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Power Point with Jack Graham

Jack Graham - Finish The Race

July 20, 2025 | 29:30

Jack Graham - Finish The Race
Dr. Jack Graham's mission is to glorify God by introducing Jesus Christ as Lord to all people.
#WordofGod #Repentance #EmotionalHealth #SpiritualFoundation #Temptation #Meditation #TrustGod #Faith #Respect

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Power Point with Jack Graham | Jack Graham - Finish The Race | July 20, 2025
  • ♪♪♪
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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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  • We're in a series on... in the book of hebrews, the letter to
  • 00:00:38.495 --> 00:00:42.098
  • The hebrews, we're calling it going the distance: developing
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  • A muscular faith. so i want to fast-forward a little bit in
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  • Our text in hebrews to the twelfth chapter in hebrews is
  • 00:00:53.143 --> 00:00:57.046
  • Describing here in hebrews, the twelfth chapter, a great race.
  • 00:00:57.046 --> 00:01:03.453
  • Now remember, the hebrew believers... the christians
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  • Were discouraged. and some may have been slowing down. some
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  • Were even considering getting out of the race. some were
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  • Thinking about going back to their old way of life. and yet
  • 00:01:18.635 --> 00:01:24.174
  • We're told in hebrews, chapter 6, that we are to go on to
  • 00:01:24.174 --> 00:01:29.245
  • Maturity, and thus our theme going the distance. it's...
  • 00:01:29.245 --> 00:01:33.216
  • It's about always moving forward, onward and upward. let
  • 00:01:33.216 --> 00:01:38.054
  • Us go on to perfection... that is, maturity. keep going! and
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  • Never quit.
  • 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:44.227
  • Now the christian life is much like a race. some of you have
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  • Run marathons and that's a long distance race, of course. but
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  • The christian life is not a sprint; it is a marathon, but
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  • More than a marathon, it is like cross-country. it's a
  • 00:01:57.207 --> 00:01:59.876
  • Marathon with obstacles along the way, and challenges along
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  • The way. and we are called as christians not just to start
  • 00:02:04.581 --> 00:02:08.184
  • The race, not just to get in. now, you must get in, and the
  • 00:02:08.184 --> 00:02:11.588
  • Way you get in the race is by responding to the gospel:
  • 00:02:11.588 --> 00:02:15.024
  • Receiving christ as your savior- who died for you and
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  • Rose again. and when you trust in christ, repenting of your
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  • Sin and receiving him as your lord and savior, that puts you
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  • In the race. now that you're in the race, we are to run that
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  • Race all the way to the finish.
  • 00:02:30.907 --> 00:02:33.543
  • And in today's message from hebrews 12:1 and 2, i want to
  • 00:02:33.543 --> 00:02:38.514
  • Give you some... some strategies. i want to coach you
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  • Up, i guess, is one way of putting it from god's word as
  • 00:02:42.085 --> 00:02:46.289
  • To how we may finish. look at chapter 12, verses 1 and 2:
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  • 1) therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud
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  • Of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin
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  • Which clings so closely, and let us run (say it, run) [run]
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  • Run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2)
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  • Looking to jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who
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  • For the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
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  • Despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the
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  • Throne of god.
  • 00:03:23.293 --> 00:03:25.295
  • So there you have it. how to move forward in your faith! not
  • 00:03:25.295 --> 00:03:32.268
  • Just to start, but to finish and to finish well. to finish
  • 00:03:32.268 --> 00:03:37.573
  • With your hands held high in a sprint to the finish line,
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  • Bursting into the streets of glory!
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  • God made you, as a believer, to win. and that's not a cliché.
  • 00:03:46.616 --> 00:03:54.290
  • Truly we are called to live in spiritual victory. and
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  • Spiritual victory is to live with hope! it is to live with
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  • Peace and joy and strength and, yes, love, which is stronger
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  • Than all. because we have the presence of god's spirit living
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  • In us. the victor lives in us.
