? (Theme Song) Jesus is
worthy ? ? oh yes, he's worthy ?
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? worthy of all... ? ? (Music) ?
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Pastor Byrd: I want
to say good evening.
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I am Dr. Carlton B.
Byrd, the speaker director from
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Breath of Life television
ministries and I'm grateful
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tonight because we are in
the great Pacific Northwest.
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We are in the state of
Washington and here tonight we
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have people from
the state of Washington,
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we have people from
the state of Oregon,
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we have people from
the state of Alaska,
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we have people from Montana,
we have people from Idaho,
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and I've even heard there
are some folk here from Canada.
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Come on, say Amen.
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And we are grateful to be here.
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If you love the Lord
Jesus, put those hands together,
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give God some praise all
over the building tonight.
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Tonight we are
reading from Hebrews 12:1.
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The Word of God says to
us tonight in Hebrews 12:1:
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"Wherefore seeing we also are
compassed about with so great
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a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every"
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what, everybody?
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"Let us lay aside
every" what, everybody?
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Weight.
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"And the sin which
doth so easily beset us,
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and let us run with
patience the race that is
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set before us,
looking unto Jesus the author
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and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set
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before him endured the
cross, despising the shame,
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and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God."
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This evening I
have a question for you,
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are you race ready?
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Are you race ready?
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God, in the name of Jesus,
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through the
intercession of the Holy Ghost,
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we want you and need you
and plead that you stop by here
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tonight.
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That, God, you would
imbue us with your Spirit
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from above that we might
leave changed men, women,
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boys and girls.
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So, God, speak through this,
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your humble servant, tonight.
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I am so unworthy, but I
thank and praise you for
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your grace and your mercy that
makes the ability for me to be
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able to stand here
tonight even possible.
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Forgive me of my sins,
hide me behind your cross,
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and when we leave here this
evening may we be able to say
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it was good to have been here.
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In the name of Jesus we pray,
let every blood-washed soul
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say Amen.
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And Amen.
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Are you race ready?
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In the text, the
writer of Hebrews reminds
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us that we're in a race.
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The writer uses this metaphor
because in early Roman times
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races were popular.
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At these races big crowds
would come to gather and see
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the best runners.
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They would drink,
they would party hardy,
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they would praise to false gods,
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they would participate
in ungodly activities,
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you know, the
kind of things we don't
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do.
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But despite all this partying,
the runners didn't let these
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distractions stop them.
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Nothing mattered
to them but the race.
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The parties, the celebrations,
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the festivities,
the disturbances,
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the destructions, the
commotions didn't stop
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them, because
they kept their eyes
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on the prize.
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They kept their
eyes on the goal.
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They kept their eyes on
the perishable wreath of leaves
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that lay before them.
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And this evening, I
just came to let somebody
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know that Christians who
run the race of life should have
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only one thing
that matters to them.
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They should have
one goal before them,
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one aim, one purpose,
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one prize, and
that is Jesus Christ.
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Nothing else matters.
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Don't get caught up in
the paralysis of analysis.
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Don't get caught up in sweating
the small stuff or majoring
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in minors in this race.
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But keep your
mind stayed on Jesus.
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Your relationships
should begin and end with Jesus.
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Trust God despite any trouble,
and I'm so glad they sang that
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troubles don't last always.
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Despite any trouble,
trial and tribulation that you
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may encounter in this race.
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Now to run most effectively,
the text offers four
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suggestions to
make us race ready.
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Four things to help us run
and win and I'm going to share
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these four things,
then I'm going to take my
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seat.
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Number one, any
runner will tell you that
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you've got to remove
those things that will slow you
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down.
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You've got to shake off
the weights that may hold you
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down, the
things that are holding
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you back.
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The writer of Hebrews says
that these runners took off
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those things that would slow
them down because they didn't
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want to have any
hindrances in the race,
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any weights, any burdens,
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any loads, they had to let go.
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Couldn't hold on to baggage.
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Couldn't hold on to weights.
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Couldn't hold on to stuff.
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They had to let it go.
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I'm trying to help somebody.
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You look at runners today,
most runners today wear only a
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shirt, a pair of
shorts and a pair of
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shoes, and the shirts,
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the shorts, the
shoes are specifically
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made light in nature that
they don't hold the runner down.
