? (Theme Song) ?
? Jesus is worthy ?
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? oh yes, he's worthy
? ? worthy of all... ?
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? (Music) ?
Pastor Byrd: You can't
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keep holding onto negative
folk that weigh you down.
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Every time you pick up
the phone with them you
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just feel 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.
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Well, it's a
beautiful day today and
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the sun 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 in the oven.
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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.
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Folk that sap out
all of your energy.
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Folk that will suck
the very life out of you.
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You know the type of
folk I'm talking about.
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You see them coming, so you run.
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You see them looking your
way, so you look the other way.
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You see their number come
up on the caller ID and I do
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believe caller
ID is God-ordained.
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Do I have a
witness in this place?
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You see their number come up
on the caller ID and you say,
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oh, no,
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no, no,
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not today.
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Let me tell you something.
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You've got to get some
positive folk around you.
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Positive folk around
you that will eat right,
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drink right, exercise right,
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prepare right, train right,
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practice right.
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Are you race ready?
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Number three.
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Good runners endure.
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Now, although
the writer of Hebrews
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is not specific about the
type of race in Hebrews 12,
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we can be sure that
life's journey is not a 100-yard
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dash.
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But life's journey is
more like a long-distance run.
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It's more like a marathon.
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But I conclude and I believe
that we're running a marathon
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here.
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In a marathon you've
got to learn how to endure.
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In this marathon you're going
to have some ups and you're
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going to have some downs.
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But you've got to endure.
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The runners in Roman times
continued to run even if the
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race was long and hard.
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Christians, we've
got to continue to run.
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Christians must continue
to trust God in the good times
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and the bad times,
because I read somewhere in
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Ecclesiastes 9:11 that the
race is not given to the swift
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or the strong, but
to the one that endures
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until the end.
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Some of you have no endurance
in this race because you're
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still holding on to weights
in life that are causing you to
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be burdened down.
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Anybody will tell you
that the more weight you have,
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the more tired you
become more quickly in a race.
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You want to know why
you have no endurance?
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You can't run with weights
from 20 years ago that still
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have you down.
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She did this to me
and I can't let it go.
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He did this to me
and I can't let it go.
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You can't hold a grudge
for somebody for 20 years.
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They've gone along with their
lives and you're still running
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in circles, talking
about what they did to
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you.
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Some of you right now,
you can't let go of your ex
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and that's why
you'll never have your next,
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because you're holding on
to something done in your past.
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But good runners--I've got
a witness in this place--good
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runners know how to take a
licking and keep on ticking.
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Good runners know how to endure.
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You can't run in this
Christian race and hold on to
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a bad attitude.
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You can't run in this
Christian race and have a mean
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spirit.
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You can't run in this
Christian race and have
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a jealous streak.
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You've got to let it go.
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If you're going to
endure, lose some fats,
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lose some weights
and let that thing go.
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You have to endure.
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Our hope for the prize,
our hope for the eternal
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wreath of eternal life
with Jesus cannot be a fleeting
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hope.
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We have to have an enduring
hope because we're not running
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a sprint.
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We're running a marathon.
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That's why the
doctrine, listen to me good,
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of once saved, always saved,
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is not valid.
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Because the realization
of this eternal hope will
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come in the future.
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When we become
justified in Christ.
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God imputed righteousness.
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We find Christ,
surrender to Christ
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and are justified in
Christ at that moment.
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But sanctification,
God's imparted righteousness,
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is when we grow in
Christ over a lifetime.
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It's when over a
lifetime we develop.
00:05:09.36\00:05:12.10
Over a period we develop.
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God expects us to grow
to a point where we receive
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the power of the Holy Ghost
in our lives and he provides
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us with sufficient time
to grow in this process.
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You see, I'm not
the same person I was
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20 years ago.
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You're not the same
person you were 20 years ago,
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10 years ago, 5 years ago,
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1 year ago, 1 month ago,
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1 week ago.
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Somebody, you're
not the same person you
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were one day ago,
because what a wonderful
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change in my life has been
wrought when Jesus comes into
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my heart.
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God is preparing you now
for something that you're not
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going to have to
deal with up the road.
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God is preparing you for
something now you can't handle
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right now, but in
time as you endure,
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you're going to
be able to handle it.
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There's some
stuff, if I can testify,
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that I have to deal with now
that if I had not gone through
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some stuff back there,
I wouldn't be able to deal
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with it up here.
