Robert Jeffress - To Succeed More, Fail More (Part 2)

July 8, 2026 | 27:29

Pathway to Victory provides practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through clear, Biblical teaching.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - To Succeed More, Fail More (Part 2) | July 8, 2026
  • ...
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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 and welcome
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  • Again to "pathway to victory."
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  • Walk into any library or bookstore and you'll find
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  • Countless books on how to be more successful in your
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  • Marriage, your finances and every imaginable area of life.
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  • But worldly advice always falls short of
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  • The bible's timeless wisdom.
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  • Today i'm going to share with you the first of solomon's
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  • Secrets for success.
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  • It has to do with the quality that many people lack.
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  • It's called persistence.
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  • My message is titled "to succeed more, fail more," in our series,
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  • "the solomon secrets" on "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪ the fear of the lord is the beginning ♪
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  • ♪ of wisdom, life, hope, meaning, and joy ♪
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  • ♪ the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom ♪
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  • ♪ so let us worship ♪
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  • ♪ let us bow down ♪
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  • ♪ let us fear our god ♪
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  • ♪ the fear of the lord is the beginning ♪
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  • ♪ of wisdom, life, hope, blessing, and joy ♪
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  • ♪ the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom ♪
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  • ♪ so let us worship ♪
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  • ♪ let us bow down ♪
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  • ♪ let us fear our god ♪
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  • ♪ to him belongs eternal praise ♪
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  • ♪ glorious and righteous are his works ♪
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  • ♪ his ways ♪
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  • ♪ to him belongs all reverent praise ♪
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  • ♪ faithful and just are his works ♪
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  • ♪ his ways ♪
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  • ♪ so let us worship ♪
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  • ♪ let us bow down ♪
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  • ♪ so let us worship ♪
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  • ♪ let us bow down ♪
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  • ♪ so let us worship ♪
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  • ♪ let us bow down ♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪ let us fear our god ♪
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  • ♪ our god our god ♪
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  • ♪ our god our god ♪♪
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  • Announcer: god wants you to experience his best in every
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  • Area of life, and the wisdom to get there is found in his word.
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  • In "the solomon's secrets," dr. robert jeffress draws on the
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  • Life of the wisest and most successful man who ever lived to
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  • Bring you ten life-changing principles from proverbs.
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  • You'll discover practical biblical wisdom for your
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  • Marriage, finances, your career, your purpose, and so much more.
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  • Request "the solomon secrets" when you give a generous
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  • Ministry gift to "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: if you're gonna be successful in life, learn to let
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  • Go of the past.
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  • Number three, persistent people learn the importance
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  • Of beginning.
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  • They learned the importance of beginning.
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  • You probably remember from your physics class,
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  • The law of inertia.
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  • Remember the law of inertia?
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  • Inertia basically says, a body at rest will remain at rest,
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  • A body in motion tends to remain in motion.
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  • Simply put, it takes a lot more energy to start an object
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  • Moving, than it does to keep that object moving.
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  • Whether that object is a car parked at a red light, or a
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  • Rocket ship parked on a launch pad, or me parked in my recliner
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  • After supper, it takes longer to get an object moving, takes more
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  • Energy to get that object moving than it does to
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  • Keep the object moving.
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  • The key is, beginning.
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  • Summoning the energy to begin a project.
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  • Persistent people, understand the importance of beginning.
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  • Now that's opposed to the lazy individual who can think of any
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  • And every reason, not to begin a project.
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  • Listen to proverbs 26 verses 13 and 14.
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  • This is really funny.
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  • When solomon writes this, verse 13, he said, "the sluggard," the
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  • Lazy person, "says, 'there is a lion in the road!
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  • A lion is in the open square!
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  • As the door turns on its hinges, so the sluggard on his bed.'"
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  • The lazy person can't get out of bed and he invents all kind of
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  • Excuses of why he can't begin today that project.
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  • The lazy person says, "oh, there's a lion out there,
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  • He'll eat me up if i get out and go to work."
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  • Now what you have to understand is, when solomon wrote these
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  • Words, the chances of a lion walking down the populated city
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  • Of jerusalem, was about as great as a zebra walking down the
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  • Street in your neighborhood.
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  • It just didn't happen then.
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  • But you see, the sluggard was an expert at inventing excuses.
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  • Well, let's face it, we all have a little bit of the sluggard
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  • In us.
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  • We can all think of a reason not to begin that exercise program.