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Now in the text,
the writer doesn't
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specifically outline
if the race was a sprint,
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a long distance
run or a marathon.
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But regardless
of the type of race,
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you will never see a runner
with weights strapped around
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his or her ankles
in the starting blocks.
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You will never see a runner
run a race with weights around
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his or her ankles.
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They will never run with this
extra load because they know
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they will not win.
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The text says, let us
lay aside every weight
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that so easily besets us.
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Now these weights,
this means to lay aside any
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obstacles, any
impediments that would
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hinder your running.
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Take it off, strip it down,
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get rid of any sinful thoughts,
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habits, actions
or relationships.
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Fear, get rid of it.
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Lust, get rid of it.
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Faithlessness, get rid of it.
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Envy, get rid of it.
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Jealousy, get rid of it.
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Pride, get rid of it.
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Carnal desires, get rid of it.
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Addiction, get rid of it.
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Bad habits, get rid of it.
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Gossip, get rid of it.
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Get rid of those
things that hold you down.
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Christians must throw aside
everything that might hinder
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them in this Christian race.
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Whatever is weighing
you down, get rid of it.
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Lay aside every
weight and those things that
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so easily beset us.
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These sins are those sins
that we are most prone to,
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most exposed to.
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Don't act tonight like you
don't know what I'm talking
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about.
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Everybody up in
here has some weights.
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Everybody up in
here has some stuff,
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some sin.
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Everybody up in
here is an ex-something.
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I wish I had a
witness in this place.
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That's why Paul
said in Romans 7:
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That which I
should do, I do not.
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That which I
would not do, that I do.
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That which I hate, that I do.
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For the good that
I would do, I do not,
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but the evil
which I would not do,
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that I do.
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O wretched man that I am.
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Who shall deliver me
from this body of death?
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But I thank God for the
Lord Jesus Christ who giveth me
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the victory.
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I have victory.
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Do you have victory tonight?
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Are you race ready?
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So, then number one,
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if you're going
to be race ready,
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you've got to lose some weight.
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Number two, runners must train.
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They must prepare for a race.
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Runners must practice.
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Nobody wakes up in the
morning and says one morning,
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tomorrow I'm going to
run in the Boston Marathon.
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No, they must train.
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This training doesn't
take place in one day.
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This training
takes place over time.
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Over time they practice running.
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Over time they must exercise.
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Over time they stretch.
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Ancient track competitions
demanded intense practice.
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Olympic athletes have to
undergo months of rigorous
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training before competing.
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It didn't happen overnight.
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They had to train.
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They had to exercise.
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They had to practice.
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They had to prepare.
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Runners in this Christian
race must prepare over time.
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They must exercise over time.
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They must practice over time.
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They must train over time.
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They must exercise the
fruit of the spirit over time.
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Over time, athletes
watch what they eat.
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They must watch what they drink.
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They can't put any
and everything in them.
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No garbage, no junk food,
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no fat food.
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And the Christian also must
watch what they put in them.
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No garbage, no gossip,
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no mess, no confusion.
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That's why you've got to
be careful who you hang with,
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because birds of a
feather flock together.
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You can't keep holding onto
negative folk that weigh you
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down.
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Every time you pick up the
phone with them you just feel
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heavy.
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You know what I'm talking about.
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Folk go, Child
I just don't know.
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It's a rough day.
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It's rough out there.
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Well, you know,
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I guess it's
rough, I just don't know,
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but I guess we can,
but I just don't know.
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There's another individual.
00:11:37.63\00:11:38.76
Well, it's a
beautiful day today and the sun
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is shining right now.
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The next person, but
it's going to be raining
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in an hour.
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I'm really doing
well in this class.
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I have an A thus
far this semester.
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Yeah, but the final's coming.
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That food sure smells good.
00:11:54.13\00:11:56.63
Yeah, but you better watch it,
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it's going to get burnt.
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These are folk that drain
you with all that negativity.
00:11:59.63\00:12:04.20
Folk that sap out
all of your energy.
00:12:04.20\00:12:07.70
Folk that will suck
the very life out of you.
00:12:07.70\00:12:10.50
You know the type of
folk I'm talking about.
00:12:10.50\00:12:13.20
You see them coming, so you run.
