May 28, 2025 • 28 mins
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A
little later in the program, we'll tell you how you
can get a copy of a devotional on fifty two
questions every believer should answer it. But first, here's the message.
Soon and very soon.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Now, as we read this passage of scripture in Hebrews ten,
we get acquainted a little bit more to the audience
to which the writer is addressing in Hebrews. And in fact,
these Hebrew Christians, and they are believers and followers of
Jesus who were formerly Hebrews practicing Judaism, but they came
(00:42):
to faith in Jesus as the Messiah.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
And as a result, not only from.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
The world but even the world of religion, they were
facing great persecution and opposition. So the writer gives us
these words beginning in verse thirty two. But recall the
former days when after you were enlightened and you could
just scribble in the words save there. Because enlightened means
to be enlightened to the knowledge of salvation.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
We are enlightened.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
The old song says I saw the light when we
were walking in darkness. Now we are living in the light.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
We have been enlightened in.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Christ you endured those of us who are saved a
hard struggle with sufferings. Suffering is a part of life
for all of us, and Christianity is not immunity from
the problems and the pressures from sickness and suffering that
every human being faces from time to time. And yet
(01:41):
not only the sufferings that come from within, but from without.
For verse thirty three says, sometimes being publicly exposed to
reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated,
that is, standing with those who were suffering. For you
had compassion on those in This is some evidence that
(02:03):
the writer of Hebrews is indeed the apostle Paul, who
was in prison for his fate, and this could be
autobiography by the author Paul when he says, for you
had compassion on those in prison, meaning himself as well.
And you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property since
you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and
(02:25):
an abiding one. It cost them everything to follow Christ,
including their property.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Jesus said, you must.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Be willing to lay down your lives and your possessions
and your all to follow me. They were living this out,
and yet they didn't resent the loss of these material
things because they knew they had invested in eternal things,
eternal realities. And so verse thirty five says, and this
(02:52):
is the key verse one that you'll want to underline,
perhaps memorize. It says, therefore, do not throw away your
comm confidence, which has a great reward. Don't throw away
your confidence, for you have need of endurance. And there's
our word endurance, or patient endurance, so that when you
(03:15):
have done the will of God, you may receive what
is promised. And then verse thirty seven, which is the
title of the message. Yet a little while, and the
coming one will come and will not delay. Soon and
very soon in a little while, the one who is coming, Jesus,
is coming again, and it will be eminent when he comes.
(03:42):
But my righteous one shall live by faith. And if
he shrinks back, that is, if you quit, my soul
hath no pleasure in him. But we are not of
those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those
who have faith and persevere or preserve, rather than souls.
If we are to endure, we was number one. Recall
(04:08):
how we started. That's what the author is giving us here.
What he says look back and think about the time
that you were enlightened, the time that you were saved,
even those tough times of persecution, and know this that
you stood firmly, You stood on God's promises. You lived
(04:29):
in hope as an anchor for your soul, and God
is always always faithful to you. We can all look
back in times of our lives, the tough times, sometimes
the dark times, when we were oppressed or resisted in
some way for our faith, and we realized that God
was with us in the.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Furnace, in the fire.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
God has always promised to never leave us or forsake us.
I keep a journal and I can look back in
my journal, my daily journal that I've been keep for
a number of years now, and I can see answered prayers.
One value of keeping a journal when you pray, when
you study your Bible, just write a little something every day,
if you will, just record the things that you're thinking
(05:12):
about praying about. And then over the years you may
want to look back and you see the blessings of God,
the favor of God, the faithfulness of.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
God in your life. Recall how you got started.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
There's a well known book called begin with the End
in mind and that's good because we do live for
the reward that is coming. We begin the Christian life
with the end in mind. Our future is secure, that's hope.
But we also begin and continue with the beginning in mind.
You have to get a good start in your life,
so you have to know that you're saved. You can't
(05:45):
stand if you're not really standing in Christ, because have
you made the discovery that not everyone loves you? If
you're a Bible believing christ honoring Christian, not everyone loves that.
Now there are Christians physically person around the world, and
we should be praying for persecuted Christian and persecuted churches
around the world. Is going on even as we speak
(06:08):
here in America. Not so much of course, personal physical persecution,
but we do face resistance increasingly so. Our religious freedoms
are being attacked at various levels. Christian schools are being
attacked by the secular left, and so on. And I
can give you a number of examples to this. If
(06:30):
you stand for life that we are pro life and
pro love in our actions, pro life in our beliefs,
and pro love in our actions. If you stand for
light and truth and life and love, there will be
some who oppose you, because Satan will make sure of that.
