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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Survival Tip #7: Don't Celebrate The Summit

May 22, 2026 | 27:29

Robert Jeffress - Survival Tip #7: Don't Celebrate The Summit
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#Visions/Dreams #Pride #Humility #Humble #Judgement #Rebellion #Goals #Focus #Failure #Gossip #RobertJeffress

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Survival Tip #7: Don't Celebrate The Summit | May 22, 2026
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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  • Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory" with dr.
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  • 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."
  • 00:00:16.439 --> 00:00:18.241
  • Most mountain climbers will tell you that reaching the summit is
  • 00:00:18.241 --> 00:00:21.444
  • Only half the battle.
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  • The descent is just as treacherous as the ascent, and
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  • The same is true in our christian life.
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  • Achieving our goals can leave us vulnerable to pride and pride
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  • Has a way of causing us to stumble.
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  • Today i'm going to share three practical suggestions for
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  • Cultivating humility so you can finish strong.
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  • My message is titled "tip #7: don't celebrate the
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  • Summit" on today's edition of "pathway to victory."
  • 00:00:48.972 --> 00:00:55.111
  • Announcer: each day, millions of lost people are searching for
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  • Hope and truth.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: doug hansen, a 47-year-old postal worker from
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  • Kent, washington, couldn't afford expert mountain climber
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  • Rob hall's $65,000 fee to guide him up the side of
  • 00:01:44.928 --> 00:01:49.832
  • Mount everest.
  • 00:01:49.832 --> 00:01:51.434
  • Unlike the rest of the climbers in the group on his 1996 everest
  • 00:01:51.434 --> 00:01:56.005
  • Trek, hansen had to scrape every penny together to make the trip.
  • 00:01:56.005 --> 00:02:01.477
  • He even enlisted the kids at sunrise elementary school in his
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  • Hometown to sell t-shirts to help pay the bill.
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  • In return, they would receive postcards from nepal, and if he
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  • Successfully summited the mountain, a picture of the
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  • School's flag planted on the top of mount everest.
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  • Hansen had tried to reach the summit the previous year, but
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  • Because of the leader, rob hall's strict turnaround time, a
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  • Measure used to ensure a safe return to camp before bad
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  • Weather or nightfall, the guide had turned hansen back just 330
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  • Vertical feet below the summit.
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  • Hall felt bad about denying hansen the summit then, so he
  • 00:02:43.853 --> 00:02:47.890
  • Offered him a reduced rate if he would try again in 1996.
  • 00:02:47.890 --> 00:02:53.396
  • Between the two expeditions, doug hansen obsessed about
  • 00:02:53.396 --> 00:02:57.834
  • Reaching the summit of everest.
  • 00:02:57.834 --> 00:03:00.436
  • Thinking back to his previous expedition, hansen told fellow
  • 00:03:00.436 --> 00:03:04.607
  • '96 everest climber jon krakauer, "the summit looked
  • 00:03:04.607 --> 00:03:09.979
  • So close.
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  • Believe me, there hasn't been a day since that i haven't thought
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  • About it."
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  • In the dark hours of may 10, 1996, hansen, along with
  • 00:03:17.987 --> 00:03:22.792
  • Krakauer and others in rob hall's group, left camp in their
  • 00:03:22.792 --> 00:03:26.663
  • Bid for the summit.
  • 00:03:26.663 --> 00:03:28.564
  • However, three hours into the climb, hansen was unable to
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  • Shake the cold.
  • 00:03:32.602 --> 00:03:34.370
  • Feeling miserable, he pulled aside to let others pass on
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  • The rope.
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  • He told one of the climbers that the summit would have to wait
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  • Another year.
  • 00:03:42.812 --> 00:03:44.414
  • When hall reached hansen, a conversation ensued.
  • 00:03:44.414 --> 00:03:48.718
  • No one heard what was said, but doug hansen got back on the rope
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  • Line and continued the ascent.
  • 00:03:52.689 --> 00:03:56.125
  • Throughout the day, the climbers began to spread out, stronger
  • 00:03:56.125 --> 00:03:59.562
  • Climbers racing ahead, weaker climbers lagging behind.
  • 00:03:59.562 --> 00:04:04.133
  • Rob hall's turnaround time was 2:00 p.m., a deadline that was
  • 00:04:04.133 --> 00:04:09.238
  • To be obeyed without question.
  • 00:04:09.238 --> 00:04:12.709
  • Nevertheless, violating his own rule, hall crested the summit at
  • 00:04:12.709 --> 00:04:18.081
  • 2:10 p.m.
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  • He radioed base camp.
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  • Doug is just coming up over the horizon, but the figure hall saw
  • 00:04:22.185 --> 00:04:27.323
  • Wasn't hansen.
  • 00:04:27.323 --> 00:04:28.791
  • He was still two hours away from making the summit.
  • 00:04:28.791 --> 00:04:32.995
  • According to nepalese climbing guides for another expedition,
  • 00:04:32.995 --> 00:04:38.101
  • Hansen didn't reach the top until after 4:00 p.m.
  • 00:04:38.101 --> 00:04:42.505
  • And then only with the help of hall.
