Best of 2020: In Case of Emergency: Access to the Creator of the Universe

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by some special friends of this ministry. Pastor Greg wanted to see a special word of thanks to the harvest partners who make this ministry possible next time your online check out Pastor Greg's personal blog@blog.greglaurie.com you leave those to the creator of the universe. We may wonder if were bothering God when we call it Pastor Greg Laurie points out today God is eagerly waiting for you to talk with George's daughter is so she loves you like so when you walk in the room. He wants to hear from you. He wants to talk to you.

You want to spend time with you this is your father will always your father have an unfamiliar number pops up on the phone.

Many people just don't answer once those we feel like we are on your number popping up on God's phone call on him in prayer. We wonder if he'll pick up the phone today on a new beginning. Greg Laurie points out that God not only answers the phone. He answers our request. We are not an unfamiliar number family talk about prayer having your prayers answered today in my message that is titled in case of emergency.

And I want to turn to Matthew chapter 6 Matthew chapter 6 in case of emergency is the title and God hears our prayers and God wants to answer our prayer. Prayer is not just petition, though it includes that prayer is not just worship note includes out as well. Prayer can also be there. I said complaining. There are Psalms in the Bible that we call Psalms of lamentation to lament where your crying out to God you're not happy about something. I guess our closest form of music today might be someone singing the blues are a lot of country songs actually I was just watching the special last night on the history of country music in and how many of those songs of the most interesting titles they came across these actual country songs. I'm not making any of these up. These are real songs. Here's one she got the Goldmine and I got the shack that some modern song of lamentation right there about this one. You stuck my heart in an old tin can and shot off a lock good.

There's another one. How come your dog don't bite nobody but me. Here's another view done tomorrow. My heart and stomp the sucker flat maybe the weirdest of all, you're the reason our kids are so ugly, so I think William is a well-known person country music. He had his song.

I'm so Lonesome I could cry these things here that Lonesome Whippoorwill. He sounds too blue to fly the midnight train is whining, low. I'm so lonesome I could cry the country song. You gotta have a train in there somewhere, right when the sun is at his own country song, so to speak, some 4423, he says, wake up all Lord, why do you sleep get up, do not reject this forever. Why do you look the other way. Rise up and help us Lord of the while there was a country song. Maybe we call it my heart is aching for you to be waken.

I mean, I don't know. But here's the point I'm making. He was being honest to God Lord. Honestly, it seems like you're asleep right now it seems like you're not paying attention.

Wake up Lord. Here are cry.

It's not always a bad thing to complain to God to bring your concerns to God to bring your questions to God to bring your pain and sadness to God. Even Jesus as he hung on the cross cried out my God my God why have you forsaken me. Some would suggest Jesus is having a crisis of faith. How ridiculous it was the opposite. It was a moment where he was dying for the sin of the world and he was simply describing what was happening as God the father turned his holy face away and poured the sin of all humanity on Christ would never committed a single sin. So Jesus cries out in English. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me by Jesus was forsaken, so I might be forgiven. But here's the point. Jesus said, my God, my God, he was crying out to the father and you can do the same thing when you're in pain when you're hurting, you should pray you should pray when you're happy you should pray when you're sad you should pray when you're confused you should pray when you have complaints. James 513 says is any of his suffering hardships.

You should pray. Is any of you happy, you should sing praises.

Let me ask you this. Have you ever been to what appeared to be an impossible situation with no way out.

Let me restate that question. Are you in right now in a possible situation with no way out, or have you ever ever desperately needed, or even wanted something, but it seemed there was no way you would ever have it, ever thought there was no future for you and for you. It was just too late. If so, you need to know more about the power of God and will can take place in prayer. For one thing certainly stands out in the pages of Scripture is that prayer can dramatically change situations, people, and on occasion even the course of nature itself, but the thing that prayer changes the most is us God will allow hardship and difficulty in our life so he can reveal himself and put his power on glory on display for those who are watching because when we pray were acknowledging our weakness ever acknowledging our need for the help of God. Maybe that's what we don't pray as much. As we got to admit, on or about you.

I need to pray more. How many of you feel you need to pray more, yeah.

How many of you feel you pray enough just on raising there might be someone there might be someone but I think we all know we could pray more, but prayer is an admission of weakness in our part and some people like to admit they have need, especially men. And why is that simple answer there, stupid. Let me restate that were stupid at times, we don't think we need God for all who was the strongest man whoever lived.

Don't give me a superhero name. Maybe Samson well. The real answer is the strongest man whoever lived was Jesus Christ himself and we read repeatedly in the Gospels that Jesus prayed and he prayed a lot. He would spend the night in prayer he would rise up early where the disciples were still sleeping, and pray as well and as a crucifixion approached, he turned of the father and prayer in the garden of Gethsemane and said father if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.