00:12:13.20\00:12:16.70
You see them looking your
way, so you look the other way.
00:12:16.70\00:12:20.13
You see their number come
up on the caller ID and I do
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believe caller
ID is God-ordained.
00:12:22.43\00:12:24.43
Do I have a
witness in this place?
00:12:24.43\00:12:26.43
You see their number come up
on the caller ID and you say,
00:12:26.43\00:12:30.13
oh, no,
00:12:30.13\00:12:32.13
no, no,
00:12:32.13\00:12:34.13
not today.
00:12:34.13\00:12:35.13
Let me tell you something.
00:12:35.13\00:12:36.13
You've got to get some
positive folk around you.
00:12:36.13\00:12:38.13
Positive folk around
you that will eat right,
00:12:38.13\00:12:40.30
drink right, exercise right,
00:12:40.30\00:12:42.70
prepare right, train right,
00:12:42.70\00:12:45.93
practice right.
00:12:45.93\00:12:47.63
Are you race ready?
00:12:47.63\00:12:50.36
Number three.
00:12:50.36\00:12:52.63
Good runners endure.
00:12:52.63\00:12:56.00
Now, although
the writer of Hebrews
00:12:56.00\00:12:58.00
is not specific about the
type of race in Hebrews 12,
00:12:58.00\00:13:02.23
we can be sure that
life's journey is not a 100-yard
00:13:02.23\00:13:06.10
dash.
00:13:06.10\00:13:07.86
But life's journey is
more like a long-distance run.
00:13:07.86\00:13:11.96
It's more like a marathon.
00:13:11.96\00:13:14.13
But I conclude and I believe
that we're running a marathon
00:13:14.13\00:13:18.00
here.
00:13:18.00\00:13:19.00
In a marathon you've
got to learn how to endure.
00:13:19.00\00:13:21.53
In this marathon you're going
to have some ups and you're
00:13:21.53\00:13:24.96
going to have some downs.
00:13:24.96\00:13:26.56
But you've got to endure.
00:13:26.56\00:13:27.73
The runners in Roman times
continued to run even if the
00:13:27.73\00:13:32.16
race was long and hard.
00:13:32.16\00:13:34.26
Christians, we've
got to continue to run.
00:13:34.26\00:13:37.06
Christians must continue
to trust God in the good times
00:13:37.06\00:13:40.66
and the bad times,
because I read somewhere in
00:13:40.66\00:13:42.86
Ecclesiastes 9:11 that the
race is not given to the swift
00:13:42.86\00:13:47.03
or the strong, but
to the one that endures
00:13:47.03\00:13:49.56
until the end.
00:13:49.56\00:13:50.56
Some of you have no endurance
in this race because you're
00:13:50.56\00:13:55.66
still holding on to weights
in life that are causing you to
00:13:55.66\00:13:57.66
be burned down.
00:13:57.66\00:13:59.03
Anybody will tell you
that the more weight you have,
00:13:59.03\00:14:02.13
the more tired you
become more quickly in a race.
00:14:02.13\00:14:05.33
You want to know why
you have no endurance?
00:14:05.33\00:14:07.36
You can't run with weights
from 20 years ago that still
00:14:07.36\00:14:09.70
have you down.
00:14:09.70\00:14:12.03
She did this to me
and I can't let it go.
00:14:12.03\00:14:14.66
He did this to me
and I can't let it go.
00:14:14.66\00:14:17.26
You can't hold a grudge
for somebody for 20 years.
00:14:17.26\00:14:20.56
They've gone along with their
lives and you're still running
00:14:20.56\00:14:22.96
in circles, talking
about what they did to
00:14:22.96\00:14:25.50
you.
00:14:25.50\00:14:26.50
Some of you right now,
you can't let go of your ex
00:14:26.50\00:14:28.73
and that's why
you'll never have your next,
00:14:28.73\00:14:30.90
because you're holding on
to something done in your past.
00:14:30.90\00:14:36.40
But good runners--I've
got a witness in this place--
00:14:36.40\00:14:43.73
good runners know how to take
a licking and keep on ticking.
00:14:43.73\00:14:46.96
Good runners know how to endure.
00:14:46.96\00:14:49.86
You can't run in this
Christian race and hold on to
00:14:49.86\00:14:53.60
a bad attitude.
