Robert Jeffress - Survival Tip #8: Learn From The Past (Part 1)

May 25, 2026 | 27:29

Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Survival Tip #8: Learn From The Past (Part 1) | May 25, 2026
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male 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.
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  • I'm robert jeffress, and welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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  • Were you the kid in school who dreaded history class or the one
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  • Who loved it?
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  • Most of us land somewhere in between, but deep down we all
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  • Recognize that history matters.
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  • Generations have gone before us and their choices have a lot to
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  • Teach us.
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  • Today i'm going to show you why learning from the past may be
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  • One of the most important survival skills you possess.
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  • My message is titled "survival tip #8: learn from the
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  • Past" on today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • Announcer: each day, millions of lost people are searching for
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  • Hope and truth.
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  • Homes across america and around the world, but there are still
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: juliane koepcke didn't grow up like most girls.
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  • Her parents were well-known german zoologists who lived and
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  • Worked in the peruvian rainforest.
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  • When she was 14 years old, juliane's parents established a
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  • Research station in the heart of the jungle and she became a
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  • Jungle child.
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  • Life in the forest was difficult.
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  • They had no running water or electricity.
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  • Every morning they shook out their rubber boots to dislodge
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  • The poisonous spiders that had taken up residence overnight.
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  • Her days consisted of homeschooling lessons in math
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  • And language as well as research excursions into the jungle to
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  • Study insects, birds, wildlife, fish, and plants.
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  • However, the educational authorities in peru didn't
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  • Approve of her homeschooling.
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  • So after 18 months of traipsing through the rainforest, juliane
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  • Traveled to lima, peru to finish high school, which she did in
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  • December of 1971.
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  • Her mother flew to lima to retrieve juliane for the
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  • Christmas break, but since there was a graduation dance on
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  • December 22nd and the graduation ceremony the following day, they
  • 00:02:44.988 --> 00:02:50.526
  • Decided to fly back to peru on christmas eve.
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  • Every flight was booked except for one airplane belonging to
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  • Lansa airlines, the smallest airline with the worst safety
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  • Record in peru.
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  • On board, juliane and her mother sat two rows from the back.
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  • She took the window seat, her mother sat in the middle, and a
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  • Heavyset man was on the aisle.
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  • "i think it will be okay," her mother said.
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  • Those words would haunt juliane for decades.
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  • Only 15 minutes before reaching their destination, the plane
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  • Flew into a thunder cloud.
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  • Turbulence rocked the plane this way and that.
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  • Christmas presents, jackets, suitcases that had been stored
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  • In the overhead compartments flew around the plane's cabin.
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  • Glancing out the window, juliane saw a blinding light over the
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  • Right wing, and then they began to plummet.
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  • The noise in the plane was deafening.
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  • People were screaming and the engines roared and then, as if
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  • Somebody had flipped a switch, all was quiet.
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  • Juliane, still strapped to her seat, was outside the plane.
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  • Her mother was gone.
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  • Falling headfirst from nearly 10,000 feet, juliane saw the
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  • Canopy of the forest spinning and coming closer.
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  • "the treetops looked like broccoli," she later recalled.
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  • Somewhere on the descent she blacked out, lost her glasses,
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  • And the capillaries in her eyes burst, causing them to appear
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  • Blood red.
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  • Her seat somehow righted itself before she hit the trees because
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  • Once on the ground she was relatively unharmed, with only a
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  • Concussion, a broken collarbone, and a gash on her left calf.
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  • When juliane came to, she was by herself.
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  • She didn't see any wreckage around her.
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  • She knew it would be impossible for rescuers to find her under
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  • The thick canopy of the trees so she would have to
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  • Rescue herself.
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  • Thankfully, she knew the jungle and was comfortable in it.
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  • She attuned her ears to the forest and heard the trickling
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  • Sound of a stream.
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  • She knew that streams led to creeks, creeks led to rivers,
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  • And that people lived along rivers.
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  • So she moved toward the sound of the trickling water.
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  • She intended to follow along the banks of the stream, but the
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  • Jungle was such a tangle of trees and vines that it was
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  • Almost impassable.
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  • She could walk along the shallows, but she knew stingrays
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  • Buried themselves in the soft mud along the banks and that
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  • Piranhas are dangerous only in the low water.
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  • So she decided to wade into the middle of the stream and float.
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  • She would have to watch out for the alligator-like reptiles
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  • Called caimans, but she knew they generally didn't
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  • Attack people.
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  • During the day, juliane kept to the stream.
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  • At night, she came ashore and as best she could warded off the
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  • Biting insects that tangled in her hair and tried to burrow
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  • Into her nose and ears, all the time shivering from ice
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  • Cold rain.
