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Power Point with Jack Graham

Jack Graham - Soon And Very Soon

July 27, 2025 | 29:30

Jack Graham - Soon And Very Soon
Dr. Jack Graham's mission is to glorify God by introducing Jesus Christ as Lord to all people.
#RelationshipwithGod #EndTimes #SecondComing #WalkwithGod #Faithfulness #ReturnofChrist #Rapture

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Power Point with Jack Graham | Jack Graham - Soon And Very Soon | July 27, 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 back in our series going the distance now, so you can
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  • Take your bibles and begin finding hebrews chapter 10.
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  • Just to remind you, it truly is about going the distance - and
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  • Building a muscular faith, a maturing, muscular faith. that
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  • We leave the elementary things behind and we grow in the grace
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  • Of our lord jesus christ. the theme always of the bible and
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  • Of hebrews is, of course, jesus "who is the same yesterday,
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  • Today and forever." hebrews 13, and verse 8. but a major focus
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  • ... the major focus of the letter to the hebrews is
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  • Encouragement to endurance. that we would be coached up, if
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  • You will, trained in never giving up, always persevering,
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  • Always going through and getting through, and never ever
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  • Quit! the message of hebrews, like the message that we have
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  • Before us today, is it's always too soon to quit. never, ever
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  • Give up!
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  • Now as we read this passage of scripture, hebrews 10, we get
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  • Acquainted a little bit more to the audience to which the
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  • Writer is addressing in hebrews. and in fact, these
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  • Hebrews christians... and they are believers and followers of
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  • Jesus... who were formerly hebrews practicing judaism but
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  • They came to faith in jesus as the messiah, and as a result,
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  • Not only from the world, but even the world of religion,
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  • They were facing great persecution and opposition. and
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  • So the writer gives us these word, beginning in verse 32:
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  • 32) but recall the former days when, after you were
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  • Enlightened...
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  • And you can just scribble in the words saved there, because
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  • Enlightened means to be enlightened to the knowledge of
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  • Salvation. we are enlightened... the old song
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  • Says "i saw the light." we were walking in darkness; now we are
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  • Living in the light. we have been enlightened in christ.
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  • 32) ... you endured (those of us who are saved) a hard
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  • Struggle with sufferings,
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  • Suffering is a part of life for all of us, and christianity is
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  • Not immunity from the problems and the pressures, from
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  • Sickness and suffering that every human being faces from
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  • Time to time. and yet not only the sufferings that come from
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  • Within, but from without, for verse 33 says:
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  • 33) sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and
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  • Affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.
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  • (that is, standing with those who are suffering) 34) for you
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  • Had compassion on those in prison...
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  • This is some evidence that the writer of hebrews is, indeed,
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  • The apostle paul who was in prison for his faith. this
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  • Could be autobiographical by the author, paul, when he says
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  • “for you had compassion for those in prison” meaning
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  • Himself as well.
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  • 34) ..., and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your
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  • Property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better
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  • Possession and an abiding one.
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  • It cost them everything to follow christ, including their
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  • Property! jesus said, "you must be willing to lay down your
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  • Lives and your possessions, and your all to follow me." they
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  • Were living this out, and yet, they didn't resent the loss of
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  • These material things because they knew they had invested in
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  • Eternal things... eternal realities. and so verse 35
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  • Says, and this is the key verse. one that you'll want to
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  • Underline, perhaps memorize. it says:
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  • 35) therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a
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  • Great reward. (don't throw away your confidence) 36) for you
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  • Have need of endurance (and there's our word endurance, or
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  • Patient endurance), so that when you have done the will of
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  • God you may receive what is promised.
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  • And then verse 37 which is the title of the message:
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  • 37) “yet a little while, and the coming one will come and
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  • Will not delay;
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  • Soon and very soon... in a little while the one who is
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  • Coming, jesus, is coming again! and it will be imminent when he
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  • Comes.
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  • 38) but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he
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  • Shrinks back (that is, if you quit), my soul has no pleasure
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  • In him. 39) but we are not of those who shrink back... (say,
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  • "i'm not one who shrinks back! alright,) 39) ... and are
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  • Destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve, rather
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  • Their souls.
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  • If we are to endure, we must, number one, recall how we
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  • Started. that's what the author is giving us here when he says,
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  • “look back and think about the time that you were enlightened,
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  • The time that you were saved, even those tough times of
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  • Persecution, and know this, that you stood firmly, you
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  • Stood on god's promises, you lived in hope as an anchor for
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  • Your soul, and god always, always faithful to you!”
