Best of 2020: The World Changer at the End of the World Part 1: God of All Comfort

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 whose only problem was that under project that we wanted answer. I want to know why it's the most common question trial or Trojan pastor Greg Morey addresses her sure promises not so we would start wondering why, instead of saying why we should see who is more because the Bible says God of all prices, sickness, uncertainty about the future hope may seem, in short supply today of a new beginning is only in short supply going to the wrong pastor Greg Laurie produces FHL depended on God's provision to see him through the following/I want to focus on one knows the story. His name was no.

He was the last days believer because he was living in the time before the flood came, why did the flood come.

Why did God send judgment on the earth. The first time the answer is found in Genesis 6 want you to turn over there if you would Genesis 6 first book of the Bible Genesis 65 gives us a description of the world and the days of Noah.

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of his thoughts was only evil continually. You might underline that only evil continually in the Lord was sorry he made man on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart out underline that to come back to.

So the Lord said, I'll destroy man whom I created from the face of the earth men the bees creeping things and birds of the air. I'm sorry I made them. There, what exactly was going on here in planet earth to bring God's wrath so heavily. Genesis 65 gives the answer. The Lord saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And God said he's grieved no it's interesting that the word grieved is used here in verse six, you only green for those you love. You don't grieved when some random person cuts you off on the road. You get angry. Maybe upset.

But it doesn't grieve you.

It grieves you when your child is disrespectful or goes astray, or someone you love or care about, says or does something that hurt you your grieved only by the people you love right so the fact that God uses the word grieved shows is that this is hurting the heart of God because he loves humanity.

God takes no pleasure in bringing judgment on anyone so that our media responses will then why does God said judgment to here's the answer.

You ready God sends judgment because he is a loving and just know know how good God of love, judge anyone. That's our default response on telling you God sends judgment because he's loving and just let me illustrate, let's say that you had your small toddler playing in your backyard and suddenly a wolf appeared climbed over your fence saying showing and was running full speed toward your daughter toward your child toward your son. What would you do I would like love the Wolf Noto kill the wolf right stop the Wolf wife because you love your child you love your child more than anyone or anything else or thinking to harm your spouse or harm someone you care about. You protect that bird know the wolf is our brother know the wolf is not your brother the wolf a wild animal and you need to stop thinking crazy thoughts like that right so because you love your job. You protect you hate that which would harm your child so in effect you bring judgment and so their wickedness was great. They just wouldn't stop. It just became more and more intense awake. Did these people have an opportunity to believe there was a new story outta Aaron Rodgers quarterback for the Green Bay Packers apparently was raised in a Christian home, but he had some issues with his Christian faith, and that he said in the interview and I quote I remember asking the question is, young person about somebody in a remote rain forest.

Another words, what is someone's you know isolated from everybody else.

They've never heard the gospel. That's basically the way it's asked that they're in a rain forest or in the desert. Always for some reason and I and he said the response I got was if you don't confess your sins you're going to hell and he says and I said what about the people that don't have a Bible readily assessable the sender.

This God is going to judge people. According to the light that they have receipt but I suggest you we received a lot more like than people realize. As an example, we have the light if you will, of nature just the handiwork of God surrounding us. Speaking of this power in his creative ability I made to me it takes more faith to say there's no God in this all happened randomly that it takes a sake. I believe that there's a creator behind all of these things if any of you ever seen the Sistine Chapel Ridge ahead of you. Few people but if you pretty magnificent right a lot of that even come to be, but we all know Michelangelo painted it took a long time. What if I told you while I don't believe a guy may Michelangelo painted, I think there was a wagon full of buckets of paint. Somebody threw a stick of dynamite in it and a blue up.

I call it The Big Bang Theory and the beautiful Fresca on this ceiling of the Sistine Chapel appear when you crazy, I see that 740 70 there that wasn't created by the engineers at Boeing. I believe that there was a tornado in the junkyard and that's the result you would dismiss me as a lunatic but yet will take something as amazing this creation or even the human body. That sake will it happen randomly. I have a hard time seeing that I think it takes more faith to not believe than it takes to believe. Romans 118 says God shows his anger from heaven against wicked people who push the truth away from the self because he's put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created. People have seen the earth and the sky and all that God made so they have no excuse for not knowing God, and by the way, at this time. Earth was in much better shape than it is now not to go to a beautiful place like Hawaii are you see the handiwork of God and a sunset.

