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Power Point with Jack Graham

Jack Graham - Finish!

August 10, 2025 | S25 E32 | 29:30

Jack Graham - Finish!
Dr. Jack Graham's mission is to glorify God by introducing Jesus Christ as Lord to all people.
#inActive #SpiritualGrowth #Discipleship #Disciples #SeekGod #Perseverance #Community

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Power Point with Jack Graham | Jack Graham - Finish! | August 10, 2025
  • We are incredibly excited to share this with you.
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  • And truly enriching content.
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  • See, it's incredibly simple to join! and trust us, you won't
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  • Want to miss out on this exciting new way to stay
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  • Connected and be encouraged along the way.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • There is no person that god cannot save!
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  • There is no promise that god will not keep!
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  • There is nothing that our god cannot do!
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  • Today i want to talk to you about finishing. because god
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  • Put us in a spiritual race, and in this race we are to run and
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  • Run well. and as the apostle paul said, we are to run to
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  • Win, not just to get a participation trophy, but we
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  • Are to compete. and we are to run well. and that means not
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  • Only beginning well, but, of course, running well throughout
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  • Our days and then to finish well. unfortunately, some do
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  • Not finish well. i don't know about you but i want to run the
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  • Race all the way through the finish line and burst into
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  • Glory! i don't necessarily want to limp into heaven; i want to
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  • Leap into the arms of jesus and experience his presence there,
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  • The glory, the victory that is ours in jesus christ. so, this
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  • Race that we run is very, very important.
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  • Remember, hebrews is all about going the distance. hebrews
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  • 6:1: “let us go on to maturity.” we don't just start
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  • The race, but we go on, onward and upward in the christian
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  • Life. we never stop until we get to heaven.
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  • So, the question we should ask ourselves before we even begin
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  • This message today... something i want to ask you: are you
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  • Running? are you running well? are you progressing? are you
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  • Pushing forward? are you persevering? that's what this
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  • Message is about. in hebrews chapter 12, beginning at verse
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  • 1, and i'm going to read it to from the new living translation
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  • Just to give you a different turn on it. therefore, it's on
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  • The screen.
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  • 1) since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses
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  • To this life of faith, let us strip off every weight that
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  • Slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.
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  • And let us run with endurance the race that god has set
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  • Before us. 2) we do this by keeping our eyes on jesus, the
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  • Champion... the champion who initiates and perfects our
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  • Faith. because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the
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  • Cross, disregarding the shame. now he is seated in the place
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  • Of honor beside god's throne. 3) think of all the hostility
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  • He endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and
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  • Give up.
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  • Contemplate christ, think about jesus, and what he went through
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  • In order to secure our salvation. and when you do, you
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  • Won't be weary, you won't give up. in fact, here's an example.
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  • I like the way the message paraphrase puts it. he says,
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  • 3) ..."that will shoot adrenaline into your soul!"
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  • So today's message i pray, is a shot of adrenaline into your
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  • Soul! that you would run, and keep running, and never, ever
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  • Quit! how do we do that?
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  • Number one, know that you don't run alone. seeing that we are
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  • Encompassed about, circled about by this great cloud, this
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  • Great crowd of witnesses, martyrs! those who have gone
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  • Before us. check out hebrews chapter 11 and those great
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  • Champions, those hall of famers, those veteran believers
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  • Now in heaven, all these years who's lives exemplify lives of
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  • Faith, who endured and persevered against all odds!
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  • They overcame! these great heroes in heaven! and all
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  • Around us we can hear them cheering us on!
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  • Those who have lived their legacy in front of you, those
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  • Even around us today that are encouraging us. hey, you
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  • Encouraged me today, and i hope i'm encouraging you! when
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  • You're standing by someone and they're belting out worship
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  • Even they sound like a calf dying in hail storm...
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  • [laughter]... when they're praising god, it encourages us!
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  • When the preaching of the word... that's why we come to
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  • Church. back in hebrews chapter 10, verse 25, what does it say?
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  • "don't neglect the gathering of yourselves, the assembling of
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  • Yourselves together as a matter of some. we need one another!