Remember the voice comes from others, but the source is
(06:52):
Satan himself. We're in a spiritual battle, and so we
may find ourselves a spectacle to the world. As described here,
you were exposed, publicly exposed. You were mistreated and mocked
before the entire world.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
He said of these Hebrews.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
When I think of being publicly exposed, I think of
the time when I wanted to be in the stage
band at Eastern Hills.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
High School in fort Worth.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I was a drummer and I played the snare, and
I wanted to be in the stage band, which was cool.
But to be in the stage band, you to qualify,
you had to be in the marching band. I didn't
love the idea of being the marching band. I salute
all of you who play in marching bands or did,
but you know it's not It wasn't my thing. And
yet if I was going to be in the stage band,
(07:42):
which was cool, I had to be in the marching band,
which I didn't think was all that cool at that time.
But I said, okay, so we're going to march first
March Farrington Field, West fort Worth.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
I'm a sophomore in high school.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Fifteen years of age, and I'm thinking, I'm going to
get a great spare drum. When I get to the
practice field that week, I found out I was playing
the bass drum, the big bass boom boom boom. So
you know, I wasn't thrilled about that either. So they
hand me my uniform. I never even tried it on
till about an hour before I was supposed to report.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
To the band.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
And then I pulled them on. I realized they were
like six inches too big. So what am I gonna do?
Mom comes to the rescue. That's what moms do, right,
So she taped everything up since to everything. We had
about fifty pins in this thing, and we had tape,
and you know, it's all cinched uf and I'm ready
(08:35):
to go.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
So I go.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
I get the middle of Farington Field and if I'm lying,
I'm dying in the middle of Farington Field in front
of all my friends at the fifty yard line. My
pants go right to my ankles. That's what all my
friends did right there. Yeah, a public spectacle. Now what
(09:01):
do you do with a bass drum in line with
your pants at your ankles?
Speaker 3 (09:09):
I'm trying to pull them up play with one hand.
You say, what did you do? I don't remember.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I blacked the whole thing out From that point on,
I don't remember. But it was the last time I
ever marched in a marching band. Of course, what we're
talking about is not funny when you stand for Christ
and people mock you for it and laugh at you.
And yet so often we want to fold if somebody
(09:36):
says something, if somebody criticizes us, or trolls us or online,
or goes after us in some way, or puts us
out of their group. Sometimes we care more of the
opinions of others than the opinion of God. God has
called us to stand for righteousness no matter what, and
(09:58):
never stand down and shut up when you ought to
stand up and speak up. And so these early Christians
they're struggling now. They're thinking, you know, it's time to
throw in the towel, it's time to give up. And
they're told, look, don't do that. Remember when you were
getting it done, You were in the fight. You were
(10:20):
in the battle, and God sustains you. And you can
look back, as I've had many times over your life,
and not one time has God ever failed to say men.
And in the dark times especially, you know, God works
the night shift and we grow to the dark. And
I would say when you go through a trial, don't
just go through it, grow through it, gets stronger through it.
We're maturing, we're developing a muscular faith.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
So recall how God has blessed you his faithfulness.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
And there's a saying that that I've often said, never
doubt in the dark what God showed you in the light,
But I want to turn that upside down for you today.
Never doubt in the light what God taught you you
and showed you in the dark, because so often the
most important lessons we've learned in life are those dark times.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
And so in.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Days of prosperity and days of good times, keep remembering
what God has taught you and stay strong because the
next time is coming. So, first of all, if you
want to endure number one, look back, recall the way
you got started, how God has.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Blessed you through. But then the second thing is.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
And that is to look around, all right, might even
say look within and keep going.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
soon and very soon when you ask big questions of God,
you can trust he'll give you answers that grow your
faith and deepen your intimacy with Him. In his devotional
to Jesus Code, Os Hawkins helps you uncover bold truths
as you search for answers to life's biggest question. We
(12:00):
want to send you a copy of this powerful resource
as thanks for your gift of ten dollars or more so,
request your copy of the Jesus Code when you call
and give today. Call one eight hundred seven ninety five
four six two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety
five four six two seven. You can also text the
word code to five nine seven eight nine. Don't let
(12:24):
stress rob you of peace. It is possible to break
the destructive grip of stress on your life and enjoy
the peace and abundance God desires for you. That's what
doctor Graham helps you do in his booklet Breaking Free
from Stress. We'll send you a digital download of Breaking
Free from Stress when you sign up for email updates
from PowerPoint Today. Just go to PowerPoint dot org slash
(12:47):
stress and sign up today. Now, let's get back to
today's message soon and very soon.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Verse thirty five says, Therefore, do not throw away your confidence,
which has a rate reward. I like that word confidence.
