Hope for Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones: A Hopeful Perspective for Loss

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I couldn't believe this was happening. That's not possible. Like time just thoughts.

Pastor Greg Laurie on hearing the news by actually thought of a person can die from hearing words like die from what I just heard. I lost my appetite. I could sleep. I want to do in the immediate state of shock. I collapsed on the floor.

I could not stand. I just cried out to God today on the new beginning. Pastor Greg cheers from his family's very personal experience that still very very painful.

There is still a gaping hole in our lives that was once occupied by Christopher, but I've learned a lot about reading laws but I want to tell you one other thing I learned a lot about I learned about hope we all need hope in life to get through today a message called hope for those who have lost love ones. It's a study that's Russian so many of our motion. They voted one of those past years most requested messages get a permanent copy of this encouragement for yourself by going to harvest.org. Here's Pastor Greg. Now to begin. How many of you have lost a loved one. Your facing crisis you're going through hardship for a time of great trial right now, raise your hand up against quite a few how many of you are not raise your hand up don't be a very good good for you. It's, so here's the way I look at it we have those moments of common life where things are going reasonably well.

We give God the glory. But sometimes the Lord will give us the truth in our life that we will store up for another day. Sort of like the little squirrels saving up for the winter, so store these Jews in your heart because if you live very long. It's only a matter of time until a loved one is going to leave this world before you before a doctor gives you bad news before some kind of crisis happens in your home. So we want to be prepared.

It's been said if you preach to hurting people. You'll never lack for an audience. Today I want to talk about hope for those who have lost loved ones and I posted this on my Facebook page that I was good to be addressing this topic and you want to read what people said how they're facing great crisis or have lost a loved one recently in how they're seeking to cope with it. So certainly there's a lot of people that need to hear that you know I become a member of a club.

I never wanted to join and but there's no denying the fact that I'm a bona fide member and I met many others who are in it as well and so I hope that I can bring some words of comfort and encouragement and perspective to those that are facing this right now. You know, I guess I should get my credentials on why feel qualified to speak about this.

I suppose that I suffered quite a bit in life.

I I've not suffered as much this summer.

Perhaps I've suffered more than others. I had a crazy childhood that you've all heard the story of my upbringing, my beautiful mother who wanted to look like Marilyn Monroe and I saw my mom rarely and she would come and make an appearance and it would be so excited to see her. Then she would disappear again, and this is sort of the cycle of my life being what they are not being with her dealing with all of the things he went through is an alcoholic and someone who is married and divorced seven times, well then I was sent to military school and and though I did not like going to military school so I was very lonely there. I have to look back and acknowledge it was one of the more stable times of my life. The Southern California military Academy on signal Hill in Long Beach. It's no longer there and I remember that we were forced not for the week it was mandatory to attend chapel every Sundays, along with the other cadets I would sit in the chapel services.

There was a song that we sing their that I still remember this day that title. I think is you'll never walk alone in the song words when along these lines. When you walk through a storm. Hold your head up high and don't be afraid of the dark at the end of the storm is a golden sky and the sweet silver song of the Lord walk on the wind walk onto the rain though your dreams be tossed and blown walk on walk on, with hope in your heart and you'll never walk alone for some reason that song resonated with me. I had this optimism despite my upbringing that someday in some way things were going to get better. I always believe that there was a God. I always believed in Jesus Christ as much as I knew about it when I limited my grandparents home.

She had a painting or a portrait of Christ.

I would look at this depiction of Jesus and and I would have great admiration for him.

I would think. I wish I could know this Jesus, but he came he died. He's gone. Or maybe he's up there somewhere, but I don't know where and I don't know how to communicate with him but though my life had taken a lot of difficult twist and turns in 1970. I heard a message that I understood and I prayed and asked Christ to come in the my life now. That was when things started turning for the better and and I was determined to not follow in the footsteps of my mother, though she did been married seven times I was determined to have a successful marriage and so when I met Kathy. We got married we wanted to do everything to make our marriage strong.

