Robert Jeffress - Without A Doubt (Part 2)

April 8, 2025 | S25:E167

Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Without A Doubt (Part 2) | April 8, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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  • Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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  • With dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress and welcome
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  • Again to "pathway to victory."
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  • The bible teaches that while all of us have sinned and deserved
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  • God's judgment, god's gift of salvation is freely available to
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  • Anyone who will trust in jesus christ.
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  • And while the promise of eternal life is certainly something
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  • Worth celebrating, the benefits of a right relationship with god
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  • Don't have to wait until we die.
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  • They can begin right now.
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  • Today we're going to look at four tangible benefits that come
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  • From being in a right relationship with god.
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  • My message is titled "without a doubt" on today's edition of
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  • "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪ amazing grace, how sweet the sound ♪
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  • ♪ that saved a wretch like me ♪
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  • ♪ i once was lost, but now am found, ♪
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  • ♪ was blind, but now ♪
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  • ♪ i see. ♪
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  • ♪ 'twas grace that taught my heart to fear, ♪
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  • ♪ and grace my fears relieved; ♪
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  • ♪ how precious did that grace appear ♪
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  • ♪ the hour i first ♪
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  • ♪ believed! ♪
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  • ♪ through many dangers, toils and snares ♪
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  • ♪ i have already come: ♪
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  • ♪ 'tis grace has brought ♪
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  • ♪ me safe thus far, ♪
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  • ♪ and grace will lead me home. ♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪ when we've been there ten thousand years, ♪
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  • ♪ bright shining as the sun, ♪
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  • ♪ we've no less days to sing god's praise, ♪
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  • ♪ than when we'd ♪
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  • ♪ first ♪
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  • ♪ begun. ♪
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  • ♪ amazing grace. ♪
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • Male announcer: paul was the most significant missionary in
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  • Christian history and wrote almost half the books of the
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  • New testament.
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  • And you're invited to walk in his footsteps with "the
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  • Illustrated guide to the apostle paul."
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  • In this fully illustrated resource, you'll explore the
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  • Social, cultural, political, and religious background of the
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  • First century roman world in which paul lived and ministered,
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  • And you'll understand god's grace in new ways.
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  • Contact "pathway to victory" today with a generous gift and
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  • Request your copy of "the illustrated guide to the
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  • Apostle paul."
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  • Jeffress: remember when moses was getting all depressed about
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  • The fact that he didn't feel like he could lead the people of
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  • Israel, and finally, when he was totally dejected, he said,
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  • "lord, look, just show me your glory.
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  • I just wanna see your glory.
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  • I wanna know that everything i'm believing in is real."
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  • You remember the story of what happened, it's recorded in
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  • Exodus 33, beginning with verse 19.
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  • "god said, 'i myself will make all my goodness pass before you,
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  • And will proclaim the name of the lord before you; and i will
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  • Be gracious to whom i will be gracious.'"
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  • Verse 20, "but god said, 'you cannot see my face, for nobody
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  • Can see my face and and live.'"
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  • Verse 21.
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  • "then the lord said to moses, 'behold, there is a place by me,
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  • And you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about
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  • While my glory is passing by, that i will put you in the cleft
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  • Of the rock and cover you with my hand until i have passed by.
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  • And then i will take my hand away and you shall see my back,
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  • But my face shall not be seen.'"
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  • And so god takes moses and puts him up there in that cave, so
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  • To speak.
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  • He covers his face and the glory of god passes by, and god just
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  • Allows moses to see the trailing edge, the backside of his glory.
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  • But from that point on, moses was a marked man.
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  • His life was never the same after he saw just that glimpse
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  • Of the glory, the fullness of god.
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  • The bible says, the assurance we have is that one day, if we're
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  • In a right relationship with god, we will see the full glory
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  • Of the god in whom we have trusted.
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  • But you know what?
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  • Not only are we going to see the glory of god, we're actually
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  • Going to share in the glory of god.
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  • 1 john 3 verse 2 says, "brethren, it has not yet
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  • Appeared what we shall be like, but we know that when christ
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  • Appears, we shall be like him because we shall see him just as
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  • He is."
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  • I don't understand this, but what i do understand is that one
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  • Day because of our right relationship with god, the bible
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  • Says we're going to see the fullness of god and we're
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  • Actually going to share in the fullness, the glory, the
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  • Weightiness of god himself.