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  • "well, i don't have the right shoes and the equipment."
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  • We think of a reason not to get up and have our time with the
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  • Lord praying and reading his word.
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  • "well, god wants me to get my rest today."
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  • We can have a reason for, you know, not going to the doctor.
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  • "dr. madeley, oh well, you know,
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  • He may discover something bad, so i don't wanna go."
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  • That's kind of stupid when you think about it, isn't it?
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  • But we always come up with reasons not to do what
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  • We're supposed to do.
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  • The great way to overcome inertia that we all have, is to
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  • Begin doing something, that this is worth the price of the sermon
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  • Today so i want you to listen carefully.
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  • If you know what it is, is gonna make you successful in life,
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  • Just start doing something, just start beginning.
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  • That can get you the energy you need to continue.
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  • I came across this advertisement in a medical journal years ago,
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  • That talks about the importance of beginning.
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  • Listen to this.
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  • "we have good news for you.
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  • Motivation is not going to strike you like lightning, and
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  • Motivation is not something that someone else, a nurse, doctor,
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  • Family member can bestow or force on you, the whole idea of
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  • Motivation is a trap.
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  • Forget motivation, just do it.
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  • Exercise, lose weight, test your blood sugar or whatever.
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  • Do it without motivation and then guess what?
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  • After you start doing the thing, that's when the motivation comes
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  • And makes it easy for you to keep on doing it.
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  • Motivation is like love and happiness.
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  • It's a byproduct.
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  • When you're actively engaged in doing something, motivation
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  • Sneaks up and zaps you when you least expect it.
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  • As harvard psychologist jerome bruner says, 'you're more likely
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  • To act yourself into a feeling than feel yourself
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  • Into an action.'
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  • So act, whatever it is you know you should do, do it."
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  • Now, here's that nugget of wisdom in that paragraph, "it is
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  • Easier to act yourself into a feeling than feel yourself into
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  • An action."
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  • Some of you are waiting until the feeling hits you to do what
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  • You know god wants you to do.
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  • In your work, in your marriage, in your relationship with god.
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  • "i just don't feel like it.
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  • If i did this that would be dishonest
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  • 'cause i don't feel like it."
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  • No, "it's much easier to act yourself into a feeling than to
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  • Feel yourself into an action."
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  • There's somebody once said, "you don't have to be great to start,
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  • But you have to start to be great."
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  • The successful person, the persistent person, understands
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  • The importance of beginning.
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  • Number four, if you wanna develop this quality
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  • Of persistence, anticipate setbacks.
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  • Persistent people expect and accept setbacks rather than
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  • Being paralyzed by them.
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  • They understand that setbacks are part of the tuition for
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  • Moving forward in life.
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  • In fact, some of our country's most successful people have had
  • 00:10:09.532 --> 00:10:13.002
  • Devastating setbacks.
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  • Let me give you a couple of examples, i love these.
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  • In 1889, the san francisco examiner newspaper, sent rudyard
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  • Kipling the following rejection note, "i'm sorry mr. kipling,
  • 00:10:22.611 --> 00:10:27.049
  • But you just don't know how to use the english language."
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  • Did you know that 15 publishers and 30 agents turned down
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  • John grisham's first novel, 'a time to kill.'
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  • Today, his novels have sold over 100 million copies.
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  • George lucas's movie, 'star wars' was rejected by every
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  • Major studio in hollywood, until 20th century fox decided to take
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  • A chance on it, and of course, it's one of the most blockbuster
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  • Franchises of all time.
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  • Thomas edison discovered 1,880 ways not to make a light bulb.
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  • Babe ruth struck out 1,330 times and yet he's considered one of
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  • Baseball's greatest players.
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  • Thomas j. watson, the founder of the ibm corporation said,
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  • "the way to succeed is to double your failure rate."
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  • What he's saying is, the more times you try something, yes,
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  • The more you're gonna fail, but the more you're going
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  • To succeed as well.
  • 00:11:29.845 --> 00:11:32.548
  • The way to succeed is to double your failure rate.
  • 00:11:32.548 --> 00:11:36.252
  • Did you know thomas watson was simply echoing what solomon had
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  • Said thousands of years before?
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  • Listen to ecclesiastes 11:1, these are solomon's words.
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  • He said, "cast your bread on the surface of the waters for you
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  • Will find it after many days."