00:14:53.60\00:14:56.20
You can't run in this
Christian race and have a mean
00:14:56.20\00:15:00.63
spirit.
00:15:00.63\00:15:01.63
You can't run in
this Christian race
00:15:01.63\00:15:03.66
and have a jealous streak.
00:15:03.66\00:15:04.66
You've got to let it go.
00:15:04.66\00:15:05.83
If you're going to
endure, lose some fats,
00:15:05.83\00:15:09.56
lose some weights
and let that thing go.
00:15:09.56\00:15:13.50
You have to endure.
00:15:13.50\00:15:14.53
Our hope for the prize,
our hope for the eternal
00:15:14.53\00:15:17.56
wreath of eternal life
with Jesus cannot be a fleeting
00:15:17.56\00:15:20.63
hope.
00:15:20.63\00:15:22.26
We have to have an enduring
hope because we're not running
00:15:22.26\00:15:25.00
a sprint.
00:15:25.00\00:15:26.90
We're running a marathon.
00:15:26.90\00:15:28.70
That's why the
doctrine, listen to me good,
00:15:28.70\00:15:31.20
of once saved, always saved,
00:15:31.20\00:15:34.40
is not valid.
00:15:34.40\00:15:35.86
Because the
realization of this eternal hope
00:15:35.86\00:15:38.66
will come in the future.
00:15:38.66\00:15:39.66
When we become
justified in Christ.
00:15:39.66\00:15:42.80
God imputed righteousness.
00:15:42.80\00:15:45.33
We find Christ,
surrender to Christ and are
00:15:45.33\00:15:48.93
justified in
Christ at that moment.
00:15:48.93\00:15:51.86
But sanctification,
God's imparted righteousness,
00:15:51.86\00:15:55.96
is when we grow in
Christ over a lifetime.
00:15:55.96\00:15:59.40
It's when over a
lifetime we develop.
00:15:59.40\00:16:02.20
Over a period we develop.
00:16:02.20\00:16:03.66
God expects us to grow at
a point where we receive the
00:16:03.66\00:16:07.40
power of the Holy Ghost in our
lives and he provides us with
00:16:07.40\00:16:11.10
sufficient time to
grow in this process.
00:16:11.10\00:16:14.10
You see, I'm not
the same person I was
00:16:14.10\00:16:18.26
20 years ago.
00:16:18.26\00:16:19.26
You're not the same
person you were 20 years ago,
00:16:19.26\00:16:22.20
10 years ago, 5 years ago,
00:16:22.20\00:16:25.20
1 year ago, 1 month ago,
00:16:25.20\00:16:27.20
1 week ago.
00:16:27.20\00:16:28.20
Somebody, you're
not the same person you
00:16:28.20\00:16:30.13
were one day ago,
because what a wonderful
00:16:30.13\00:16:32.13
change in my life has been
wrought when Jesus comes into
00:16:32.13\00:16:36.80
my heart.
00:16:36.80\00:16:37.80
God is preparing you now
for something that you're not
00:16:37.80\00:16:42.83
going to have to
deal with up the road.
00:16:42.83\00:16:45.06
God is preparing you for
something now you can't handle
00:16:45.06\00:16:48.40
right now, but in
time as you endure,
00:16:48.40\00:16:51.20
you're going to
be able to handle it.
00:16:51.20\00:16:53.20
There's some
stuff, if I can testify,
00:16:53.20\00:16:55.63
that I have to deal with now
that if I had not gone through
00:16:55.63\00:16:58.20
some stuff back there,
I wouldn't be able to deal
00:16:58.20\00:17:01.56
with it up here.
00:17:01.56\00:17:03.06
Somebody knows
what I'm talking about.
00:17:03.06\00:17:05.40
Somebody knows what it
means to have been through some
00:17:05.40\00:17:07.86
stuff.
00:17:07.86\00:17:08.86
Anybody's been some stuff
and to know that you've been
00:17:08.86\00:17:11.83
through some
stuff, but thank God,
00:17:11.83\00:17:13.96
God brought you through,
that God was preparing you,
00:17:13.96\00:17:17.63
that God was pruning you,
that God was arranging you,
00:17:17.63\00:17:21.60
that God was rearranging you,
that you had to go through the
00:17:21.60\00:17:25.03
fire, you had to go through the
00:17:25.03\00:17:27.03
flood.