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Somebody knows
what I'm talking about.
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Somebody knows what it
means to have been through some
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stuff.
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Anybody's been some stuff
and to know that you've been
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through some
stuff, but thank God,
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God brought you through,
that God was preparing you,
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that God was pruning you,
that God was arranging you,
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that God was rearranging
you, that you had to go
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through the fire, you had to go
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through the flood.
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But in case you
didn't know, fire,
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yes, is going to
fall in your life.
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Fire's going to
even fall in your house.
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Fire's going to
fall in your ministry.
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Fire is going to fall on you.
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Somebody, you
cried yourself to sleep.
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Wanted to quit your job.
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I want some real
folk here tonight.
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Wanted to quit your job,
wanted to get in your car,
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drive away and never come back.
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Felt like you were a failure.
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Felt like you wasted your life.
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Felt kind of like
your life was in vain.
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But God hasn't forgotten.
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Somebody knows if it had not
been for the Lord on my side,
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tell me where would I be?
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Nevertheless, it's only a test.
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You've got to hold on.
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You've got to run this race.
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You've got to keep the faith.
00:07:21.70\00:07:23.83
You've got to be race ready.
00:07:23.83\00:07:25.93
You've got to endure.
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Let me tell you something.
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Endurance requires discipline.
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The same discipline that it
took to get things out of your
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life is the same
discipline it's going to take
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for you to be patient.
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Let me try it this way.
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Unless you've had gastric
bypass surgery or a lap band
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procedure, nobody looses weight
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overnight.
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You have to work at it.
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You've got to exercise.
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You drink water.
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You stop eating sweets.
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You have to endure.
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You have to be disciplined.
00:08:03.26\00:08:04.96
There are some people who
would want you to believe that
00:08:04.96\00:08:08.63
they lost their
weight overnight.
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They would like you to
believe that it was abracadabra.
00:08:12.40\00:08:15.63
That they had some
special anointing or something.
00:08:15.63\00:08:20.50
But I'm here to
tell somebody tonight,
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this race is day to day.
00:08:23.73\00:08:27.20
Don't let folk fool you
because they look spiritual
00:08:27.20\00:08:31.06
and talk spiritual.
00:08:31.06\00:08:33.53
Well, they really know the Bible
00:08:33.53\00:08:36.16
and they can
really quote Scripture,
00:08:36.16\00:08:38.20
but you need to understand,
the devil knows the Bible,
00:08:38.20\00:08:40.20
too, and the devil can quote
00:08:40.20\00:08:42.20
Scripture, too.
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Don't you let folk make you
think that they're deeper than
00:08:44.20\00:08:46.20
you are or they've got
a first-class ticket into
00:08:46.20\00:08:48.20
heaven.
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They just can cover up
their stuff better than you.
00:08:49.20\00:08:51.66
Because they've
got the same struggles,
00:08:51.66\00:08:54.23
the same issues, the
same drama you've got in
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this race called life.
00:08:57.90\00:08:59.06
Do I have a
witness in this place?
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But I'm here to tell somebody
that this thing is day to day.
00:09:01.20\00:09:06.40
It's a process.
00:09:06.40\00:09:08.03
It requires endurance.
00:09:08.03\00:09:09.93
It's the process
of sanctification
00:09:09.93\00:09:12.90
that happens over time.
00:09:12.90\00:09:14.03
I haven't always
been who I am today.
00:09:14.03\00:09:17.03
It has taken 40 years for
me to get where I am right now.
00:09:17.03\00:09:22.16
And you know what?
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Please, be patient with me,
00:09:23.16\00:09:26.03
because God is not
through with me yet.
00:09:26.03\00:09:30.13
God is not through with you yet.
00:09:30.13\00:09:32.70
God is still working on you.
00:09:32.70\00:09:35.03
You've got to endure.
00:09:35.03\00:09:36.16
You're going to cry sometimes.
00:09:36.16\00:09:38.20
You're going to hurt sometimes.
00:09:38.20\00:09:40.93
You're going to
be alone sometimes.
00:09:40.93\00:09:43.33
You're going to be
talked about sometimes.
00:09:43.33\00:09:45.76
You're going to be
criticized sometimes.
00:09:45.76\00:09:48.06
You're going to be
falsely accused sometimes.
00:09:48.06\00:09:50.63
You're going to be up late
in the midnight hour sometimes.
