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Finish: You’re Not Done Until You’re Done

Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah

November 15, 2020

27:29

Make every moment of your life available to being used by God!

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Finish: You’re Not Done Until You’re Done

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a haphazard approach to life.
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You might feel stuck,but you don't have to be.
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Perhaps you're discouraged.
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It's time to deal with that.
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And if you feel uncertain,you can find clarity.
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You may not know what's next,but God does.
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He's there waiting for youin your tomorrow,
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so step into it and discoverGod's presence and purpose
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in your life.
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Starting today, starting now,it's time to move forward.
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male announcer: It's timewe rise above our circumstances,
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conquer our fears,face the future with faith,
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prevail over the past, aspireto accomplish greater things,
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reclaim our birthright,proclaim his power,
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and claim God's promises.
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God has more for us.
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It's not time to stop.
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It's time to move forward.
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Today on "Turning Point,"Dr. Jeremiah challenges us
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to never stop startingand to do our best to finish
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what God has called usto do.
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Dr. Jeremiah: Are you readyfor God to use you?
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You may think, "Well,I finally got to the end.
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Now I can--"No, if you're Christian,
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you may discover that Godwill do the greatest things
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in your life at the end thanall the things he's ever done
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in your life upuntil that point.
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announcer: That's coming upon today's
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special "Forward" editionof "Turning Point."
00:01:31.841 --> 00:01:33.943
announcer: In just a moment,Dr. Jeremiah will challenge you
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to never stop starting anddo your best to finish
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what you startin the Lord's will.
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Find this and nine other waysyou can know God's purpose,
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feel God's power, and accomplishGod's plan for your life
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in Dr. Jeremiah's new book,"Forward:
00:01:51.694 --> 00:01:53.963
Discovering God's Presenceand Purpose in Your Tomorrow."
00:01:53.997 --> 00:01:57.433
You'll learn the biblicalstrategy about how to claim
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the future God has prepareduniquely for you,
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no matter your ageor your circumstance.
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"Forward" is yours when you givea gift of any amount
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in support of this program.
00:02:07.110 --> 00:02:08.778
And in appreciation of your giftof $75 or more,
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Dr. Jeremiah will send youthe "Forward" set,
00:02:11.915 --> 00:02:14.851
including his new book,his entire teaching series
00:02:14.884 --> 00:02:17.453
on CD or DVD,with a correlating study guide,
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and the "How to Move Forward"interview special
00:02:20.123 --> 00:02:22.358
with Sheila Walsh on DVD.
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Plus with your book or set,Dr. Jeremiah will also send you
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his "Move Forward"motivation cards to help you
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keep the lessons of "Forward"front and center each day.
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God has more for you.
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It's not time to stop.
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It's time to move forward.
00:02:36.973 --> 00:02:38.575
Request the "Forward" bookor set
00:02:38.608 --> 00:02:40.210
when you supportTurning Point today.
00:02:40.243 --> 00:02:42.412
announcer: Thank youfor watching "Forward"
00:02:44.180 --> 00:02:45.648
here on "Turning Point."
00:02:45.682 --> 00:02:47.016
In appreciationof your viewership,
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Dr. Jeremiah would liketo send you
00:02:49.185 --> 00:02:51.187
these Move Forward motivationcards absolutely free.
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Contact Turning Point today.
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And now, here is Dr. Jeremiahwith his message,
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"Finish: You're Not Doneuntil You're Done."
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Dr. Jeremiah: If you ever getinto an unfortunate scrape,
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you might hire Frank P. Luciannato represent you.
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He's a razor-sharp attorneyin Hackensack, New Jersey,
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just across the Hudsonfrom New York City.
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You could spot Luciannain the courtroom daily,
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dressed in a dapper suitwith a pocket square,
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chopping his hands in the airdefending people in trouble.
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He does it with energyand effectiveness.
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Lucianna has been defendingclients for quite a while.
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I mean, 45 years agoa local newspaper claimed
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he was the city'sbusiest criminal lawyer.
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Twenty-two years ago,the same paper called him
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a consummate showmanand New Jersey's
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oldest active attorney.
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Today, Lucianna still waxeseloquent before judges
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and juries at the age of 97.
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Lucianna doesn't reston his laurels.
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He said, "This isa very consuming profession,
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and it's taken a lotout of my life."
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He said, "I'm constantlyinvolved in preparing cases,
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and it's a tremendous strainboth mental and physical.
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Physical because when you goto trial your whole being
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is obsessed with trying to helpthe person you represent,
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and it places your bodyand mind under tension."
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When he was askedabout his future, Lucianna said,
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"I hope God lets me continuedoing this.
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I don't wanna retire.
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I don't wanna go to Florida.
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I just wanna do what I'm doing."
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Personally, I kinda likegoing to Florida,
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but otherwise I feel the same.