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  • Thirdly he says, another benefit of being in a right relationship
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  • With god is it gives us a consolation in
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  • Present suffering.
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  • The benefits of a right relationship with god just don't
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  • Begin the moment we die, they begin right now.
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  • And one of those practical benefits is a consolation in
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  • Present suffering.
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  • Look at chapter 5, verse 3, "and not only this, but we also
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  • Rejoice, exult in our tribulations."
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  • That word tribulations literally means to be under pressure.
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  • It's a word that referred to the process by which a big grinding
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  • Stone would press the olives and extract the valuable olive oil.
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  • That's what tribulation means.
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  • It means to be under pressure.
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  • And paul says we can rejoice when we're under pressure and by
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  • The way, that word tribulation sometimes we use it to refer to
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  • The persecution that comes from being a christian.
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  • That's a very real persecution.
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  • Many people around the country, around the world are
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  • Experiencing now.
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  • I think we're gonna experience it more and more, but i think we
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  • Would be wrong to limit persecution or tribulation
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  • Simply to persecution for our faith.
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  • The fact is, all of us who are christians or non-christians for
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  • That matter, we all suffer tribulations.
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  • Jesus said in john 16, "in this world you will have
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  • Pressure, tribulations."
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  • Sometimes that tribulation or pressure comes from family
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  • Concerns, sometimes it comes from money problems, sometimes
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  • It comes from health issues, sometimes it comes from problems
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  • At work.
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  • But what he's saying here is no matter what the source, we can
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  • Exalt in our tribulations.
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  • Now, to understand how strange that was for paul to say rejoice
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  • In tribulations, you need to understand this about
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  • Greek philosophy.
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  • When paul was writing these words, there were two major
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  • Schools of thought about how to handle problems in your life.
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  • One was founded by the greek philosopher epicurus.
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  • He founded epicureanism.
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  • That's the idea that if you're going through pressure, you can
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  • Dull the pressure you're experiencing with pleasure.
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  • Just, you know, have more pleasure, eat, drink and be
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  • Merry, for tomorrow we die, and that will numb out the pressure
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  • That you're feeling.
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  • That was epicureanism.
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  • There's another group called the stoics, and they
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  • Promoted stoicism.
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  • They said, "no, no, no, no, no, no, don't try to numb your pain,
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  • Instead, the stoics said just have a stiff upper lip.
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  • You know, just press through as grin and bear it for as long as
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  • You can."
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  • That was stoicism.
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  • But paul said, "no, christians have a better response
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  • To pressure."
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  • Instead of trying to numb the pressure with pleasure, instead
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  • Of trying to deny the pressure through stoicism, we can
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  • Actually rejoice in times of pressure, why?
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  • Remember, if you're in a right relationship with god, you have
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  • The assurance that that pressure, that problem you're
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  • Facing is not there by accident.
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  • It's not the result of an angry god who is trying to get even
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  • With you.
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  • No that pressure is the result of god's perfect and loving plan
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  • For your life.
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  • And that's what he's talking about in verses 3 and 4, he
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  • Said, "knowing that tribulation pressure produces perseverance."
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  • That word perseverance means to live under something, to live
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  • Under something.
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  • When you're going through a difficult time, you don't have
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  • To panic, you don't have to try to get out of the problem as
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  • Quickly as you can.
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  • You can live under it, knowing god is doing something valuable
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  • In your life.
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  • What is that something valuable?
  • 00:11:00.950 --> 00:11:02.318
  • Follow it in verse 4. "tribulation produces
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  • Perseverance; and perseverance delivers or develops
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  • Proven character."
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  • That word translated proven character is "dokimos" in greek.
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  • It's a word that was used to refer to a piece of pottery that
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  • Once formed by the potter would be placed in a firing oven in
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  • Order to be strengthened.
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  • And if that piece of pottery succeeded in staying in that
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  • Firing oven without cracking under the heat, when it was
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  • Removed, the potter would write on the bottom of the pot the
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  • Word "dokimos."
  • 00:11:39.188 --> 00:11:41.657
  • Proven, tested.
  • 00:11:41.657 --> 00:11:44.760
  • In another example, whenever people were fashioning a piece
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  • Of jewelry, they would take the gold and they would heat it up
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  • To the molten state.
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  • And once the gold was liquid and formed, the impurities would
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  • Rise to the top and the jewel maker would take off the
  • 00:11:56.405 --> 00:12:00.209
  • Impurities, skin them off the surface, and now the gold was
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  • Pure to be fashioned into that piece of jewelry.