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  • The way to understand this verse is to understand
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  • The hebrew word cast.
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  • That word in hebrew used to refer to the sending out of
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  • Ships to a foreign country to bring back treasure.
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  • A king would cast, he would send empty vessels all around the
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  • World, to bring back treasure.
  • 00:12:12.188 --> 00:12:15.157
  • Now, some of the vessels returned empty, they were
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  • Unsuccessful, but some came back with unexpected riches.
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  • But here was the key.
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  • The more ships you sent out, yes, the more empty ones came
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  • Back, but the more full ones that came back as well.
  • 00:12:29.705 --> 00:12:32.374
  • Did you know that's where we get our phrase, 'waiting for your
  • 00:12:32.374 --> 00:12:35.144
  • Ship to come in.' it's for that principle waiting for that ship
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  • To come in, that brings you success in life.
  • 00:12:38.347 --> 00:12:43.752
  • Motivational speaker, charlie tremendous jones said, "a lot of
  • 00:12:43.752 --> 00:12:47.189
  • People are waiting for their ship to come in, but they've
  • 00:12:47.189 --> 00:12:49.892
  • Never sent one out," or they've only sent one or two out.
  • 00:12:49.892 --> 00:12:54.630
  • No, solomon says, "cast as many ships as you can out into the
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  • Waters and they will return to you."
  • 00:12:58.667 --> 00:13:01.971
  • Let me apply that to our lives today.
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  • Here's how that applies to us.
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  • The more resumes you send out, the more interviews for a job
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  • You're gonna get.
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  • The more sales calls you're gonna make, yeah, the more
  • 00:13:12.715 --> 00:13:15.651
  • Rejections you'll have, but the more transactions
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  • You'll land as well.
  • 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:20.022
  • The more pounds you attempt to lose, the more pounds you'll
  • 00:13:20.022 --> 00:13:23.259
  • Actually lose.
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  • The more people you share your faith with, the more people
  • 00:13:26.128 --> 00:13:29.064
  • You'll come to see know christ as savior.
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  • That's what he's talking about here.
  • 00:13:32.134 --> 00:13:33.636
  • The way to succeed is to double your failure rate.
  • 00:13:33.636 --> 00:13:38.240
  • Number five, if you're gonna be a persistent person, and this is
  • 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:41.777
  • So key, expect to work hard, expect to work hard.
  • 00:13:41.777 --> 00:13:47.383
  • Now you have to hand it to solomon he had
  • 00:13:47.383 --> 00:13:49.218
  • A great sense of humor.
  • 00:13:49.218 --> 00:13:50.753
  • Listen to proverbs 19 verse 24.
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  • "the sluggard buries his hand in the dish, and will not even
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  • Bring it back to his mouth."
  • 00:13:57.559 --> 00:14:00.963
  • Let me illustrate that for you.
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  • How many of you here today watching on television, know of
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  • One thing you could start doing that would make you more
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  • Successful in your business or at your job?
  • 00:14:11.206 --> 00:14:14.543
  • How many of you would say, there's one thing i know if i
  • 00:14:14.543 --> 00:14:16.779
  • Start doing this, i'd be more successful and busy?
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  • Raise your hand, don't lie in church okay, raise your hand,
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  • Okay, how many?
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  • All right.
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  • How many of you would say, when you think about your marriage,
  • 00:14:25.854 --> 00:14:29.425
  • You know there is one thing i could do right now in my
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  • Marriage that would give me a better relationship with my
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  • Husband or wife.
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  • If i would start doing one thing, how many of us
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  • Can think of something?
  • 00:14:37.967 --> 00:14:39.301
  • I can. okay, all right.
  • 00:14:39.301 --> 00:14:42.171
  • How many of you would say, "you know, there's one thing i could
  • 00:14:42.171 --> 00:14:46.175
  • Do that would improve my health, give me a better quality and
  • 00:14:46.175 --> 00:14:49.945
  • Perhaps quantity of life if i started doing this one thing,
  • 00:14:49.945 --> 00:14:53.315
  • I'd be healthier?"
  • 00:14:53.315 --> 00:14:54.650
  • How many of you can think of something?
  • 00:14:54.650 --> 00:14:57.486
  • Okay, one more, how many of you could think of one thing if you
  • 00:14:57.486 --> 00:15:01.557
  • Started doing this, it would improve your relationship with
  • 00:15:01.557 --> 00:15:05.260
  • God, something you could do to improve the most important
  • 00:15:05.260 --> 00:15:08.530
  • Relationship of all your relationship with god?