People just sit out there and wait for the sun descendents are so amazing that something the Lord does for us. But at this time. Historically, things were still in a quasi-even like state we were closer to God's original creation that we are now so that the power of God was on display for all of that. Number two, we have the testimony of conscience of the light of conscience Romans 214 says, even when nonbelievers who do not have God's written law instinctively follow what the law says they show on their hearts they know right from wrong because God's law is written with them in them in their own consciences, accusing them or telling them what they're doing this right so you say what about the person who's never heard the gospel while you have the testimony of nature and you are the testimony of your own conscience you know instinctively what right and wrong are and so many of us don't even live according to those dictate symbols like organized religion. What is that even mean I don't like organized religion owed you like disorganized chaos instead what your definition of organized religion praying a prayer opening the bilateral don't anything organize okay so what you live. I live by my own standards. I suggest you don't even live by your own standards. I think you break your own rule so you make new rules and then you break those don't you so you have the testimony of nature. Yet the testimony of your own conscience, then these people have the promise of a Redeemer, God had revealed to Adam and Eve that was coming one who would crush the head of the serpent who would deceive them in a course that was a reference to the arrival of Jesus and fourthly they had the people of the godly lives of Adam any even though I do believe Cindy still walk with the Lord. After this, so there that testimony and so God will judge you, according to the light. You have receipt point number three. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 68 says simply that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, does that mean God had grace on Noah because he lived a righteous life. No, actually it's the reversal of that the word grace means God's unmerited favor because he received God's grace, he responded to the grace that God extended toward him. He experienced it. God loves us and wants a relationship with us, so he found grace or favor in the eyes of the Lord. Look, the only way a person comes in your relationship with God is by admitting their own me that's hard for a lot of people. We don't want to say I need God I'm strong I can do this on my own. Aaron Rodgers and that interview went on to say, you know, I think that Christianity is a crutch crutch. The whole hospital man I need more than a crutch. I need everything I need every piece of equipment in that spiritual hospital.

I have no shame in saying I need God.

I'm not embarrassed to say I depend on God wills for Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of his 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.

It 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 Christ. Join us this weekend harvest@home.o Pastor Greg is presenting a message today titled the world changer at the end of the world part one.

Let's continue now judge was about to come and I wonder if there's somebody here that is at a wake-up call lately something this happened in your life that's gotten your attention. Everything was going great and then you got the call from the doctor and everything changed. Everything was fine.

Then your wife, your husband, your boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with you your dog even left you, but the cat won't leave. For some reason you really want the cat to leave anyone of the dog to stay even more than your girlfriend Franklin.

Whatever it is something seven or you had a close brush with death, but I think there's three things we should keep in mind when something like this happens number one. Remember that life is precious life is precious. I have an Apple watch right here. Funny thing with this crazy watch there periodically says to me three like I'm breathing. Stephen said it to me when I like working out re-what is wrong with you but I think is a good message there pre-right that breath you're trying right now that's a gift from God does or might be someone in the hospital room struggling, hoping for that next breath, but I just pre-then I breathe out. That's a gift from heaven.

I shouldn't take it for granted everyday of my life is a gift from God. Every single heartbeat. It's a blessing. Don't take your health for granted. Don't take your family for granted. The Bible reminds us in Psalm 90 teach us to realize the brevity of life, so we may grow in wisdom.

Number two.

Don't ask why asked to don't ask why asked to 11 years ago, our son Christopher was killed in an automobile accident. It was crushing devastating. I wondered if I would even survive it. It was so massive for both Kathy and myself and our son Jonathan Christopher's wife Britney was just life altering and it's like time stood still for all of us and of words could have killed you. I mean hearing certain information that could have killed me. I felt like literally I could have died.

It was so overpowering, but in my time of weakness when I needed the crutch I neither the hospital I needed intensive care and I called out to the Lord, and guess what he was there for me and he sustained me on that day and sustains us all to this day because the Bible says he's the God of all comfort. Sometimes things happen in life that are unfair and tragic that we want an answer. I demand an answer. I want to know why.

If God told you you wouldn't be happy. I made of the Lord to Loretto and I'm tired of you asking Wyman to tell you why you ready write this down okay and ready ready. Here's why.

I don't agree with that you would like it. It would make sense to you this side of heaven. We live on promises, not explanation, so we should not spend too much time wondering why, instead of saying why we should say who is and who do I turn to you turn to the Lord and you cry and you cry. It's okay to cry. It's good to cry. In fact, you must mourn when you've lost a loved one.

In fact, if you do not properly mourn the loss of a loved one can affect you in a very bad way because you cry out to God you bring your pain to God you bring your sorrow to God and then the last thing is we must prepare we must prepare life is precious.

Don't ask why asked to we must prepare death is not a respecter of persons.

It doesn't care if you're rich or poor, religionists, or you have no faith at all. If you're famous, infamous are not known.

The docs at every door will not get your door it'll not mine, it's not the end because there's an afterlife.

We talk so much about this life, but the afterlife goes on forever affect this life.

The before life if you will, is pretty short when compared to the afterlife and Jesus said I am the resurrection of the life and he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

That is why Jesus died on the cross. You see at the cross.

He defeated sin, but of the resurrection. He defeated death. Death died when Christ wrote so my question for you is are you prepared for the afterlife. I told you the story before of a man he was walking through a graveyard.

They saw tombstone and aunt were inscribed. These words because no stranger as you pass by as you are now also once was.

