What If Jesus Sent You an Email? - Getting Back on Track

We are glad you are joining us for a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners get more encouraging audio content. When you subscribe to pastor Greg Staley Devos learn more and sign up@harvest.org was the one that got away from God is leaving generally do overnight little compromise or lowering your garden saying you know today on a new beginning. Pastor Gregori points out, if moving forward you're not moving backward either moving forward relationship with the Lord.

July was still in drivers in rural areas. One lesson early on if there's a body you only way to get up and over build up your momentum. You stop using your song Gregori brings a similar instruction walk with God – now you're going my messages.

What if Jesus sends you an email from the book of Revelation were studying the book of Revelation together. There's a special blessing promised to the person who reads and hears and keeps the words of this book so let's look together. Now it Revelation chapter 2.

I'm reading verses one to five to the angel of the church of Ephesus write these things saith he that holds the seven stars in this right can and who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. I know your works, your labor, your patients, you Bear those who are evil, and you've tested those who say they are apostles and are not you found them liars. You persevered, you bed patients and you labored for my namesake and you have not become wary. Nevertheless I have this against you, you have left your first love. Remember from where you will follow them repent and do the first works routes, I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent about powerful words. Jesus says there's a problem you guys are doing awesome. Your hard-working, your discerning you do so much for me and I appreciate it. But there is a problem developing. I have to tell you what this problem is you have left your first love. But sometimes people say oh you lost your first love notes not lost its left when you lose something you may never recover.

But if you leave something you know where it is, you can return to it again. You've left your first love. One translation puts it this way, you no longer love me as you did at first. What is that mean that means these Christians had traded their devotion and put duty in its place. They had motion, but they lost the emotion they had labor but they lost the love they had perspiration, but they didn't seem to have inspiration and you might say but but is it really that big of a deal to just leave your first love.

I mean in a marriage, you can always have butterflies in your stomach and all that know I understand that the another sort of the spark that sets marriage and the motion but then you settle down and into a deeper love.

When you see a married couple who been together for years, holding hands and walking together and still in love. That's because they've cultivated that if you take your hand up the wheel so to speak. Your marriage is going to go the wrong way. If you want to keep a marriage strong you up to do things to strengthen it in the same way in your relationship with God. If you take your hand off the wheel if you stop moving forward you will begin to start moving backwards. You left your first love. See it was a hard problem.

You know you can have the greatest physique you can work out of the gym and have sculpted washboard abs and everything bulging biceps, but if you have heart trouble. What good is it, I knew a guy years ago. He was a workout maniac that when I see middle Greg touched my arm grab my arm.

Jim did make a muscle okay yeah your muscle is very hard.

Congratulations and then tragically one day I got the news that my friend died of heart disease which I didn't even know he had.

Sometimes we can be in great shape serve on the outside but something's wrong on the inside. It was a hard problem.

Notice that Jesus says you left your first love. And he talked about how they have fallen, remember from where you will follow. See, this is the first step to falling away when someone backslide or turns away from God is not something they generally do overnight. You know, pictures ready. Hey dude want to backslide tonight. Yeah, let's do it.

Seven. Note no one plans to backslide generally, but it's a little compromise here lowering your guard. There and next thing you know you're slipping. So if you are not moving forward in cultivating their relationship with the Lord your spiritual life is going to come to a standstill. That's what's happening okay.

But Jesus doesn't just tell him what's wrong. He tells him what to do to make it right.

There's 3 yards to get right with God 3 yards to get right with God. You need to remember you need to repent and you need to repeat so you want to get right with God. Listen very carefully. First, you need to remember.

He says, remember from where you will fall in.

This can be translated, keep on remembering remember where you were when you were at your highest points of commitment to Christ and go back to the place that sort of a marker so you have a point of reference. You know, let's say you're trying to lose weight nursing. How did I get so overweight, what and why have two wardrobes now 14 skinny me and one for Saturday night and you keep both wardrobes because you fluctuate between the two. That's not a good thing.

There's telltale sign church you're gaining weight.

You know you're gaining weight when you take a shower and nothing below your waist gets what you know your anyway when the count gets up when you do right. You know you did anyway when you get your shoe shine then you have to take the guys word for it, so that's not good. So remember remember when your pants remember when you didn't have to punch holes in the belt that shouldn't really be there. You should never hold in your belt right to the very edge of it right. So remember, it's a point of reference, I was in better shape before and repent, change your behavior. Stop eating donuts all the time. Stop your late-night eating stop the things that you're doing stop being complacent and lazy and get out there and exercise. So you need to repent and then you need to repeat to the first works quickly. Alright so go out there and think about what you're eating, exercise more, etc. okay Centinela, let's apply this to the spiritual. Remember, was a time when you were closer to God than you are right now will make that a point of reference.