00:17:27.03\00:17:28.03
But in case you
didn't know, fire,
00:17:28.03\00:17:29.96
yes, is going to
fall in your life.
00:17:29.96\00:17:32.06
Fire's going to
even fall in your house.
00:17:32.06\00:17:34.83
Fire's going to
fall in your ministry.
00:17:34.83\00:17:37.20
Fire is going to fall on you.
00:17:37.20\00:17:38.36
Somebody, you
cried yourself to sleep.
00:17:38.36\00:17:40.86
Wanted to quit your job.
00:17:40.86\00:17:42.23
I want some real
folk here tonight.
00:17:42.23\00:17:44.40
Wanted to quit your job,
wanted to get in your car,
00:17:44.40\00:17:47.00
drive away and never come back.
00:17:47.00\00:17:50.33
Felt like you were a failure.
00:17:50.33\00:17:52.33
Felt like you wasted your life.
00:17:52.33\00:17:54.33
Felt kind of like
your life was in vain.
00:17:54.33\00:17:56.33
But God hasn't forgotten.
00:17:56.33\00:17:58.10
Somebody knows if it had not
been for the Lord on my side,
00:17:58.10\00:18:03.60
tell me where would I be?
00:18:03.60\00:18:06.00
Nevertheless, it's only a test.
00:18:06.00\00:18:08.96
You've got to hold on.
00:18:08.96\00:18:09.96
You've got to run this race.
00:18:09.96\00:18:11.80
You've got to keep the faith.
00:18:11.80\00:18:13.93
You've got to be race ready.
00:18:13.93\00:18:16.03
You've got to endure.
00:18:16.03\00:18:17.50
Let me tell you something.
00:18:17.50\00:18:18.93
Endurance requires discipline.
00:18:18.93\00:18:23.56
The same discipline that it
took to get things out of your
00:18:23.56\00:18:27.26
life is the same discipline
it's going to take for you to
00:18:27.26\00:18:29.53
be patient.
00:18:29.53\00:18:31.30
Let me try it this way.
00:18:31.30\00:18:33.70
Unless you've had gastric
bypass surgery or a lap band
00:18:33.70\00:18:39.66
procedure, nobody looses weight
00:18:39.66\00:18:43.30
overnight.
00:18:43.30\00:18:45.90
You have to work at it.
00:18:45.90\00:18:47.76
You've got to exercise.
00:18:47.76\00:18:49.50
You drink water.
00:18:49.50\00:18:50.50
You stop eating sweets.
00:18:50.50\00:18:52.30
You have to endure.
00:18:52.30\00:18:53.36
You have to be disciplined.
00:18:53.36\00:18:55.06
There are some people who
would want you to believe that
00:18:55.06\00:18:58.73
they lost their
weight overnight.
00:18:58.73\00:19:02.56
They would like you to
believe that it was abracadabra.
00:19:02.56\00:19:05.80
That they had some
special anointing or something.
00:19:05.80\00:19:10.66
But I'm here to
tell somebody tonight,
00:19:10.66\00:19:13.93
this race is day to day.
00:19:13.93\00:19:17.36
Don't let folk fool you
because they look spiritual
00:19:17.36\00:19:21.26
and talk spiritual.
00:19:21.26\00:19:23.70
Well, they really know the Bible
00:19:23.70\00:19:26.33
and they can
really quote Scripture,
00:19:26.33\00:19:28.36
but you need to understand,
the devil knows the Bible, too,
00:19:28.36\00:19:31.30
and the devil can
quote Scripture, too.
00:19:31.30\00:19:34.30
Don't you let folk make you
think that they're deeper than
00:19:34.30\00:19:36.30
you are or they've got
a first-class ticket into
00:19:36.30\00:19:38.30
heaven.
00:19:38.30\00:19:39.30
They just can cover up
their stuff better than you.
00:19:39.30\00:19:41.76
Because they've
got the same struggles,
00:19:41.76\00:19:44.33
the same issues, the
same drama you've got in
00:19:44.33\00:19:48.00
this race called life.
00:19:48.00\00:19:49.16
Do I have a
witness in this place?
00:19:49.16\00:19:51.23
But I'm here to tell somebody
that this thing is day to day.
