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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - A Winning Church (Part 1)

May 9, 2025 | 27:29

Robert Jeffress - A Winning Church (Part 1)
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#Faith #TrustGod #Church #WalkwithGod #LoveofGod #Grace #Christianity #Religion #Dr.RobertJeffress #RobertJeffress #Discipleship

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - A Winning Church (Part 1) | May 9, 2025
  • ...
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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, i'm robert jeffress and welcome
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  • Again to "pathway to victory."
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  • When peter confessed that jesus was christ, jesus said to him,
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  • "you are peter, upon this rock i will build my church."
  • 00:00:23.379 --> 00:00:27.917
  • That promise came true, and over 2000 years later, the church
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  • Remains one of the most influential forces on earth.
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  • Today i'll explain why every believer should be involved in a
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  • Local church, and how the church can help us experience the power
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  • Of the holy spirit.
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  • My message is titled "a winning church" on today's edition of
  • 00:00:45.702 --> 00:00:50.273
  • "pathway to victory."
  • 00:00:50.273 --> 00:00:55.111
  • Male announcer: god never intended for the holy spirit to
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  • Be a mystery to believers.
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  • In fact, if you're a follower of jesus, then god's spirit is
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  • Dwelling inside of you, and he's waiting to unleash his
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  • Supernatural power in your life.
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  • In his bestselling book "i want more," dr. robert jeffress
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  • Teaches what it means to be filled with the power of the
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  • Holy spirit.
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  • Looking to satisfy your spiritual cravings?
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  • Request the book "i want more" when you give a generous gift to
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  • "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: rj ronnie said that the christian who attempts to
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  • Find god, apart from his involvement with other
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  • Christians, will find not god, but the devil who will bear an
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  • Embarrassing resemblance to himself.
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  • The fact is god did not create us to try to find him or receive
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  • The nourishment we need from him apart from our involvement with
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  • Other christians.
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  • We're kind of like those two porcupines that were huddled
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  • Together up in a frozen tundra region of canada, they huddled
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  • Together to keep warm, they needed one another even though
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  • They needled one another.
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  • You know, christians are like that.
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  • The fact is we need one another, not just for warmth, but we need
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  • One another for the energy that flows from them into our lives,
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  • And that's the truth we're going to see illustrated this morning.
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  • If you have your bibles, turn to acts chapter 2.
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  • Acts chapter 2,
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  • We're in our series on the holy spirit entitled "unleashed:
  • 00:02:31.007 --> 00:02:34.444
  • Experiencing the power of the holy spirit."
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  • Wouldn't you like to experience the power of god surging through
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  • Your life every day?
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  • Wouldn't you like to have the very same power in your life
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  • That jesus experienced 24/7?
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  • Here is the most understated and the untaught truth in all of
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  • Christendom today.
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  • You can experience god's power in your life.
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  • You don't have to wait till you get to heaven to experience it.
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  • You can have it all right now.
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  • Let me be real specific what i'm talking about.
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  • You can have power to experience answered prayer in your life.
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  • You can have power to be at peace no matter what is
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  • Happening around you.
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  • You can have power to be content with your finances, no matter
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  • What those finances are.
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  • You can have the power to forgive rather than get even
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  • With your enemies.
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  • You can have the power to say no to sin and to break its
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  • Enslavement over your life.
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  • The same power that raised jesus from the dead is in your life
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  • Right now available to you if you know how to tap into it.
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  • Now that's the key.
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  • You see, as we've seen, the bible says the moment you're
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  • Saved, the holy spirit comes into your life.
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  • It's like god places a spiritual generator into your life.
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  • He's called the holy spirit of god, but there's some things you
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  • Have to do to access his power.
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  • As we've seen in this series, there are four transmission
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  • Lines, if you will, four channels, four conduits through
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  • Which the holy spirit's energy surges into your life.
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  • What are those conduits?
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  • Well we first of all said conduit channel number one is
  • 00:04:10.473 --> 00:04:13.409
  • The word of god, the bible.
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  • God uses the bible to bring his power into your life.
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  • Channel number two is conversation with god, prayer.
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  • There's something about prayer that connects us to the
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  • Incredible power of the holy spirit.
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  • And last time we begin looking at the third channel that god
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  • Uses to flow his power, his energy into our life, and that
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  • Is our connection to the people of god, the church.
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  • Other christians are a transmission line that brings
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  • God's power into your life, and we see that beginning in acts
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  • Chapter 2.
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  • Remember this was the account of the early church.
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  • They had just received the indwelling of the holy spirit of
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  • God, and you see how god used the early church to generate
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  • Power into the individual lives of believers.
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  • What are those four characteristics of a church that
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  • God uses to generate his power into our lives?
  • 00:05:07.263 --> 00:05:11.167
  • Today's message is titled "a church that wins," a winning
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  • Church, and that word wins forms an acrostic that gives us the
  • 00:05:14.771 --> 00:05:20.209
  • Four characteristics of a church that can pour god's power into
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  • Your life.
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  • Notice that this early church, first of all, centered on and
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  • The w stands for worship.
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  • Acts 2:46 says that these early believers were continually
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  • Praising god and having favor with all men.
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  • That's what worship is.
