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March 17, 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, you 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 I need to commit Scripture remembering you can do this we can all do this. Some people say they can't remember. I just can't do it no way no how. Greg Laurie, you remember lines from films. Remember the scores of ballgames going on forever. Don't tell me you cannot remember the word of God.
You just take time to get it into your mind to get it into your heart and that will never be time that waste and get into our minds will were paying attention. Remember the words of TV thing.
The words of the jingles of various fast food restaurants which the songs on the radio songs we don't even like if we hear something often enough it sticks. Remember Bible verses. Maybe we haven't read them often today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie helped write the truth of Scripture for his message. Call the Bible and reply so were calling what were doing your July Jesus revolution because it's sort of a look back at some of the great things that the Lord did in days gone by. The last great spiritual awakening in America. How many of you were around during the Jesus movement raise her hand up and giggled that a number of you. How many of you are not around, you want the road again.
That's most of you saw while you're around now and whatever Jesus revolution right here till I so wanted to grab your Bible and ask chapter 2 Psalm 19 and we talked about things that we did back in the days of the Jesus movement. We talked about how you know contemporary Christian worship was born before her eyes, and also how we love to talk about the soon coming of the Lord. We talked about that recently. One of the big things that was happening. Back in those days is almost everything we went to was a Bible study every service that we would have.
We would open up the word of God. And then there were home Bible studies the Bible studies and high school campuses and Bible studies on college campuses. We couldn't get enough of the word of God. Okay, so let's go over to ask chapter 2. This is when the Holy Spirit is poured out on the day of Pentecost and people speak in unknown languages they speak in song and then what happens after that.
Acts chapter 2 verse 16 Peter stands up and says what you see, was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel in the last days, God says I'll pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions in your old men will dream dreams.
Very important statement. Here is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit Supernatural Phenomena Is Taking Pl. in Peter stands up and says this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel. This makes a very important point. Everything that we do as Christians should be informed by the word of God. There should be a biblical basis for what we do so will we talk about making the decision, or should we do this or should we do that we go to the Scripture. What is the Bible say does the Scripture addresses at least in principle about specifically and so Peter was standing up and think this is the biblical basis. Sometimes a what some might call revival meetings are things where there's a lot of fun and excitement a lot of passion. Sometimes things happen that frankly are not biblical. And people will say this is a new work of the Holy Spirit. It's new. Listen to this. If it's new, it's not true and if it's true, it's not new. We don't need a new thing we want to do a biblical thing, God pours his spirit. We want to have a biblical basis for what were saying and doing, and that's certainly what happened there but then what happened after the Holy Spirit was poured out. Verse 42. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayer.
They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.
They dug in to the word of God present. If you want to be a spirit filled, revived Christian, you need to be digging in to God's word. Each and every day because if you don't, you're going to fail spiritually.
I need to read it and I needed commit Scripture to memory. You can do this we can all do this, although I can't remember anything. Give me a break. You remember lines from films you remember lyrics from the lamest songs of all time. You remember the scores of Super Bowl games going back forever. You remember all the attribute don't tell me you cannot remember the word of God. You just take time to get it into your mind and get it into your heart and that will never be time that is wasted right. Let's go over to our second passage, Psalm 19 verse seven and this is just the word of God telling us why the word of God is important. By the way, these were originally songs they were set to melody and this one even has a certain cadence to it. That sounds a lot like a song.
Psalm 19 verse seven the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart the commandments of the Lord are pure and light in the eyes, the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they than gold gay than much fine gold sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is your servant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward, something a song. It's beautiful. It's beautiful poetry, but it is actually also the inspired word of God to just if you take away thoughts number one the word of God is perfect, we see the law of the Lord.
We could replace it with the word of the Lord or the Bible leave is it just referring to God's written word. The word of God is perfect because this phrase means that it is flawless.
It's all its complete and insufficient. Listen everything you need to know about God is found in the Bible. You don't need to go anywhere else.
It's one stop shopping right here.
This is God's message to each and every one of us. Second Timothy three says all Scripture is breathed by God. Number two, the word of the Lord revives us the word of the Lord revives us a good verse seven of Psalm 19.
The law of the Lord of the word of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. This word converted to be translated, revived, restore, and transform when you read God's word. You will be revived, restored and transformed Psalm 119. As Osama seen revived me according to your word. So God's word will revive you. You want to be around five Christian you want to be a spirit filled Christian than study the word of God because it will revive you. Number three the word of God gives incredible wisdom, the word of God gives incredible wisdom will give her seven.
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple certain interesting phrase in the Hebrew because this word simple speaks about open-door sort of like your mind is an open door, and that the speaks of a person that just lets anything come in anything go out there totally naïve there open to everything there open to anything there closed to nothing the Bible says it can make you wise so you don't be that person.
So we have a person that learns to think logically, but that logic is built on Scripture. You know the funny thing sometimes people want to dismiss Christians as unthinking fools, when in reality I didn't really learn to think until I became a Christian.