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  • Hall, who had been sitting at the summit 29,028 feet for two
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  • Hours, didn't allow hansen much time to celebrate the
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  • Accomplishment of his dream.
  • 00:04:54.717 --> 00:04:56.986
  • They had to descend and do so quickly.
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  • But hansen was out of bottled oxygen and completely spent.
  • 00:05:00.189 --> 00:05:04.660
  • At 4:30 and 4:41, hall radioed that he and hansen were in
  • 00:05:04.660 --> 00:05:10.233
  • Trouble and needed oxygen.
  • 00:05:10.233 --> 00:05:13.102
  • By this time, an approaching storm was beginning to
  • 00:05:13.102 --> 00:05:15.805
  • Look ominous.
  • 00:05:15.805 --> 00:05:17.640
  • When hall radioed again, the storm had engulfed
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  • The mountains.
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  • Sometime between hall's 5:57 p.m.
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  • Distress call on may 10 and his call at 4:43 a.m.
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  • On may 11, doug hansen either slid or stepped off
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  • The mountain.
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  • About 45 minutes later, base camp reached rob hall on the
  • 00:05:37.860 --> 00:05:41.564
  • Radio and asked about hansen.
  • 00:05:41.564 --> 00:05:44.233
  • "doug is gone," hall said.
  • 00:05:44.233 --> 00:05:47.303
  • After enduring a night of wind chill 100 degrees below zero,
  • 00:05:47.303 --> 00:05:52.942
  • Rob hall finally succumbed to the extreme environment
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  • And died.
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  • People have debated what actually happened on
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  • That mountain.
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  • Why would somebody experienced like rob hall violate his own
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  • Strict turnaround time and cause the life not only of himself,
  • 00:06:09.525 --> 00:06:14.964
  • But of doug hansen as well.
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  • Some people say it was a business decision that motivated
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  • Them to violate the rule.
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  • He had failed once to get doug hansen up the mountain.
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  • He didn't want to fail again.
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  • After all, the rumors would start that it was an inferior
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  • Company that couldn't get people to the summit, that would hurt
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  • Him business wise.
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  • Other people said, "no, it was just the macho thing, macho men
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  • Doing macho things."
  • 00:06:39.222 --> 00:06:41.791
  • But whatever the reason, the truth is clear.
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  • Rob hall and doug hansen violated a basic rule of
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  • Mountaineering, and that is remembering that climbing the
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  • Mountain isn't only about reaching the summit, it's about
  • 00:06:53.703 --> 00:06:58.574
  • Returning home from the summit.
  • 00:06:58.574 --> 00:07:02.044
  • In fact, mountaineer jon krakauer, who was also with the
  • 00:07:02.044 --> 00:07:05.281
  • Expedition that day, wrote, "reaching the top of everest is
  • 00:07:05.281 --> 00:07:10.119
  • Supposed to trigger a surge of intense elation against
  • 00:07:10.119 --> 00:07:14.423
  • Long odds.
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  • After all, i had just attained a goal i had coveted since
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  • Childhood, but the summit was really only the halfway point.
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  • Any impulse i might have towards self-congratulation was
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  • Extinguished by the overwhelming apprehension about the long
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  • Dangerous descent that lay ahead."
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  • In our series, "courageous," we're looking at 10 survival
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  • Tips for living out our faith in a hostile,
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  • Threatening environment.
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  • The story of doug hansen and rob hall illustrates the seventh
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  • Survival tip we're going to talk about today, and that is to
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  • "beware of celebrating the summit."
  • 00:08:00.770 --> 00:08:05.575
  • People who are engaged in mountain climbing know that it's
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  • A danger to obsess about the summit so much that you lose
  • 00:08:09.378 --> 00:08:13.783
  • Your good judgment.
  • 00:08:13.783 --> 00:08:15.451
  • But it's also dangerous to feel like after you have reached the
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  • Summit, to be so caught up in the celebration of that goal
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  • That you forget that the descent from the summit is more
  • 00:08:22.658 --> 00:08:26.262
  • Dangerous than the ascent.
  • 00:08:26.262 --> 00:08:29.065
  • That's why we need to beware of celebrating the summit.
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  • Now, as i read that story of doug hansen and rob hall, i
  • 00:08:32.902 --> 00:08:37.239
  • Thought about my dad.
  • 00:08:37.239 --> 00:08:38.608
  • My dad was an amateur mountain climber.
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  • That gene did not pass to me.
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  • I hate heights.
  • 00:08:45.781 --> 00:08:47.116
  • I actually get dizzy when i climb the ladder to change a
  • 00:08:47.116 --> 00:08:50.019
  • Light bulb.
  • 00:08:50.019 --> 00:08:51.754
  • So, even though i'm not into mountain climbing, i understand
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  • The concept of summits, attaining a goal in life.
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  • If we're not careful, we can allow the attainment of that
  • 00:09:00.396 --> 00:09:03.466
  • Summit, that goal in life, blind us to our relationship with god.
  • 00:09:03.466 --> 00:09:09.438
  • In fact, those who either obsess about the summit or celebrate
  • 00:09:09.438 --> 00:09:13.309
  • Too long at the summit miss three important truths we need
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  • To look at to begin with today.