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  • We need to cheer one another on! and you'll never know,
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  • Somebody here may be hanging by a thread today, and your word
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  • Of encouragement will keep them going. we're circled about with
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  • A great crowd of heavenly and earthly witnesses. so, you
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  • Don't run alone; we're in this together.
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  • The second thing is, get rid of all the distractions. eliminate
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  • Distractions. that's why in these verses it says because we
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  • Have this great cloud of witness... run with endurance,
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  • And it says, letting go... turning loose of the things
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  • Which distract us. and the word that he uses here are the
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  • Weights that slow us down. "strip off every weight that
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  • Slows us down." lay aside every weight.
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  • Now there are no effective, successful, overweight
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  • Athletes. if you're an athlete, you're going to be in shape.
  • 00:06:51.667 --> 00:06:54.337
  • It's critical to be in the very best physical condition if
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  • You're going to succeed in an athletic contest. that's why
  • 00:06:59.075 --> 00:07:02.478
  • These athletes train and train and train. and they discipline
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  • Themselves and they get rid of distractions hopefully in their
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  • Lives so that they can compete successfully. these kinds of
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  • Encumbrances that may slow us down. now think for a moment
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  • About the stuff that slows us down. the weights that hold us
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  • Back.
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  • I just read this week that if you lose ten pounds, your knees
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  • Will thank you. and here's why. because if you lose ten pounds,
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  • Your knees will be subject to 48,000 less pounds of pressure
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  • Per mile as you're walking. compression and pressure on
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  • Your knees. just ten pounds. it sounds amazing but it's true.
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  • Just getting down a few pounds will help. so, the
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  • Distractions, the diversions, the things that hold us back,
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  • The stuff, the weights!
  • 00:08:03.606 --> 00:08:09.045
  • The apostle paul said: forgetting those things which
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  • Are behind, this is philippians chapter 3. forgetting those
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  • Things which behind, and reaching forward to those
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  • Things which are before, i press to the mark for the prize
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  • Of the high calling of god in jesus christ. for some of us,
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  • Those weights, the excess baggage that we carry around
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  • From our past.
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  • I was just in the airport. you typically see some people
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  • Running with their baggage, just panting, about to have a
  • 00:08:38.808 --> 00:08:42.311
  • Heart attack, trying to get to their next flight. many people
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  • Are running through life with excess baggage! their emotional
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  • Baggage, their spiritual baggage from the past! no way
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  • To run a race! you wouldn't run a race of any kind carrying
  • 00:08:57.259 --> 00:09:02.031
  • Excessive weight or baggage.
  • 00:09:02.031 --> 00:09:04.834
  • Jon gordon said this, "stop looking backward! your life
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  • Isn't there anymore! it's here, right now! embrace today
  • 00:09:08.971 --> 00:09:14.710
  • And create your future!" i like that! that's the spirit of this
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  • Passage. by faith we keep going! and we get rid of
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  • Anything in our lives... the stuff in our lives that is
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  • Holding us back!
  • 00:09:30.426 --> 00:09:33.262
  • Paul said, “all things are lawful, but not everything is
  • 00:09:33.262 --> 00:09:35.898
  • Expedient.” 1 corinthians 6:12. not everything moves me
  • 00:09:35.898 --> 00:09:39.902
  • Forward; not everything is expeditious in my life. there
  • 00:09:39.902 --> 00:09:43.339
  • Are some things in my life that are not good or bad, they're
  • 00:09:43.339 --> 00:09:46.342
  • Just not best. in fact, good things can become bad things if
  • 00:09:46.342 --> 00:09:51.547
  • They keep us from doing the best things!
  • 00:09:51.547 --> 00:09:53.916
  • ♪♪♪
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  • Take a look at the world today, and i think you'll agree
  • 00:10:03.993 --> 00:10:07.196
  • Something's not right. turn on the television, or scroll
  • 00:10:07.196 --> 00:10:10.666
  • Through your news feed on your phone and watch as war rages.
