Welcome to Faith Chapel.
My name is Lynell LaMountain
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the Speaker and
Director for Life Ignited.
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Today, we are gonna
talk about How To cross
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The Finish Line. But,
before we get into our study
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please bow your heads and
let's have prayer together.
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Father in heaven we thank
you so much for Jesus Christ
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and his powering
presence in our lives.
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Lord as we study from
your word today how to actually
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finish the race, how
to cross the finish line,
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I pray that your Holy
Spirit would inspire us
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and enlighten us with
your truth, the truth that
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keeps us going on to the
very end when we enter your
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arms in eternity. This
is our prayer in our name,
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Amen. Olan Hendrix was
preaching at his church
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when his wife while she
was sitting on the front row,
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he makes his crack
about his wife. He says
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my wife thinks the slumming
in means spending a night
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at the Holiday Inn. She
didn't think he was funny
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and she didn't laugh, the
others did but she didn't.
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So, what did he do
to make it up to her?
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You think he went
brought some flowers and took
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her out to a nice meal or
brought her a gift probably
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an expensive gift you
think maybe that's way he did?
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No, that's what most
husbands probably would
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have done, but not him.
Nobody did to make it up
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to her. He took her to
Africa, now she didn't have
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any interest in going to
Africa, in fact she didn't
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have any interest in
going anywhere. She wanted to
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stay home. But, he
wanted to take her to Africa
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because he knew in his heart
there was one thing that in
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Africa that would
capture her soul, if he could
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just get her there. One
thing that would dazzle her,
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one thing that will make
her eternally grateful that
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she would travel
thousands of miles from home
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and had endured rough
travel, and that one thing
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he knew that would
capture her heart was
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Victoria Falls. One look
at Victoria Falls in Africa
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would be in our heart
forever. Yeah personally
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seen a majesty of Victoria
Falls, he would hike to its
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end and he saw had
seen as stately brown statue
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of David Livingstone.
The first white man to have
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seen Victoria Falls and
he had seen that statue just
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Livingstone purring
out over the water and Olan
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Hendrix was just captured.
Well the day came they left
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for Africa. Mrs.
Hendrix she wasn't a very happy
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camper at all. During that
trip, though he kept trying
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to pump her up, you know,
how it goes when the people
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going on a trip with
you don't wanna be there,
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you try to pump them up and
describe what they are gonna
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be experiencing, what
they are gonna seeing,
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in order to try to get
them excited. You remind her
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about the legendary splendor
of the falls. He describes
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the romantic missed building
upward from the thunders
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raging water. He helps
her imagine the luxurious
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greenery lining the
soft soggy river banks.
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He described in vivid
detail. The rainbow that
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arch to cross the falls
in a spectral burst of color.
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Finally the day came,
she had battled bugs and
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mosquitoes and
spiders, snakes, frogs
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and other bugs. She
was sweaty and frizzy, and
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frumpy in her baggy
safari clothing. Not to mention
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she was tired and she
was thirsty and she was achy.
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Her nails were broken, her
arms had scratches on them,
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but she had done it.
They had reached the end of
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their journey and her
husband showed her the
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heavenly Victoria Falls.
Then he excitedly grabbed
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her hand and he led her
to that famous statue of
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David Livingstone that
great missionary statesman and
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an adventurer, who is
eternally frozen in time
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like I say with his
hand raised to his brow
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as if shading his eyes
from the sun, gazing out
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over the water. This was
the moment they have been
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waiting for. This is the
moment he had been talking
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about incessantly
since the day they had left
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for Africa. This is the
moment that would make his
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trip worth it, her
trip worth it, and all the
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controversy they
had experienced between
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each other. This would
make it worth it. In this moment
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of rapture is wonder,
caught up in a moment he
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turn to his wife and
he said this, he said this
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he said there he is
David Livingstone. Look at him
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gazing out over the
falls, what do you think
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he is thinking. She
looked at the statue of
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Livingstone thought a
moment and turn toward
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her husband and said
I think he is thinking
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that I had it up to here
with Africa. When was the
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last time those words
came out of your mouth.
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I have had it up to here
with my job. I have had it
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up to here with my
relationships. I have had it
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up to here with whatever
it is that's pressing you in.
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When was the last time
those words tumbled pass
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your teeth. When was
the last time you had it up
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to here with someone in
our life. Perhaps your teacher
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and you would never
admit this, but there is a
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kid in our class that
makes life difficult, day after
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day and you have had it up
to here or maybe this people
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at work, you know I'm
talking about the kind that
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make work miserable and you
had it up to here with them.