  • 00:09:17.313 --> 00:09:19.749
  • Jot them down.
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  • First of all, life is about more than fulfilling your dreams.
  • 00:09:21.083 --> 00:09:26.288
  • Life is much more than accomplishing your dreams.
  • 00:09:26.288 --> 00:09:30.426
  • Remember god's dream for your life.
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  • It's found in romans 8:28-30, and that is that you be
  • 00:09:32.595 --> 00:09:36.832
  • Conformed to the image of his son jesus christ.
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  • That's what all things are working together for in your
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  • Life, to make you like christ.
  • 00:09:43.939 --> 00:09:45.508
  • That is his dream.
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  • Every other dream you might have is secondary to that.
  • 00:09:46.876 --> 00:09:50.546
  • Secondly, your dreams have been given by god for his glory.
  • 00:09:50.546 --> 00:09:55.751
  • Your dreams have been given by god for his glory.
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  • Any god-given dream is given by god.
  • 00:09:58.621 --> 00:10:03.492
  • And if it's truly given by god, then that means the pursuit of
  • 00:10:03.492 --> 00:10:07.163
  • That dream ought to draw you closer to god rather than
  • 00:10:07.163 --> 00:10:11.867
  • Driving you away from god.
  • 00:10:11.867 --> 00:10:14.403
  • If you have a goal in life right now, students, or soon you'll
  • 00:10:14.403 --> 00:10:18.274
  • Have a goal, ask yourself the question, "is this driving me
  • 00:10:18.274 --> 00:10:22.278
  • Toward god or is it driving me away from god?"
  • 00:10:22.278 --> 00:10:25.948
  • Thirdly, god has more dreams for you to pursue.
  • 00:10:25.948 --> 00:10:29.385
  • The danger of celebrating the summit too long is we forget god
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  • Has other things he wants us to do after the summit.
  • 00:10:33.222 --> 00:10:37.393
  • If we forget these three important truths, we are in
  • 00:10:37.393 --> 00:10:40.296
  • Danger of pride, and nothing is more dangerous in either
  • 00:10:40.296 --> 00:10:46.402
  • Reaching the summit or staying on the summit than pride.
  • 00:10:46.402 --> 00:10:51.540
  • Pride blinds us to god's purpose for our life.
  • 00:10:51.540 --> 00:10:56.078
  • Mountaineering attracts by nature, self-confident,
  • 00:10:56.078 --> 00:11:00.049
  • Independent people, and because of that, many mountain climbers,
  • 00:11:00.049 --> 00:11:03.819
  • I was reading, create what they call pride walls in their home
  • 00:11:03.819 --> 00:11:08.991
  • Where they have pictures of themselves on previous
  • 00:11:08.991 --> 00:11:11.727
  • Summit expeditions.
  • 00:11:11.727 --> 00:11:14.530
  • They have their equipment that they like to show off to people
  • 00:11:14.530 --> 00:11:17.633
  • Or souvenirs from their trek.
  • 00:11:17.633 --> 00:11:21.170
  • There's nothing wrong with celebrating
  • 00:11:21.170 --> 00:11:23.005
  • Your accomplishments.
  • 00:11:23.005 --> 00:11:24.340
  • That's part of human nature.
  • 00:11:24.340 --> 00:11:26.442
  • I think about the apostle paul.
  • 00:11:26.442 --> 00:11:28.244
  • In philippians chapter 3, he talked about his own
  • 00:11:28.244 --> 00:11:31.247
  • Accomplishments, especially in the spiritual realm.
  • 00:11:31.247 --> 00:11:34.650
  • He was a hebrew of the hebrews, of the tribe of benjamin, a
  • 00:11:34.650 --> 00:11:38.587
  • Pharisee, a persecutor of the church, righteous.
  • 00:11:38.587 --> 00:11:41.724
  • But remember what he said in philippians 3:8, "i count all
  • 00:11:41.724 --> 00:11:45.528
  • Those things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of
  • 00:11:45.528 --> 00:11:50.499
  • Knowing christ jesus my lord, for whom i have suffered the
  • 00:11:50.499 --> 00:11:54.003
  • Loss of all things, and count them but rubbish that i may
  • 00:11:54.003 --> 00:11:58.607
  • Gain christ."
  • 00:11:58.607 --> 00:12:00.342
  • What are the characteristics of pride?
  • 00:12:00.342 --> 00:12:02.444
  • Turn over in your bibles to 2 timothy chapter 3, verses 2
  • 00:12:02.444 --> 00:12:06.916
  • Through 4.
  • 00:12:06.916 --> 00:12:08.984
  • Paul gives three characteristics of the proud.
  • 00:12:08.984 --> 00:12:13.122
  • Good way to diagnose yourself to see if this is true of you.
  • 00:12:13.122 --> 00:12:17.059
  • First of all, he says the proud are lovers of self.
  • 00:12:17.059 --> 00:12:22.264
  • Look at the passage, "for men will be lovers of self."
  • 00:12:22.264 --> 00:12:25.634
  • He's talking about the last days.
