Hope for Hurting Hearts: Growing Our Faith in God

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 you know there's something wrong as you raise the garden reverse, we may wish it was the officer won a litter homegrown pain-free serenity. Pastor Grigori shows that's not God's vision and father knows both actually get stronger when you but you must not turn away from God. Are you will you when the alarm worked out you wish we could strengthen our multiples while we lie there in bed but we know the work that way. Growing strong in our faith. Sometimes we have to exerciser sometimes that comes with the most painful distressing times of life today on Grigori helps us get through today will see our faith grow as a story of a loved one done. It's a story of severe grief that accompanies that of someone you love. It's also a story of how Jesus reacts in such situations and it tells us all God can actually be glorified through difficult circumstances. But it's also a hopeful message so we will remember that no matter what were going through. God is going to be with you and give you the strength you need in your hour of need not necessarily before, never after but he'll give you what you need when you need it. This is a story of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus know these people were personal friends of Jesus Christ and he would go to their home in Bethany when he would be going into Jerusalem and everyone in the Jerusalem.

There was conflict there was drama, there were things going on so we go hang out with his friends first.

And by the way, Martha was a killer cook and I'm sure you love your food as it is called buddies he took with him everywhere he went, so he did show up a Martha would whip him up a feast and Jesus like to spend time in their home and they can be accurately said that Mary her sister Martha and her brother Lazarus were personal friends of Jesus Christ. I think that's an important thing to know and so is her story picks up hardship is come their way. Sickness is invaded their home.

John 11 now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was then Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to him say Lord. Behold, he whom you love is sick like this, not Jesus love Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Therefore, therefore, when he heard that he was sick, he stayed two more days in the place where he was hung. What and finally Jesus comes strolling in the town and he's days late. Not only has he missed healing Lazarus. Lazarus is died and he missed the funeral. So as he arrives in Bethany. Martha goes up to him and says the following, John 11 verse 20 then market as soon as she heard Jesus was coming one and met him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

Martha said to Jesus, Lord of you would've been here, my brother would not have died.

But now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you Jesus said to her brother will rise again for this and I know you will rise again in the resurrection of the last date Jesus said read my lips. He didn't say that but he said I am the resurrection on the life he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live his former lives and believes in me shall never die. So here comes Jesus greeted by Martha with this statement. Lord, if you would've been here, my brother would not have died. Allow me to loosely paraphrase that Jesus become a blue you really let us down here. We were bragging on you to our friends telling them all how awesome you are and you don't even show up. You even listen funeral you get it done something but then there's a spark of faith in thereto, and Martha does say yes I know that whatever you ask of God, to give it to you. Okay, so she's very upset with Jesus. Have you ever been upset with God. Have you ever not agreed with what God did in your life. Have you ever been disappointed with God may be saying something like where were you, Lord, when my parents divorced. Where were you when my marriage does all were you when my child one prodigal, what were you will my loved one die. Where were you when you let me buy at The Pet Shop Boys visual why the crazy stuff and every know that I know this is an intense message about of throwing wacky humor here and there but you know where were you, Lord, we feel that way and we cry out to him and then I want to say this, Mary and Martha were doing the right thing. We all have our anxieties and we all of our concerns. Don't separate yourself from God and isolate yourself from other Christians. Be with them and go to God in prayer with your concerns.

Listen with your complaints with your frustrations and say Lord I don't get it I will like it, but I believe in you and I believe you're in control and I love you, but I still don't like okay dishonest is just honesty with God. There's nothing wrong with asking God why don't necessarily expect an answer, but you can ask God why you know the Lord did tell us why things happen the way they do you think you would ease your pain and heal your broken heart. I mean imagine for a moment of yours and got I don't understand is why Weiss is you really want to know you're ready for guests.

Is the reason that happened was so this would take place though. What would you do, I don't agree that that's all right. That's messed up. You probably wouldn't agree with it so I don't even think knowing the answer would help you God says my ways are above your ways, my thoughts are above your thoughts so we should live in promises not explanation and we shouldn't spend too much time asking why why why now Jesus is going to put things in perspective. Martha listen to me now. I am the resurrection and the life and he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet it is over lives and believes in me shall never die. Martha listen. Death is not the this is the promise of God for all of us and this is why we as Christians have whole, everything doesn't. And when I leave this article.