  • 00:10:10.666 --> 00:10:14.437
  • In our cities, crime and lawlessness is rampant. in our
  • 00:10:14.437 --> 00:10:17.673
  • Classrooms. sin and perversion is celebrated and corruption
  • 00:10:17.673 --> 00:10:21.110
  • Fills our capital. but in the midst of this chaos, god says,
  • 00:10:21.110 --> 00:10:25.181
  • Hope can be yours. for christians, our joy, hope and
  • 00:10:25.181 --> 00:10:28.851
  • Peace is secure. keep coming to me, god pleads, and i promise i
  • 00:10:28.851 --> 00:10:33.522
  • Will fill you up.
  • 00:10:33.522 --> 00:10:34.790
  • I've written a book called “powering up - the fulfillment
  • 00:10:34.790 --> 00:10:37.760
  • And fruit of a god fueled life.” and i want you to know
  • 00:10:37.760 --> 00:10:41.097
  • That no matter how dark our world may seem, god's power is
  • 00:10:41.097 --> 00:10:45.101
  • More than enough for people of faith to prevail. i've spent
  • 00:10:45.101 --> 00:10:49.472
  • Over five decades pastoring a local church,
  • 00:10:49.472 --> 00:10:51.107
  • And if there's one desire i've heard people discuss
  • 00:10:51.107 --> 00:10:54.276
  • More than any other, it is the certainty that
  • 00:10:54.276 --> 00:10:57.413
  • The power of god can make a difference in our lives.
  • 00:10:57.413 --> 00:11:00.216
  • In powering up, you'll learn how to lean on the power in the
  • 00:11:00.216 --> 00:11:03.586
  • Hope that the holy spirit provides. this will inspire you
  • 00:11:03.586 --> 00:11:07.289
  • To new heights in your spiritual journey. that's why i
  • 00:11:07.289 --> 00:11:10.526
  • Want to send you the book, “powering up,” to thank you for
  • 00:11:10.526 --> 00:11:13.395
  • Your generous donation to support this broadcast
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  • And powerpoint ministry.
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  • [announcer] receive your copy of “powering up” today. when
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  • You text power to 59789 and give your best gift.
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  • It's because of your faithful prayers and support that we are
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  • Able to take the hope of the gospel to people in need
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  • All around the world.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Good things can become bad things if they keep us from
  • 00:11:42.458 --> 00:11:47.062
  • Doing the best things!
  • 00:11:47.062 --> 00:11:50.199
  • A few examples: i have a cell phone. that cell phone is a
  • 00:11:50.199 --> 00:11:54.937
  • Great tool for me. i use it for ministry. i use it for calling
  • 00:11:54.937 --> 00:12:01.010
  • People... connecting with people. it's a great tool. but
  • 00:12:01.010 --> 00:12:03.813
  • I looked at my cell phone just this morning... it gave me my
  • 00:12:03.813 --> 00:12:06.682
  • Screen time average per day, and i said, "my goodness, i
  • 00:12:06.682 --> 00:12:10.986
  • Need to repent before i go out there today! how much time i
  • 00:12:10.986 --> 00:12:14.256
  • Spent on this screen just watching stuff; looking at
  • 00:12:14.256 --> 00:12:18.527
  • Stuff!" so, a good thing can become a bad thing if it keeps
  • 00:12:18.527 --> 00:12:22.464
  • Me from doing the best things.
  • 00:12:22.464 --> 00:12:24.500
  • I mean, we need to forever do away with the idea that we
  • 00:12:24.500 --> 00:12:27.469
  • Don't have time to pray. if you've got time to look at your
  • 00:12:27.469 --> 00:12:30.406
  • Screen... hours a week... you have time to pray! you say,
  • 00:12:30.406 --> 00:12:36.545
  • "well, why?" because you're serious about following jesus!
  • 00:12:36.545 --> 00:12:39.682
  • You're passionate about running this race! what does the bible
  • 00:12:39.682 --> 00:12:43.052
  • Say? the first commandment... "love the lord your god with
  • 00:12:43.052 --> 00:12:46.255
  • All your heart, mind, soul and strength!" if you're in this
  • 00:12:46.255 --> 00:12:51.560
  • You can't just be lollygagging through the race! this isn't a
  • 00:12:51.560 --> 00:12:54.730
  • Walk in the park! this is a contest and it's life or death!