If the answer is yes now repent. Admit that you're not as close of the Lord is you want to be. Now repeat go back and do the first works quickly, so let me ask you a question. What is you used to do when your relationship with Jesus was stronger well USACE to read my Bible every day and I would listen to Bible teaching on podcasts and praise music go back and do that again yeah will I used to share the gospel whenever I could go back and do that again this well do the first works quickly. Someone once as the great evangelist Billy Sunday you know how to stay strong spiritually and Sunday responded to you know there was a man that said to me when I was a young Christian, this statement and have always tried to follow this man said to me Billy if you do these three things you will never have the word backslider written after your name, number one spend every day talking to God for 15 minutes. Then he said, number two spend every day having God speak to you through the Bible for 15 minutes and finally spend every day telling someone else about the Lord for 15 minutes. Billy Sunday said if you do these three things you will never be a backslider. That's good advice. Go back and do the first works and return to your first love your Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment were encouraged when we hear the pastor Greg's teaching and preaching is touching lives right by New York on I would say that your crusading map regarding 2000 wasn't for my mom will make your day wanting to hear that I probably saved my life. After that your Christian church married my wife baptized together but they didn't always say good you know and last year lost my daughter and your teaching… Help me really dark time now I have two beautiful Sunday and will relapse living his life. Thank you so much for always doing a good word Lord I appreciate your grateful to hear of the changed lives to pastor Greg's teaching and be sure to tell a friend about pastor Greg's upcoming SoCal harvest October 3 at Angel Stadium in Southern California help them find hope in Christ for information go to harvest.org that's harvest.org will today. Pastor Greg is helping us remember repent and repeat the 3R's of getting our lives back on track with the Lord. Part of today study in Revelation chapter 2 if you're walking closely with the Lord just what will happen affect. This is a confirmation you're doing the right thing ready for it. Thinking what I'll be blessed well in a way, yes, but maybe not the kind of blessing you're hoping for. You will be persecuted and try the Bible says all that live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution when someone harasses you makes fun of you gives you a hard time even outright, attached you because of your faith. That's an indication you're on the right track.

If you're never persecuted. If you're never criticized. If you're never household for your faith in any way shape or form. I wonder if you're actually living a godly life that brings us to the second of seven churches that Jesus sends a message to their called the church of Smyrna, and in Revelation 2 verse eight he says don't fear those things that you're about to suffer. The devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, you will have tribulation for 10 days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He that has been there to hear that and hear what the Spirit says to the churches he that overcomes will not be heard by the second death notes interesting to note that this message of Jesus to our second of seven churches, Smyrna is the briefest of all the messages he gave. There's not a single critical word said you have some criticism for the first church in lots of criticism for the last one he had none. For this particular body of believers. Now again, this is an actual historical church. And if Smyrna was like Ephesus a couple of paganism but instead of worshiping this God is called Diana they actually worship Caesar around 25 A.D., many Asian cities were competing with each other for the privilege of building a temple to the Emperor Tiberius. Smyrna had the dubious distinction of winning the contest so they prided themselves in their worship of Caesar as Lord in the erected a giant temple to him and people were expected to say Caesar is Lord. So if you are a Christian you said Jesus is Lord, they would say, but you have to say Caesar is Lord. And many Christians would not and they lost their lives. As a result, there was a hard place to be a Christian. Jesus is #I know your words, your tribulation and your poverty, they suffered greatly.

They suffered in their businesses because of their faith, people would not want to trade with these people that would not say Caesar is Lord, but instead said Jesus is Lord and they were mistreated and many of them were even put to death.

But Jesus says in verse 10. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. We get to heaven someday got some rewards waiting for us and among those rewards will be the crown of life. You know the Bible mentions that there is a crown of rejoicing, which is a crown for winning people to Christ.

Second Thessalonians 219, then there is a crown of righteousness that will be given to those who loved his appearing.

Second Timothy 48, and here we have the crown of life. Interestingly, this is the same drum promised to those who resist temptation in James 112 it says blessed is the man who endures temptation perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him so if you want to receive the crown of life.

You must persevere under trial, you must hang in there when you're persecuted, you must resist temptation, and if you are living a godly life.

This persecution will come into it, but sometimes God allows persecution to wake us up to keep us on our toes spiritually read about how they were having problems shipping codfish from the East Coast to the West Coast because when it arrived, it was spoiled so they froze it, but when it arrived, it was must-see to the taste so they descended live, but it would arrive dead so they send it live again, but with one difference.

The included in the tank of the live codfish the mortal enemy of the codfish which is the catfish so when the fish arrived. People said that never had better codfish in their life because it spent the entire journey running from a catfish and sometimes God will put a catfish in our tank so to speak. One person that gives you a hard time. You might be married to them somebody that makes life difficult for you.

Someone is always peppering you with hard questions, someone was attacking you for your faith, dear. Think why is this person in my life maybe they're the captives. God is allowed to keep you stronger to keep you dependent on God. Be faithful and you will receive the crown of life. Let me close with this if you trusted in Jesus Christ. You don't have to fear the second death. Look at Revelation chapter 2 verse 11 he that has an ear to hear living here with the Spirit, says of the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death. What is the second death. The second death is dying without Christ going to hell. Yes, hell is real. We'll talk about that as we get deeper into the book of Revelation. Just as surely as there is a heaven.