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  • All she had to eat was a bag of christmas candy she found, which
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  • Would last only a few days.
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  • Everything else she knew could be poisonous, but she also knew
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  • That she could drink from the middle of the stream with little
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  • Danger of dysentery because the area was uninhabited.
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  • She floated for days until she recognized the call of the
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  • Hoatzins, large birds that nest along large rivers and
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  • Open water.
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  • Following the bird call, juliane walked into the large clearing
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  • Next to a river.
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  • There she saw a boat beside a well-worn trail that led to
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  • A shelter.
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  • The shelter was empty, but the next day she heard voices.
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  • Three men emerged from the forest and were frightened at
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  • Her presence, thinking she was a river spirit said to have fair
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  • Skin and blonde hair.
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  • Her bloodshot eyes didn't help ease their minds, but she said
  • 00:07:04.514 --> 00:07:08.284
  • To them in spanish, "i'm a girl who was in the lansa crash.
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  • My name is juliane."
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  • Ninety-one people, including juliane's mother--everyone on
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  • Board perished in that lansa peruvian crash flight 508.
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  • Juliane was the sole survivor.
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  • It was a miracle not that she survived being ejected, imagine,
  • 00:07:31.574 --> 00:07:35.878
  • From a flying aircraft, a jetliner, but that she also
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  • Survived the 11 days in a peruvian rainforest with
  • 00:07:40.082 --> 00:07:45.254
  • Injuries, wearing only a sundress and one sandal.
  • 00:07:45.254 --> 00:07:50.593
  • You know, the fact is whether you're climbing a mountain,
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  • Trying to survive an airplane crash, or facing some other
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  • Difficult situation, challenging situation in your life, your
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  • Survival depends not so much on making every decision the
  • 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:09.579
  • Right decision.
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  • Your survival really depends upon making sure you don't
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  • Compound one mistake by making a worse mistake; and the way we
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  • Mitigate mistakes in life is by learning from the past, to learn
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  • From our own experience but also learn from the experiences of
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  • Others who have gone before us.
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  • That's exactly what juliane did.
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  • The reason she was able to survive those 11 days is she was
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  • No stranger to life in the jungle.
  • 00:08:39.141 --> 00:08:43.012
  • She relied on her past experiences, but she also relied
  • 00:08:43.012 --> 00:08:47.917
  • On the lessons she had learned from her father and her mother.
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  • From her father, she had learned that streams lead to creeks and
  • 00:08:52.922 --> 00:08:58.561
  • Creeks lead to rivers and rivers are where people are.
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  • She learned to avoid the shallow water where the stingrays and
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  • The piranhas were.
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  • Her mom was an ornithologist, and she learned about birds and
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  • Especially the hoatzins that would lead her to where
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  • People were.
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  • Generally, people who survive difficult circumstances, who put
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  • Themselves in dangerous circumstances like mountain
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  • Climbing or other challenging situations, they learn from
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  • The past.
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  • They look at those who have gone before them.
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  • They mimic their strengths and try to avoid their mistakes.
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  • You know, we're in a series i've titled "courageous," ten
  • 00:09:37.066 --> 00:09:41.070
  • Survival tips, ten strategies for thriving in a hostile world.
  • 00:09:41.070 --> 00:09:46.409
  • Every one of us here today or watching this program, we are
  • 00:09:46.409 --> 00:09:50.012
  • Living in a challenging situation.
  • 00:09:50.012 --> 00:09:52.982
  • We have an adversary, the devil, who is hell-bent on destroying
  • 00:09:52.982 --> 00:09:57.486
  • Everything important to us.
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  • We have our own fallen nature that continually drags us away
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  • From god.
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  • We live in a culture that is increasingly hostile to the
  • 00:10:05.327 --> 00:10:08.597
  • Things of god.
  • 00:10:08.597 --> 00:10:10.232
  • That's why c.s. lewis
  • 00:10:10.232 --> 00:10:11.801
  • Described this world as enemy-occupied territory.
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  • If we're going to survive and thrive in this world in which we
  • 00:10:17.206 --> 00:10:21.210
  • Live, we've got to employ the same survival tips that
  • 00:10:21.210 --> 00:10:25.347
  • Survivalists use.
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  • And today we've come to survival tip number eight, and that is to
  • 00:10:27.450 --> 00:10:32.588
  • Learn from the past, to learn from the past, whether it's our
  • 00:10:32.588 --> 00:10:37.093
  • Past or the past of others who have gone before us, and, of
  • 00:10:37.093 --> 00:10:42.098
  • Course, what we're really talking about is learning
  • 00:10:42.098 --> 00:10:45.267
  • From history.
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  • Learning from history is key to your survival.
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  • Now, i admit today there are a lot of people who don't think
  • 00:10:51.607 --> 00:10:55.244
  • History is very valuable.