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  • Worship in a nutshell is expressing our gratitude and our
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  • Appreciation to god for all he's done in our life,
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  • That's worship.
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  • Worshiping god and even though we can worship god individually
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  • And we should worship god individually, worship is best
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  • Done with other believers corporately, and we saw that
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  • Last time.
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  • Now, let's look at the i for this word wins.
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  • The second attribute of a church that god uses to pour his energy
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  • Into our life.
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  • That i stands for instruction.
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  • Look at verse 42, "and they were continually devoting themselves
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  • To the apostles' teaching."
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  • To the apostles' instruction.
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  • Not only did the early church worship god, but they also
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  • Received the apostles' teaching, the instruction that came from
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  • God's word.
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  • Now i've actually just created a false dichotomy and separating
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  • The worship of god from the instruction that comes from god.
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  • There are a lot of people that see a difference between worship
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  • And instruction or preaching.
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  • They say, you know, worship, we're gonna worship, we're gonna
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  • Praise god for the first 30 minutes, and then comes
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  • The preaching.
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  • You know, we see a difference between worship and preaching,
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  • But that dichotomy does not exist in the bible.
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  • We think that, well, real worship that reaches the heart,
  • 00:07:04.714 --> 00:07:09.452
  • But instruction, preaching that only reaches the head.
  • 00:07:09.452 --> 00:07:13.823
  • We think of something that is different between worship and
  • 00:07:13.823 --> 00:07:19.328
  • Preaching, but that dichotomy does not exist in the bible.
  • 00:07:19.328 --> 00:07:22.665
  • Let me show you what i mean.
  • 00:07:22.665 --> 00:07:24.000
  • Hold your place here and turn over to john chapter 4 for just
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  • A moment.
  • 00:07:27.069 --> 00:07:28.404
  • Remember the story of jesus encounter with the woman at
  • 00:07:28.404 --> 00:07:30.640
  • Jacob's well.
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  • She was a samaritan.
  • 00:07:31.974 --> 00:07:33.342
  • And he was talking to her about her own relationship with god,
  • 00:07:33.342 --> 00:07:36.979
  • But she was involved in a sticky moral situation.
  • 00:07:36.979 --> 00:07:39.916
  • She'd been married multiple times, and so she wanted to try
  • 00:07:39.916 --> 00:07:42.885
  • To divert jesus' attention away from her own personal situation
  • 00:07:42.885 --> 00:07:46.889
  • And get involved in a theological discussion.
  • 00:07:46.889 --> 00:07:49.959
  • And so she says, "now jesus, you know, we samaritans, we worship
  • 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:54.530
  • At mount gerizim, but you jews, you worship in jerusalem.
  • 00:07:54.530 --> 00:08:00.202
  • Now where is the right place to worship god?
  • 00:08:00.202 --> 00:08:03.839
  • Mount gerizim or in jerusalem?"
  • 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:06.976
  • And if she were talking to the lord today, she might ask a
  • 00:08:06.976 --> 00:08:10.413
  • Question like this.
  • 00:08:10.413 --> 00:08:12.114
  • Now lord, you know, our people, the samaritans, we prefer
  • 00:08:12.114 --> 00:08:16.485
  • Contemporary music, but you jews, you like that
  • 00:08:16.485 --> 00:08:20.423
  • Traditional music.
  • 00:08:20.423 --> 00:08:22.124
  • Now what kind of music does god like?
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  • Does god like contemporary music or does he like
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  • Traditional music?
  • 00:08:28.431 --> 00:08:30.399
  • You know what jesus said?
  • 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:32.468
  • He couldn't care less.
  • 00:08:32.468 --> 00:08:36.205
  • Jesus refused to get involved in the worship wars of his day.
  • 00:08:36.205 --> 00:08:40.376
  • He said god doesn't care whether it's mount gerizim or whether
  • 00:08:40.376 --> 00:08:43.980
  • It's jerusalem.
  • 00:08:43.980 --> 00:08:45.314
  • And by the way, ladies and gentlemen, god doesn't care
  • 00:08:45.314 --> 00:08:48.417
  • Whether it's traditional or contemporary music.
  • 00:08:48.417 --> 00:08:51.887
  • It is not the form, it's the hard attitude that god
  • 00:08:51.887 --> 00:08:55.224
  • Cares about.
  • 00:08:55.224 --> 00:08:56.559
  • And notice what he says here in verse 23 and 24.
  • 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:59.862
  • Jesus said to this woman, "the hour is coming, and now is when
  • 00:08:59.862 --> 00:09:03.466
  • The worshiper shall worship the father in spirit and," what?
  • 00:09:03.466 --> 00:09:08.771
  • "truth; for such people, the father seeks to be
  • 00:09:08.771 --> 00:09:13.009
  • His worshipers.
  • 00:09:13.009 --> 00:09:14.410
  • God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in
  • 00:09:14.410 --> 00:09:19.215
  • Spirit and in truth."
  • 00:09:19.215 --> 00:09:21.283
  • Jesus said god is looking for one thing right now.
  • 00:09:21.283 --> 00:09:24.620
  • He's looking across the earth for people, men and women who
  • 00:09:24.620 --> 00:09:28.424
  • Will worship him, who will pour out their sincere admiration and
  • 00:09:28.424 --> 00:09:33.863
  • Appreciation for who god is, and god is looking for people who do
  • 00:09:33.863 --> 00:09:38.034
  • That not out of ritualistic duty, but out of a wellspring of
  • 00:09:38.034 --> 00:09:42.271
  • Emotion from their heart.
  • 00:09:42.271 --> 00:09:43.973
  • That's the kind of worshiper god is looking for, and he's looking
  • 00:09:43.973 --> 00:09:48.010
  • For people who will worship him in spirit and in truth, both
  • 00:09:48.010 --> 00:09:53.849
  • Are vital.
  • 00:09:53.849 --> 00:09:55.918
  • Worship has to come out of a well spring of emotion, it can't
  • 00:09:55.918 --> 00:10:00.289
  • Be cold and sterile.
  • 00:10:00.289 --> 00:10:02.758
  • Worship is to be filled with emotion, but it's to be bathed
  • 00:10:02.758 --> 00:10:07.997
  • In the truth of god's word.
  • 00:10:07.997 --> 00:10:10.266
  • Notice how he puts the two together.
  • 00:10:10.266 --> 00:10:12.468
  • Worship involves emotion and it involves truth.
  • 00:10:12.468 --> 00:10:17.773
  • John stot, the anglican pastor who passed away just a few weeks
  • 00:10:17.773 --> 00:10:21.177
  • Ago, wrote about the inseparable connection between the worship
  • 00:10:21.177 --> 00:10:25.581
  • Of god and the word of god.
  • 00:10:25.581 --> 00:10:27.817
  • Listen to what he says.
  • 00:10:27.817 --> 00:10:29.385
  • Word and worship belong inseparably to each other.
  • 00:10:29.385 --> 00:10:33.789
  • All worship is an intelligent and loving response to the
  • 00:10:33.789 --> 00:10:37.693
  • Revelation of god because it is the adoration of his name.
  • 00:10:37.693 --> 00:10:42.732
  • Therefore, acceptable worship is impossible without preaching.
  • 00:10:42.732 --> 00:10:48.771
  • Far from being an alien intrusion into worship, the
  • 00:10:48.771 --> 00:10:52.942
  • Reading and the preaching of god's word are actually
  • 00:10:52.942 --> 00:10:56.645
  • Indispensable to it, the two cannot be divorced.
  • 00:10:56.645 --> 00:11:01.584
  • The early church understood that.
  • 00:11:01.584 --> 00:11:03.686
  • The early church understood that an integral part of worship was
  • 00:11:03.686 --> 00:11:07.623
  • Receiving the instruction that comes from god's word.
  • 00:11:07.623 --> 00:11:11.727
  • I know what some of you are thinking.
  • 00:11:11.727 --> 00:11:13.062
  • You're saying, "well robert, i agree.
  • 00:11:13.062 --> 00:11:14.497
  • I need to receive the instruction of god's word, but
  • 00:11:14.497 --> 00:11:17.333
  • Now that the holy spirit dwells within me, i mean, can't i just
  • 00:11:17.333 --> 00:11:20.970
  • Study god's word on my own?
  • 00:11:20.970 --> 00:11:23.305
  • Why do i need to go to a church in order to hear god's word, a
  • 00:11:23.305 --> 00:11:27.042
  • Priesthood of the believer.
  • 00:11:27.042 --> 00:11:28.410
  • I've got the holy spirit in me who needs a church."
  • 00:11:28.410 --> 00:11:31.380
  • Haven't you heard that before?
  • 00:11:31.380 --> 00:11:33.215
  • Well, let's see what god says about that.
  • 00:11:33.215 --> 00:11:35.484
  • Hold your place here and turn over to ephesians chapter 4
  • 00:11:35.484 --> 00:11:38.187
  • Verses 11 to 13.
  • 00:11:38.187 --> 00:11:39.989
  • I know we're looking at a lot of scripture today, but that's what
  • 00:11:39.989 --> 00:11:42.925
  • We do at first baptist dallas.
  • 00:11:42.925 --> 00:11:45.194
  • And listen to the rustling of those pages.
  • 00:11:45.194 --> 00:11:46.929
  • That is music to a pastor's ear to hear us turning to
  • 00:11:46.929 --> 00:11:50.032
  • God's word.
  • 00:11:50.032 --> 00:11:51.400
  • Look at ephesians 4 verses 11 to 13.
  • 00:11:51.400 --> 00:11:54.069
  • Now here's god's plan for the church.
  • 00:11:54.069 --> 00:11:56.672
  • Paul writes, "and god gave some as apostles, and some as
  • 00:11:56.672 --> 00:12:01.477
  • Prophets, and some as evangelists, and some
  • 00:12:01.477 --> 00:12:05.447
  • As pastors."
  • 00:12:05.447 --> 00:12:06.849
  • And your translation probably says pastors and teachers.
  • 00:12:06.849 --> 00:12:10.786
  • There is no and in the original text.
  • 00:12:10.786 --> 00:12:12.922
  • There's no conjunction.
  • 00:12:12.922 --> 00:12:14.323
  • It's not pastors and teachers, it's not pastors, comma
  • 00:12:14.323 --> 00:12:18.327
  • Teachers, it's one word pastor teacher same office.
  • 00:12:18.327 --> 00:12:23.265
  • "he gave some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastor
  • 00:12:23.265 --> 00:12:26.936
  • Teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of
  • 00:12:26.936 --> 00:12:31.340
  • Service to the building up of the body of christ until we all
  • 00:12:31.340 --> 00:12:36.045
  • Attain to the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the
  • 00:12:36.045 --> 00:12:38.747
  • Son of god to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which
  • 00:12:38.747 --> 00:12:43.586
  • Belongs to the fullness of christ."
  • 00:12:43.586 --> 00:12:46.055
  • That's a mouthful, paul.
  • 00:12:46.055 --> 00:12:47.990
  • You know, paul could have benefited from some english
  • 00:12:47.990 --> 00:12:50.793
  • Classes and not had those run on sentences, but the fact is they
  • 00:12:50.793 --> 00:12:53.896
  • Were inspired run on sentences.
  • 00:12:53.896 --> 00:12:56.098
  • To understand what paul says here, you have to go to the
  • 00:12:56.098 --> 00:12:58.234
  • Very end.
  • 00:12:58.234 --> 00:12:59.602
  • The ultimate purpose of the church is to build you the
  • 00:12:59.602 --> 00:13:04.106
  • Believer up in such a way that you resemble the jesus christ in
  • 00:13:04.106 --> 00:13:10.079
  • All of his fullness, the fullness of christ.
  • 00:13:10.079 --> 00:13:13.315
  • Well, let me illustrate it for you this way, god is in the
  • 00:13:13.315 --> 00:13:17.052
  • Bodybuilding business, you know, that's what he's trying to do.
  • 00:13:17.052 --> 00:13:20.155
  • He's trying to build up the body of christ.
  • 00:13:20.155 --> 00:13:22.558
  • Now that has two meanings, and we're gonna look at both of
  • 00:13:22.558 --> 00:13:26.028
  • Them today.
  • 00:13:26.028 --> 00:13:27.396
  • First of all, when he talks about building up the body of
  • 00:13:27.396 --> 00:13:29.999
  • Christ, it means he is putting you through a regimen, every
  • 00:13:29.999 --> 00:13:34.603
  • Circumstance in your life is working together, to mold you,
  • 00:13:34.603 --> 00:13:39.041
  • To make you look like jesus christ, not in your physique but
  • 00:13:39.041 --> 00:13:44.246
  • In your actions, attitudes, and affections.
  • 00:13:44.246 --> 00:13:48.317
  • And that's why god gave these specific ministers to the church
  • 00:13:48.317 --> 00:13:52.488
  • To equip the saints for the work of service to the building up of
  • 00:13:52.488 --> 00:13:55.491
  • The body of christ until we all resemble jesus christ.
  • 00:13:55.491 --> 00:13:58.627
  • That's what he is saying here.
  • 00:13:58.627 --> 00:14:01.397
  • So god is in the process of making you look just like
  • 00:14:01.397 --> 00:14:05.534
  • Jesus christ.
  • 00:14:05.534 --> 00:14:06.936
  • Now how does he accomplish that?
  • 00:14:06.936 --> 00:14:08.537
  • Well, let's think about an athlete for just a moment.
  • 00:14:08.537 --> 00:14:10.940
  • No athlete who is serious about training trains only by himself.
  • 00:14:10.940 --> 00:14:17.313
  • If he's really serious about getting into shape, he will work
  • 00:14:17.313 --> 00:14:20.849
  • Alongside a trainer.
  • 00:14:20.849 --> 00:14:22.685
  • The coach will put him with a trainer and that trainer will
  • 00:14:22.685 --> 00:14:25.854
  • Help develop him physically.
  • 00:14:25.854 --> 00:14:28.624
  • Well, it's the same way here.
  • 00:14:28.624 --> 00:14:30.759
  • God is the coach, he's the bodybuilder, the church is the
  • 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:34.797
  • Gymnasium, but god has hired some trainers to help you become
  • 00:14:34.797 --> 00:14:40.169
  • Just like jesus christ, and the trainer he has hired for the
  • 00:14:40.169 --> 00:14:45.407
  • Church, he sent missionaries, those are the apostles, he sent
  • 00:14:45.407 --> 00:14:49.411
  • Evangelists, those that go to the unsafe, but for the church,
  • 00:14:49.411 --> 00:14:53.048
  • The trainer is the pastor teacher.
  • 00:14:53.048 --> 00:14:57.586
  • He is the one god has ordained to teach you the word of god so
  • 00:14:57.586 --> 00:15:03.659
  • That you can grow in your faith.
  • 00:15:03.659 --> 00:15:05.861
  • Now i'm gonna say something here.
  • 00:15:05.861 --> 00:15:08.430
  • That some of you are gonna immediately reject because you
  • 00:15:08.430 --> 00:15:12.701
  • Have been conditioned by your culture so much.