Yes my physical life ends, but I am a soul in the body and I live on in eternity. And one day haven't according to Scripture, is going to come down to the earth and heaven and earth will become one God has a future and a hope for every one of his followers. That's why we have whole in a seemingly hopeless world. Okay, let's go back to John 11 verse 32 and when Mary came where Jesus would see some falling down at his feet, saying, Lord, if you would've been here, my brother would not have died. Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, he groaned in his spirit and was troubled and he said were of you laid him. They said come and see that there's a shortest verse in the Bible Jesus wept towards Jesus wept than the Jews that see how I loved him.

You know, men have harder time in general than women expressing their feelings and emotions. Girls do it so well. We so admire you. We don't understand you but we admire you the way you just talking into 12 girls talking the same time understanding each other really perplexed when you all go to the bathroom together that makes no sense to men badly want to go I'll go y'all go over like guys would never do that ever were imperative we see each other in the about them. Girls girls integral. I love you so much I love you I love you I love you.

Love love love guys are like and we do feel love we feel love for our brothers we feel love for our wives to deliver a lot of people just harder for us to stay at. That's all. So will punch each other. Love you bro, you know, were messed up with just a good and it's really hard for men to cry general for many men the whole tobacco fight. It and some would even say it's not masculine decry for anyone who would say it is not masculine for Amanda cry. I have a two word answer. Jesus wept. Jesus with Jesus of Nazareth was the most masculine man that ever walked this when he was the man even pilot said, behold the make. It was the man. Don't forget he carry that wooden cross of the streets of Jerusalem after having this back ripped open by a Roman with he was tough as nails not this of feminine little scrawny.

Jesus you see in religious art. That's not the Jesus of the Bible. He was strong but he went because it was heartbreaking. What was heartbreaking was heartbreaking was what sin it done. Was he mad, I was he mad at Mary and Martha, I don't think so.

Was he mad at the people morning. I don't really think so. I think he was mad at the Grim Reaper if you will.

It was mounted death itself because this was never part of God's divine plan for us to die, we would've live forever of our crazy first parents didn't eat the forbidden fruit. By the way, it wasn't an Apple. The Bible never says Apple people say when Ottoman EVP of the Apple. It was a nectarine, don't you know actually were not told, but because he ate that fruit. Sin entered the world. If Adam and Eve is not eaten of the forbidden fruit.

We would live forever if Adam and Eve and not eaten the forbidden fruit. We would never arrange vitamin E that not eaten of the forbidden fruit. I would have here right now. Lots of beautiful hair. I was signing copies of my book up of the service in the some lady came up to me and said them.

I'd ask you how old are you I said well hell do you think I she said well I don't want to say go ahead take a shot. She says 72 Mike seriously season I told you I didn't want to say well that's all because of sin, aging, sickness to Greg Moore will have the second half of this message just a moment in a new book pastor Greg Laurie recalls his friendship with Dr. Billy Graham. He had this ability to connect from the beginning to the middle to the end of his ministry.

Remember seeing him in New York.

It is final crusade in Flushing Meadows. There, and I remember he just looked at the crowd and said God loves you and then he would turn to another part of the crowd, God loves you will read somewhere that what you want me his first love you and the Bible says God loves you live. There were 2 mg. He was the same in private that he was in public. He was a godly man I've ever met. The new book Billy Graham man I knew Greg Laurie Uris regifted any size at harvest.or now pastor Greg continues his message called hope for hurting hearts God to be glorified through human suffering and bring good out of that God can be glorified to human suffering and bring good out of bad Mary and Martha wanted a healing Jesus wanted a resurrection he wanted to do more than they wanted him to do another many times God wants to do way more than you're asking for. The Bible says in Ephesians 320 is able to do exceedingly above and beyond that which we could ask or think so told limit God by your unbelief made you about Bill.