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  • That's nothing new either.
  • 00:10:57.113 --> 00:10:59.348
  • The great industrialist henry ford once said, "history is more
  • 00:10:59.348 --> 00:11:03.452
  • Or less bunk.
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  • We want to live in the present, and the only history that is
  • 00:11:05.755 --> 00:11:08.991
  • Worth anything is the history we make today."
  • 00:11:08.991 --> 00:11:13.129
  • There are a lot of people who believe that.
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  • Have you seen those late night comedy programs on television
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  • Where they do the man-in-the-street interviews and
  • 00:11:18.834 --> 00:11:21.270
  • They quiz people on their knowledge of certain things like
  • 00:11:21.270 --> 00:11:24.974
  • American history, for example?
  • 00:11:24.974 --> 00:11:27.176
  • Isn't it amazing how stupid people are?
  • 00:11:27.176 --> 00:11:30.813
  • Always makes me feel better to watch those things and just
  • 00:11:30.813 --> 00:11:33.783
  • Say--i mean, people are so ignorant.
  • 00:11:33.783 --> 00:11:36.652
  • They're really ignorant about history and american history.
  • 00:11:36.652 --> 00:11:39.822
  • For example, one survey showed that only one in three american
  • 00:11:39.822 --> 00:11:45.361
  • Citizens can pass the us citizenship test.
  • 00:11:45.361 --> 00:11:49.732
  • Only one in three americans, and that number falls to 19% when
  • 00:11:49.732 --> 00:11:56.005
  • It's people under the age of 45.
  • 00:11:56.005 --> 00:11:58.707
  • In fact, on one survey, over half of americans surveyed could
  • 00:11:58.707 --> 00:12:02.745
  • Not even name the countries we fought against in world war ii.
  • 00:12:02.745 --> 00:12:07.583
  • People are ignorant of the past.
  • 00:12:07.583 --> 00:12:10.419
  • But there's one person who doesn't think history is bunk.
  • 00:12:10.419 --> 00:12:15.090
  • He doesn't think history is unimportant, and that is the
  • 00:12:15.090 --> 00:12:18.527
  • Author of history, god himself.
  • 00:12:18.527 --> 00:12:21.664
  • History is really his story, and over and over again in both the
  • 00:12:21.664 --> 00:12:26.302
  • Old and the new testaments you see god putting a premium on
  • 00:12:26.302 --> 00:12:29.939
  • People remembering their history.
  • 00:12:29.939 --> 00:12:33.275
  • That's true in the book of deuteronomy.
  • 00:12:33.275 --> 00:12:35.611
  • You know, deuteronomy uses the word "remember" 16 times.
  • 00:12:35.611 --> 00:12:41.617
  • Sixteen times moses says remember, remember, remember.
  • 00:12:41.617 --> 00:12:47.223
  • Why did he say that?
  • 00:12:47.223 --> 00:12:48.657
  • You remember that moses and the israelites were on the precipice
  • 00:12:48.657 --> 00:12:52.428
  • Of entering the promised land when they sinned against god by
  • 00:12:52.428 --> 00:12:56.699
  • Failing to believe the promises of god and god sentenced them to
  • 00:12:56.699 --> 00:13:00.836
  • 40 years of wandering in the wilderness until a whole
  • 00:13:00.836 --> 00:13:04.473
  • Generation died out.
  • 00:13:04.473 --> 00:13:05.841
  • And then when moses was an old man, the people once again stood
  • 00:13:05.841 --> 00:13:09.678
  • At the precipice of the promised land and moses preached.
  • 00:13:09.678 --> 00:13:14.717
  • He re-preached the law to the people.
  • 00:13:14.717 --> 00:13:16.886
  • The word deuteronomy, deútero, second.
  • 00:13:16.886 --> 00:13:19.889
  • Nomos, law.
  • 00:13:19.889 --> 00:13:21.223
  • It is a second preaching of the law, and moses was saying over
  • 00:13:21.223 --> 00:13:25.361
  • And over again, "remember the past and don't make the same
  • 00:13:25.361 --> 00:13:29.131
  • Mistakes that your forefathers made."
  • 00:13:29.131 --> 00:13:32.034
  • Remember his famous words in deuteronomy 11:26-28?
  • 00:13:32.034 --> 00:13:35.971
  • He said, "see, i'm setting before you today a blessing and
  • 00:13:35.971 --> 00:13:40.109
  • A curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of
  • 00:13:40.109 --> 00:13:43.979
  • The lord your god, which i'm commanding you today; and the
  • 00:13:43.979 --> 00:13:47.750
  • Curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the lord
  • 00:13:47.750 --> 00:13:51.086
  • Your god, but turn aside from the way in which i'm commanding
  • 00:13:51.086 --> 00:13:54.490
  • You today, by following other gods which you have not known."