  • 00:12:25.634 --> 00:12:27.570
  • He said, "for men will be lovers of self, lovers of money,
  • 00:12:27.570 --> 00:12:32.341
  • Boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents,
  • 00:12:32.341 --> 00:12:37.913
  • Ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious
  • 00:12:37.913 --> 00:12:41.884
  • Gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
  • 00:12:41.884 --> 00:12:46.822
  • Treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure
  • 00:12:46.822 --> 00:12:50.593
  • Rather than lovers of god."
  • 00:12:50.593 --> 00:12:53.229
  • Now you may read that and say, "lovers of self?
  • 00:12:53.229 --> 00:12:55.231
  • What--didn't jesus say we ought to love others as we
  • 00:12:55.231 --> 00:12:59.702
  • Love ourselves?
  • 00:12:59.702 --> 00:13:01.036
  • What's wrong with loving yourself?"
  • 00:13:01.036 --> 00:13:02.805
  • Well, there's a difference between self-respect
  • 00:13:02.805 --> 00:13:06.075
  • And self-love.
  • 00:13:06.075 --> 00:13:07.910
  • We are commanded to treat others as we treat ourselves with
  • 00:13:07.910 --> 00:13:12.448
  • Respect, as something of value because god created us.
  • 00:13:12.448 --> 00:13:16.785
  • The sin of self love is not self respect.
  • 00:13:16.785 --> 00:13:20.489
  • Self love is treating yourself better than you treat
  • 00:13:20.489 --> 00:13:24.426
  • Other people.
  • 00:13:24.426 --> 00:13:26.095
  • Author peter kreeft summed it up well when he said humility is
  • 00:13:26.095 --> 00:13:30.065
  • Thinking less about yourself, not thinking less of yourself.
  • 00:13:30.065 --> 00:13:36.338
  • And that leads to a second characteristic of pride.
  • 00:13:36.338 --> 00:13:39.241
  • The proud are consumed with self.
  • 00:13:39.241 --> 00:13:42.845
  • They're consumed with self.
  • 00:13:42.845 --> 00:13:44.213
  • Do you remember from greek mythology, the story
  • 00:13:44.213 --> 00:13:46.482
  • Of narcissus?
  • 00:13:46.482 --> 00:13:48.117
  • Remember the story?
  • 00:13:48.117 --> 00:13:49.551
  • One day he looked into a pool of water and saw a reflection of
  • 00:13:49.551 --> 00:13:53.155
  • Himself, and he was so enamored with that reflection, he fell in
  • 00:13:53.155 --> 00:13:57.726
  • Love with the reflection.
  • 00:13:57.726 --> 00:13:59.395
  • And all he could do for the rest of his life was look at that
  • 00:13:59.395 --> 00:14:02.298
  • Reflection of himself.
  • 00:14:02.298 --> 00:14:03.866
  • We talk about people being narcissistic.
  • 00:14:03.866 --> 00:14:06.335
  • They are consumed with self.
  • 00:14:06.335 --> 00:14:09.305
  • The narcissist is the person who has a serious eye problem.
  • 00:14:09.305 --> 00:14:13.876
  • Everything in the world is i, i, i, i, it's about my want, my
  • 00:14:13.876 --> 00:14:19.882
  • Wishes, my goals, my dreams, my needs.
  • 00:14:19.882 --> 00:14:23.118
  • They are consumed with self.
  • 00:14:23.118 --> 00:14:25.054
  • And that leads to a third characteristic of the proud.
  • 00:14:25.054 --> 00:14:27.523
  • The proud are driven by power.
  • 00:14:27.523 --> 00:14:30.592
  • At the root of all pride is a desire for power, the power to
  • 00:14:30.592 --> 00:14:35.197
  • Control our own destiny as well as the destiny of others.
  • 00:14:35.197 --> 00:14:38.934
  • And by the way, that is completely antithetical to the
  • 00:14:38.934 --> 00:14:41.737
  • Attitude of jesus christ.
  • 00:14:41.737 --> 00:14:44.239
  • He didn't come to be served by others, but to serve others.
  • 00:14:44.239 --> 00:14:47.977
  • In matthew 20, verse 28, he said, "just as
  • 00:14:47.977 --> 00:14:51.013
  • The son of man did not come
  • 00:14:51.013 --> 00:14:52.781
  • To be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom
  • 00:14:52.781 --> 00:14:57.753
  • For many."
  • 00:14:57.753 --> 00:14:59.421
  • Listen to me, pride, being consumed with yourself, setting
  • 00:14:59.421 --> 00:15:04.526
  • Your will above god's will, will blind you as you try to reach
  • 00:15:04.526 --> 00:15:09.198
  • The summit in your life.
  • 00:15:09.198 --> 00:15:11.100
  • And it can cause you to stumble after you've reached the summit.
  • 00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:14.803
  • The only way to clear the fog of pride that may have set in in
  • 00:15:14.803 --> 00:15:18.273
  • Your life is through humility.
  • 00:15:18.273 --> 00:15:22.077
  • Humility allows you to see your life and god clearly.
  • 00:15:22.077 --> 00:15:27.549
  • What is humility?
  • 00:15:27.549 --> 00:15:29.818
  • Here's a definition we used last time.
