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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - The Problem with Prosperity (Part 2) | November 5, 2025
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- ♪♪♪
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- Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist
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- Church 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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- Money, in and of itself, isn't a bad thing.
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- The bible makes that very clear.
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- Money becomes evil when it sabotages our
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- Relationship with god.
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- Today we're going to learn an important lesson
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- From two wealthy men.
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- One allowed his riches to draw him closer to god.
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- The other allowed his wealth to push god away.
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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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- ♪♪♪
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- ♪ hear the heart of heaven beating ♪
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- ♪ jesus saves, jesus saves ♪
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- ♪ and the hush of mercy breathing ♪
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- ♪ jesus saves, jesus saves ♪
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- ♪ hear the host of angels sing ♪
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- ♪ "glory to the newborn king" ♪
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- ♪ and the sounding joy repeating ♪
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- ♪ "jesus saves" ♪
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- ♪ he will live our sorrow sharing ♪
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- ♪ jesus saves, jesus saves ♪
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- ♪ he will die our burden bearing ♪
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- ♪ jesus saves, jesus saves ♪
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- ♪ "it is done!", we'll shout across ♪
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- ♪ christ has paid redemption's cost ♪
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- ♪ while the empty tomb's declaring ♪
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- ♪ "jesus saves" ♪
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- ♪ freedom's calling, chains are falling ♪
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- ♪ hope is dawning, bright and true ♪
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- ♪ day is breaking, night is quaking ♪
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- ♪ god is making all things new ♪
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- ♪ jesus saves ♪
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- ♪ oh, to grace, how great a debtor ♪
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- ♪ jesus saves, jesus saves ♪
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- ♪ all the saints who shout together ♪
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- ♪ jesus saves, jesus saves ♪
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- ♪ rising up so vast and strong ♪
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- ♪ lifting up salvation's song ♪
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- ♪ the redeemed will sing forever ♪
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- ♪ "jesus saves" ♪
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- ♪ jesus saves, jesus saves ♪
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- ♪ jesus saves ♪♪
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- [congregation applauds]
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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," dr. robert jeffress
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- Shares how to step forward in faith even when
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- 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: i like what one biographer of abraham has
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- Written: "the person who is sure of god can afford to hold
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- Loosely the things of this world."
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- And, finally, he not only possessed a greater faith,
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- He looked for a greater reward.
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- He was looking for a greater reward.
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- You know, if you go to an investment counselor to get
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- Advice on how to invest your money,
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- After they find out how much money you have,
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- The question they will ask you is "what is your
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- Investment horizon?"
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- In other words, when are you gonna need this money?
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- If you're gonna need this money in the next year,
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- In the next 12 months, well, you can't afford to take any risk.
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- You better put it in the bank.
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- You don't earn much, but you don't risk losing it.
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- But if you're not gonna need it for 5 years or 10 years,
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- Or your retirement's not for 30 years,
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- You can afford to take riskier investments because,
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- Although you may have some short-term losses,
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- In the long term, you'll have more reward,
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- More returns.
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- Abraham looked at his investment horizon.
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- It won the next year, the next 5 years,
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- Or the next 100 years.
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- His investment horizon was eternity.
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- He was thinking in terms of eternity,
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- Of eternal rewards that would keep on paying dividend after
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- Dividend after dividend, and that's why he could take a risk
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- In losing this land in the short term in order to please god.
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- That's what hebrews 11:10 is all about: "for abraham was looking
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- For the city which has foundations,
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- Whose architect and builder is god."
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- He was lookin' at heaven, not this life,
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- And because of that, he was willing to risk a loss.
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- What did this compromise me for lot and abraham?
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- Look at the consequences, first of all, for lot.
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- Some of you right now are facing a choice about a career,
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- About a move, about a mate, about your money.
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- You're facing a choice right now.
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- I want you to notice the three mistakes lot made in his bad
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- Decision to take the land that looked the best to him.
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- First of all, he refused to be content with his
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- Present circumstances.
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- He refused to be content.
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- It was that discontent that led him to make the wrong decision.
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- Look at verse 10: "lot lifted up his eyes,
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- And he saw all the valley of the jordan,
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- That it was well watered everywhere.
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- This was, by the way, before the lord destroyed sodom
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- And gomorrah," two cities in that valley,
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- But it looked luscious, "like the garden of the lord,
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- That is, eden, and like the land of egypt as you go to zoar."