00:19:51.23\00:19:56.43
It's a process.
00:19:56.43\00:19:58.06
It requires endurance.
00:19:58.06\00:19:59.96
It's the process of
sanctification that happens
00:19:59.96\00:20:02.93
over time.
00:20:02.93\00:20:04.10
I haven't always
been who I am today.
00:20:04.10\00:20:07.06
It has taken 40 years for
me to get where I am right now.
00:20:07.06\00:20:12.20
And you know what?
00:20:12.20\00:20:13.20
Please, be patient with me,
00:20:13.20\00:20:16.06
because God is not
through with me yet.
00:20:16.06\00:20:20.23
God is not through with you yet.
00:20:20.23\00:20:22.80
God is still working on you.
00:20:22.80\00:20:25.13
You've got to endure.
00:20:25.13\00:20:26.23
You're going to cry sometimes.
00:20:26.23\00:20:28.30
You're going to hurt sometimes.
00:20:28.30\00:20:30.96
You're going to
be alone sometimes.
00:20:30.96\00:20:33.36
You're going to be
talked about sometimes.
00:20:33.36\00:20:35.63
You're going to be
criticized sometimes.
00:20:35.63\00:20:38.23
You're going to be
falsely accused sometimes.
00:20:38.23\00:20:40.66
You're going to be up late
in the midnight hour sometimes.
00:20:40.66\00:20:44.13
But you've got to endure.
00:20:44.13\00:20:46.20
This race requires
endurance, requires patience.
00:20:46.20\00:20:50.03
You've got to be in
this thing for the long haul.
00:20:50.03\00:20:52.03
Make up your mind that
regardless of how bad it gets,
00:20:52.03\00:20:57.93
I'm not going anywhere
until I get the promises of God,
00:20:57.93\00:21:01.46
and the promises of God
are always Yes and Amen.
00:21:01.46\00:21:05.56
Let me tell you
something, friends of mine,
00:21:05.56\00:21:07.56
don't you let anybody
run you out of God's church.
00:21:07.56\00:21:09.56
This is God's church.
00:21:09.56\00:21:12.10
On Christ the
solid rock I stand,
00:21:12.10\00:21:15.70
all other
ground is sinking sand.
00:21:15.70\00:21:18.56
Don't you let anybody
run you out of your church.
00:21:18.56\00:21:21.70
And so on this
journey, in this process,
00:21:21.70\00:21:26.26
in this race, in this marathon,
00:21:26.26\00:21:28.26
I've got to get
rid of some stuff.
00:21:28.26\00:21:30.20
I've got to prepare,
I've got to endure and then,
00:21:30.20\00:21:36.13
number four, I've
got to keep my eyes fixed
00:21:36.13\00:21:43.26
on Jesus, the
author and the finisher of
00:21:43.26\00:21:49.50
my faith.
00:21:49.50\00:21:50.50
I'm going to spend a
little time on this one,
00:21:50.50\00:21:53.00
because it's the most important.
00:21:53.00\00:21:55.06
In the Greek, the
word author here signifies
00:21:55.06\00:21:57.36
captain or leader.
00:21:57.36\00:21:59.23
I know who's the
captain of my ship.
00:21:59.23\00:22:01.60
But the reference here in
Hebrews 12:1 seems to be the
00:22:01.60\00:22:04.56
judge in the games whose
business it was to admit the
00:22:04.56\00:22:08.80
contenders and give
the prize to the conqueror.
00:22:08.80\00:22:11.86
Jesus is here represented
as the presiding officer.
00:22:11.86\00:22:16.90
He admits the contenders and
gives the prize to the winner.
00:22:16.90\00:22:22.43
Jesus is the judge under
whom and by whose permission and
00:22:22.43\00:22:26.43
direction,
according to the rules of the
00:22:26.43\00:22:28.36
heavenly race, we are
permitted to enter the
00:22:28.36\00:22:31.40
race, commence the
race and he is the finisher
00:22:31.40\00:22:34.60
by awarding and giving
the prize which consummates
00:22:34.60\00:22:37.66
the runners at
the end of the race.
00:22:37.66\00:22:41.26
All he says is, be
thou faithful unto death.
