This broadcaster has 2045 podcast archives available on-demand.
Keep up-to-date with this broadcaster on social media and their website.
June 11, 2021 3:00 am
View and subscribe to Pastor Greg’s weekly notes.
---
Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org.
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.
Support the show: https://harvest.org/support
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Everybody you're listening to a new beginning, which is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. If this program is impacted you, I love to hear from you. So just send an email to me at greg@harvest.org again it's greg@harvest.org you can learn more about becoming harvest partner by going to harvest.org going into extraordinary things and ordinary people.
That means we all qualifying today on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie brings an example from Scripture we don't see the potential of our lives that God seems we see a lump of clay. God sees a beautiful vase we see a piece of coal. God sees mine diamond PC problems.
God is a solution we see it in God sees a new beginning in Brandon live a good life. Someone is pointed out, we should never compare someone else's highlight reel we live out our blooper real every day we see the fumbles gaps in the groups of clothes today on a new beginning. Laurie points out, God sees beyond the blooper today. A good example of how God can rewrite our minor note that story that was in the news about Amanda. What a hippo as his pet.
He lived in South Africa and this man named the hippo Humphrey and he adopted him when he was a little calf and according to this man. This 2000 pound beast was like his pet he would write it ever got a little bit bigger he would play with them.
He would even brush its teeth which seems to be a daunting task. I think that would take a pretty large toothbrush and the owner said, quote he's like a son to me and then he went on to say people think you can only ever relationship with dogs and cats and other domestic animals, but I have a relationship. The most dangerous animal in Africa." I think you can imagine how the story ended.
I'm sorry to say that Humphrey the hippo turned on its owner and tragically mauled and killed him that because hippos are not good pets because they're dangerous. Remember years ago I was in Africa and so I stayed in a little tinted And they warned me at night. Be careful of the hippo.
I'm thinking that hippos will help why what I have to worry about hippos older out running around at night in the attack and kill people and they told me more people are killed by hippos and lions in Africa.
I can hardly believe it, and sure enough that neither heard some noise outside of my dead and opened up the little flapper looked out and there was a hippo and those things move fast on land so I don't think that the owner realize that Humphrey was a hungry hippo and he would strike one way to tell the story because in the same way.
Sometimes we may think that well this sin in my life I have control of it. It's like a little cat I'm always going to be able to not be overtaken by it. I'm sure when Humphrey was small I don't know if he was ever all that small, but when he was smaller at least that is owner never thought he would get his big and aggressive as he became, and we think the same thing about sin.
It'll never overtake me. Then one day it does weave a story before is now in the Bible of a man who was overtaken by sin. I man who probably never realized that one thing would lead to another and through five steps he fell away from the Lord in this man was a full-fledged apostle of Jesus Christ and his name is known to all of us.
I want to tell the story of Simon Peter and his fall and his restoration. Hence the title, a second chance in life. Of course Jesus gave to Simon. His given name, title, he said. From this point on, you're going to be called Peter which means rock. Now I think the other disciples might have a little bit of a chuckle at that moment because everything is okay. There's a lot of things we could say about Sima, will you not described him as a rock. He was sort of unstable at times and vacillating in impulsive almost the opposite of a rock. But Jesus gave them a name that he knew Simon would grow into with time in the same way.
We don't see the potential in our lives that God sees.
We see a lump of clay. God sees a beautiful vase or boss we see a blank canvas. God sees a finished cleaning.
We see a piece of coal. God sees a refined diamond. We see problems. God sees solutions we see failure God sees potential we CNN and God sees a new beginning and so Peter was going to have a fallen Jesus told him he was going to have a fall and maybe some of you a fallen spiritually in the last few months are in the last year but listen the past cannot be changed but our response to it can be because God can take our Indians and turn them into beginning, let me say that again because I know I'm talking to somebody right now that is made a mess of their life.
I want you to know this God can take your ending and he can turn it into a beginning so sort of the pickup. When we last left off of the gospel of Mark were in the upper room.
