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March 3, 2021 3:00 am
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A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.
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The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God don't want to hear from you. Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's Greg harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment. How can we know God's will for a lot. Something that may surprise you.
God wants to leave you even more than you want to feel a God desire to disclose his will to you today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie shoes God isn't trying to keep this will a big secret. There's no mystery misunderstanding God is the way I see you once revealed purposes, and plans to you and your Bible and age within all excited because God clearly spoke to them through fortune cookie Billy Graham made it clear he said if you were ignorant of God's word will always be ignorant of God's will today him to begin at Greg Laurie helped us dive into God's word to investigate how we can determine God's plan for our lives. Clearly, the clouds of mystery boy with good insight. This is our last series up only whatever he growing Christian needs to know what I think of all the topics I'm asked about this is probably one of the most popular one that we all deal with this young Christians and even as older Christians. That is how can we know God's will for a lot.
We wonder, does God still speak to people today. Is he actually interested in what happens to us as individuals. Does the Lord have a master plan for our lives, and if he does, how to why discover it. How can I learn how to know the voice of God.
How can I discover the will of God because of those big questions, especially when you're younger you're wondering about your going to marry who's the right person you wonder about what should my career choice PR how can I serve the Lord our what should I order at in and out. No, that's not one, but I'm talking about the serious things of life will here is the answer. Yes, God has a master plan for your life. Yes, God speaks to us today. Yes, the Lord wants to reveal his will to you because we as Christians are not victims of chance, hoping that our luck will be good order not run out, God has a plan for each of us and something that may surprise you. God wants to leave you even more than you want to be led is God's desire to disclose his will to you. The good news.
God does not play hide and seek. He's not hiding from you.
He wants to reveal himself to you. He wants to reveal his purposes, and plans to you that God said to Abraham, shall I hide from Abraham.
The thing that I am about to do. This is an interesting thing because Abraham is uniquely described in the Scripture as the friend of God. And did you know that God wants to be your friend to all. Yes, he's our master. Certainly he's our Savior, but he actually wants to be our friend Jesus said in John 15 I no longer call you servants were servant doesn't know what his master is doing, but I have called you friend for everything I've heard from my father. I made known to you friends share secrets with friends right when something good happens when you want to do you want to tell your friends. Hopefully your best friend is your husband or wife. But when something good happens on a call my wife for rhyme grappling with an issue I want to talk to her but maybe you should up a text or group text. I hate it when I get stuck in these group text. You know it and we move along the on the original issue and now people are saying random things and sending them both season about his ding ding ding in a stop. Let me out of this group text but you know you can disclose information to a friend, a friend will keep your confidence. You say, look, this is the area of my life.
I struggling with them asking you to keep this a secret of friend while go out there and you know posted on their Facebook page.
Other negative pleaded out the necklace, shouted from the rooftops to get to keep your confidence and you know what else, a friend will tell you the truth and God is our friend. God will always tell us a true God will always keep our secrets and God wants to reveal his secrets to us about some 2514 says the secret of the Lord is with those that fear. But here's the problem. Some of us are afraid of God's will because we have a warped concept of God.
We think God is effectively out to get SEs out to ruin our lives. I heard a story. Share this before, but about a robber that broke under house was very dark and dies he is making his way through a year to voice suddenly pierced the darkness and the boy said Jesus is watching you freaked him out, who said that he shaking he's trying to get his flashlight on again.
The boy says Jesus is watching you discussing and who is saying that the meeting finally gets his flashlight turn on for the third time the boy says Jesus is watching you and he realizes it's apparent the parrot said Jesus is watching you home then so relieved and they took his flashlight went down to the base of the parrot Burton Saad Doberman, Jonas G, and then the parrot said. Second, Jesus first of all, don't ever name your dog Jesus okay, that's all. Some people see God's sake and Jesus all you're having fun. God's general wreckage you're having a good day. God's gonna ruin it all you want God's will know know that that's not what you wanted all week were afraid to surrender ourselves to the Lord. We sort of think of it like going on a diet, you know just it's going to be misery is going to be wheat germ and tofu and K when did Kail become what is the deal with Kail all of a sudden everywhere I go it's Kail. You know Kail burgers Kail smoothies Kail everything cars made out of Kail. No, the previous is, of course, but to somehow fit only previous would be Kail, but but you know for me I am always attracted to the wrong foods. I mean like when I'm in the South.