  • 00:04:13.609 --> 00:04:18.114
  • Now life is so hard for so many people. we know that. some of
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  • You who are listening to me, watching today, your life is
  • 00:04:22.785 --> 00:04:26.189
  • Filled with a lot of chaos and confusion. there is so much
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  • Heartache and heart break in peoples' lives today. and you
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  • Can do one of two things: in the midst of all the obstacles
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  • And challenges that you're facing in your life. you can
  • 00:04:41.003 --> 00:04:44.307
  • Concede defeat and give up, or you can declare your victory in
  • 00:04:44.307 --> 00:04:55.752
  • The lord jesus christ, and keep going! it's your choice: to
  • 00:04:55.752 --> 00:05:02.291
  • Give up or to go on, to live a defeated life which is a
  • 00:05:02.291 --> 00:05:08.097
  • Miserable life, no way to live. or as the apostle paul says in
  • 00:05:08.097 --> 00:05:13.236
  • Romans 8:37, to live as a conqueror. "we are more than
  • 00:05:13.236 --> 00:05:18.875
  • Conquerors through our lord jesus christ." more than
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  • Conquerors! not just conquerors, but super
  • 00:05:21.611 --> 00:05:23.813
  • Conquerors! that means we don't just barely get by, we don't
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  • Squeak by, we win big time! more than conquerors! and you
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  • Can choose ... hear me... you can choose victory! but that
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  • Means you must be in the race every day, all the way.
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  • Many believers are not finishing. well, at least
  • 00:05:45.701 --> 00:05:50.273
  • They're not finishing well. they're failing, not finishing.
  • 00:05:50.273 --> 00:05:56.446
  • Many christians are weakened, not winning; crashing and
  • 00:05:56.446 --> 00:06:00.850
  • Burning and not finishing well. why... why? too much weight,
  • 00:06:00.850 --> 00:06:14.096
  • Too much weight! that's why the scripture says here get rid of
  • 00:06:14.096 --> 00:06:19.302
  • The excessive weight. "laying aside every weight and the sin
  • 00:06:19.302 --> 00:06:24.540
  • Which holds us back." too much weight!
  • 00:06:24.540 --> 00:06:28.511
  • We're carrying too much baggage from our past.
  • 00:06:28.511 --> 00:06:32.515
  • Now one of the problems i've had in traveling over the years
  • 00:06:32.515 --> 00:06:35.518
  • Is packing too much stuff. you know, i'm a packer, far more
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  • Than deb. i mean i would think about some of these israel
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  • Trips that we've taken in the past and i would pour books in
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  • There. those are like bricks in a suitcase; and carry a bag,
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  • And all these clothes and extra things that i put in the bag.
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  • And, you know, i'm carrying something over my shoulder and
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  • Rolling a bag, checking a bag, and i get over there. i don't
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  • Even use half the stuff that i take.
  • 00:07:01.143 --> 00:07:03.212
  • But this year was different. i toned it down and we packed one
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  • Bag each, and i actually carried a european male
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  • Carryon... [laughter] a man-bag [laughter], a "murse".
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  • [laughter] i mean, i'm down to this. don't judge me, because
  • 00:07:30.573 --> 00:07:33.242
  • Actually you... you ladies have had it right all along!
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  • [laughter] i mean, you could carry all kinds of stuff in
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  • Your "murse"! i mean there's you know, my nose inhaler,
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  • There's pens, there's medicine, there's chapstick; you could
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  • Put a book in there, you could put an ipad in there, you could
  • 00:07:49.725 --> 00:07:52.194
  • Put your keys in there, your altoids. you can throw a lot of
  • 00:07:52.194 --> 00:07:55.798
  • Stuff in a man bag! then all you do, you know, over your
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  • Shoulder. it goes well with my outfit, don't you think?
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  • [laughter] yeah! [applause, laughter] i got rid of the
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  • Weight! and you can't believe how exciting it was just coming
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  • Through the airport, just swagging with my bag!
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  • [laughter] i wasn't rolling anything. i wasn't carrying
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  • Anything. i was just man-bagging it and it was very
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  • Good.