I'm thankful to say that we been married over 37 years, and God is so good to us and then our first son came along. Christopher and then 10 years later along comes Jonathan you know because I never had a father growing up. I wanted to be super dad, I'm not implying that I think I succeeded because I don't think I did it all but I wanted to be a hands-on father.

I wanted to be a loving father. I wanted to be a present father I wanted to teach them in the way of the Lord, but I wanted to have one with them to and you not, no question about it. I spoiled Christopher.

I bottom way too many toys and I think one of the reasons was I wanted to personally play with those toys to so I like Dr. Dobson once said every parent owes their first child, an apology is probably some truth to that, but you know he was precocious. Any was always getting into trouble and he had a timer as he got a little bit older and his 20 Z rebelled against the Lord. He was never rebellious outwardly with us, but but I know he was living a double life, and we prayed we spent many sleepless nights and I and then thankfully God got hold of him and he made a recommitment to Christ and then he got married to a girl named Brittany and our first granddaughter little Stella was born in.

It was so exciting to be a grandparent and then also a little Lucy was on the way we were at home how Kathy was doing little Bible study with Britney, Christopher's wife and her mom, and I was watching Stalin and we hadn't heard from Christopher. He worked here at the church and was on his way to work and that we try to call me didn't answer so I texted them I remember what I said where are you there was no answer. While the reason there was no answer is my son left this world around 901 and one into the presence of God in an automobile crash only those of you who have lost a loved one will understand what I'm about to say but the word devastated doesn't express how bad it actually is understand.

I've been a pastor for quite a long time and I like to begin with.

When they heard the news I was with one couple in the waiting room of a hospital when their child was being operated on and the doctor came and revealed that she had not made it through. So I've been there. I've seen it up close and personal he know what it's like and I thought I had a sense of what it would be like to hear a permit when it happens to you.

It's like time just stops and I want to do an immediate state of shock.

I collapsed on the floor. I could not stand. I don't even know if I cry I just was stunned. I couldn't believe this was happening. That's not possible and immediately seem like within minutes. Our home was filled with well-wishers and family and friends in the phone was ringing and and everyone was trying to bring help in comfort, but it was just a blur of noise to me and I got away and I I went over to my office, which is over our garage and I just fell on the floor and I just cried out to God for help to get through. Not the day but the minutes it would just seem like how can you survive this. I actually thought ever person could die from hearing words I could have died from what I had just heard.

I lost my appetite. I couldn't sleep and it just seemed to go on forever.

It's like a nightmare and you keep hoping that you wake up from a to know when you're the bad dream and in your heart is racing anyway. Company is a it's okay. It's just a dream. I wanted so badly to wake up from the stream that was not a dream at all, it was reality. So Friday past, and then Saturday came and went. Send Sunday and then without Wallace go to church and I came here now people of Centennial Greg. It was so courageous of you to come to church, you know, you're such a model of faith. Well, thank you for saying that but you know what I was here because I needed God. I don't think it was an example of great faith. I think it was the example of someone who was weak who needed help, but I'm not embarrassed to admit that. So we came in and we wanted to hear the word of God taught and we wanted to worship the Lord in I'm not embarrassed to say that I'm still morning.

It still hurts. Is it the same as it was back then. No it is and it's it's different is a better in a way it is.

But it's still very very painful.

There is still a lot, gaping hole in our lives that was once occupied by Christopher, but I've learned a lot about grieving and laws and daily pain. I learned how to live with pain how to cope with it. As I mentioned a few moments ago I become a part of a club. I never wanted to join so hardly a day goes by when I don't encounter someone to hear from someone who was also lost a loved one, and they're asking for some kind of help. So I've learned a lot about the things I've learned more about morning but I want to tell you one of the thing I've learned a lot about I learned about hope and I have hope and hope is like an anchor that keeps us someplace during the tumultuous storms of life and begged Hebrews 619 says we have this hope is an anchor for the sole permit and secure and so that's what we want to share with you today.

If and said that men could live 40 days without food three days without water. Eight minutes without air and about one second without whole. We all need hope in life to get through.