  • 00:13:54.490 --> 00:13:59.662
  • He was saying, "you've got a choice.
  • 00:13:59.662 --> 00:14:01.063
  • You can repeat the mistakes of your forefathers or you can
  • 00:14:01.063 --> 00:14:04.266
  • Act differently.
  • 00:14:04.266 --> 00:14:05.634
  • You can experience god's blessing or his curse."
  • 00:14:05.634 --> 00:14:09.104
  • And the same is true for us today.
  • 00:14:09.104 --> 00:14:11.473
  • The apostle paul talked about the importance of history.
  • 00:14:11.473 --> 00:14:14.043
  • In romans 15, verse 4, he said, "whatever was written in earlier
  • 00:14:14.043 --> 00:14:19.481
  • Times was written for our instruction, that through
  • 00:14:19.481 --> 00:14:23.118
  • Perseverance and in the encouragement of the scriptures
  • 00:14:23.118 --> 00:14:26.322
  • We might have hope."
  • 00:14:26.322 --> 00:14:28.958
  • The reason we have all of these stories in the bible is not to
  • 00:14:28.958 --> 00:14:31.894
  • Entertain us.
  • 00:14:31.894 --> 00:14:33.262
  • It is to instruct us so that we can persevere in hope.
  • 00:14:33.262 --> 00:14:37.967
  • In job 8, verses 8 and 9, the word of god says, "please
  • 00:14:37.967 --> 00:14:43.005
  • Inquire of past generations, and consider the things searched out
  • 00:14:43.005 --> 00:14:48.577
  • By their fathers.
  • 00:14:48.577 --> 00:14:50.245
  • For we are only of yesterday and know nothing, because our days
  • 00:14:50.245 --> 00:14:54.116
  • On earth are as a shadow."
  • 00:14:54.116 --> 00:14:56.051
  • He was saying we are here for such a short time.
  • 00:14:56.051 --> 00:14:59.088
  • We can't know everything there is to know on our own.
  • 00:14:59.088 --> 00:15:01.890
  • Look at the past.
  • 00:15:01.890 --> 00:15:03.258
  • Learn the lessons of the past.
  • 00:15:03.258 --> 00:15:06.061
  • That's the key to surviving and thriving.
  • 00:15:06.061 --> 00:15:09.965
  • You know, it was george santayana who said those famous
  • 00:15:09.965 --> 00:15:14.436
  • Words, "those who don't remember the past are condemned to
  • 00:15:14.436 --> 00:15:20.009
  • Repeat it."
  • 00:15:20.009 --> 00:15:21.343
  • Those who don't remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
  • 00:15:21.343 --> 00:15:26.548
  • The apostle paul believed that.
  • 00:15:26.548 --> 00:15:28.684
  • In fact, that was the theme of the verses we looked at a few
  • 00:15:28.684 --> 00:15:31.720
  • Moments ago in our scripture reading.
  • 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:33.956
  • Turn in your new testaments to 1 corinthians chapter 10, 1
  • 00:15:33.956 --> 00:15:38.694
  • Corinthians chapter 10.
  • 00:15:38.694 --> 00:15:40.029
  • Remember, paul wrote this letter to a church that had fallen into
  • 00:15:40.029 --> 00:15:43.866
  • Immorality and idolatry and bitterness and backbiting and
  • 00:15:43.866 --> 00:15:49.304
  • Yet they comforted themselves in thinking, "this is okay.
  • 00:15:49.304 --> 00:15:52.307
  • After all, we're saved by grace, not by works.
  • 00:15:52.307 --> 00:15:55.310
  • Our place in heaven is secure.
  • 00:15:55.310 --> 00:15:57.646
  • We can live any way we wanna live."
  • 00:15:57.646 --> 00:16:00.015
  • Paul says, "not so fast.
  • 00:16:00.015 --> 00:16:02.317
  • Don't use your position with god as an excuse to disobey god.
  • 00:16:02.317 --> 00:16:07.823
  • If you think god is okay with the way you're living, just look
  • 00:16:07.823 --> 00:16:12.061
  • At how he dealt with your forefathers, the israelites."
  • 00:16:12.061 --> 00:16:15.864
  • In the first four verses of 1 corinthians 10, he talks about
  • 00:16:15.864 --> 00:16:20.569
  • The israelites, the unique position they had.
  • 00:16:20.569 --> 00:16:23.772
  • They were god's own people.
  • 00:16:23.772 --> 00:16:25.808
  • They were the recipients of god's supernatural revelation
  • 00:16:25.808 --> 00:16:29.144
  • And his supernatural provision in the wilderness.