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  • Well, in life you need to trim down the stuff in your life
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  • That may be slowing you down, the excess baggage in your life
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  • That's keeping you as you run the race around this planet,
  • 00:08:36.505 --> 00:08:40.142
  • Keeping you from achieving god's best for your life. if
  • 00:08:40.142 --> 00:08:43.245
  • You're carrying baggage... and many people are... baggage from
  • 00:08:43.245 --> 00:08:48.517
  • Their past... whether it is bitterness or anger or
  • 00:08:48.517 --> 00:08:52.989
  • Unforgiveness or shame or fears... anxiety... all that
  • 00:08:52.989 --> 00:08:59.161
  • Stuff is toxic and it's just extra weight in your life that
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  • You don't need. you can't go forward the way god has made
  • 00:09:05.167 --> 00:09:09.372
  • You to win if you're always dragging excess luggage and
  • 00:09:09.372 --> 00:09:14.644
  • Baggage in your life. so what you need to do is stop and get
  • 00:09:14.644 --> 00:09:18.114
  • Rid of it, get a new plan, give it to god, because it's keeping
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  • You from running well and finishing well.
  • 00:09:26.422 --> 00:09:30.159
  • Now what slows you down... and it may be neutral in terms of
  • 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:36.632
  • Sin or not sin, but what slows you down can also lead us to
  • 00:09:36.632 --> 00:09:44.040
  • Sin. if what you're doing is taking you nowhere... if it's
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  • Taking you out of obedience to god in some way, if it is
  • 00:09:48.644 --> 00:09:51.747
  • Dulling your life of prayer and your hunger for god's word. the
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  • Desires to be spiritually... spiritually healthy, then it
  • 00:09:56.318 --> 00:09:59.655
  • Can become sin; a weight.
  • 00:09:59.655 --> 00:10:02.224
  • Listen to me. you want to know what a weight is? a weight is
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  • Anything that would distract you, divert you or dull your
  • 00:10:05.194 --> 00:10:09.398
  • Spiritual senses, or ultimately defeat you as you're running
  • 00:10:09.398 --> 00:10:14.070
  • The race of christ. anything that keeps you from becoming
  • 00:10:14.070 --> 00:10:19.475
  • The man, the woman that god has called you to be! now, how do
  • 00:10:19.475 --> 00:10:26.682
  • You determine that? what's good, what's bad, what's... how
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  • You're in and how you're out on some of these things?
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  • Well, over the years i've developed a check list that i
  • 00:10:32.521 --> 00:10:35.658
  • Want to give you today that helps me decide on some of the
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  • Things i do or don't do in my life, so that i can make right
  • 00:10:39.528 --> 00:10:43.532
  • Choices, especially in some of those so-called gray areas.
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  • It's not black; it's not white; it's not verse and number in
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  • Our bibles, but it's a choice that we must make. these are...
  • 00:10:50.372 --> 00:10:54.243
  • These are principles. someone called them principles for
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  • Proper practice. (that's a tongue-twister) but principles
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  • For making good decisions in your life.
  • 00:11:01.650 --> 00:11:04.353
  • So i ask these questions and i give them to you today:
  • 00:11:04.353 --> 00:11:08.224
  • Number one, is it constructive... is it
  • 00:11:08.224 --> 00:11:12.962
  • Constructive? look in your bibles at 1 corinthians 6, and
  • 00:11:12.962 --> 00:11:19.435
  • Verse 12. the apostle says, "all things are lawful for me,
  • 00:11:19.435 --> 00:11:28.077
  • But not all things are helpful." that is,
  • 00:11:28.077 --> 00:11:32.548
  • Constructive; expedient is given is some translations. not
  • 00:11:32.548 --> 00:11:36.919
  • Everything is expeditious; it doesn't move us forward in the
  • 00:11:36.919 --> 00:11:41.490
  • Expedition of life... in the race of life. "all things are
  • 00:11:41.490 --> 00:11:44.660
  • Lawful for me, but i will not be dominated by anything." so
  • 00:11:44.660 --> 00:11:51.367
  • Ask yourself when it comes to activities, entertainment,
  • 00:11:51.367 --> 00:11:55.871
  • Decisions, choices in your life, is this helpful? is it
  • 00:11:55.871 --> 00:11:59.708
  • Constructive? is it getting me down the road, forward in the
  • 00:11:59.708 --> 00:12:04.280
  • Race of life?