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  • We can all look back in times of our lives... the tough
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  • Times, sometimes the dark times when we were oppressed or
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  • Resisted in some way for our faith, and we realized [clap]
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  • That god [clap] was with us, in the furnace, in the fire! god
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  • Has always promised to never leave us or forsake us.
  • 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:06.923
  • I keep a journal, and i can look back in my journal, my
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  • Daily journal that i've been keeping for a number of years
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  • Now, and i can see answered prayers. one value of keeping a
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  • Journal when you pray, when you study your bible. just write a
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  • Little something every day. you know what got me really going
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  • On my journal? i would stop and start, and stop and start. i
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  • Just made a resolve that i was going to write something every
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  • Day, even if it was just good morning, lord. and it's like
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  • Getting on a treadmill. if you get on for one minute, you
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  • Might stay thirty minutes, alright. so the point is, that
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  • If you will just record the things that you're thinking
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  • About, praying about, and then over the years you may want to
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  • Look back and you see the blessings of god, the favor of
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  • God, the faithfulness of god in your life. recall how you got
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  • Started.
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  • There's a well known book called begin... and it says in
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  • It, "begin with the end in mind." and that's good because
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  • We do live for the reward that is coming. we begin the
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  • Christian life with the end in mind. our future is secure;
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  • That's hope. but we also begin and continue with the beginning
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  • In mind. you have to get a good start in your life. so you have
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  • To know that you're saved. you can't stand if you're not
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  • Really standing in christ. there's a tongue twister which
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  • Says: the faith that fizzle at the finish was faulty at the
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  • First. so you need to make sure that your faith is founded on
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  • Jesus christ, because our confidence... our hope is in
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  • Him! because have you made the discovery that not everyone
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  • Loves you if you're a bible-believing,
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  • Christ-honoring christian. not everyone loves that.
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  • And so we may find ourselves a spectacle to the world. as
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  • Described here. you were exposed... publicly exposed,
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  • You were mistreated and mocked before the entire world, he
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  • Said of these hebrews who were following jesus. it's the word
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  • There publicly exposed for theatrizo... theatrizo. it's as
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  • Though you are on the stage and you are standing under the
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  • Spotlight, and you are totally and publicly out there for the
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  • Lord jesus christ!
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  • When i think of being publically expose, i think of
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  • The time when i wanted to be in the stage band at eastern hills
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  • High school in fort worth. i was a drummer and i played the
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  • Snare and i wanted to be in the stage band which was "cool".
  • 00:08:22.558 --> 00:08:25.227
  • And... but to be in the stage band... to qualify you had to
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  • Be in the marching band. i didn't love the idea of being
  • 00:08:28.230 --> 00:08:30.266
  • In the marching band. i salute all of you who play in marching
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  • Bands, or did. but you know, it wasn't my thing. and yet, if i
  • 00:08:33.669 --> 00:08:38.507
  • Was going to be in the stage band which was "cool", i had to
  • 00:08:38.507 --> 00:08:41.711
  • Be in the marching band which i didn't think was all that cool
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  • At the time, but i said, okay.
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  • So we're going to march. first march, farrington field, west
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  • Fort worth. i'm a sophomore in high school, 15 years of age
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  • And i'm thinking i'm going to get a great snare drum. when i
  • 00:08:53.789 --> 00:08:56.158
  • Get to the field, the practice field that week, i found out i
  • 00:08:56.158 --> 00:08:59.895
  • Was playing the bass drum, the big bass... boom, boom, boom.
  • 00:08:59.895 --> 00:09:03.032
  • So you know, wasn't thrilled about that either.
  • 00:09:03.032 --> 00:09:06.736
  • Well, they hand me my uniform. i never even tried it on. i was
  • 00:09:06.736 --> 00:09:09.805
  • Disinterested in marching i didn't know the steps really
  • 00:09:09.805 --> 00:09:12.375
  • Well. but they gave me my uniform and i never even tried
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  • It on till about an hour before i was supposed to report to the
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  • Band. and then i pulled them on, i realized they were like 6
  • 00:09:20.316 --> 00:09:23.185
  • Inches too big. [laughter] so what am i going to do?