  • 00:16:29.144 --> 00:16:32.981
  • They were certainly the objects of god's love and affection, but
  • 00:16:32.981 --> 00:16:39.121
  • God didn't look the other way at their disobedience.
  • 00:16:39.121 --> 00:16:42.291
  • Look at verse 5: "nevertheless," in spite of their unique place
  • 00:16:42.291 --> 00:16:45.727
  • Of privilege, "with most of them god was not well-pleased; for
  • 00:16:45.727 --> 00:16:52.734
  • They were laid low in the wilderness."
  • 00:16:52.734 --> 00:16:56.472
  • They were struck dead in the wilderness.
  • 00:16:56.472 --> 00:17:00.309
  • Yes, their eternal salvation was secure, but they lost
  • 00:17:00.309 --> 00:17:04.813
  • Their lives.
  • 00:17:04.813 --> 00:17:06.181
  • They suffered the discipline of god because of
  • 00:17:06.181 --> 00:17:08.217
  • Their disobedience.
  • 00:17:08.217 --> 00:17:09.585
  • And then he said in verse 6, "now these things," these
  • 00:17:09.585 --> 00:17:13.856
  • Judgments against the israelites--"these things
  • 00:17:13.856 --> 00:17:16.358
  • Happened as," circle this word, "examples for us, that we should
  • 00:17:16.358 --> 00:17:21.797
  • Not crave evil things as they also craved."
  • 00:17:21.797 --> 00:17:25.100
  • And then verse 11.
  • 00:17:25.100 --> 00:17:26.935
  • "now these things happened to them," the israelites, and there
  • 00:17:26.935 --> 00:17:29.638
  • It is again, "as an example," circle that, "and they were
  • 00:17:29.638 --> 00:17:33.842
  • Written for our instruction, upon whom the end of the age
  • 00:17:33.842 --> 00:17:39.414
  • Has come."
  • 00:17:39.414 --> 00:17:41.250
  • That word example is the greek word typos, t-y-p-o-s.
  • 00:17:41.250 --> 00:17:49.291
  • That word literally means the mark that comes from a blow, a
  • 00:17:49.291 --> 00:17:56.031
  • Mark that comes from a blow.
  • 00:17:56.031 --> 00:17:58.800
  • That word typos, we get our word type or typewriter.
  • 00:17:58.800 --> 00:18:06.441
  • How many of you are old enough to remember a typewriter?
  • 00:18:06.441 --> 00:18:10.045
  • Remember how that worked?
  • 00:18:10.045 --> 00:18:11.613
  • You'd have your little keyboard there with the corresponding
  • 00:18:11.613 --> 00:18:15.150
  • Letters of the alphabet, and you would strike that letter and
  • 00:18:15.150 --> 00:18:20.155
  • Striking that letter would cause a metal bar that had the letter
  • 00:18:20.155 --> 00:18:24.927
  • Of the alphabet on it, it would send it toward a ribbon of ink
  • 00:18:24.927 --> 00:18:30.966
  • And it would make a blow against that ribbon of ink and that blow
  • 00:18:30.966 --> 00:18:35.771
  • Would leave a mark on the piece of paper of the letter that
  • 00:18:35.771 --> 00:18:38.774
  • You struck.
  • 00:18:38.774 --> 00:18:40.409
  • That's the same word here, the mark that comes from a blow.
  • 00:18:40.409 --> 00:18:45.347
  • That's what the israelites were.
  • 00:18:45.347 --> 00:18:47.883
  • They bore in their bodies the blow, the discipline of god on
  • 00:18:47.883 --> 00:18:53.455
  • Their life, and it was a negative blow.
  • 00:18:53.455 --> 00:18:57.059
  • It was a negative example.
  • 00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:59.494
  • Paul said, "learn the lessons of those who went before you so
  • 00:18:59.494 --> 00:19:03.398
  • That you don't suffer the same fate.
  • 00:19:03.398 --> 00:19:06.268
  • These things were written as examples to us."
  • 00:19:06.268 --> 00:19:10.405
  • And then he says in verse 12, "therefore let him who thinks he
  • 00:19:10.405 --> 00:19:13.942
  • Stands take heed lest he fall."
  • 00:19:13.942 --> 00:19:18.313
  • Learning the lessons from the past.
  • 00:19:18.313 --> 00:19:20.816
  • You know, when i think of somebody who learned in a
  • 00:19:20.816 --> 00:19:23.552
  • Positive way the lessons from the past, i think of an old
  • 00:19:23.552 --> 00:19:27.556
  • Testament king named josiah.
  • 00:19:27.556 --> 00:19:31.260
  • Sometimes he was called good king josiah.
  • 00:19:31.260 --> 00:19:34.997
  • He was a man who allowed history to shape his future.