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May be that person
was a person that beat you
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out for a promotion or
raise and do you had it up to
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here with that person,
it's a phrase we here often
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is something we speak
often, I've had it up to
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here. Maybe this is a tricky
one, maybe you are a pastor
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and you would never
admit this, not publicly,
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but in our church
there are two or three people
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that seem to have this
spiritual gift of giving you
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ulcers. And you've had
it up to here with those
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people or maybe
you've had it up to here with
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a situation that no
matter what solution you offer,
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it seem solution resistant,
and you had it up to here
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with this chronic
problem that just keeps going on
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and on and on with no end
in site. I've had it up to
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here wow. Maybe
you've had it up to here with
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spiritual complacency.
You have plenty of religion,
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but you tired of
going through emotions.
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If had it up to here with
a complacency, you are ready
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for something real,
something authentic.
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You are ready to feel
alive to be fully filled
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with the presence
of Christ in our heart.
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How do you handle the on
slide of these situations
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that wear on you, squeeze
on you and grind against you.
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How do you, how do
you survive when you have
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had it up to here, well
you only have two choices
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you can keep going or you
can quit. You can keep going
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or you can quit and there
is a word for it. A word for
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keep going, but I wanna
tell you a story from my life
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first and I really cant
believe I'm sharing this
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with you, but I think
this story probably will
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illustrate quite
clearly what I'm talking about.
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It was an eighth
grade and I had a crush on
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a certain girl. Now she is
one of those girls I want to
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talk to, your inside is
gonna melt, you know what
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I'm talking about?
And when she talk to me
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I found myself stumbling
over my words, which I do
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even when I'm not nervous,
but when a girl that I like
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a cute girl is talking
to me man I can't get a
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sentence out of my
mouth. She was nice,
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she was pretty, she
was perfect what more
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that I need in eighth
grade. Well the first year
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that I tried
capturing her heart nothing,
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nothing happened, she
wasn't interested at all.
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Second year we are in quire
together, so I had a little
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bit more opportunity to be
near her. So, on towards on
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the bus we would sit
beside each other when I got
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a chance and we talk and
joke and stuff like that.
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But, nothing happened
the second year, and I could
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since as I entered my
third year of trying to vow her
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to me that time was getting
short for me. My window of
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opportunity was
closing and I had to pull out
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all the stops, it was
the time to step up to the
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plate to swing for the
fences to make something
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happen. Well
complicate matters even more,
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this girl that I
like that had a crush on
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she started falling for
the campers heart throb,
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you know who that is.
That's the person that you just
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love to dislike. You
don't like them at all.
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And it complicated
even more than that, my best
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friend who worked with
her over at laundry on the
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campus, he started to
like here. Bible says by
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beholding would become
changed so I guess he would
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talk so much about this
girl for all these years,
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there is finally rubbing
off on him. And he is starting
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to have feeling toward
her, so I knew if I didn't
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do something radical my
chance to get her forever
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I mean it would be gone,
so what I did? I talk to her
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boss and I worked it out
for me to drop by one day
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drink break where she
worked. You are gonna think
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this is really
cheesy, but I got to tell you
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because it illustrates
what we are talking about here.
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I went to her to the
place of work on her break
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and I had this paper
sack with me and inside that
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paper sack I had a mix
tape of her favorite songs,
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I had two candles and
I remember to bring the
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matches that surprising
in itself. And in addition
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to that, I had brought
her favorite soft drink
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in four Styrofoam
cups, yes four. One for her,
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one for me, one for my best
friend who was there working
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with her and one for
her boss. Well I took the
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liberty to dim the
lights, I poured her soft drink,
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canned our soft drink
into the glasses and then I
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handed them out, lighted
the candles, got the music
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playing, I'm telling
you what. It was romance
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extraordinary, right
there in campus laundry with
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washing machines
and dryers all around us
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and piles of dirty
laundry on the floor and on the
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tables around us. But, I
had to do something to try to
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let her know. If she
could just spend a moment
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with me and see how nice
of a guy, how good of a person
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I was, how much I had to
offer then she would just
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totally stop chasing the
campers heartthrob when she
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saw what a wonderful
guy I was, you know what I'm
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talking about? Well I
was there for few minutes
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and then later that
afternoon she sought me
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out, she actually came
to see me. We were walking
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down the sidewalk and
she says you know you really
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made me so special,
thank you so for dropping by.
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She said Lynell you
are a real sweet guy.
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As soon as I heard the
word sweet out of her mouth,
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I knew it was
over, I had no chance.
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Any guy who has been in
that situation trying to
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vow a girl and she calls
and says he sweet or he is
00:10:04.84\00:10:08.24
nice, he is lost
there is no hope at all.
00:10:08.36\00:10:10.38
But, this one situation,
year one nothing happened,
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year two nothing
happened, year three nothing
00:10:15.95\00:10:18.39
happened, nothing ever happened.
00:10:18.54\00:10:20.36
We did part as good
friends in fact a matter for
00:10:20.56\00:10:22.96
the first time in 22
years last summer and she
00:10:22.99\00:10:26.10
was doing great she had
forgotten about the whole
00:10:26.13\00:10:28.31
laundry room thing,
which I'm thankful for.