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I hope God lets me continuedoing what he's called me to do.
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My name isn't Archippus,but I take the one verse
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addressed to him in the Biblejust like it was written to me.
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Here's what it says:"Tell Archippus:
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'See to it that you completethe ministry
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you have received in the Lord.'"
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Yes, your role may change,your assignments may evolve,
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and your situation may alter.
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You may haveto make adjustments,
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but even so one thingwon't change.
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As long as God leaves youon this Earth,
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he has ongoing workfor you to do.
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There's no expiration date tothe principles of this message.
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You never retirefrom the Christian life.
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You never drop outof God's will.
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There are countless barriers,men and women,
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to finishing well,and I'm gonna talk to you
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about five major ones today,
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'cause I want us to learnhow to finish well.
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But rather than talk to themlike barriers,
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I wanna share them with youas challenges.
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I want you to think aboutthe rest of this message
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like we're in the locker room,and we're getting a pep talk
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delivered to all of us beforewe head out of the tunnel
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for the second halfof the game.
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So, here are those five things.
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Number one, to finish wellyou have to stay focused
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till you're finished.
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One of the great finishersof the Bible was Solomon,
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King David's son.
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In fact, I discovered whenI was researching this
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that the word "finish"is connected
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with Solomon a dozen times.
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When it came to buildingGod's temple in Jerusalem,
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Solomon finished it all.
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He left nothing undone,and that's because, I believe,
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his father prayed himinto this environment.
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Listen to David's prayerand his challenge to Solomon
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before David walked off thescene and Solomon took over.
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1 Chronicles 28:20.
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Here's what he said.
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"Be strong, Solomon,and of good courage,
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and do it; do not fearnor be dismayed,
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for the Lord God--my God--he will be with you.
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He will not leave younor forsake you,
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until you have finishedall the work for the service
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of the house of the Lord."
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We have to finish it all.
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We don't get to stoppart of the way.
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Most of the way doesn't work.
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Almost all the way isn't enough.
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God wants us to finish it all.
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Don't say,"Well, I'm almost there,"
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and then you walk away,and you leave it not quite done.
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There's not anything morediscouraging to you than
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to spend all of your time andall of your energy to get almost
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all the way, and then walk awaybefore you get done.
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Here's the second thingabout finishing life:
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stay resilient about retirement.
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I don't think anything's morecontroversial in the lives
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of people like methan retirement.
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I hear it all the time.
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Somebody always brings it up,and I wanna tell you that
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the second key to finishing wellis to approach the topic
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of retirement with resilience
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and with somesanctified resistance.
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I remember reading about a wifewho said to her retired husband,
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"What are yougoing to do today?"
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He said, "Nothing."
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She said, "But you did thatyesterday."
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He said, "I know,but I'm not finished yet."
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Someone saidthat a husband's retirement
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can becomea wife's full-time job.
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Many people you seehave followed
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the general expectationin America
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and the western world,that when we reach a certain age
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we retire.
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It's just what we do.
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Retirement has becomethe final rotation
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in the cycle of life.
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Just like we ask children,"What do you want to be
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when you grow up?"
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We ask adults, "What do you planto do when you retire?"
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And seldom do we hear the valueof retirement plans questioned
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and certainly not the valueof retirement itself.
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But what does the Biblesay about this?
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Interestingly enough,the Bible has only one example
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of retirement.
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I'll tell you where it is.
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It's in Numbers chapter 8,verses 24 through 26.
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Here's what it says: "This iswhat pertains to the Levites:
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From 25 years old and aboveone may enter to perform service
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in the work of the tabernacleof meeting;
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and at the age of 50 years,they must cease
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performing this workand shall work no more.
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They may minister with theirbrethren in the tabernacle
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of meeting to attend the needs,but they themselves
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shall do no work."
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While the Levitetabernacle workers
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were instructed to retireat age 50,
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they weren't put outto pasture, to spend
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the rest of their livestwiddling their thumbs
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and gazing at the sundial.
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No.
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They were charged to ministerto the younger Levites
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who took over their jobs.
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They became mentorsand advisors.
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Today, we wouldprobably call them consultants.
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So no, I'm not saying youshouldn't take advantage
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of your Social Security incomeor pension benefits,
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but you might want to avoidthe word retirement.
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You don't have to continuein your profession
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until you're in the 90s,but if you do leave your job,
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remember retirementis simply God's way
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of freeing you upfor further service.
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So, stay focusedtill you're finished
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and stay resilientabout retirement.
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Here's the third thingI learned.
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Stay connected to your calling.
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Romans 11:29 says this:
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"The gifts and the callingof God are irrevocable."
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That means you can't undo them.
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If God calls you,he's not going to uncall you.
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The gifts and callingof God are irrevocable.
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Os Guinness had somethingto say about this.
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He said, "I think it's importantto realize that we can retire
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from our jobs, but we cannever retire from our calling."