  • 00:15:12.701 --> 00:15:16.105
  • But before you reject this, when you go home and discuss it, and
  • 00:15:16.105 --> 00:15:19.174
  • You will go home and discuss this, i guarantee you, i just
  • 00:15:19.174 --> 00:15:22.344
  • Want you to ask yourself, now am i opposed to this because the
  • 00:15:22.344 --> 00:15:28.250
  • Word of god is opposed to it, or am i having trouble with this
  • 00:15:28.250 --> 00:15:31.720
  • Idea because of the culture in which i was raised?
  • 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:35.391
  • You know, for the last 50 years among christians, it has been
  • 00:15:35.391 --> 00:15:38.394
  • Very popular to talk about and emphasize every christian ought
  • 00:15:38.394 --> 00:15:42.031
  • To study god's word for himself.
  • 00:15:42.031 --> 00:15:45.034
  • And we've really taught that over and over again, your
  • 00:15:45.034 --> 00:15:48.937
  • Personal study of the word of god.
  • 00:15:48.937 --> 00:15:51.673
  • When i was in seminary, my master's thesis was on inductive
  • 00:15:51.673 --> 00:15:55.277
  • Bible study, how valuable it is to study the word for yourself,
  • 00:15:55.277 --> 00:16:00.315
  • And i believe that like 1 peter says, "like newborn babes, we
  • 00:16:00.315 --> 00:16:04.319
  • Ought to long for the pure milk of the word, that by it we may
  • 00:16:04.319 --> 00:16:07.523
  • Grow in respect to salvation."
  • 00:16:07.523 --> 00:16:09.558
  • However, however, our personal study of god's word is no
  • 00:16:09.558 --> 00:16:15.864
  • Substitute for sitting under the preaching of god's word.
  • 00:16:15.864 --> 00:16:20.536
  • In fact, i invite you to do a little study and see how many
  • 00:16:20.536 --> 00:16:24.773
  • Times in the new testament you are actually commanded to study
  • 00:16:24.773 --> 00:16:28.343
  • The word of god for yourself versus how much emphasis there
  • 00:16:28.343 --> 00:16:32.281
  • Is placed in the bible on listening to the sound teaching
  • 00:16:32.281 --> 00:16:35.484
  • Of the word of god.
  • 00:16:35.484 --> 00:16:36.852
  • Now somebody say, "study to show thyself approved unto god,
  • 00:16:36.852 --> 00:16:39.321
  • Workman that needs not be ashamed."
  • 00:16:39.321 --> 00:16:41.290
  • That was paul writing to another pastor, okay?
  • 00:16:41.290 --> 00:16:44.426
  • Look and see how many times in the new testament the emphasis
  • 00:16:44.426 --> 00:16:47.396
  • Is on our personal study of the word versus listening to the
  • 00:16:47.396 --> 00:16:51.567
  • Sound teaching of the word, and you'll find that listening to
  • 00:16:51.567 --> 00:16:55.771
  • The word of god from a sound teacher is commanded as much or
  • 00:16:55.771 --> 00:16:59.341
  • More often than studying the word for yourself.
  • 00:16:59.341 --> 00:17:03.178
  • Now it's not an either or proposition, but what i'm saying
  • 00:17:03.178 --> 00:17:07.382
  • To you this morning is, if you're just engaged in your own
  • 00:17:07.382 --> 00:17:11.186
  • Personal bible study, or you're going just to a sunday school
  • 00:17:11.186 --> 00:17:14.923
  • Class, or you're just going to a weekday bible class and said,
  • 00:17:14.923 --> 00:17:18.560
  • "that's my instruction from the word of god."
  • 00:17:18.560 --> 00:17:22.097
  • You're missing out on what god has planned for you.
  • 00:17:22.097 --> 00:17:25.033
  • You cannot grow as a christian unless you are sitting under the
  • 00:17:25.033 --> 00:17:30.038
  • Teaching of that god appointed teacher, the pastor teacher that
  • 00:17:30.038 --> 00:17:34.977
  • God has placed over the church as the teacher of the church,
  • 00:17:34.977 --> 00:17:38.480
  • And i'm speaking to some of you right now who are listening to
  • 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:41.116
  • This broadcast, and i hear from you regularly and you say,
  • 00:17:41.116 --> 00:17:45.354
  • "well, i'm going to such and such church and the pastor
  • 00:17:45.354 --> 00:17:47.923
  • Doesn't preach the word, but i love my sunday school class and
  • 00:17:47.923 --> 00:17:51.126
  • I love the fellowship and i just think i'm gonna stay where
  • 00:17:51.126 --> 00:17:54.963
  • I am."
  • 00:17:54.963 --> 00:17:56.331
  • If that is true of you, you need to leave that
  • 00:17:56.331 --> 00:17:57.799
  • Church immediately.
  • 00:17:57.799 --> 00:17:59.368
  • And go find a church where you can sit under the teaching of a
  • 00:17:59.368 --> 00:18:02.971
  • God ordained, the god appointed man who is the one god has
  • 00:18:02.971 --> 00:18:06.642
  • Placed over you to teach you the word of god.
  • 00:18:06.642 --> 00:18:10.312
  • That is god's plan for our growth.
  • 00:18:10.312 --> 00:18:13.315
  • That's what the early church did.