00:09:50.63\00:09:54.10
But you've got to endure.
00:09:54.10\00:09:56.16
This race requires
endurance, requires patience.
00:09:56.16\00:10:00.00
You've got to be in
this thing for the long haul.
00:10:00.00\00:10:02.00
Make up your mind that
regardless of how bad it gets,
00:10:02.00\00:10:07.90
I'm not going anywhere
until I get the promises
00:10:07.90\00:10:10.23
of God, and the
promises of God are always
00:10:10.23\00:10:12.63
Yes and Amen.
00:10:12.63\00:10:15.46
Let me tell you
something, friends of mine,
00:10:15.46\00:10:17.46
don't you let anybody
run you out of God's church.
00:10:17.46\00:10:19.46
This is God's church.
00:10:19.46\00:10:22.00
On Christ the
solid rock I stand,
00:10:22.00\00:10:25.56
all other
ground is sinking sand.
00:10:25.56\00:10:28.46
Don't you let anybody
run you out of your church.
00:10:28.46\00:10:31.50
And so on this
journey, in this process,
00:10:31.50\00:10:36.10
in this race, in this marathon,
00:10:36.10\00:10:38.10
I've got to get
rid of some stuff.
00:10:38.10\00:10:40.10
I've got to prepare,
I've got to endure and then,
00:10:40.10\00:10:46.03
number four, I've
got to keep my eyes fixed
00:10:46.03\00:10:53.16
on Jesus, the
author and the finisher of
00:10:53.16\00:10:59.36
my faith.
00:10:59.36\00:11:00.43
I'm going to spend a
little time on this one,
00:11:00.43\00:11:02.96
because it's the most important.
00:11:02.96\00:11:05.03
In the Greek, the
word also here signifies
00:11:05.03\00:11:07.30
captain or leader.
00:11:07.30\00:11:09.20
I know who's the
captain of my ship.
00:11:09.20\00:11:11.46
But the reference here in
Hebrews 12:1 seems to be the
00:11:11.46\00:11:14.46
judge in the games whose
business it was to admit the
00:11:14.46\00:11:18.66
contenders and give
the prize to the conqueror.
00:11:18.66\00:11:21.76
Jesus is here represented
as the presiding officer.
00:11:21.76\00:11:25.80
He admits the
contenders and gives the prize
00:11:25.80\00:11:29.36
to the winner.
00:11:29.36\00:11:32.26
Jesus is the judge under
whom and by whose permission
00:11:32.26\00:11:36.26
and direction,
according to the rules
00:11:36.26\00:11:38.26
of the heavenly
race, we are permitted
00:11:38.26\00:11:41.30
to enter the race,
commence the race and he
00:11:41.30\00:11:44.46
is the finisher by awarding
and giving the prize which
00:11:44.46\00:11:47.56
consummates the
runners at the end of the race.
00:11:47.56\00:11:51.16
All he says is, be
thou faithful unto death.
00:11:51.16\00:11:56.13
I can win this race because
all I've got to do is keep my
00:11:56.13\00:12:02.66
eyes on Jesus.
00:12:02.66\00:12:05.83
Now, if someone were to ask you,
00:12:05.83\00:12:08.83
out of the five
senses, which one is the most
00:12:08.83\00:12:12.90
important to you,
what would your answer be?
00:12:12.90\00:12:16.03
Your touch, your taste,
00:12:16.03\00:12:20.43
your ability to smell,
your hearing or your sight?
00:12:20.43\00:12:25.80
Well, we can
touch and feel with our
00:12:25.80\00:12:27.83
skin, but if I couldn't touch,
00:12:27.83\00:12:30.00
I would still be all right
because I would just keep my
00:12:30.00\00:12:32.10
hands to myself.
00:12:32.10\00:12:33.86
We can taste with our tongues,
but if I couldn't taste,
00:12:33.86\00:12:37.80
I would be all right because
at least I could still eat.
00:12:37.80\00:12:41.46
We smell with our nose,
but if I couldn't smell that
00:12:41.46\00:12:45.53
would be all right because
although I wouldn't be able to
00:12:45.53\00:12:48.16
smell good stuff, praise God,
00:12:48.16\00:12:50.63
I wouldn't be able
to smell bad stuff.
00:12:50.63\00:12:52.70
Do I have a
witness in this place?