  • 00:19:34.997 --> 00:19:40.202
  • We find a story in 2 chronicles chapter 34.
  • 00:19:40.202 --> 00:19:44.039
  • If you have your bibles, turn to 2 chronicles chapter 34, and we
  • 00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:49.011
  • Find this description of the reign of josiah.
  • 00:19:49.011 --> 00:19:52.080
  • Look at verse 1, "josiah was eight years old when he became
  • 00:19:52.080 --> 00:19:58.487
  • King, and he reigned thirty-one years in jerusalem.
  • 00:19:58.487 --> 00:20:03.525
  • And he did right in the sight of the lord, and walked in the ways
  • 00:20:03.525 --> 00:20:06.328
  • Of his father david, and he did not turn aside to the right or
  • 00:20:06.328 --> 00:20:10.999
  • To the left."
  • 00:20:10.999 --> 00:20:12.768
  • Now, think about it.
  • 00:20:12.768 --> 00:20:14.136
  • Josiah was 8 when he became king.
  • 00:20:14.136 --> 00:20:15.637
  • How did that happen?
  • 00:20:15.637 --> 00:20:17.839
  • Well, it says here his father david.
  • 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:20.542
  • David was not josiah's father.
  • 00:20:20.542 --> 00:20:23.078
  • He was his forefather.
  • 00:20:23.078 --> 00:20:24.780
  • Same word.
  • 00:20:24.780 --> 00:20:26.114
  • He was his forefather.
  • 00:20:26.114 --> 00:20:27.482
  • They were separated by hundreds of years.
  • 00:20:27.482 --> 00:20:28.850
  • Josiah's grandfather was a man named manasseh.
  • 00:20:28.850 --> 00:20:32.754
  • Manasseh misled judah and the inhabitants of jerusalem to do
  • 00:20:32.754 --> 00:20:37.326
  • More evil than the nations whom the lord destroyed before the
  • 00:20:37.326 --> 00:20:40.595
  • Sons of israel.
  • 00:20:40.595 --> 00:20:42.064
  • Manasseh led the israelites in the worship of baal and the
  • 00:20:42.064 --> 00:20:45.267
  • Asherah, in child sacrifice and consulting with witches
  • 00:20:45.267 --> 00:20:49.071
  • And sorcerers.
  • 00:20:49.071 --> 00:20:50.439
  • He was an evil king.
  • 00:20:50.439 --> 00:20:51.973
  • Now, that was josiah's grandfather.
  • 00:20:51.973 --> 00:20:54.743
  • Josiah's father amon, manasseh's son, he did even more evil than
  • 00:20:54.743 --> 00:21:01.116
  • Manasseh had done.
  • 00:21:01.116 --> 00:21:02.851
  • He was so evil in fact that amon only lasted 2 years until he was
  • 00:21:02.851 --> 00:21:07.055
  • Assassinated, and after his murder it was his son josiah who
  • 00:21:07.055 --> 00:21:13.595
  • Became king at the age of 8 years.
  • 00:21:13.595 --> 00:21:17.065
  • Now, you know, josiah you could say was born to fail in a way.
  • 00:21:17.065 --> 00:21:21.503
  • How could he overcome such a generational curse?
  • 00:21:21.503 --> 00:21:25.474
  • Have you heard that term generational curse before?
  • 00:21:25.474 --> 00:21:28.810
  • Don't ever buy into that.
  • 00:21:28.810 --> 00:21:30.746
  • Don't ever buy into that, that somebody is doomed to a certain
  • 00:21:30.746 --> 00:21:34.149
  • Way of behavior because of the environment in which they
  • 00:21:34.149 --> 00:21:37.152
  • Were raised.
  • 00:21:37.152 --> 00:21:38.520
  • Through the power of christ, you can become a brand new person.
  • 00:21:38.520 --> 00:21:41.923
  • You don't have to make the mistakes of the past, and that
  • 00:21:41.923 --> 00:21:45.026
  • Is true of josiah.
  • 00:21:45.026 --> 00:21:46.395
  • He said, "i am not going to follow in the way of my father
  • 00:21:46.395 --> 00:21:49.631
  • And my grandfather."
  • 00:21:49.631 --> 00:21:50.999
  • Instead, he was like his great-great-great-great-great-
  • 00:21:50.999 --> 00:21:53.668
  • Great grandfather david, and he did not turn aside from the
  • 00:21:53.668 --> 00:21:57.706
  • Right to the left.
  • 00:21:57.706 --> 00:21:59.541
  • How did he make that decision to follow god?
  • 00:21:59.541 --> 00:22:02.177
  • I want you to notice three things about josiah's decision
  • 00:22:02.177 --> 00:22:05.080
  • To follow god.