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  • What paul is saying is in the same way, trials are god's way
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  • Of taking the character flaws, the impurities out of our life,
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  • And preparing the kind of character he wants to develop in
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  • Each of us.
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  • Billy graham used to tell the story about a friend of his who
  • 00:12:22.464 --> 00:12:26.402
  • Went through the great depression and during the great
  • 00:12:26.402 --> 00:12:28.370
  • Depression he lost everything his job, his money, his wife,
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  • All of his family.
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  • He was a strong believer, but he couldn't understand why god was
  • 00:12:34.143 --> 00:12:38.013
  • Doing this to him.
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  • And one day in almost a desperate state he was walking
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  • Down the streets of the large city where he lived, and he
  • 00:12:42.785 --> 00:12:46.622
  • Noticed that masons were doing a lot of stone work on a massive
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  • Cathedral and he noticed one of the masons was chiseling on a
  • 00:12:50.659 --> 00:12:55.831
  • Piece of stone down on the sidewalk, and so he stopped and
  • 00:12:55.831 --> 00:12:59.435
  • He asked the mason, what are you doing?
  • 00:12:59.435 --> 00:13:01.270
  • Well, what are you doing with that piece of stone?
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  • And the mason pointed his direction to a spire at the top
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  • Of the church.
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  • He said, "see that up there?"
  • 00:13:09.178 --> 00:13:10.880
  • "yes."
  • 00:13:10.880 --> 00:13:12.248
  • "see that little opening up at the top of the spire?"
  • 00:13:12.248 --> 00:13:15.551
  • "yes."
  • 00:13:15.551 --> 00:13:17.319
  • The mason said, "i am chiseling this down here so that it will
  • 00:13:17.319 --> 00:13:22.892
  • Fit up there."
  • 00:13:22.892 --> 00:13:26.929
  • The man said suddenly tears started streaming down his face
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  • Because he realized god had him meet that mason for a reason.
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  • He realized that god was allowing these difficulties in
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  • His life, not because he hated him, but because he loved him.
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  • He was chiseling away anything in his life that wasn't like
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  • Christ, he was preparing him down here for an eternity
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  • Up there.
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  • That's what god's doing in your life if you're a believer.
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  • These difficulties are not because god hates you, it's
  • 00:13:53.889 --> 00:13:56.558
  • Because he loves you.
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  • I don't know if this is true for you, it's true for me.
  • 00:13:57.927 --> 00:13:59.895
  • Have you found that you've learned the most in your life,
  • 00:13:59.895 --> 00:14:04.266
  • Not through the easy times, but through the difficult times.
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  • Even christ, it was true of him.
  • 00:14:08.604 --> 00:14:10.606
  • Hebrews 5:8 says, "though he was a son, he learned obedience by
  • 00:14:10.606 --> 00:14:14.176
  • The things that he suffered."
  • 00:14:14.176 --> 00:14:17.880
  • God has a reason for allowing these things in your life.
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  • It is to prepare you down here for the eternity that awaits you
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  • Up there.
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  • I came across a tremendous quote this week in my reading from the
  • 00:14:26.322 --> 00:14:30.259
  • Late dallas willard.
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  • If you don't hear anything else, listen to this.
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  • He writes, "the most important thing in your life is not what
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  • You do, it's who you become, that's what you will take
  • 00:14:40.069 --> 00:14:45.074
  • Into eternity."
  • 00:14:45.074 --> 00:14:47.242
  • That's what paul is talking about.
  • 00:14:47.242 --> 00:14:48.844
  • We can rejoice if we're in a right relationship with god,
  • 00:14:48.844 --> 00:14:51.914
  • When we're in tribulation, knowing that that produces
  • 00:14:51.914 --> 00:14:54.149
  • Perseverance, and that perseverance produces proven
  • 00:14:54.149 --> 00:14:57.319
  • Character, and that proven character, notice what he says,
  • 00:14:57.319 --> 00:15:00.889
  • Produces hope.
  • 00:15:00.889 --> 00:15:03.292
  • One thing i have found is that christians who have been
  • 00:15:03.292 --> 00:15:06.128
  • Chiseled on by god, who have felt the blow of his mighty hand
  • 00:15:06.128 --> 00:15:10.899
  • Out of love.