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- The bible says, as he looked out there to what he was gonna
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- Choose, he saw the land, the oasis of the jordan.
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- That word, "saw," in hebrew, means more than he
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- Just glanced at it.
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- Literally, the word "saw" means to look longingly at,
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- To gaze, to say, "that's what i want.
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- That's what i need."
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- You know what the greatest enemy of contentment,
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- Satisfaction in your life and my life is?
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- It's what i call "the oasis syndrome," to believe that there
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- Is an oasis out there that is different,
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- That, where i am, that, "if only i could reach that oasis,
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- Then i could truly be happy.
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- If only i had that job, if only i lived in that city,
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- If only i had that home, if only i had that amount of money,
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- If only i had that mate, that i could truly be
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- Satisfied in life."
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- That's the oasis syndrome.
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- "happiness is someplace other than where i am right now."
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- You never quite get there.
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- It's always someplace just beyond where you are.
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- That's why the secret for satisfaction is not more.
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- It's the word "contentment."
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- Paul said it this way in philippians 4:11,
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- "for i have learned to be content in whatever
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- Circumstances i am."
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- That word, "contentment," comes from a word that literally
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- Means "containment."
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- It refers to somebody whose happiness is found inwardly,
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- Not outwardly.
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- He is self-contained.
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- And, of course, for a christian, that containment
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- Is a relationship with jesus christ.
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- "i can do all things through christ,
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- Who strengthens me."
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- Lot didn't have that contentment.
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- That led him to make a bad decision.
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- Secondly, not only did he refuse to be content,
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- He failed to consult god in his decision.
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- Genesis 13:11, says, "so lot chose for himself all
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- The valleys of the jordan, and he journeyed eastward."
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- Not once is there any indication he prayed to god for wisdom.
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- He just made the choice and went after it.
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- You know, the longer i'm in ministry,
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- I am convinced that the majority of christians
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- Are really atheists.
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- I'm not talkin' about theological atheists--not yet
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- Anyway, but they're practical atheists.
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- They get up in the morning. they go to work.
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- They go through their activity list.
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- They come home.
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- They spend their money. they do that.
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- They do this without ever once thinking about god
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- Or consulting god.
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- They live their lives as if there were no god whom they
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- Should consult, a god to whom they are accountable.
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- That's what you call an atheist, somebody who lives apart from,
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- Without god.
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- James had a word about that in james 4,
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- Beginning with verse 13.
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- He said, "come now, you who say, 'today or tomorrow,
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- We'll go to such and such a city,
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- And spend the year there and engage in business
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- And make a profit.'
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- Yet you don't know what your life will be like tomorrow.
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- You're just a vapor.
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- You're a mist that appears for a little while and
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- Then vanishes away."
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- Is james saying we shouldn't plan?
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- No.
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- But he is saying we shouldn't plan without god.
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- He says, in verse 15, "instead, what you ought to say is 'if the
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- Lord wills, we will live, and then we'll do this or that.'
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- But as it is, you boast in your arrogance,
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- And all such boasting is evil."
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- What was lot's mistake?
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- He refused to be content, he failed to consult god,
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- And, third--and this is so important--he neglected
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- To consider his family in his decision.
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- He neglected to consider his family.
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- Look at verses 12 and 13: "abram settled in the land of canaan,
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- While lot settled in the cities of the valley,
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- And moved his tents as far as sodom.
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- Now the men of sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners
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- Against the lord."
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- He moved to the edge of sodom.
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- What was the mistake?
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- He never once thought about how it would affect his family.
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- He made this choice because, first of all,
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- He underestimated the power of sin.
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- Now listen to me: he underestimated the power of sin.
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- Lot was a righteous man.
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- He had heard all the stories about what life
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- In sodom was like.
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- He knew it was an exceedingly wicked place,
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- But he thought, "i'm strong enough to withstand it."
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- So he moved to the edge of sodom,
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- Not into sodom, just on the edge of sodom.
- 00:12:35.968 --> 00:12:38.704
- He probably rationalized it:
- 00:12:38.704 --> 00:12:42.141
- "well, i need to be a witness to this community,
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- So i'll get as close to the edge of sin as i possibly can."
- 00:12:45.511 --> 00:12:52.818
- But lot's motivation was not the glory of god.
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- It was his own lust that drew him to the edge of sodom,
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- His own curiosity.
