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July 5, 2021 3:00 am
Today on A New Beginning, we present the message Pastor Greg brought his congregation that day. It’s a very personal view of one of the most important issues we can consider.
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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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You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Visit our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org to learn more highly evolved. We feel the pull down your great glory. God created us to Ashley. Firstly, we have a desire to ask about eternity. There is nothing on this earth ever satisfied only by what we are Greg Laurie and his wife got the new snow. They were their son unexpectedly got lost. We obviously still feel and on a recent anniversary pastor Greg was thinking about today on the new beginning present the message Pastor Greg brought his congregation personal view of one of the most how many of you have GPS, maybe you have in your car you have it in your smart phone GPS.
How many of you have ever used GPS and have it take you to the wrong place… With me to a lot of cars come with the you know, that's funny, I will tell you know. Turn right at the next offramp. Turn right at the next offramp, and then you know sometimes I want to write up the next offramp because I know it's better to go a different way so I will disobey GPS will you know, recalculate, recalculate, recalculate, recalculate, recalculate that I will come back. Turn right at the next offramp.
Turn right at the next offramp. I don't know about your GPS, but what I don't do it after I turn a couple of our friends down it says why did you turn right at the club I told you to turn right at the last offramp, so I have to go into the features and disable maggots in there. I made all that up but never that movie 2001 a space Odyssey member that computer how the other freaks me a little bit.
These machines telling us what to do. I read a story about a motorist Salina GPS in Milwaukee that ended up on a snowmobile trail of several miles on the frozen pad and they stopped and they couldn't turn around so there underneath a foot and 1/2 as though they call 911. The officer responding said people shouldn't believe everything these things tell you you know this because the machine does you to do it doesn't mean you should do it now. You take the sophisticated technology that actually works with Sun Life and consider the fact that is built in to Bert. That's called a homing instinct. Consider a bird known as the main Shearwater W good name for a job by the way, giving a one let's name him Manx Shearwater you have to be British Whitney hello my name is Meg Shearwater and what is your name. Well, this is an actual bird on the making of bird up make sure one of the rest off the coast of Wales. Of course they would. About British accent. They have it on candy homing instinct scientist, a good number of these Meg Shearwater's and tag and release them at different points around the globe to see if they could find their way back home to the coast of Wales. One bird was released in Boston 3200 miles from home and the 12 days that bird returned was that traveling 250 miles per day to a place that had never been to before. Rachel, that's a homing instinct. Then there's another bird called the Golden plover the Golden plover native told why the plover migrates during the summer to the Aleutian Islands 1200 miles away, and they may delay the rags, the little fledglings are born, the Golden plover go back to Hawaii and then the little birds that are just been born. Fly. So why they've never been to Hawaii before.
They don't have a GPS it says, turn right at the next island. They just know how to get to Hawaii 1200 miles away about homing instinct. So the next time someone calls you a bird brain take that as a compliment. I think God is built in us a little spiritual GPS if you will take a homing instinct and it's a homing instinct for a place we've never been to before. It's a homesickness or have and are born with that you don't know that, necessarily, but there's a sort of yearning deep down inside of you going back to the earliest days of your childhood maybe you thought it was good that be satisfied by certain things through your life when you realize that the passing of time is it just like those make sure waters and Golden plover you're headed somewhere. A place you've never been before because that is where your citizenship is as a believer. The Bible says God is placed eternity in our heart. We are not highly evolved animals we are made uniquely in the image of God with a soul and a desire to know the God created us. The Bible says this about our lives in first Chronicles 2915 were here only for a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us our days on earth are like a shadow gone so soon without a trace is undaunted accurate description of life.
Now when you're young life seems to go slowly but as you get older. Can you believe how quickly life go how quickly a week goes in a month and then a year and that's the way it is and the reason we have this longing is because we are citizens of a different place.
You might say we have dual citizenship army were citizens of the planet Earth of court for American citizen.