00:12:52.70\00:12:55.03
We hear with our ears,
but if I couldn't hear that
00:12:55.03\00:12:58.43
would be all right
because I would still be able to
00:12:58.43\00:13:00.80
communicate with you
through sign language,
00:13:00.80\00:13:03.00
a nod, a smile or a frown.
00:13:03.00\00:13:06.20
But we see with our eyes
and my eyes are most important
00:13:06.20\00:13:11.06
to me because without
my eyes I wouldn't see you.
00:13:11.06\00:13:13.96
I wouldn't see what
you're doing around me.
00:13:13.96\00:13:17.90
I wouldn't see
what you're doing to me.
00:13:17.90\00:13:20.06
I wouldn't see me, I
wouldn't see around me.
00:13:20.06\00:13:22.33
My eyes are most important
for me because our eyes are more
00:13:22.33\00:13:27.43
accurate witnesses than my ears.
00:13:27.43\00:13:31.10
Henry David Thoreau said the
eye is the jewel of the body.
00:13:31.10\00:13:35.70
The eye sees.
00:13:35.70\00:13:37.73
The eye reveals.
00:13:37.73\00:13:39.63
The eye exposes.
00:13:39.63\00:13:41.76
The eye detects.
00:13:41.76\00:13:43.76
The eye discloses.
00:13:43.76\00:13:45.86
The eye divulges.
00:13:45.86\00:13:47.70
The eye makes known.
00:13:47.70\00:13:49.23
The importance of the eye
is even expressed in the Bible.
00:13:49.23\00:13:53.50
When Jesus healed
the blind man in John,
00:13:53.50\00:13:56.40
Chapter 9, and
people couldn't understand
00:13:56.40\00:13:59.00
how this man was healed or
who healed him and how this man
00:13:59.00\00:14:02.86
had been blind from
birth, but somebody healed him.
00:14:02.86\00:14:05.76
And so they
began to ask the man,
00:14:05.76\00:14:07.93
Man, how can you now see?
00:14:07.93\00:14:09.93
Who healed you?
00:14:09.93\00:14:11.26
Who was it?
00:14:11.26\00:14:13.26
I love this Bible
story because the man says,
00:14:13.26\00:14:15.53
Look, I don't
know who healed me.
00:14:15.53\00:14:18.26
I don't know whether
he was a sinner or not.
00:14:18.26\00:14:21.53
I don't even know his name.
00:14:21.53\00:14:23.86
I don't know
where the man came from.
00:14:23.86\00:14:26.23
I don't know his
mama or his daddy,
00:14:26.23\00:14:29.26
but this one thing I
do know, I once was blind
00:14:29.26\00:14:36.26
but now I see.
00:14:36.26\00:14:37.60
Are you race ready?
00:14:37.60\00:14:40.83
Are you ready to run?
00:14:40.83\00:14:41.83
If you are, keep
your eyes on Jesus.
00:14:41.83\00:14:44.46
There are a lot
of things we look at.
00:14:44.46\00:14:46.76
We look at
people, we look at places,
00:14:46.76\00:14:49.26
we look at things.
00:14:49.26\00:14:50.46
But be careful what you look at,
00:14:50.46\00:14:52.66
because all you see
is not what it appears.
00:14:52.66\00:14:54.70
Because all that
glitters is not gold.
00:14:54.70\00:14:57.53
So the safest place for
you to look is at Jesus.
00:14:57.53\00:15:01.40
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:15:01.40\00:15:03.63
Not each other,
not your husband,
00:15:03.63\00:15:05.96
not your wife, not your friends,
00:15:05.96\00:15:08.10
not church folk, but
keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:15:08.10\00:15:11.40
And I don't know about
you, but I'm looking at Jesus,
00:15:11.40\00:15:14.30
because if I look at
you I'll get discouraged,
00:15:14.30\00:15:17.96
if I look at myself
I'll get disillusioned,
00:15:17.96\00:15:20.43
if I look at other
folk I'll get disheartened.
00:15:20.43\00:15:23.03
But when I look at
Jesus, I get delighted,
00:15:23.03\00:15:27.33
I get excited, I get energized,
00:15:27.33\00:15:30.63
I get eager, I get happy,
00:15:30.63\00:15:34.73
my soul gets happy.
00:15:34.73\00:15:35.73
It makes me want to say,
"I will lift up mine eyes unto
00:15:35.73\00:15:37.83
the hills from whence cometh
my help." My help comes from
00:15:37.83\00:15:41.16
the Lord who
made heaven and earth.