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Calling gives us our senseof task or responsibility
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right up to the last daywe spend on earth
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when we go to meet the caller.
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I think that gives lifeincredible value,
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and therefore the prosperityof finishing well
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is that we continue to havea sense of responsibility
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and engagementthat makes every day we live
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enormously important.
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So to finish well,consider maintaining
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a connection betweenwhat you did before you retired
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and what you doafter you retire.
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Someone has said your careeris what you're paid to do,
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your callingis what you're made to do.
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Now, you may not have a careerthat's transferable
00:11:25.501 --> 00:11:28.104
into your post-retirement life,
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but if you're a followerof Christ, you have a calling.
00:11:30.239 --> 00:11:33.542
You have a gift Godhas given you,
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an ability for service.
00:11:35.377 --> 00:11:37.279
So just keep using itfor the Lord.
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Use it in a different context,in a different environment,
00:11:39.448 --> 00:11:42.752
but don't stop doingwhat God has called you to do.
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When Jesushad finished his work on earth
00:11:46.956 --> 00:11:49.658
and was about to be crucified,resurrected,
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and return to heaven,he prayed this prayer
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about his life.
00:11:55.765 --> 00:11:57.166
John 17:4, he said, "God,I have glorified you
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on the earth.
00:12:01.537 --> 00:12:03.405
I have finished the workwhich you have given me to do."
00:12:03.439 --> 00:12:08.944
Read that verse carefully.
00:12:08.978 --> 00:12:10.679
Jesus didn't finish all the workthere was to do;
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he finished the workthat he was given to do,
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and that should be our prayer.
00:12:17.086 --> 00:12:18.621
"Lord, help me to finishthe work you have given me
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to do."
00:12:21.190 --> 00:12:22.625
If you do that, you're going tolive a full and exciting life.
00:12:22.658 --> 00:12:27.062
Here's number four.
00:12:27.096 --> 00:12:28.931
Stay vigilantafter your victories.
00:12:28.964 --> 00:12:33.202
Finishing well, goingall the way to the end,
00:12:33.235 --> 00:12:36.272
staying in God's willand in his plan
00:12:36.305 --> 00:12:39.708
and in his purposeand in his blessing
00:12:39.742 --> 00:12:41.811
all the way to the enddemands vigilance.
00:12:41.844 --> 00:12:44.547
We can't let our guard down,especially after new adventures
00:12:44.580 --> 00:12:49.218
or fresh victories.
00:12:49.251 --> 00:12:51.387
I think that's what gotKing David into trouble.
00:12:51.420 --> 00:12:54.790
He got into troublewith Bathsheba because
00:12:54.824 --> 00:12:57.393
he had achieved great success,he had won every battle
00:12:57.426 --> 00:13:00.496
against all of his enemies.
00:13:00.529 --> 00:13:01.931
The Bible sayshis world was at peace
00:13:01.964 --> 00:13:03.732
because of him.
00:13:03.766 --> 00:13:05.301
He had created great peacein Israel.
00:13:05.334 --> 00:13:07.336
And thenafter all those victories,
00:13:07.369 --> 00:13:09.004
he got careless.
00:13:09.038 --> 00:13:10.739
Listen carefully to the wordsthat describe what he did.
00:13:10.773 --> 00:13:14.944
2 Samuel 11:1, "And it happenedin the spring of the year,
00:13:14.977 --> 00:13:20.149
at the time when kings go outto battle,
00:13:20.182 --> 00:13:23.953
that David sent Joaband his servants with him
00:13:23.986 --> 00:13:26.856
and all Israel,
00:13:26.889 --> 00:13:28.757
but David remainedin Jerusalem."
00:13:28.791 --> 00:13:32.228
King Davidshould have been leading
00:13:32.261 --> 00:13:33.863
his people,serving as the head
00:13:33.896 --> 00:13:35.898
of his army,but instead he stayed home.
00:13:35.931 --> 00:13:38.567
He felthe was at the point in life
00:13:38.601 --> 00:13:40.336
where he could relax some
00:13:40.369 --> 00:13:41.837
and let othersbear the burden of war.
00:13:41.871 --> 00:13:43.439
He'd paid his price.
00:13:43.472 --> 00:13:45.274
He wasn'twhere he should have been
00:13:45.307 --> 00:13:47.543
and he wasn't doingwhat he should have been doing;
00:13:47.576 --> 00:13:49.678
and he was celebratinghis victories
00:13:49.712 --> 00:13:51.380
without vigilance,and the rest is history.
00:13:51.413 --> 00:13:53.916
His sin with Bathsheba andthe murder of her husband Uriah
00:13:53.949 --> 00:13:57.453
is a stainon David's life.