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  • Mom comes to the rescue! that's what mom's do, right? so she
  • 00:09:27.757 --> 00:09:33.295
  • Taped everything up, cinched everything up. we had about 50
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  • Pins in this thing and we had tape, and you know, it's all
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  • Cinched up and i'm ready to go. so i go, i get to the middle of
  • 00:09:39.802 --> 00:09:42.371
  • Farrington field and if i'm lying, i'm dying... in the
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  • Middle of farrington field in front of all my friends,
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  • [laughter] at the fifty yard line, my pants go right to my
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  • Ankles! [laughter] that's what all my friends did right there!
  • 00:09:51.514 --> 00:10:02.425
  • Yeah, a public spectacle! now what do you do with a bass drum
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  • In line with your pants at your ankles? [laughter] i'm trying
  • 00:10:07.797 --> 00:10:14.070
  • To pull them up, play with one hand. you say, "what did you
  • 00:10:14.070 --> 00:10:17.440
  • Do?" i don't remember, i blocked the whole thing out
  • 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:19.775
  • From that point on! i don't remember! but it was the last
  • 00:10:19.775 --> 00:10:23.245
  • Time i ever marched in a marching band! [laughter]
  • 00:10:23.245 --> 00:10:29.051
  • Now you know when you're 15 you're a little conscientious
  • 00:10:29.051 --> 00:10:32.822
  • Anyway. your... i'm a sophomore, i'm 15. so that same
  • 00:10:32.822 --> 00:10:36.125
  • Fall... talking about theater... i'm in theater. we
  • 00:10:36.125 --> 00:10:39.595
  • Did a play called rebel without a cause. you remember... some
  • 00:10:39.595 --> 00:10:42.565
  • Of you, the old jimmy dean movie with sal mineo? rebel
  • 00:10:42.565 --> 00:10:45.034
  • Without a cause. well, so i played the sal mineo part whose
  • 00:10:45.034 --> 00:10:48.337
  • Name is plato. and there's a big scene in the play where
  • 00:10:48.337 --> 00:10:53.976
  • Plato pulls a gun and shoots some of the bad guys... a gang.
  • 00:10:53.976 --> 00:10:59.048
  • And that's the big moment! i mean the whole play is coming
  • 00:10:59.048 --> 00:11:01.550
  • To this thing and my big scene. i've worked on it. it's a cap
  • 00:11:01.550 --> 00:11:05.020
  • Gun, of course, and i'm ready, and we had these tight fifties
  • 00:11:05.020 --> 00:11:08.491
  • Style pants on, i had this gun right there where they told me
  • 00:11:08.491 --> 00:11:11.260
  • To put it. i had it right there, cinched it in the
  • 00:11:11.260 --> 00:11:14.196
  • Waistband of my pants.
  • 00:11:14.196 --> 00:11:15.931
  • And so we get to the big moment, they're shoving me
  • 00:11:15.931 --> 00:11:18.267
  • Around, and i reached to get my gun and that gun is going down
  • 00:11:18.267 --> 00:11:21.737
  • My leg! [laughter] same fall! i'm reaching down there, trying
  • 00:11:21.737 --> 00:11:29.178
  • To get the gun! [laughter] my friends were doing exactly what
  • 00:11:29.178 --> 00:11:33.115
  • You're doing! i finally just shove it all the way down to
  • 00:11:33.115 --> 00:11:38.554
  • The bottom... go bam! all the fall semester of my first year
  • 00:11:38.554 --> 00:11:47.630
  • Of high school. made me tough! i'll tell you that. but my
  • 00:11:47.630 --> 00:11:52.902
  • Friends mocked me to no end! and laughed at me.
  • 00:11:52.902 --> 00:11:55.538
  • So get a picture then. of course, what we're talking
  • 00:11:55.538 --> 00:12:02.244
  • About is not funny when you stand for christ and people
  • 00:12:02.244 --> 00:12:04.780
  • Mock you for it, and laugh at you. and yet so often we want
  • 00:12:04.780 --> 00:12:09.552
  • To fold. if somebody says something, if somebody
  • 00:12:09.552 --> 00:12:12.922
  • Criticizes us or trolls us online, or goes after us in
  • 00:12:12.922 --> 00:12:18.394
  • Some way, or puts us out of their group. sometimes we care
  • 00:12:18.394 --> 00:12:22.598
  • More of the opinions of others than the opinion of god. god
  • 00:12:22.598 --> 00:12:27.036
  • Has called us to stand for righteousness no matter what!