Do you need $942.76 to pay Siegel to Lord, Lord, I need this much money will be to provide for. Don't limit them. Siblings want to throw in five extra grand. I'm good at what everyone now I'm sort of being a little humorous there, but the point is he might want to do more than you're asking for is a Lord here's my need to bring about for you, but I know you can do exceedingly above and beyond that which I can ask or think. Here's the thing about hope you think how do you get hope how do you build hope. Well need sunshine, lollipops, rainbows, and a couple unicorns right there. Not real. By the way, but don't tell that the little girl. But the point is to go all the good times all the happy times will bring no not really something that might surprise you. Hope grows in the garden of adversity, hope actually get stronger when things get harder to that doesn't make any sense to me will listen. The Bible says this in Romans 53 we glory in tribulations, which means were happy when things are hard. That's not easy knowing that tribulation produces perseverance or endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope to see when a Christian suffers and still glorifies God, and reassures the rest of us that there will never be a valley so deep that God will not get us through it reminds us that our faith is real, sustain us in our hour of need. You're going to hardship.

That's when you're going to find out how real your faith actually is Kevin saying these things for years I've been telling these things to other people. That's time for me to get on this little bridge called faith about my full weight on it and I had to do that and the bridge did hold me up because everything God says in his word is true in my faith grew stronger. My whole burn brighter and it can happen for you as well. But you must turn to God not turn away from God. That was a smart thing about Mary and Martha. They went to the Lord and that's where you need to go with your pain right now and I'm asking you in closing, are you hopeful are you hopeless I talked about the hopeless generation. They have probably more materially than any generation that's ever existed their very own iPads and I'm talking about the Pat's have iPads now everybody has all these great things in so many marriages are done below that have high suicide rate what's going on. I think it's because there's all these bright shiny dazzling things and they quickly see the emptiness of all of it in their wondering is there more to life than this weather is but it's not in stuff. It's in a relationship with God. You know when you're young is able. I'm not that happy novel one day when I graduate from high school on I'll be happy I'll be fulfilled and you graduate. Well, I need to graduate from college and you do that. Why need to get married, then you get married your life, maybe I need you remarriage so you get divorced and I'm not making light of that, by the way, but I'm using it as an illustration, so you remarriage again. Maybe I'm in the wrong. This is not get remarried again, they say, well, kids.

We need kids that we had kids would be happy that you have kids then you say we get rid of these kids and I will be happy never notice it's always is a little beyond your reach.

That's because it thing you're looking for isn't out there is not a thing you holding your hand, it's having Christ in your heart, that's what you're wired for that's what you're looking for. This verse in this verse is 25 chapters of the patient notes just one.

Proverbs 1028 the hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked are all in vain.

So if you're a believer and you have your hope in Christ will result in happiness. But if your expectations are and other things. It's all in vain. Jesus has what you're looking for to forgive you of all of your sin and give you hope if you're younger if you're middle-aged. If your 72. Or, if you look like your 72 or your 85 are your 95.

Whatever your range. The answer is to say, we need Jesus. I want to close by offering an invitation to anybody here that may not have a relationship with God. Yet, because, listen to this life without Jesus is a hopeless end but life with Jesus is endless hope you heard of the endless summer.

I'm talking about endless hope it doesn't stop for you in a relationship with God.

Jesus died on the cross for you. 2000 years ago. He died in your place and bore your sins. And he rose again from the dead three days later and always here standing at the door of your life, and he is knocking anything.

If you hear his voice and open the door to come in US price to come in your life you if not when it should do it right now. You'll find the Hope you're looking for. He's just a prayer away. Let's all pray together. Father, thank you for your love for us.

Thank you for your word to us. Thank you that you can give us hope in a seemingly hopeless world and now I pray for any person, here watching, listening, wherever they may be.

If they don't have a relationship with you.

They don't know that their sin is forgiven. Would you help them to see their need for you today. Help them to come to you and believing you.

We asked Greg Laurie Orton prayer and if you like to do just that. If you like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord today. Pastor Greg will help you in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning.

Concludes Bethune.

If you missed any part of today study you can hear what you missed by going online to harvest.org just look for the study called hope for hurting hearts stream. The study all over again while you're online or to order a copy on CD. Just call us at 1-800-821-3300. We are here to take your call 24 seven again at number 1-800-821-3300 Pastor Greg, I hold in my hands.

Your brand-new book called Billy Graham the man I knew loved the book 1 of your Best Buy links and I'm in a flip all the way back to the back of the book.

The second paragraph of the chapter you call acknowledgments and I find this fascinating. Here's what you write you so you say my collaborator Marshall Terrell and I have consulted a veritable library of Graham books, articles, periodicals, YouTube videos and thousands of documents on the Internet including the 1004 page file, the FBI kept on Billy research reached as far back as the Civil War. Yeah. Oh my goodness, this book contains dimensions, abilities, life and background which have never been explored anywhere before that part I found absolutely fascinating.