What I want one fried chicken on a biscuit, grits, you know, let's have a salad why he some people see God that we all just received trick given its miserable and well there are restrictions was be honest, the Bible does tell us to not do certain things, but never God tells us to do in their place is so much better. Listen to this God's plan for you is good.
I know it's a clich, I know you've heard it before but I believe it's absolutely true God really does love you and he really does have a wonderful plan for your life. It's biblical I love Jeremiah 2911 my finesse of my favorite verse in the Bible is not open like this one down because it's right there in the top 10 for sure and I completely forgot about if I can remember that I love. No, no Jeremiah 2911, God says, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord God said peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. I just love it I love the second guts as I know the thoughts that I think toward you, he doesn't say. I know this single thought.
I once thought about. But even if he said that I'd be happy to think that the creator of the universe actually had a passing thought about me, but God says more than that. It doesn't say I know the single thought.
I thought toward you. He says I know the box plural more than one that I think toward you, says the Lord, with them in the jumbled up the bad thoughts. Another He says that thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope for a better translation would be an expected end. Yes, God has a plan God has a purpose. Listen to this God is a planner not a reactor, let me say that again God is a planner not a reactor constantly watching. Somehow he knew what he's in charge.
He's in control as we often say he is sovereign. Okay now having said those things. Let me say something else may surprise you. The will of God is not always easy to discern and anyone that tells you they always know the will of God every morning. God speaks to them audibly there either line or the crazy as we have no biblical precedent for that, not the God and speak to people in the Bible, but it's really rare that someone has an ongoing understanding of God's will in every given situation. You'll see the greatest men and women of God not know is will at times and at other times they do know it. So it comes down to a journey of faith really a lot of times I find myself in the will of God by simply doing this reading the Scripture praying that God will guide my steps in making decisions based on what the Bible teaches know just think you will does the Bible say okay what what I want to do.
That's the decision I'll make here and I don't always know in certain situations what to do what you pray for his wisdom and then you take those steps of faith, not feeling steps of faith, the Bible says that Josh will live by faith into this God's way becomes plain when we start walking that then repeat that again God's way becomes plain when we start walking and it God's will is not an itinerary is much as it is an attitude and so we want to ask him to guide our steps now.
Maybe some of you are listening to this thinking what height I don't know that I've really ever heard from God and if I have was a long time ago. It seems like I pray for wisdom and their sort of an icy silence from heaven.
Let me respond to that with this thought maybe one thing God is waiting for before he reveals the specific plans to you is that you would not do what he has already revealed in Scripture. Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment we send these daily studies out via radio satellite and over the Internet. We don't always know how these messages are touching lives when we hear the stories of her listeners. It really is encouraging to us. Hi Pastor Greg share the same birthday as my dad, thank you for the online videos of your sermons. I was a particle child.
I stumbled across your videos and decided to recommit my life to the Lord. I've never felt better.
You brought me back in my faith and now I want to live right and serve the Lord. What are your videos about prayer helped me learn how to pray. I hope one day when this pandemic is over that I can visit your church in person. Thank you. Do you have a story to tell of how Pastor Greg's teaching is impacting you. If so, why not email him angry@harvest.org again, that's great harvest.org today. Pastor Greg is helping us learn how to find the will of God in our lives. Message called how to know the will of God available in harvest.org. Let's continue. Did you know that there are certain things the Bible tells us that all the will of God for every Christian.
I don't care who you are, how old you are of your guy for your girl if you're rich if you're poor where you live. Doesn't matter if these things are true for every Christian and I think we should start with the things that are clearly revealed before we start thinking that God is speaking to us.
Enough about the things that are not yet revealed the sender this obedience to revealed truth guarantees guidance in matters on revealed me say that again obedience to revealed truth that which is given to us in the Bible guarantee, it guarantees that there will be guidance in matters on revealed sullenly just share three really quick things of the will of God for every person. By the way, there's a lot more in the Bible with her just three so if you're taking notes you might write this down point number one this is God's love for everyone of us. God want you to be filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit, God wants you to be filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit, you made several Greg how do you know that because the Bible tells me in Ephesians 5. Don't be foolish, but I understand what God's will What is God's will that I not get drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery and said be filled with the spirit speak one to another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs sing and make music in your heart to the Lord all the always giving thanks to God the father for everything. So God wants me to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Did you know you can be filled with the spirit and have a great emotional experience is that ever happened to you. We said Lord filled me in the just sensed his presence but did you know also that you can be filled with the spirit and have no emotional experience at all. So we don't want that sort of determined that we were filled or not filled based on if we felt something know it's just really something I should do every day just say Lord fill me with the Holy Spirit to submit. We don't even understand what it needs to be filled with the Holy Spirit look every person when they become a Christian has the Holy Spirit live inside of because the Bible says that were sealed by the Holy Spirit. He lives in every believer.