  • 00:12:27.036 --> 00:12:32.208
  • And never stand down and shut up when you ought to stand up
  • 00:12:32.208 --> 00:12:36.879
  • And speak up.
  • 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:38.848
  • And so these early christians... they're
  • 00:12:38.848 --> 00:12:41.684
  • Struggling now, they're thinking, you know, it's time
  • 00:12:41.684 --> 00:12:45.054
  • To throw in the towel; it's time to give up! and they're
  • 00:12:45.054 --> 00:12:48.390
  • Told, "look, don't do that. remember when you were getting
  • 00:12:48.390 --> 00:12:51.093
  • It done, you were in the fight, you were in the battle, and god
  • 00:12:51.093 --> 00:12:55.264
  • Sustained you." and you can look back as i have many times
  • 00:12:55.264 --> 00:12:58.834
  • Over your life, and not one time has god ever failed us!
  • 00:12:58.834 --> 00:13:01.971
  • Amen? and in the dark times especially, you know god works
  • 00:13:01.971 --> 00:13:05.608
  • The night shift, and we grow to the dark. and i would say when
  • 00:13:05.608 --> 00:13:08.677
  • You go through a trial don't just go through it, grow
  • 00:13:08.677 --> 00:13:10.713
  • Through it, get stronger through it! we're maturing;
  • 00:13:10.713 --> 00:13:13.148
  • We're developing a muscular faith!
  • 00:13:13.148 --> 00:13:15.451
  • So recall how god has blessed you. his faithfulness. and
  • 00:13:15.451 --> 00:13:19.255
  • There's a saying that i've often said, “never doubt in the
  • 00:13:19.255 --> 00:13:22.558
  • Dark what god showed you in the light! never doubt in the dark
  • 00:13:22.558 --> 00:13:26.562
  • What god showed you in the light!” that's not original
  • 00:13:26.562 --> 00:13:28.497
  • With me, but it's something i've quoted through the years,
  • 00:13:28.497 --> 00:13:31.066
  • And i believe it! “never doubt in the dark what god has showed
  • 00:13:31.066 --> 00:13:34.503
  • You in the light!” but i want to turn that upside down for
  • 00:13:34.503 --> 00:13:36.639
  • You today. never doubt in the light what god taught you and
  • 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:41.310
  • Showed you in the dark! because so often the most important
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  • Lessons we've learned in life are those dark times.
  • 00:13:46.348 --> 00:13:49.919
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:13:49.919 --> 00:14:01.330
  • The living word of god is filled with people who came
  • 00:14:02.431 --> 00:14:05.401
  • Face to face with god in the night seasons of their lives.
  • 00:14:05.401 --> 00:14:09.238
  • For example, jacob wrestled with god at night. jonah ran
  • 00:14:09.238 --> 00:14:13.075
  • Away into the darkness from god's call. daniel faced lions.
  • 00:14:13.075 --> 00:14:16.912
  • And then you have elijah, nicodemus, and peter, all who
  • 00:14:16.912 --> 00:14:20.382
  • Faced in night seasons, failures and fears rocked by
  • 00:14:20.382 --> 00:14:24.687
  • The storms of life, their stories are just like ours.
  • 00:14:24.687 --> 00:14:28.891
  • And in your darkest hour in the night seasons of your life. the
  • 00:14:28.891 --> 00:14:33.195
  • Very same god who shut the mouths of lions is also present
  • 00:14:33.195 --> 00:14:37.066
  • Today.
  • 00:14:37.066 --> 00:14:38.334
  • In “diamonds in the dark,” i unpack these biblical truths
  • 00:14:38.334 --> 00:14:40.936
  • That will keep you focused on god saving grace through every
  • 00:14:40.936 --> 00:14:44.907
  • Character building storm that comes. and i want to share this
  • 00:14:44.907 --> 00:14:48.777
  • Book with you today.
  • 00:14:48.777 --> 00:14:51.714
  • [announcer] when you give your best gift today, we'll send you
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  • A copy of diamonds in the dark. it will illuminate god's word
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  • For you in the darkest of times.
  • 00:14:57.453 --> 00:14:59.555
  • Just go to jackgraham.org.
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  • Call
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  • Or text the word diamonds to 59789.
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  • Your gift today will help us continue to share
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  • The good news of jesus on this station, and to a world in need.