The fact that you have done.

I mean, you knew Billy, it says so in the title Billy Graham, the man I knew, yes, but you have dug so deeply into giving us such a rich biography on the man that you call the single greatest evangelist who ever lived.

That's right.

What I want people to understand his place in history.

He's truly a historical figure along the lines of our great presidents and people that impacted our country and even people that impacted our world and so we wanted to go back to Billy's roots. His father and his grandfather, his great-grandfather, so we we tell the story with a wide overview but then we go in deeply into his life and what I wanted to do day was show the human side. Billy, you know, sometimes a person can fade into history and people never really had any interaction with them and they almost become one-dimensional like Pres. Lincoln on the five dollar bill, but he was a real flesh and blood guy, Abraham Lincoln, and so was Billy Graham and it was my privilege to spend a lot of time with him a lot of time just hanging out with them a lot of time asking them questions a lot of time listening to them preach. I and and I got to know him there, I say as a friend and and he was just such a great man to observe you know the private Billy was even more impressive than the public. Billy and the public. Billy was very impressive. I mean I can't think of a greater preacher I've ever seen. But privately he was very humble, very gracious and always was interested in whoever he was speaking to. They might be a famous person like a president, and they might be somebody you've never heard of before. Billy took an interest in people in general and and had a wonderful way about Kim and every time I was with them. I was had to pinch myself. I mean, that was with them a lot so it wasn't like every time I was with my butterflies in my stomach or something like that but I never stop realizing this is Billy Graham I'm hanging out with here and talking to and it was great to access him in here things from him and share things with them and be of some small help to him in the final years of his ministry as Billy was ending his ministry. I was starting my crusade ministry and he asked me to assist them with illustrations and building bridges to younger audiences, so I love doing that effect. I found more pleasure in prepping a message for Billy Graham that I found in prepping one for myself. I would Billy actually use some of the material I gave him it was just like one of the greatest moments of my life. I can imagine it was your Billy was the kind of man we all wish we knew personally and you'll get to know him in this brand-new biography.

It really is an inspiring journey again is called Billy Graham the man I knew it, I can Graham lots Billy's daughter commented about the book she wrote in this page turner of a book I learned things about my father that I never knew Greg Laurie has been a masterly job of setting my father's life in historical and cultural context. I pray that Billy Graham, the man I knew will draw readers to the gospel will find the love of God that he preached so fervently and faithfully. So can we send a copy of this your way. Pastor Greg is making it available to thank you for your donation of any size.

Please know there are no churches or large organizations covering all the broadcast expenses notes only through the investments of listeners, but these insights can come your way.

Each day, so thanks for being a partner with us with your donation today. Be sure to ask for Billy Graham, the man I knew you can write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 call anytime 24 hours a day, 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org will pastor Greg a few months ago you spoke of the need to get our hearts right with God.

That's right, could you have someone who wants to do that very thing right now.

Yes, I'd be delighted to listen as you listen to this program today. Maybe some is been happening inside of your heart. We are sensing I need to do this personally, but how do I do it and what oh I do, let me help you. It's very simple affected so simple. You may be shocked God's relationship with him is just a prayer away. The Bible says if you will call upon the name of the Lord you will be saved, so I'd like to lead you in a prayer we you do just that you call on the name of the Lord. This can be the moment when you change your eternal address literally from hell to heaven.

Just pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for me, and rose again from the dead, Jesus I choose to follow you from this moment forward in your name I pray. Amen. I know it's such a simple short prayer but you just called on the name of the Lord, and you know what he heard that prayer and if you meant their prayer in your heart, he answered that prayer now let me help you to get started on the right foot in your new life in Jesus Christ. The greatest adventure awaits you.

Life of walking with God. I want to send you what we call a new believers growth pack that includes the new believers Bible and a whole lot more and let me be the first to see the you congratulations and welcome to the family of God yet to get that free new believers growth pack. Just ask for it if you prayed along with Pastor Greg to receive Christ today will be glad to send 1 Your Way writers had a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 call anytime 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click know God 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 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 in so many ways this world has lost its way. But God wants believers to bring the kind of change needs for next time. Pastor Greg offers practical help on how to be a world changer to the next new beginning and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org