But then for those of us that are put our trust in Christ were heavenly citizens. Philippians 320 says were citizens of heaven were the Lord Jesus Christ lives and were eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. So there is a desire and is there is a craving in this that nothing on this earth won't ever satisfy. It'll only be satisfied when we are with the Lord as Augustine said, quote you formed us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find the rest in you". This drove the little boy that was outline the chitin it gone up so high he couldn't see it any longer and someone walked up to him some little boy tugging on that spring and then they said where's your kind set up there and them % I can see her cry voice and it's there numbers and said how do you know it's very says I feel it's time we feel the same thing. We feel the full the Todd of heaven. Deep down inside now talking about heaven causes me to focus and think about where my son is right now. There's some of you listening to me right now who have a loved one that's inevitable how many of you have a loved one in heaven. Raise your hand, it may be a set child. Maybe it says sibling. Maybe it's a parent or grandparent that these are all hard. Everyone's hard in its own way. When you've lost a loved one you really dread birthdays and death days and we can call them something else that makes us feel better, but we remember that's the day our loved one left us. Actually, all days are hard. Birthdays are hard Christmases are Easter start everything start.
It's amazing how every day it seems like for every occasion is loaded with memories that we didn't even know we had that serve our release on those days, but there's a lot of hurting people out there and I joined the club. I never wanted to join the club of those of lost loved ones and specifically children and people just pour their hearts out.
Whenever I address this and they tell me their stories and I was in tears reading the stories of other people today who would lost children in and talked about how we've inspired them, and I think God for that. That despite this payment tragedy if we can bring a little hope a little comfort to someone else. I will see it's all worth it but I'll say I'm thankful God is allowed as to have some joy despite this tragedy and you want me to be honest I would have my son back in a heartbeat, and I would give anything and everything for that. But I'm not given that opportunity.
So I just say, well, Lord. I don't want to waste my pain. How can I use it for your glory. There's just a lot of hurting people out there and in a way I speak to them and in another way is speak for the because I know what they're going through.
And so we have hope and that hope is in heaven.
Listen to this as a Christian we never say goodbye. We just say I'll see you later. If the trust of the Lord's each other later it it's it's not goodbye forever any see you later, I heard the story about of a Christian man that was on his deathbed and he called his three sons and two of them were believers. So he said to his sons. Goodbye my son. I'll see you in the morning. Then he turned to his third son was not a Christian and with sadness in his voice he said goodbyes. The boy said father what what why did you say goodbye to me and then to my brothers you said I'll see you in the morning and the father is the because son you've not put your faith in Christ, so I can't say that I'll see you in the morning so I'm just saying goodbye because I don't think I'll ever see you again. The sun began to weep. Father, I want to see you again in the father's will send you have to put your faith in Christ in them will be reunited in the boy did say that's the hope of the Christian will see you in the morning will see you again.
Death is not the end does not mean when a loved one dies that were not said of course we grieve. Maybe in some ways Christians grieve more deeply than non-Christian because we love your depth of sorrow is an indication of your depth of love, if you love someone and they're gone then use sorrow deeply. But here's the thing we don't grieve hopelessly wee green. Hopefully is a big difference. We grieve, we grieve like any person greet we cry, never say that someone is also low, but don't cry there and have it don't say that because it hurts to lose someone. The Bible even says there's a time to mourn, so don't tell them and they shouldn't cry when the Bible says they should cry. You need to just pray for them because maybe you don't know what it's like what they're going through at that moment, but you see we have hope and we know that will be reunited with that person again.
So I think that thinking about heaven is one of the best things that we can do because heaven becomes much more real to you. When you have a loved one. There are more of the second half of this message just a moment it's joining here when these studies are truly impacted lives. Listen to these comments from one of her listeners. Pastor Greg in the last air Pantani was furloughed from a job I was absolutely passionate about my work in a university as a coach with young adult to have very little knowledge of God is not doing what God wanted me to do is just going through the motions Christian and not utilizing the positioning kind and I've been a Christian. Most my life has been a very lonely here and I know that it's because I have strayed from God because of your lessons on the range down payment received the wake-up call and getting back into reading the Bible and devoting my life to Jesus and can Pastor Greg for your passion and wisdom rejuvenating as a Christian. Look forward to listening to mourn your lessons. It's a blessing to know that listeners are hearing these messages God is using his word to touch hearts will have Pastor Greg studies impacted your life to let him know drop an email to greg@harvest.org that's great@harvest.org will. Today we are thinking about the afterlife and Pastor Greg's message. Let's talk about heaven and to get a replay of today study go online to harvest.org. However, questions about heaven. What's heaven like what we do in the heaven all our new bodies we like what we know one another in heaven let's talk about that and I'll be Colossians chapter 3 look there with you with will read more about later, but right knowledge is reverses wanted to a Colossians 3. The apostle Paul writes and he says since then, you've been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. There now.