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  • So simply contact us today and we will send you my book,
  • 00:15:14.169 --> 00:15:17.873
  • Diamonds in the dark, so that you may grow in your faith even
  • 00:15:17.873 --> 00:15:21.343
  • In the darkest hours of your life.
  • 00:15:21.343 --> 00:15:28.517
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:15:28.817 --> 00:15:35.657
  • But then the second thing is ... and that is to look around,
  • 00:15:35.657 --> 00:15:39.528
  • Or might even say look within, and keep going! verse 35 says:
  • 00:15:39.528 --> 00:15:45.534
  • 35) therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a
  • 00:15:45.534 --> 00:15:48.504
  • Great reward.
  • 00:15:48.504 --> 00:15:50.906
  • I like that word confident. the christian life is a confident
  • 00:15:50.906 --> 00:15:57.546
  • Life. why? because we know our future is secure. it's settled!
  • 00:15:57.546 --> 00:16:03.619
  • We have a great reward in advance. and this word
  • 00:16:03.619 --> 00:16:07.723
  • Confidence ... if you could just add some synonyms, it's a
  • 00:16:07.723 --> 00:16:13.362
  • Word which means assurance, trust, boldness and hope...
  • 00:16:13.362 --> 00:16:22.071
  • Assurance, trust, boldness and hope!
  • 00:16:22.071 --> 00:16:28.777
  • You know, as an athlete i always wanted to play with
  • 00:16:28.777 --> 00:16:31.213
  • Confidence, because if you lose your confidence as an athlete,
  • 00:16:31.213 --> 00:16:34.450
  • Guess what happens? you lose! you'll be defeated when you
  • 00:16:34.450 --> 00:16:37.352
  • Lose your confidence. but human confidence is one thing, but
  • 00:16:37.352 --> 00:16:42.024
  • We're talking about something beyond our own personal
  • 00:16:42.024 --> 00:16:44.760
  • Confidence or mental toughness. this is the confidence that we
  • 00:16:44.760 --> 00:16:48.230
  • Have in christ. this is the confidence that we are given to
  • 00:16:48.230 --> 00:16:51.366
  • Him and that keeps us going when we may want to give up. we
  • 00:16:51.366 --> 00:16:57.106
  • All have doubts and fears. but don't throw away your
  • 00:16:57.106 --> 00:17:00.943
  • Confidence! don't throw away your boldness! learn to
  • 00:17:00.943 --> 00:17:05.380
  • Doubt[tap] your doubts [tap] and believe your beliefs!
  • 00:17:05.380 --> 00:17:09.985
  • You cannot throw away your salvation, you cannot lose your
  • 00:17:09.985 --> 00:17:14.223
  • Salvation because salvation is in christ alone, by grace
  • 00:17:14.223 --> 00:17:17.826
  • Alone, through faith alone, not in ourselves! you cannot lose
  • 00:17:17.826 --> 00:17:21.897
  • Your salvation, but it's possible to lose your
  • 00:17:21.897 --> 00:17:24.933
  • Confidence in the christian life. right? if you do not
  • 00:17:24.933 --> 00:17:30.472
  • Determine and discipline yourself in god's work,
  • 00:17:30.472 --> 00:17:33.942
  • Standing on god's promises to keep going!
  • 00:17:33.942 --> 00:17:37.212
  • And this word here patience. i really like this word because
  • 00:17:37.212 --> 00:17:42.117
  • In this word patience or endurance ...that you see in
  • 00:17:42.117 --> 00:17:44.920
  • Verse 36... you see it? "you have need of endurance." some
  • 00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:48.624
  • Translations give it patience. so let's just put them
  • 00:17:48.624 --> 00:17:51.193
  • Together. patient endurance. staying power, stamina,
  • 00:17:51.193 --> 00:17:57.132
  • Steadfastness, patience! [clears throat] it is... this
  • 00:17:57.132 --> 00:18:02.571
  • Word has with it a quiet confidence. it's a boldness
  • 00:18:02.571 --> 00:18:10.279
  • That is not brash, but is sure, and strong! patience is a fruit
  • 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:18.420
  • Of the spirit. longsuffering, patience.