  • 00:12:04.280 --> 00:12:05.548
  • ♪♪♪
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  • The living word of god is filled with people who came
  • 00:12:18.227 --> 00:12:21.564
  • Face to face with god in the night seasons of their lives.
  • 00:12:21.564 --> 00:12:25.434
  • For example, jacob wrestled with god at night. jonah ran
  • 00:12:25.434 --> 00:12:29.238
  • Away into the darkness from god's call. daniel faced lions.
  • 00:12:29.238 --> 00:12:33.075
  • And then you have elijah, nicodemus, and peter, all who
  • 00:12:33.075 --> 00:12:36.545
  • Faced in night seasons, failures and fears rocked by
  • 00:12:36.545 --> 00:12:40.850
  • The storms of life, their stories are just like ours.
  • 00:12:40.850 --> 00:12:45.054
  • And in your darkest hour in the night seasons of your life. the
  • 00:12:45.054 --> 00:12:49.358
  • Very same god who shut the mouths of lions is also present
  • 00:12:49.358 --> 00:12:53.229
  • Today.
  • 00:12:53.229 --> 00:12:54.496
  • In “diamonds in the dark,” i unpack these biblical truths
  • 00:12:54.496 --> 00:12:57.099
  • That will keep you focused on god saving grace through every
  • 00:12:57.099 --> 00:13:01.003
  • Character building storm that comes. and i want to share this
  • 00:13:01.003 --> 00:13:04.874
  • Book with you today.
  • 00:13:04.874 --> 00:13:07.810
  • [announcer] when you give your best gift today, we'll send you
  • 00:13:07.810 --> 00:13:09.979
  • A copy of diamonds in the dark. it will illuminate god's word
  • 00:13:09.979 --> 00:13:13.549
  • For you in the darkest of times.
  • 00:13:13.549 --> 00:13:15.651
  • Just go to jackgraham.org.
  • 00:13:15.651 --> 00:13:17.887
  • Call
  • 00:13:17.887 --> 00:13:18.721
  • Or text the word diamonds to 59789.
  • 00:13:18.721 --> 00:13:22.124
  • [jack graham] your gift today will help us continue to share
  • 00:13:22.124 --> 00:13:24.860
  • The good news of jesus on this station, and to a world in need.
  • 00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:30.366
  • So simply contact us today and we will send you my book,
  • 00:13:30.366 --> 00:13:34.036
  • Diamonds in the dark, so that you may grow in your faith even
  • 00:13:34.036 --> 00:13:37.506
  • In the darkest hours of your life.
  • 00:13:37.506 --> 00:13:44.213
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:13:44.513 --> 00:13:51.720
  • Number two, is it controlling? again, 1 corinthians 6:12... at
  • 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:54.757
  • The end of that verse, we read it: "i will not be dominated or
  • 00:13:54.757 --> 00:14:01.330
  • Controlled by anything!" i don't want to be controlled or
  • 00:14:01.330 --> 00:14:10.139
  • Addicted to anything in my life. no habit is worth that. i
  • 00:14:10.139 --> 00:14:16.612
  • Don't want food or drink or entertainment or certain
  • 00:14:16.612 --> 00:14:20.449
  • Activities... i don't want to be under the power of anything!
  • 00:14:20.449 --> 00:14:26.522
  • That's what paul is saying, and that's what i'm saying! i don't
  • 00:14:26.522 --> 00:14:31.627
  • Want to be under the power of greed, and therefore, i gamble.
  • 00:14:31.627 --> 00:14:36.632
  • I don't want to be under the power of alcohol so i don't
  • 00:14:36.632 --> 00:14:42.104
  • Drink! i don't need these things in my life to make me
  • 00:14:42.104 --> 00:14:48.944
  • Happy, to be fulfilled or satisfied.
  • 00:14:48.944 --> 00:14:55.951
  • I hear christians today defending alcohol, and my
  • 00:14:55.951 --> 00:15:03.792
  • Answer to that is alcohol has many defenders but no defense.