00:22:41.26\00:22:46.23
I can win this race because
all I've got to do is keep my
00:22:46.23\00:22:52.33
eyes on Jesus.
00:22:52.33\00:22:55.86
Now, if someone were to ask you,
00:22:55.86\00:22:58.86
out of the five
senses, which one is the most
00:22:58.86\00:23:03.00
important to you,
what would your answer be?
00:23:03.00\00:23:06.13
Your touch, your taste,
00:23:06.13\00:23:10.53
your ability to smell,
your hearing or your sight?
00:23:10.53\00:23:15.90
Well, we can
touch and feel with our
00:23:15.90\00:23:17.96
skin, but if I couldn't touch,
00:23:17.96\00:23:20.10
I would still be all right
because I would just keep my
00:23:20.10\00:23:22.26
hands to myself.
00:23:22.26\00:23:24.06
We can taste with our tongues,
but if I couldn't taste,
00:23:24.06\00:23:27.96
I would be all right because
at least I could still eat.
00:23:27.96\00:23:31.60
We smell with our nose,
but if I couldn't smell that
00:23:31.60\00:23:35.63
would be all right because
although I wouldn't be able to
00:23:35.63\00:23:38.26
smell good stuff, praise God,
00:23:38.26\00:23:40.73
I wouldn't be able
to smell bad stuff.
00:23:40.73\00:23:42.83
Do I have a
witness in this place?
00:23:42.83\00:23:45.13
We hear with our ears,
but if I couldn't hear that
00:23:45.13\00:23:48.53
would be all right
because I would still be able to
00:23:48.53\00:23:50.83
communicate with you
through sign language,
00:23:50.83\00:23:53.03
a nod, a smile or a frown.
00:23:53.03\00:23:56.23
But we see with our eyes and
my eyes are most important to
00:23:56.23\00:24:01.33
me because without my
eyes I wouldn't see you.
00:24:01.33\00:24:05.33
I wouldn't see what
you're doing around me.
00:24:05.33\00:24:08.40
I wouldn't see
what you're doing to me.
00:24:08.40\00:24:10.53
I wouldn't see me, I
wouldn't see around me.
00:24:10.53\00:24:12.60
My eyes are most important
for me because our eyes
00:24:12.60\00:24:17.23
are more accurate
witnesses than my ears.
00:24:17.23\00:24:21.53
Henry David Thoreau said the eye
00:24:21.53\00:24:23.60
is the jewel of the body.
00:24:23.60\00:24:25.76
The eye sees.
00:24:25.76\00:24:27.80
The eye reveals.
00:24:27.80\00:24:29.43
The eye exposes.
00:24:29.43\00:24:31.86
The eye detects.
00:24:31.86\00:24:33.90
The eye discloses.
00:24:33.90\00:24:36.00
The eye divulges.
00:24:36.00\00:24:37.83
The eye makes known.
00:24:37.83\00:24:39.33
The importance of the eye
is even expressed in the Bible.
00:24:39.33\00:24:43.60
When Jesus healed
the blind man in John,
00:24:43.60\00:24:46.53
Chapter 9, and
people couldn't understand
00:24:46.53\00:24:49.10
how this man was healed or
who healed him and how this man
00:24:49.10\00:24:52.90
had been blind from
birth, but somebody healed him.
00:24:52.90\00:24:55.83
And so they
began to ask the man,
00:24:55.83\00:24:58.00
Man, how can you now see?
00:24:58.00\00:25:00.06
Who healed you?
00:25:00.06\00:25:01.36
Who was it?
00:25:01.36\00:25:03.36
I love this Bible
story because the man says,
00:25:03.36\00:25:05.63
Look, I don't
know who healed me.
00:25:05.63\00:25:08.36
I don't know whether
he was a sinner or not.
00:25:08.36\00:25:11.63
I don't even know his name.
00:25:11.63\00:25:14.00
I don't know
where the man came from.
00:25:14.00\00:25:16.33
I don't know his
mama or his daddy,
00:25:16.33\00:25:19.40
but this one thing I
do know, I once was blind
00:25:19.40\00:25:26.43
but now I see.
00:25:26.43\00:25:27.76
Are you race ready?
00:25:27.76\00:25:30.93
Are you ready to run?
00:25:30.93\00:25:31.93
If you are, keep
your eyes on Jesus.