  • 00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:22.257
  • I like what scholar j i packer... packer, rather, said
  • 00:18:22.257 --> 00:18:27.162
  • About patience. he said: "living out the belief that god
  • 00:18:27.162 --> 00:18:30.098
  • Orders everything for the spiritual good of his
  • 00:18:30.098 --> 00:18:33.535
  • Children... that's patience. patience does not just grin and
  • 00:18:33.535 --> 00:18:40.142
  • Bear all things stoic-like, but accepts them cheerfully as
  • 00:18:40.142 --> 00:18:46.048
  • Therapeutic workouts planned by a heavenly trainer who is
  • 00:18:46.048 --> 00:18:51.286
  • Resolved to get you up to full fitness!" that's muscular
  • 00:18:51.286 --> 00:18:57.826
  • Faith! and the only way you can grow your faith and your
  • 00:18:57.826 --> 00:19:02.030
  • Character which is in is through trials and
  • 00:19:02.030 --> 00:19:05.000
  • Tribulations. that's what the scripture says in the book of
  • 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:09.905
  • Romans. we're told that that character is produced by
  • 00:19:09.905 --> 00:19:14.376
  • Perseverance. that's romans 5:3 and 4. "not only that but we
  • 00:19:14.376 --> 00:19:17.813
  • Rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces
  • 00:19:17.813 --> 00:19:21.083
  • Endurance and endurance produces character and
  • 00:19:21.083 --> 00:19:23.952
  • Character produces hope." all of this is linked! so we keep
  • 00:19:23.952 --> 00:19:29.891
  • Going, knowing that we're getting stronger as we go.
  • 00:19:29.891 --> 00:19:34.529
  • That's what we're looking for in the christian life because
  • 00:19:34.529 --> 00:19:36.798
  • The christian life is not a short sprint; it is a marathon
  • 00:19:36.798 --> 00:19:42.037
  • With an obstacle course, and all kinds of challenges! so
  • 00:19:42.037 --> 00:19:45.907
  • What we need is more reps, and sometimes god will put us
  • 00:19:45.907 --> 00:19:49.645
  • Through repetitions and through some things that challenge us
  • 00:19:49.645 --> 00:19:53.749
  • And test us, even tribulation, even suffering in order that we
  • 00:19:53.749 --> 00:20:00.555
  • Would grow stronger and endure and build patience in our lives
  • 00:20:00.555 --> 00:20:05.961
  • Which creates hope.
  • 00:20:05.961 --> 00:20:11.266
  • I... i'm reading a book called grit. it's not a christian
  • 00:20:11.266 --> 00:20:13.902
  • Book. it's written by a lady by the name of angela duckworth...
  • 00:20:13.902 --> 00:20:18.073
  • Grit... g-r-i-t. and she defines what it means to have
  • 00:20:18.073 --> 00:20:23.111
  • Grit as simply to be gritty. okay? so what is it to be
  • 00:20:23.111 --> 00:20:28.216
  • Gritty, according to angela duckworth? she says to be
  • 00:20:28.216 --> 00:20:31.687
  • Gritty is to keep putting one foot in front of the other, to
  • 00:20:31.687 --> 00:20:35.891
  • Be gritty is to hold fast to an interesting and purposeful
  • 00:20:35.891 --> 00:20:38.860
  • Goal, to be gritty is to invest day after week after year in
  • 00:20:38.860 --> 00:20:44.666
  • Challenging practice. to be gritty is to fall down seven
  • 00:20:44.666 --> 00:20:48.637
  • Times and rise eight! that's what we're learning in god's
  • 00:20:48.637 --> 00:20:54.242
  • Word in hebrews! to be gritty. ours is a gritty grace! we get
  • 00:20:54.242 --> 00:21:01.850
  • Knocked down seven times, we get up every time by god's
  • 00:21:01.850 --> 00:21:06.054
  • Grace, and we build grit in our lives.
  • 00:21:06.054 --> 00:21:09.458
  • Will smith's a great actor and he was discussing his acting
  • 00:21:09.458 --> 00:21:13.862
  • Career and how he became adept at his craft, and he truly is a
  • 00:21:13.862 --> 00:21:19.134
  • Remarkable actor. and so here's what will smith said about his
  • 00:21:19.134 --> 00:21:23.338
  • Preparation. he said, “the only thing that i see that is
  • 00:21:23.338 --> 00:21:26.241
  • Distinctly different about me is i'm not afraid to die on a
  • 00:21:26.241 --> 00:21:29.811
  • Treadmill!” (i am, by the way)[laughter]. he said, “i
  • 00:21:29.811 --> 00:21:32.681
  • Will not be outworked! period! you might have more talent than
  • 00:21:32.681 --> 00:21:38.787
  • Me, you might be smarter than me, you might be all those
  • 00:21:38.787 --> 00:21:42.190
  • Things. you've got it on me in nine categories, but if we get
  • 00:21:42.190 --> 00:21:46.061
  • On a treadmill together, there's two things: you're
  • 00:21:46.061 --> 00:21:48.830
  • Getting off first or i'm going to die. it's really that simple.