00:13:57.486 --> 00:14:00.456
And while God forgave Davidand restored him,
00:14:00.489 --> 00:14:03.726
that one moment of carelessness,that one moment
00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:06.695
when he lacked vigilance,that one moment
00:14:06.729 --> 00:14:09.732
became partof David's biography.
00:14:09.765 --> 00:14:12.234
I don't know if you've everread this verse before.
00:14:12.268 --> 00:14:14.837
I remember reading itand kind of being astonished
00:14:14.870 --> 00:14:17.539
by its wording.
00:14:17.573 --> 00:14:19.208
1 Kings 15:5,here's what it says:
00:14:19.241 --> 00:14:22.144
"David did what was rightin the eyes of the Lord,
00:14:22.177 --> 00:14:25.748
and had not turned asidefrom anything
00:14:25.781 --> 00:14:27.983
that he commandedhim all the days of his life
00:14:28.017 --> 00:14:31.787
except in the matter of Uriahthe Hittite."
00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:36.458
You see, what happens is when weget to the top and we experience
00:14:36.492 --> 00:14:39.662
the greatness of God,if we're not careful
00:14:39.695 --> 00:14:41.897
we let down our guard,
00:14:41.931 --> 00:14:43.399
we relax,and we allow the enemy
00:14:43.432 --> 00:14:45.801
to move inin the most unlikely time.
00:14:45.834 --> 00:14:50.072
And I know that's happenedover and over again
00:14:50.105 --> 00:14:53.075
to so many peopleI've talked to.
00:14:53.108 --> 00:14:55.678
I believe there's two versesin the Bible
00:14:55.711 --> 00:14:57.546
that we should allmemorize and always keep
00:14:57.579 --> 00:15:00.082
before us.
00:15:00.115 --> 00:15:01.550
They tell us what to doin order not to fall,
00:15:01.583 --> 00:15:04.153
and they captured thisvigilance-after-victory warning.
00:15:04.186 --> 00:15:08.490
Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goesbefore destruction,
00:15:08.524 --> 00:15:13.162
and a haughty spiritbefore a fall."
00:15:13.195 --> 00:15:16.632
1 Corinthians 10:12, "Thereforelet him who thinks he stands
00:15:16.665 --> 00:15:22.004
take heedlest he fall."
00:15:22.037 --> 00:15:25.274
So here are these challengesas we prepare to go out
00:15:25.307 --> 00:15:28.410
for the second halfof life:
00:15:28.444 --> 00:15:30.412
stay focusedtill you're finished,
00:15:30.446 --> 00:15:32.548
stay resilient about retirement,stay connected to your calling,
00:15:32.581 --> 00:15:36.618
stay vigilantafter your victories,
00:15:36.652 --> 00:15:38.454
and finally stay readyfor redeployment.
00:15:38.487 --> 00:15:42.358
Make sure that you're readyfor God to redeploy you
00:15:42.391 --> 00:15:45.961
in any waythat he chooses.
00:15:45.995 --> 00:15:48.397
Always be looking forwardto what the Lord has next
00:15:48.430 --> 00:15:50.866
for you.
00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:52.601
Folks, it doesn't takea deep dive into secular history
00:15:52.634 --> 00:15:55.371
or the Bible to discoverthat many great things
00:15:55.404 --> 00:15:58.540
are accomplishedby people
00:15:58.574 --> 00:16:00.242
who are past the ageof retirement.
00:16:00.275 --> 00:16:03.145
Pianist Comedian Victor Borge,the Clown Prince of Denmark,
00:16:03.178 --> 00:16:07.149
continuedto delight huge audiences
00:16:07.182 --> 00:16:09.685
until his deathat the age of 91.
00:16:09.718 --> 00:16:13.522
As I speak to you today,Singer Tony Bennett
00:16:13.555 --> 00:16:16.792
is 93 and he leaves his heartnot only in San Francisco,
00:16:16.825 --> 00:16:21.030
but in many other citieswhere he continues
00:16:21.063 --> 00:16:23.032
to go every year and sing.
00:16:23.065 --> 00:16:25.534
90 year old master CellistPablo Casals
00:16:25.567 --> 00:16:28.270
was askedwhy he kept practicing
00:16:28.303 --> 00:16:30.005
8 hours a day,and he said,
00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:32.041
"I think I'm improving."
00:16:32.074 --> 00:16:33.909
Pearl Buck, the famous writer
00:16:33.942 --> 00:16:35.944
and the daughter of missionariesto China, said,
00:16:35.978 --> 00:16:39.114
"I've reachedan honorable position in life
00:16:39.148 --> 00:16:41.283
because I am oldand no longer young.
00:16:41.316 --> 00:16:45.054
I am a far more useful personthan I was 50 years ago
00:16:45.087 --> 00:16:48.791
or 40 years agoor 30 or 20 or even 10."
00:16:48.824 --> 00:16:52.795
She said,"I have learned so much
00:16:52.828 --> 00:16:55.330
since I turned 70."