00:15:41.16\00:15:43.30
I will bless the
Lord at all times,
00:15:43.30\00:15:45.86
and his praise shall
continually be in my mouth.
00:15:45.86\00:15:48.73
I was glad when
they said it to me,
00:15:48.73\00:15:51.53
let us go into
the house of the Lord.
00:15:51.53\00:15:54.33
I love the Lord, he
heard my cry and pity every
00:15:54.33\00:15:58.46
groan as I live
while troubles rise,
00:15:58.46\00:16:01.30
I hasten to his throne.
00:16:01.30\00:16:02.36
He that dwelleth in the secret
place of the most high shall
00:16:02.36\00:16:06.56
abide in the
shadow of the Almighty.
00:16:06.56\00:16:09.66
I will say of the
Lord, he is my refuge,
00:16:09.66\00:16:11.66
my fortress, my God.
00:16:11.66\00:16:13.93
Somebody knows, he's my God,
00:16:13.93\00:16:15.93
in him will I trust.
00:16:15.93\00:16:17.60
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:16:17.60\00:16:19.60
Who are you looking at?
00:16:19.60\00:16:21.03
What are you looking at?
00:16:21.03\00:16:23.50
The stock market?
00:16:23.50\00:16:25.43
Our economic crisis?
00:16:25.43\00:16:27.53
Our political race?
00:16:27.53\00:16:29.43
Tornadoes across the Midwest?
00:16:29.43\00:16:31.66
Crime and
destruction in urban areas,
00:16:31.66\00:16:34.26
poverty in Africa, a
world out of control?
00:16:34.26\00:16:36.36
What are you looking at?
00:16:36.36\00:16:38.90
Because what you
see is what you get.
00:16:38.90\00:16:41.96
If you see Jesus, you get Jesus.
00:16:41.96\00:16:45.26
Peter messed up
on the water one day.
00:16:45.26\00:16:47.70
He took his eyes
off Jesus and he fell.
00:16:47.70\00:16:50.93
All he had to do was
keep his eyes on Jesus.
00:16:50.93\00:16:53.60
Y'all not feeling
me, because when you take
00:16:53.60\00:16:55.60
your eyes off Jesus,
that's when you fall.
00:16:55.60\00:16:57.73
When you take
your eyes off Jesus,
00:16:57.73\00:16:59.83
that's when trouble comes.
00:16:59.83\00:17:01.20
I'm race ready.
00:17:01.20\00:17:02.40
Are you race ready?
00:17:02.40\00:17:03.73
Lose the weight.
00:17:03.73\00:17:05.16
Get some training.
00:17:05.16\00:17:06.60
Get some endurance.
00:17:06.60\00:17:08.00
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:17:08.00\00:17:09.73
How do I keep my eyes on Jesus?
00:17:09.73\00:17:11.53
I look at the life of Jesus.
00:17:11.53\00:17:13.66
He was born in a stable,
wrapped in swaddling clothes,
00:17:13.66\00:17:18.66
breathed on by oxen
in a cow's eating trough,
00:17:18.66\00:17:22.26
reared in a carpenter's shop,
baptized in the muddy Jordan,
00:17:22.26\00:17:26.50
healed and
delivered more men, women,
00:17:26.50\00:17:28.73
boys and girls than can
be counted or estimated,
00:17:28.73\00:17:31.56
arrested on trumped up charges,
00:17:31.56\00:17:34.13
crucified on Friday,
lay resting in the grave
00:17:34.13\00:17:37.50
on the Sabbath, rose
early Sunday morning,
00:17:37.50\00:17:40.73
ascended back to heaven.
00:17:40.73\00:17:42.83
One day he's coming
back for you and for me
00:17:42.83\00:17:45.46
and I know it
gets rough some times,
00:17:45.46\00:17:48.13
I know it gets tough some times,
00:17:48.13\00:17:50.70
but look ahead.
00:17:50.70\00:17:53.50
Look towards
the end of the race.
00:17:53.50\00:17:56.30
Don't look at what's
happening in the race,
00:17:56.30\00:17:59.13
but keep your eyes
towards the end of the race.
00:17:59.13\00:18:02.26
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:18:02.26\00:18:04.53
Look unto Jesus, the author,
00:18:04.53\00:18:07.13
the finisher of our faith.