  • 00:12:54.730 --> 00:12:59.034
  • It's heaven in front of us!
  • 00:12:59.034 --> 00:13:00.736
  • Now i want to say very quickly that god puts us in the race.
  • 00:13:00.736 --> 00:13:06.342
  • You don't get yourself in the race. if you're saved, you're
  • 00:13:06.342 --> 00:13:08.744
  • In the race. you're not running to try to gain or attain
  • 00:13:08.744 --> 00:13:12.848
  • Salvation. salvation puts you in the race. when you trust in
  • 00:13:12.848 --> 00:13:17.286
  • Jesus, you are in the race. again, i go back to the
  • 00:13:17.286 --> 00:13:19.922
  • Question though: how are you running? are you pursuing the
  • 00:13:19.922 --> 00:13:25.494
  • Will of god for your life? are you passionate about the things
  • 00:13:25.494 --> 00:13:28.898
  • Of god? are you running hard? or are you allowing stuff...
  • 00:13:28.898 --> 00:13:36.071
  • Could be things, possessions, entertainment, even family...
  • 00:13:36.071 --> 00:13:41.677
  • You say, "surely, he's not going to go after the family!"
  • 00:13:41.677 --> 00:13:44.647
  • Surely, i am! we love our family, but our families are
  • 00:13:44.647 --> 00:13:49.351
  • Not first in our lives if we're following jesus!
  • 00:13:49.351 --> 00:13:52.922
  • Jesus is first for all of us. what did he say? "if you're not
  • 00:13:52.922 --> 00:13:57.092
  • Willing to leave your mother and father and family and
  • 00:13:57.092 --> 00:13:59.662
  • Friends and follow me, you're not worthy of the kingdom of
  • 00:13:59.662 --> 00:14:02.097
  • God!" so, we love our family but how many of us are
  • 00:14:02.097 --> 00:14:07.736
  • Excessive in our family activities, our family
  • 00:14:07.736 --> 00:14:11.173
  • Responsibilities? we've got these select sports now. we
  • 00:14:11.173 --> 00:14:14.443
  • Want the best for our kids. we're running them out here;
  • 00:14:14.443 --> 00:14:16.812
  • We're spending money there. we got all our time and effort and
  • 00:14:16.812 --> 00:14:19.915
  • Energy in our kids, our families, our stuff, our
  • 00:14:19.915 --> 00:14:22.384
  • Vacations! and sometime... i'm not saying all the time, but
  • 00:14:22.384 --> 00:14:26.889
  • Sometimes all this effort, even for our families can be a...
  • 00:14:26.889 --> 00:14:32.761
  • Weight that holds us back from being our best for god, and
  • 00:14:32.761 --> 00:14:40.669
  • Teaching our children to be their best for god.
  • 00:14:40.669 --> 00:14:47.476
  • So, it's very important that you eliminate anything in your
  • 00:14:47.476 --> 00:14:51.046
  • Life... the stuff... could be your business. really your
  • 00:14:51.046 --> 00:14:56.719
  • Business is important, certainly if it's your
  • 00:14:56.719 --> 00:14:59.188
  • Calling... your career. i mean what you do for a living... i'm
  • 00:14:59.188 --> 00:15:02.825
  • Not saying give that up, but it can't be first. jesus is first.
  • 00:15:02.825 --> 00:15:08.731
  • We're running to him, and we're running hard for him! so,
  • 00:15:08.731 --> 00:15:14.136
  • Eliminate the stuff that slows us.
  • 00:15:14.136 --> 00:15:20.042
  • But then he says: "and the sin which (old king james put it)
  • 00:15:20.042 --> 00:15:26.081
  • Besets us." cling to us is the idea; the sin that trips us up.
  • 00:15:26.081 --> 00:15:35.624
  • Those things that slow us are impediments, but the things
  • 00:15:35.624 --> 00:15:41.864
  • That stop us... the sin that stops us... these are
  • 00:15:41.864 --> 00:15:46.101
  • Entanglements. stuff will slow you; sin will stop you in your
  • 00:15:46.101 --> 00:15:53.842
  • Tracks, and even put you out of the race!