  • 00:15:10.899 --> 00:15:13.068
  • It's amazing when people have suffered the loss of a job, or
  • 00:15:13.068 --> 00:15:16.038
  • The loss of a child, or a marriage, or their health, if
  • 00:15:16.038 --> 00:15:19.942
  • They are christians, it's amazing how those losses cause
  • 00:15:19.942 --> 00:15:24.279
  • Them to be disinterested in the things of this world and to
  • 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:27.850
  • Focus on the things of heaven.
  • 00:15:27.850 --> 00:15:30.686
  • I think about one of our own members, you know well.
  • 00:15:30.686 --> 00:15:34.490
  • Linnell humphrey, a widow in our church.
  • 00:15:34.490 --> 00:15:38.694
  • About seven or eight years ago, she lost her son, jay, who died
  • 00:15:38.694 --> 00:15:42.731
  • Suddenly of a heart attack.
  • 00:15:42.731 --> 00:15:44.733
  • Then a few years after that, she lost her husband, one of our
  • 00:15:44.733 --> 00:15:47.870
  • Deacons, charles, and then several weeks ago she lost her
  • 00:15:47.870 --> 00:15:51.206
  • Other son, jed.
  • 00:15:51.206 --> 00:15:54.243
  • Imagine that kind of loss, your husband, all of your children.
  • 00:15:54.243 --> 00:16:00.449
  • Last sunday afternoon we had the memorial service for her son jed
  • 00:16:00.449 --> 00:16:06.188
  • Here in our truett chapel.
  • 00:16:06.188 --> 00:16:10.025
  • I will never forget this as long as i live.
  • 00:16:10.025 --> 00:16:12.428
  • We were sitting there and we were singing that hymn, "it is
  • 00:16:12.428 --> 00:16:15.731
  • Well with my soul."
  • 00:16:15.731 --> 00:16:18.300
  • And as we were singing that hymn, seated there in those
  • 00:16:18.300 --> 00:16:21.103
  • Pews, suddenly linnell stood to her feet with our arms raised
  • 00:16:21.103 --> 00:16:25.941
  • For god.
  • 00:16:25.941 --> 00:16:27.776
  • What a testimony, what a testimony.
  • 00:16:27.776 --> 00:16:31.180
  • I'll tell you something, if you sit down and talk to linnell
  • 00:16:31.180 --> 00:16:33.749
  • Today, i'll tell you what she won't talk to you about.
  • 00:16:33.749 --> 00:16:37.986
  • She's not obsessing about where she's gonna spend her
  • 00:16:37.986 --> 00:16:40.222
  • Next vacation.
  • 00:16:40.222 --> 00:16:42.224
  • She's not talking about any additions she's gonna make to
  • 00:16:42.224 --> 00:16:44.626
  • Her home.
  • 00:16:44.626 --> 00:16:46.628
  • She's not talking about her investment portfolio.
  • 00:16:46.628 --> 00:16:50.732
  • There's one thing linnell's thinking about right now, and
  • 00:16:50.732 --> 00:16:53.202
  • That's heaven.
  • 00:16:53.202 --> 00:16:54.837
  • That's being where god is, that's where her treasure is.
  • 00:16:54.837 --> 00:16:59.141
  • The bible says when you go through tribulations as a
  • 00:16:59.141 --> 00:17:02.344
  • Christian, god has a way of using those trials to hammer out
  • 00:17:02.344 --> 00:17:07.049
  • Anything that's not like christ and to fix your hope on the
  • 00:17:07.049 --> 00:17:11.153
  • Assurance of eternity.
  • 00:17:11.153 --> 00:17:13.155
  • That's why we can rejoice as christians.
  • 00:17:13.155 --> 00:17:16.091
  • It gives us consolation and present suffering, but not only
  • 00:17:16.091 --> 00:17:19.294
  • That, i want you to notice this, a right relationship with god
  • 00:17:19.294 --> 00:17:23.298
  • Gives you the assurance of eternal salvation.
  • 00:17:23.298 --> 00:17:27.469
  • Verses 6 through 11, this section is probably one of the
  • 00:17:27.469 --> 00:17:30.973
  • Greatest sections in all of the bible about the assurance we
  • 00:17:30.973 --> 00:17:34.543
  • Have of our salvation.
  • 00:17:34.543 --> 00:17:36.612
  • You know, there's some people who would say, "well, i believe,
  • 00:17:36.612 --> 00:17:39.148
  • Yes, it's through christ's death on the cross for me that i have
  • 00:17:39.148 --> 00:17:41.850
  • Eternal life, but what if i quit believing?