  • 00:15:03.792 --> 00:15:10.799
  • I can tell you as a pastor i've really never seen one good
  • 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:15.070
  • Thing come from alcohol. so i've chosen to abstain from
  • 00:15:15.070 --> 00:15:21.443
  • Alcohol. i always have. and i... i believe i'm better for
  • 00:15:21.443 --> 00:15:26.815
  • It. i just don't need it. and especially, you know, i don't
  • 00:15:26.815 --> 00:15:31.620
  • Want to be under the control. how do i know that i wouldn't
  • 00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:35.991
  • Be under the control of something? in other words, i
  • 00:15:35.991 --> 00:15:38.060
  • Need it. first the man takes the drink; then the drink takes
  • 00:15:38.060 --> 00:15:40.596
  • The man.
  • 00:15:40.596 --> 00:15:44.533
  • Ephesians 5:18 says "don't be drunk with wine." we know
  • 00:15:44.533 --> 00:15:50.372
  • Drunkenness is a sin. how much alcohol do you have to drink to
  • 00:15:50.372 --> 00:15:54.176
  • Get a buzz, to be drunk, to be under the influence? i don't
  • 00:15:54.176 --> 00:15:57.479
  • Know. but don't be drunk with alcohol, "but be filled with
  • 00:15:57.479 --> 00:16:03.786
  • The holy spirit!" years ago i took a drink that satisfies...
  • 00:16:03.786 --> 00:16:08.657
  • The spirit of god filled me! and i don't need artificial
  • 00:16:08.657 --> 00:16:14.296
  • Substances or beverages to make me happy. i actually have a
  • 00:16:14.296 --> 00:16:19.635
  • Good time without it!
  • 00:16:19.635 --> 00:16:22.171
  • But that's just one thing. but i'm saying anything in your
  • 00:16:22.171 --> 00:16:26.008
  • Life that is... that causes you to be self indulgent and can
  • 00:16:26.008 --> 00:16:33.182
  • Control you... you know, if you never take a drink, you'll
  • 00:16:33.182 --> 00:16:35.584
  • Never be controlled by alcohol. and i would advise your
  • 00:16:35.584 --> 00:16:39.455
  • Children and mine and my grandchildren... i would advise
  • 00:16:39.455 --> 00:16:42.391
  • Them all don't ever touch it. don't touch it. it's a viper.
  • 00:16:42.391 --> 00:16:48.230
  • And then thirdly, is it conscionable... conscionable?
  • 00:16:48.230 --> 00:16:53.502
  • In other words is my conscience good on this? now this is a
  • 00:16:53.502 --> 00:16:57.606
  • Tricky one. turn to romans chapter 14... romans chapter 14
  • 00:16:57.606 --> 00:17:03.846
  • Verses 22 and 23. is it conscionable? "the faith that
  • 00:17:03.846 --> 00:17:08.250
  • You have keep between yourself and god." that is your inner
  • 00:17:08.250 --> 00:17:11.620
  • Person. "blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment
  • 00:17:11.620 --> 00:17:15.124
  • On himself for one he approves." it's talking about
  • 00:17:15.124 --> 00:17:18.827
  • Your character, your conscience, and what you say
  • 00:17:18.827 --> 00:17:20.929
  • Yes to, what you say no to, what you approve. "but whoever
  • 00:17:20.929 --> 00:17:24.600
  • Has doubts is condemned if he eats..." he's talking about
  • 00:17:24.600 --> 00:17:27.436
  • Certain religious rituals and rites. he says "because the
  • 00:17:27.436 --> 00:17:30.572
  • Eating is not from faith." and then he adds, "for whatever
  • 00:17:30.572 --> 00:17:33.809
  • Does not proceed from faith is sin."
  • 00:17:33.809 --> 00:17:38.514
  • If i cannot do something and have my whole heart in it, my
  • 00:17:38.514 --> 00:17:42.050
  • Conscience... now again this is a tricky one because our
  • 00:17:42.050 --> 00:17:44.920
  • Conscience should always be guided, not by our feelings or
  • 00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:48.123
  • Emotions but by the scripture as we fill our minds and hearts
  • 00:17:48.123 --> 00:17:51.793
  • With the word of god. but in another sense the spirit of god
  • 00:17:51.793 --> 00:17:55.931
  • Works in us and there should be a clear cut sense of right and
  • 00:17:55.931 --> 00:18:03.005
  • Wrong when you come to a decision. and whatever is not
  • 00:18:03.005 --> 00:18:07.109
  • Of faith is sin, according to god's word. in other words,
  • 00:18:07.109 --> 00:18:10.412
  • It's a simple maxim: when in doubt, don't!