To be honest with you I didn't even learn how to study until I became a Christian, not just the Bible but other books to really think things through and get a biblical worldview because of the biblical worldview.
Nothing on this planet makes sense if you think man is basically good. You must be having a lot of troubles right now but if you believe what the Bible says that man is not basically good man is essentially sinful, separated from God. That's what he does the things that he does.
Suddenly, a lot of things start making a lot more sense. So we need to not be that simpleminded person that just marches in lockstep with what ever is the trend or the thing that were supposed to believe and start thinking for ourselves.
God says in the book of Isaiah, let us reason together, says the Lord Christianity is a reasonable faith. It's a logical faith and so that's what this will do for you. The word of God will give you that kind of mind.
Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message 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 there 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. This Godot we are learning what the Bible does for us.
On a practical level. Each day, as believers, Pastor Greg is presenting his message the Bible and revival. Sometimes the question is as cool what you do when you don't agree with the Bible. Someone asked me that question a while ago would you do when you don't agree with the Bible.
I said will change your opinion because your I mean what you want me to say. Oh well, it says edit that out and I was just in the Museum of the Bible of Washington DC, which is an amazing place.
This fantastic place that just shows you how reliable God's word is and I recommend everyone go and visit it, but one of the things they had. There was a copy of Jefferson's Bible, Thomas Jefferson, I one of the presidents of the United States. One of the rectifiers of the U.S. Constitution.
A very important figure. But Jefferson had a Bible in Jefferson was a man who believed the Bible had good moral messages in it so he actually went through a Bible and cut out the parts about miracles in the supernatural and What he thought were the moral lessons of the Bible in it so it's called Jefferson's Bible. That's not how it works yeah I don't overly like the part of Engel just cut it out know all Scripture. The Bible says is inspired by God. So we don't want to do that if you don't agree with the Bible. Change your opinion because the Bible is right number for the Bible or the word of God is right. Verse eight the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. So it's going to help you to know how God wants you to live is going to show you the promises that God has for you.
That's what you want to read through books of the Bible and ask yourself the question, is there a promise here for me to claim his victory here for me to gain as a blessing here for me to enjoy my last point, keeping the word of God makes you happy.
Keeping the word of God makes you happy. Psalm 19. Eight says the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart that word rejoicing means just making you happy. You want to be a happy person read the Bible you want to be an even happier person doing the Bible tells you to do and I would add to that, don't do the things the Bible tells you not to do. Luke 1128 says happy are the people that hear the word of God and keep it all. I know this goes against the logic of some illegal know the Bible keeps you from happiness.
It's a restrictive life. It's a miserable life. It's a tortured life.
Nothing could be further from the truth. It's the exact opposite. Life without the word of God like without Jesus Christ is the miserable life.
I know I've been on both sides of the fence life without Christ is a restrictive life because you're gone with the power of sin. Life without Christ is a torturous life because you're tormented by your guilt for the sins you committed note you want to be a happy man you want to be a happy woman you do with the Bible tells you to do one last thing the Bible tells me how to get to heaven. The Bible tells me how to find the meaning of life. The Bible tells me what I should even be thinking about them living for each and every day because, most importantly, the Bible tells me about Jesus.
That's the message of the Bible in a nutshell, it's Jesus is in the Old Testament concealed, is in the New Testament revealed, but from Genesis to Revelation. It's all about Jesus.
The Old Testament is pointing to Jesus. The New Testament is showing all the things that Jesus fulfilled. It's all about this simple message God loves humanity.
Humanity sinned against God, God longs for relationship with us.
So he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross in our place and paper all of our sin and rise again from the dead, and that we will put our faith in Jesus we can have eternal life, and we can have a life on earth that is worth living. So asking closing.
Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ because he's alive were talking about the Jesus revolution.
Jesus is still revolutionizing lives right now and you can revolutionize your life. You can change your life, starting with removing that barrier that separates you from God that is called sin. Jesus is here with us in this place right now.
Send of the door of our life and he is knocking Amy is saying if you hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in and I'm not just talking with the people in this room I'm talking everybody watching everybody listening wherever you are. You can have a relationship with God right now you can be forgiven up all of your sin in Christ can come and live inside of you and I ask you if this were your last night on earth would you go to heaven when you die. If Jesus Christ were to come back again. Would you be ready to meet him. I recently told the story of a young lady named Crystal who heard the gospel in a radio broadcast a new beginning and ask Christ to come into her life with. The problem was Crystal worked at Planned Parenthood and she assisted in doing abortions on young ladies and she said one day I was in that room that was reassembling the body parts of the baby that had been aborted and I thought of something that Craig said in his message which was if Jesus were to come back again. Would you be ashamed to be doing the thing that you're doing and it dawned in her yes I would be and I believe I would be left behind. So Crystal turned from her sin and put her faith in Jesus Christ is not can happen for any person, no matter what you're doing, no matter what sin you've committed how bad it is, God will forgive you.