  • 00:17:41.850 --> 00:17:47.789
  • What if i fall into sin?
  • 00:17:47.789 --> 00:17:50.125
  • Does my status change from friend of god back to enemy
  • 00:17:50.125 --> 00:17:53.595
  • Of god?
  • 00:17:53.595 --> 00:17:54.930
  • Do i go from being a child of god, being a child of satan?
  • 00:17:54.930 --> 00:17:58.000
  • Do i lose my salvation?"
  • 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:01.203
  • Such a question is an important one, but it's a question that
  • 00:18:01.203 --> 00:18:04.806
  • Fails to take into account not only what christ did for us, but
  • 00:18:04.806 --> 00:18:10.445
  • When he did it for us.
  • 00:18:10.445 --> 00:18:12.347
  • And that's what paul points out here.
  • 00:18:12.347 --> 00:18:14.483
  • Look at verses 6 to 8, "for a while we were helpless, at the
  • 00:18:14.483 --> 00:18:19.488
  • Right time christ died for the ungodly.
  • 00:18:19.488 --> 00:18:22.558
  • For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps
  • 00:18:22.558 --> 00:18:25.827
  • For the good man, someone would dare even to die."
  • 00:18:25.827 --> 00:18:29.965
  • I want you to notice when it is that christ died for you and me.
  • 00:18:29.965 --> 00:18:33.268
  • It's while we were helpless.
  • 00:18:33.268 --> 00:18:36.738
  • That is, we were completely incapable of doing anything to
  • 00:18:36.738 --> 00:18:39.675
  • Earn god's approval.
  • 00:18:39.675 --> 00:18:41.176
  • Not only that, he uses in verse 6 of the phrase or the word we
  • 00:18:41.176 --> 00:18:44.279
  • Were ungodly.
  • 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:45.914
  • That's when christ died for us, when we were ungodly.
  • 00:18:45.914 --> 00:18:49.318
  • That word ungodly doesn't mean just to be unlike god, the
  • 00:18:49.318 --> 00:18:53.055
  • Prefix un means against.
  • 00:18:53.055 --> 00:18:56.458
  • Apart from christ, you and i are against god.
  • 00:18:56.458 --> 00:19:01.129
  • One commentator says, we, apart from christ are so against god
  • 00:19:01.129 --> 00:19:05.200
  • That if we had the power to, we would drag god off of his throne
  • 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:09.171
  • And destroy him.
  • 00:19:09.171 --> 00:19:11.340
  • That's how much we are against the true god of the bible apart
  • 00:19:11.340 --> 00:19:15.744
  • From christ.
  • 00:19:15.744 --> 00:19:17.079
  • But notice it is at that time that christ died for us.
  • 00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:21.783
  • Verse 8, "but god demonstrated his own love toward us, and that
  • 00:19:21.783 --> 00:19:26.188
  • While we were helpless, ungodly sinners, that is when christ
  • 00:19:26.188 --> 00:19:31.793
  • Died for us."
  • 00:19:31.793 --> 00:19:33.495
  • Notice in verse 7, he says, "for one will," hard--verse 7, "one
  • 00:19:33.495 --> 00:19:38.967
  • Will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good
  • 00:19:38.967 --> 00:19:42.638
  • Man, someone would dare even to die."
  • 00:19:42.638 --> 00:19:46.808
  • You know, we preacher types, we have this little arsenal of
  • 00:19:46.808 --> 00:19:50.579
  • Illustrations we use, you've probably heard them a thousand
  • 00:19:50.579 --> 00:19:53.649
  • Times, all of them.
  • 00:19:53.649 --> 00:19:55.417
  • But there's one we use to try to demonstrate exactly how much
  • 00:19:55.417 --> 00:19:58.654
  • Christ loved us in order to die for us.
  • 00:19:58.654 --> 00:20:02.791
  • I know you've heard this story before.
  • 00:20:02.791 --> 00:20:04.126
  • It's about this little girl, ten years old with a rare blood
  • 00:20:04.126 --> 00:20:08.830
  • Disease, she needs a transfusion desperately.
  • 00:20:08.830 --> 00:20:12.734
  • Time is of the essence and so they can only find one person
  • 00:20:12.734 --> 00:20:16.338
  • Who has the right blood type to provide the transfusion, and
  • 00:20:16.338 --> 00:20:19.007
  • It's her six year old brother.