  • 00:18:10.412 --> 00:18:18.387
  • If the warning light comes on your dashboard of your car, you
  • 00:18:18.387 --> 00:18:22.491
  • Could say, well, that's nothing, and you find out it's
  • 00:18:22.491 --> 00:18:27.029
  • Something when the car breaks down. the warning light... if
  • 00:18:27.029 --> 00:18:31.333
  • The warning light goes off in your life when you're about to
  • 00:18:31.333 --> 00:18:34.603
  • Say something, do something, be something, then that is a cause
  • 00:18:34.603 --> 00:18:38.207
  • To pause and say, "lord, what do you want me to do?" and if
  • 00:18:38.207 --> 00:18:43.545
  • You have an uneasy spirit... if you have an unsure conscience
  • 00:18:43.545 --> 00:18:52.254
  • Towards something in your life, that's a clue. ding, ding,
  • 00:18:52.254 --> 00:18:57.359
  • Ding. that's a clue from god by his spirit that you ought to
  • 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:04.333
  • Hold off from doing that thing. is it conscionable? can i do
  • 00:19:04.333 --> 00:19:10.906
  • This thing with a good, healthy conscience?
  • 00:19:10.906 --> 00:19:16.845
  • One of our problems is rationalizing sin. we say
  • 00:19:16.845 --> 00:19:20.849
  • Things like, "well, i know... i know christians who do it. i
  • 00:19:20.849 --> 00:19:25.153
  • Know christians who do this or that, and they even appear to
  • 00:19:25.153 --> 00:19:29.091
  • Be really, really, really good christians! so i guess if it's
  • 00:19:29.091 --> 00:19:34.229
  • Okay for them, it's okay for me." and that's confusing to a
  • 00:19:34.229 --> 00:19:39.635
  • Lot of people.
  • 00:19:39.635 --> 00:19:41.903
  • I've always had in my head this little thought when it comes to
  • 00:19:41.903 --> 00:19:45.507
  • Doing something wrong that maybe what i perceive to be,
  • 00:19:45.507 --> 00:19:48.343
  • What violates my conscience or convictions. seeing someone do
  • 00:19:48.343 --> 00:19:51.713
  • That as a christian. maybe i admire them as a christian but
  • 00:19:51.713 --> 00:19:54.416
  • I see them doing it, something goes off in my head that says
  • 00:19:54.416 --> 00:19:57.719
  • Others may, but you may not. i don't know, that's just me.
  • 00:19:57.719 --> 00:20:03.025
  • Because i just know me. i know certain things in my life would
  • 00:20:03.025 --> 00:20:06.595
  • Set me off in a direction i don't want to go. so run your
  • 00:20:06.595 --> 00:20:14.703
  • Own race!
  • 00:20:14.703 --> 00:20:17.873
  • And then there's a final thing and that's is it charitable?
  • 00:20:17.873 --> 00:20:21.076
  • Romans 14: 15 and 16 and then verse 21. look at them: "for if
  • 00:20:21.076 --> 00:20:28.550
  • Your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer
  • 00:20:28.550 --> 00:20:31.253
  • Walking in love." in other words, if you do something that
  • 00:20:31.253 --> 00:20:34.990
  • Grieves a brother in christ... a sister... whether it's what
  • 00:20:34.990 --> 00:20:40.395
  • You eat, or otherwise, "do not destroy the one for whom christ
  • 00:20:40.395 --> 00:20:44.933
  • Died. so do not let what you regard as good to be spoken
  • 00:20:44.933 --> 00:20:50.138
  • About as evil." verse 21, look at it. very important. "it is
  • 00:20:50.138 --> 00:20:55.677
  • Good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes
  • 00:20:55.677 --> 00:20:58.747
  • Your brother to stumble."