The Christian life is a confident life. Why because we
know our future is secure, is settled. We have a
(13:16):
great reward in advance. And this word confidence, uh, if
you could just add some synonyms, it's a word which
means assurance, trust, boldness, and hope. Assurance, trust, boldness, and hope.
(13:42):
You know, as an athlete, I always wanted to play
with confidence because if you lose your confidence as an athlete,
guess what happens you lose You'll be defeated when you
lose your confidence. But human confidence is one thing, but
we're talking about something beyond our own personal confidence or
mental toughness. This is the confidence that we have in Christ.
(14:03):
This is the confidence that we are given to Him
and that keeps us going when we may want to
give up. We all have doubts and fears, but don't
throw away your confidence, don't throw away your boldness. Learn
to doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs. You cannot
(14:26):
throw away your salvation. You cannot lose your salvation because
salvation is in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone,
not in ourselves. You cannot lose your salvation, but its
possible to lose your confidence in the Christian life right
if you do not determine and discipline yourself in God's word,
(14:50):
standing on God's promises.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
To keep going.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
And this word here, pagies, I really like this word
because in this word patience or endurance that you see
in verse thirty six, you see it. You have need
of endurance. Some translations give it patience. So let's just
put them together. Patience, endurance, staying, power, stamina, steadfastness, patience
(15:18):
it is. This word has with it a quiet confidence.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
It's a boldness that is not brash, but is sure.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
And strong. Patience is a fruit of the spirit long
suffering patience.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I like wat scholar J. I. Pather Packer rather said
about patience.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
He says, living out the belief that God orders everything
for the spiritual good of his children, that's patience.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Patience does not just.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Grin and bear things stoic like, but accepts them cheerfully
as therapeutic workouts planned by a heavenly trainer who is
resolved to get you up to full fitness. That's muscular
faith and the only way you can grow your faith
(16:22):
and your character, which is in is through trials and tribulations.
That's what the scripture says. In the Book of Romans,
we're told that is character is produced by perseverance, that's
Romans five, three and four. Not only that, but we
rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and
endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
All of this is.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Linked, so we keep going knowing that we're getting stronger
as we go. If you're a sprinter, shorter runs create
speed as you train, but longer runs, longer distance runs
create you go slower, not as fast, but you build
(17:09):
endurance and you can go further. That's what we're looking
for in the Christian life, because the Christian life is
not a short sprint. It is a marathon with an
obstacle course and all kinds of challenges.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
So what we need is more reps. And sometimes God.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Will put us through repetitions and through some things that
challenge us and test us, even tribulations, even suffering, in
order that we would grow stronger and endure and build
patience in our lives, which creates hope. I'm reading a
(17:48):
book called Grit. It's not a Christian book. It's written
by a lady by the name of Angela Duckworth, and
she defines what it means to have grit as simply
to be gritty. Okay, so what is it to be gritty?
According to Angela Duckworth, she says, to be gritty is.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
To keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
To be gritty is to hold fast to an interesting
and purposeful goal. To be gritty is to invest, day
after week after year in challenging practice. To be gritty
is to fall down seven times and rise eight. That's
what we're learning in God's word in.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Hebrews to be gritty. Ours is a gritty grace.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
We get knocked down seven times, we get up every
time by God's grace, and we build grit. One final thing,
and that is not only do we look back and
recall how we begin. Not only we look around, look
within and keep going, but we look ahead. We look ahead,
(18:59):
and we run for the reward. We look for the reward.
That's why in this passage look at it again. Back
in Hebrews ten, he says, for in a little while,
this is verse thirty seven, For yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Soon and very soon. That is what the words mean.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Stay ready, to stay prepared for in just a little while,
soon and very soon we will see the King, because
he's coming again. And for those early Christians that it
should be for us. It was the prospect, the promise
(19:49):
of the soon return of Christ that kept them going
and should keep us going, knowing that Jesus promised, I
will come again. Those the unfounded disciples on the Mount
of Olahs that day, not knowing where to turn, where
to go. Jesus has ascended into the heavens. But the
Angel said this same Jesus, which was taken up from
(20:10):
you into heaven, will come again in the same way
that you've seen him go.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Christ is coming again.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Visibly, victoriously, personally, physically. Jesus is coming again. When you
pray the model prayer, the Lord's prayer, your kingdom come.
Did you know you're praying for the second coming of Jesus.
You're praying that Christ would come and establish his kingdom.