  • 00:22:05.080 --> 00:22:06.681
  • First of all, that decision was influenced by his mother,
  • 00:22:06.681 --> 00:22:10.986
  • Influenced by his mother.
  • 00:22:10.986 --> 00:22:13.054
  • In the companion book to chronicles, kings, 2 kings 22:1,
  • 00:22:13.054 --> 00:22:18.293
  • We find this interesting tidbit about josiah's mother.
  • 00:22:18.293 --> 00:22:21.963
  • "josiah was 8 years old when he became king, and he reigned for
  • 00:22:21.963 --> 00:22:26.301
  • 31 years in jerusalem; and his mother's name was jedidah."
  • 00:22:26.301 --> 00:22:32.307
  • Now, that's the only mention of his mother in the scripture.
  • 00:22:32.307 --> 00:22:36.478
  • But many people believe rightly, i think, that even though he had
  • 00:22:36.478 --> 00:22:41.016
  • An evil father, it was his mother, jedidah, who taught
  • 00:22:41.016 --> 00:22:46.555
  • Josiah the word of god.
  • 00:22:46.555 --> 00:22:50.459
  • Let me say a word to those of you who may be single moms
  • 00:22:50.459 --> 00:22:54.062
  • Trying to rear a child on your own or perhaps you're a mom
  • 00:22:54.062 --> 00:22:58.166
  • Who's married to an ungodly husband.
  • 00:22:58.166 --> 00:23:02.471
  • Don't ever underestimate the influence you can have on
  • 00:23:02.471 --> 00:23:06.675
  • Your child.
  • 00:23:06.675 --> 00:23:08.043
  • Here was a woman married to the most evil king in israel's
  • 00:23:08.043 --> 00:23:10.745
  • History, but she chose to rear her child to know and love god.
  • 00:23:10.745 --> 00:23:17.219
  • And let me say, whether you're a mother or a father, the most
  • 00:23:17.219 --> 00:23:21.423
  • Important thing you can do for your child is not to be sure
  • 00:23:21.423 --> 00:23:24.292
  • They have great sat scores or get into a good college or
  • 00:23:24.292 --> 00:23:29.798
  • Become a star athlete.
  • 00:23:29.798 --> 00:23:31.867
  • The most important thing you can do is to rear your children to
  • 00:23:31.867 --> 00:23:36.104
  • Know, love, and obey jesus christ with all of their hearts.
  • 00:23:36.104 --> 00:23:40.008
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:23:40.008 --> 00:23:45.313
  • Jeffress: josiah was a man who allowed history to shape his
  • 00:23:45.313 --> 00:23:48.316
  • Future, and we remember him as the king who brought israel back
  • 00:23:48.316 --> 00:23:52.787
  • To god.
  • 00:23:52.787 --> 00:23:54.189
  • Well, i'm pleased to share that "pathway to victory" is making
  • 00:23:54.189 --> 00:23:56.892
  • An impact across america and around the world.
  • 00:23:56.892 --> 00:24:00.328
  • In the last year, god has opened new doors, including the
  • 00:24:00.328 --> 00:24:03.999
  • Opportunity to bring "pathway to victory" to hindi speakers in
  • 00:24:03.999 --> 00:24:07.702
  • India, a nation of over 1 billion people.
  • 00:24:07.702 --> 00:24:11.406
  • And we've been able to say yes to those opportunities because
  • 00:24:11.406 --> 00:24:15.010
  • Of your faithful giving.
  • 00:24:15.010 --> 00:24:16.878
  • If you support "pathway to victory," your generosity is
  • 00:24:16.878 --> 00:24:20.181
  • Making that growth possible, and i'm so grateful.
  • 00:24:20.181 --> 00:24:23.685
  • Now, please stay right there.
  • 00:24:23.685 --> 00:24:25.287
  • I'll be back with more "pathway to victory" in just a moment.
  • 00:24:25.287 --> 00:24:29.891
  • Jeffress: christians today are living in hostile territory.
  • 00:24:29.958 --> 00:24:33.495
  • The attacks are real, the opposition is fierce, and the
  • 00:24:33.495 --> 00:24:36.998
  • Stakes couldn't be higher.
  • 00:24:36.998 --> 00:24:39.100
  • That's why i wrote "courageous" to give you the biblical tools
  • 00:24:39.100 --> 00:24:42.804
  • You need not just to survive but to stand strong and thrive.
  • 00:24:42.804 --> 00:24:47.509
  • Announcer: in "courageous," you'll find ten biblical
  • 00:24:47.509 --> 00:24:49.978
  • Survival strategies drawn straight from scripture that
  • 00:24:49.978 --> 00:24:53.014
  • Will give you fresh fire and real hope no matter what
  • 00:24:53.014 --> 00:24:56.151
  • You're facing.