Now listen, that doesn't mean that you're not gonna feel pain to have hope does not mean that you have a permanent smile plastered on your face, nor does it mean you had some kind of a spiritual lobotomy when you don't feel what other people feel you can have hope in pain coexisting together. But what does that mean they have hope. Is it just open all why I just know things will get better. Will wait you don't know it because things could actually get worse, right. So what is my hope in my whole is in God. I have to look to him and here's what God says to us in one of my favorite verses Jeremiah 2911 the Lord says I know the thoughts and I think Georgie says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and what I hope that's what God is saying to us now, contextually, that statement was given to the Israelites when they were in Babylonian captivity because of their penchant for idolatry. The Lord vanished them to the land of idolatry Babylon for 70 long years they they were no longer worshiping. They said they hung their hearts on the willow tree which means that they sort of the put the guitar away in the closet and unplug the M said there were no praise services happening because they felt like God had forgotten about them and God had abandoned them. So with that backdrop, the Lord says pay everyone listen I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, not of evil, to give you a future and a whole God missing Israel listen to me. Your days are not over, I have a future for you and God is saying the same to us. Love of the Lord says I know the thoughts that I think toward you would've been enough about what is said, I know the single thought. I once had toward you for a fleeting moment when you be happy to know that God Almighty, the creator of the universe had a single thought about you. I will, but that some of the Lord says he says I know the thoughts plural more than one that I think not. Just past tense, but present tense toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you future. So the thoughts of God are from what you thought what he is thinking what he still will think they're good thoughts.

The Bible says in Psalm 45.

Many are your wonderful words would you have done in your thoughts toward us cannot be counted there more than to be number that was in the that all depends how someone thinking about you mean someone might be thinking about you right now in the our thinking evil thoughts there plotting and how they're going to destroy you like don't think about me getting off your radar screen. That's not the way God is thinking. I know the thoughts that I think Georgie says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and go home. So his thoughts are good and what is he mean when he says the future they could better be translated and expected in for another translation would say a ground of hope are things hoped for.

In other words, there will be an outcome there will be completion in your life. God will tie up the loose ends because as a Christian I am a work in progress. I am an artist use that word loosely since I was a good artist but I like to draw and the people will sometimes ask me to draw something that's a great draw draw me in, or draw this draw that I like to draw from little kids especially, you know, because they're always so appreciative and so I will sit down and and all of the pin and I'm looking at the paper and maybe I'll just sort of do a line and I'll start the smile and so it is a what are you smiling on. There's nothing on the paper I sent this David about what I meant to do because it's going to be a caricature of you and you look so bad. No see, that's me right so here's God please he's working on a canvas and and he does align we say while Lord what second to be finished and contemplated putting God's mind the artist on the painting is completed. It's already finished and in the same way God looks at you and though it's still a work in progress for you. God knows exactly what he is doing. There is an expected in and it is good they might in a way Craig went out when everything in life doesn't make sense. What about when we get sick and we pray to be healed and were not and what about when someone dies, where's the good now. Greg, where's he expected in now really is called heaven folks, it's not going to all be rosy on earth. You can have good moments. Here again I have times when things come together and make sense.

And then there's going to be times when they don't make any sense at all, but ultimately the future. For every believer is being in the presence of God in heaven. That is the thing we hope for and God is the 1 We Pl. our trust in Psalm 3815 visual Lord I hope in you. You will hear all Lord my God. Psalm 130 verse five.

I'm counting on you, Lord.

Yes, I'm counting on you. I put my hope in your word now this all sounds quite sunny happy, but I want to do know that you can actually be hopeful in morning simultaneously. You know what a loved one leaves this world, especially when it's unexpected. It tears us up inside even once expected. It's very hard to deal with is a deep sense of loss because it was a deep love know sometimes people will say we you shouldn't be crying. You should in the morning there and have it if there believer, but even the great apostle Paul talked about the deep sorrow he was feeling. If a friend of his would die in Philippians 225. He says I thought I would send a cover die this back to you is a true brother of people worker, a courageous soldier.