00:16:55.364 --> 00:16:57.966
So don't give up on yourselftoo early.
00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:00.602
Don't deprive yourselfof the many blessings
00:17:00.636 --> 00:17:02.938
God wants to bestowupon you
00:17:02.971 --> 00:17:04.907
in your post-retirement years.
00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:07.209
Change what you doif you have to,
00:17:07.242 --> 00:17:09.111
but don't stopserving the Lord
00:17:09.144 --> 00:17:12.181
because I believeone of the greatest
00:17:12.214 --> 00:17:15.651
unused talent poolsin our churches
00:17:15.684 --> 00:17:18.320
are peoplewho've come to a certain age
00:17:18.353 --> 00:17:21.123
and they have this mentality
00:17:21.156 --> 00:17:22.825
that's been forced upon themby the culture that says,
00:17:22.858 --> 00:17:25.227
"When you getto a certain place,
00:17:25.260 --> 00:17:26.562
you have to quit.
00:17:26.595 --> 00:17:27.896
You have to stop."
00:17:27.930 --> 00:17:29.231
But then they lose their senseof importance,
00:17:29.264 --> 00:17:31.500
their sense of value,and they lose
00:17:31.533 --> 00:17:33.569
the joy of their life.
00:17:33.602 --> 00:17:35.237
God gives us as many years aswe're allowed on this earth,
00:17:35.270 --> 00:17:38.574
and we should try to makeevery one of them count
00:17:38.607 --> 00:17:41.009
for the kingdom.
00:17:41.043 --> 00:17:42.478
Here's a couple of versesto encourage you.
00:17:42.511 --> 00:17:44.847
They sure have kept meon board.
00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:46.982
They were given to usby our gracious Father
00:17:47.015 --> 00:17:49.585
to keep us faithfulthroughout our lives.
00:17:49.618 --> 00:17:52.187
Don't forgetwhat we learned earlier.
00:17:52.221 --> 00:17:54.156
If you're not dead,you're not done.
00:17:54.189 --> 00:17:57.593
Psalm 92 says this:
00:17:57.626 --> 00:18:00.062
"The righteous shall flourishlike a palm tree.
00:18:00.095 --> 00:18:03.198
He shall growlike a cedar in Lebanon.
00:18:03.232 --> 00:18:05.968
Those who are plantedin the house of the Lord
00:18:06.001 --> 00:18:07.970
will flourishin the courts of our God.
00:18:08.003 --> 00:18:11.173
They shall still bear fruitin old age.
00:18:11.206 --> 00:18:14.543
They shall be freshand flourishing."
00:18:14.576 --> 00:18:18.113
Isaiah 46, verse 4,"Even to your old age,
00:18:18.147 --> 00:18:21.250
I am he, and even to gray hairsI will carry you.
00:18:21.283 --> 00:18:25.387
I have made,and I will bear you;
00:18:25.420 --> 00:18:27.589
even I will carry youand deliver you."
00:18:27.623 --> 00:18:30.526
And here's the special prayerthat I have claimed for my life.
00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:34.196
Psalm 71:18, "Now alsowhen I am old and gray,
00:18:34.229 --> 00:18:40.335
O God, do not forsake meuntil I declare your strength
00:18:40.369 --> 00:18:43.972
to this generationand your power to everyone
00:18:44.006 --> 00:18:47.509
who is to come."
00:18:47.543 --> 00:18:49.745
Yes, God uses usall the way through
00:18:49.778 --> 00:18:53.048
if we just make ourselvesuseful.
00:18:53.081 --> 00:18:56.752
As I bring this messageto a close,
00:18:56.785 --> 00:18:59.188
I want to tell you aboutone of the men
00:18:59.221 --> 00:19:01.557
in our congregationat Shadow Mountain.
00:19:01.590 --> 00:19:04.459
More than anyone I know,
00:19:04.493 --> 00:19:05.994
he has captured the conceptof finishing well.
00:19:06.028 --> 00:19:10.999
Tom Heyer taught mathat Helix High School
00:19:11.033 --> 00:19:15.270
for 40 years.
00:19:15.304 --> 00:19:17.105
He had receivedChrist as Savior
00:19:17.139 --> 00:19:18.774
as a juniorat San Diego State
00:19:18.807 --> 00:19:20.776
and immediately began to teach.
00:19:20.809 --> 00:19:23.212
He loved his job.
00:19:23.245 --> 00:19:24.846
I remember meeting himat his school
00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:26.515
many years ago.
00:19:26.548 --> 00:19:27.883
I had gone to Helixto meet with a coach
00:19:27.916 --> 00:19:29.851
who was trying to helpmy son get a scholarship
00:19:29.885 --> 00:19:31.920
in footballand he said to me,
00:19:31.954 --> 00:19:34.923
"You have a teacherthat works here
00:19:34.957 --> 00:19:36.725
from your church."
