There’s a Better World Coming - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God check out virtue our website for Christian women go to harvest.org/virtue is our little road behold I make all things in view of the good lives out with the old with the new gone this restoration when no other Greg Laurie says will see it in all its glory. Gordon feels his plan for eternity or terminal diseases.

No more suffering no more separation. No more evidence for disaster. God is making all things sometimes like an eclectic fixer-upper paint is choosing driveways correct in the roof leaks can be fixed. Takes a major effort to pastor Greg Laurie explains today on the beginning God is going to bring heaven down to earth to make it happen.

Contractor driving his mobile workshop right to the worksite. God is bringing paradise to our backyard after great transformation of off last time we talked about the antichrist. You remember who inaugurates the great tribulation.

We talked about the dog to cope with 19 is a stage setting. If you will, of the end time scenario known as the great tribulation. The Bible says will be an increase of plagues. The Bible also tells us that the state will be under the control and rule of the antichrist and the world will have the final conflict there. In the battle of Armageddon. The Bible tells us in the last days there would be violence in our streets now are we not seeing that right now in America it's foreshadowing what is yet to come. It's going to get worse in the great tribulation. But we have not started that. Yet that is inaugurated with the emergence of antichrist but next to the bed of the prophetic calendar is the rapture of the church that comes from the root word harp. Also, when Christ will catch up all true believers to heaven. The rapture is when he comes as a thief in the night on the heels of the rapture and really not until after the rapture we have the emergence of the coming world leader known as antichrist, the beast, the son of perdition. All title for him in the Bible and he comes up initially as a man of peace at the halfway point of the great tribulation. After he has rebuilt the temple for the Jewish people. He commits what Christ calls the abomination of desolation. He effectively desecrates a tumble in the final part of the tribulation is when he imposes his mark on people establishes martial law known come by herself without the mark of the beast and everything culminates in the bottom of them Armageddon and then Christ comes back and establishes the millennium, the millennium means 1000 what is that going to be like. Let's talk about that Revelation 21. I like to read verses 1 to 6 with you it says. Then I saw a new heaven and a new work for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there was no more sea and I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle or the dwelling place of God is with man, and he will dwell with them, and they will be as people, and God himself will be there God while I've ever heard the expression out was just like heaven on earth. Maybe it was a beautiful sunset you saw in Hawaii. Maybe it was being out in nature in the forest somewhere, looking at the stars at night.

Maybe it was the best restaurant you ever went to.

And you have the best meal you've ever eaten any of so how can I describe it. It was like heaven on earth won't one day it is going to be literally heaven on earth, heaven and earth are going to merge together and so just think about how great this is all going to be now at this moment.

Two thirds of the earth's surface is covered with water.

The remaining one third has large areas that are rendered worthless because of mountains and deserts. There's only a small portion of the earth's surface that is inhabitable, but when God establishes his kingdom all of those barriers that separate us now will be gone.

The barriers that separate nations will be gone. The barriers that separate areas where people live will be gone will be no divisions at all and I might add Bill be no racial divisions either we get to heaven. The Bible tells us in Revelation 7 there's a great multitude, which no man can number from every nation, from all the tribes and the languages standing before the throne people clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands and so everyone's going to be there from every nation, from every race is going to be a glorious day and we will be reunited with loved ones who have proceeded us to heaven. Do you have someone that you love that is in heaven right now. Maybe a mom or a dad. Maybe a grandparent could be a spouse could even be a child and you miss them so deeply. Just know this.

They're not just a part of your past.

They will also be a part of your future and you will be able to personally meet the great heroes of the Bible like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Elijah are all there.

Even Sarah Ruth and Mary, David know, Jonah, Peter, James and John and then more contemporary Christian heroes like William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln, CH Spurgeon DL Moody CS Lewis Martin Luther King.

The list just goes on and on, you'll be able to hang out with these people spend time with them. And of course you'll be with the Lord himself. That is the most important thing of the afterlife is being with Jesus in this closeness to him.