  • 00:15:29.818 --> 00:15:32.554
  • Humility is the recognition that any good thing in your life is
  • 00:15:32.554 --> 00:15:36.992
  • The result of what god and/or others have done for you.
  • 00:15:36.992 --> 00:15:42.931
  • It is a recognition that any good thing in your life is the
  • 00:15:42.931 --> 00:15:46.635
  • Result of what god and/or others have done for you.
  • 00:15:46.635 --> 00:15:49.371
  • Three characteristics of humble people.
  • 00:15:49.371 --> 00:15:52.741
  • First of all, the humble recognize their
  • 00:15:52.741 --> 00:15:56.145
  • Spiritual bankruptcy.
  • 00:15:56.145 --> 00:15:58.781
  • The only people who are allowed into heaven are forgiven people,
  • 00:15:58.781 --> 00:16:04.353
  • Forgiven people.
  • 00:16:04.353 --> 00:16:05.687
  • And to be forgiven, you have to, first of all, admit your need to
  • 00:16:05.687 --> 00:16:08.891
  • Be forgiven, that you are spiritually bankrupt.
  • 00:16:08.891 --> 00:16:12.795
  • Second characteristic of humility, the humble reflect the
  • 00:16:12.795 --> 00:16:18.434
  • Character of christ.
  • 00:16:18.434 --> 00:16:20.969
  • Being humble, being poor in spirit, doesn't mean you have to
  • 00:16:20.969 --> 00:16:24.073
  • Be spiritually weak.
  • 00:16:24.073 --> 00:16:26.875
  • Jesus isn't.
  • 00:16:26.875 --> 00:16:28.277
  • Jesus is strength with restraint.
  • 00:16:28.277 --> 00:16:31.480
  • And if we're truly humble, it doesn't mean we're weak.
  • 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:33.549
  • It means we too are strong, but we're restrained.
  • 00:16:33.549 --> 00:16:38.253
  • And thirdly, the humble are dead to themselves.
  • 00:16:38.253 --> 00:16:41.757
  • By that i mean they put god's will above their will, not some
  • 00:16:41.757 --> 00:16:45.227
  • Of the time, but every time.
  • 00:16:45.227 --> 00:16:47.362
  • Just like jesus did in the garden of gethsemane, "not my
  • 00:16:47.362 --> 00:16:50.599
  • Will but your will be done."
  • 00:16:50.599 --> 00:16:52.468
  • You know, when you look clearly in the old testament, probably
  • 00:16:52.468 --> 00:16:56.772
  • The man who demonstrated humility above all was the
  • 00:16:56.772 --> 00:17:01.043
  • Character moses.
  • 00:17:01.043 --> 00:17:03.011
  • I mean, if moses wanted to, he had every right to have his own
  • 00:17:03.011 --> 00:17:08.717
  • Pride wall listing all of his accomplishments.
  • 00:17:08.717 --> 00:17:11.353
  • Think about it, the adopted son of--grandson of pharaoh,
  • 00:17:11.353 --> 00:17:15.157
  • Educated in pharaoh's household, the leader of the exodus,
  • 00:17:15.157 --> 00:17:20.395
  • Parting the red sea, god speaking to him in the burning
  • 00:17:20.395 --> 00:17:23.999
  • Bush, receiving the law from mount sinai.
  • 00:17:23.999 --> 00:17:27.069
  • And yet the scripture says in numbers 12:3, "(now the man
  • 00:17:27.069 --> 00:17:30.639
  • Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of
  • 00:17:30.639 --> 00:17:35.310
  • The earth.)"
  • 00:17:35.310 --> 00:17:37.379
  • Moses's life was the murmuring of his sister miriam.
  • 00:17:37.379 --> 00:17:41.984
  • When people started grumbling against her brother moses, she
  • 00:17:41.984 --> 00:17:45.521
  • And her older brother aaron thought, this is our chance to
  • 00:17:45.521 --> 00:17:50.058
  • Tell everybody what we really think of our younger brother.
  • 00:17:50.058 --> 00:17:53.962
  • There had been years of sibling rivalry that had built up.
  • 00:17:53.962 --> 00:17:57.666
  • And so, they use this occasion of a small rebellion to speak
  • 00:17:57.666 --> 00:18:01.203
  • Out against moses.
  • 00:18:01.203 --> 00:18:02.571
  • Numbers 12, "then miriam and aaron spoke against moses and
  • 00:18:02.571 --> 00:18:05.741
  • They said, 'has the lord indeed spoken only through moses?
  • 00:18:05.741 --> 00:18:11.446
  • Has he not spoken through us as well?'"
  • 00:18:11.446 --> 00:18:14.750
  • In other words, "why do we listen just to him?
  • 00:18:14.750 --> 00:18:18.620
  • We're all followers of god.
  • 00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:20.322
  • We all ought to have an equal voice.
  • 00:18:20.322 --> 00:18:22.991
  • He's not that great.
  • 00:18:22.991 --> 00:18:24.426
  • We're just as important as he is."
  • 00:18:24.426 --> 00:18:28.063
  • The only problem was, verse 2 ends with, "and the lord heard
  • 00:18:28.063 --> 00:18:32.634
  • It, and he wasn't happy about it."