00:18:07.13\00:18:08.53
But then the text continues:
Who for the joy that was set
00:18:08.53\00:18:13.73
before him endureth the
cross, despising the shame,
00:18:13.73\00:18:20.16
and is set down
at the right hand
00:18:20.16\00:18:24.43
of the throne of God.
00:18:24.43\00:18:27.56
Jesus' death on the
cross was a horrible death,
00:18:27.56\00:18:30.96
but Jesus knew his death
would bring great joy in heaven.
00:18:30.96\00:18:34.56
It would bring
great joy to the Father
00:18:34.56\00:18:36.73
because the Son had obeyed
him completely, and it would
00:18:36.73\00:18:38.83
bring great joy to
God's people because God would
00:18:38.83\00:18:41.13
forgive them of their sins.
00:18:41.13\00:18:43.36
But when Christians
suffer, we should not just think
00:18:43.36\00:18:46.53
about Jesus'
death, we should remember
00:18:46.53\00:18:49.60
where Jesus is now.
00:18:49.60\00:18:51.50
At the Adventist Church
you get caught up in a lot
00:18:51.50\00:18:53.50
of stuff and we think
we're just about the Sabbath
00:18:53.50\00:18:56.06
and we're just
about the second coming,
00:18:56.06\00:18:58.06
but I want you to know
tonight the one doctrine that's
00:18:58.06\00:19:00.26
distinctive to the
Adventist Church is the doctrine
00:19:00.26\00:19:03.03
of the sanctuary.
00:19:03.03\00:19:05.00
Jesus right now,
know where he is.
00:19:05.00\00:19:08.50
He sits in the place
of the greatest honor
00:19:08.50\00:19:13.20
in heaven.
00:19:13.20\00:19:14.20
He sits at the
right hand of God,
00:19:14.20\00:19:16.20
in the presence of
God, the fullness of joy
00:19:16.20\00:19:19.70
and at his right
hand there are pleasures
00:19:19.70\00:19:22.26
forevermore.
00:19:22.26\00:19:23.26
Jesus is seated in
the heavenly sanctuary,
00:19:23.26\00:19:26.06
seated at the right hand
of God, making intercessions
00:19:26.06\00:19:30.03
for us.
00:19:30.03\00:19:32.80
Pastor Byrd,
what does that mean?
00:19:32.80\00:19:34.80
I'm so glad you asked.
00:19:34.80\00:19:35.93
In other words,
Jesus is my lawyer
00:19:35.93\00:19:38.03
and God the Father is my judge.
00:19:38.03\00:19:40.90
The same God that pleads
my case is the same God that's
00:19:40.90\00:19:45.83
going to decide my case.
00:19:45.83\00:19:47.90
Oh, you all don't hear me.
00:19:47.90\00:19:50.46
The same God that started
my race is the same God that's
00:19:50.46\00:19:55.93
going to finish my race.
00:19:55.93\00:19:58.10
Are you hearing what I'm saying?
00:19:58.10\00:20:00.10
God the Son is pleading
my case and God the Father,
00:20:00.10\00:20:05.10
who sits next to
him, will decide my case.
00:20:05.10\00:20:08.60
Hallelujah, that
should make somebody
00:20:08.60\00:20:10.60
want to shout.
00:20:10.60\00:20:11.60
And so, are you race ready?
00:20:11.60\00:20:15.20
You've got to run
through the tears.
00:20:15.20\00:20:18.63
You've got to run through fears.
00:20:18.63\00:20:21.73
You've got to run
through the storm,
00:20:21.73\00:20:24.73
through the rain.
00:20:24.73\00:20:25.73
You've got to run
through sickness and pain.
00:20:25.73\00:20:28.13
You've got to run through
when friends walk out on you.
00:20:28.13\00:20:31.36
Run until you're debt free.
00:20:31.36\00:20:34.03
Run until you get
your breakthrough.
00:20:34.03\00:20:36.53
Run until you get
what you came for.
00:20:36.53\00:20:39.26
Anybody will tell
you that when you run,
00:20:39.26\00:20:41.93
when you start
taking off the weight,
00:20:41.93\00:20:44.20
you'll start
getting a little lighter,
00:20:44.20\00:20:46.40
you'll start
running a little faster.
00:20:46.40\00:20:48.40
Are you hearing what I'm saying?
00:20:48.40\00:20:50.40
God is getting
ready to take somebody
00:20:50.40\00:20:52.40
to another level in
him, and you've got to let
00:20:52.40\00:20:54.76
the fat go.