  • 00:24:56.151 --> 00:24:57.519
  • Jeffress: survivors have two things in common: a different
  • 00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:00.355
  • Response to trouble and a different perspective on life.
  • 00:25:00.355 --> 00:25:04.359
  • In "courageous," i'll give you ten biblical strategies to
  • 00:25:04.359 --> 00:25:07.996
  • Develop both and come out stronger on the other side.
  • 00:25:07.996 --> 00:25:11.900
  • Announcer: request your copy of "courageous" when you give a
  • 00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:14.269
  • Generous ministry gift to "pathway to victory" or when you
  • 00:25:14.269 --> 00:25:17.706
  • Become a pathway partner.
  • 00:25:17.706 --> 00:25:19.407
  • And when your ministry gift is $75 or more, we'll send you the
  • 00:25:19.407 --> 00:25:23.712
  • "courageous" leadership kit containing the "courageous"
  • 00:25:23.712 --> 00:25:26.548
  • Book, the personal and group study guide book, ten
  • 00:25:26.548 --> 00:25:29.784
  • "courageous" encouragement cards, plus the complete
  • 00:25:29.784 --> 00:25:32.687
  • Teaching series on cd and dvd.
  • 00:25:32.687 --> 00:25:35.323
  • Jeffress: as christians, we're living in a
  • 00:25:35.323 --> 00:25:37.525
  • Threatening environment.
  • 00:25:37.525 --> 00:25:39.427
  • We have an adversary, the devil, who is intent on destroying
  • 00:25:39.427 --> 00:25:43.765
  • Everything important to us.
  • 00:25:43.765 --> 00:25:45.266
  • Announcer: thank you for partnering with "pathway
  • 00:25:45.266 --> 00:25:47.102
  • To victory."
  • 00:25:47.102 --> 00:25:48.470
  • Your generosity funds the proclamation of god's word
  • 00:25:48.470 --> 00:25:51.206
  • Across television, radio, and online, bringing bold biblical
  • 00:25:51.206 --> 00:25:55.143
  • Hope right here at home and around the world.
  • 00:25:55.143 --> 00:25:58.346
  • Jeffress: history isn't just something we study.
  • 00:26:01.416 --> 00:26:03.818
  • It's something we learn from, and the story of king josiah is
  • 00:26:03.818 --> 00:26:08.189
  • A powerful example of what it looks like to break from a
  • 00:26:08.189 --> 00:26:12.227
  • Generational pattern and choose a better path forward.
  • 00:26:12.227 --> 00:26:16.564
  • Next time, we'll see how josiah's example translates into
  • 00:26:16.564 --> 00:26:20.301
  • Three practical steps you can apply in your own life.
  • 00:26:20.301 --> 00:26:24.239
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:26:24.239 --> 00:26:26.808
  • Series "courageous."
  • 00:26:26.808 --> 00:26:29.844
  • Jeffress: how many of you had a gigantic, horrific failure
  • 00:26:29.844 --> 00:26:34.149
  • In your life that you never hope anybody ever finds out about?
  • 00:26:34.149 --> 00:26:38.153
  • You know, you can do something about that failure.
  • 00:26:38.153 --> 00:26:39.954
  • You can wallow in it, you can ask yourself, "do i have to
  • 00:26:39.954 --> 00:26:42.791
  • Spend the rest of my life paying for that failure?"
  • 00:26:42.791 --> 00:26:44.759
  • Or you can learn from that mistake.
  • 00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:47.295
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for part two of
  • 00:26:47.295 --> 00:26:50.198
  • "survival tip #8: learn from the past" here on
  • 00:26:50.198 --> 00:26:53.935
  • "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:53.935 --> 00:26:55.303
  • Announcer: the apostle paul sailed these waters, walked
  • 00:26:58.773 --> 00:27:01.576
  • These streets and the church was never the same.
  • 00:27:01.576 --> 00:27:04.713
  • Jeffress: i'm inviting you to follow in paul's footsteps on
  • 00:27:04.713 --> 00:27:07.716
  • The pathway to victory journeys of paul cruise through the
  • 00:27:07.716 --> 00:27:10.852
  • Stunning greek islands, into ancient ephesus, and many other
  • 00:27:10.852 --> 00:27:14.689
  • Destinations as well.
  • 00:27:14.689 --> 00:27:16.391
  • This is purposeful travel at its finest.
  • 00:27:16.391 --> 00:27:19.661
  • Announcer: set sail may 14, 2027.
  • 00:27:19.661 --> 00:27:22.263
  • Call ...
  • 00:27:22.263 --> 00:27:25.667
  • Or visit ptv.org.
  • 00:27:25.667 --> 00:27:27.769