- 00:12:59.992 --> 00:13:01.327
- Interestingly, next time, when we see lot again,
- 00:13:01.327 --> 00:13:04.263
- He's right smack-dab in the middle of sodom.
- 00:13:04.263 --> 00:13:08.167
- He's like the proverbial moth that tries to fly as close to
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- The flame as possible without getting burned,
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- And it usually doesn't work out real well for the moth.
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- It didn't for lot, that's for sure.
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- No, wisdom is not getting to the edge of sin.
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- It's running as far from sin as you possibly can.
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- 2 timothy 2:22, paul says, "now flee from youthful lusts,
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- And pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace,
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- With those who call on the lord from a pure heart."
- 00:13:35.127 --> 00:13:39.198
- Not only did he underestimate the power of sin,
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- But he overestimated the spiritual strength
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- Of his family.
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- You see, the bible indicates that lot was distressed by the
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- Wickedness of sodom, but there's no evidence that his wife and
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- Two daughters were distressed by it.
- 00:13:57.850 --> 00:14:00.619
- Even though lot thought he could handle the temptation,
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- He never once thought about what this decision,
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- What this move to another city, another place,
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- Would mean for his wife and for his two daughters.
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- They weren't distressed by the wickedness.
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- His wife ends up being destroyed.
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- His two daughters married men who were exceedingly wicked,
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- The scripture says, and they were destroyed.
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- When a father, a mother makes a decision,
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- They need to think about what this decision means not just for
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- Themselves but for their family as well.
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- Even though i may have the freedom to do something,
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- It doesn't mean i should do it.
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- What about the policy toward alcohol?"
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- Now, let's be honest.
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- There's no scripture verse that says,
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- "no drop of alcohol shall ever pass through thy lips."
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- There's no verse that says that.
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- There's no verse that says, "you're going to hell if you
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- Have a drink."
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- The bible says you're not to get drunk,
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- And even more than that, you're not allowed anything,
- 00:15:01.347 --> 00:15:04.383
- Anybody or anything control your life other than
- 00:15:04.383 --> 00:15:07.586
- The holy spirit of god.
- 00:15:07.586 --> 00:15:09.989
- But there's no absolute prohibition against a christian
- 00:15:09.989 --> 00:15:12.925
- Drinking, but that's not the question.
- 00:15:12.925 --> 00:15:16.628
- The question is not whether it's okay for me to do it,
- 00:15:16.628 --> 00:15:21.000
- Whether or not i can handle alcohol.
- 00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:23.102
- It's how my freedom impacts other people.
- 00:15:23.102 --> 00:15:26.839
- Even though my freedom gives me the opportunity to drink,
- 00:15:26.839 --> 00:15:32.211
- How would that affect other people who may not be able
- 00:15:32.211 --> 00:15:36.015
- To handle alcohol?
- 00:15:36.015 --> 00:15:38.117
- What about my children?
- 00:15:38.117 --> 00:15:39.852
- I don't know if they're able to handle alcohol or not.
- 00:15:39.852 --> 00:15:43.255
- The statistics are, right now, 15 million americans are already
- 00:15:43.255 --> 00:15:48.494
- Diagnosed as alcoholics.
- 00:15:48.494 --> 00:15:50.829
- That's 6% of the american population.
- 00:15:50.829 --> 00:15:55.100
- What if you went out to dfw airport?
- 00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:57.536
- You're about to get on a plane, and the ticket agent said,
- 00:15:57.536 --> 00:15:59.538
- "now, before you board today, we are required to tell you there's
- 00:15:59.538 --> 00:16:03.509
- Six chances in a hundred that this plane is going to crash."
- 00:16:03.509 --> 00:16:09.448
- How many of you would get on the plane?
- 00:16:09.448 --> 00:16:11.884
- "i'm willing to take my chances."
- 00:16:11.884 --> 00:16:14.019
- No sane person would do that.
- 00:16:14.019 --> 00:16:17.990
- Now, are you willing to take that chance yourself?
- 00:16:17.990 --> 00:16:21.260
- You don't know whether you're an alcoholic
- 00:16:21.260 --> 00:16:22.628
- Or not till it's too late.
- 00:16:22.628 --> 00:16:24.763
- And even if you're not, are you absolutely sure your children
- 00:16:24.763 --> 00:16:28.300
- Or grandchildren aren't in that percent, that 6%?
- 00:16:28.300 --> 00:16:34.073
- No.