  • 00:20:58.747 --> 00:21:02.217
  • Now that's the christian principle and perspective on
  • 00:21:02.217 --> 00:21:05.821
  • Life. it's love. love covers everything. you say, “well i
  • 00:21:05.821 --> 00:21:14.129
  • Have a liberty. i'm living in liberty. i'm not under the
  • 00:21:14.129 --> 00:21:18.767
  • Law.” no, you're not under the law. you are under grace. and
  • 00:21:18.767 --> 00:21:21.036
  • There is a liberty in christ for sure! but let me tell you
  • 00:21:21.036 --> 00:21:26.141
  • Something, love trumps liberty in what i do every time. love
  • 00:21:26.141 --> 00:21:31.747
  • Always wins, and love wins, love is the winning formula for
  • 00:21:31.747 --> 00:21:36.818
  • Life.
  • 00:21:36.818 --> 00:21:38.854
  • In the christian faith we want to take others to heaven with
  • 00:21:38.854 --> 00:21:42.057
  • Us. our testimony is at stake, our witness is at risk when we
  • 00:21:42.057 --> 00:21:49.731
  • Do those things which are compromised at some level, when
  • 00:21:49.731 --> 00:21:53.769
  • We do certain things in the name of liberty but not love.
  • 00:21:53.769 --> 00:21:57.606
  • Don't do anything that could keep people from christ, that
  • 00:21:57.606 --> 00:22:01.143
  • Would cause them to reject christ or for a christian
  • 00:22:01.143 --> 00:22:03.645
  • Brother or sister to stumble and fall and fail! don't damage
  • 00:22:03.645 --> 00:22:07.749
  • Your testimony! don't be a stumbling block!
  • 00:22:07.749 --> 00:22:13.755
  • Be a stepping stone for people to come to christ. ask the holy
  • 00:22:13.755 --> 00:22:19.828
  • Spirit to prompt you, to prove you, to purify you as you go
  • 00:22:19.828 --> 00:22:24.499
  • Forward. we all have weaknesses. we all have
  • 00:22:24.499 --> 00:22:27.235
  • Vulnerability in our lives, and so we know... we know what can
  • 00:22:27.235 --> 00:22:34.976
  • Trip us up. don't. get rid of the weights! get rid of the
  • 00:22:34.976 --> 00:22:43.051
  • Sluggishness, and then the sins that may stop you. don't play
  • 00:22:43.051 --> 00:22:47.155
  • Around with sin because sin... the sin that so easily
  • 00:22:47.155 --> 00:22:50.192
  • Entangles us, that will get you out of the race and on the
  • 00:22:50.192 --> 00:22:52.694
  • Sidelines. you can't sin and win! and by that i just simply
  • 00:22:52.694 --> 00:22:57.566
  • Want to say in closing, don't put yourself in harms way.
  • 00:22:57.566 --> 00:23:01.269
  • Don't give the devil a stick to hit you with! god will always
  • 00:23:01.269 --> 00:23:06.975
  • Make a way of escape in your temptation. always!
  • 00:23:06.975 --> 00:23:12.314
  • The other day my lifelong friend o.s. hawkins and i were
  • 00:23:12.314 --> 00:23:14.516
  • In fort worth, our hometown. we were driving around, doing a
  • 00:23:14.516 --> 00:23:17.152
  • Little walk down memory lane. where leonard's department
  • 00:23:17.152 --> 00:23:21.623
  • Store used to be in fort worth. how many of you remember
  • 00:23:21.623 --> 00:23:23.758
  • Leonard's department store? yeah, a full city block. it was
  • 00:23:23.758 --> 00:23:26.394
  • Awesome. my family couldn't afford to shop at leonard's; we
  • 00:23:26.394 --> 00:23:30.599
  • Went to everybody's which was their discount store. but it
  • 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:33.168
  • Was all good.
  • 00:23:33.168 --> 00:23:34.436
  • But ah... we walked and we went by a place that o.s. mentioned.