You will have open access to the throne of God. Revelation 21 three we read these words I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle are dwelling place of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they will be as people, and God will be with them and he will be there God I imagine this for a moment, you can approach them at any time open access to the very presence of God. No appointment needed years ago we booked the entire part of Disneyland for a Christian event. It was really a lot of fun. I have to say on every stage in the park I we had a Christian band with an evangelist. I actually stood over on Tom Sawyer's Island and preach the gospel. It was kind of a surreal moment standing there looking at the Matterhorn in the distance and with like 15,000 people on the other side watching and listening. I told them how to come to Christ and many did, and we get all of our counseling in the Golden horseshoe theater not far from Tom Sawyer's Island, but up before we open this event, or the public. They had all the public leave and they were getting apart cleaned up for our special event and I was able to get in early and have the whole place to myself this is like a kids dream come true just walking around and Disneyland, not fighting crowds looking at everything I can get on this right. I get try this other thing it was so amazing. But imagine you're in heaven open access to God, no barriers, nothing restricting you.

It's the ultimate E ticket you know what that means. It means your old because kids a long time ago before you bought season passes for Disneyland.

We bought little ticket books and ended ticket books. There was a ticket called the E ticket that got you on the really fast rides and that they like the Matterhorn and others, and so it's the ultimate E ticket rye ultimate access to God. Jim so Greg Ward will have the second half of this message just a moment our life is like a movie and where the star evangelist Greg more questions about this movie were in the love story is this movie is what the meaning of my life and online event. It can change your life.

We can all you Russian of online cinematic harvest. Your favorite social media platform Labor Day weekend September 4 through September 7. Invite a friend to the message of hope evangelist Greg Laurie had exclusive performances by Jeremy And country threshold screen near you. Labor Day week details of harvest join us for Pastor Greg Siri in times living like Jesus will return at any moment. He continues now considering what life will be like in the afterlife. One more passage I want to read Revelation 21 four God will wipe away every tear from their eyes will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying will be no more pain for the former things have passed away, he that's out of the throne said, behold I make all things new. So write these words down.

He said it is time. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end and I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. Hello what it says in verse five God speaking, behold I make all things new.

Effectively, it's out with the old, in with the new no more terminal diseases. No more hospitals, no more wheelchairs no more funerals, no more suffering no more separations no more accidents, no more courts or prisons.

No more divorces or breakdowns or break ups. No more suicide no more rate. No more missing children, no more drug problems. No more heart attacks or strokes or Alzheimer's or cancer.

No more famines or disaster. God is making all things new and the way he states this is as though it were in the past tense.

Notice it says in verse six and he said to me, it is done by Wendy minutes.reading a book that's telling me about the future. Remember Revelation is like being put into a spiritual time machine and being catapulted into the future. If you're standing in the sandals of John the apostle on the island of Patmos.

He was seeing his future, which in some cases is our present and in other cases is still our future. He's taking it all in, but God speaks of it as though it's already done. He says it is done it is finished as a finality there.

Literally, they have become done. That text is in a perfect indicative tense to say this is a secure thing got insane. You can take this to the bank again as I reminded you before God lives in the eternal realm so he can see the past with accuracy and he can see the future with the same accuracy is kind of a mind blowing little verse Ecclesiastes 315 it says whatever is happening in the past is present now. Whatever is going to happen in the future has already happened in the past you like what that's God's perspective it's all the same to him. So when he says something is going to happen.

You can know it's going to happen is able. Greg, this is all great okay heaven and earth to get to become one will get to hang out with all kinds of dangerous creatures and and I will have peace and here's how it should affect you. You should be thinking about the afterlife. The only way to live the best life in this life is always be aware of the nearness of the after life is seen as CS Lewis once put it, is paraphrased. Those who think most of the next world to the most in this one so I want you to think heaven is a will, Greg. I've never been to heaven well you've just had a glimpse of heaven from Scripture. Remember Revelation means unveiling the Lord is shown you what is in your future.

So think about heaven. Think about the afterlife is Colossians 3 says you been raised with Christ so set your hearts on things above for Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Set your minds.