(20:39):
Now you say it's been a long time, it's been
two thousand years. Where's the promise of his coming? Simon
Peter the Apostle addressed that his second letter, he talked
about those who come along their scoffers, the skeptics, where's
(21:00):
the promise of his coming? You people keep saying Jesus
is coming again? Come on, where is he? Scoffers, skeptics,
And again Satan always sees to it that the scoffers
and the skeptics, the naysayers, the people that say you're
a fool, you're a freak show, you're a fanatic because
you follow Jesus, they'll always show up and say, really,
(21:22):
you believe.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Jesus is coming again?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Yes, and absolutely, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ,
you're looking forward, leaning into the day. The way we
lean in and finish strong is because we're always leaning
into the promise, leaning into the prospect that Christ is
coming again. Now, what we say is this. Peter answered it,
by the way by saying that a day with the
(21:44):
lords a thousand years and a thousand years is a
day time means nothing to God. I mean, it's just
like that. Our lives are but a brief candle. So
you say it's been a long long time, What two
thousand years is a long time. But in the providence
and plans of God, God has a day, God has
(22:05):
a date, and Christ is coming, ready or not, Jesus
is coming again, and so we run for that reward
that day when we see Jesus, either in death, when
we cross the finish line personally, or when we are
raptured out of the race, when we're taken into the
presence of the Lord.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
We will see Jesus. We'll see him face to face.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
And it is his face looking into Jesus, the author
and the finisher of our faith.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
It is this, as the scripture says, blessed hope, blessed hope.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
It's the hope of the return of Jesus Christ, when
we will be raptured into his presence and forever live
with him, that keeps me going, because I know this
isn't a dead end. This life is a journey, and
we are on our way to Heaven. We are on
our way to Him, and we ought to be saying
(23:00):
with the apostle John, as the Bible concludes.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Even so, come Lord, Jesus, Come on, Lord.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You can say that, you can pray that if you're
ready for his return.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Soon and very soon.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
It doesn't mean that his coming is necessarily immediate, but
it does mean his coming is imminent, not immediate, but eminent.
That means at any time, nothing else needs to happen
for Christ to come again. Everything's ready, The table's set
(23:45):
for the marriage supper of the Lamp. The question is
are you ready? The question is do you live with
this confident expectation that your future is with him? Do
you live and endure your life knowing that is with
the Lord you look up? Christian life is always onward
(24:07):
and upward, onward and upward. We keep going because we
know where we're going. We know Jesus.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
soon and very soon. In the devotional to Jesus Code,
Os Hawkins invites you to ask fifty two thought provoking
questions found in the Bible that will help you experience
Jesus in deeper, more authentic ways than ever before. As
you dive into these questions, you'll discover that everything we
(24:40):
need can be found in a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ.
We want to help you uncover bold truths in the
search for answers to life's biggest questions by sending you
the Jesus Code as our thanks for your gift of
ten dollars or more to help proclaim God's unchanging word
through PowerPoint. So call now for a quot rus your
copy of the Jesus Code. Call one eight hundred seven
(25:03):
ninety five four six two seven. That's one eight hundred
seven ninety five four six two seven. You can also
text the word code to five nine seven eight nine,
And don't forget to visit Jack Graham dot org where
you can shop our eastore, give a gift online, or
sign up for doctor Graham's free daily email devotional. Our
(25:26):
website again is Jack Graham dot org, and also be
sure to sign up for doctor Graham's podcast Bible in
a Year pastor what is your PowerPoint for today?
Speaker 2 (25:39):
The next time you're down, the next time you're discouraged,
the next time you are opposed or criticized, let me
give you the best piece of advice that you could
ever hear. Run straight to God, cry out to him.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Now.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
How simple is that? How basic is that? And yet
how true it is? So often we try to figure
out everything on our own, we try to fix things ourselves,
and then we come to the end and say, well,
I guess it's come down to this I guess I'm
going to pray now. Well, don't make prayer your last chance,
make it your very first choice. Somebody said, if you
(26:18):
look behind you, you'll be defeated. If you look ahead
of you, you'll be distressed. If you look around you,
you'll be discouraged. But if you look above you, you
will be determined. Hebrews twelve one to three tells us this,
Let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfector of
(26:40):
our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him,
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at
the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him
who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that
you may not grow weary, are fainthearted. Oh, when problems come,
(27:02):
problems with people, with pressures, with whatever, take it to
the top. Go to the Lord, tell him all about it.
Look to him, look up and overcome the disappointments that
you face in life.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
And that is today's power point. Remember when you give
a gift of ten dollars or more to PowerPoint, we'll
send you os Hawkins devotional that Jesus code as our
thanks call one eight hundred seven ninety five four six
two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety five four
six two seven. You can also text the word code
(27:37):
to five nine seven eight nine and join us again
next time as doctor Graham brings a message about how
you can hold firm to a solid, life saving faith.