There also is a hell hell was not created for people. According to Jesus, hell was created for the devil and his angels. The last thing that God wants is for any person made in his image to spend eternity separated from him this place called hell or also known as the second death the first death is when we die physically.

The second death is when we face judgment that we have not put our faith in Christ so I could simplify this way if you're born one. She will die twice, but if you're born twice, you will die one that make sense if you're born one shall die twice. You'll be born physically and then you'll die physically and die spiritually in the second death facing judgment. But if you're born twice, shall die once and by being born twice. I mean you been born again, years are born physically within you put your faith in Christ in your born again spiritually remember Jesus said to that religious leader named Nicodemus, you must be born again or literally worn from above.

Yes, this is the promise God has and we won't be heard. The second death.

You know, when you don't know Christ you're spiritually dead. You're like a zombie all your alive, but your dad in the inside. The Bible says see the lives for pleasure is dead while she is living don't live that way got is something better for you. Listen to this this earth is as good as it ever will be, for the nonbeliever, but for the believer. This earth is as bad as it gets. Because for those who have trusted Christ, the best is yet to come.

So let me close by asking have you put your faith in Jesus yet to have this hope of heaven do have the certainty that when you die you will go into the presence of God or is this something that keeps you up at night. The fear of death, the fear of the afterlife. I met him when I was a young boy.

It was something that really bothered me because I didn't really believe that you continue to exist after you died, and sometimes I would just lay awake at night thinking about how can I simply no longer exist. No wanted given me the gospel yet, when I heard the gospel when I heard that there was a God in heaven who love me and out a plan for my life and would forgive me of all of my sins and changed everything. Now I'm not afraid to die. If you don't have to be either Jesus conquered death. He died on the cross and rose again from the dead. He died on the cross he defeated sin when he rose again from the dead. He defeated death. Death died when Christ rose and now Jesus who died and rose and is alive is knocking at the door of your life in a scene if you hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in Jesus Christ can come and forgive you of your sin so you can be born again and know with certainty to go to heaven when you die. Let's pray Lord I pray for every person watching right now, that you will help them to see their need for Jesus and help them to come to you and believe.

Let this be the moment when everything changes for them and they find not only the hope of life beyond the grave, but they find the purpose of life on this earth in a relationship with you, I commit them all to you.

Jesus, Esther, Greg Laurie important prayer from our study series.

In the book of Revelation, and if you like to make a change today in your relationship with the Lord. Pastor Greg will help you do that before today's addition of a new beginning wraps up evangelism sharing the gospel with people is at the very heart and soul of this ministry and Pastor Greg will be bringing the gospel in less than a month at SoCal harvested in Southern California October 3.

Join us in prayer that the Lord would use that event to bring many people to him and find out more@harvest.org and I would like to help you take your study of Revelation even deeper. Pastor Greg has just released his brand-new book called Revelation, a book of promises and FS Greg nearly everyone can think of a question that like to ask about the book of Revelation may be something about the 144,004 about the mark of the beast or if believers will be here when the Antichrist is revealed when they find answers in your new book 100%. They will let me just give quick answer to every one of those questions for the hundred and 44,000.

There hundred and 44,000 Jewish people who believe in Jesus as the Messiah. There sort of like 144,000 kosher Billy Graham's combing the planet sharing the gospel in their under divine protection and then you mentioned will believers be here to see the Antichrist. I think the simple answer is no because the Bible says he who now restrains will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way and then will that wicked one, be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy with the brightness of his coming.

The restraining force in the world today is the work of the Holy Spirit through the church. It is my opinion that Antichrist cannot be revealed until the church is removed, so we should not waste time looking for Antichrist, but instead be looking for Jesus Christ the mark of the beast that will come with the Antichrist and the tribulation. So know the coven. 19. Vaccines are not the mark of the beast know there is no thing right now that is happening that is the mark of the beast that will come later. So the main thing we want to focus on is being ready to meet the Lord. So I answer those questions and a lot more in this brand-new book that I've just written simply called Revelation, a book of promises. It's hardcover this is a pretty thick book folks and working to send it to you for your gift of any size because I believe this is going to be a resource that you can go to time and time again as you study this book. It's understandable. It's down to earth. It's practical.

I don't use a lot of theological language I speak in a way that you can grasp it and I want to send you this book again for your gift of any size whatever you can send will use to reach more people with the gospel in the teaching of the word of God and we so much appreciate that investment. It's really an investment in touching and changing lives.

As will be doing shortly at SoCal harvest October 3. So get in touch today with that donation and will thank you with a copy of Pastor Greg brand-new book Revelation, a book of promises and by the way, will include a bookmark designed by our team to show the timeline of end times events very clearly what comes before watch what comes after what surround us today at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime around the clock at 1-800-821-3300 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org will Pastor Greg you mention our need to come to Christ for forgiveness of sin in today's broadcast. Yes, maybe there's somebody listening had like to do that like to take that step. