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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - The Race Must Win

March 3, 2025 | S25:E53

Greg Laurie - The Race Must Win
Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#GregLaurie #Faith #Fear #Sacrifice #Religion #Overcoming #WordofGod #Stress #Joy #inActive #HarvestwithPastorGregLaurie #Compassion #Longsuffering #Philippians3

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - The Race Must Win | March 3, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Greg laurie: oh, you know, when you're running a race and if
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  • It's a long distance run and you're in the last lap, it's
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  • Like your arms and legs are made out of rubber.
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  • You feel like your heart is gonna burst out of your chest.
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  • You can't even imagine finishing this, but somehow you press on
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  • And then you win and then you know what?
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  • It was all worth it, wasn't it?
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪♪
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  • Greg: so, i started with the idea of the race of life.
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  • We're all in this race.
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  • We need to run this race to win.
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  • We've got to play by the rules, but what principles do we learn
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  • Here about running the race of life?
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  • If you're taking notes, here's principle number one, and we put
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  • All of this on the screen so you can write it down.
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  • You must be dissatisfied with where you presently
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  • Are spiritually.
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  • You must be dissatisfied with where you are presently
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  • Are spiritually.
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  • Paul says in verse 12, "it's not that i have attained or am
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  • Already perfected."
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  • Another translation of verses 12 to 14 would go as follows, "i'm
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  • Not saying i have it all together, or that i have
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  • It made.
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  • But i'm on my way, reaching out for christ, who has wonderfully
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  • Reached out for me.
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  • Friends, don't get me wrong: by no means do i count myself
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  • An expert in all this, but i have my eye on the goal,
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  • Where god is beckoning us onward to jesus.
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  • I'm off and running, and i'm not turning back."
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  • You see, paul was satisfied with christ, but he wasn't satisfied
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  • With himself.
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  • So, he's saying, "i have a long ways to go."
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  • Do you realize that about yourself?
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  • Do you think you have a long ways to go or are you thinking,
  • 00:02:03.366 --> 00:02:06.536
  • "not me, man.
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  • I've arrived."
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  • Well, i'm sure you've made a lot of progress since you first
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  • Believed, but, oh my, it seems to me the more you know the
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  • Lord, the more you realize that you have a lot of changing
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  • To do.
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  • And if anyone could have thought that he had arrived, it would be
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  • The apostle paul.
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  • I mean, this is a man who has led countless people to christ,
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  • He's established churches, he's written epistles, and yet he is
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  • Saying, "i have so much to learn and so far to go."
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  • Can you imagine a group of christians sitting around with
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  • The apostle paul?
  • 00:02:42.372 --> 00:02:43.973
  • Someone might say, "well, you know what?
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  • God inspired me to share something with someone today."
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  • Another might say, "the lord led me to give the gospel to someone
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  • Today" and paul could say, "well, god gave me inspired
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  • Letters called epistles that make up half the bible that will
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  • Last forever."
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  • "oh wow.
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  • Okay, you win."
  • 00:03:04.027 --> 00:03:06.362
  • I don't think paul would have ever said that, but i'm just
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  • Saying for a point, think of the comparison.
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  • Someone could say, "i heard god speak to me once."
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  • Another might say, "well, i sensed his presence as we were
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  • Worshiping the other day," and paul said, "well actually, i
  • 00:03:17.473 --> 00:03:19.809
  • Died, i went to heaven, and then i came back from the dead to
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  • Write more epistles.
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  • Oh, by the way, did i mention i raised someone from the dead?"
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  • I mean who can top this guy?
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  • This guy was at the top of his game, but yet he says i have so
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  • Far to go and it's just a reminder that no longer how long
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  • You've known the lord--no matter how long you've known the lord,
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  • I should say, there's always room for growth.
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  • And i think one of the problems is we become satisfied with
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  • Where we are.
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  • And one of the reasons that you might be self-satisfied is
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  • You're comparing your running with that of other christians.
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  • See, the other day, i did a race with my grandchildren.
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  • They all wanted to race me.
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  • "we wanna race papa."
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  • And i thought, "wow, this--i could lose today because
  • 00:04:09.058 --> 00:04:13.563
  • A couple of them are getting older, but we'll give it a go."
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  • So, we picked a spot, my wife went a ways away three feet,
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  • No it's further, but--
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  • So, we're all getting ready to run and we take off and i
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  • Beat them.
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  • And, you know, now that's--so what?
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  • I beat a bunch of grandkids.
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  • You know, that's kind of sad.
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  • I should've let them win, but it was game on, okay?
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  • But that's the point.
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  • I beat children in a race, okay?
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  • So, i can say i'm pretty fast.
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  • Yeah, i beat old christopher.
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  • He's four years old.
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  • So what?
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  • Now if i raced with someone who was younger and athletic,
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  • I would have done horribly.
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  • If i would have raced against an athletic runner, if husain bolt
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  • Came over and we had a run together i would have
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  • Done horribly.
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  • So, my point is simply this, if i'm comparing myself to people
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  • Much weaker than me, i'll always seem like i'm doing better, but
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  • If i compare myself with other people who are really running
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  • Well, i'll see, "oh man, i have a long ways to go."
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  • And that's what'll happen.
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  • "well, i'm not as bad as that guy.
  • 00:05:27.704 --> 00:05:29.038
  • Well, he died a year ago.
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  • I know i'm not as bad as him."
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  • Try comparing yourself with someone that's doing well.
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  • See that sense of self satisfaction is not
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  • A good thing.
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  • Paul did not compare himself with others, he compared himself
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  • With himself and with jesus christ.
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  • The plan here is progress, not perfection.
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  • We will never be perfect, ever.
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  • Point number two, get rid of extra weight and the things that
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  • Would hinder you.
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  • Get rid of extra weight and the things that would hinder you.
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  • Verse 7, "what things are gain to me?
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  • I counted loss for christ.
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  • Yes, i count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge
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  • Of christ, my lord, for whom i have suffered the loss of all
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  • Things and count them as rubbish that i may gain christ."
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  • Paul said, "look, i'm looking back on my life.
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  • I was a pretty accomplished guy.
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  • You know, i was raised in an incredible family.
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  • I studied under gamaliel.
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  • I knew culture.
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  • I knew languages.
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  • I knew scripture.
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  • I was an intellectual.
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  • I was an orator.
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  • I was a great debater.
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  • That stuff to me now it's rubbish."
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  • That's sort of the british word.
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  • I love the word rubbish.
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  • Just rubbish.
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  • Absolute rubbish.
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  • Actually, the word that paul uses there for rubbish is
  • 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:46.315
  • Translated from a word that means excrement.
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  • If you don't know what that is, i'm talking about poop, folks.
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  • That's what i mean.
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  • So, we could put it in another way, dog dung if that makes you
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  • Feel better, but you get the idea, right?
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  • That's what it is to me.
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  • All these accomplishments, it's like dog dung and the
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  • Doggie bag.
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  • Who cares about it?
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  • I don't want it anymore.
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  • And then he says, "but i'm laying aside this weight."
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  • Hebrews 12 says, "lay aside the weight and the sin that so
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  • Easily besets you in the race of life."
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  • We don't want excess baggage when we're running this race.
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  • This is hard for me because i am the original pack rat.
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  • I overpack.
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  • I don't even want to admit this, but i will.
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  • When we go on a trip, i take more stuff than my wife.
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  • I do.
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  • And it's just stuff.
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  • It's just things you don't need like, "you know, we may need
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  • A vacuum cleaner.
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  • Let's put it in the suitcase.
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  • And we need this and we need that and," you know.
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  • So, i have all this stuff now sometimes my wife doesn't have
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  • A jacket and she--"i don't have a jacket" "well i have four in
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  • My trunk.
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  • So, aren't you glad that i'm a pack rat tonight, right?"
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  • But so you know when i check in my luggage i always cringe when
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  • They put it on the scale because i know it's gonna weigh too much
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  • And they're gonna look at me, give me that look like, "it's
  • 00:08:06.629 --> 00:08:09.665
  • A loser," and then the little tag that says heavy, extra heavy
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  • Which is their way of saying, "you are so lame.
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  • We hate you," you know.
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  • So, i overpack.
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  • I take too much stuff.
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  • That's just the way that i am.
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  • Well, in the race of life we wanna run as lightly
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  • As possible.
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  • So, you need to ask yourself periodically as you're running
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  • This race, as you're walking with christ, is there someone
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  • Or is there something that's slowing you down.
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  • See, if i'm on a diet and i'm hanging out with a person that
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  • Likes to eat pizza and mexican food 24/7, they're a bad
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  • Influence on me.
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  • It's better if i'm with someone else who's on a diet, maybe even
  • 00:08:51.007 --> 00:08:53.943
  • The same diet and we'll kind of hold each other accountable, but
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  • I'll tell you what, if i'm watching someone else eat,
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  • It's torment to me, okay?
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  • I want what they have, so maybe there's someone who's a bad
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  • Influence on you spiritually.
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  • You know, you're trying to walk with god, but when you're around
  • 00:09:08.391 --> 00:09:10.660
  • Them they're saying, "oh, come on.
  • 00:09:10.660 --> 00:09:12.395
  • Chill out, relax.
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  • Let's try this, let's do that."
  • 00:09:14.664 --> 00:09:17.066
  • They're not a good influence or there's something that's slowing
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  • You down.
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  • Maybe it's something you're doing that's impeding your
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  • Spiritual performance.
  • 00:09:23.639 --> 00:09:25.474
  • In the book of genesis we have the story of abraham.
  • 00:09:25.474 --> 00:09:28.911
  • God told him to leave his homeland and go to a land that
  • 00:09:28.911 --> 00:09:32.348
  • The lord would reveal to him and also to leave his family.
  • 00:09:32.348 --> 00:09:37.119
  • And abraham obeyed sort of.
  • 00:09:37.119 --> 00:09:40.189
  • He brought along his nephew lot who was like a spiritual dead
  • 00:09:40.189 --> 00:09:44.594
  • Weight on him.
  • 00:09:44.594 --> 00:09:46.195
  • And it caused a lot of friction and a lot of problems and
  • 00:09:46.195 --> 00:09:49.298
  • Finally after a conflict developed, abraham and lot
  • 00:09:49.298 --> 00:09:54.136
  • Parted ways and then the lord spoke to abraham again.
  • 00:09:54.136 --> 00:09:58.174
  • My point is, lot was a bad influence on abraham and is
  • 00:09:58.174 --> 00:10:02.678
  • There someone that's a bad influence on you or even worse,
  • 00:10:02.678 --> 00:10:05.915
  • Are you a bad influence on someone else?
  • 00:10:05.915 --> 00:10:09.151
  • Don't be that person.
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  • Be a good influence because we're running the race and we
  • 00:10:10.586 --> 00:10:15.691
  • Wanna run the race well.
  • 00:10:15.691 --> 00:10:17.693
  • We wanna run from what is wrong, we wanna run toward what is
  • 00:10:17.693 --> 00:10:22.098
  • Right, and we wanna run with like-minded people.
  • 00:10:22.098 --> 00:10:27.570
  • Greg: have you ever asked yourself the question, "why
  • 00:10:31.707 --> 00:10:34.644
  • Do i exist?
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  • Why am i here on this earth?
  • 00:10:36.012 --> 00:10:37.913
  • What is the meaning of my life?"
  • 00:10:37.913 --> 00:10:40.483
  • I'm greg laurie, and i want to give you a biblical answer to
  • 00:10:40.483 --> 00:10:44.253
  • That question.
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  • Let me tell you what you should not try to live for.
  • 00:10:45.588 --> 00:10:48.891
  • Don't live for the pursuit of happiness.
  • 00:10:48.891 --> 00:10:51.427
  • The most unhappy people are the ones who are living
  • 00:10:51.427 --> 00:10:54.797
  • For happiness.
  • 00:10:54.797 --> 00:10:56.132
  • You chase after those things and you'll always come up empty.
  • 00:10:56.132 --> 00:11:00.036
  • Now listen to this, you were prewired to know god.
  • 00:11:00.036 --> 00:11:04.306
  • You have been made to have a relationship with him.
  • 00:11:04.306 --> 00:11:07.810
  • The answer for this question on earth as to why we exist is
  • 00:11:07.810 --> 00:11:11.514
  • Actually answered in heaven.
  • 00:11:11.514 --> 00:11:13.983
  • But we hear about worship going toward the throne of god and the
  • 00:11:13.983 --> 00:11:17.353
  • Statement is made, "for pleasure you have created all things."
  • 00:11:17.353 --> 00:11:21.657
  • You see, so often we spend our life pursuing pleasure when in
  • 00:11:21.657 --> 00:11:25.361
  • Reality if we pursue god, we'll find the pleasure we're
  • 00:11:25.361 --> 00:11:29.565
  • Looking for.
  • 00:11:29.565 --> 00:11:30.900
  • The bible says, "in his presence there is fullness of joy, and on
  • 00:11:30.900 --> 00:11:34.003
  • His right hand there are pleasures forevermore."
  • 00:11:34.003 --> 00:11:37.473
  • Why do you exist?
  • 00:11:37.473 --> 00:11:38.974
  • You exist to have a relationship with your creator, your father
  • 00:11:38.974 --> 00:11:43.979
  • In heaven who loves you.
  • 00:11:43.979 --> 00:11:45.848
  • Then he has a plan for your life that will unfold and you'll see
  • 00:11:45.848 --> 00:11:50.386
  • How he'll guide and lead you.
  • 00:11:50.386 --> 00:11:52.254
  • You exist to know god and bring him pleasure.
  • 00:11:52.254 --> 00:11:55.958
  • So, if you want to be a happy person and you want to
  • 00:11:55.958 --> 00:11:58.527
  • Experience pleasure, don't pursue those things, pursue god
  • 00:11:58.527 --> 00:12:02.798
  • And then you'll know why you're on this earth.
  • 00:12:02.798 --> 00:12:06.268
  • Greg: number three, in the race
  • 00:12:09.338 --> 00:12:10.673
  • Of life we must run with the
  • 00:12:10.673 --> 00:12:12.508
  • Right motive.
  • 00:12:12.508 --> 00:12:14.410
  • Run with the right motive.
  • 00:12:14.410 --> 00:12:16.045
  • Paul speaks of only one receiving the prize, running for
  • 00:12:16.045 --> 00:12:21.150
  • The gold, if you will.
  • 00:12:21.150 --> 00:12:23.219
  • I mean, i don't think most olympians want to win
  • 00:12:23.219 --> 00:12:26.622
  • The bronze.
  • 00:12:26.622 --> 00:12:27.990
  • I mean, the bronze is great.
  • 00:12:27.990 --> 00:12:29.325
  • I'd be thrilled if i won the bronze, but the gold's better.
  • 00:12:29.325 --> 00:12:31.927
  • Everybody knows it.
  • 00:12:31.927 --> 00:12:33.295
  • Silver is good too, but the gold's best because if you win
  • 00:12:33.295 --> 00:12:35.865
  • Gold, you get the top position and they play the national
  • 00:12:35.865 --> 00:12:38.634
  • Anthem of your country.
  • 00:12:38.634 --> 00:12:41.036
  • So, you run for the top award.
  • 00:12:41.036 --> 00:12:44.173
  • But our primary motive is not running for an award or
  • 00:12:44.173 --> 00:12:47.643
  • A reward, but there are rewards promised to christians.
  • 00:12:47.643 --> 00:12:51.981
  • But our primary motive is found in philippians 3:10.
  • 00:12:51.981 --> 00:12:55.451
  • Paul says, "that i may know him and the power of his
  • 00:12:55.451 --> 00:12:59.588
  • Resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being
  • 00:12:59.588 --> 00:13:03.959
  • Conformed to his death."
  • 00:13:03.959 --> 00:13:05.928
  • That's our motive, that i may know him.
  • 00:13:05.928 --> 00:13:09.498
  • The amplified translation, which is an expanded greek
  • 00:13:09.498 --> 00:13:13.269
  • Translation, states that verse as follows.
  • 00:13:13.269 --> 00:13:16.272
  • Paul speaking, "my determined purpose in life is that i may
  • 00:13:16.272 --> 00:13:20.543
  • Know him," then he defines what that means, "[that i may
  • 00:13:20.543 --> 00:13:24.146
  • Progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with
  • 00:13:24.146 --> 00:13:27.616
  • Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of
  • 00:13:27.616 --> 00:13:31.821
  • His person more strongly and more clearly]."
  • 00:13:31.821 --> 00:13:35.658
  • That i may know him.
  • 00:13:35.658 --> 00:13:37.259
  • Our mission statement at harvest is knowing god and making
  • 00:13:37.259 --> 00:13:41.330
  • Him know.
  • 00:13:41.330 --> 00:13:42.698
  • And i fear that a lot of people know about god instead of
  • 00:13:42.698 --> 00:13:45.201
  • Knowing god.
  • 00:13:45.201 --> 00:13:46.569
  • They can say things about god even say things from scripture,
  • 00:13:46.569 --> 00:13:50.306
  • But is there that deep fellowship and relationship
  • 00:13:50.306 --> 00:13:54.743
  • With him?
  • 00:13:54.743 --> 00:13:56.078
  • Jesus said, "many will say to me on that day, 'lord, lord, did we
  • 00:13:56.078 --> 00:13:58.848
  • Not prophesy in your name?
  • 00:13:58.848 --> 00:14:00.649
  • In your name did we not cast out demons?
  • 00:14:00.649 --> 00:14:02.885
  • In your name did we not do wonderful miracles?'"
  • 00:14:02.885 --> 00:14:06.288
  • And then jesus says, "i will say to them, 'i never knew you, you
  • 00:14:06.288 --> 00:14:10.993
  • Workers of iniquity.
  • 00:14:10.993 --> 00:14:12.828
  • I never knew you.'"
  • 00:14:12.828 --> 00:14:14.196
  • They knew about jesus, but he didn't know them at all.
  • 00:14:14.196 --> 00:14:17.800
  • Number four, paul had a clear objective and focus on life.
  • 00:14:17.800 --> 00:14:22.071
  • Paul had a clear objective and focus on life.
  • 00:14:22.071 --> 00:14:24.673
  • Verse 13, "this one thing i do."
  • 00:14:24.673 --> 00:14:29.678
  • Mary of mary and martha fame also had this one thing in
  • 00:14:29.678 --> 00:14:34.683
  • Her life.
  • 00:14:34.683 --> 00:14:36.018
  • The lord came over to their home for a meal and martha was
  • 00:14:36.018 --> 00:14:39.255
  • Frantically trying to prepare something in the kitchen and she
  • 00:14:39.255 --> 00:14:43.726
  • Got upset because mary wasn't helping her.
  • 00:14:43.726 --> 00:14:46.228
  • And so, she complained to jesus and i love what the lord says,
  • 00:14:46.228 --> 00:14:49.231
  • "martha, you're so upset about all these details."
  • 00:14:49.231 --> 00:14:52.635
  • He says, "there's only one thing worth being concerned about
  • 00:14:52.635 --> 00:14:55.471
  • Right now, and mary has discovered it.
  • 00:14:55.471 --> 00:14:58.540
  • Don't take it from her.
  • 00:14:58.540 --> 00:14:59.909
  • Martha, i appreciate it.
  • 00:14:59.909 --> 00:15:01.610
  • I love your meals.
  • 00:15:01.610 --> 00:15:02.978
  • You're a fantastic chef.
  • 00:15:02.978 --> 00:15:05.047
  • But you know what?
  • 00:15:05.047 --> 00:15:06.382
  • Mary's kind of tuned into what really matters.
  • 00:15:06.382 --> 00:15:09.184
  • Right now, we're talking together.
  • 00:15:09.184 --> 00:15:10.619
  • So, if you were smart, you'd take off the apron and sit down
  • 00:15:10.619 --> 00:15:14.790
  • And listen in.
  • 00:15:14.790 --> 00:15:16.191
  • Sure you'd learned something."
  • 00:15:16.191 --> 00:15:17.793
  • So, sometimes, you know, we're all frantic and all these
  • 00:15:17.793 --> 00:15:19.862
  • Things--we're doing many things.
  • 00:15:19.862 --> 00:15:21.230
  • Let's not forget the one thing.
  • 00:15:21.230 --> 00:15:23.465
  • Sometimes the many things can take the place of the one thing.
  • 00:15:23.465 --> 00:15:27.236
  • And as i've often said, the main thing is to keep the main thing
  • 00:15:27.236 --> 00:15:30.572
  • The main thing.
  • 00:15:30.572 --> 00:15:32.274
  • Principle number five, we're almost done here.
  • 00:15:32.274 --> 00:15:34.276
  • Don't look back. don't look back.
  • 00:15:34.276 --> 00:15:37.112
  • Have you ever tried to run and look over your shoulder
  • 00:15:37.112 --> 00:15:39.481
  • Behind you?
  • 00:15:39.481 --> 00:15:40.816
  • More than one race has been lost when the person who was in the
  • 00:15:40.816 --> 00:15:44.887
  • Lead position could not avoid the temptation to see if that
  • 00:15:44.887 --> 00:15:48.924
  • Other person was there and boom, they hit the finish line or the
  • 00:15:48.924 --> 00:15:52.594
  • Ribbon just a little bit before.
  • 00:15:52.594 --> 00:15:56.198
  • So, we can't look back.
  • 00:15:56.198 --> 00:15:58.167
  • Paul says in verse 13, "forgetting the things that are
  • 00:15:58.167 --> 00:16:00.970
  • Behind and reaching forward to the things that are before."
  • 00:16:00.970 --> 00:16:05.507
  • What does that mean?
  • 00:16:05.507 --> 00:16:08.243
  • To forget does not mean to fail to remember.
  • 00:16:08.243 --> 00:16:10.546
  • I mean, there are things that i remember that i can't
  • 00:16:10.546 --> 00:16:13.682
  • Necessarily forget.
  • 00:16:13.682 --> 00:16:15.484
  • When paul uses this word forget, it means don't be influenced or
  • 00:16:15.484 --> 00:16:21.457
  • Affected by it any longer.
  • 00:16:21.457 --> 00:16:24.259
  • I read an interesting article in the paper about a group in new
  • 00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:27.129
  • York city that decided to shred their regrets for new year's.
  • 00:16:27.129 --> 00:16:34.203
  • So, they brought photos of ex-boyfriends, bad medical
  • 00:16:34.203 --> 00:16:37.406
  • Reports, stacks of unpaid bills, and put them all in a giant
  • 00:16:37.406 --> 00:16:41.543
  • Shredder in times square where a garbage truck would cart them
  • 00:16:41.543 --> 00:16:45.614
  • Off forever.
  • 00:16:45.614 --> 00:16:46.949
  • And in the article one person was quoted to say, "i feel
  • 00:16:46.949 --> 00:16:49.918
  • Liberated," after shoving a photo of her ex-fiancé with his
  • 00:16:49.918 --> 00:16:54.857
  • New girlfriend into the industrial sized machine.
  • 00:16:54.857 --> 00:16:58.594
  • The article says, "another lady visiting from ecuador sees the
  • 00:16:58.594 --> 00:17:02.965
  • Opportunity to banish three unpleasant thoughts: her high
  • 00:17:02.965 --> 00:17:06.268
  • Cholesterol, her high blood pressure, and her bills."
  • 00:17:06.268 --> 00:17:10.172
  • So, that's fun.
  • 00:17:10.172 --> 00:17:11.807
  • But guess what?
  • 00:17:11.807 --> 00:17:13.242
  • The bills still have to be paid and you probably still have high
  • 00:17:13.242 --> 00:17:18.480
  • Blood pressure and your boyfriend is still with
  • 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.450
  • That girl.
  • 00:17:21.450 --> 00:17:23.318
  • Now you can shred all you want.
  • 00:17:23.318 --> 00:17:26.155
  • It's a nice sentiment, but it isn't gonna change anything.
  • 00:17:26.155 --> 00:17:30.559
  • But when the bible says we can forget these things, that means
  • 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:33.228
  • We don't have to be influenced by them any longer.
  • 00:17:33.228 --> 00:17:37.066
  • And to be effectively forgetting something, i must first
  • 00:17:37.066 --> 00:17:40.702
  • Be forgiven.
  • 00:17:40.702 --> 00:17:42.271
  • There can be no forgetting without forgiveness.
  • 00:17:42.271 --> 00:17:45.808
  • For the bible says in ecclesiastes 3:15, "god requires
  • 00:17:45.808 --> 00:17:49.778
  • That which is past."
  • 00:17:49.778 --> 00:17:51.680
  • Because god forgives and forgets, we can do the same.
  • 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:56.318
  • Let me say that again, because god forgives and forgets, we can
  • 00:17:56.318 --> 00:18:00.389
  • Do the same because the lord says, "their sins and iniquities
  • 00:18:00.389 --> 00:18:04.059
  • While i remember no more."
  • 00:18:04.059 --> 00:18:06.528
  • Now this does not mean that god is having a lapse in memory.
  • 00:18:06.528 --> 00:18:10.966
  • What god is saying is, "i'll no longer hold your sin
  • 00:18:10.966 --> 00:18:14.002
  • Against you."
  • 00:18:14.002 --> 00:18:15.337
  • In other words, "your sins no longer affect your standing with
  • 00:18:15.337 --> 00:18:18.107
  • Me or influence my attitude toward you."
  • 00:18:18.107 --> 00:18:21.009
  • To forget means we break the power of the past by living
  • 00:18:21.009 --> 00:18:26.115
  • For the future.
  • 00:18:26.115 --> 00:18:28.784
  • Put things behind you.
  • 00:18:28.784 --> 00:18:30.486
  • Jesus said, "remember lot's wife."
  • 00:18:30.486 --> 00:18:34.389
  • Why should i remember lot's wife?
  • 00:18:34.389 --> 00:18:38.227
  • Because she made a big mistake.
  • 00:18:38.227 --> 00:18:40.129
  • You remember her story?
  • 00:18:40.129 --> 00:18:42.097
  • God was delivering lot and his wife and his family out of sodom
  • 00:18:42.097 --> 00:18:45.601
  • And gomorrah which he was judging.
  • 00:18:45.601 --> 00:18:48.403
  • And the angel of the lord said, "come on, this is the way out
  • 00:18:48.403 --> 00:18:50.973
  • And don't look back, all right?"
  • 00:18:50.973 --> 00:18:55.310
  • So, they're walking away and now god's judgment is raining on the
  • 00:18:55.310 --> 00:18:58.480
  • City and quite honestly, that would be very tempting to look
  • 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:01.316
  • At, okay?
  • 00:19:01.316 --> 00:19:02.651
  • So, we might say, "god's being a little hard on lot's wife.
  • 00:19:02.651 --> 00:19:05.254
  • I mean, she looked back," yeah, she looked back and the bible
  • 00:19:05.254 --> 00:19:07.289
  • Says she became a pillar of salt.
  • 00:19:07.289 --> 00:19:09.658
  • So, she's like walking along she looks, you know, frozen in time
  • 00:19:09.658 --> 00:19:14.730
  • Like one of those people at pompeii that were caught in the
  • 00:19:14.730 --> 00:19:18.667
  • Explosion of lava from, i think, mount vesuvius.
  • 00:19:18.667 --> 00:19:22.437
  • But anyway, so, this is lot's wife looking back, but it's
  • 00:19:22.437 --> 00:19:27.276
  • Interesting because the phrase that is used for her looking
  • 00:19:27.276 --> 00:19:29.511
  • Back means to look with longing.
  • 00:19:29.511 --> 00:19:32.381
  • It was deliberate.
  • 00:19:32.381 --> 00:19:33.749
  • It's not just, "oh, wow," no, it's like, "i'm looking and i'm
  • 00:19:33.749 --> 00:19:38.620
  • Gonna look if i'm supposed to or not.
  • 00:19:38.620 --> 00:19:40.856
  • It's intentional."
  • 00:19:40.856 --> 00:19:42.524
  • Have you ever looked at something with longing?
  • 00:19:42.524 --> 00:19:45.861
  • Coming back to krispy kreme.
  • 00:19:45.861 --> 00:19:49.231
  • Have you ever walked in there when the signs lit up and see
  • 00:19:49.231 --> 00:19:52.534
  • Those little glistening donuts come that little conveyor belt?
  • 00:19:52.534 --> 00:19:59.007
  • Here they come.
  • 00:19:59.007 --> 00:20:00.375
  • First thing, you know, they go in the little grease thing,
  • 00:20:00.375 --> 00:20:02.544
  • Get kind of cooked and then now the glaze.
  • 00:20:02.544 --> 00:20:04.079
  • But just wait, you just wait for them.
  • 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:08.617
  • It's amazing.
  • 00:20:08.617 --> 00:20:11.153
  • And you look with longing, at least i do.
  • 00:20:11.153 --> 00:20:14.456
  • Or you go to the pet store and you see that cute dog, "oh, i
  • 00:20:14.456 --> 00:20:18.093
  • Want him."
  • 00:20:18.093 --> 00:20:19.428
  • You look with longing.
  • 00:20:19.428 --> 00:20:20.796
  • Or you walk to the mall and you see the cute outfit in
  • 00:20:20.796 --> 00:20:23.065
  • The window.
  • 00:20:23.065 --> 00:20:24.399
  • You look with longing or you look at something else.
  • 00:20:24.399 --> 00:20:28.070
  • The idea is that's what she was doing.
  • 00:20:28.070 --> 00:20:29.838
  • Don't look back.
  • 00:20:29.838 --> 00:20:32.140
  • Jesus said, "no man having put his hand on the plow and looking
  • 00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:35.477
  • Back is fit for the kingdom of god."
  • 00:20:35.477 --> 00:20:38.146
  • So look, if you're gonna run the race of life, you need to put
  • 00:20:38.146 --> 00:20:40.882
  • The past behind you.
  • 00:20:40.882 --> 00:20:42.284
  • Stop living in the past.
  • 00:20:42.284 --> 00:20:44.786
  • Don't revisit the so called good old days because that's what
  • 00:20:44.786 --> 00:20:48.056
  • Defeated israel in the wilderness.
  • 00:20:48.056 --> 00:20:50.993
  • Remember they said, "oh, we remember the old days back in
  • 00:20:50.993 --> 00:20:53.662
  • Egypt when, you know, we used to eat garlics and leeks and
  • 00:20:53.662 --> 00:20:57.599
  • Onions, and now all we have is this stinking manna.
  • 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:00.102
  • We're so sick of it."
  • 00:21:00.102 --> 00:21:02.504
  • Garlic, leeks and onions, man their breath must have stunk.
  • 00:21:02.504 --> 00:21:06.808
  • But they had sort of taken the life of bondage in egypt under
  • 00:21:06.808 --> 00:21:10.445
  • The whip of the pharaoh and sort of imagined it as the greatest
  • 00:21:10.445 --> 00:21:15.751
  • Life ever when it was the worst life ever.
  • 00:21:15.751 --> 00:21:17.753
  • And sometimes, you know, when we've turned our back on our
  • 00:21:17.753 --> 00:21:20.389
  • Old life or we're walking with christ, the devil will come to
  • 00:21:20.389 --> 00:21:23.125
  • You and maybe bring back one of those memories where you had
  • 00:21:23.125 --> 00:21:25.761
  • A little fun.
  • 00:21:25.761 --> 00:21:27.162
  • "hey, remember that time that this happened?"
  • 00:21:27.162 --> 00:21:29.765
  • You're like, "yeah, i remember.
  • 00:21:29.765 --> 00:21:37.372
  • Yeah, my old girlfriend.
  • 00:21:37.372 --> 00:21:38.840
  • Oh, i remember my old girlfriend.
  • 00:21:38.840 --> 00:21:40.175
  • I'm gonna look her up on facebook.
  • 00:21:40.175 --> 00:21:42.311
  • Who's that old lady? doh!
  • 00:21:42.311 --> 00:21:45.814
  • I'm as old as she is."
  • 00:21:45.814 --> 00:21:48.383
  • Don't live in the past.
  • 00:21:48.383 --> 00:21:51.053
  • Live in the moment and look to the future.
  • 00:21:51.053 --> 00:21:55.390
  • The devil won't remember of the misery you used to have.
  • 00:21:55.390 --> 00:21:58.560
  • He won't say, "hey, remember that time, you know, you drank
  • 00:21:58.560 --> 00:22:01.863
  • A lot and you threw up all over the place.