I don't think anyone is ever gotten this right in the film because usually when they show Jesus in Gethsemane. He's just saying father if it's possible let this cup pass from me. It's not the way it was. He was in English. He was crying out in pain as he said these words over and Hebrews 57 it says during the days of Jesus life on earth. He offered up prayers and pleadings listen with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission loud cries and tears. There's a place for that to in prayer and it's implied in the original language. He said it over and over. So another words he didn't just pray one time father if it's possible let this cup pass, but it was more like father if it's possible let this cup pass father if it's possible let this cup pass father if it's possible let this cup pass relief.

Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. In Dr. Luke at the detail that he sweat, as it were great drops of blood. So Jesus prayed a lot and if Jesus who was God, prayed a lot. You and I need to pray a lot to and in this passage before us. He gives us a prayer. We often call it the Lord's prayer. No mention if you could go to an elite university in every class taught by the finest person in that field from all of history. Read since you could study music under Beethoven or tiny Tim, I just threw that the supremacy of the giver ever heard a tiny tip Google though but that was a joke about this.

Have a drama class taught by Shakespeare be taught political science by Thomas Jefferson, and a philosophy class taught by CS Lewis. While we would like that because are experts in the field about this class. I'm prayer taught by Jesus Christ. That sounds good to me.

I'd be in that class who knows more about prayer than Jesus. And so that's it, we can look at here in just a moment, the disciples came to him as the Lord we have a question.

Would you teach us how to pray. Now there's a lot of things they could've asked Jesus what a mink of the said Lord and having a big family reunion. Can you show me how to do the multiplying of the loaves and fish miracle that would really make my life easier and I wouldn't have to go to Cosco by all that true. Another might say Lord and to get a girl out of the day. Could you show me how to walk on water that would really impress her know that you say Lord we watched you, we've observed you were asking you if you would teach us how to pray and the fact is that Jesus gave them this prayer which shows prayer is something that can be taught. You need to be taught how to pray. And sometimes you are taught by watching others do it in your taught of course by reading Scripture, there are certain principles that you can engage when you pray now we call this the Lord's prayer, and there's nothing wrong with calling that that the Bible never addresses it as such. I don't think it really was a prayer Jesus himself. Craig is a will of course he did know actually that because Jesus would never need to pray, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us because Jesus never sinned. If you want to read. The real Lord's prayer the prayer that only Christ could pray later on. This is for extra credit.

I'll give you a little gold star for do it. Member Goldstar from school is a long time ago but John 17 that is the Lord's prayer to brother-in-law.

It's a prayer.

Only Christ could pray this could better be described as the disciples prayer or maybe the template for prayer McCullough.

Would you like we think of it as the Lord's prayer. It's a model for all prayer sort like when you want to buy a home, and maybe you go to a track in the homes are built, yet the of those model homes never walk in those model homes and begun there's pictures of people that don't live there and you know it's supposed to feel like this is the home of a person.

Well, this is a model prayer. This is the template for all prayer for Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here personally inviting you to join us for what we call Harvest at Home.

It's a Bible study.

It's a worship service into the church in your home, you're not able to get out your church right now. If so, join us per Harvest at Home people are listening this from around the world listen to this. We have seen thousands of people make a commitment to follow cries join us this weekend harvest@home.o were considering the importance of prayer today and how to follow Jesus model for effective prayer laid out and what we called the Lord's prayer is one of our top 10 most requested messages of the year. I would be reading from Matthew six verses 9 to 14 cannot tell you what I want us all to do this out loud together. This is the new King James version. Let's read it together in this manner therefore pray our father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen and a beautiful prayer the Lord's prayer that we think of this maybe is the big gun in case of emergency, break glass and pray this prayer is nothing wrong with if you're in a moment of crisis and you just say our father who art that's okay you pray that prayer you have me a hard time getting to sleep at night is go to that prayer Inc. about that prayer.

Ponder that prayer. That's all good but it's not just the big gun so to speak.

It's not just the in case of emergency prayer. As I said it's a model for prayer.

So here's a point number one if you're taking notes you have complete access to the creator of the universe through prayer. You have complete and total access in all states pass if you will, to the creator of the universe through prayer. Let's start at the beginning, our father who art in heaven, let's apply this to the presidency.

You could say our presidents in Washington DC.

Let's say you wanted to talk to the president you wanted to talk to him about something he said or did her, whatever it might be and so you call the White House new said hello. I'm an American citizen and I want to speak to the president. I doubt you're going to get through to the oval office acknowledges say you are the daughter or the sun or maybe the grandchild of the president. You don't need to go to the White House operator. You probably have his personal digit so you just call in and you say dad I need to ask you a question that's called access that's a relationship were talking about here. This is God Almighty that I have I have them on speed dial.

I have his private number I can access them anytime I want. I remember when I first was getting to know Billy Graham and he invited me to his home in Montreat, North Carolina, Montreat outside of Asheville and it was a beautiful humble log home decorated by his wife Ruth and she was cooking something on the stove and I just walked in and for me, going to the home of Billy Graham was better than going to the Oval Office because to me that he was seen of the greatest evangelist. Whoever lived in as a young evangelist. I was just so impressed by everything and I would just take it all in and I member I be talking with them and I'd say will Dr. Graham and if they don't call me Dr. Graham call me Billy. That's a right so Dr. Graham you know it was hard for me to call him Billy. I had too much respect and Billy you know that's kind of that southern that everyone there, Billy, Johnny, you know, they put wise and I ease a lot of their names and so it just felt too personal.