  • 00:15:53.842 --> 00:16:01.817
  • Now when we confront sin in our life some people... the idea is
  • 00:16:01.817 --> 00:16:07.356
  • Here that sin clings to us. it's like an addiction. it just
  • 00:16:07.356 --> 00:16:14.797
  • Clings to us. holds us tight. won't let us go. trips us up.
  • 00:16:14.797 --> 00:16:22.771
  • And that sin means you can't win the race. some people cling
  • 00:16:22.771 --> 00:16:32.915
  • To their sin, they cherish their sin. they continue in
  • 00:16:32.915 --> 00:16:35.284
  • Their sin. the bible says, "if i regard... if i cherish sin in
  • 00:16:35.284 --> 00:16:41.957
  • My heart, god will not hear me." there's going to be a time
  • 00:16:41.957 --> 00:16:44.593
  • In your life, if not already, the fact that you could pray
  • 00:16:44.593 --> 00:16:47.529
  • And god would hear you would be the most important thing that
  • 00:16:47.529 --> 00:16:50.532
  • Will ever happen. and if you're cherishing, clinging to sin,
  • 00:16:50.532 --> 00:16:56.505
  • Regarding sin in your heart, that sin... "i like my sin... i
  • 00:16:56.505 --> 00:17:01.210
  • Like this sin... i don't want to stop doing this sin. i'm
  • 00:17:01.210 --> 00:17:05.447
  • Want to hang on to this. i'm going to run but i'm going to
  • 00:17:05.447 --> 00:17:10.119
  • Keep my sin." no, because your sin's going to trip you up.
  • 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:14.590
  • Your sin's going to put you down.
  • 00:17:14.590 --> 00:17:18.160
  • How many times have you heard me say sin will take
  • 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:22.664
  • You farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you
  • 00:17:22.664 --> 00:17:24.666
  • Want to stay, and cost you far more than you want to pay? as
  • 00:17:24.666 --> 00:17:29.071
  • One the ancient church fathers used to say, “you be killing
  • 00:17:29.071 --> 00:17:31.573
  • Sin and sin will be killing you.” don't cherish sin. don't
  • 00:17:31.573 --> 00:17:37.679
  • Try to control sin in your own power and your own strength.
  • 00:17:37.679 --> 00:17:41.717
  • Don't continue in your sin. it will trip you up, put you out
  • 00:17:41.717 --> 00:17:44.987
  • Of the race. it will put you down on your face. but confess
  • 00:17:44.987 --> 00:17:51.326
  • Your sin! which means to agree with god that this is not
  • 00:17:51.326 --> 00:17:56.498
  • Right; it's wrong! “god, i don't want this sin in my life!
  • 00:17:56.498 --> 00:17:59.902
  • I don't want to cling to my sin anymore! get rid of this sin by
  • 00:17:59.902 --> 00:18:03.105
  • The power of your grace.”
  • 00:18:03.105 --> 00:18:04.907
  • And here's the great news. even if you're down and defeated
  • 00:18:04.907 --> 00:18:09.144
  • Because of your sin, by god's grace you can get up and go
  • 00:18:09.144 --> 00:18:12.247
  • Again! you've stumbled; you've fallen; you're broken on the
  • 00:18:12.247 --> 00:18:20.055
  • Side of the road. god's mercy and grace is available! that's
  • 00:18:20.055 --> 00:18:24.726
  • Why jesus went to the cross. his blood of jesus christ can
  • 00:18:24.726 --> 00:18:28.931
  • Cleanse us from every sin. and, yes, christian, if you're
  • 00:18:28.931 --> 00:18:32.100
  • Down... if you're defeated... if you've stumbled... if you've
  • 00:18:32.100 --> 00:18:34.803
  • Cherished sin and held on to it and that addiction seems to
  • 00:18:34.803 --> 00:18:38.140
  • Have the best of you and you can't seem to let go...it won't
  • 00:18:38.140 --> 00:18:41.243
  • Let you go, i'm telling you by the power of jesus christ you
  • 00:18:41.243 --> 00:18:44.780
  • Can get up and go again! now you may... [applause] you
  • 00:18:44.780 --> 00:18:50.819
  • May... you may limp the rest of your life.