  • 00:20:19.007 --> 00:20:21.376
  • So the doctor explains to him about what the transfusion will
  • 00:20:21.376 --> 00:20:24.246
  • Involve and ask him if he's willing to do this for his
  • 00:20:24.246 --> 00:20:26.548
  • Sister, he says yes.
  • 00:20:26.548 --> 00:20:28.917
  • And so after the transfusion is finished successfully, the
  • 00:20:28.917 --> 00:20:32.421
  • Doctor patted the little boy on the shoulder and said, thank you
  • 00:20:32.421 --> 00:20:35.090
  • For doing this.
  • 00:20:35.090 --> 00:20:36.758
  • The boy looks up at the doctor and says, "doctor, how long
  • 00:20:36.758 --> 00:20:41.363
  • Before i die?"
  • 00:20:41.363 --> 00:20:44.299
  • See, he thought the transfusion would result in his death, but
  • 00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:48.303
  • He was willing to die for his sister because he was a part of
  • 00:20:48.303 --> 00:20:52.441
  • Her family and she loved him, and people say, well that's a
  • 00:20:52.441 --> 00:20:56.778
  • Good illustration of what christ did for us.
  • 00:20:56.778 --> 00:20:59.548
  • No, it's really not a good illustration.
  • 00:20:59.548 --> 00:21:02.250
  • You see, it's one thing for a little boy to be willing to die
  • 00:21:02.250 --> 00:21:06.855
  • For somebody he's related to, for somebody who loves him.
  • 00:21:06.855 --> 00:21:11.560
  • But christ did not die for us when we were a part of
  • 00:21:11.560 --> 00:21:14.229
  • His family.
  • 00:21:14.229 --> 00:21:15.597
  • He didn't die for us when we were overflowing with love
  • 00:21:15.597 --> 00:21:18.266
  • For him.
  • 00:21:18.266 --> 00:21:19.634
  • No, verse 8 says, "god demonstrated his love toward us
  • 00:21:19.634 --> 00:21:22.170
  • And that while we were yet sinners."
  • 00:21:22.170 --> 00:21:25.941
  • That's when christ died for us.
  • 00:21:25.941 --> 00:21:28.477
  • Not when we loved him, when we hated god, god was still willing
  • 00:21:28.477 --> 00:21:33.281
  • To make the ultimate sacrifice.
  • 00:21:33.281 --> 00:21:36.718
  • You say, "what does that have to do with the assurance of
  • 00:21:36.718 --> 00:21:38.887
  • Our salvation?
  • 00:21:38.887 --> 00:21:40.222
  • Everything."
  • 00:21:40.222 --> 00:21:41.590
  • Look at verses 9 and 10.
  • 00:21:41.590 --> 00:21:42.924
  • "much more then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall
  • 00:21:42.924 --> 00:21:47.129
  • Be saved from the wrath of god through him.
  • 00:21:47.129 --> 00:21:50.031
  • For if while we were still enemies, we were reconciled to
  • 00:21:50.031 --> 00:21:54.770
  • God through the death of his son, much more having been
  • 00:21:54.770 --> 00:21:58.273
  • Reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
  • 00:21:58.273 --> 00:22:02.077
  • Listen to this, if god was willing to reach down and save
  • 00:22:02.077 --> 00:22:06.448
  • You, when you hated him, when you were against him, don't you
  • 00:22:06.448 --> 00:22:12.120
  • Think now that you're his friend, he's going to keep
  • 00:22:12.120 --> 00:22:14.990
  • You saved?
  • 00:22:14.990 --> 00:22:17.492
  • I mean, if god alone has the power to save you, isn't it true
  • 00:22:17.492 --> 00:22:21.296
  • That god alone has the power to keep you saved?
  • 00:22:21.296 --> 00:22:24.633
  • That's what paul is saying here.
  • 00:22:24.633 --> 00:22:26.468
  • The reason we have assurance of our relationship, of our eternal
  • 00:22:26.468 --> 00:22:29.871
  • Salvation, is because we're in a right relationship with god.
  • 00:22:29.871 --> 00:22:33.375
  • Look at what god did for you when he was your enemy.
  • 00:22:33.375 --> 00:22:36.378
  • How much more is he going to do for you now that you are
  • 00:22:36.378 --> 00:22:39.548
  • His friend?
