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Transcript

BEYOND THE DEAD END · THIS IS THE LIFE PODCAST

• 0:18
  Speaker 1: Hey, good morning. Thank you for joining us again here
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: today on our This is Life podcast. Good to be
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: back with you this morning. Today the Lord's Word come
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: to us out of Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 and 14.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: As we look at life, things that the Lord has
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: for us sometimes beyond the dead end. The word says,
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: enter ye at the straight gate. For wide is the
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction.
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: And many there be which go into it. Because straight
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: is the gate and narrow is the way which leads
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: unto life. and few there be that find it. As
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: I was reading that scripture this morning, my mind took
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: me back to, there is a road here in our
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  Speaker 1: community where I grew up that ended at Mr. Tucker's farm.
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: And a sign would tell you at the beginning of
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  Speaker 1: the road, and then there was another sign at the
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: end of the road, that it was a dead end.
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: And as far as most people knew, that was the
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: end of the road. It was a dead end. But see,
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: those of us who lived around here knew about a
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  Speaker 1: small path that was beyond that sign. And if Mr.
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  Speaker 1: Tucker gave you permission to cross his property, you could
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  Speaker 1: follow that little path to one of the best fishing
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  Speaker 1: spots along Richland Creek. And I wonder how many people
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  Speaker 1: saw that sign, turned around, and never knew what was
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: waiting just beyond the dead end sign. And as I
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: look at that spiritually now, looking back all those years later,
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: life can feel that way sometimes. Maybe a door closes
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: or a plan falls apart. Maybe a season we have
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: loved and really felt like we've been useful all of
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  Speaker 1: a sudden begins to come to an end. Maybe we
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  Speaker 1: stand there looking at what seems to be a dead end,
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: wondering where we are supposed to go now, or wondering
• 2:24
  Speaker 1: if we should just turn around. Ah, but sometimes the season...
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: It really has ended, and we need to have the
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: grace to accept that. But I believe the Lord's got
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: a word for somebody this morning, but sometimes we stop
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: too soon. We assume that because the road we are
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: traveling has ended, that God has nothing more ahead for us.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: And all the while, He may be inviting you this
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  Speaker 1: morning to notice a narrow opening that you would have
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: missed if you were not looking and listening. To his voice.
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: See Jesus tells us. That the way leading to life
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  Speaker 1: is narrow. And few there be that find it. He
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: is speaking first of all. And we know of the
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  Speaker 1: choice to follow him. That eternal life is found only
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: in Jesus Christ. Not in whatever road looks easiest. Or
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: the one that draws the largest crowd. But his words
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  Speaker 1: also remind us. to pay attention to His leading in
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  Speaker 1: our everyday life. See, the next step may be quieter
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  Speaker 1: and less obvious than the route you have in mind.
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  Speaker 1: So see, back then, knowing about the path wasn't enough.
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: We had to have Mr. Tucker's permission to cross his
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: property and go beyond that dead-end sign. And when life
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: brings us to an apparent end, We shouldn't force our
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: way forward simply because we're afraid of turning back or
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: standing still. What we do is we want to ask
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: the Lord for direction and trust Him with the answer
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: that He provides. It may be a time to stop.
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  Speaker 1: It may be a season that's ended. But it may
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  Speaker 1: just be that the Lord says this morning, look a
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  Speaker 1: little closer because there's a pathway. Perhaps today you are
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  Speaker 1: standing at the end of a familiar road. I want
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  Speaker 1: you to take a moment. Take a moment before you
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  Speaker 1: decide that your journey is over. Pray. Listen. Look for
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  Speaker 1: the small opening God may be showing you right now.
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  Speaker 1: He may be leading you into a new season. For
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  Speaker 1: here in the Liberty community, that little path led to
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  Speaker 1: some really good fishing. For you, It could be the
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  Speaker 1: life God has always wanted you to have. The sign
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  Speaker 1: may say dead end. But with God's guidance. There may
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  Speaker 1: be more to discover ahead. It's never over till God
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: says it's over. And most likely. The best is yet
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  Speaker 1: to come. So today you be safe. You be strong
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  Speaker 1: and you be blessed. Listen to the Lord and look
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  Speaker 1: for that opening. Get his permission. And then proceed. Lord's will.
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  Speaker 1: We'll see you back here again tomorrow. And until then.
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  Speaker 1: Have a great day.