  • 00:22:01.863 --> 00:22:03.665
  • Remember that?"
  • 00:22:03.665 --> 00:22:05.033
  • No.
  • 00:22:05.033 --> 00:22:06.368
  • "hey, remember that time you were so despondent you actually
  • 00:22:06.368 --> 00:22:08.103
  • Thought of killing yourself, remember that?"
  • 00:22:08.103 --> 00:22:09.838
  • No, he won't remind you of that.
  • 00:22:09.838 --> 00:22:12.007
  • He'll remind you of a few fleeting pleasures because the
  • 00:22:12.007 --> 00:22:15.310
  • First step to going back is looking back, you see.
  • 00:22:15.310 --> 00:22:18.947
  • So, forgetting the things that are behind and reaching forward
  • 00:22:18.947 --> 00:22:22.551
  • To the things that are before.
  • 00:22:22.551 --> 00:22:23.885
  • Let me add one other thing to this forgetting the past.
  • 00:22:23.885 --> 00:22:26.988
  • It's also forgetting past victories.
  • 00:22:26.988 --> 00:22:29.691
  • And by that, i think it's a good thing to reflect back on what
  • 00:22:29.691 --> 00:22:32.994
  • The lord has done.
  • 00:22:32.994 --> 00:22:35.163
  • But listen to this, "sometimes successes are harder for people
  • 00:22:35.163 --> 00:22:38.967
  • To get over than failures."
  • 00:22:38.967 --> 00:22:41.970
  • What do i mean by that?
  • 00:22:41.970 --> 00:22:43.338
  • Success is, "oh man, we have this great success.
  • 00:22:43.338 --> 00:22:45.507
  • It was just fantastic."
  • 00:22:45.507 --> 00:22:46.842
  • Okay, good, but that was then and this is now.
  • 00:22:46.842 --> 00:22:50.312
  • And i'll have people come up to me and say, "oh man, remember
  • 00:22:50.312 --> 00:22:52.781
  • The old days, jesus movement days.
  • 00:22:52.781 --> 00:22:56.184
  • Remember those days?"
  • 00:22:56.184 --> 00:22:57.552
  • Yeah, those are awesome days.
  • 00:22:57.552 --> 00:22:58.887
  • "remember that? it was so great."
  • 00:22:58.887 --> 00:23:00.255
  • Yeah. "well, just remember--"
  • 00:23:00.255 --> 00:23:01.623
  • Hey, you know what?
  • 00:23:01.623 --> 00:23:03.024
  • That was like over 40 years ago.
  • 00:23:03.024 --> 00:23:05.327
  • God's doing some amazing stuff right here right now and i'm
  • 00:23:05.327 --> 00:23:08.997
  • Excited about that and i'm looking forward to what the lord
  • 00:23:08.997 --> 00:23:12.000
  • Will do.
  • 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:16.204
  • So, let's sum up and conclude.
  • 00:23:16.204 --> 00:23:17.639
  • Number one, you must be dissatisfied with where you are.
  • 00:23:17.639 --> 00:23:21.076
  • Number two, get rid of extra weight and things that would
  • 00:23:21.076 --> 00:23:23.412
  • Hinder you.
  • 00:23:23.412 --> 00:23:24.746
  • Thirdly, run with the right motive.
  • 00:23:24.746 --> 00:23:26.548
  • Fourth, have a clear objective and focus.
  • 00:23:26.548 --> 00:23:28.950
  • Five, don't look back.
  • 00:23:28.950 --> 00:23:30.318
  • One last point and i'm done.
  • 00:23:30.318 --> 00:23:31.953
  • You must press on even when it gets hard in the race of life.
  • 00:23:31.953 --> 00:23:36.658
  • If you wanna be a happy person, press on when it gets hard.
  • 00:23:36.658 --> 00:23:40.762
  • Hey, you'll be happy after you win the race.
  • 00:23:40.762 --> 00:23:43.331
  • Oh, you know, when you're running a race and if it's
  • 00:23:43.331 --> 00:23:45.700
  • A long distance run and you're in the last lap, it's like your
  • 00:23:45.700 --> 00:23:48.537
  • Arms and legs are made out of rubber.
  • 00:23:48.537 --> 00:23:51.139
  • You feel like your heart is gonna burst out of your chest.
  • 00:23:51.139 --> 00:23:54.443
  • You can't even imagine finishing this, but somehow you press on
  • 00:23:54.443 --> 00:23:58.814
  • And then you win and then you know what?
  • 00:23:58.814 --> 00:24:01.049
  • It was all worth it, wasn't it?
  • 00:24:01.049 --> 00:24:03.819
  • Even though you wanted to walk off that track, even though you
  • 00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:07.055
  • Wanted to quit that race, press on.
  • 00:24:07.055 --> 00:24:11.259
  • Verse 13, "i pressed toward the goal for the prize of the upward
  • 00:24:11.259 --> 00:24:15.030
  • Call of god in christ jesus."
  • 00:24:15.030 --> 00:24:17.165
  • The word that he uses there for pressing comes from the greek
  • 00:24:17.165 --> 00:24:20.101
  • Word "agonizo."
  • 00:24:20.101 --> 00:24:23.205
  • Can you guess what english word we get from that?
  • 00:24:23.205 --> 00:24:26.508
  • Agonize, yes.
  • 00:24:26.508 --> 00:24:28.844
  • Sometimes it's hard.
  • 00:24:28.844 --> 00:24:31.213
  • Sometimes it's painful, but what's that expression?