This phrase set your minds speaks of the diligent active single-minded investigation. This can be translated thing, or more thoroughly of this inner disposition. So here's a real simple way to translate what I just read think about heaven, or even a simpler way. Think heaven alike that think heaven.
The verb in the first is in the present tense which means keep thinking about and keep sinking heaven our feet must be on the earth, but our minds should be in heaven. But here's the problem. Many of us will go through a day, sometimes a week, perhaps even a month without a single thought about heaven that you think and how can I be thinking about seeking heaven. I've never been. They haven't either know what heaven is like.
Will the way that you know what heaven is like this to the careful study of the Bible. The Bible is the authoritative source on heaven on really every topic, let me take that a step further, the Bible is the only source on heaven. I know people write these books and sometimes the books are made in the movies and we say that's the way it is. Listen, I don't believe someone's word just because the alleged to have gone to heaven.
They may be telling the truth they be me making it up. They may be delusional.
I don't know what they are. All I know is everything I need to know about heaven is found in the Bible and I will take the words of whoever that person is that's written about their visit to the afterlife and I'll compare it to Scripture. And if it doesn't line up with Scripture that I'm not going to accept what that person sets and that's a very important thing for us to know because there's so many books about the afterlife right now but I can trust the word of God.
So I need to be heavily mined. No course, we immediately think all yes. But you know people were heavenly minded are so out of touch you for the expression holder so heavenly minded there no earthly good at such a stupid expression. I know a lot of people that are so earthly minded. There no heavenly good anyone does it mean to be heavenly minded have my head in the clouds and be out of touch with reality. Absolutely not.
Those that think the most about the next life. Do the most in this one. So it's not a disconnectedness. It's a person that just recognizes of life on earth as a beginning, middle and end, we recognize that we don't know when this life will and we recognize there is an afterlife.
There's future reward and their future judgment for those that do not believe, and that affects us in the way we live now see him at dinner. Just do whatever you want if you really believe that there's a future judgment and it can motivate you to do good things and godly things. If you believe that there are future reward so it really affects it's in the way that we live so now let's talk about this location. Where is God's will in a broad sense, as we learn.
God is omniscient and that means that God is what everyone is everywhere easier. These with us when we leave these overseas these in every place and every time you can escape from the Lord someone 30 97. I'll never escape from your spirit never get away from your presence by go to heaven, you are there, but having said that heaven is a dwelling place of God himself, and I think this longing for heaven that we all have deep down inside is really a longing for God. Psalm 63 one. The summonses of God.
You are my God, I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you. My whole body longs for you in this parched and worry land where there is no water. The Bible promises a day is coming when we will see God face to face Jesus and the Beatitudes. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. You'll see God not of this body is going to see God in this body you would like to blow up on the spot. One day we will see him, and seeing God will be like seeing everything else for the first time because not only will we see God, but he'll be the lens through which we see everything else. People ourselves in the events of this life. I'm telling you, you get to heaven. Everything is going to suddenly make sense to you because you to see everything from a different perspective. Sometimes people suggest someone we get the heaven we have a collective spiritual lobotomy.
There's all the reasoning goes well, will have to forget certain things in heaven because we knew certain things heaven wouldn't be heaven would be miserable won't let God something to do a brain wipe on you. You can have perspective sort like when my grandkids are playing with toys you know and and something happens dramatic, like the head of it all comes off and there very little and they therapist that they try pop of the doll's head came often I try to screw the head back on you knowing it's not working I said don't worry about Bob the dog. Don't worry about it but but because I probably have a spare in the closet.
His iPod quantities a little plastic dolls with these kids in, or if I don't an experiment to go get him one so I say don't worry about it.
Why because I know what's going happen and I know it's going to take place and will be better than what they even have now so I can say with assurance. Don't worry but all they see is the decapitated doll. That's all they see is a so were in life and things happen that they don't make sense and we say this is wrong. This is unfair.
This is so hard nuts is no more about would noble God.
You don't see what I see that says I see what you see the worry about one day when we get to heaven will see it from his perspective so I don't think in heaven we forget everything. The fact is, you know more and have enough left that sort of addresses the question, what we recognize one another and have my responses what you think you'll be more stupid in heaven then you are never, you'll know more in heaven, not less. The Bible says in first Corinthians 13, we will know is we are no and I will even take it a step further.