Jesus is having this final meal the Last Supper with his disciples and he has revealed that one of the apostles is going to betray him to a man they say is it me, Lord, is a me and at that moment Judas Iscariot was dipping his bread at the same time the Christ was. And Jesus identified the betrayer and he said to do this. Whatever you do, do it quickly. The Bible says at that moment Satan entered Judas his heart and so Judas goes out now to betray our Lord for 30 pieces of silver, and now we see what happened to Peter as this was all unfolding look with me if you will, and Mark chapter 14 starting in verse 27, by the way, everything from the new living translation. On the way. Jesus told them all of you will desert be for the Scriptures say God will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered, but our prime rate from the dead.
I'll go ahead before you went to Galilee and I'll meet you there.
Peter said even if everyone else desert you. I never will. Jesus replied well I tell you the truth Peter, this very night before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me know. Peter declared emphatically, even if I have to die with you. I will never deny you and all the others doubt the same now looks gospel gives us a few more details about this conversation. Jesus turns to Peter and says this Simon. Simon, Satan is been asking for you that you would be taken out of the care and protection of God, but I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail. And when you have returned to me. You need to strengthen your brothers.
Can you imagine Jesus saying something like that to you means hanging out and Jesus turns to you and says your name twice and says Satan is been asking that you would be taken out of the care and protection of God. I wonder if he just pause for effect. What Satan Satan himself is been asking for me by name. He's been asking for you. But then he had these words.
These reassuring words but I have prayed for you. This is a reminder of how the devil works sometimes will say all the devil tempted me the other day. I think it's very doubtful that you've ever been tempted by the devil himself. Let me explain. The devil is a powerful spirit being. But he is nowhere near being the equal of God, a God is omnipresent, which means he's present everywhere Satan a powerful fallen angel can only be in one place at one time. Now I'm not saying you weren't tempted. I'm just saying when you were tempted. It was probably not see himself, but one of Satan's minions.
Not that kind of minion but you know him. One of his demon powers doing his dirty work, but in this case with Peter, the devil himself came calling.
But notice that Jesus says Satan is been asking for you by name. Satan had asked first the sender. This the devil can do nothing in the life of the child of God without our father's permission, let me say that again, the devil can do nothing in our lives without our father's permission and God will never allow us to be tempted above our capacity to resist a first Corinthians 1013 verse I memorized as a teenager and I still remember it says God will not allow you to be tempted above your capacity to resist but will with the temptation make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
No, this temptation can be resisted every temptation is an opportunity to run to God and there is a blessing promised to the man or the woman that resist temptation over in James 112 it says happy is the person who endures temptation for when they are tried the receive a crown of life.
So don't tell me you can overcome your temptation. Don't tell me you can't stop drinking. Don't tell me you can't stop looking at porn. Don't tell me you can't stop turning to drugs time and time again the question is do you really want to be free from that stuff Jesus asked the men who had been disabled for a soul like this question.
Do you want to be made whole.
What kind of question is not to ask a man that obviously doesn't like the CDs in.
It's a very good question because not every person wants to be made whole. Not every person wants to be delivered from drugs.
Not every person wants to change the life that they're living so it's a question we need to ask who I really want to change.
Don't tell your been tempted above your capacity to resist because with every one of those temptations. There was always a way out wasn't there.
It usually the first bite that gets us into trouble. I don't know about you but when we go to a restaurant, you know we'd be donned in some would say you want to get dessert know know nobody wants a dessert and then the server comes, can I tempt you with the desert leaving you sort and their voice even sounds like that present recent 10-Q and summits. It okay will have one dessert with 54 right so the desert arrives and I said I don't want any of that dessert.
And everybody's digging in and then I decide to take one little by the moment.
I take the first bite. I'm like a shark smelling blood in the water. I go to a feeding frenzy. And so it's good for me to not take the first bite.
It's good for all of us to not take the first look or play around with that thing or think we can conquer it like that guy with Humphrey, the hippo we need to keep our distance to Greg Moore will have the second half of his message in just a moment know sometimes we can always make it to church when here's the good news church is coming to you is coming due on your TV screen or on your tablet or your computer or even your phone. We do it every weekend and it's called harvest home.
We worship we have a message of the word of God. If you want to find out more, just go to harvest.org enjoy this this weekend for harvest at all will glide your lawn today here on a new beginning.