  • 00:22:39.548 --> 00:22:41.950
  • See, the problem we all have is, we think god is like us.
  • 00:22:41.950 --> 00:22:48.023
  • We love only people who are lovable.
  • 00:22:48.023 --> 00:22:52.027
  • And we only keep loving people who keep loving us.
  • 00:22:52.027 --> 00:22:57.065
  • If somebody stops loving us, we move away from them.
  • 00:22:57.065 --> 00:23:01.670
  • But aren't you grateful god is not like us?
  • 00:23:01.670 --> 00:23:05.974
  • God loves us with an everlasting love.
  • 00:23:05.974 --> 00:23:11.613
  • As the hymn writer said, oh, the deep, deep love of jesus, vast,
  • 00:23:11.613 --> 00:23:19.554
  • Unmeasured, boundless, free,
  • 00:23:19.554 --> 00:23:25.026
  • That's the kind of love with which god loves you.
  • 00:23:25.026 --> 00:23:28.663
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:23:28.663 --> 00:23:34.369
  • Jeffress: as followers of christ, we don't need to worry
  • 00:23:34.369 --> 00:23:36.705
  • About our standing before god.
  • 00:23:36.705 --> 00:23:38.974
  • He has already declared his everlasting love for us, and the
  • 00:23:38.974 --> 00:23:43.578
  • Assurance of our salvation should bring peace to our lives
  • 00:23:43.578 --> 00:23:47.682
  • Every day.
  • 00:23:47.682 --> 00:23:49.284
  • Well, in closing, i want to share an encouraging note i
  • 00:23:49.284 --> 00:23:51.987
  • Received not long ago.
  • 00:23:51.987 --> 00:23:53.688
  • Clay wrote, "pastor jeffress, i
  • 00:23:53.688 --> 00:23:55.624
  • Was raised in the church but
  • 00:23:55.624 --> 00:23:57.359
  • Drifted away because i felt
  • 00:23:57.359 --> 00:23:59.160
  • Disconnected from what i was
  • 00:23:59.160 --> 00:24:00.896
  • Hearing on sunday to the reality
  • 00:24:00.896 --> 00:24:03.064
  • Of my daily life.
  • 00:24:03.064 --> 00:24:04.833
  • Then my mother introduced me to
  • 00:24:04.833 --> 00:24:06.601
  • 'pathway to victory' and i have
  • 00:24:06.601 --> 00:24:08.403
  • Never stopped listening!
  • 00:24:08.403 --> 00:24:10.472
  • 'pathway to victory'
  • 00:24:10.472 --> 00:24:11.806
  • Has made a real difference
  • 00:24:11.806 --> 00:24:13.408
  • In my spiritual walk, so much so
  • 00:24:13.408 --> 00:24:15.477
  • That i now serve as a deacon
  • 00:24:15.477 --> 00:24:17.479
  • At my local church.
  • 00:24:17.479 --> 00:24:19.281
  • Listening gives me peace,
  • 00:24:19.281 --> 00:24:21.149
  • Comfort, and guidance.
  • 00:24:21.149 --> 00:24:22.784
  • Thanks for all you do!"
  • 00:24:22.784 --> 00:24:25.086
  • Well thank you for that encouraging note and friends
  • 00:24:25.086 --> 00:24:28.223
  • When you invest financially in "pathway to victory," you're the
  • 00:24:28.223 --> 00:24:31.793
  • One who's reaching people like clay.
  • 00:24:31.793 --> 00:24:34.362
  • So thanks for linking arms with us.
  • 00:24:34.362 --> 00:24:36.965
  • We couldn't do this without you.
  • 00:24:36.965 --> 00:24:39.568
  • Now stay right there, i'll be back in just a moment
  • 00:24:39.568 --> 00:24:42.571
  • With one final word.
  • 00:24:42.571 --> 00:24:44.239
  • Announcer: next to jesus christ, the apostle paul is the single
  • 00:24:46.207 --> 00:24:49.244
  • Most important figure in the new testament, and you're invited to
  • 00:24:49.244 --> 00:24:52.614
  • Follow the life, travels, ministry, and preaching of god's
  • 00:24:52.614 --> 00:24:56.017
  • Empowered messenger in the "illustrated guide to the
  • 00:24:56.017 --> 00:24:59.120
  • Apostle paul."