  • 00:18:50.819 --> 00:18:59.127
  • One of the heroes of the faith in hebrews chapter 11 was
  • 00:18:59.127 --> 00:19:03.165
  • Jacob. he's introduced in the hall of fame... chapter 11...
  • 00:19:03.165 --> 00:19:08.804
  • As israel. he had a new name. jacob was his old name. it
  • 00:19:08.804 --> 00:19:11.940
  • Meant cheater, skinflint. he spent most of his life running
  • 00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:15.244
  • From god. the one thing he had was his legs; he could run. he
  • 00:19:15.244 --> 00:19:19.881
  • Ran from god until god captured ... it's a bad idea, christian,
  • 00:19:19.881 --> 00:19:24.219
  • To run from god. god sent an angel and wrestled with jacob
  • 00:19:24.219 --> 00:19:32.361
  • All night. and then that angel kept a heavenly hold on him,
  • 00:19:32.361 --> 00:19:37.599
  • Took his hip out of socket, crushed his resistance to god's
  • 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:42.771
  • Will. jacob surrendered to the lord, stopped running, stopped
  • 00:19:42.771 --> 00:19:47.542
  • Running from god and started running to god. that's what
  • 00:19:47.542 --> 00:19:49.745
  • Repentance is. "i was running away from god; now i start
  • 00:19:49.745 --> 00:19:53.882
  • Running to him. i repent." that's what repentance is.
  • 00:19:53.882 --> 00:19:56.418
  • So, jacob got up, got a new name... israel... prince of
  • 00:19:56.418 --> 00:20:02.457
  • God. but now he's not running; he's limping. and it came time
  • 00:20:02.457 --> 00:20:11.933
  • To put him in the hall of fame, the faith hall of fame. of all
  • 00:20:11.933 --> 00:20:18.273
  • The adventures of faith that are in this chapter his is kind
  • 00:20:18.273 --> 00:20:21.510
  • Of a letdown. you what it says? it says, "and israel worshiped
  • 00:20:21.510 --> 00:20:26.315
  • God." well, that's a good thing. but he worshipped god
  • 00:20:26.315 --> 00:20:29.451
  • Leaning on his staff! that old man, now he was still limping,
  • 00:20:29.451 --> 00:20:36.158
  • But at the end he learned how to lean. he learned how to
  • 00:20:36.158 --> 00:20:40.362
  • Worship god, trust god. it took some falls and some failures.
  • 00:20:40.362 --> 00:20:45.067
  • Sometimes we learn more in our losses than we do in our
  • 00:20:45.067 --> 00:20:47.269
  • Victories. but if you're down because of sin, you can get up.
  • 00:20:47.269 --> 00:20:54.776
  • That's what the cross... that's what the resurrection is all
  • 00:20:54.776 --> 00:20:58.113
  • About.
  • 00:20:58.113 --> 00:21:00.949
  • The next thing is never quit. quitting is not an option if
  • 00:21:00.949 --> 00:21:06.521
  • You want to win. and here's the thing, you may have been
  • 00:21:06.521 --> 00:21:11.259
  • Running a long time up until now, but if you quit before the
  • 00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:15.397
  • Finish line, you lose! you lose what? you lose your reward; you
  • 00:21:15.397 --> 00:21:20.135
  • Lose your great victory in christ. you lose your
  • 00:21:20.135 --> 00:21:23.305
  • Testimony. you can lose a lot of things if you don't finish.
  • 00:21:23.305 --> 00:21:28.744
  • So, no matter how long you've been in this race, don't you
  • 00:21:28.744 --> 00:21:32.047
  • Ever quit!
  • 00:21:32.047 --> 00:21:33.348
  • Some of you are older now and you're thinking about retiring.
  • 00:21:33.348 --> 00:21:35.717
  • Well, what does that mean? fine, retire from your job! but
  • 00:21:35.717 --> 00:21:40.422
  • You never retire from running for the lord. you never give up
  • 00:21:40.422 --> 00:21:44.826
  • On that? what are you going to do the rest of your life?