I is I am now so you will be so prepare for death and follow me. The man was overheard to say to follow you is not my intent until I know which way you went. Are you prepared for the afterlife. What is this for your last night and it will will be, how do you know you don't know no one else. The Bible says it's appointed unto a man once to die, and then comes the judgment. God's appointed the hour he doesn't reveal it to us. Frankly, I'm glad I don't know are to we don't know to be tonight. He could be 10 years 20 years 50 years 78 years on God to worry about that, but be read. Be prepared. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people in the one they'll stand before God and the Bible says in the books will be open in a book will be open which is the book of life and the key is you want your name written in the book of life. How do you get your name written in the book of life by believing in Jesus Christ. If you put your faith in Christ and you asked him to be your Savior and Lord. Your name is in the book and no one stick in your name out of the book. If you're good to go.

But then there's the books. Books are going to be open and I want to within the budget of the Bible doesn't say maybe one book is about all the times you heard the gospel and blow it off. Maybe another book is a record of how you had your own standards that you didn't even live by. Maybe another book is all the commandments are broke when I know what's in the books, but whatever it is it is not real good is your grievant at this great white throne judgment. That's bad. You have to be there at all easy. Jesus died on the cross and he absorbed the wrath of God in your place so you don't have to deal with. He died there for unique. As I've said many times he came to pay a debt he did not know because we owed a debt we could not pay.

Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, you can have this grace in your life, because the Bible says, by grace you are saved through faith, not of works lest any man should boast. You're not going to get to heaven because of all the good stuff you've done, you're going to get to heaven because of the sacrifice Jesus made for you on the cross and you admitted your center and you turn from your sin and you believed in him. Then you can know. Listen, you can know that you go to heaven. Do you know that right now. If not, why would you not want to get this resolved. Frankly, is there anything more important than that, that you could think of anything that where you spend eternity as I want to close with just an opportunity for anybody here anybody watching, listening, wherever you may be to make sure your name is written in the book of life to put your faith in Jesus Christ. He stands at the door of your life, and he knocks and he says if you hear his voice and open the door he will come in if you've never asked Jesus to come into your life. You can do it right here right now and you can be prepared for the afterlife and not be afraid of death any longer. Barry had sent everybody praying father, thank you for your word to us tonight, and I pray for any person, here, or maybe they're watching or listening wherever they may be. If they don't have a relationship with you. Help them to come to you now. We amen to Greg Laurie important prayer about entering into a relationship with the Lord. And if you like to make that kind of change in your relationship with God today. Pastor Greg will come back to help you with that before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes that if he missed any part of today's message. You can hear the study again online@harvest.org just look for the title the world changer at the end of the world part one that's at harvest.org is one of the most requested messages of the past year or request a permanent copy of the message on CD by calling our 24 hour phone number 1-800-821-3300 and then were someplace to mention the Pastor Greg new film, a rush of hope. Watched by over 1.8 million people over Labor Day is now on DVD by popular demand. It's a powerful presentation of the gospel, along with some outstanding music for us and asked that's working in country Mercy me and Jeremy All featured in a rush of hope and Pastor Greg.

You also highlight moving moments of several recent films important films you not right Dave, I don't just mean showing film clips I've written a narrative taking what I think are key moments from three films produced by the Irwin brothers, John and Andy Irwin and the films are Woodlawn.

I can only imagine and I still believe that present the gospel in a compelling artistic and powerful way and there some other resources included with this rush of hope DVD including a booklet that I wrote called life's most important questions answered and a special piece that we wrote, telling you how you can host a watch party so for whatever you can send us financially rush to your own copy of a rush of hope so. Thanks in advance and God bless you. Your generous donation couldn't come in a more strategic time also with the bonus resource were sending along with the DVD will include a digital download code so you can download the film to your computer or smart phone or tablet. You can take a rush of hope with you wherever you go. 11 outstanding evangelism tool right there in your pocket or purse. So get in touch today with your investment at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime around the clock and again dial 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and then Pastor Greg just before we go. Would you mind praying with the person listening who wants to make a change today in the relationship with the Lord.

I'd be happy to Dave you know is you been listening to this today. Maybe you've heard another voice. By that I mean yeah you heard me say a few things, but you heard God's voice speak to you deep in the recesses of your heart and it suddenly dawned in you. This is what I need order stated more accurately. This is who I need I need Jesus.

And I want Jesus, but maybe you don't know how to make that connection. Let me help you pray this after me right now if you want Jesus Christ to comedy your life Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sin and I need your forgiveness right now.

Would you come in the my heart, my life as Savior, as God as friend. I choose to follow you from this moment forward.

Thank you for calling me and accepting me and for giving me in Jesus name I pray, amen.

I know there was a relatively short prayer. Maybe you felt something as you prayed it. Maybe you felt nothing, that doesn't really matter because God's word says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. It doesn't say so. You may think you have it or you may hope you have it of gods in a good mood. No that you can know it and I want you to know if you pray that prayer and minute Jesus Christ, the son of God has come into your life.

So congratulations, you're now a Christian now continue to follow the Lord. Yet, to help you do that would like to send you some resource materials we call our new believers growth packet it will answer many of the questions you might have and get you started off right in your new relationship with the Lord. So get in touch and ask for it again. It's called the new believers growth packet will set it free of charge right or set a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24 seven and again the number 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click on know God well next time or insights from the life of Noah about living wholeheartedly for God no matter what's going on around us good insight from another of our most requested messages of the past year, next time you beginning and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org