That phrase means to actively seek or have this inner disposition is one translation puts it, and I like this translation think heaven, what you spend most of your time thinking about listen you are the air controller of your mind, you decide what plane lands where and when you decide what thoughts come in and what thoughts stay out.

The problem is is if you give the devil an inch.

She's going to take a mile. So guard your minds and think about heavenly things.

Think about spiritual things.

Think heaven. Yes, our feet must be on earth, but our minds must be in heaven. I mean, do we really believe this, we sit here we listen to a message like this and I ask you as I'm closing you really believe the Bible is true. Do you really believe that there is an afterlife. Do you really believe there is a heaven waiting for those that believe in Jesus and a hell waiting there for those that reject him.

You really believe that these things are accurate. If so let me ask you a question.

Once the last time you told someone about Jesus. I hope it's recent because people need to hear this message that we are sharing.

Let me conclude with this thought. Jesus says behold I make all things new.

Are you feeling worn out beat up and even old and I remember at the age of 17. This is 20 years ago. Okay 50 years ago, like when I was 17 I member I felt like I was 76.

Greg why well because of my upbringing, my mother was a raging alcoholic she'd been married and divorced seven times either grow fast and kind of take care of her was like I was more the parent the relationship than she was and I am trying to take care of her.

I got into my own bad choices in life and drinking and drugs and by the time I shipped 17, I felt like I was sold and I was so empty and I was so sad and I was burdened with sin and had a big hole in my heart and then on my high school campus I heard about Jesus Christ.

I heard that there was a God in heaven who love me know. Look, I always believed in Jesus. I'd seen all of his movies. I was a big fan, but I never thought of Jesus as someone that can be known in this life. I just thought of him as a historical figure who was amazing. It's really too bad how we die. I mean, I love the story of Jesus. I love movies about Jesus, but I always thought someone should rewrite the ending to get rid of that whole crucifixion.

Pardon and just let them do miracles and give great teachings and ascend to heaven will actually after I became a believer, I realize that the crucifixion part was the whole point of the story he was born to die, that we might live. Jesus left heaven and came to the earth on rescue operation to be born in a manger in Bethlehem, then to live a perfect life and ultimately did die a perfect death on a cross for our sins because were all separated from God. The memo that I heard that as a kid in high school at 17 I thought well I wish I could do this but I don't think it will work for me.

I'm not the religious type. I thought just what God is not looking for the religious type. God is looking for the sinner type in you qualify and I qualify, we all do, and I heard that promise a God love me and the Christ would come and live inside of me that he would forgive me of all of my sin and I took a little step of faith that day and I prayed a little prayer right there. My high school campus asking Christ to come into my life and I'll be honest with you outright prayed that prayer I felt absolutely nothing, but I wanted to be something that is the day Jesus came into my life and he satisfied the first in my soul that I tried to satisfy with other things and he'll do the same thing for you. Listen to these words of the Lord in Revelation 21. I the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end and I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. Are you thirsty right now.

Spiritually, Jesus encountered a woman at a well she'd been married and divorced five times my mom seven the solidified and she was living with some dude at the moment and so she probably thought men would fill the void in her life as she set up by a well Jesus said this.

If you drink of this water you will thirst again. What if you drink of the water that I give you'll never thirst again. I think he was using that well is a metaphor for her life. She had tried to satisfy her inner thirst with relationships of you done the same. Some try to do it with possessions. Others try to do it with pain. They want to be instant famous others try to do it with drugs or alcohol. Others try to satisfy that thirst with even religion. Try to be a pious person. None of those things will work. You need Jesus.

Jesus is the answer is they will have what's the question. The question is what's getting up with you in the afterlife.

And I'll tell you right no view of Christ living inside of you don't have to be afraid. A few moments ago I mentioned, there is the hope of heaven. For the believer and there's also the reality of hell yes there is hell. But it wasn't created for people. According to Jesus, it was created for the devil and his angels. If you reject God's offer of forgiveness and you wind up in the place called hell you love no one to blame and the final day but yourself because the gates of hell are locked from the inside. You will have sent yourself thereby your rejection of the offer of God.