  • 00:18:32.634 --> 00:18:35.704
  • Remember what happened?
  • 00:18:35.704 --> 00:18:37.072
  • He called aaron and miriam to come stand before him, and he
  • 00:18:37.072 --> 00:18:40.742
  • Struck miriam with a case of leprosy.
  • 00:18:40.742 --> 00:18:46.248
  • Now, how did moses respond to that?
  • 00:18:46.248 --> 00:18:50.385
  • I'm gonna tell you how i would have responded.
  • 00:18:50.385 --> 00:18:53.622
  • If it had been my sister leading a rebellion against me, and she
  • 00:18:53.622 --> 00:18:58.727
  • Had been struck with leprosy, i would have said, "see what
  • 00:18:58.727 --> 00:19:03.098
  • Happens when you touch god's anointed?"
  • 00:19:03.098 --> 00:19:07.336
  • I couldn't resist.
  • 00:19:10.706 --> 00:19:12.074
  • I'm sorry.
  • 00:19:12.074 --> 00:19:14.509
  • That's not how moses responded.
  • 00:19:14.509 --> 00:19:17.045
  • Numbers 12:13, "and moses cried out to the lord, saying, 'o god,
  • 00:19:17.045 --> 00:19:22.184
  • Heal her, i pray!'"
  • 00:19:22.184 --> 00:19:25.254
  • He prayed for the healing of his sister.
  • 00:19:25.254 --> 00:19:29.825
  • As you pursue your goals in life, as you reach toward the
  • 00:19:29.825 --> 00:19:32.894
  • Summit, remember, humility is that fog cutter, if you will,
  • 00:19:32.894 --> 00:19:38.100
  • That allows you to see god clearly and keeps you from being
  • 00:19:38.100 --> 00:19:42.938
  • Blinded with pride.
  • 00:19:42.938 --> 00:19:45.107
  • In closing, let me share with you just three quick suggestions
  • 00:19:45.107 --> 00:19:48.543
  • For how to develop humility in your life.
  • 00:19:48.543 --> 00:19:51.346
  • First of all, accept the fact that you aren't indispensable.
  • 00:19:51.346 --> 00:19:55.617
  • Accept the fact that you are not indispensable.
  • 00:19:55.617 --> 00:19:59.554
  • You know, if you ever go to westminster abbey in london,
  • 00:19:59.554 --> 00:20:03.191
  • Where so many great figures in history are buried, you'll find
  • 00:20:03.191 --> 00:20:06.595
  • A marble memorial.
  • 00:20:06.595 --> 00:20:08.330
  • I've seen it many times, a plaque to the memory of john and
  • 00:20:08.330 --> 00:20:12.134
  • Charles wesley, the wesley brothers, who did more for the
  • 00:20:12.134 --> 00:20:15.637
  • Spread of christianity in great britain than perhaps any two
  • 00:20:15.637 --> 00:20:19.608
  • Human beings.
  • 00:20:19.608 --> 00:20:21.343
  • And then that--on that marble plaque, there are the words of
  • 00:20:21.343 --> 00:20:25.514
  • Charles wesley who said, "god buries his workmen, but he
  • 00:20:25.514 --> 00:20:30.619
  • Continues his work."
  • 00:20:30.619 --> 00:20:33.255
  • Remember, none of us is indispensable, accept that fact.
  • 00:20:33.255 --> 00:20:37.993
  • Secondly, cultivate the habit of silence.
  • 00:20:37.993 --> 00:20:41.963
  • Cultivate the habit of silence, especially when you're
  • 00:20:41.963 --> 00:20:44.900
  • Being attacked.
  • 00:20:44.900 --> 00:20:46.234
  • Moses didn't speak out against miriam, but he did speak to god.
  • 00:20:46.234 --> 00:20:50.806
  • He did speak to god.
  • 00:20:50.806 --> 00:20:52.341
  • It would have been easy for him to come back with a retort to
  • 00:20:52.341 --> 00:20:55.177
  • Miriam, you know, "if you and aaron are so important, why
  • 00:20:55.177 --> 00:20:59.281
  • Don't you have a bigger part in the 10 commandments movie?"
  • 00:20:59.281 --> 00:21:01.516
  • I mean, does anybody remember them in that movie?
  • 00:21:04.753 --> 00:21:07.356
  • I mean, we remember charlton heston.
  • 00:21:07.356 --> 00:21:09.057
  • We don't remember who played miriam and aaron.
  • 00:21:09.057 --> 00:21:11.426
  • I mean, they were secondary players.
  • 00:21:11.426 --> 00:21:13.295
  • You could have come back with a great retort.
  • 00:21:13.295 --> 00:21:14.963
  • He didn't talk to them, but he talked to god about them.
  • 00:21:14.963 --> 00:21:19.034
  • He cultivated the habit of silence.
  • 00:21:19.034 --> 00:21:21.870
  • And again, he was foreshadowing what jesus would do when he
  • 00:21:21.870 --> 00:21:24.673
  • Was attacked.