  • 00:23:34.436 --> 00:23:41.076
  • He was known as butch hawkins in those days. he came to
  • 00:23:41.076 --> 00:23:43.612
  • Christ when he was seventeen. he'd had a bible, never been to
  • 00:23:43.612 --> 00:23:46.515
  • Church hardly. and he said, "you know, when i came to
  • 00:23:46.515 --> 00:23:50.151
  • Christ, i went in that store. there was a baptist bookstore
  • 00:23:50.151 --> 00:23:53.154
  • In downtown fort worth. and he said, "i went in and bought a
  • 00:23:53.154 --> 00:23:58.727
  • Bible." would be a good plan for some of you, to go buy a
  • 00:23:58.727 --> 00:24:03.632
  • Bible and start reading it. and hawkins said he... he got in
  • 00:24:03.632 --> 00:24:09.104
  • His car after he bought that bible and opened it up. and
  • 00:24:09.104 --> 00:24:12.040
  • Someone had told him to start memorizing verses, and so he
  • 00:24:12.040 --> 00:24:16.011
  • Memorized... he sat there in his car, he said, and he
  • 00:24:16.011 --> 00:24:19.114
  • Memorized 1 corinthians 10:13... 1 corinthians 10:13
  • 00:24:19.114 --> 00:24:26.955
  • Which says, "when we enter into temptation that god will make a
  • 00:24:26.955 --> 00:24:31.393
  • Way of escape." and he said, "i memorized that verse and i've
  • 00:24:31.393 --> 00:24:37.666
  • Believed it all my life."
  • 00:24:37.666 --> 00:24:39.267
  • And it just occurred to me as were talking that day, how
  • 00:24:39.267 --> 00:24:43.638
  • Important, number one, it is for young christians, and all
  • 00:24:43.638 --> 00:24:46.007
  • Christians to memorize and meditate on scripture. but to
  • 00:24:46.007 --> 00:24:51.613
  • Realize that in temptation, god always makes a way of escape.
  • 00:24:51.613 --> 00:24:59.788
  • There's an exit strategy that god gives you... there's a way
  • 00:24:59.788 --> 00:25:02.390
  • Out. there's a way through. it's not a sin to be tempted;
  • 00:25:02.390 --> 00:25:04.459
  • It's a sin to sin. not a sin to be tempted to sin. and when
  • 00:25:04.459 --> 00:25:17.806
  • You're tempted to sin... and we all have, again, certain
  • 00:25:17.806 --> 00:25:20.342
  • Vulnerabilities and personalities and things in our
  • 00:25:20.342 --> 00:25:23.812
  • Lives that... that can overwhelm us. and satan uses
  • 00:25:23.812 --> 00:25:28.049
  • Those vulnerabilities to attack us.
  • 00:25:28.049 --> 00:25:33.388
  • But with the temptation[clap], the scripture says, god will
  • 00:25:33.388 --> 00:25:36.558
  • Make a way out, a way though because god wants you to win,
  • 00:25:36.558 --> 00:25:43.231
  • Not to stumble and fall and go back and get out of the race,
  • 00:25:43.231 --> 00:25:48.103
  • But to finish with a flourish; to go and to go all the way!
  • 00:25:48.103 --> 00:25:54.809
  • And the way we do that is by verse 2, hebrews 12: "looking
  • 00:25:54.809 --> 00:26:00.281
  • Unto jesus, the author and the finisher [clap] of our faith."
  • 00:26:00.281 --> 00:26:03.952
  • If you look at people... if you look at your circumstances...
  • 00:26:03.952 --> 00:26:07.856
  • Your feelings, look within, look without, you will fail. so
  • 00:26:07.856 --> 00:26:13.361
  • It says stay focused. keep your heart, your mind, your eyes
  • 00:26:13.361 --> 00:26:18.767
  • Fixed on jesus. "turn your eyes upon jesus; look full in his
  • 00:26:18.767 --> 00:26:22.804
  • Wonderful face/ and the things of earth will go strangely dim
  • 00:26:22.804 --> 00:26:26.341
  • In the light of his glory and grace."
  • 00:26:26.341 --> 00:26:29.244
  • Get your eyes on jesus. get it off people who will disappoint
  • 00:26:29.244 --> 00:26:33.081
  • You and discourage you and all the rest, and get your eyes on
  • 00:26:33.081 --> 00:26:37.318
  • The lord jesus christ. and keep running! finish the race!
  • 00:26:37.318 --> 00:26:45.260
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:45.260 --> 00:26:59.808
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