That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with
Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministry, Say
Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A
little later in the program, we'll tell you how you
can get a copy of a devotional on fifty two
questions every believer should answer it. But first, here's the message.
Soon and very soon.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Now, as we read this passage of scripture in Hebrews ten,
we get acquainted a little bit more to the audience
to which the writer is addressing in Hebrews. And in fact,
these Hebrew Christians, and they are believers and followers of
Jesus who were formerly Hebrews practicing Judaism, but they came
(00:42):
to faith in Jesus as the Messiah.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
And as a result, not only from.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
The world but even the world of religion, they were
facing great persecution and opposition. So the writer gives us
these words beginning in verse thirty two. But recall the
former days when after you were enlightened and you could
just scribble in the words save there. Because enlightened means
to be enlightened to the knowledge of salvation.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
We are enlightened.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
The old song says I saw the light when we
were walking in darkness. Now we are living in the light.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
We have been enlightened in.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Christ you endured those of us who are saved a
hard struggle with sufferings. Suffering is a part of life
for all of us, and Christianity is not immunity from
the problems and the pressures from sickness and suffering that
every human being faces from time to time. And yet
(01:41):
not only the sufferings that come from within, but from without.
For verse thirty three says, sometimes being publicly exposed to
reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated,
that is, standing with those who were suffering. For you
had compassion on those in This is some evidence that
(02:03):
the writer of Hebrews is indeed the apostle Paul, who
was in prison for his fate, and this could be
autobiography by the author Paul when he says, for you
had compassion on those in prison, meaning himself as well.
And you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property since
you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and
(02:25):
an abiding one. It cost them everything to follow Christ,
including their property.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Jesus said, you must.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Be willing to lay down your lives and your possessions
and your all to follow me. They were living this out,
and yet they didn't resent the loss of these material
things because they knew they had invested in eternal things,
eternal realities. And so verse thirty five says, and this
(02:52):
is the key verse one that you'll want to underline,
perhaps memorize. It says, therefore, do not throw away your
comm confidence, which has a great reward. Don't throw away
your confidence, for you have need of endurance. And there's
our word endurance, or patient endurance, so that when you
(03:15):
have done the will of God, you may receive what
is promised. And then verse thirty seven, which is the
title of the message. Yet a little while, and the
coming one will come and will not delay. Soon and
very soon in a little while, the one who is coming, Jesus,
is coming again, and it will be eminent when he comes.
(03:42):
But my righteous one shall live by faith. And if
he shrinks back, that is, if you quit, my soul
hath no pleasure in him. But we are not of
those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those
who have faith and persevere or preserve, rather than souls.
If we are to endure, we was number one. Recall
(04:08):
how we started. That's what the author is giving us here.
What he says look back and think about the time
that you were enlightened, the time that you were saved,
even those tough times of persecution, and know this that
you stood firmly, You stood on God's promises. You lived
(04:29):
in hope as an anchor for your soul, and God
is always always faithful to you. We can all look
back in times of our lives, the tough times, sometimes
the dark times, when we were oppressed or resisted in
some way for our faith, and we realized that God
was with us in the.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Furnace, in the fire.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
God has always promised to never leave us or forsake us.
I keep a journal and I can look back in
my journal, my daily journal that I've been keep for
a number of years now, and I can see answered prayers.
One value of keeping a journal when you pray, when
you study your Bible, just write a little something every day,
if you will, just record the things that you're thinking
(05:12):
about praying about. And then over the years you may
want to look back and you see the blessings of God,
the favor of God, the faithfulness of.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
God in your life. Recall how you got started.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
There's a well known book called begin with the End
in mind and that's good because we do live for
the reward that is coming. We begin the Christian life
with the end in mind. Our future is secure, that's hope.
But we also begin and continue with the beginning in mind.
You have to get a good start in your life,
so you have to know that you're saved. You can't
(05:45):
stand if you're not really standing in Christ, because have
you made the discovery that not everyone loves you? If
you're a Bible believing christ honoring Christian, not everyone loves that.
Now there are Christians physically person around the world, and
we should be praying for persecuted Christian and persecuted churches
around the world. Is going on even as we speak
(06:08):
here in America. Not so much of course, personal physical persecution,
but we do face resistance increasingly so. Our religious freedoms
are being attacked at various levels. Christian schools are being
attacked by the secular left, and so on. And I
can give you a number of examples to this. If
(06:30):
you stand for life that we are pro life and
pro love in our actions, pro life in our beliefs,
and pro love in our actions. If you stand for
light and truth and life and love, there will be
some who oppose you, because Satan will make sure of that.