I don't think we just get to heaven and our brains explode there 30 feet wide day. No I think will even learn and have it will continue to learn will continue to grow, but will have a divine perspective only get there. That's the whole of the follower of Jesus Christ we see God face to face today on a new beginning some great reassurance about heaven from Pastor Greg, Lori and his message called let's talk about heaven, and will hear more from Pastor Greg, just a moment as you comments about reuniting with loved ones in heaven.
Another study has touched many hearts over the years and would encourage you to share it with someone who needs this hope mention they can hear it on our website harvest.org just look for the study called let's talk about heaven. Well, we're making available an excellent resource. In fact, to resources from renowned children's author Sally Lloyd Jones and Pastor Greg, you have the eye of an artist. In fact you were a graphic artist back before you actually started preaching go so when you look at children's picture books what you noticing well I waited I would describe myself as an advanced doodle or over a graphic artist but I ask you for a while did do graphic design. I do my little cartoon booklets and I design album covers and posters and other things like that but I let her designer at your beer being humble that have very very first tract you designed how many of those went out into circulation a lot. It was in the middle like a millionaire was well over a million. They went all around the world and it was the simplest of illustrations. You don't sometimes in design, less is more. And this might surprise some people.
But when I design something first and foremost, I wanted to be cool. I wanted to grab. I of the person who's seen it then that draws them into the message that I'm seeking to convey and what I love about Sally's work and she's such a great writer. It's so simple, but it's not simplistic.
It's profound in its deep but it's simple.
Sally understands what to say and what not to say, and she has such a gift in communicating as she speaks. She has a beautiful voice and she's a great storyteller, but also when she writes it just the right amount of words on the page with a perfect designed to supported the kind of thing that will draw a child and you can set your little child on your lap or your grandchild and read with them through it and what I often do is as after I read it all have a point things out to me. Where's the balloon where's the dog words this words at no point that I interact with them so they really absorb it and give them I don't rush through it. I give them time to sort of take it in and then I might ask them a question, then, something to engage them in the story.
I mean, this is what Jesus did when he told parables. Parables are like say Once upon a time because parables were not true stories. There were illustrations in a parable is been defined as an earthly story with a heavenly meaning so he would tell the story to make a point. The kingdom of God is like this, or a sower went out to sow seed in this happened, etc. or a father had two sons. He knows that he would tell these amazing stories. That's what Sally does in these beautiful books that she writes from the Jesus storybook Bible to this brand-new book that were offering right now simply called near so I think you're gonna love this resource even more. I think your children and grandchildren are gonna love it as well were not only including this book called near but were also including a special addition of the Bible for little ones newborn to age 4. It's called babies carry along Bible. It's so cute I want to carry one myself, but I'm afraid people will think I've lost my mind, but it's very thick pages with bold illustrations. Some of the great stories of the Bible like little David beats Goliath, God saves Daniel in the lion's den baby Jesus is born Jesus stop the storm. Jesus is alive and on it goes great material great resources. Let us get you copies of all of this as quickly as possible. Yet we have them ready to send your way.
We want to send you both near and babies carry along Bible to thank you for partnering with us. We appreciated that you tune in. We appreciated that you pray for Pastor Greg and we appreciate it when you invest so that these studies can continue really is the only way they can.
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Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. You can reach us any time 24 hours a day at that number 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org when next time you're on a new beginning. More insights on heaven and checking our assumptions and expectations about our eternal home. As we close, though we want to hear some comments. Pastor Greg made on a talk show called pastors perspective heard in Southern California on K WBE radio.
He and cohost Don Stewart received a call from a father with a question that relates to our study today. The solution I are about when you're not nylon, nylon angered and gone and I think about wanting and going and relying on them reunited. When Gemini noted in your kind of a painter and poet are not mere relying on your reunited.
Think about it and I got into a lot of mean one my job case manager online and you will and I want to hear your such a great question is from a father that is lost is because you would think about and I have a definitive answer.
Don I think you did in real send and by that I mean you know I think about seeing him. I think about things I might ask him know when my son was very young. When his nickname was over shirt for Christopher.
I came around my shoulders and it always pointed things this little guy needs ASAP. Was his way of saying that that's all that's a tree that lets you burn and another team sat that the cars in Egypt and it was little guy might sort of evidence envision myself getting that they have an insane sat density of glass that sat describing them in from universe minutes which would be when's lunch anytime that you know so I guess you envision that you would sorta be catching up on old times you would just I can't say really but I can be a glorious reunion and and I look forward to it very much and that it is the great hope that we have as Christians in I believe you will be reunited with them again.
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