  • 00:18:13.315 --> 00:18:15.083
  • They received the instruction that came from the pastor
  • 00:18:15.083 --> 00:18:18.921
  • Teacher, and that's god's plan for us as well.
  • 00:18:18.921 --> 00:18:22.891
  • What is it that made this church such an energy packed church?
  • 00:18:22.891 --> 00:18:27.296
  • They engaged in worship, they engaged in instruction and
  • 00:18:27.296 --> 00:18:30.365
  • Notice third, the n stands for nourishment.
  • 00:18:30.365 --> 00:18:33.969
  • Luke tells us that another priority for this first century
  • 00:18:33.969 --> 00:18:36.805
  • Church was the emotional nourishment they received from
  • 00:18:36.805 --> 00:18:40.275
  • One another.
  • 00:18:40.275 --> 00:18:41.643
  • Look at verse 42, "and they were continually devoting themselves
  • 00:18:41.643 --> 00:18:45.480
  • To the apostles' teaching and to fellowship."
  • 00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:50.319
  • Fellowship was an important part of the early church.
  • 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:53.589
  • Now we've got the screwy idea in baptist churches today about
  • 00:18:53.589 --> 00:18:57.593
  • What fellowship is.
  • 00:18:57.593 --> 00:18:59.294
  • You know, we think about fellowship, about those minutes
  • 00:18:59.294 --> 00:19:02.364
  • Before sunday school standing around the coffee urn and, you
  • 00:19:02.364 --> 00:19:05.734
  • Know, engaging and meaningless conversation, you know, "oh, you
  • 00:19:05.734 --> 00:19:11.139
  • Think it's gonna be a hundred another day today?
  • 00:19:11.139 --> 00:19:13.141
  • Are we gonna break the record or not?"
  • 00:19:13.141 --> 00:19:15.344
  • Or "oh, what about the stock market?
  • 00:19:15.344 --> 00:19:16.778
  • What's gonna happen there?"
  • 00:19:16.778 --> 00:19:18.146
  • Or "you know, what do you think about the election and the
  • 00:19:18.146 --> 00:19:20.716
  • Primaries and how old do you think those donuts really are?"
  • 00:19:20.716 --> 00:19:24.186
  • And you know, those are some of the things that we talk about
  • 00:19:24.186 --> 00:19:27.422
  • And we think that is fellowship, that's not fellowship.
  • 00:19:27.422 --> 00:19:32.361
  • When we talk about fellowship in the early church, it refers to
  • 00:19:32.361 --> 00:19:36.365
  • The unconditional devotion that these first century believers
  • 00:19:36.365 --> 00:19:40.335
  • Had to one another.
  • 00:19:40.335 --> 00:19:42.037
  • In fact, when you read acts chapter 2, you find that they
  • 00:19:42.037 --> 00:19:44.539
  • Were so involved with one another's lives that when one
  • 00:19:44.539 --> 00:19:48.176
  • Christian had a need, other christians would sell what they
  • 00:19:48.176 --> 00:19:50.912
  • Had to meet that need.
  • 00:19:50.912 --> 00:19:53.282
  • That's what fellowship is.
  • 00:19:53.282 --> 00:19:55.083
  • It is an emotional involvement with the needs of
  • 00:19:55.083 --> 00:19:58.987
  • Other believers.
  • 00:19:58.987 --> 00:20:00.422
  • Anne ortlund says that the church can be compared to either
  • 00:20:00.422 --> 00:20:03.892
  • A bag of marbles or a bag of grapes.
  • 00:20:03.892 --> 00:20:08.130
  • How many of you remember marbles?
  • 00:20:08.130 --> 00:20:09.765
  • Remember marbles? played with them as a kid.
  • 00:20:09.765 --> 00:20:12.301
  • You put a bag of marbles and you start shaking that bag and they
  • 00:20:12.301 --> 00:20:15.637
  • Make this scratching sound as they bang up against
  • 00:20:15.637 --> 00:20:18.507
  • One another.
  • 00:20:18.507 --> 00:20:19.875
  • There's a lot of friction when you have marbles rubbing up
  • 00:20:19.875 --> 00:20:22.411
  • Against one another, but if you take a bag of grapes and start
  • 00:20:22.411 --> 00:20:25.947
  • Shaking it, what's gonna happen?
  • 00:20:25.947 --> 00:20:28.350
  • You're gonna have a mess, aren't you?
  • 00:20:28.350 --> 00:20:31.053
  • Because those grapes, they start to melt into one another, they
  • 00:20:31.053 --> 00:20:34.990
  • Start to ooze into one another, where you can't really tell the
  • 00:20:34.990 --> 00:20:39.061
  • Single grapes from the cluster of grapes.
  • 00:20:39.061 --> 00:20:42.898
  • What the word of god is saying is god meant for us as
  • 00:20:42.898 --> 00:20:45.367
  • Christians not to be a bag of marbles irritating one another,
  • 00:20:45.367 --> 00:20:49.571
  • Offending one another, staying separate from one another, he
  • 00:20:49.571 --> 00:20:53.575
  • Meant for us to be a bag of grapes.
  • 00:20:53.575 --> 00:20:56.345
  • Being so closely associated with other believers that we ooze
  • 00:20:56.345 --> 00:21:00.315
  • Into one another's lives.