Remember the voice comes from others, but the source is
(06:52):
Satan himself. We're in a spiritual battle, and so we
may find ourselves a spectacle to the world. As described here,
you were exposed, publicly exposed. You were mistreated and mocked
before the entire world.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
He said of these Hebrews.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
When I think of being publicly exposed, I think of
the time when I wanted to be in the stage
band at Eastern Hills.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
High School in fort Worth.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I was a drummer and I played the snare, and
I wanted to be in the stage band, which was cool.
But to be in the stage band, you to qualify,
you had to be in the marching band. I didn't
love the idea of being the marching band. I salute
all of you who play in marching bands or did,
but you know it's not It wasn't my thing. And
yet if I was going to be in the stage band,
(07:42):
which was cool, I had to be in the marching band,
which I didn't think was all that cool at that time.
But I said, okay, so we're going to march first
March Farrington Field, West fort Worth.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
I'm a sophomore in high school.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Fifteen years of age, and I'm thinking, I'm going to
get a great spare drum. When I get to the
practice field that week, I found out I was playing
the bass drum, the big bass boom boom boom. So
you know, I wasn't thrilled about that either. So they
hand me my uniform. I never even tried it on
till about an hour before I was supposed to report.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
To the band.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
And then I pulled them on. I realized they were
like six inches too big. So what am I gonna do?
Mom comes to the rescue. That's what moms do, right,
So she taped everything up since to everything. We had
about fifty pins in this thing, and we had tape,
and you know, it's all cinched uf and I'm ready
(08:35):
to go.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
So I go.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
I get the middle of Farington Field and if I'm lying,
I'm dying in the middle of Farington Field in front
of all my friends at the fifty yard line. My
pants go right to my ankles. That's what all my
friends did right there. Yeah, a public spectacle. Now what
(09:01):
do you do with a bass drum in line with
your pants at your ankles?
Speaker 3 (09:09):
I'm trying to pull them up play with one hand.
You say, what did you do? I don't remember.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I blacked the whole thing out From that point on,
I don't remember. But it was the last time I
ever marched in a marching band. Of course, what we're
talking about is not funny when you stand for Christ
and people mock you for it and laugh at you.
And yet so often we want to fold if somebody
(09:36):
says something, if somebody criticizes us, or trolls us or online,
or goes after us in some way, or puts us
out of their group. Sometimes we care more of the
opinions of others than the opinion of God. God has
called us to stand for righteousness no matter what, and
(09:58):
never stand down and shut up when you ought to
stand up and speak up. And so these early Christians
they're struggling now. They're thinking, you know, it's time to
throw in the towel, it's time to give up. And
they're told, look, don't do that. Remember when you were
getting it done, You were in the fight. You were
(10:20):
in the battle, and God sustains you. And you can
look back, as I've had many times over your life,
and not one time has God ever failed to say men.
And in the dark times especially, you know, God works
the night shift and we grow to the dark. And
I would say when you go through a trial, don't
just go through it, grow through it, gets stronger through it.
We're maturing, we're developing a muscular faith.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
So recall how God has blessed you his faithfulness.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
And there's a saying that that I've often said, never
doubt in the dark what God showed you in the light,
But I want to turn that upside down for you today.
Never doubt in the light what God taught you you
and showed you in the dark, because so often the
most important lessons we've learned in life are those dark times.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
And so in.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Days of prosperity and days of good times, keep remembering
what God has taught you and stay strong because the
next time is coming. So, first of all, if you
want to endure number one, look back, recall the way
you got started, how God has.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Blessed you through. But then the second thing is.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
And that is to look around, all right, might even
say look within and keep going.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
soon and very soon when you ask big questions of God,
you can trust he'll give you answers that grow your
faith and deepen your intimacy with Him. In his devotional
to Jesus Code, Os Hawkins helps you uncover bold truths
as you search for answers to life's biggest question. We
(12:00):
want to send you a copy of this powerful resource
as thanks for your gift of ten dollars or more so,
request your copy of the Jesus Code when you call
and give today. Call one eight hundred seven ninety five
four six two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety
five four six two seven. You can also text the
word code to five nine seven eight nine. Don't let
(12:24):
stress rob you of peace. It is possible to break
the destructive grip of stress on your life and enjoy
the peace and abundance God desires for you. That's what
doctor Graham helps you do in his booklet Breaking Free
from Stress. We'll send you a digital download of Breaking
Free from Stress when you sign up for email updates
from PowerPoint Today. Just go to PowerPoint dot org slash
(12:47):
stress and sign up today. Now, let's get back to
today's message soon and very soon.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Verse thirty five says, Therefore, do not throw away your confidence,
which has a rate reward. I like that word confidence.