  • 00:15:08.530 --> 00:15:12.634
  • Now here's my question for you, why aren't you doing it?
  • 00:15:12.634 --> 00:15:20.309
  • Why aren't i doing it?
  • 00:15:20.309 --> 00:15:22.945
  • I mean, if we all can think of things that would make us more
  • 00:15:22.945 --> 00:15:25.280
  • Successful in our business, give us more money, better health, a
  • 00:15:25.280 --> 00:15:30.085
  • Better relationship with our mate, a better relationship with
  • 00:15:30.085 --> 00:15:32.788
  • God, why aren't we doing it if we know what to do?
  • 00:15:32.788 --> 00:15:36.525
  • You know what the answer is for most of us?
  • 00:15:36.525 --> 00:15:38.327
  • "oh, that would require too much effort.
  • 00:15:38.327 --> 00:15:42.331
  • That would just cause us to work too hard."
  • 00:15:42.331 --> 00:15:44.900
  • Well, if that's your excuse, i've got some great news for you
  • 00:15:44.900 --> 00:15:47.469
  • Today, you're not going to die from hard
  • 00:15:47.469 --> 00:15:50.939
  • Work did you know that?
  • 00:15:50.939 --> 00:15:53.609
  • You're not, you're just not going to die from hard work.
  • 00:15:53.609 --> 00:15:57.413
  • You might die from some other things, it's not going to be
  • 00:15:57.413 --> 00:16:00.249
  • Hard work.
  • 00:16:00.249 --> 00:16:02.284
  • A.l. williams is an insurance giant.
  • 00:16:02.284 --> 00:16:05.621
  • He wrote a great book a few years ago i've mentioned it
  • 00:16:05.621 --> 00:16:07.890
  • Before, but it's one of my favorite books.
  • 00:16:07.890 --> 00:16:09.558
  • I love the title of it.
  • 00:16:09.558 --> 00:16:10.893
  • The title of it is, 'all you can do is all you can do.'
  • 00:16:10.893 --> 00:16:15.164
  • A.l. williams before he went into the insurance business,
  • 00:16:15.164 --> 00:16:17.699
  • Was a high school coach, football coach here in texas.
  • 00:16:17.699 --> 00:16:21.670
  • And he talked about the importance of working hard, and
  • 00:16:21.670 --> 00:16:24.239
  • He uses this illustration.
  • 00:16:24.239 --> 00:16:26.341
  • He said, "i used to tell my football players, that it was
  • 00:16:26.341 --> 00:16:29.545
  • Impossible to die from hard work.
  • 00:16:29.545 --> 00:16:32.214
  • In the summer would have football camp and would practice
  • 00:16:32.214 --> 00:16:34.550
  • Three times a day and i'd say, 'the guys you're gonna get out
  • 00:16:34.550 --> 00:16:38.053
  • There in the hot sun and you're gonna be working and the coach
  • 00:16:38.053 --> 00:16:40.722
  • Is gonna be fussing at you and you're gonna feel like you're
  • 00:16:40.722 --> 00:16:43.192
  • Gonna die, but when you feel like you're gonna die, just keep
  • 00:16:43.192 --> 00:16:47.129
  • Working because the good lord, put a little mechanism in your
  • 00:16:47.129 --> 00:16:50.365
  • Head up there, that makes you pass out before you die.
  • 00:16:50.365 --> 00:16:57.506
  • And if you do pass out, we'll drag you up to the dressing
  • 00:16:57.506 --> 00:17:00.442
  • Room, put you in the shower, give you some salt tablets, and
  • 00:17:00.442 --> 00:17:03.011
  • You'll be ready for the next practice.'"
  • 00:17:03.011 --> 00:17:06.448
  • Finally, and certainly most importantly, make sure that
  • 00:17:06.448 --> 00:17:10.953
  • You're persisting in the right goals.
  • 00:17:10.953 --> 00:17:15.057
  • Make sure you're persisting in the right goals if you truly
  • 00:17:15.057 --> 00:17:17.426
  • Wanna be successful.
  • 00:17:17.426 --> 00:17:19.595
  • Nothing is more tragic, than spending your life climbing up
  • 00:17:19.595 --> 00:17:23.132
  • The ladder of success, reaching the top only to discover,
  • 00:17:23.132 --> 00:17:27.569
  • It was leaning against the wrong wall altogether.