  • 00:21:48.830 --> 00:21:54.102
  • I love that kind of spirit! that's the power that god gives
  • 00:21:54.102 --> 00:22:00.809
  • Us to keep going when we want to give up. it's all found in
  • 00:22:00.809 --> 00:22:06.815
  • Hope
  • 00:22:06.815 --> 00:22:08.316
  • One final thing, and that is, not only do we look back and
  • 00:22:08.316 --> 00:22:11.086
  • Recall how we began, not only do we look around, look within
  • 00:22:11.086 --> 00:22:14.890
  • And keep going, but we look ahead... we look ahead and we
  • 00:22:14.890 --> 00:22:23.398
  • Run for the reward. we look for the reward. that's why in this
  • 00:22:23.398 --> 00:22:29.771
  • Passage... look at it again, back in hebrews 10. he says:
  • 00:22:29.771 --> 00:22:35.544
  • "for a little while" this is verse 37: "for, 'yet a little
  • 00:22:35.544 --> 00:22:38.413
  • While, and the coming one will come and will not delay;'".
  • 00:22:38.413 --> 00:22:43.585
  • Soon and very soon is what the words mean. stay ready, stay
  • 00:22:43.585 --> 00:22:48.089
  • Prepared for in just a little while... soon and very soon we
  • 00:22:48.089 --> 00:22:55.197
  • Will see the king! because he's coming again! and for those
  • 00:22:55.197 --> 00:23:02.270
  • Early christians, and it should be for us, it was the
  • 00:23:02.270 --> 00:23:06.875
  • Prospect... the promise of the soon return of christ that kept
  • 00:23:06.875 --> 00:23:12.547
  • Them going and should keep us going, knowing [clap] that
  • 00:23:12.547 --> 00:23:15.650
  • Jesus [clap] promised [clap] "i will come again!" those
  • 00:23:15.650 --> 00:23:19.554
  • Dumbfounded disciples on the mount of olives that day, not
  • 00:23:19.554 --> 00:23:22.691
  • Knowing where to turn, where to go. jesus has ascended into the
  • 00:23:22.691 --> 00:23:25.627
  • Heavens, but the angel said, "this same jesus which is taken
  • 00:23:25.627 --> 00:23:29.664
  • Up from you into heaven, will come again in the same way that
  • 00:23:29.664 --> 00:23:32.567
  • You've seen him go!" christ is coming again! visibly,
  • 00:23:32.567 --> 00:23:37.539
  • Victoriously, personally, physically jesus is coming
  • 00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:42.577
  • Again! when you pray the model prayer, the lord's prayer,
  • 00:23:42.577 --> 00:23:46.748
  • "your kingdom come..." did you know you're praying for the
  • 00:23:46.748 --> 00:23:49.384
  • Second coming of jesus? you're praying that christ would come
  • 00:23:49.384 --> 00:23:54.656
  • And establish his kingdom.
  • 00:23:54.656 --> 00:23:55.991
  • And you say it's been a long time. it's been two thousand
  • 00:23:55.991 --> 00:24:01.930
  • Years, where's the promise of his coming? simon peter, the
  • 00:24:01.930 --> 00:24:07.369
  • Apostle, addressed that. in his second letter he talked about
  • 00:24:07.369 --> 00:24:11.773
  • Those who come along, the scoffers, the skeptics, saying,
  • 00:24:11.773 --> 00:24:17.012
  • "where's the promise of his coming?" you people keep saying
  • 00:24:17.012 --> 00:24:20.515
  • Jesus is coming again. come on. where is he?" scoffers,
  • 00:24:20.515 --> 00:24:25.453
  • Skeptics. and again satan always sees to it that the
  • 00:24:25.453 --> 00:24:29.291
  • Scoffers and the skeptics... the naysayers, the people that
  • 00:24:29.291 --> 00:24:32.794
  • Say "you're a fool, you're a freak show, you're a fanatic
  • 00:24:32.794 --> 00:24:35.263
  • Because you follow jesus" they'll always show up and say,
  • 00:24:35.263 --> 00:24:37.532
  • "really? you believe jesus is coming again?"