Pastor Greg is presenting a message called a second chance in life from Mark chapter 14 and you can hear a replay of this message@harvest.org God is put a hedge of protection around every believer in the story of Job, which is the oldest book of the Bible.
The devil comes to God and once they have a time of bringing difficulty in the life of God's servant Job, and the devil says correctly of Job. Have you not put a hedge of protection around him and yes it is true, the Lord allowed a series of hardships to befall his servant.
But in the end God bless Job in a wonderful and powerful way.
My point is there is protection in our life. And there's always a way out of every temptation and when the Lord lets us go through times of trial that allows us to be tempted. It's for a purpose. He's trying to make us stronger.
But remember, Jesus is praying for you.
On the people come up to me and say no. We pray for you Greg and your family every day and if you're one of those people from the bottom of my heart, let me say thank you so very much. There's no greater gift that you could offer to me than to say you pray for me or pray for our family are pray for our church. Thank you so much for that, but I have to be honest with you knowing Christ is interceding for me even means more. There's an old commentator from days gone by. His name is Robert Murray McShane and he made the statement that I quote if I can hear Christ praying for me in the next room.
I would not fear a million enemies yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me." I think about that Christ himself praying for you. I remember once talking with Billy Graham and I said, Billy, would you pray for me any pray for me right there and I thought all men.
This prayer is going to be heard in heaven.
This is Billy Graham. Praying it. Hey, I'm talking about Jesus himself praying for you because over in Romans 834 we read these words. Who is he that condemns Christ Jesus who died more than that was raised to life is at the right hand of God. Listen he's interceding for us.
So who will separate us from the love of Christ shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword.
Yes, he was praying for Peter and he's interceding for you as well. And Jesus is saying you'll be back. Peter and Luke 2232 Jesus says that your faith should not fail and when you've returned to me will strengthen your brothers. Peter understood that Lexi wrote about it in his own epistle. First Peter 510.
He said after you suffered a little while, God will restore you and strengthen you and place on a firm foundation so Peter could speak from experience. He had suffered he had fallen and he had experienced restoration. Why was the devil targeting Peter in particular, I think it's because the devil also saw Peter's potential he could see that he was first among the apostles when Peter said he was going to do something they would all usually follow after Christ died in the cross and they hadn't seen the risen Lord.
Yet Peter said I'm going fishing, velvet will go with you. He was sort of a leader. The devil often targets leaders for you need to pray for those who are in leadership.
Maybe you feel like you've been been tempted a lot and attacked a lot by the devil.
Maybe that's because he sees your potential as well, so where and as a badge of honor. Now there are five steps that lead Peter down to his denial of Christ here.
Step number one if you're taking notes is first step down was self confidence, self confidence, go back to Mark 14 verse 29 Peter said to Jesus, even if everyone else dessert you I never will. And this is after the Lord revealed that Judas would betray computers effectively think hey even if Judas betrays you all will never let you down.
I enemies almost posting at the expense of others, even if these others fall short. All I remember you give me the new name Rob Rocky will never let you down. You know it's never a good thing to boast of your commitment to Christ, especially at the expense of someone else. It's never even a good idea to boast about how much you love Jesus brother boast about how much he loves you.
Our love is fickle. It's often changing God's love for us is consistent. I love how the apostle John described himself as the apostle whom Jesus loved, now that Mama sound arrogant when you leave your possible that Jesus love you just state the facts he loved me. I feel loved by Jesus, and we can call ourselves a disciple that Jesus loves as well so is first step down again was self confidence in saying these words at all.
Never deny you are. For Christ that he would was actually placing unfounded confidence in himself and it was also directly contradicting what Jesus said doesn't Jesus said to Peter, you will deny when Jesus says something will happen. You can take it to the bank. If the Bible tells us something is going to happen in the future. Trust me, it's going to happen in the future and but in Peter's mind even if everyone else abandon the Lord. Keene never would look at verse 31 of Mark 14. He says even if I have to die with you. I will never deny notes an interesting thing when you look in the Bible you find that often men and women of God fell in the very area that they normally were strong and so as an example, we have a light would we think of only think of a life we think of fire called fire down from heaven with Jacob. All this bravery standing up there no Carmel representing God. But what happened after the fire fell amount Carmel there was a contract without on the prophets life by Queen Jezebel and Elijah ran initiated in a key so he was cowardly and afraid, when he was normally known for his boldness. Abraham while he's the father of faith only think of faith we think of Abraham.