- 00:16:34.073 --> 00:16:35.474
- Lot made the mistake of not considering his own family
- 00:16:35.474 --> 00:16:39.611
- And the impact this decision would make on them,
- 00:16:39.611 --> 00:16:42.981
- And because of that, he lost everything dear to him.
- 00:16:42.981 --> 00:16:46.618
- What was the result of abraham making the choice he did to give
- 00:16:46.618 --> 00:16:51.990
- Up his rights to the land?
- 00:16:51.990 --> 00:16:54.259
- Look at this, in verse 14: "and the lord said to abram,
- 00:16:54.259 --> 00:16:58.030
- After lot had separated from him,
- 00:16:58.030 --> 00:17:00.599
- 'now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are,
- 00:17:00.599 --> 00:17:03.202
- Northward and southward and eastward and westward,
- 00:17:03.202 --> 00:17:06.004
- For all the land which you see, i will give it to you and your
- 00:17:06.004 --> 00:17:09.942
- Descendants forever.
- 00:17:09.942 --> 00:17:12.144
- I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth,
- 00:17:12.144 --> 00:17:14.179
- So that if anyone can number the dust of the earth,
- 00:17:14.179 --> 00:17:17.015
- Then your descendants can also be numbered.
- 00:17:17.015 --> 00:17:20.919
- Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth,
- 00:17:20.919 --> 00:17:24.990
- For i will give it to you.'"
- 00:17:24.990 --> 00:17:27.359
- I love what one writer said.
- 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:29.394
- He said, "for abraham, the place of surrender became
- 00:17:29.394 --> 00:17:33.966
- The place of possession."
- 00:17:33.966 --> 00:17:35.934
- When abraham opened his hands and said,
- 00:17:35.934 --> 00:17:37.936
- "lord, for your glory, i'll surrender this land,"
- 00:17:37.936 --> 00:17:40.472
- God said to abraham, "that's all i needed to hear.
- 00:17:40.472 --> 00:17:45.010
- This land is yours forever and ever and ever.
- 00:17:45.010 --> 00:17:47.946
- Nobody will take it from you."
- 00:17:47.946 --> 00:17:51.250
- The old testament scholar allen ross said it this way: "abraham
- 00:17:51.250 --> 00:17:54.353
- Had learned that it was not by his own plan or power that he
- 00:17:54.353 --> 00:17:57.523
- Would come into possession, not by jealously guarding
- 00:17:57.523 --> 00:18:02.361
- What he thought was his.
- 00:18:02.361 --> 00:18:03.962
- God would give it to him even if abraham gave it away
- 00:18:03.962 --> 00:18:08.233
- A hundred times."
- 00:18:08.233 --> 00:18:11.403
- The place of surrender became the place of possession.
- 00:18:11.403 --> 00:18:15.574
- Have you learned that lesson yet?
- 00:18:15.574 --> 00:18:18.076
- Do you understand that, if you put god's interest
- 00:18:18.076 --> 00:18:21.580
- And the interest of others above your own,
- 00:18:21.580 --> 00:18:23.382
- God will take care of you?
- 00:18:23.382 --> 00:18:26.518
- You may have read recently about david green,
- 00:18:26.518 --> 00:18:30.956
- The founder and ceo of hobby lobby.
- 00:18:30.956 --> 00:18:33.992
- He is a multibillionaire and a committed christian.
- 00:18:33.992 --> 00:18:38.063
- He recently announced that he's giving away his company,
- 00:18:38.063 --> 00:18:41.867
- His multibillion-dollar company, and he says one of the things
- 00:18:41.867 --> 00:18:44.903
- That motivated him to give it away,
- 00:18:44.903 --> 00:18:48.140
- The foundational belief was he wasn't the owner of anything.
- 00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:53.312
- It all belonged to god.
- 00:18:53.312 --> 00:18:55.581
- He was just a steward, a manager of what god had given him.
- 00:18:55.581 --> 00:19:00.452
- It was because of that attitude, i believe,
- 00:19:00.452 --> 00:19:02.521
- God blessed david green, and he'll do the same with you,
- 00:19:02.521 --> 00:19:05.691
- Maybe not financially but spiritually and in every other
- 00:19:05.691 --> 00:19:10.062
- Way that counts.
- 00:19:10.062 --> 00:19:12.464
- What about those dreams, those possessions,
- 00:19:12.464 --> 00:19:15.067
- Those relationships?
- 00:19:15.067 --> 00:19:17.536
- You can hold on them tightly just like lot did and end up
- 00:19:17.536 --> 00:19:20.839
- Losing everything, or you can open up your hands,
- 00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:24.810
- Give it to god, trust him to do what is right and best for you.
- 00:19:24.810 --> 00:19:29.481
- I read this story this week.
- 00:19:29.481 --> 00:19:32.851
- I thought of the words of jim elliot,
- 00:19:32.851 --> 00:19:35.554
- That faithful missionary who was killed by the
- 00:19:35.554 --> 00:19:39.491
- Auca indians in ecuador.
- 00:19:39.491 --> 00:19:41.627
- When he was a college student, he had written in his spiritual
- 00:19:41.627 --> 00:19:44.196
- Journal these words: "he is no fool who gives up what he cannot
- 00:19:44.196 --> 00:19:51.169
- Keep to gain what he cannot lose."
- 00:19:51.169 --> 00:19:56.742
- That was abraham.
- 00:19:56.742 --> 00:19:58.710
- ♪♪♪
- 00:19:58.710 --> 00:20:03.949
- Jeffress: abraham provided a marvelous example for us.
- 00:20:03.949 --> 00:20:07.185
- He was a man of faith, unencumbered by the entrapments
- 00:20:07.185 --> 00:20:11.456
- Of his times, and this is my dream for you as well.
- 00:20:11.456 --> 00:20:14.293
- You, too, can be a man or woman of faith.
- 00:20:14.293 --> 00:20:17.562
- Now, before we wrap up today's message,
- 00:20:17.562 --> 00:20:20.365
- I have some great news to share with our pathway
- 00:20:20.365 --> 00:20:22.868
- To victory family.
- 00:20:22.868 --> 00:20:24.536
- Recently, pathway to victory has taken on new territory.
- 00:20:24.536 --> 00:20:28.206
- In addition to reaching new cities in north america,
- 00:20:28.206 --> 00:20:31.276
- We're expanding into international regions as well.
- 00:20:31.276 --> 00:20:34.646
- In some cases, my sermons are translated into
- 00:20:34.646 --> 00:20:37.816
- Foreign languages.
- 00:20:37.816 --> 00:20:39.651
- Well, we celebrate these victories because each one
- 00:20:39.651 --> 00:20:43.322
- Represents new opportunities to reach even more people with the
- 00:20:43.322 --> 00:20:47.426
- Gospel of jesus christ, and each one gives us an even greater
- 00:20:47.426 --> 00:20:52.030
- Platform to bring light into the darkness of this world.
- 00:20:52.030 --> 00:20:55.867
- So, if you're among those who support pathway to victory,
- 00:20:55.867 --> 00:20:59.104
- As a pathway partner or as a generous donor
- 00:20:59.104 --> 00:21:02.374
- I hope this is an encouragement to you.
- 00:21:02.374 --> 00:21:05.277
- God is multiplying our ministry together as we pierce the
- 00:21:05.277 --> 00:21:09.581
- Darkness with the light of his word.
- 00:21:09.581 --> 00:21:12.084
- Now, please stay right there.
- 00:21:12.084 --> 00:21:13.752
- I'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
- 00:21:13.752 --> 00:21:16.254
- In just a moment.
- 00:21:16.254 --> 00:21:18.490
- Jeffress: the story of abraham is an invitation to come back to
- 00:21:18.557 --> 00:21:23.428
- The altar of god.
- 00:21:23.428 --> 00:21:26.198
- He fell into disobedience and ultimately disgrace.
- 00:21:26.198 --> 00:21:32.571
- Repentance begins with a change of mind that says, "i don't want
- 00:21:32.571 --> 00:21:35.874
- To keep going this direction."
- 00:21:35.874 --> 00:21:38.510
- And that's what abraham did.
- 00:21:38.510 --> 00:21:41.313
- Picture right now a challenge you're facing.
- 00:21:41.313 --> 00:21:45.183
- It may be a challenge with a child or a grandchild.
- 00:21:45.183 --> 00:21:48.820
- It may be a financial need.
- 00:21:48.820 --> 00:21:51.423
- It might be a physical problem with you or somebody
- 00:21:51.423 --> 00:21:53.925
- You care about.
- 00:21:53.925 --> 00:21:55.861
- Do you believe the same god whose been faithful in the past
- 00:21:55.861 --> 00:21:59.164
- To you will be faithful to you now?