  • 00:17:27.569 --> 00:17:31.874
  • Make sure you're persisting in the right goals.
  • 00:17:31.874 --> 00:17:34.576
  • I am confident, that if solomon were sitting here or standing
  • 00:17:34.576 --> 00:17:38.380
  • Here today, he would say the same thing to you.
  • 00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:41.750
  • Solomon was the wisest, the wealthiest, the most powerful
  • 00:17:41.750 --> 00:17:44.920
  • Man of his day, and yet he discovered that work is
  • 00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:50.826
  • Meaningless, pleasure is futile, and death is certain.
  • 00:17:50.826 --> 00:17:54.897
  • And that's why in his journal called ecclesiastes in the old
  • 00:17:54.897 --> 00:17:57.432
  • Testament, he came to this conclusion, "worthless,
  • 00:17:57.432 --> 00:18:01.303
  • Worthless, everything in this life is worthless."
  • 00:18:01.303 --> 00:18:08.410
  • Now he was speaking from a horizontal viewpoint.
  • 00:18:08.410 --> 00:18:11.146
  • As you look at the world around you, apart from god, it's all
  • 00:18:11.146 --> 00:18:14.783
  • Meaningless.
  • 00:18:14.783 --> 00:18:16.518
  • Work is meaningless, pleasure's futile, death is certain,
  • 00:18:16.518 --> 00:18:21.823
  • But when you look vertically, it gives you
  • 00:18:21.823 --> 00:18:23.725
  • A whole new perspective.
  • 00:18:23.725 --> 00:18:25.661
  • And in the final chapter of ecclesiastes 12 solomon said,
  • 00:18:25.661 --> 00:18:28.397
  • "therefore, my advice to you as the most successful man who's
  • 00:18:28.397 --> 00:18:32.234
  • Ever lived, my advice to you is simply this,"
  • 00:18:32.234 --> 00:18:34.970
  • "remember also your creator."
  • 00:18:34.970 --> 00:18:37.472
  • Remember god, "in the days of your youth, before the days of
  • 00:18:37.472 --> 00:18:41.577
  • Trouble come and the years approach when you will say,
  • 00:18:41.577 --> 00:18:44.846
  • 'i find no pleasure in them.'"
  • 00:18:44.846 --> 00:18:48.250
  • That word remember, doesn't mean in hebrew,
  • 00:18:48.250 --> 00:18:50.652
  • "oh, just bring to mind."
  • 00:18:50.652 --> 00:18:52.521
  • It's not like saying, "oh, oh i remember god, i remember god,"
  • 00:18:52.521 --> 00:18:55.224
  • And i'm gonna get on doing what i was doing.
  • 00:18:55.224 --> 00:18:57.693
  • No, remember means, to make god central.
  • 00:18:57.693 --> 00:19:01.330
  • Make god central in your life in the days of your youth before
  • 00:19:01.330 --> 00:19:05.634
  • The days of trouble come.
  • 00:19:05.634 --> 00:19:08.036
  • Remember this, no amount of success will fill the void of an
  • 00:19:08.036 --> 00:19:14.076
  • Empty life.
  • 00:19:14.076 --> 00:19:16.044
  • If you apply these principles i gave you today from god's word,
  • 00:19:16.044 --> 00:19:18.714
  • You're gonna be successful in your work, in your finances, in
  • 00:19:18.714 --> 00:19:22.884
  • Every area of your life, but no amount of success can fill that
  • 00:19:22.884 --> 00:19:26.054
  • Hole of an empty life only god can fill that hole.
  • 00:19:26.054 --> 00:19:32.628
  • You may not know the name ray combs, but many of you know his
  • 00:19:32.628 --> 00:19:37.199
  • Face or would've known his face.
  • 00:19:37.199 --> 00:19:39.801
  • He was the host of the nighttime version of the game show,
  • 00:19:39.801 --> 00:19:42.170
  • 'family feud.' remember 'family feud'?
  • 00:19:42.170 --> 00:19:45.841
  • One night on one episode of 'family feud,' ray combs was
  • 00:19:45.841 --> 00:19:48.610
  • Walking down the line of contestants, one of the families
  • 00:19:48.610 --> 00:19:51.380
  • That was competing, greeting them as he usually did and he
  • 00:19:51.380 --> 00:19:54.983
  • Came to one of the contestants, and he noticed they were wearing
  • 00:19:54.983 --> 00:19:57.853
  • A lapel pin that had two question marks on it.