The Christian life is a confident life. Why because we
know our future is secure, is settled. We have a
(13:16):
great reward in advance. And this word confidence, uh, if
you could just add some synonyms, it's a word which
means assurance, trust, boldness, and hope. Assurance, trust, boldness, and hope.
(13:42):
You know, as an athlete, I always wanted to play
with confidence because if you lose your confidence as an athlete,
guess what happens you lose You'll be defeated when you
lose your confidence. But human confidence is one thing, but
we're talking about something beyond our own personal confidence or
mental toughness. This is the confidence that we have in Christ.
(14:03):
This is the confidence that we are given to Him
and that keeps us going when we may want to
give up. We all have doubts and fears, but don't
throw away your confidence, don't throw away your boldness. Learn
to doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs. You cannot
(14:26):
throw away your salvation. You cannot lose your salvation because
salvation is in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone,
not in ourselves. You cannot lose your salvation, but its
possible to lose your confidence in the Christian life right
if you do not determine and discipline yourself in God's word,
(14:50):
standing on God's promises.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
To keep going.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
And this word here, pagies, I really like this word
because in this word patience or endurance that you see
in verse thirty six, you see it. You have need
of endurance. Some translations give it patience. So let's just
put them together. Patience, endurance, staying, power, stamina, steadfastness, patience
(15:18):
it is. This word has with it a quiet confidence.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
It's a boldness that is not brash, but is sure.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
And strong. Patience is a fruit of the spirit long
suffering patience.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I like wat scholar J. I. Pather Packer rather said
about patience.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
He says, living out the belief that God orders everything
for the spiritual good of his children, that's patience.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Patience does not just.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Grin and bear things stoic like, but accepts them cheerfully
as therapeutic workouts planned by a heavenly trainer who is
resolved to get you up to full fitness. That's muscular
faith and the only way you can grow your faith
(16:22):
and your character, which is in is through trials and tribulations.
That's what the scripture says. In the Book of Romans,
we're told that is character is produced by perseverance, that's
Romans five, three and four. Not only that, but we
rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and
endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
All of this is.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Linked, so we keep going knowing that we're getting stronger
as we go. If you're a sprinter, shorter runs create
speed as you train, but longer runs, longer distance runs
create you go slower, not as fast, but you build
(17:09):
endurance and you can go further. That's what we're looking
for in the Christian life, because the Christian life is
not a short sprint. It is a marathon with an
obstacle course and all kinds of challenges.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
So what we need is more reps. And sometimes God.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Will put us through repetitions and through some things that
challenge us and test us, even tribulations, even suffering, in
order that we would grow stronger and endure and build
patience in our lives, which creates hope. I'm reading a
(17:48):
book called Grit. It's not a Christian book. It's written
by a lady by the name of Angela Duckworth, and
she defines what it means to have grit as simply
to be gritty. Okay, so what is it to be gritty?
According to Angela Duckworth, she says, to be gritty is.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
To keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
To be gritty is to hold fast to an interesting
and purposeful goal. To be gritty is to invest, day
after week after year in challenging practice. To be gritty
is to fall down seven times and rise eight. That's
what we're learning in God's word in.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Hebrews to be gritty. Ours is a gritty grace.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
We get knocked down seven times, we get up every
time by God's grace, and we build grit. One final thing,
and that is not only do we look back and
recall how we begin. Not only we look around, look
within and keep going, but we look ahead. We look ahead,
(18:59):
and we run for the reward. We look for the reward.
That's why in this passage look at it again. Back
in Hebrews ten, he says, for in a little while,
this is verse thirty seven, For yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Soon and very soon. That is what the words mean.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Stay ready, to stay prepared for in just a little while,
soon and very soon we will see the King, because
he's coming again. And for those early Christians that it
should be for us. It was the prospect, the promise
(19:49):
of the soon return of Christ that kept them going
and should keep us going, knowing that Jesus promised, I
will come again. Those the unfounded disciples on the Mount
of Olahs that day, not knowing where to turn, where
to go. Jesus has ascended into the heavens. But the
Angel said this same Jesus, which was taken up from
(20:10):
you into heaven, will come again in the same way
that you've seen him go.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Christ is coming again.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Visibly, victoriously, personally, physically. Jesus is coming again. When you
pray the model prayer, the Lord's prayer, your kingdom come.
Did you know you're praying for the second coming of Jesus.
You're praying that Christ would come and establish his kingdom.