00:10:28.62\00:10:30.70
But, she is doing
fine. Now there is one thing
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probably why this
didn't work out maybe more then
00:10:37.00\00:10:38.48
one thing, but when I
was in eighth grade she
00:10:38.71\00:10:43.58
was a sophomore, when
I was a Freshmen she was
00:10:43.61\00:10:46.28
Junior, when I was a
sophomore she was a senior.
00:10:46.38\00:10:49.14
So, she was two or
three years older to me, so it
00:10:49.66\00:10:51.64
probably was doom from
the start but you never,
00:10:51.67\00:10:53.70
you never would been
held of convince me that
00:10:53.93\00:10:56.13
there was no hope for me
in this girl who was 2 or
00:10:56.16\00:10:58.13
3 years older then me
in an high school that's a
00:10:58.18\00:11:00.28
big deal, now there is
one more word that describes
00:11:00.41\00:11:03.03
my actions. Besides the
word desperate there is no
00:11:04.18\00:11:07.67
another word, that kind
of puts it perfectly what
00:11:07.70\00:11:12.14
I was doing those
three years and no stockings
00:11:12.17\00:11:14.75
not the word that
came to my mind either,
00:11:14.91\00:11:16.22
there is another word
that describes my actions with
00:11:16.35\00:11:18.93
this girl as trying to
vow to me during those years.
00:11:19.04\00:11:21.81
And the word is
perseverance. I didn't quit,
00:11:22.51\00:11:25.40
I kept going, I kept tying
to do all I could do to get
00:11:25.73\00:11:29.36
the girl of my dreams.
When you had it up to here,
00:11:29.39\00:11:34.66
when you can't take it
anymore, you can either
00:11:35.80\00:11:37.84
quit or you can continue.
You can stop or you can
00:11:37.92\00:11:41.33
persevere those are the
only two choices you have.
00:11:41.39\00:11:43.81
But, you didn't
get the girl you say,
00:11:45.14\00:11:46.27
well you are right,
I didn't get that girl.
00:11:46.43\00:11:48.11
But, a few years later
I did I happened to marry
00:11:48.63\00:11:51.19
the girl of my dreams.
So, I might have lost that
00:11:51.22\00:11:53.52
battle, but I won
the war, I persevered.
00:11:53.73\00:11:55.73
Perseverance what is it?
One of the definitions of
00:11:56.48\00:11:58.37
perseverance is this,
is adherence to a course of
00:11:58.40\00:12:00.97
action or belief or
purpose without giving away.
00:12:01.03\00:12:03.71
Endurance to push
through despite hardship grit,
00:12:04.42\00:12:08.48
how much grit do we
have? We are talking about
00:12:08.99\00:12:11.10
cross the finish line
and across the finish line of
00:12:11.21\00:12:13.38
life you have to have
grit. You have to have
00:12:13.44\00:12:16.00
perseverance and you
must endure, and I ask
00:12:16.31\00:12:18.37
you today and I ask
myself, what is our tendency?
00:12:18.44\00:12:21.48
Do we tend to quit
when things get hard, do we
00:12:22.07\00:12:23.79
tend to quit when we
get pressed in, do we tend
00:12:23.90\00:12:26.03
to quit when we feel
the heat at the moment.
00:12:26.07\00:12:27.63
Do we try to find
shelter away from it at all or
00:12:27.97\00:12:30.42
do we persevere and push
through and keep going no
00:12:30.56\00:12:32.59
matter what it takes. If
you wanna cross the finish
00:12:32.64\00:12:35.27
line you have to
persevere. I remember reading
00:12:35.40\00:12:38.41
that people who make
New Year's resolutions.
00:12:39.16\00:12:41.08
That over 80% of
the people who make New
00:12:41.32\00:12:43.14
Year's
resolutions they've stopped,
00:12:43.22\00:12:46.30
they've quit their New
Year's resolutions by January
00:12:46.45\00:12:48.61
18th. They even take
three weeks before they
00:12:48.75\00:12:51.47
give up, what they
said they wanted to do.
00:12:51.59\00:12:53.50
Oh! I'll start my diet
tomorrow, I go to the gym
00:12:53.98\00:12:56.29
next week, I'll start
having quite time with God
00:12:56.39\00:12:59.00
tomorrow. I'll start
returning Tyson offerings next
00:12:59.30\00:13:01.74
paycheck. I'll start
saving money in a month
00:13:01.96\00:13:03.79
or two when I've gotten
caught up. Perseverance,
00:13:04.05\00:13:06.66
endurance, grit with it
you will cross the finish line
00:13:07.22\00:13:11.19
without it, you not even
in the race, you might think
00:13:11.52\00:13:13.81
you are, but you are
not. To pray when you don't
00:13:13.96\00:13:16.45
feel like it is perseverance.
To forgive someone who
00:13:16.51\00:13:19.17
has hurt you that
takes perseverance because
00:13:19.20\00:13:21.38
those feelings of hurt
well up inside, time after time,
00:13:21.60\00:13:24.66
after time and you have to
keep forgiving and forgiving
00:13:24.74\00:13:26.90
and forgiving to
forgive someone how is deeply
00:13:27.13\00:13:29.16
wounded you is perseverance,
takes perseverance.
00:13:29.47\00:13:32.07
To stick with the job that
makes you miserable because
00:13:32.50\00:13:34.54
you know that that's
where you need to be right
00:13:34.57\00:13:36.05
there and right then
that takes perseverance.
00:13:36.10\00:13:38.76
To stand up for right
and to stand up for God when
00:13:39.54\00:13:41.66
it's inconvenient and
uncomfortable and unpopular
00:13:41.69\00:13:44.34
is perseverance. To
remember God in the good
00:13:44.79\00:13:47.79
times and remember
him in the bad times is
00:13:47.98\00:13:50.78
perseverance. To blow it
spiritually, but to get up and
00:13:50.94\00:13:53.78
keep going is perseverance.
To never give up on our
00:13:53.87\00:13:56.69
mission mandate or
calling is perseverance.
00:13:56.75\00:13:59.47
Grit that's what we
need today and God gives it
00:13:59.87\00:14:02.90
to us, he keeps us
going. Perseverance is saying to
00:14:03.08\00:14:05.90
yourself, I refuse to quit
by the grace and indwelling
00:14:06.01\00:14:10.45
power of Jesus Christ I
will not be shaped by my
00:14:10.52\00:14:13.07
circumstances because
in my partnership with God
00:14:13.25\00:14:15.77
circumstances don't
master me, I master them.
00:14:16.16\00:14:18.93
This is perseverance,
this is grit and this is our
00:14:20.10\00:14:23.17
Christian privilege in
heritage. Ministry of Healing
00:14:23.35\00:14:27.30
page 500 has this
awesome quote, Man can shape
00:14:27.53\00:14:32.82
circumstances, but
circumstances should not be
00:14:32.94\00:14:34.96
allowed to shape the
man. We should seize upon
00:14:35.06\00:14:37.70
circumstances as
instruments by which to work.
00:14:37.77\00:14:40.12
We are to master them,
but not permit them to master
00:14:40.38\00:14:44.40
us. Paul puts it like
this in 2 Corinthians chapter 4
00:14:44.43\00:14:49.85
versus 7 and 11, 7
through 11 and I'm reading
00:14:50.33\00:14:52.73
from the New King James
Version. But we have this
00:14:52.82\00:14:56.49
treasure in earthen
vessels, that the excellence of
00:14:56.64\00:14:58.64
the power may be
of God and not of us.
00:14:58.67\00:15:00.90
We are hard-pressed on
every side, yet not crushed;
00:15:01.86\00:15:04.32
we are perplexed, but
not in despair; persecuted,
00:15:04.58\00:15:07.28
but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed-
00:15:07.83\00:15:10.51
always carrying about in
the body the dying of the
00:15:10.85\00:15:12.86
Lord Jesus, that the
life of Jesus also may be
00:15:12.98\00:15:15.55
manifested in our body.
For we who live are always
00:15:15.64\00:15:18.30
delivered to death for
Christ sake, that the life of
00:15:18.46\00:15:20.53
Jesus also may be
manifested in our mortal flesh.
00:15:20.62\00:15:23.59
Hard-pressed but not
in despair, persecuted,
00:15:25.23\00:15:27.67
but not abundance,
struck down, but not destroyed
00:15:27.87\00:15:30.22
this is perseverance,
endurance and grit.
00:15:30.85\00:15:33.50
Power of God, the power
of God is unconquerable.
00:15:35.33\00:15:39.01
I mean the power of
God is in you, you are
00:15:39.63\00:15:42.11
unconquerable. You
are unconquerable in your
00:15:42.19\00:15:45.49
mission. You are
unconquerable in your
00:15:45.72\00:15:47.35
purposes, you are
unconquerable in our ambitions
00:15:47.60\00:15:50.25
you and everything
about you in a power of God
00:15:50.66\00:15:52.08
is in your life is invincible,
you cannot be beaten.
00:15:52.13\00:15:55.15
So, persevere you
have ever right to endure,
00:15:55.55\00:15:57.81
it's your heritage,
it's your destiny. So, live
00:15:58.00\00:16:01.25
with grit, I've to ask
you what has struck you down
00:16:01.31\00:16:05.22
lately. And it's okay
to admit that we gotten
00:16:05.33\00:16:09.66
struck down, we
all get struck down.
00:16:09.80\00:16:11.79
There are moments in
life when you stand and you
00:16:13.01\00:16:15.29
walk and you go as far
as you can, for as long as
00:16:15.32\00:16:17.73
you can. And there is a
one last thing that just
00:16:17.83\00:16:21.44
takes the life out of you
in your fall, which struck
00:16:21.52\00:16:24.68
you down lately.
What caused you to quit,
00:16:24.71\00:16:27.93
what's cause you to
take a break and sit on the
00:16:29.39\00:16:33.46
bench for a while. As
loneliness gotten the best
00:16:33.56\00:16:37.21
of you? Has frustration
over certain situation or
00:16:37.31\00:16:40.81
a certain person gotten
best of you? Is it finances,
00:16:40.84\00:16:46.07
relationships that are
crumbling, broken dreams,
00:16:48.15\00:16:51.70
sadness, discouragement,
ill health, you prayed and
00:16:52.90\00:16:57.66
you prayed and you
prayed and still you have this
00:16:57.76\00:17:00.30
illness and you have this
disease it doesn't seem as
00:17:00.40\00:17:02.86
if God has gonna take it
away and that was the final
00:17:02.89\00:17:05.28
straw what is it?
What struck you down,
00:17:05.47\00:17:08.51
what's discouraged you
of anything? What's the
00:17:09.11\00:17:12.88
life been throwing at
you to trip you up and only
00:17:12.92\00:17:15.90
trip you up, but keep you
down. Ephesians 3:20 says,
00:17:16.02\00:17:22.34
Now to Him who is able
to do exceedingly abundantly
00:17:23.83\00:17:26.05
above all that we ask or
think, according to the power
00:17:26.11\00:17:28.67
that works in us. God is
at work in our life the power
00:17:28.78\00:17:32.70
of God is operating in
your life, he is real and he is
00:17:32.80\00:17:35.75
in you if you invited him
to be in you and I believe
00:17:35.81\00:17:39.36
that you have, you
would be watching this show
00:17:39.40\00:17:41.97
today, you wouldn't be
here in Faith Chapel with me
00:17:42.12\00:17:43.92
today, if you hadn't invited
Christ to be an operating
00:17:44.14\00:17:46.97
presence in our life.
So, persevere, endure,
00:17:47.06\00:17:51.40
conquer have this within
your reach. Bible prophecy is
00:17:51.97\00:17:55.73
being fulfilled before
very eyes. Jesus is coming soon
00:17:55.79\00:17:58.85
this is not a time to be
discouraged, this is not a
00:17:59.19\00:18:01.34
time to quit, this is not
a time to say well at least I
00:18:01.37\00:18:04.16
give it my best and I
tried. This is a time to keep
00:18:04.20\00:18:07.59
going forward, no matter
what is thrown on our way to
00:18:07.66\00:18:10.47
keep walking and
walking and walking to persevere
00:18:10.55\00:18:13.52
to endure. We are
knocked down, but we are not
00:18:13.83\00:18:16.82
knocked out. We might
take a beating, but we never
00:18:16.94\00:18:19.21
beaten, we might loose a
battle, but we won't lose
00:18:19.39\00:18:21.81
the war, persevere,
endure. Consider Paul he
00:18:21.87\00:18:27.87
writes this in 1 Corinthians
chapter 9 verse 24 and I'm
00:18:27.99\00:18:30.41
reading from the New King
James Version. Do you not know
00:18:30.59\00:18:32.52
that those who run in a
race all run, but one receives
00:18:32.70\00:18:35.30
the prize? Run in such
a way that you may obtain
00:18:35.33\00:18:38.20
it. Did Paul live on
easy street? Absolutely not
00:18:38.23\00:18:42.42
he knew one thing or
two about perseverance and
00:18:42.71\00:18:44.73
enduring and having
girt. Do you realize that the
00:18:44.81\00:18:48.27
Jews had him whipped
five times and in each of
00:18:48.31\00:18:51.78
those five whippings
he was lashed 39 times.
00:18:52.41\00:18:55.74
And it was well known
that a few lashed someone
00:18:56.61\00:18:58.18
40 times they would
die from it. So with five
00:18:58.28\00:19:01.48
different times he was
lashed with an interim of
00:19:01.60\00:19:04.42
his life, so to speak.
He was beaten with rods
00:19:04.74\00:19:09.09
three times, he
was stoned once, he was
00:19:09.37\00:19:11.64
shipwrecked three
times, and he spent a day and a
00:19:11.76\00:19:14.54
night lost at sea. He
endured sleep deprivation,
00:19:14.57\00:19:18.93
hunger, and thirst.
He had been left without
00:19:19.16\00:19:21.11
clothing in the cold.
He was falsely in prison to
00:19:21.26\00:19:24.08
more than once. If
anyone had a reason to go
00:19:24.16\00:19:26.71
silently into the
night with a soft whimper it
00:19:26.88\00:19:29.10
was Paul, but he
didn't, he had right to say,
00:19:29.20\00:19:32.02
he had a right to say.
I've had it up to here,
00:19:32.52\00:19:34.38
but he didn't say that.
In study says in 2 Timothy
00:19:34.50\00:19:37.51
chapter 4 verses 6 through
8, For I am already being
00:19:37.57\00:19:38.54
poured out as a drink
offering, and the time of
00:19:42.38\00:19:44.09
my departure is at
hand. I have fought the
00:19:44.12\00:19:46.55
good fight, I
have finished the race,
00:19:46.66\00:19:48.37
I have kept the
faith. Finally, there is laid
00:19:48.85\00:19:51.10
up for me the
crown of righteousness,
00:19:51.18\00:19:52.60
which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will give to
00:19:52.93\00:19:54.96
me on that Day,
and not to me only but
00:19:55.01\00:19:57.11
also to all who
have loved His appearing
00:19:57.30\00:20:00.68
Seize the day, seize
the day by the power of
00:20:03.10\00:20:07.26
God, rise up and
shape your circumstances
00:20:07.29\00:20:09.87
because faith
without action is useless.
00:20:09.92\00:20:12.38
Act, follow, seize
the day, many people have
00:20:13.21\00:20:17.49
confused perseverance
with patience, I say here
00:20:17.52\00:20:21.00
is the patients of the
saints and the saints and
00:20:21.03\00:20:23.95
believers are
certainly patience, but in the
00:20:23.98\00:20:26.15
Bible there is a
big difference between
00:20:26.18\00:20:28.43
patience and perseverance.
Perseverance, now listen
00:20:28.46\00:20:32.63
to me, perseverance is
not patience, the Greek
00:20:32.66\00:20:37.15
word for
perseverance is hypomone.
00:20:37.18\00:20:39.14
Hypomone is more than
patience. It's the spirit
00:20:39.72\00:20:42.49
that doesn't
passively endure, but the spirit
00:20:42.52\00:20:44.74
that actively
overcomes. When Beethoven was
00:20:44.77\00:20:49.32
threatened with
deafness he said,
00:20:49.35\00:20:50.67
I will take life by
the throat that's hypomone.
00:20:50.70\00:20:53.79
Most of the
railroad executives treated
00:20:54.24\00:20:56.22
Westinghouse like
he had lost his mind
00:20:56.25\00:20:57.87
because he believed
and theorize that a train
00:20:57.90\00:20:59.90
could be
stopped by wind. But, he
00:20:59.93\00:21:02.06
persevered and sold
the airbrake. Leonardo Da
00:21:02.09\00:21:05.25
Vinci worked on the
last supper for 10 years.
00:21:05.28\00:21:08.56
And to really put
into perspective God been
00:21:08.74\00:21:11.44
working on you all
your life, he is persevere
00:21:11.47\00:21:14.16
with you, he is not
quit on you, he is enduring
00:21:14.19\00:21:16.51
with you, however,
long it's been God doesn't
00:21:16.54\00:21:19.77
quit, he doesn't give
up. He is believed in you
00:21:19.80\00:21:23.03
your whole life even
when no one else has,
00:21:23.56\00:21:26.28
even when you have
it. As long as you with
00:21:26.45\00:21:30.33
him, as long as you
are with God you will cross
00:21:30.36\00:21:33.95
the finish line guaranteed.
All you need is God in
00:21:33.98\00:21:39.05
gumption. As the
old saying goes, doesn't
00:21:39.08\00:21:41.85
matter where you are,
only matters where you
00:21:41.88\00:21:43.27
had it, some don't,
so don't make excuses,
00:21:43.30\00:21:46.02
don't rationalize,
don't quit, dare, and dare
00:21:46.05\00:21:49.59
again and keep on
daring. We can do all things
00:21:49.62\00:21:54.15
through Christ
dare, dare again and go on
00:21:54.18\00:21:57.64
daring. Think bold,
believe bold, act bold,
00:21:57.67\00:22:00.95
be bold because when
the power of the Holy
00:22:00.98\00:22:04.13
Spirit is
operating in you and you are
00:22:04.16\00:22:05.95
surrendered to the
control in the will of
00:22:05.98\00:22:07.40
God anything can
happen or do as Christians.
00:22:07.43\00:22:12.37
As sons and daughters
of God is to proceed as
00:22:12.88\00:22:16.01
if limits to our
ability do not exist this is our
00:22:16.04\00:22:22.71
calling, this is our
power, this is our destiny,
00:22:22.74\00:22:26.12
no conflict, no crown.
How do we develop the kind
00:22:26.38\00:22:29.73
of perseverance it
gets us across the finish
00:22:29.76\00:22:31.66
line? How can we cross
the finish line when we
00:22:31.69\00:22:33.53
so far way and out of
breath and our muscles
00:22:33.56\00:22:35.77
are on fire. How
do we keep going when
00:22:35.80\00:22:37.51
quitting seems to
be the easier option?
00:22:37.54\00:22:39.74
Well, first we preserver
in Christ and his power.
00:22:40.79\00:22:43.86
Our power is limited,
our power runs out, but
00:22:44.25\00:22:46.60
Christ power is
unlimited it never runs out.
00:22:46.63\00:22:49.25
Preserver in Christ
invites him to abide in
00:22:49.46\00:22:51.33
your heart and you
will share with you the
00:22:51.36\00:22:53.25
source of
perpetual hope and energy and
00:22:53.28\00:22:55.48
power that is your
experience joyfully
00:22:55.51\00:22:57.72
from day to day.
Philippians 4 verse 13
00:22:57.75\00:23:01.05
it says, I can do all
things through Christ who
00:23:01.68\00:23:04.10
gives me strength.
If you want to cross
00:23:04.13\00:23:06.71
the finish line then
you must preserver in Christ
00:23:06.74\00:23:09.80
power not your
power, Christ power.
00:23:09.83\00:23:13.11
Secondly in addition
to preserving in Christ we
00:23:13.30\00:23:15.96
must submit to Christ.
The Bible says in James
00:23:15.99\00:23:19.87
chapter 4 verse 7.
Therefore submit to God.
00:23:19.90\00:23:23.72
Resist the devil and
he will flee from you.
00:23:24.05\00:23:26.06
Preserving Christ,
submit in Christ and the
00:23:27.15\00:23:29.76
sky will split apart
in God's glory will come
00:23:29.79\00:23:31.72
down and move
mountains out of your
00:23:31.75\00:23:32.99
way in the light of
his glory and is truthful
00:23:33.02\00:23:35.17
right your path if
you submit to him. Jesus
00:23:35.20\00:23:38.67
preserved in God,
he submitted to God.
00:23:38.70\00:23:40.43
He crossed the
finish line for every human
00:23:40.47\00:23:42.21
being who has ever
wanted to cross the
00:23:42.24\00:23:44.16
finish line, who
has ever wanted to cross
00:23:44.19\00:23:45.45
over from the death on
to life. Jesus Christ was
00:23:45.48\00:23:47.96
an exempt from
preserving. He need a
00:23:47.99\00:23:49.58
grit and he had it.
Bible records this about him
00:23:49.61\00:23:52.63
in Hebrews 12 verses 1
through 3. Therefore we
00:23:52.66\00:23:56.49
also, since we are
surrounded by so great
00:23:56.52\00:23:58.25
a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every
00:23:58.28\00:24:00.09
weight, and the
sin which so easily
00:24:00.12\00:24:01.67
ensnares us, and let
us run with endurance the
00:24:01.70\00:24:03.48
race that is set
before us, looking unto Jesus,
00:24:03.51\00:24:06.15
the author and finisher
of our faith, who for the
00:24:06.18\00:24:08.26
joy that was set
before Him endured the cross,
00:24:08.29\00:24:10.47
despising the shame,
and has sat down at the
00:24:10.50\00:24:12.63
right hand of the
throne of God. Our destiny is
00:24:12.66\00:24:16.43
with Jesus Christ
although it's true that he
00:24:16.46\00:24:18.44
walks with this here.
What we really want is
00:24:18.47\00:24:20.68
to walk with him
there. So, we press on,
00:24:20.71\00:24:25.03
we push through, we prevail.
00:24:25.06\00:24:26.95
The Greek word for
race is agonu and we
00:24:27.28\00:24:29.65
get the word
agony from it. Make no
00:24:29.68\00:24:31.87
mistake, have no
misunderstanding, don't
00:24:31.90\00:24:33.97
be fool the Christian
walk isn't easy expect
00:24:34.00\00:24:36.80
resistance. The devil
will through everything
00:24:36.83\00:24:38.83
he can into your
path, he will do everything
00:24:38.86\00:24:40.82
he can to make you
stumble and to scrape
00:24:40.85\00:24:42.41
your knees. He will
shape you into thinking
00:24:42.44\00:24:44.40
that you are not
worthy of the race, that your
00:24:44.43\00:24:46.00
failures have
disqualified you in some way.
00:24:46.03\00:24:48.35
But, there is no
condemnation because
00:24:49.04\00:24:50.53
we are in Christ
Jesus, we have been redeemed
00:24:50.56\00:24:52.53
by his blood, we
have been covered with his
00:24:52.56\00:24:53.98
grace, we have
been empowered by now
00:24:54.01\00:24:55.56
pouring and in
filling of the Holy Spirit.
00:24:55.59\00:24:57.61
The devil will do
everything he can to
00:24:59.07\00:25:00.43
to keep you down, to disqualify,
00:25:00.78\00:25:03.03
to discourage you.