  • 00:19:57.853 --> 00:20:01.423
  • Now, those of you who have been through the evangelism training
  • 00:20:01.423 --> 00:20:05.761
  • Explosion witness training program, you know what those two
  • 00:20:05.761 --> 00:20:08.697
  • Question marks are.
  • 00:20:08.697 --> 00:20:10.599
  • People who go through this training and how to share your
  • 00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:12.968
  • Faith, wear these pins, these two question marks as a way to
  • 00:20:12.968 --> 00:20:16.972
  • Get into a spiritual conversation with people 'cause
  • 00:20:16.972 --> 00:20:19.641
  • It's always a conversation starter.
  • 00:20:19.641 --> 00:20:22.477
  • Well, that's exactly what happened that night on 'family
  • 00:20:22.477 --> 00:20:24.046
  • Feud.' ray combs looked at that pin with the two question marks
  • 00:20:24.046 --> 00:20:27.883
  • And he said to the contestants, what does that pin stand for?
  • 00:20:27.883 --> 00:20:30.886
  • What are those two question marks?
  • 00:20:30.886 --> 00:20:33.355
  • He took the bait.
  • 00:20:33.355 --> 00:20:35.724
  • And so the contestants said, "well ray, these two question
  • 00:20:35.724 --> 00:20:38.727
  • Marks represent the two most important questions
  • 00:20:38.727 --> 00:20:41.063
  • In the universe."
  • 00:20:41.063 --> 00:20:43.632
  • Ray comb said, "well, what's the first question?"
  • 00:20:43.632 --> 00:20:46.868
  • And he said--remember, this is on national television.
  • 00:20:46.868 --> 00:20:48.737
  • He said, "well, the first question ray is, if you were to
  • 00:20:48.737 --> 00:20:50.772
  • Die tonight, do you know with certainty that you would
  • 00:20:50.772 --> 00:20:53.241
  • Go to heaven?"
  • 00:20:53.241 --> 00:20:54.976
  • Ray combs kind of chuckled and he said, "well, i sure hope so,
  • 00:20:54.976 --> 00:20:57.946
  • But nobody can know that for sure."
  • 00:20:57.946 --> 00:21:00.515
  • Then he went on down to the second person, the third person,
  • 00:21:00.515 --> 00:21:03.185
  • Then he stopped in his tracks.
  • 00:21:03.185 --> 00:21:05.220
  • He went back around, walked back to that contestant and said,
  • 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:08.056
  • "okay, my curiosity got the best of me, what's the second
  • 00:21:08.056 --> 00:21:11.159
  • Question mark stand for?
  • 00:21:11.159 --> 00:21:13.929
  • Ray combs said or the contestant said, "well, the second question
  • 00:21:13.929 --> 00:21:16.798
  • Ray is, if you were standing before god, and he were to ask
  • 00:21:16.798 --> 00:21:22.404
  • You, 'why should i let you into heaven?'
  • 00:21:22.404 --> 00:21:24.806
  • What would you say to him?"
  • 00:21:24.806 --> 00:21:27.008
  • And without missing a beat, ray combs said, "well, i would say
  • 00:21:27.008 --> 00:21:29.778
  • To god, "because i'm the host of 'family feud' and everybody in
  • 00:21:29.778 --> 00:21:34.983
  • America loves me."
  • 00:21:34.983 --> 00:21:37.252
  • And the crowd roared with laughter and applause and off
  • 00:21:37.252 --> 00:21:40.489
  • They went into the game.
  • 00:21:40.489 --> 00:21:43.792
  • Not long after that, ray combs was replaced as the night time
  • 00:21:43.792 --> 00:21:47.262
  • Host, of 'family feud.'
  • 00:21:47.262 --> 00:21:50.399
  • And not long after that, he hanged himself.
  • 00:21:50.399 --> 00:21:54.770
  • He didn't even bother to leave a suicide note.
  • 00:21:54.770 --> 00:21:59.441
  • Apparently being the host of 'family feud,' wasn't enough to
  • 00:21:59.441 --> 00:22:03.278
  • Guarantee happiness and security in this life,
  • 00:22:03.278 --> 00:22:06.915
  • Much less, the next one.