(20:39):
Now you say it's been a long time, it's been
two thousand years. Where's the promise of his coming? Simon
Peter the Apostle addressed that his second letter, he talked
about those who come along their scoffers, the skeptics, where's
(21:00):
the promise of his coming? You people keep saying Jesus
is coming again? Come on, where is he? Scoffers, skeptics,
And again Satan always sees to it that the scoffers
and the skeptics, the naysayers, the people that say you're
a fool, you're a freak show, you're a fanatic because
you follow Jesus, they'll always show up and say, really,
(21:22):
you believe.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Jesus is coming again?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Yes, and absolutely, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ,
you're looking forward, leaning into the day. The way we
lean in and finish strong is because we're always leaning
into the promise, leaning into the prospect that Christ is
coming again. Now, what we say is this. Peter answered it,
by the way by saying that a day with the
(21:44):
lords a thousand years and a thousand years is a
day time means nothing to God. I mean, it's just
like that. Our lives are but a brief candle. So
you say it's been a long long time, What two
thousand years is a long time. But in the providence
and plans of God, God has a day, God has
(22:05):
a date, and Christ is coming, ready or not, Jesus
is coming again, and so we run for that reward
that day when we see Jesus, either in death, when
we cross the finish line personally, or when we are
raptured out of the race, when we're taken into the
presence of the Lord.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
We will see Jesus. We'll see him face to face.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
And it is his face looking into Jesus, the author
and the finisher of our faith.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
It is this, as the scripture says, blessed hope, blessed hope.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
It's the hope of the return of Jesus Christ, when
we will be raptured into his presence and forever live
with him, that keeps me going, because I know this
isn't a dead end. This life is a journey, and
we are on our way to Heaven. We are on
our way to Him, and we ought to be saying
(23:00):
with the apostle John, as the Bible concludes.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Even so, come Lord, Jesus, Come on, Lord.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You can say that, you can pray that if you're
ready for his return.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Soon and very soon.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
It doesn't mean that his coming is necessarily immediate, but
it does mean his coming is imminent, not immediate, but eminent.
That means at any time, nothing else needs to happen
for Christ to come again. Everything's ready, The table's set
(23:45):
for the marriage supper of the Lamp. The question is
are you ready? The question is do you live with
this confident expectation that your future is with him? Do
you live and endure your life knowing that is with
the Lord you look up? Christian life is always onward
(24:07):
and upward, onward and upward. We keep going because we
know where we're going. We know Jesus.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
soon and very soon. In the devotional to Jesus Code,
Os Hawkins invites you to ask fifty two thought provoking
questions found in the Bible that will help you experience
Jesus in deeper, more authentic ways than ever before. As
you dive into these questions, you'll discover that everything we
(24:40):
need can be found in a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ.
We want to help you uncover bold truths in the
search for answers to life's biggest questions by sending you
the Jesus Code as our thanks for your gift of
ten dollars or more to help proclaim God's unchanging word
through PowerPoint. So call now for a quot rus your
copy of the Jesus Code. Call one eight hundred seven
(25:03):
ninety five four six two seven. That's one eight hundred
seven ninety five four six two seven. You can also
text the word code to five nine seven eight nine,
And don't forget to visit Jack Graham dot org where
you can shop our eastore, give a gift online, or
sign up for doctor Graham's free daily email devotional. Our
(25:26):
website again is Jack Graham dot org, and also be
sure to sign up for doctor Graham's podcast Bible in
a Year pastor what is your PowerPoint for today?
Speaker 2 (25:39):
The next time you're down, the next time you're discouraged,
the next time you are opposed or criticized, let me
give you the best piece of advice that you could
ever hear. Run straight to God, cry out to him.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Now.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
How simple is that? How basic is that? And yet
how true it is? So often we try to figure
out everything on our own, we try to fix things ourselves,
and then we come to the end and say, well,
I guess it's come down to this I guess I'm
going to pray now. Well, don't make prayer your last chance,
make it your very first choice. Somebody said, if you
(26:18):
look behind you, you'll be defeated. If you look ahead
of you, you'll be distressed. If you look around you,
you'll be discouraged. But if you look above you, you
will be determined. Hebrews twelve one to three tells us this,
Let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfector of
(26:40):
our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him,
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at
the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him
who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that
you may not grow weary, are fainthearted. Oh, when problems come,
(27:02):
problems with people, with pressures, with whatever, take it to
the top. Go to the Lord, tell him all about it.
Look to him, look up and overcome the disappointments that
you face in life.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
And that is today's power point. Remember when you give
a gift of ten dollars or more to PowerPoint, we'll
send you os Hawkins devotional that Jesus code as our
thanks call one eight hundred seven ninety five four six
two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety five four
six two seven. You can also text the word code
(27:37):
to five nine seven eight nine and join us again
next time as doctor Graham brings a message about how
you can hold firm to a solid, life saving faith.
That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with
Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministry, Say
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.