He was your messenger to help me in my need. Now I am sending them home again, for he is been longing to see you and he was very distressed that you found out he was ill and he surely was built. In fact, he almost died, but God had mercy on him. Listen to this. Paul says, but also on me so I would not have such unbearable sorrow, this is Paul is been a heaven and is come back again this is Paul, who had more faith than anyone you can imagine. And yet Paul himself is a concrete guidance had died. I don't know if I could born. It's easy and that's often being wondering can I bear this. Can I get through this. When you lose someone you think it can I survive that.

Some people say you know don't cry over it.

I want to say something to you that know someone that's morning. The Bible says there's a time to weep and there's a time to mourn and don't ever tell a person who's lost someone to get over it, or to stop crying.

Who are you to say such a thing. I think of some things that I have flippantly said even to people who were going through a time of morning and my impatience to see them get better. I had their best interests in mind, but I didn't really know what I was talking about. You need to give them space you need to give them time and understand something this morning as part of the healing process. If you don't go through it properly.

They can sort of mess you up a little bit.

I know people that have lost loved ones that have never dealt with that properly they have never mourned as they should.

There either in a state of denial or they will not acknowledge it happen or they can't let go of the person and it changes who they are. You need to let it out and though you want to fight tears. I'm telling you tears have their place. And when you cry, and I mean really crying that we arise mist up. I mean, when you cry so badly. It's like you feel pain in your chest and you drop to the ground. That kind of morning can actually have a healing of that on person so be patient with people were morning Greg Lord great counsel from Scripture and from his own personal experience and there's more to come next time from this message. Our listeners most requested study of the past year. You're on a new beginning, and for a replay of today's full presentation just go online to harvest.org and look for the title hope for those who have lost loved ones and you can request a CD copy by calling 1-800-821-3300 anytime we are here to take your call around the clock at 1-800-821-3300 Prof. Greg you released your film a rush of hope when other forms of outreach just weren't possible due to the pandemic.

It was really sort of plan B, but the result has been more extraordinary than our original plan a yeah really is. You know, as the old saying goes, when God closes a door he opens a window and let's just say he opened the barn door here because we had a door closed, which means that we were not able to do art SoCal harvested Angel Stadium. By the way this would've been our 31st year because of the coronavirus, so we thought about ways to still reach people.

Here's one thing we know so many people are looking at their screens. Right now their phone screens or tablet screens and certainly their television screens so we thought let's go to where people are with something that will surprise them something that will be beautifully done, beautifully filmed that they will draw them in, but yet at the same time have a clear presentation of the gospel, so we called it a cinematic crusade. It's unlike anything we've ever done, but I've had many people tell me Dave, it's the most powerful evangelistic film they have ever seen. And so I want to send you a copy of a rush of all I want to rush you a rush of hope and so you can show this to your family show it to your neighbors show it to your friends. All the heavy lifting is effectively done in the film what you need to do as well follow up on it afterwards.

I even present the gospel and lead people in a prayer. So after it's done showing you could turn to the person and say, did you just pray that prayer would you like to accept Jesus Christ, you have some more questions. Let's talk about this. This is a way to get the conversation started, and I think after they watched about two minutes of this, the be hooked so order your copy of a rush of hope available on DVD now. We also include a link so you can watch a streaming version as well to show to people on a phone or a tablet device or a computer and will give this to you for your gift of any size, no matter what you send will send you the DVD copy of a rush of hope, but I know some of you can help us right now financially because you know that here at harvest. We believe in evangelism we take the great commission seriously to go into all the world and preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations, and so a rush of hope. As we call it is one step in that direction. So whatever you can send in support of our ministry will be greatly appreciated and will get you your copy of a rush of hope it's right and you can view at any time by way of the DVD or the link to the streaming version will provide.

So thank you so much for your donation. The strategic time and will show our appreciation by sending you a rush of hope on DVD, but we can only mentioned this a short time longer so right today at a new beginning.

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Pastor Greg comes back to bring us more insights on how to properly support those who are facing the loss of a loved one will turn in here on a new beginning regulatory and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org