  • 00:22:06.915 --> 00:22:11.086
  • As solomon said, "there's nothing in this world that's
  • 00:22:11.086 --> 00:22:14.589
  • Gonna satisfy that need you have in your life for god."
  • 00:22:14.589 --> 00:22:20.028
  • There's a god shaped vacuum in each one of us.
  • 00:22:20.028 --> 00:22:23.064
  • Or as solomon said in ecclesiastes 2:25, "for who can
  • 00:22:23.064 --> 00:22:26.768
  • Work and who can find enjoyment apart from god."
  • 00:22:26.768 --> 00:22:34.142
  • Remember your creator in the days of your youth, make sure
  • 00:22:34.142 --> 00:22:38.713
  • You're persisting in the right goals.
  • 00:22:38.713 --> 00:22:43.752
  • Jeffress: king solomon said, "if we want to succeed more,
  • 00:22:47.923 --> 00:22:50.926
  • We need to fail more."
  • 00:22:50.926 --> 00:22:53.128
  • That's profound counsel from the man who had it all.
  • 00:22:53.128 --> 00:22:57.699
  • Now, before our time is over for today, i'd like to send a
  • 00:22:57.699 --> 00:23:01.603
  • Shout-out to our growing family of monthly supporters we call
  • 00:23:01.603 --> 00:23:04.906
  • 'pathway partners.' your consistent month by month
  • 00:23:04.906 --> 00:23:09.311
  • Giving, is truly making a difference.
  • 00:23:09.311 --> 00:23:12.347
  • Recently i heard from barbara in maryland who wrote, "pathway to
  • 00:23:12.347 --> 00:23:16.318
  • Victory is like a breath of fresh air in a
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  • World filled with stagnant air.
  • 00:23:19.020 --> 00:23:21.423
  • I plan my day so i never miss a message."
  • 00:23:21.423 --> 00:23:24.993
  • And then she adds, "although my donation is truly a sacrifice
  • 00:23:24.993 --> 00:23:28.363
  • For me, i don't mind giving because i want to do whatever
  • 00:23:28.363 --> 00:23:32.300
  • Possible to help you deliver these messages to a world that
  • 00:23:32.300 --> 00:23:36.371
  • Badly needs to hear them."
  • 00:23:36.371 --> 00:23:39.174
  • Well, thank you so much, barbara, for your sacrificial
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  • Giving to the ministry of "pathway to victory."
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  • And now friends, it's your turn.
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  • Would you join barbara in supporting "pathway to victory?"
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  • Let us know that you would like to become
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  • A pathway partner today.
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  • Now please stay right there, i'll be back with more "pathway
  • 00:23:55.557 --> 00:23:58.493
  • To victory" in just a moment.
  • 00:23:58.493 --> 00:24:00.428
  • Announcer: all around us, people are struggling in their
  • 00:24:01.963 --> 00:24:03.965
  • Finances, their marriages, and their careers,
  • 00:24:03.965 --> 00:24:06.668
  • Not because they don't want to live well, but because no one
  • 00:24:06.668 --> 00:24:09.504
  • Has given them the wisdom to do it.
  • 00:24:09.504 --> 00:24:11.706
  • That wisdom is found in god's word, and it's exactly what
  • 00:24:11.706 --> 00:24:15.043
  • Dr. robert jeffress unpacks in his best selling book,
  • 00:24:15.043 --> 00:24:17.979
  • "the solomon secrets."
  • 00:24:17.979 --> 00:24:19.648
  • In this practical biblical guide, you'll discover
  • 00:24:19.648 --> 00:24:22.384
  • Ten principles from the book of proverbs for success in every
  • 00:24:22.384 --> 00:24:25.420
  • Area of your life.
  • 00:24:25.420 --> 00:24:27.122
  • Jeffress: solomon had more wealth and opportunity than
  • 00:24:27.122 --> 00:24:29.357
  • Anyone of his era.
  • 00:24:29.357 --> 00:24:31.259
  • And he discovered that real success only comes when you
  • 00:24:31.259 --> 00:24:34.863
  • Build your life on the wisdom god provides.
  • 00:24:34.863 --> 00:24:38.199
  • In my book, "the solomon secrets," i'll show you how to
  • 00:24:38.199 --> 00:24:41.403
  • Apply that wisdom to your marriage, your parenting,
  • 00:24:41.403 --> 00:24:44.639
  • Your career, your finances, and so much more.