  • 00:21:44.826 --> 00:21:47.262
  • Collect shells? play golf? ride around in one of those little
  • 00:21:47.262 --> 00:21:51.566
  • Golf carts? god's calling you up higher than that! he's
  • 00:21:51.566 --> 00:21:56.638
  • Calling you onward and upward to do something for him!
  • 00:21:56.638 --> 00:21:59.274
  • I tell you, god put me in this race as a boy when i became a
  • 00:21:59.274 --> 00:22:02.577
  • Christian and called me to be a preacher of the gospel when i
  • 00:22:02.577 --> 00:22:06.748
  • Was 15. i will be in this race till my last breath! i will
  • 00:22:06.748 --> 00:22:11.453
  • Never stop preaching as long as god is giving me breath!
  • 00:22:11.453 --> 00:22:15.991
  • [applause] i'll do other things in my life than this right
  • 00:22:15.991 --> 00:22:18.093
  • Here, but i'm just telling you, you're never going to quit what
  • 00:22:18.093 --> 00:22:22.063
  • God has called you to do! never quit! endure! persevere! and
  • 00:22:22.063 --> 00:22:27.969
  • You say, “well, i'm tired! i'm old!” if you're not dead,
  • 00:22:27.969 --> 00:22:31.339
  • You're not done! [laughter] [chuckles] so keep running!
  • 00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:41.216
  • It is saint patrick's day, so i bring you an irish prayer, and
  • 00:22:41.216 --> 00:22:50.859
  • It's a beautiful prayer. “may the road rise to meet you, may
  • 00:22:50.859 --> 00:22:55.230
  • The wind be always at your back; may the sunshine warm
  • 00:22:55.230 --> 00:22:58.834
  • Upon your face, the rains fall short upon your fields. and
  • 00:22:58.834 --> 00:23:02.170
  • Until we meet again, may god hold you in the palm of his
  • 00:23:02.170 --> 00:23:05.740
  • Hand.” that would be a good benediction. but it's not the
  • 00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:10.145
  • Benediction. hang on! persevere here. [laughter] i like that!
  • 00:23:10.145 --> 00:23:16.485
  • “may the road rise to meet you; may the wind be at your back.”
  • 00:23:16.485 --> 00:23:21.056
  • I mean, that's good, isn't it? you're in the zone. you're
  • 00:23:21.056 --> 00:23:23.892
  • Running; you're trekking, and the sun's on your face, and
  • 00:23:23.892 --> 00:23:27.529
  • Even if it rains, it's just a sprinkle.
  • 00:23:27.529 --> 00:23:31.967
  • But life isn't always like that, is it? the wind's not
  • 00:23:31.967 --> 00:23:37.439
  • Always at our back. sometimes it's right in our faces. the
  • 00:23:37.439 --> 00:23:42.577
  • Sprinkle turns to a storm. and we find out we're not going
  • 00:23:42.577 --> 00:23:49.985
  • Downhill, we're running uphill. how many of you maybe walked in
  • 00:23:49.985 --> 00:23:52.754
  • Here today... you feel like you're running uphill in the
  • 00:23:52.754 --> 00:23:55.223
  • Rain and in the storm? and it's hard, and you feel like you
  • 00:23:55.223 --> 00:24:00.929
  • Want to quit. what do you do? you get your eyes on jesus.
  • 00:24:00.929 --> 00:24:08.236
  • That's what this passage says. it's really all about... it's
  • 00:24:08.236 --> 00:24:11.239
  • What the book of hebrews is about... all about jesus. the
  • 00:24:11.239 --> 00:24:15.043
  • Race is all about him! enduring is all about looking unto
  • 00:24:15.043 --> 00:24:20.115
  • Jesus. "look full in his wonderful face; / the things of
  • 00:24:20.115 --> 00:24:22.651
  • This world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory
  • 00:24:22.651 --> 00:24:25.787
  • And grace." "there's a race that i must run; there's a
  • 00:24:25.787 --> 00:24:28.156
  • Victory to be won. / every hour, by thy power, /keep me
  • 00:24:28.156 --> 00:24:31.426
  • True." all these songs about finishing. i want to finish.