00:20:54.76\00:20:56.06
You've got to
let negative folk go.
00:20:56.06\00:20:58.36
You've got to let
negative situations go.
00:20:58.36\00:21:00.66
You've got to train.
00:21:00.66\00:21:02.00
You've got to
endure you've got to keep
00:21:02.00\00:21:04.46
your eyes on Jesus.
00:21:04.46\00:21:08.36
Let me close this way.
00:21:08.36\00:21:09.36
The story is told
of a man who had a dog.
00:21:09.36\00:21:16.16
Man's best friend, dog.
00:21:16.16\00:21:19.40
And the man would occasionally
test the dog's obedience.
00:21:19.40\00:21:28.40
So what he would do to
test his dog's obedience,
00:21:30.36\00:21:32.86
he would place a piece of meat,
00:21:32.86\00:21:38.96
smelling good, looking good,
00:21:38.96\00:21:40.96
and he would place
that meat on the floor.
00:21:40.96\00:21:42.96
Some of you all know
what I'm talking about.
00:21:42.96\00:21:46.06
Don't act like you've
eaten choplets all your life.
00:21:46.06\00:21:49.46
Come on, say Amen.
00:21:49.46\00:21:51.46
And he would place
the meat on the floor
00:21:51.46\00:21:54.50
and he would look at
his dog and give the command
00:21:54.50\00:21:58.53
to the dog.
00:21:58.53\00:22:00.13
No!
00:22:00.13\00:22:01.13
The dog had a
strong urge to lunge and go
00:22:01.13\00:22:08.00
for the meat.
00:22:08.00\00:22:10.16
He was placed in a
most difficult situation.
00:22:10.16\00:22:12.80
To obey his master's
command or disobey his master's
00:22:12.80\00:22:21.10
command.
00:22:21.10\00:22:22.10
But what helped the dog
when he would look at that meat
00:22:22.10\00:22:26.93
and that meat, I can say,
00:22:26.93\00:22:29.70
was right in front of
him, what helped the dog
00:22:29.70\00:22:33.43
was that the dog
never looked at the meat.
00:22:33.43\00:22:39.00
The dog seemed to
feel that if he did,
00:22:41.33\00:22:45.33
the temptation to
disobey would be too great.
00:22:45.33\00:22:49.13
So when the master put
the meat in front of the dog,
00:22:49.13\00:22:53.53
the dog didn't look at the meat,
00:22:53.53\00:22:55.66
but the dog steadily
kept his eyes on his master.
00:22:55.66\00:23:01.23
What am I trying to say?
00:23:01.23\00:23:04.40
When the
temptations of life come,
00:23:04.40\00:23:08.33
always keep your
eyes on the master's face.
00:23:08.33\00:23:12.50
When we encounter temptations,
instead of looking at the meat
00:23:12.50\00:23:20.53
and the temptation, keep
your eyes fixed on Jesus.
00:23:20.53\00:23:27.90
Tonight are you
battling temptation?
00:23:27.90\00:23:30.93
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:23:33.30\00:23:36.56
He'll give you the victory.
00:23:36.56\00:23:37.43
Tonight where are you looking?
00:23:37.43\00:23:38.93
At man or the master?
00:23:38.93\00:23:45.46
Are you race ready?
00:23:45.46\00:23:49.30
Get rid of the weight.
00:23:49.30\00:23:53.70
Are you race ready?
00:23:53.70\00:23:58.90
Get some training.
00:23:58.90\00:24:02.13
Are you race ready?
00:24:02.13\00:24:06.33
You've got to endure.
00:24:06.33\00:24:09.56
Are you race ready?
00:24:09.56\00:24:14.00
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:24:14.00\00:24:21.63
When you go back to your church,
00:24:21.63\00:24:24.33
you go back to your city,
you go back to your district,
00:24:24.33\00:24:26.40
you may get weary
sometimes in this race,
00:24:26.40\00:24:28.90
but keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:24:28.90\00:24:35.43
Christ returneth.
00:24:35.43\00:24:40.23
Hallelujah.
00:24:40.23\00:24:42.26
Hallelujah.
00:24:42.26\00:24:47.06
Amen.
00:24:47.06\00:24:50.50
God, tonight,
just a simple reminder
00:24:50.50\00:24:57.50
that we've got to be race ready.
