  • 00:26:37.919 --> 00:26:40.755
  • Of the message, "the problem with prosperity,"
  • 00:26:40.755 --> 00:26:43.525
  • Here on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:43.525 --> 00:26:48.863
  • Announcer: take a journey through alaska's awe-inspiring
  • 00:26:48.930 --> 00:26:51.433
  • Wilderness on the 2026 pathway to victory cruise to alaska with
  • 00:26:51.433 --> 00:26:55.503
  • Dr. robert jeffress aboard holland america's
  • 00:26:55.503 --> 00:26:57.906
  • Magnificent koningsdam.
  • 00:26:57.906 --> 00:26:59.841
  • Share laughter with dennis swanberg,
  • 00:26:59.841 --> 00:27:02.377
  • Be inspired by award-winning musician
  • 00:27:02.377 --> 00:27:04.646
  • Michael o'brien's powerful worship.
  • 00:27:04.646 --> 00:27:06.848
  • Make plans to set sail for an unforgettable week of adventure
  • 00:27:06.848 --> 00:27:10.452
  • June 13 through 20, 2026.
  • 00:27:10.452 --> 00:27:13.254
  • Call...
  • 00:27:13.254 --> 00:27:16.124
  • Or visit ptv.org.
  • 00:27:16.124 --> 00:27:27.302