00:19:36.758 --> 00:19:38.327
And he introduced meto Tom Heyer.
00:19:38.360 --> 00:19:39.962
That was the first timeI met him.
00:19:39.995 --> 00:19:42.197
He loved his students.I could tell that for sure.
00:19:42.231 --> 00:19:44.333
He wasn't justputting in his time.
00:19:44.366 --> 00:19:46.501
He helped start a Christian clubon that campus
00:19:46.535 --> 00:19:48.704
that impacted many lives.
00:19:48.737 --> 00:19:50.839
He was a well-loved teacher,and he was really good
00:19:50.872 --> 00:19:53.442
at what he did.
00:19:53.475 --> 00:19:55.310
But in the summer of 2002,Tom Heyer was looking forward
00:19:55.344 --> 00:19:59.314
to beginninghis 40th year of teaching.
00:19:59.348 --> 00:20:02.517
One morning during the summeras he and his wife Pam
00:20:02.551 --> 00:20:06.421
took their regular prayer walktogether,
00:20:06.455 --> 00:20:09.324
God spoke to Tomand turned his life upside down.
00:20:09.358 --> 00:20:13.829
Here is how Tom put it.
00:20:13.862 --> 00:20:15.897
He said, "That morningGod spoke directly to me.
00:20:15.931 --> 00:20:18.500
He told me it was timeto set aside teaching
00:20:18.533 --> 00:20:20.869
because he hadsomething else for me to do."
00:20:20.902 --> 00:20:25.274
Since teaching had been hiswhole life, Tom had no idea
00:20:25.307 --> 00:20:27.843
what God was up to,but he was about to find out.
00:20:27.876 --> 00:20:31.346
After counselingwith one of our pastors,
00:20:31.380 --> 00:20:33.682
Tom acceptedthe challenge
00:20:33.715 --> 00:20:35.584
to start a weeklymen's Bible study.
00:20:35.617 --> 00:20:38.287
That Bible studycalled itself Fellows,
00:20:38.320 --> 00:20:41.623
and it's been going nowfor 18 years.
00:20:41.657 --> 00:20:44.626
Because of his leadershipin that Bible study,
00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:46.695
he was askedif he'd be willing
00:20:46.728 --> 00:20:48.230
to take over the prison ministryat our church,
00:20:48.263 --> 00:20:50.599
Shadow MountainCommunity Church.
00:20:50.632 --> 00:20:52.834
At that time,we had about 12 people
00:20:52.868 --> 00:20:54.636
who were involved inministering to the prisoners
00:20:54.670 --> 00:20:56.672
of San Diego County.
00:20:56.705 --> 00:20:59.274
Once againTom prayed
00:20:59.308 --> 00:21:00.709
that he accepted the challenge,
00:21:00.742 --> 00:21:02.144
and what has happened sinceis truly remarkable.
00:21:02.177 --> 00:21:05.681
Today as he closes inon the 17th year
00:21:05.714 --> 00:21:08.817
of his leadershipin this ministry,
00:21:08.850 --> 00:21:10.919
God has opened doorsfor ministry
00:21:10.952 --> 00:21:12.788
to everyoneimpacted by incarceration.
00:21:12.821 --> 00:21:15.891
He ministers to inmates,parolees, ex-offenders,
00:21:15.924 --> 00:21:19.161
spouses, children,other family members,
00:21:19.194 --> 00:21:21.663
even correctional officersand prison staff.
00:21:21.697 --> 00:21:25.200
According to Tom,the P in prison
00:21:25.233 --> 00:21:27.269
doesn't stand for prison,
00:21:27.302 --> 00:21:29.137
but it stands for people;people who God loves
00:21:29.171 --> 00:21:32.708
with an everlastingunconditional love.
00:21:32.741 --> 00:21:35.811
Each week nowat Shadow Mountain,
00:21:35.844 --> 00:21:38.680
40 different team membersgo into eight different prisons,
00:21:38.714 --> 00:21:42.517
holding roughly30 meetings a month
00:21:42.551 --> 00:21:45.654
with an averageof over 600 inmates,
00:21:45.687 --> 00:21:48.156
men, women,and youth in attendance.
00:21:48.190 --> 00:21:51.360
At Christmas, a huge partyis hosted for the children
00:21:51.393 --> 00:21:54.930
of incarcerated parents.
00:21:54.963 --> 00:21:57.132
Hundreds of childrenmostly with their mothers
00:21:57.165 --> 00:21:59.601
attend this partyon our church campus.
00:21:59.634 --> 00:22:02.270
On the Saturdaybefore Christmas,
00:22:02.304 --> 00:22:04.139
our event center is filledwith families
00:22:04.172 --> 00:22:06.308
that would be forgottenwere it not
00:22:06.341 --> 00:22:08.176
for this incredible ministry.