Would you like to be forgiven of your sin.

Would you like to know that you will go to heaven when you die.

Would you like to satisfy your inner spiritual thirst.

Would you like to have your guild taken away if the answer to those questions is yes.

Here's what you need to know. Jesus died on the cross for you. He rose again from the dead three days later and he stands now at the door of your life in the Knox and he says if you hear his voice and open the door he will come in. You can ask Christ to come in your life and this can be the greatest day of your life because he's only a prayer away. If you want Jesus to come in your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that you will go to heaven when you die, I want you to pray a prayer with me right here right now you just pray this prayer after me.

This is a prayer of asking Jesus to come into your life. Let's pray this prayer. These words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin rose again from the dead.

I turn from my sin. Now and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my Savior and my Lord is my God and my friend in Jesus name I pray for Greg Laurie bring an important prayer with those were making a commitment to the Lord today and if you just pray that prayer with Pastor Greg we want to help you get started with something we call our new believers growth packet is free of charge. If you've just begun a relationship with Jesus. Ask for the new believers growth packet when you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words know God and if you missed any portion of today study a message called there's a better world coming you can hear the whole program again online@harvest.org, or download MP3 or even order CD again go to harvest.org or call us at 1-800-821-3300 and then we will make available a riveting book about a momentous act of heroism that took place during World War II, the author, John Irwin writes about his own grandfather, a routine mission to Coram Japan upon his face onboard between answer fortress smoke is now filling playing on the pilot has lost control. He's now going into toward the Pacific and it looks curtains for everybody grandfather in that split-second moment had a choice to make his buddies lives were at stake knew if he didn't do something. Everybody was going to die is answer that call.

And the choice that he would make. I would define his life and generations of lives and lead to the fastest presentation of the Congressional medal of honor. We know in our nations history. Henry read captured in the book beyond valor by John Irwin and William Doyle judge good friend of ours, a film director having directed. I can only imagine Woodlawn, I still believe in many others edge on what a thrill it must've been to write this book about a story you've known since you were a kid and it's your first book 1st book yeah yeah you know you have them doing Steve McQueen American icon with Greg and he was writing the book with with Marshall and Esser gave me the idea to sort of pair up with a historian and get my granddad story told in book form, and William Doyle's fantastic and the amazing author and has been written many amazing books into but it's my first book, so got a lot to learn but I love Telstar urinal and screenplays a waiver of red John screenplays and so he's a writer is a communicator he's a storyteller and he knows how to get to not just the facts of the story, but the heart of the story and it takes you there where you experience it with them and so I think that's why Kim telling the story is more effective than someone who maybe never knew his grandfather personally or was as connected to the story is John is because bottom line if if if Henry Irwin didn't do what he did there wouldn't be a John and Andy Irwin. Yeah, but because it was active heroism. So many lives have been impacted in the years that followed, but so it's personal but in a good way because he took the time to go the extra mile and then some, like his own grandfather did and and get capture the stories from people that were eyewitnesses and so you get to be riveted by this book and in the inspired by it and I think of the times in which were living. We all can use a little inspiration and see the good that people can do because we see so many acts of selfishness. It's great to reflect on an amazing act of selflessness sluggard story in book form, and I love biographies.

I love it when they can point to higher things that I get is a time when we really have to be reminded of the virtues that bind us together as Americans and make sure that those things are passed down from generation to generation in and that's the goal hopefully to entertain and and again.

It's a very entertaining war story, but there's so much to learn and that so much truth that is biblical in it, and so it is a privilege to write it, and the Jewish people.

Once again were speaking with author and movie director John Irwin about his new book called beyond valor I can reset to cover your way were making it available to say thank you for your investment in this outreach and outreach.

The teachers believers from God's word and shares the gospel so regularly with those who don't yet know the Lord. So get in touch today which do that and with your donation will be glad to send you beyond valor and will only be mentioning this book. A short time longer, so get in touch right away.

Write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 go online to harvest.org flextime Pastor Greg presents his final message short series on the end times study called things to do before the end of the world. Join us next time you beginning Greg Laurie was made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org