  • 00:21:24.673 --> 00:21:26.007
  • 1 peter 2:23, "and while being reviled, he did not revile in
  • 00:21:26.007 --> 00:21:29.811
  • Return; while suffering, he uttered no threats, but he kept
  • 00:21:29.811 --> 00:21:33.582
  • Entrusting himself to the one who judges righteously."
  • 00:21:33.582 --> 00:21:37.452
  • And finally, you wanna demonstrate humility, pray for
  • 00:21:37.452 --> 00:21:41.022
  • Those who hurt you.
  • 00:21:41.022 --> 00:21:43.525
  • Pray for those who hurt you.
  • 00:21:43.525 --> 00:21:44.860
  • That's what moses did.
  • 00:21:44.860 --> 00:21:46.862
  • There are some of you right now who have gone through a great
  • 00:21:46.862 --> 00:21:49.531
  • Injustice in your life.
  • 00:21:49.531 --> 00:21:50.899
  • You have been deeply hurt by another person.
  • 00:21:50.899 --> 00:21:53.935
  • They may not know it or care about it.
  • 00:21:53.935 --> 00:21:56.905
  • You may never have a reconciliation with them, but
  • 00:21:56.905 --> 00:21:59.975
  • Listen to me, it's important that you don't harbor bitterness
  • 00:21:59.975 --> 00:22:04.613
  • In your own heart against them, and the best way to extinguish
  • 00:22:04.613 --> 00:22:08.750
  • Bitterness is by praying for your enemies, praying god's best
  • 00:22:08.750 --> 00:22:14.089
  • For their life.
  • 00:22:14.089 --> 00:22:15.490
  • It is impossible to be bitter towards somebody you are
  • 00:22:15.490 --> 00:22:19.227
  • Praying for.
  • 00:22:19.227 --> 00:22:20.562
  • That's what jesus did.
  • 00:22:20.562 --> 00:22:21.963
  • Luke 23:34, "jesus said, 'father, forgive them; for they
  • 00:22:21.963 --> 00:22:27.035
  • Know not what they are doing.'"
  • 00:22:27.035 --> 00:22:30.005
  • It was veteran mountaineer david breashears who said, "getting to
  • 00:22:30.005 --> 00:22:33.975
  • The summit is the easy part.
  • 00:22:33.975 --> 00:22:36.545
  • It's getting back down that's hard."
  • 00:22:36.545 --> 00:22:40.081
  • That's not only true about mountain climbing, it's true
  • 00:22:40.081 --> 00:22:42.484
  • About the christian life.
  • 00:22:42.484 --> 00:22:44.753
  • Pride is easy. humility is hard.
  • 00:22:44.753 --> 00:22:49.291
  • And yet, if we're going to reach that summit, that plan that god
  • 00:22:49.291 --> 00:22:53.328
  • Has for us, we've got to empty our backpack of pride.
  • 00:22:53.328 --> 00:22:59.067
  • Pride not only weighs us down, it keeps us from receiving the
  • 00:22:59.067 --> 00:23:03.538
  • Help we need from god or even from other people in reaching
  • 00:23:03.538 --> 00:23:07.275
  • The summit.
  • 00:23:07.275 --> 00:23:09.211
  • And it's pride that causes us to stumble after we have reached
  • 00:23:09.211 --> 00:23:13.548
  • The summit.
  • 00:23:13.548 --> 00:23:15.317
  • Do you wish, really wish for god to lift you up and help you
  • 00:23:15.317 --> 00:23:20.522
  • Attain his best for your life?
  • 00:23:20.522 --> 00:23:23.525
  • It was james, the half-brother of jesus, who told us how to
  • 00:23:23.525 --> 00:23:26.394
  • Do that.
  • 00:23:26.394 --> 00:23:27.729
  • James 4:10, "humble yourselves in the presence of god, and he
  • 00:23:27.729 --> 00:23:35.036
  • Will exalt you."
  • 00:23:35.036 --> 00:23:36.538
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:41.910
  • Jeffress: humility is one of the most underrated virtues in our
  • 00:23:41.977 --> 00:23:45.247
  • Culture, but as we've seen in god's word, it's also one of the
  • 00:23:45.247 --> 00:23:48.884
  • Most essential.
  • 00:23:48.884 --> 00:23:50.752
  • Now, in closing today, i want to express my sincere gratitude to
  • 00:23:50.752 --> 00:23:54.723
  • Our pathway partners and all who give faithfully to support
  • 00:23:54.723 --> 00:23:58.493
  • "pathway to victory."
  • 00:23:58.493 --> 00:24:00.061
  • We're living in a moment when the world desperately needs the
  • 00:24:00.061 --> 00:24:03.331
  • Truth of god's word.
  • 00:24:03.331 --> 00:24:04.933
  • And because of partners like you, that message is going out
  • 00:24:04.933 --> 00:24:08.603
  • Every day on television, radio, and digital streaming to people
  • 00:24:08.603 --> 00:24:13.074
  • Across america and around the world.
  • 00:24:13.074 --> 00:24:16.111
  • Thank you for helping us pierce the darkness with the light of
  • 00:24:16.111 --> 00:24:19.381
  • God's word.
  • 00:24:19.381 --> 00:24:20.715
  • Now please stay right there.
  • 00:24:20.715 --> 00:24:22.083
  • I'll be back with more in just a moment.
  • 00:24:22.083 --> 00:24:25.754
  • Jeffress: christians today are living in hostile territory.
  • 00:24:25.820 --> 00:24:29.357
  • The attacks are real, the opposition is fierce, and the
  • 00:24:29.357 --> 00:24:32.827
  • Stakes couldn't be higher.
  • 00:24:32.827 --> 00:24:34.996
  • That's why i wrote "courageous," to give you the biblical tools
  • 00:24:34.996 --> 00:24:38.667
  • You need not just to survive, but to stand strong and thrive.
  • 00:24:38.667 --> 00:24:43.338
  • Announcer: in "courageous," you'll find ten biblical
  • 00:24:43.338 --> 00:24:45.874
  • Survival strategies drawn straight from scripture that
  • 00:24:45.874 --> 00:24:48.877
  • Will give you fresh fire and real hope, no matter what
  • 00:24:48.877 --> 00:24:52.013
  • You're facing.
  • 00:24:52.013 --> 00:24:53.381
  • Jeffress: survivors have two things in common.
  • 00:24:53.381 --> 00:24:55.350
  • A different response to trouble and a different perspective
  • 00:24:55.350 --> 00:24:59.187
  • On life.
  • 00:24:59.187 --> 00:25:00.522
  • In "courageous," i'll give you ten biblical strategies to
  • 00:25:00.522 --> 00:25:03.858
  • Develop both and come out stronger on the other side.
  • 00:25:03.858 --> 00:25:07.762
  • Announcer: request your copy of "courageous" when you give a
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  • Generous ministry gift to "pathway to victory" or when you
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  • Become a pathway partner.
  • 00:25:13.568 --> 00:25:15.236
  • And when your ministry gift is $75 or more, we'll send you the
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  • "courageous" leadership kit containing the "courageous"
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  • Book, the personal and group study guide book, ten
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  • "courageous" encouragement cards, plus the complete
  • 00:25:25.647 --> 00:25:28.550
  • Teaching series on cd and dvd.
  • 00:25:28.550 --> 00:25:31.152
  • Jeffress: as christians, we're living in a
  • 00:25:31.152 --> 00:25:33.388
  • Threatening environment.
  • 00:25:33.388 --> 00:25:35.323
  • We have an adversary, the devil, who is intent on destroying
  • 00:25:35.323 --> 00:25:39.628
  • Everything important to us.
  • 00:25:39.628 --> 00:25:41.129
  • Announcer: thank you for partnering with "pathway
  • 00:25:41.129 --> 00:25:42.964
  • To victory."
  • 00:25:42.964 --> 00:25:44.299
  • Your generosity funds the proclamation of god's word
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  • Across television, radio, and online, bringing bold biblical
  • 00:25:47.068 --> 00:25:51.039
  • Hope right here at home and around the world.
  • 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:54.242
  • Jeffress: achieving our goals can be a blessing, but left
  • 00:25:58.113 --> 00:26:01.516
  • Unchecked, success has a way of feeding our pride.
  • 00:26:01.516 --> 00:26:05.687
  • So, are you climbing toward god or away from him?
  • 00:26:05.687 --> 00:26:09.891
  • Humility is what keeps us moving in the right direction.
  • 00:26:09.891 --> 00:26:13.695
  • Next time we'll look at survival tip number eight, and that's
  • 00:26:13.695 --> 00:26:16.931
  • Learning from the past.
  • 00:26:16.931 --> 00:26:18.900
  • The mistakes of those who came before us don't have to become
  • 00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:22.337
  • Our mistakes.
  • 00:26:22.337 --> 00:26:23.738
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:26:23.738 --> 00:26:26.741
  • Series, "courageous."
  • 00:26:26.741 --> 00:26:29.544
  • Jeffress: your survival really depends upon making sure you
  • 00:26:29.544 --> 00:26:32.714
  • Don't compound one mistake by making a worse mistake.
  • 00:26:32.714 --> 00:26:37.752
  • And the way we mitigate mistakes in life is by learning from
  • 00:26:37.752 --> 00:26:42.590
  • The past.
  • 00:26:42.590 --> 00:26:44.159
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for "survival tip
  • 00:26:44.159 --> 00:26:47.228
  • #8: learn from the past" here on "pathway
  • 00:26:47.228 --> 00:26:50.632
  • To victory."
  • 00:26:50.632 --> 00:26:52.033
  • Announcer: what if your next vacation changed the way you
  • 00:26:54.669 --> 00:26:56.905
  • Read your bible forever?
  • 00:26:56.905 --> 00:26:58.940
  • Jeffress: join me for nine nights sailing the mediterranean
  • 00:26:58.940 --> 00:27:01.810
  • With every detail taken care of.
  • 00:27:01.810 --> 00:27:04.512
  • When you stand where paul stood, your bible comes alive in ways
  • 00:27:04.512 --> 00:27:08.917
  • It never has before.
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  • Announcer: sail with us on the pathway to victory journeys of
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  • Paul cruise, may 2027, and ask about our optional
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  • Athens pre-extension.
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  • Call ...
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  • Or visit ptv.org.
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