00:22:08.210 --> 00:22:11.246
Several years ago,a young man
00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:12.948
in our churchwho'd been incarcerated
00:22:12.981 --> 00:22:14.649
was released,and he came to Tom Heyer
00:22:14.683 --> 00:22:17.419
and he told Tomhow Christmas
00:22:17.452 --> 00:22:19.354
was such a hard timefor prisoners.
00:22:19.388 --> 00:22:22.157
It was the lowest time,the loneliest time,
00:22:22.190 --> 00:22:24.126
the time when they feltso rejected and forgotten.
00:22:24.159 --> 00:22:27.829
And he asked Tomif he thought there was anything
00:22:27.863 --> 00:22:30.031
we could do to make a differencein their lives
00:22:30.065 --> 00:22:32.901
during this season,
00:22:32.934 --> 00:22:34.336
and the resultof that conversation
00:22:34.369 --> 00:22:36.338
was the greatChristmas card mail-out.
00:22:36.371 --> 00:22:39.474
Last Christmas,hundreds of volunteers,
00:22:39.508 --> 00:22:42.344
some of themfrom our church
00:22:42.377 --> 00:22:43.945
but many of themjust from San Diego,
00:22:43.979 --> 00:22:46.148
under the directionof Tom Heyer's
00:22:46.181 --> 00:22:48.350
Shadow MountainPrison Ministry,
00:22:48.383 --> 00:22:50.218
got together duringthe holiday season
00:22:50.252 --> 00:22:52.821
and sent outover 15.000 Christmas cards
00:22:52.854 --> 00:22:57.526
to prison inmates.
00:22:57.559 --> 00:22:59.961
When God spoke to Tom Heyeron that morning walk in 2002,
00:22:59.995 --> 00:23:04.566
he ignited a movementthat will live on long
00:23:04.599 --> 00:23:06.601
after Tom and I are gone.
00:23:06.635 --> 00:23:08.837
Today, the Shadow MountainPrison Ministry
00:23:08.870 --> 00:23:10.972
is one of the largest
00:23:11.006 --> 00:23:12.774
church-sponsoredprison ministries in America,
00:23:12.808 --> 00:23:16.077
and it all started in the lifeof one man who was retiring.
00:23:16.111 --> 00:23:20.615
And Tom Heyerwas ready to be redeployed.
00:23:20.649 --> 00:23:24.519
Are you?
00:23:24.553 --> 00:23:25.887
Are you readyfor God to use you?
00:23:25.921 --> 00:23:27.355
You may think, "Well,I finally got to the end.
00:23:27.389 --> 00:23:29.090
Now I can--"No, if you're Christian,
00:23:29.124 --> 00:23:31.426
God has a rightto your life.
00:23:31.460 --> 00:23:34.696
And if you will give himthe opportunity
00:23:34.729 --> 00:23:36.832
to use you even in the daysafter you have finished
00:23:36.865 --> 00:23:40.302
your full vocational experience,you may discover
00:23:40.335 --> 00:23:44.739
that God will dothe greatest things in your life
00:23:44.773 --> 00:23:47.175
at the endand all the things
00:23:47.209 --> 00:23:49.444
he's ever done in your lifeup until that point.
00:23:49.478 --> 00:23:52.347
How many of you know, sometimes,God saves the best till last?
00:23:52.380 --> 00:23:55.750
He wants to do that for you.He wants to do it for me.
00:23:55.784 --> 00:23:59.087
Let's commit ourselvesto the fact
00:23:59.120 --> 00:24:01.156
that we're goingto stay faithful
00:24:01.189 --> 00:24:02.924
until we're finished.
00:24:02.958 --> 00:24:04.259
Amen?Amen.
00:24:04.292 --> 00:24:06.127
announcer: Dr. Jeremiahwill return in a moment
00:24:08.129 --> 00:24:09.998
with one more inspirational wordto close today's program
00:24:10.031 --> 00:24:13.602
right after this.
00:24:13.635 --> 00:24:15.303
announcer: Thank youfor watching today.
00:24:18.173 --> 00:24:20.141
Did you know that this programis just one part of the ministry
00:24:20.175 --> 00:24:23.512
of "Turning Point,"which is committed
00:24:23.545 --> 00:24:25.247
to deliveringthe unchanging Word of God
00:24:25.280 --> 00:24:27.182
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00:24:27.215 --> 00:24:29.518
This program is only possiblebecause of the generous
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and faithful supportof viewers like you.
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When you support the ministryof "Turning Point,"
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you partner with usto reach across the world
00:24:37.292 --> 00:24:39.895
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00:24:39.928 --> 00:24:42.764
of Dr. Jeremiahthrough television,
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Please consider supportingthis program
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00:24:53.108 --> 00:24:55.343
When you do, Dr. Jeremiahwill thank you
00:24:55.377 --> 00:24:57.546
by sending his new book,"Forward:
00:24:57.579 --> 00:24:59.614
Discovering God's Presenceand Purpose in your Tomorrow."