  • 00:24:31.426 --> 00:24:37.799
  • When it gets hard and when the wind is blowing against you and
  • 00:24:37.799 --> 00:24:41.136
  • It's tough, remember jesus... consider jesus who did not quit
  • 00:24:41.136 --> 00:24:45.540
  • On us when he carrying the cross... all the pain and all
  • 00:24:45.540 --> 00:24:52.080
  • The shame... when he's carrying the cross! and every ounce and
  • 00:24:52.080 --> 00:24:56.318
  • Inch of his body was crying out "quit!", people... mockers are
  • 00:24:56.318 --> 00:25:04.893
  • Saying, "if you're the son of god, come down off the cross!
  • 00:25:04.893 --> 00:25:08.463
  • Quit!" the demons in hell are mocking, "quit!" but jesus
  • 00:25:08.463 --> 00:25:15.537
  • Didn't quit; he went all the way to the end and he cried out
  • 00:25:15.537 --> 00:25:19.474
  • "tetelestai... it is finished!" jesus finished for you and for
  • 00:25:19.474 --> 00:25:24.245
  • Me, so we consider him; we concentrate on him! it's a word
  • 00:25:24.245 --> 00:25:30.952
  • There... look to jesus which means get your eyes off of
  • 00:25:30.952 --> 00:25:33.321
  • Everything else and stay focused on jesus christ. every
  • 00:25:33.321 --> 00:25:36.691
  • Athlete knows you have to stay focused on the goal. the goal
  • 00:25:36.691 --> 00:25:41.429
  • Is our god! the goal is jesus himself.
  • 00:25:41.429 --> 00:25:45.133
  • Well, i'm going to close with a prayer for you from saint
  • 00:25:45.133 --> 00:25:50.605
  • Patrick. yes, saint patrick. saint patrick was a missionary.
  • 00:25:50.605 --> 00:26:00.081
  • You say, this saint patrick day thing, it's all about the luck
  • 00:26:00.081 --> 00:26:02.684
  • Of the irish down, drinking green beer, i guess. but that's
  • 00:26:02.684 --> 00:26:06.788
  • Not what saint patrick was about. saint patrick was an
  • 00:26:06.788 --> 00:26:09.758
  • Evangelist. he loved jesus! and there is a great prayer
  • 00:26:09.758 --> 00:26:15.163
  • Attributed to him. and it's really what... what it means to
  • 00:26:15.163 --> 00:26:21.536
  • Look to jesus and to endure and finish and persevere with
  • 00:26:21.536 --> 00:26:25.674
  • Jesus. here's what saint patrick prayed:
  • 00:26:25.674 --> 00:26:27.842
  • “as i rise today may the strength of god pilot me, the
  • 00:26:27.842 --> 00:26:32.347
  • Power of god uphold me, the wisdom of god guide me. may the
  • 00:26:32.347 --> 00:26:35.917
  • Eye of god look before, the ear of god hear me, the word of god
  • 00:26:35.917 --> 00:26:39.120
  • Speak for me. may the hand of god protect me, the way of god
  • 00:26:39.120 --> 00:26:42.524
  • Lie before me, the shield of god defend me, the host of god
  • 00:26:42.524 --> 00:26:45.994
  • Save me. (and watch this) may christ shield me today, christ
  • 00:26:45.994 --> 00:26:53.034
  • With me, christ before me, christ behind me, christ in me,
  • 00:26:53.034 --> 00:26:57.772
  • Christ beneath me, christ above me, christ on my right, christ
  • 00:26:57.772 --> 00:27:01.943
  • On my left, christ when i lie down, christ when i sit, christ
  • 00:27:01.943 --> 00:27:05.847
  • When i stand, christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of
  • 00:27:05.847 --> 00:27:08.883
  • Me, christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
  • 00:27:08.883 --> 00:27:11.820
  • Christ in every eye that sees me, christ in every ear that
  • 00:27:11.820 --> 00:27:16.091
  • Hears me!”
  • 00:27:16.091 --> 00:27:16.991
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:16.991 --> 00:27:16.991