- 00:21:59.164 --> 00:22:01.566
- Is god still alive?
- 00:22:01.566 --> 00:22:03.969
- Is god still working and you really trust in god?
- 00:22:03.969 --> 00:22:09.908
- The one quality god admires, god desires more than any other
- 00:22:09.908 --> 00:22:15.046
- Quality in our lives is faith.
- 00:22:15.046 --> 00:22:19.084
- What is faith?
- 00:22:19.084 --> 00:22:20.786
- It's believing that god will do what he has promised to do
- 00:22:20.786 --> 00:22:24.790
- And acting accordingly.
- 00:22:24.790 --> 00:22:31.029
- If the story of abraham tells us anything it tells us this.
- 00:22:31.029 --> 00:22:35.467
- It doesn't matter how old you are.
- 00:22:35.467 --> 00:22:36.868
- It doesn't matter how far you've drifted away from god.
- 00:22:36.868 --> 00:22:40.505
- You can come back.
- 00:22:40.505 --> 00:22:42.507
- ♪♪♪
- 00:22:42.507 --> 00:22:49.314
- Jeffress: well, david, thanks for asking that very relevant
- 00:22:49.381 --> 00:22:52.117
- Question, and the bible actually does say a lot about
- 00:22:52.117 --> 00:22:55.454
- Transgenderism.
- 00:22:55.454 --> 00:22:57.189
- You know, we need to realize this whole transgender
- 00:22:57.189 --> 00:22:59.825
- Phenomenon is relatively new.
- 00:22:59.825 --> 00:23:02.461
- It hasn't been around forever.
- 00:23:02.461 --> 00:23:04.296
- This is a new lie that is being perpetrated
- 00:23:04.296 --> 00:23:08.500
- By the enemy, satan himself.
- 00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:11.636
- God is the one who makes us male and female.
- 00:23:11.636 --> 00:23:14.940
- That's not robert jeffress saying it.
- 00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:17.008
- Jesus christ said it in matthew 19:5, "have you not read 'he who
- 00:23:17.008 --> 00:23:21.480
- Made them from the beginning made them male and female.'"
- 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:25.817
- The greatest rebellion, the most basic rebellion we can
- 00:23:25.817 --> 00:23:30.655
- Be engaged in against god, is the rebellion
- 00:23:30.655 --> 00:23:33.558
- Against our creator that says,
- 00:23:33.558 --> 00:23:35.126
- "you made a mistake, i should be a different sex."
- 00:23:35.126 --> 00:23:39.197
- So, when we engage and embrace transgender philosophy,
- 00:23:39.197 --> 00:23:43.335
- We're really rebelling against god.
- 00:23:43.335 --> 00:23:46.304
- Now, for many years psychologists, psychiastrists
- 00:23:46.304 --> 00:23:49.975
- Called gender confusion gender dysphoria.
- 00:23:49.975 --> 00:23:53.578
- It was a mental illness.
- 00:23:53.578 --> 00:23:55.480
- Only now, recently in our politically correct culture have
- 00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:59.251
- We decided not to call it a mental illness, but it is and it
- 00:23:59.251 --> 00:24:03.321
- Needs to be treated compassionately.
- 00:24:03.321 --> 00:24:06.558
- I often say to people when we encounter somebody who claims to
- 00:24:06.558 --> 00:24:10.195
- Be the wrong sex, they need to be treated compassionately, but
- 00:24:10.195 --> 00:24:14.933
- They do need to be treated, they don't need to be confirmed in
- 00:24:14.933 --> 00:24:18.970
- Their mental confusion.
- 00:24:18.970 --> 00:24:21.072
- I mean just imagine, your 13-year-old child came home and
- 00:24:21.072 --> 00:24:25.544
- Said, "mom, dad, i've decided i'm a kumquat,
- 00:24:25.544 --> 00:24:29.281
- Not a human being."
- 00:24:29.281 --> 00:24:30.849
- Would you take them to a psychiatrist who would affirm
- 00:24:30.849 --> 00:24:34.152
- Them in being a kumquat?
- 00:24:34.152 --> 00:24:36.121
- Would you consider supporting them in their decision to
- 00:24:36.121 --> 00:24:39.190
- Be a kumquat?
- 00:24:39.190 --> 00:24:40.525
- Would you let them go out and sleep in the vegetable patch at
- 00:24:40.525 --> 00:24:43.929
- Night in order to encourage them in their new identity?