Then he empowers us for services were baptized by the Holy Spirit into gives us the gifts of the spirit. But having said that, I still need refills like buying a car and cinnamon. This piece of junk stopped running after two weeks. What we mean it just stop running won't start that you put some gas in it was that it was electric and then plugging the thing into it.
Yeah, no, it's not electric you need to put gas in your car. You need to fill your gas tank and then when you use that cash you need to refill your gas tank.
What is true for a car is also true for a Christian. I need to be filled a lot in the great by the way, that is a term that means to be constantly fill source on a one time event. I'm constantly fill and it's also a command of God is not suggesting that he feel the same. I command you to be filled with the spirit a couple of ways this word is played out in Scripture one use of the phrase filled conveys the idea of when filling a sale, so maybe you're out there in the harbor in your cruising around and waiting for a gust of wind treasure in a sailboat you need wind to fill your sale and then another use of the word is the idea of Saul permeating me the way that they went preserve their meat in the old days. 2000 years ago for the refrigeration as they would rub salt in the meat, and it would last for a prolonged period of time and so God wants the Holy Spirit to permeate every area of our life and he wants his window fill our sales so you are to be filled with the spirit, here's another thing that the will of God for every Christian have an attitude of gratitude every Christian should have an attitude of gratitude. First Thessalonians 518 says in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ concerning you to God wants me to be filled with the spirit and he wants me to have an attitude of gratitude. So you might several Greg, I'm not on the door hard time right now and you don't know what I'm facing Gavin God say give glory to him when things are going well. He said in everything give thanks even say and some things give thanks in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ concerning you. Let me explain.
That doesn't mean that I necessarily have to think him a bad thing happened. But even if a bad thing happens I can think him that he still in control.
I can think him that he's paying attention coming back to Jeremiah 2911 I can think of that he has thoughts toward me and his thoughts are good and they're not evil in their thoughts that will lead to an expected in God is a plan and he is a purpose and is moving toward completion in my life and so I should have an attitude of gratitude. Recognizing God is in control and you know I think is we need to understand that there's nothing wrong with asking for direction in life. I think maybe one of the reasons the Israelites took so long to get through the wilderness 40 years, is because men were in charge and mental like to stop and ask for directions right dinner takes about 40 days to get from Egypt to Israel on foot and it took him 40 years. That's a good they were going around and around in circles and they were asking for direction and so God wants to give you direction in James one says if you need wisdom. If you want to know what God wants you to do asked him and he will gladly tell you, so it's a good thing to pray for wisdom. Here's 1/3 point live a pure life. God want to live a pure life. So before we get to God's will for you as an individual.
Let me ask you, have you been asking him to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Have you been living with an attitude of gratitude and have you been living a pure life. So how do you know that's God's will because first Thessalonians 43 says this is the will of God. Even your sanctification that you abstain from sexual immorality. The word sanctification means holiness or consecration or dedication to God. This is the will of God, that you would be set apart for him and that you would abstain from sexual immorality orders at me.
I miss break it down if you're single means you don't have sex before marriage and if you're married means that your faithful to your spouse that you see 100 no give great is the Lord from really speaking to me in a different way about that. I've had people say the craziest things you know maybe a couple. Your mother not married yet their sleeping together and llama.
The Bible says you should do know the Lord spoke to our hearts, and said my children I'm cool with this know he didn't say that you made that up in your head you that the devil said it to you.
You said it to yourself.
But I guarantee God didn't say to because God will never lead you contrary to his word. So let's just start with the no-brainers that we've identified and do those things do what God tells you to do and someone 43 verse 10 David says, Lord, teach me to do your will in and say Lord, teach me to like your will. He didn't even say teach me to understand your will. He said teach me to do your will all be honest with you I don't always understand God's will. I don't always even agree with God's will. But I know it's right and I know if I disagree that I'm wrong and I need God's help, to do his will teach me to do your will is a wooden crate. Did you just say you don't always agree with God's will gather things that have happened in my life and it's a God I don't agree with this. I don't like this at all.