But Jesus is coming again. They could come back tonight and I hope that you would not be one of the ones who would be left behind is a what would I do, you need to admit your sin, you need to ask Christ to come in your life and you will do that for you right here right now the moment were going to pray and I'm interested in an opportunity for anyone here that is joined this to me not yet know Jesus Christ an opportunity for you to ask him into your life.
Ask him to forgive you of your sin so you can find this relationship with God. We been talking about and so you can know with certainty that you go to heaven when you die, but I just a young kid I heard this message. I didn't understand a lot of it but understood little understood the God love me understood that Jesus wanted to forgive me. I understood that my life could change it so I took the little step of faith and I pray that little prayer. Little did I know what would happen in the months and years.
In the decades following. But I'm telling you can happen for you right here right now your whole life can change your story can change your future can change your past can be put behind you but you must come to Jesus and believe in him. If you need to do that. Do it right now. Let's all pray father I pray for every person here every person listening every person watching wherever they are. If they don't know Jesus yet they don't have a relationship with you.
I pray this will be the moment it happens.
I pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their need for Christ and bring them to yourself. Now we pray. Amen Pastor Greg Laurie important prayer if you like to make a change today in your relationship with the Lord before today's edition of a new beginning wraps up in a moment. Pastor Greg will help you do that, so please stay with us and keep in mind if you missed any part of today study you can hear it again instantly online@harvest.org the title to look for is the Bible and revival order CD by calling 1-800-821-3300.
We are here to take your call around the clock and again the number 1-800-821-3300 one.
Pastor Greg many of us I think it been on sort of a newish diet watching the news can just cause so much stress and disappointment the world. This is a mess.
Yes it sure seems like God may be up to something you think. Yes I I sure pray and hope so because I'll tell you what our nation needs a healing. I cannot remember a time when we been more divided. The only parallel would be late 60s with all the riots and racial division and issues at that time, I would say it's as bad today. I would say it's maybe even a little bit worse today because you know it did back in the late 60s. We didn't have social media. We didn't have twitter. I wouldn't have all these platforms were you'll could be thrown onto pre-existing flames and I think everybody just needs to step back and I'm talking up primarily to Christians and we need to live and behave as followers of Jesus Christ. Because really, we should seek to be bridge builders not bridge burners. We need to be peacemakers, not troublemakers.
And I think we need to really pray that God would heal our land. Now I know I've quoted this verse many times, but man, it is so clear and really gives us the prescription for the healing of a nation, and end of course is second Chronicles 714, with the Lord says if my people notice. He pointed finger and his people. When a nation is in trouble. God doesn't point his finger at the government. He points his finger at his people.
He says if my people, which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then God promises I'll hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land. We need to healing and it's happened before and it can happen again. The last great spiritual awakening in American history was known as the Jesus movement are the Jesus revolution. Some historians believe not only was it the last great revival. Some even believe it was the greatest of all the revivals I here's what I do know I came to Christ in 1970. I walked into the epicenter of the Jesus movement I and I saw amazing things in my life was impacted and a whole generation was impacted. The nation was impacted and I wrote a book about it in the title of the book is Jesus, revolution, and I might also add that I cowrote it with a lady name Ellen von Ellen von was also the co-author of my autobiography called lost boy of fairy gifted writer in her own right and she help me put this book together. She did extensive research so you can understand the backdrop of the Jesus revolution and I think as you read this book, you're going to say well.
This reminds me of right now and so here's a word say Lord do it again. As the Scripture says, will you not revive us again that your people may praise you, so we need another spiritual awakening, I don't think we can organize it, but I think we can agonize for it in prayer and I don't think we can make it happen. But I think we can prepare the ground for the work of the spirit and I think reading this book will inspire you because you know it's been said that fame of revival spreads the flame of revival. So learn about the theme of revival learn about what God did in the last great spiritual awakening in America. And let's pray that it will happen again. I want to send you this book Jesus revolution at no cost. All I ask of you is that you would send a gift to help us continue to preach the gospel and teach the word of God. So for your gift of any size will rush you a copy of my book Jesus revolution. Yeah that's right it's an inspiring look at what happened during the 60s and 70s, and how can happen again. In fact, the subtitle of the book is how God transformed an unlikely generation, and how he can do it again today and along with the book will even include the brand-new study guide that helps you dive even deeper into the insights. Pastor Greg presents so to thank you for your generous donation right now.
We hope you'll ask for Jesus revolution you can write a set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300. That's 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 you've 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 come into 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 and to help you as you follow the Lord 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 will set it free of charge. Again, it's the new believers growth packet.
Write a new beginning.
Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 were here 24 hours a day seven days a week to take your call again, dial 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org click know God. What part is our knowledge of the rapture play ushering in the next great move of revival spiritual awakening. Pastor Greg explains next time you begin to join us. Possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org