- 00:24:43.929 --> 00:24:47.566
- No, you would get them to a psychiatrist or a psychologist
- 00:24:47.566 --> 00:24:51.636
- As quickly as you could.
- 00:24:51.636 --> 00:24:53.471
- It is just as ludicrous for a man to say i now am a woman or a
- 00:24:53.471 --> 00:24:58.476
- Woman to say i now am a man as for a child to
- 00:24:58.476 --> 00:25:01.980
- Say i think i'm a kumquat.
- 00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:04.015
- So again, let me repeat, when we meet transgender people,
- 00:25:04.015 --> 00:25:08.320
- Treat them compassionately but encourage them to get treated.
- 00:25:08.320 --> 00:25:12.457
- Jeffress: "he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep
- 00:25:13.959 --> 00:25:16.928
- In order to gain what he cannot lose."
- 00:25:16.928 --> 00:25:20.165
- That's a lesson that can take a lifetime to absorb,
- 00:25:20.165 --> 00:25:24.235
- Unless, of course, we learn from great men of faith like abraham,
- 00:25:24.235 --> 00:25:28.406
- Who led the way.
- 00:25:28.406 --> 00:25:30.175
- Well, it's natural to feel regret after making a wrong and
- 00:25:30.175 --> 00:25:33.712
- Sinful decision, but sometimes we feel regret after making
- 00:25:33.712 --> 00:25:38.416
- A good decision.
- 00:25:38.416 --> 00:25:40.085
- Next time, i'm going to share how to avoid what
- 00:25:40.085 --> 00:25:42.621
- I call "believer's remorse."
- 00:25:42.621 --> 00:25:45.790
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
- 00:25:45.790 --> 00:25:48.193
- Series "walking by faith."
- 00:25:48.193 --> 00:25:50.629
- Jeffress: sometimes we regret not just wrong decisions
- 00:25:51.930 --> 00:25:55.166
- But right decisions.
- 00:25:55.166 --> 00:25:57.669
- As we're going to discover today in our study in the life of
- 00:25:57.669 --> 00:26:00.872
- Abraham, there's only one remedy to regrets over the
- 00:26:00.872 --> 00:26:04.676
- Right decisions we make, and that remedy is faith.
- 00:26:04.676 --> 00:26:11.216
- Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the
- 00:26:11.216 --> 00:26:13.718
- Message "refusing to second-guess your right
- 00:26:13.718 --> 00:26:16.655
- Decisions," here on "pathway to victory."
- 00:26:16.655 --> 00:26:19.724
- Announcer: experience the beauty of alaska with the
- 00:26:22.994 --> 00:26:25.296
- Pathway to victory family june 13-20, 2026.
- 00:26:25.296 --> 00:26:30.268
- Sail through the calm waters of the legendary inside passage
- 00:26:30.268 --> 00:26:33.672
- With dr. robert jeffress aboard holland america's
- 00:26:33.672 --> 00:26:36.141
- Magnificent koningsdam.
- 00:26:36.141 --> 00:26:38.376
- Be inspired by award-winning musician michael o'brien's
- 00:26:38.376 --> 00:26:41.279
- Powerful worship; share laughter with dennis swanberg,
- 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:44.649
- America's minister of encouragement;
- 00:26:44.649 --> 00:26:46.951
- All while exploring frontier towns like juneau,
- 00:26:46.951 --> 00:26:49.854
- Skagway, and ketchikan.
- 00:26:49.854 --> 00:26:51.856
- Jeffress: there's something powerful about connecting with
- 00:26:51.856 --> 00:26:54.125
- God and fellow believers in the majesty
- 00:26:54.125 --> 00:26:57.128
- Of his untamed wilderness.
- 00:26:57.128 --> 00:26:59.297
- From the majestic glaciers to soaring eagles,
- 00:26:59.297 --> 00:27:02.434
- These moments in god's creation will deepen your
- 00:27:02.434 --> 00:27:05.036
- Faith in powerful ways.
- 00:27:05.036 --> 00:27:07.205
- Announcer: join us for a spiritual journey through some
- 00:27:07.205 --> 00:27:09.374
- Of creation's most spectacular displays.
- 00:27:09.374 --> 00:27:12.510
- Don't wait, our best cabins are going fast.
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- Secure your alaska adventure now.
- 00:27:15.013 --> 00:27:17.282
- Call ... or visit ptv.org.
- 00:27:17.282 --> 00:27:17.282