  • 00:21:00.315 --> 00:21:02.451
  • That's what fellowship is.
  • 00:21:02.451 --> 00:21:04.486
  • Why do we need other christians?
  • 00:21:04.486 --> 00:21:05.887
  • What do they do for us we can't do for ourselves?
  • 00:21:05.887 --> 00:21:08.990
  • So glad you asked.
  • 00:21:08.990 --> 00:21:10.325
  • Turn over to hebrews chapter 10 for just a moment.
  • 00:21:10.325 --> 00:21:12.961
  • Here's the passage we read this morning, hebrews chapter 10
  • 00:21:12.961 --> 00:21:16.631
  • Verses 24 to 25.
  • 00:21:16.631 --> 00:21:18.767
  • I want us to look at this passage maybe in a little bit
  • 00:21:18.767 --> 00:21:20.869
  • Different way than you've looked at it before.
  • 00:21:20.869 --> 00:21:23.805
  • The writer says beginning in verse 24, "and let us consider
  • 00:21:23.805 --> 00:21:27.976
  • How to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
  • 00:21:27.976 --> 00:21:33.115
  • Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of
  • 00:21:33.115 --> 00:21:36.752
  • Some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you
  • 00:21:36.752 --> 00:21:42.057
  • See the day drawing near."
  • 00:21:42.057 --> 00:21:45.794
  • Let me mention three things that other christians do for us that
  • 00:21:45.794 --> 00:21:49.398
  • We cannot do for ourselves.
  • 00:21:49.398 --> 00:21:51.633
  • First of all, other christians offer us challenge when we
  • 00:21:51.633 --> 00:21:54.970
  • Are complacent.
  • 00:21:54.970 --> 00:21:56.371
  • A challenge when we are complacent.
  • 00:21:56.371 --> 00:21:58.173
  • Underline that word in verse 24, stimulate.
  • 00:21:58.173 --> 00:22:01.343
  • Let us consider how to stimulate.
  • 00:22:01.343 --> 00:22:03.712
  • That word literally in greek means to provoke or to irritate.
  • 00:22:03.712 --> 00:22:08.850
  • In ephesians 6:4, paul uses it in a negative way.
  • 00:22:08.850 --> 00:22:12.320
  • By the way, this is my children's favorite verse.
  • 00:22:12.320 --> 00:22:14.656
  • "fathers do not provoke your children to anger."
  • 00:22:14.656 --> 00:22:19.027
  • That's what the word is, it means to irritate.
  • 00:22:19.027 --> 00:22:22.063
  • It means to be as a father so overbearing and critical that
  • 00:22:22.063 --> 00:22:26.768
  • You just exasperate your children, you discourage them.
  • 00:22:26.768 --> 00:22:30.639
  • And paul says, don't be that way.
  • 00:22:30.639 --> 00:22:32.040
  • That's the word provoke in a negative way, but this word
  • 00:22:32.040 --> 00:22:35.076
  • Provoke or irritate can also be used in a positive way.
  • 00:22:35.076 --> 00:22:39.514
  • For example, what happens when you put a grain of sand in
  • 00:22:39.514 --> 00:22:42.984
  • An oyster?
  • 00:22:42.984 --> 00:22:44.986
  • That grain of sand will irritate the oyster, but something
  • 00:22:44.986 --> 00:22:49.691
  • Beautiful comes out of it, doesn't it?
  • 00:22:49.691 --> 00:22:51.526
  • A pearl, and that's the way he's using the word here.
  • 00:22:51.526 --> 00:22:56.465
  • Jeffress: the christian journey isn't meant to be walked alone
  • 00:23:00.669 --> 00:23:03.939
  • But with a community of fellow believers, and we'll discover
  • 00:23:03.939 --> 00:23:07.943
  • More of the benefits of being engaged in a local church on
  • 00:23:07.943 --> 00:23:11.580
  • Monday's edition of "pathway to victory."
  • 00:23:11.580 --> 00:23:14.349
  • In closing today, let me give a shout out to those of you who
  • 00:23:14.349 --> 00:23:17.786
  • Give to "pathway to victory."
  • 00:23:17.786 --> 00:23:19.955
  • These supportive friends give financially and faithfully
  • 00:23:19.955 --> 00:23:23.625
  • Because they are personally devoted to our mission, which is
  • 00:23:23.625 --> 00:23:27.028
  • To pierce the darkness with the light of god's word.
  • 00:23:27.028 --> 00:23:30.599
  • And when you give to "pathway to victory," you can be certain
  • 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:33.602
  • That your gifts are going directly to help men and women
  • 00:23:33.602 --> 00:23:37.205
  • Deploy the power of god's spirit in their life.
  • 00:23:37.205 --> 00:23:40.809
  • So please keep up the good work, and thanks so much for your
  • 00:23:40.809 --> 00:23:44.813
  • Support today.
  • 00:23:44.813 --> 00:23:46.248
  • Now stay right there i'll be back with more "pathway to
  • 00:23:46.248 --> 00:23:48.884
  • Victory" in just a moment.