He even use death itself
00:25:03.06\00:25:05.50
to scare you into
submission. Jesus never
00:25:05.53\00:25:08.40
promised, we wouldn't
go to the grave, but he
00:25:08.43\00:25:10.38
did promise we
wouldn't stay there.
00:25:10.41\00:25:11.89
There is a
resurrection morning for every
00:25:13.96\00:25:15.26
person, who follows
Jesus Christ was put his
00:25:15.29\00:25:17.51
or her trust in Him.
So, when you think about
00:25:17.54\00:25:19.93
it in reality Satan is
left with nothing, he can't
00:25:19.96\00:25:22.38
keep you down. He
can't disqualify you,
00:25:22.41\00:25:24.13
he can't discourage you,
he can't even keep you dead.
00:25:24.16\00:25:26.93
You have what it
takes to cross to finish
00:25:29.55\00:25:31.05
line because you
have Jesus Christ. You are
00:25:31.08\00:25:34.57
determent, you
steadily go forward each day,
00:25:34.60\00:25:37.12
you refuse to be
deflected. Obstacles
00:25:37.40\00:25:39.56
won't dawn you,
delays won't depress you,
00:25:39.59\00:25:41.72
discouragement
won't still your hope away
00:25:41.77\00:25:43.51
I know it. Jesus
Christ is with you walking
00:25:43.54\00:25:46.04
with you right
now. Nothing from within
00:25:46.07\00:25:48.55
stops you, nothing
from without can block you.
00:25:48.58\00:25:50.67
You will stead
fussily endure and you will
00:25:51.93\00:25:53.96
carry through to
the end. How do I know
00:25:53.99\00:25:56.30
you are gonna cross
the finish line because you
00:25:56.33\00:25:59.32
are about to
promise me something.
00:25:59.35\00:26:00.49
You are gonna live
from this standard from
00:26:02.06\00:26:03.32
this day onward.
What standard am I talking
00:26:03.35\00:26:06.14
about, is of this
one. Always get up one
00:26:06.17\00:26:13.36
more time then you
fall, always get up one more
00:26:13.39\00:26:17.98
time then you fall,
fall down 3 times get up
00:26:18.01\00:26:21.03
4 times. Fall down 5
times get up 6 times.
00:26:21.06\00:26:24.15
Fall down 7
times get up 8 times.
00:26:24.47\00:26:26.45
You always get up one
more time then you fall.
00:26:26.78\00:26:29.53
Maybe you think you
too weak to get up and
00:26:29.83\00:26:31.72
to keep going, but is
not true the Bible says in
00:26:31.75\00:26:33.39
2 Corinthians 12
verse 9. And He said to me,
00:26:33.42\00:26:37.12
"My grace is sufficient
for you, for My strength
00:26:37.15\00:26:39.23
is made perfect in
weakness." Therefore
00:26:39.26\00:26:41.76
most gladly I
would rather boast to my
00:26:41.79\00:26:43.13
infirmities by the
power of Christ because it
00:26:43.16\00:26:45.04
rests on me. You've
got the power, you are not
00:26:45.07\00:26:47.23
weak, you can't fail
because Christ power is
00:26:47.26\00:26:50.20
in you, you cannot
have fail Christ because
00:26:50.23\00:26:52.32
Christ doesn't fail.
If you fall down 7 times
00:26:52.35\00:26:55.30
he picks you up an 8th
time, a 9th time, a 10th
00:26:55.33\00:26:58.16
time, a 11th time
and 12th time. There is
00:26:58.19\00:27:00.72
nothing you can
do to make him stop
00:27:00.75\00:27:02.52
believing in you. As
long as you never let
00:27:02.55\00:27:05.76
go and you will hold
down, you will make it
00:27:05.79\00:27:08.24
cross the finish line.
So, I tell you today dare
00:27:08.27\00:27:11.03
something worthy,
then dare again and keep on
00:27:11.06\00:27:13.78
daring. Preserving
Christ, submit to Christ.
00:27:13.81\00:27:17.25
You have to master
failure in order to
00:27:18.12\00:27:19.72
master success and
you do that by getting up
00:27:19.75\00:27:21.59
one more time then
you fall, do this and you
00:27:21.83\00:27:25.46
will cross the
finish line with Christ.
00:27:25.49\00:27:27.14
You will cross the
finish line right on into
00:27:27.56\00:27:30.38
eternity into the
open welcoming arms of a
00:27:30.41\00:27:34.48
Father in Heaven,
who loves you more than
00:27:34.51\00:27:36.01
anything else on
earth, have you fallen?
00:27:36.04\00:27:39.27
Get up, grace will
pick you up, grace will keep
00:27:40.66\00:27:45.01
you going and as you
cross the finish line
00:27:45.04\00:27:47.96
everything live in
worthy, as you begin
00:27:47.99\00:27:49.81
experiencing an
exhaustible satisfaction
00:27:49.84\00:27:53.62
that you will find in God.
00:27:54.03\00:27:55.14