The call amending William billing like really know he said call me Billy, so I finally got around the calling of that and what his family they had an even more intimate name.

It was daddy in the South. It's daddy and mama not father, mother, or even doubt among daddy and his grandkids: daddy Bill and that's what I used to call my grandfather not daddy Bill but daddy Charles. My grandmother was mama Stella as they were from Arkansas. So this is an intimacy not I don't have the right to: daddy Bill, but I did have the right to call him Billy that his relationship now we have relationship with God and we have access to God. You know the other day my son Jonathan was saying some before I spoke and he said we know Pastor Greg said that there was what economy Pastor Greg Henning is all I want to be respectful to say dad it's okay, you can say that and you know my grandkids. If I'm in a room and I'm talking to someone of my grandkids come running up to me. Sorry our conversation is getting put on pause limited talk to my grandchild. That's relationship okay you have relationship with God. You're his daughter you're his son. He loves you. He lights up when you walk into the room he wants to hear from you. He wants to talk to you. You want to spend time with you. It's never a drudgery. It's always a delight and the same should be true for us.

Our father who art in heaven. Well, okay, our father father what kind of a father is well. He's a good good father and why is he a good good father because we read about it in Scripture you want to know what the father in heaven is like. Just look at Jesus. Jesus said in John 14 nine he that is seen me has seen the father all right what would Jesus like well Jesus was approachable little children were drawn to him. He blessed them. Look at the tears streaming down his face as he said the grave of his friend Lazarus looking at getting down in his hands and knees and watching the feet of the disciples, including Judas is in the upper room, look at that picture that Jesus gave us some of the father in the story of the prodigal son were God the father is presented as a dad of father who misses his wayward son, and longs for his return. And then when the boy makes his way back home. The father can't wait to see him and pulled from his chair and runs to his son throws his arms around him and shows deep affection to him and says this my son was dead, but he's alive again this is your father in heaven of father who will always be there, a father who listens a father who loves us.

Your father in heaven sitting that's a problem in heaven evidence so far away. I need someone hereunder will, for starters, God is omnipresent, which means present everywhere so is in heaven and here is heaven really that far away. I think we think you know here is that the sky in a here's a solar system and then here's the third heaven and the just so so far. And maybe in a sense that's true in another sense heaven is closer than you realize. Heaven is another dimension.

It's a supernatural realm.

So for the father in heaven to step into your world is nothing to him.

He's here.

My father, who art in heaven how would be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So God is deeply involved in deeply concerned about what you're facing right now. If it concerns you concerns practical and Pastor Greg Laurie about the way God the father responds to our prayers and there's much more to come from the study here on a new beginning called in case of emergency. One of this past years most requested messages.

Hopefully you are able to hear the whole study today. But if any interruptions came up during the last half hour. You can hear it, you missed by going online to harvest.org just look for the study, called in case of emergency or get a permanent copy of this presentation on CD by calling 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 and with a full tour harvest partners and others who support this program for helping to make today's teaching available where living in a time like no other. Many are anxious stress, looking for answers and people are talking about the reassurance they find, and pastor Greg new film, a rush of home turn on the news or go to your favorite is stained and there's so many things to cause us to just freak out thank you so much emotional mass. Thank you for reminding me.

We need God to show up in America right now we need to talk to each other. We need to forgive each other. We need to pray for each other. Our country is at a crossroad and we need right now is a rush of home now available on DVD exclusively from a new beginning get your copy of a rush of home. Greg tell us about this unique presentation. Yes, it was seen by thousands and thousands of people around the world. Thousands came to Christ as a result of it.

This beautiful film that had vignettes from other kingdom films in it like I can only imagine. I still believe and Woodlawn along with the special sections that we recorded live concert with for King and country and Jeremy Camp in a message that I did against one of the most beautiful backdrops of nature I've ever seen in my entire life, and we've seen that this really moves people deeply. This is a tool you're going to be able to use again and again and again you can invite someone over and say watch this movie with me. It's not longer than an hour and then you can talk to them about how they can come into relationship with God and also we have a downloadable version as well that you could join a tablet device or a computer or even of phone. We also in the special offer that we have right now.

Have a little evangelistic booklet called a rush of hope find answers to life's most important questions. It's all of this is in the special resource that we want to send you for your gift of any size yes right you can view at any time by way of the DVD or the digital version that you can download with the code will provide. So thank you so much for your donation and will show our appreciation by sending a rush of hope on DVD so right today at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org next time more insight drawn from Lord's prayer and how we can maximize our petitions before the father. More from pastor Greg smashed a series beginning and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor greats free daily email devotions and harvest.org