  • 00:24:59.120 --> 00:25:00.455
  • Jeffress: this outstanding book outlines the sprawling and
  • 00:25:00.455 --> 00:25:03.191
  • Treacherous life of the apostle paul.
  • 00:25:03.191 --> 00:25:06.027
  • It's the kind of resource i would have loved to have owned
  • 00:25:06.027 --> 00:25:08.797
  • As a student of scripture many years ago, and i think it will
  • 00:25:08.797 --> 00:25:12.434
  • Make a tremendous addition to your personal library.
  • 00:25:12.434 --> 00:25:16.738
  • Announcer: request your copy of the "illustrated guide to the
  • 00:25:16.738 --> 00:25:19.074
  • Apostle paul" when you give a generous gift to support the
  • 00:25:19.074 --> 00:25:22.177
  • Ministry of "pathway to victory."
  • 00:25:22.177 --> 00:25:24.112
  • Plus you'll also receive the "journeys of paul" map.
  • 00:25:24.112 --> 00:25:26.915
  • It's a helpful outline of paul's three missionary journeys and
  • 00:25:26.915 --> 00:25:30.318
  • Their significance to your faith today.
  • 00:25:30.318 --> 00:25:32.887
  • And when you give an especially generous gift of $75 or more,
  • 00:25:32.887 --> 00:25:37.158
  • We'll also send you the dvd video and audio discs for the
  • 00:25:37.158 --> 00:25:40.795
  • "grace-powered living" teaching series covering romans chapters
  • 00:25:40.795 --> 00:25:44.265
  • 1 through 8.
  • 00:25:44.265 --> 00:25:45.600
  • Jeffress: paul wrote to a culture that was much more
  • 00:25:45.600 --> 00:25:47.569
  • Interested in sports and sex but that did not keep the
  • 00:25:47.569 --> 00:25:52.340
  • Apostle paul from proclaiming the answer to life's most
  • 00:25:52.340 --> 00:25:56.911
  • Important question: how can a man be right before god?
  • 00:25:56.911 --> 00:26:01.016
  • Announcer: thank you for giving generously to "pathway to
  • 00:26:01.016 --> 00:26:03.385
  • Victory" as we proclaim the truth of scripture and offer
  • 00:26:03.385 --> 00:26:06.921
  • Practical, personal application of the gospel to your
  • 00:26:06.921 --> 00:26:09.991
  • Life today.
  • 00:26:09.991 --> 00:26:11.359
  • Together, we are seeing many come to saving faith
  • 00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:14.462
  • In jesus christ.
  • 00:26:14.462 --> 00:26:16.598
  • Jeffress: it's so good to have you along for this series called
  • 00:26:18.600 --> 00:26:21.569
  • Grace powered living from the book of romans, and i hope this
  • 00:26:21.569 --> 00:26:25.473
  • Study in paul's letter is helping you shape your
  • 00:26:25.473 --> 00:26:28.576
  • Perspective on righteousness, grace, and faith and showing you
  • 00:26:28.576 --> 00:26:33.348
  • That your hope is firmly rooted in god's unchanging character.
  • 00:26:33.348 --> 00:26:38.653
  • Make plans to join us again next time when we'll look at god's
  • 00:26:38.653 --> 00:26:41.723
  • Plan to save mankind and reverse the effects of adam and
  • 00:26:41.723 --> 00:26:46.428
  • Eve's transgression.
  • 00:26:46.428 --> 00:26:48.296
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next on
  • 00:26:48.296 --> 00:26:51.533
  • "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:51.533 --> 00:26:54.436
  • Jeffress: who is in adam, who's connected to adam?
  • 00:26:54.502 --> 00:26:57.706
  • Everyone, we're genetically connected to adam.
  • 00:26:57.706 --> 00:27:02.077
  • So we are automatically condemned because we are
  • 00:27:02.077 --> 00:27:05.280
  • Connected to adam, in adam all die.
  • 00:27:05.280 --> 00:27:08.416
  • But only those who are in christ shall be made alive.
  • 00:27:08.416 --> 00:27:11.920
  • Who's in christ?
  • 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:13.254
  • Not everyone, only those who receive, verse 17 says,
  • 00:27:13.254 --> 00:27:17.492
  • "the gift of righteousness."
  • 00:27:17.492 --> 00:27:20.228
  • Male announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the
  • 00:27:20.295 --> 00:27:22.697
  • Message, "one for all" here on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:27:22.697 --> 00:27:27.202