  • 00:24:31.213 --> 00:24:33.148
  • "no pain, no gain."
  • 00:24:33.148 --> 00:24:34.516
  • That's true in the spiritual life too, to some degree.
  • 00:24:34.516 --> 00:24:38.053
  • Yeah, the theme of philippians is happiness and joy.
  • 00:24:38.053 --> 00:24:41.857
  • 19 times in four chapters, paul mentions joy, rejoicing,
  • 00:24:41.857 --> 00:24:47.028
  • Or gladness, and that includes running and finishing the race
  • 00:24:47.028 --> 00:24:51.099
  • Of life.
  • 00:24:51.099 --> 00:24:52.567
  • Paul said to his friends at the church of ephesus in acts 20:24,
  • 00:24:52.567 --> 00:24:58.340
  • "i want to finish my race with joy."
  • 00:24:58.340 --> 00:25:02.077
  • Finish my race with joy.
  • 00:25:02.077 --> 00:25:04.346
  • Listen, it's not enough to start the race of life, we must
  • 00:25:04.346 --> 00:25:08.517
  • Finish it.
  • 00:25:08.517 --> 00:25:09.851
  • Otherwise, we've been running in vain.
  • 00:25:09.851 --> 00:25:12.988
  • In his last epistle, the apostle paul wrote in 2 timothy 4:7,
  • 00:25:12.988 --> 00:25:17.225
  • "i fought a good fight, i've finished the race, i've kept
  • 00:25:17.225 --> 00:25:20.462
  • The faith.
  • 00:25:20.462 --> 00:25:21.830
  • Henceforth there remains a crown of righteousness, for me and all
  • 00:25:21.830 --> 00:25:25.934
  • Who love his appearing."
  • 00:25:25.934 --> 00:25:27.469
  • That's the objective.
  • 00:25:27.469 --> 00:25:28.837
  • You finish this race that you have begun.
  • 00:25:28.837 --> 00:25:31.973
  • Greg: have you watched the news lately?
  • 00:25:34.476 --> 00:25:36.077
  • It seems like the world is coming apart.
  • 00:25:36.077 --> 00:25:39.147
  • War in the middle east, instability all around us, and
  • 00:25:39.147 --> 00:25:43.151
  • I'm telling you right now, the bible predicted these things
  • 00:25:43.151 --> 00:25:46.388
  • Would happen in the last days.
  • 00:25:46.388 --> 00:25:48.356
  • But here's what you need to remember, jesus said, "when you
  • 00:25:48.356 --> 00:25:51.660
  • See these things begin to happen, look up, for your
  • 00:25:51.660 --> 00:25:54.729
  • Redemption is drawing near."
  • 00:25:54.729 --> 00:25:56.464
  • He didn't say, "freak out," he said, "look up."
  • 00:25:56.464 --> 00:26:00.268
  • I want you to know that i've read the last page of the bible
  • 00:26:00.268 --> 00:26:03.204
  • And we win in the end.
  • 00:26:03.204 --> 00:26:05.173
  • We need hope in this crazy hopeless world, in this world of
  • 00:26:05.173 --> 00:26:08.944
  • Chaos and confusion.
  • 00:26:08.944 --> 00:26:10.946
  • Jesus christ has everything you're looking for in
  • 00:26:10.946 --> 00:26:14.683
  • A relationship with him.
  • 00:26:14.683 --> 00:26:16.851
  • I encourage you to call out to the lord and ask him to come
  • 00:26:16.851 --> 00:26:21.222
  • Into your life.
  • 00:26:21.222 --> 00:26:22.757
  • Let me send you at no charge,
  • 00:26:22.757 --> 00:26:24.693
  • A bible to help you get started
  • 00:26:24.693 --> 00:26:26.861
  • In your new relationship
  • 00:26:26.861 --> 00:26:28.763
  • With christ.
  • 00:26:28.763 --> 00:26:31.666
  • Greg: you know, we say to a new believer, "start reading the
  • 00:26:31.733 --> 00:26:35.337
  • Bible," but they don't know where to start, do they?
  • 00:26:35.337 --> 00:26:38.373
  • So, we have a special edition of the bible called the new
  • 00:26:38.373 --> 00:26:42.611
  • Believer's bible.
  • 00:26:42.611 --> 00:26:44.312
  • I wrote thousands of notes for it, and i sort of see it as what
  • 00:26:44.312 --> 00:26:48.917
  • I would do if i was sitting down with a person over a cup of
  • 00:26:48.917 --> 00:26:51.886
  • Coffee and explaining the basics of the christian life to them.
  • 00:26:51.886 --> 00:26:56.625
  • There's over 10 million copies of this bible in print, but
  • 00:26:56.625 --> 00:27:00.428
  • Here's the exciting news.
  • 00:27:00.428 --> 00:27:02.330
  • We have personally given out 700,000 of these at no charge to
  • 00:27:02.330 --> 00:27:07.535
  • People to help them in their spiritual journey.
  • 00:27:07.535 --> 00:27:11.506
  • So, we need your help to keep doing this.
  • 00:27:11.506 --> 00:27:14.442
  • So, let's invest in the spiritual future of people that
  • 00:27:14.442 --> 00:27:18.313
  • Are going to come to christ who will get a copy of the new
  • 00:27:18.313 --> 00:27:21.549
  • Believer's bible for themselves.
  • 00:27:21.549 --> 00:27:23.652
  • Thank you for your financial support.
  • 00:27:23.652 --> 00:27:25.487
  • Together, we can change lives.
  • 00:27:25.487 --> 00:27:28.890