  • 00:24:44.639 --> 00:24:48.243
  • Announcer: request your copy of "the solomon secrets" when you
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  • Give a generous gift to "pathway to victory."
  • 00:24:50.545 --> 00:24:53.248
  • And when your ministry gift is $75 or more, we'll also send you
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  • The complete "solomon secrets" teaching series on dvd video and
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  • Mp3 format audio disc.
  • 00:25:00.922 --> 00:25:02.958
  • Jeffress: god wants you and me to be prosperous, successful.
  • 00:25:02.958 --> 00:25:08.029
  • The key is defining what god means when he uses the word
  • 00:25:08.029 --> 00:25:12.701
  • Prosperous and success.
  • 00:25:12.701 --> 00:25:15.070
  • Announcer: thank you for partnering
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  • With "pathway to victory."
  • 00:25:16.404 --> 00:25:17.739
  • Your generosity puts god's word in front of people at the exact
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  • Moment they need it most, bringing life-changing hope of
  • 00:25:20.675 --> 00:25:23.812
  • The gospel to a world that's searching for truth.
  • 00:25:23.812 --> 00:25:26.715
  • Together, we're piercing the darkness
  • 00:25:26.715 --> 00:25:28.683
  • With the light of god's word.
  • 00:25:28.683 --> 00:25:31.820
  • Jeffress: king solomon knew that
  • 00:25:33.288 --> 00:25:34.623
  • Persistence leads to success.
  • 00:25:34.623 --> 00:25:37.592
  • "poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of
  • 00:25:37.592 --> 00:25:41.596
  • The diligent makes rich."
  • 00:25:41.596 --> 00:25:44.733
  • Now, remember that this is not a get rich quick scheme.
  • 00:25:44.733 --> 00:25:48.670
  • Solomon does not offer endless wealth to anyone who wants it.
  • 00:25:48.670 --> 00:25:52.874
  • But hear this, when you follow god's wisdom, you'll experience
  • 00:25:52.874 --> 00:25:57.012
  • God's best for every area of your life.
  • 00:25:57.012 --> 00:26:01.049
  • Well, man's wisdom says, "our influence in this world ends the
  • 00:26:01.049 --> 00:26:05.120
  • Moment that we die."
  • 00:26:05.120 --> 00:26:06.955
  • But god's wisdom says, "our greatest influence on this
  • 00:26:06.955 --> 00:26:10.191
  • World, continues after we die in the children and grandchildren
  • 00:26:10.191 --> 00:26:15.430
  • We leave behind."
  • 00:26:15.430 --> 00:26:17.132
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:26:17.132 --> 00:26:19.534
  • Series, "the solomon secrets."
  • 00:26:19.534 --> 00:26:22.103
  • Jeffress: men's wisdom says, "our influence in this world
  • 00:26:23.571 --> 00:26:27.442
  • Ends the moment that we die."
  • 00:26:27.442 --> 00:26:30.045
  • No, god's wisdom says, "our greatest influence on this world
  • 00:26:30.045 --> 00:26:34.883
  • Continues after we die in the children and the grandchildren
  • 00:26:34.883 --> 00:26:40.455
  • We leave behind."
  • 00:26:40.455 --> 00:26:42.991
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the
  • 00:26:42.991 --> 00:26:45.226
  • Message, "success without succession is failure," here on
  • 00:26:45.226 --> 00:26:49.364
  • "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:49.364 --> 00:26:50.932
  • Announcer: the apostle paul sailed these waters, walked
  • 00:26:54.335 --> 00:26:57.138
  • These streets, and the church was never the same.
  • 00:26:57.138 --> 00:27:00.241
  • Jeffress: i'm inviting you to follow in paul's footsteps on
  • 00:27:00.241 --> 00:27:03.278
  • The pathway to victory journeys of paul cruise, through the
  • 00:27:03.278 --> 00:27:06.381
  • Stunning greek islands into ancient ephesus and many other
  • 00:27:06.381 --> 00:27:10.285
  • Destinations as well.
  • 00:27:10.285 --> 00:27:11.953
  • This is purposeful travel at its finest.
  • 00:27:11.953 --> 00:27:14.989
  • Announcer: the early bird discount ends july 31,
  • 00:27:14.989 --> 00:27:17.258
  • So act now.
  • 00:27:17.258 --> 00:27:18.593
  • Call ... or visit ptv.org.
  • 00:27:18.593 --> 00:27:18.593