00:25:31.93\00:25:34.60
PB: Thank you very much for
tuning in and watching Breath
00:25:34.60\00:25:37.60
of Life today.
00:25:37.60\00:25:39.26
We do hope that you were
blessed by our ministry and
00:25:39.26\00:25:41.93
that we gave a healing
word in a hurting world.
00:25:41.93\00:25:46.46
In order for Breath of
Life to continue its ministry,
00:25:46.46\00:25:48.83
we need you, we
need your prayers,
00:25:48.83\00:25:51.63
we need your support.
00:25:51.63\00:25:52.73
We want you to know
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00:25:52.73\00:25:55.36
small or great, they
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00:25:55.36\00:25:58.43
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00:25:58.43\00:26:00.06
To contact us or
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00:26:00.06\00:26:03.43
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00:26:03.43\00:26:04.20
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00:26:04.20\00:26:09.43
That's 877-BOL-OFFER.
00:26:09.43\00:26:14.80
Or you may write to
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00:26:14.80\00:26:17.96
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00:26:17.96\00:26:30.93
Or log onto our web
site at www.breathoflife.tv.
00:26:30.93\00:26:35.86
>: We'd all like to
live heathier lives,
00:26:35.86\00:26:38.56
but doing so and maintaining
it aren't always so easy.
00:26:38.56\00:26:41.30
It's hard when the foods
we love are also the foods
00:26:41.30\00:26:43.83
that can hurt us the
most, and when it's easier to
00:26:43.83\00:26:45.53
watch TV than it is to exercise.
00:26:45.53\00:26:48.50
What we need are
straight answers and some
00:26:48.50\00:26:50.63
encouragement.
00:26:50.63\00:26:51.93
The Breath of Life gift
offer this week is Dr. Timothy
00:26:51.93\00:26:54.86
Arnott's "24 Realistic
Ways to Improve Your Health."
00:26:54.86\00:26:56.93
It includes information
that can change your life
00:26:56.93\00:26:59.70
with just a little effort.
00:26:59.70\00:27:02.40
So say goodbye to crazy
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regimens.
00:27:05.83\00:27:06.86
Dr. Arnott serves up a healthy
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00:27:06.86\00:27:10.16
you to the physical and
mental state God intended.
00:27:10.16\00:27:13.16
Find out how to
exercise the right way,
00:27:13.16\00:27:15.46
how water can help your
heart, why eating nuts and seeds
00:27:15.46\00:27:18.66
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discover how to lower your
00:27:18.66\00:27:21.66
blood pressure and
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00:27:21.66\00:27:24.90
"24 Realistic Ways to Improve
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00:27:24.90\00:27:28.20
that, realistic.
00:27:28.20\00:27:30.13
Dr. Arnott is a no-nonsense,
tell-it-like-it-really-is
00:27:30.13\00:27:33.23
doctor who talks to
you as if you're hearing
00:27:33.23\00:27:35.73
from a good friend.
00:27:35.73\00:27:36.76
Just call our toll-free
number, 1-877-BOL-OFFER.
00:27:36.76\00:27:38.90
That's 1-877-265-6333
and ask for your copy
00:27:38.90\00:27:45.66
of "24 Realistic Ways
to Improve Your Health."
00:27:45.66\00:27:48.93
The book is yours
for a gift of $5 or more.
00:27:48.93\00:27:51.53
Or you may write to
us at Breath of Life,
00:27:51.53\00:27:54.73
Box 340, Newbury
Park, California 91319.
00:27:54.73\00:27:57.73
Don't just wait for
your health to get better,
00:27:57.73\00:28:00.50
take charge of it and get
"24 Realistic Ways to Improve
00:28:00.50\00:28:05.06
Your Health" now.
00:28:05.06\00:28:06.06
PB: Look towards
the end of the race.
00:28:06.06\00:28:09.13
Don't look at what's
happening in the race,
00:28:09.13\00:28:12.20
because we're
not running a sprint,
00:28:12.20\00:28:15.13
we're running a marathon.
00:28:15.13\00:28:16.13
I can win this race because
all I've got to do is keep
00:28:16.13\00:28:20.23
my eyes on Jesus.
00:28:20.23\00:28:21.23
I once was blind but now I see.
00:28:21.23\00:28:24.70