So that's not very spiritual hits just honest. Okay. But listen to this did not our Lord struggle with the will of the father in the garden of Gethsemane when he said father if there's any way possible, let this cup pass from me. He was under such pressure. Dr. Luke tells us he sweat, as it were great drops of blood. Some medical experts think that Dr. Luke the physician. The author of the gospel may have been describing what is now known as chemo treatment process. It's a rare medical condition when a patient is under extreme stress, they will actually have a bit of blood in their perspiration and so some doctors and thought maybe Luke was describing this so whatever was he was under intense pressure but wouldn't he say there's any way possible, let this cup pass from me, but ultimately he said, nevertheless not my will, yours.
So that's what we need to say all right. Lord, I want to Greg Lord important thoughts today on knowing the will of God. And there's more to come from this message here on a new beginning and now you can go online for an instant replay of today study just go to harvest.org and look for the title how to know the will of God or just colors for CD at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 and then were excited to make available Pastor Greg's book on the Jesus movement, the spiritual awakening of the 60s and 70s.
The book is called Jesus, revolution, and your pastor Greg recently I've been more interested in the great awakening of the early 18th century. I recently learned that my relatives came to America about that time so mouse really piqued my interest, but that revival was one of four that have swept this country is not right here that's right. Most historians agree there have been for great spiritual awakenings in the history of the United States. The first proceeded our formation as a nation happened in the colonies free American revolution George Whitfield and evangelists from Great Britain came and preached on our shores and brought the gospel of thousands of people and many, many people believed in. It was a spiritual awakening and then America was formed in the aftermath of it so you could say that America was born from a revival. If we did not have that spiritual awakening, I seriously question if there could've been an America case and now you've mentioned the second revival, and I've heard that the Pres. Lincoln when he was a younger man made a commitment to follow Christ during the great awakening. Then of course you fast-forward to the Fulton Street revival in New York City revival where a man named Jeremiah Lanphier. I decided to start a prayer meeting that was a very well attended.
Then the stock market crash and then it was very well attended and theaters in Broadway were packed to the gills.
Churches were packed. People were gathering every lunchtime in New York City and praying and thousands of people came to Christ and then the last great awakening was the one that I've written a book about it was called the Jesus revolution in the Jesus movement you it's a funny thing Dave in the day we called it the Jesus movement but time magazine dubbed it Jesus revolution gets interesting because you know you hear a lot of talk these days about revolution. Our nation was born from a revolution, but this was a spiritual revolution and I actually like the fact that it was called a Jesus revolution because that's what it was and not even a Christianity revolution or a religious revolution. It was that Jesus revolution. It was about Jesus people were talking about Jesus people were coming to Jesus and in habits where our focus needs to be. We need another spiritual awakening. We need another Jesus revolution. So in my book on this topic. I tell my story is a lot of historical backdrop given so you can understand what the culture was like.
I think as you read it you can say wow that parallels at times there were living in right now riots in the street. Social upheaval racial division and more.
Yes, it was all happening but God stepped in thousands and thousands of young people came to Christ I might also add the Jesus revolution and this is not common to every revival, but the Jesus revolution was a youth awakening.
It specifically started with younger people. Other folks were impacted as well of all ages, but it was primarily young people coming to Christ, and we look at our youth today all how they need a relationship with Jesus Christ. How they need a touch of the Holy Spirit how they need their own Jesus revolution so I'm hoping that you'll order a copy of this book that I'll send you at no charge. All ask in return is that you send your gift of any size that will help us to continue to teach the word of God as we do, and preach the gospel and come more people to Christ.
By the way last year was her most spiritually fruitful year in the history of harvest ministries. Let's pray that 20, 21, is our greatest year ever and that's going to happen if we all work together and pray together and will happen if you will help us financially as well. I'm sure so in advance. Let me say thank you and I look forward to sending you your own copy of the Jesus revolution. And that's right we have a copy waiting for you here in a new beginning. So we hope to contact us today will be glad to drop it in the mail right away. Hey Dave, let me just interrupt for one moment, don't forget to tell them that there's a study guide that we prepare are yet to go along with Jesus revolution you will be automatically sent with the book you know can really help you and your spouse or you in your small group dive more deeply into the insights and principles. Pastor Greg shares in the book. So take advantage of this extra help again will send both of these resources to thank you for your generous donation to help us continue this important work right us today at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or you can call her 24 hour phone number 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org are you receiving Pastor Greg's daily devotions there a great way to start your day with extra insight and inspiration sign up for his devotions today@devo.harvest.org that's Devo DEV oh.harvest.org 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 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 at Home.oh well, next time or from Pastor Greg's practical message about finding and following the will of God. Hope you tune in on a new beginning. Greg Laurie and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org