00:24:57.50\00:25:00.73
Can't look to the left,
we can't look to the right,
00:25:00.73\00:25:02.73
but, God, we've
got to keep our eyes
00:25:02.73\00:25:04.26
on Jesus.
00:25:04.26\00:25:08.60
So, God, may we lay aside
00:25:08.60\00:25:10.93
those weights.
00:25:10.93\00:25:13.26
God, may we train.
00:25:13.26\00:25:17.16
Teach us, O God,
00:25:17.16\00:25:18.53
how to endure.
00:25:18.53\00:25:22.36
And God, may we
keep our eyes on Jesus.
00:25:22.36\00:25:26.76
We thank you for
stopping by this way,
00:25:26.76\00:25:29.70
this evening.
00:25:29.70\00:25:32.20
You promise that, God,
your Word when it goes forth,
00:25:32.20\00:25:34.90
it will not return to us
void, but it will accomplish
00:25:34.90\00:25:41.30
what it has set out to do.
00:25:41.30\00:25:45.33
God, do just that,
00:25:45.33\00:25:47.30
we pray.
00:25:47.30\00:25:47.93
In Jesus' name and
for his sake we pray.
00:25:47.93\00:25:55.20
Amen.
00:25:55.20\00:25:57.26
PB: Thank you very much for
tuning in and watching Breath
00:25:57.26\00:26:00.30
of Life today.
00:26:00.30\00:26:02.03
We do hope that you were
blessed by our ministry and
00:26:02.03\00:26:04.76
that we gave a healing
word in a hurting world.
00:26:04.76\00:26:09.30
In order for Breath of
Life to continue ministering,
00:26:09.30\00:26:11.66
we need you.
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00:26:12.90\00:26:15.56
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00:26:15.56\00:26:18.20
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00:26:18.20\00:26:21.23
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00:26:21.23\00:26:22.83
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00:26:22.83\00:26:25.36
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00:26:25.36\00:26:32.30
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00:26:37.20\00:26:40.06
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>: We'd all like to
live heathier lives,
00:26:58.23\00:27:00.33
but doing so and maintaining
it aren't always so easy.
00:27:00.33\00:27:03.66
It's hard when the foods
we love are also the foods
00:27:03.66\00:27:06.16
that can hurt us the
most, and when it's easier
00:27:06.16\00:27:08.30
to watch TV than
it is to exercise.
00:27:08.30\00:27:10.83
What we need
are straight answers
00:27:10.83\00:27:12.93
and some encouragement.
00:27:12.93\00:27:14.23
The Breath of Life gift
offer this week is Dr. Timothy
00:27:14.23\00:27:17.16
Arnott's "24 Realistic
Ways to Improve Your Health."
00:27:17.16\00:27:20.90
It includes information
that can change your life
00:27:20.90\00:27:22.90
with just a little effort.
00:27:22.90\00:27:24.30
"24 Realistic Ways to
Improve Your Health" is indeed
00:27:24.30\00:27:26.86
just that, realistic.
00:27:26.86\00:27:29.33
Dr. Arnott is a no-nonsense,
tell-it-like-it-really-is
00:27:29.33\00:27:32.80
doctor who talks to
you as if you're hearing
00:27:32.80\00:27:36.63
from a good friend.
00:27:36.63\00:27:37.20
Just call our toll-free
number, 1-877-BOL-OFFER.
00:27:37.20\00:27:41.20
The book is yours
for a gift of $5 or more.
00:27:41.20\00:27:43.80
Or you may write to us
at Breath of Life, Box 340,
00:27:43.80\00:27:47.03
Newbury Park, California 91319.
00:27:47.03\00:27:50.23
Don't just wait for
your health to get better,
00:27:50.23\00:27:52.36
take charge of it and get
"24 Realistic Ways to Improve
00:27:52.36\00:27:55.56
Your Health" now.
00:27:55.56\00:27:58.46
PB: Because we're
not running a sprint,
00:27:58.46\00:27:59.70
we're running a marathon.
00:27:59.70\00:28:02.73
I once was blind but now I see.
00:28:02.73\00:28:10.46
Don't look at what's
happening in the race,
00:28:10.46\00:28:13.20
but keep your eyes
towards the end of the race.
00:28:13.20\00:28:16.26
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
00:28:16.26\00:28:18.50
I can win this race,
because all I've got to do
00:28:18.50\00:28:23.70
is keep my eyes on Jesus.
00:28:23.70\00:28:28.16