00:24:59.648 --> 00:25:02.617
And if you give $75 or more,he will send you in appreciation
00:25:02.651 --> 00:25:06.788
his comprehensive Forward set.
00:25:06.821 --> 00:25:09.357
Your gifthelps move the ministry forward.
00:25:09.391 --> 00:25:12.260
Contact "Turning Point" today.
00:25:12.294 --> 00:25:14.529
announcer: And nowwith one last word
00:25:16.565 --> 00:25:18.266
for today's program,here is Dr. Jeremiah.
00:25:18.300 --> 00:25:21.269
Dr. Jeremiah: No matterwhat season of life
00:25:22.904 --> 00:25:24.339
in which you find yourself,your brightest day can be
00:25:24.372 --> 00:25:27.909
just around the corner.
00:25:27.943 --> 00:25:30.278
Take hold of it,let go of the past,
00:25:30.312 --> 00:25:33.615
and get out of your rut.
00:25:33.648 --> 00:25:35.717
Choose to run forwardtoward everything
00:25:35.750 --> 00:25:38.219
God has plannedfor the next phase of your life,
00:25:38.253 --> 00:25:41.356
but rememberthis forward journey
00:25:41.389 --> 00:25:43.758
is not one we do alone.
00:25:43.792 --> 00:25:45.961
We need Jesus Christto take even one step.
00:25:45.994 --> 00:25:50.165
So I hope you know Jesus Christwell; but if you don't,
00:25:50.198 --> 00:25:54.369
I'd like to introduce himto you today.
00:25:54.402 --> 00:25:57.105
I would like to send youtwo resources
00:25:57.138 --> 00:25:59.774
to start your journeywith Christ.
00:25:59.808 --> 00:26:01.810
The first is a booklet called"Your Greatest Turning Point,"
00:26:02.010 --> 00:26:05.814
and the second
00:26:05.847 --> 00:26:07.315
is our monthlydevotional magazine,
00:26:07.349 --> 00:26:09.050
"Turning Points."
00:26:09.084 --> 00:26:10.852
These resources are yourscompletely free
00:26:10.885 --> 00:26:13.655
when you contact"Turning Point" today.
00:26:13.688 --> 00:26:17.192
announcer: Also availablefrom Dr. Jeremiah,
00:26:17.692 --> 00:26:20.128
the Jeremiah Study Bible,the culmination
00:26:20.161 --> 00:26:22.464
of more than four decades
00:26:22.497 --> 00:26:24.199
of Dr. Jeremiah's studyand teaching
00:26:24.232 --> 00:26:26.568
available in NKJV, NIV, and ESV;
00:26:26.601 --> 00:26:30.772
plus Dr. Jeremiah'sairship Genesis Kids Study Bible
00:26:30.805 --> 00:26:34.609
for the young ones in your life.
00:26:34.643 --> 00:26:36.611
Order a Bible for yourselfor as a gift
00:26:36.645 --> 00:26:39.114
for someone you know.
00:26:39.147 --> 00:26:40.515
Contact "Turning Point" today.
00:26:40.548 --> 00:26:42.817
announcer: Next timeon "Turning Point."
00:26:45.053 --> 00:26:46.688
Dr. Jeremiah: If your heartis right with God
00:26:48.056 --> 00:26:49.724
and you are a Christianand you die
00:26:49.758 --> 00:26:52.027
and you go to heaven,the Bible says
00:26:52.060 --> 00:26:54.129
you will meet Jesus personallyface to face.
00:26:54.162 --> 00:26:59.200
This is your ultimate goal.
00:26:59.234 --> 00:27:00.702
This will be
00:27:00.735 --> 00:27:02.237
your singlemost phenomenal moment
00:27:02.270 --> 00:27:03.705
of your entire life.
00:27:03.738 --> 00:27:05.040
This is what you're living for,what you're waiting for,
00:27:05.073 --> 00:27:07.575
and what you're anticipatingwith all your heart.
00:27:07.609 --> 00:27:10.278
This is celebrationwith a capital C.
00:27:10.311 --> 00:27:12.814
announcer: Thank youfor being with us today.
00:27:14.149 --> 00:27:15.850
Join us next timeas Dr. Jeremiah
00:27:15.884 --> 00:27:18.119
directs you how to celebrateyour life and faith today
00:27:18.153 --> 00:27:21.389
as you look forwardto your future in eternity
00:27:21.423 --> 00:27:24.826
here on "Turning Point."
00:27:24.859 --> 00:27:26.861

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Finish: You’re Not Done Until You’re Done

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Finish: You’re Not Done Until You’re Done

Finish: You’re Not Done Until You’re Done

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