  • 00:23:48.884 --> 00:23:51.920
  • Male announcer: the bible promises that when we put our
  • 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:53.989
  • Faith in jesus christ, our lives will be changed from the inside
  • 00:23:53.989 --> 00:23:58.026
  • Out, and yet many christians feel discouraged and defeated in
  • 00:23:58.026 --> 00:24:01.530
  • Their daily walk.
  • 00:24:01.530 --> 00:24:02.898
  • Jeffress: if you're longing for something more in your
  • 00:24:02.898 --> 00:24:05.066
  • Relationship with god, you're not alone.
  • 00:24:05.066 --> 00:24:07.502
  • At one time i felt dissatisfied and powerless to change it, but
  • 00:24:07.502 --> 00:24:12.007
  • By god's grace i discovered how to deploy the power of the holy
  • 00:24:12.007 --> 00:24:16.278
  • Spirit in my life.
  • 00:24:16.278 --> 00:24:17.946
  • And today i wanna help you discover that as well in my best
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  • Selling book, "i want more."
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  • Male announcer: the book "i want more" was written to help you
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  • Build spiritual strength as you pursue a fresh way to unleash
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  • God's supernatural power in every area of your life.
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  • Generous gift to support the ministry of "pathway to victory"
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  • Or when you become a pathway partner.
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  • Jeffress: god has granted to you everything you need to lead a
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  • Fulfilling existence while here on earth.
  • 00:24:57.018 --> 00:24:59.688
  • Everything he has given you is all wrapped up in the holy
  • 00:24:59.688 --> 00:25:03.491
  • Spirit of god.
  • 00:25:03.491 --> 00:25:05.527
  • Male announcer: your generous giving will help us encourage
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  • And equip viewers like you with biblical truth and hope.
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  • Thank you so much for your support as we continue to impact
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  • You, your family, and our nation with the transforming truth of
  • 00:25:14.803 --> 00:25:18.740
  • God's word.
  • 00:25:18.740 --> 00:25:21.309
  • Jeffress: a record number of christians today are trying to
  • 00:25:21.309 --> 00:25:23.778
  • Live the christian life alone, completely separated from the
  • 00:25:23.778 --> 00:25:27.849
  • Body of christ.
  • 00:25:27.849 --> 00:25:29.417
  • Many people have been cut off as a result of the coronavirus, but
  • 00:25:29.417 --> 00:25:33.588
  • Even more were in self-imposed isolation long before the
  • 00:25:33.588 --> 00:25:37.659
  • Pandemic started, and my goal in today's message is to show you
  • 00:25:37.659 --> 00:25:42.163
  • Why the church is an essential conduit through which the holy
  • 00:25:42.163 --> 00:25:46.301
  • Spirit channels his power into your life.
  • 00:25:46.301 --> 00:25:49.771
  • Next time i'm going to share with you three things that other
  • 00:25:49.771 --> 00:25:52.841
  • Christians do for us that we cannot do for ourselves.
  • 00:25:52.841 --> 00:25:56.978
  • Stay tuned for a preview of the next message here on "pathway
  • 00:25:56.978 --> 00:26:00.582
  • To victory."
  • 00:26:00.582 --> 00:26:02.584
  • Jeffress: the church is not some necessary evil, it is god's
  • 00:26:02.584 --> 00:26:06.588
  • Provision in your life for worship, for instruction, and
  • 00:26:06.588 --> 00:26:11.426
  • For nourishment, so that you can experience the incredible power
  • 00:26:11.426 --> 00:26:16.364
  • Of the holy spirit.
  • 00:26:16.364 --> 00:26:18.633
  • Male announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for part two
  • 00:26:18.633 --> 00:26:21.569
  • Of the message a winning church here on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:21.569 --> 00:26:27.275
  • Jeffress: each of us will leave a legacy, what will your
  • 00:26:31.379 --> 00:26:34.883
  • Legacy be?
  • 00:26:34.883 --> 00:26:36.618
  • Your legacy giving can further the gospel and be an example to
  • 00:26:36.618 --> 00:26:40.488
  • Your children about what matters most in life.
  • 00:26:40.488 --> 00:26:44.292
  • The world my daughters and grandchildren are growing up in
  • 00:26:44.292 --> 00:26:47.829
  • Is vastly different than the one you and i grew up in.
  • 00:26:47.829 --> 00:26:51.499
  • The gospel of jesus christ is our only answer, and naming
  • 00:26:51.499 --> 00:26:56.337
  • "pathway to victory" as a beneficiary in your will helps
  • 00:26:56.337 --> 00:27:00.208
  • Guarantee that there will be a trusted ministry that will
  • 00:27:00.208 --> 00:27:04.145
  • Continue to be salt and light.
  • 00:27:04.145 --> 00:27:06.648
  • Like the ripples that emanate from a rock thrown into a pond,
  • 00:27:06.648 --> 00:27:10.852
  • Your influence for christ can keep going on and on after you
  • 00:27:10.852 --> 00:27:15.256
  • Die with a gift in your will.
  • 00:27:15.256 --> 00:27:17.926
  • What will your legacy be?
  • 00:27:17.926 --> 00:27:20.628
  • Only one life will soon be past.
  • 00:27:20.628 --> 00:27:23.998
  • Only what's done for christ will last.
  • 00:27:23.998 --> 00:27:27.335