  • 00:24:37.532 --> 00:24:40.068
  • Yes, and absolutely yes! if you are a believer in jesus christ,
  • 00:24:40.068 --> 00:24:43.939
  • You're looking forward, leaning in to the day... the way we
  • 00:24:43.939 --> 00:24:47.042
  • Lean in and finish strong is because we're always leaning
  • 00:24:47.042 --> 00:24:49.644
  • Into the promise, leaning into the prospect that christ is
  • 00:24:49.644 --> 00:24:52.948
  • Coming again! now, what we say is this: peter answered it, by
  • 00:24:52.948 --> 00:24:58.219
  • The way by saying, "a day with the lord is a thousand years;
  • 00:24:58.219 --> 00:25:00.789
  • Or a thousand years is a day." time means nothing to god! i
  • 00:25:00.789 --> 00:25:05.760
  • Mean, it's [snaps fingers] just like that. our lives are but a
  • 00:25:05.760 --> 00:25:08.730
  • Brief candle. so you say it's been a long, long time? well
  • 00:25:08.730 --> 00:25:12.701
  • Two thousand years is a long time, but in the providence and
  • 00:25:12.701 --> 00:25:16.471
  • Plans of god, god has a day... god has a date, and christ is
  • 00:25:16.471 --> 00:25:21.309
  • Coming. ready or not, jesus is coming again.
  • 00:25:21.309 --> 00:25:27.082
  • And so we run for that reward that day when we see jesus,
  • 00:25:27.082 --> 00:25:31.086
  • Either in death when we cross the finish line personally, or
  • 00:25:31.086 --> 00:25:35.190
  • When we are raptured out of the race, we're taken into the
  • 00:25:35.190 --> 00:25:37.926
  • Presence of the lord. we will see jesus. we'll see him face
  • 00:25:37.926 --> 00:25:41.663
  • To face, and it's his [clap] face... "looking unto jesus,
  • 00:25:41.663 --> 00:25:44.532
  • The author and finisher of our faith" it is this, as the
  • 00:25:44.532 --> 00:25:47.602
  • Scripture says, "blessed hope... blessed hope! it's the
  • 00:25:47.602 --> 00:25:51.239
  • Hope of the return of jesus christ. when we will be
  • 00:25:51.239 --> 00:25:54.409
  • Raptured into his presence and forever live with him.
  • 00:25:54.409 --> 00:25:59.114
  • That [clap] keeps [clap] me [clap] going [clap]! because i
  • 00:25:59.114 --> 00:26:02.183
  • Know this isn't a dead-end! this life is a journey and we
  • 00:26:02.183 --> 00:26:05.754
  • Are on our way to heaven, we are on our way to him! and we
  • 00:26:05.754 --> 00:26:10.892
  • Ought to be saying with the apostle john, as the bible
  • 00:26:10.892 --> 00:26:13.428
  • Concludes, “even so, come, lord jesus!” come on, lord! you can
  • 00:26:13.428 --> 00:26:21.403
  • Say that; you can pray that if you're ready for his return.
  • 00:26:21.403 --> 00:26:27.942
  • Soon and very soon.
  • 00:26:27.942 --> 00:26:30.245
  • It doesn't mean that his coming is necessarily immediate, but
  • 00:26:30.245 --> 00:26:33.782
  • It does mean that his coming is imminent.
  • 00:26:33.782 --> 00:26:38.620
  • The question is are you ready? question is, do you live with
  • 00:26:38.620 --> 00:26:44.659
  • This confident expectation that your future is with him?
  • 00:26:44.659 --> 00:26:48.029
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:48.029 --> 00:26:59.541
  • I want to thank you for your continued support of powerpoint
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  • Ministries. and when you give today, i want to send you a
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  • Copy of my book, “diamonds in the dark.” and this resource
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  • Will help you focus on the truths of god's living word,
  • 00:27:09.951 --> 00:27:13.688
  • And that even in times of darkness, you can face those
  • 00:27:13.688 --> 00:27:17.959
  • Fears with faith.
  • 00:27:17.959 --> 00:27:19.828
  • [announcer] when you call today and give your best gift. we'll
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  • Call, text or visit jackgraham.org.
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