Yet he had a serious lapse of faith when he lied about Sarah being his wife saying she was his sister because he was afraid of what would happen about Samson known for his superhuman strength. He was overthrown in his moral weakness. This is why you must never lower your garden any area of your life. He was so confident perspective from Pastor Greg Laurie from our studies in Mark 14 today on a new beginning. A study called a second chance in life and there's more to come in this message, including a final thought from Pastor Greg before we go today now to hear anything you missed over the past half hour.
Just go to harvest.org and look for that message title a second chance in life will Pastor Greg were talking about your new book, Billy Graham, the man I knew yes now Billy died just shy of his 100th birthday and I was marveling at how many decades his ministry spanned. It started around World War II and grew up to the time of the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the turbulent 60s, the 70s with the Jesus movement really all the way up past the dawn of the new millennium trip and I know you have some surprises you're revealing to us drawn from your new book, including the fact that he was really good at seeing where cultural trends were headed. He really did you know there's an amazing video out there. You can Google it were billing spoken Silicon Valley to many of the top technology, people, and he took that opportunity to speak to them in because he was so well-respected we all gathered to hear what he had to say and as always he shared the gospel with them. But Billy was always an early adopter of new technologies. I've mentioned the fact that he was on television and radio and making films that have the gospel in them long before anybody else was doing it and Billy also understood that the Internet was a powerful tool use that as well. Way back in 1971 Billy made the statement and I quote there will be worldwide lawlessness will be an over emphasis on sex, and though be an acceleration of technology", at something.
A description of what's happening right now and he understood these things were coming any always look for opportunities to use these platforms to reach more people with the gospel.
So this is just one of the many things I bring out my new book called Billy Graham the man I knew the reason I wrote this book was to introduce Billy to a younger generation. You know, a generation of people that have heard his name, but they have no real point of reference.
He doesn't seem like a real flesh and blood person, but I think after reading this book, you'll feel like you met Billy Graham even spent some time with him and I think you'll appreciate and understand why God used him in such a singular way so I'll send you a copy of this book, Billy Graham, the men I knew for your gift of any size tour ministry. Whatever you send. It will be used. To reach more people with the teaching of God's word and the proclamation of the gospel.
You know that he heard a new beginning were one of the few ministries that actually throw the net as I like to say which means we invite people to come to Christ and many do things to your prayers and thanks to your financial support.
So whatever he can do to help us.
It's appreciated.
I will send you your copy of Billy Graham, the man I knew, yet it's a unique look and evangelists look at the life of history's greatest evangelist is a celebration of her remarkable life again. The title is Billy Graham, the man I knew can be sent a copy your way as Pastor Greg said we're making it available to thank you for your donation of any size. And please know there are no churches or large organizations covering all the expenses notes only through the investments of listeners that these insights can come your way. Each day, so thanks for being a partner with us and 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. That's a 24 hour phone number 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org when next time.
As we look further at Peter's denial of Christ will see. He found forgiveness and hope. Pastor Greg points out, the Lord turned his mess into a message more next time. But before we go. Pastor Greg closes this way, I heard a story about the two ducks in the fraud.
They like to hang out together and upon in Farmer Brown steel and one summer the little pond dried up. So the frog went to the docks. This is a true story and set up guys going to help me out here, I'm stuck your but it but if each of you would take a stick and each of your beaks I could hold onto the stick with my mouth. You could fly me out here so the doc said okay will do it insolently each grab hold of that stick with their beaks and the little frog jumped up and grabbed it with his mouth and is there line out of Farmer Brown steel Farmer Brown's down there and he looks up and he sees this amazing sight of two ducks holding the state in their being with a broad holding on by his mouth and he said that is an amazing thing.
Who thought of that in the project. I go to credit right levels of light goes for an to a new beginning. Greg Laurie podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for daily devotions and learn how to become a harvest partner harvest.org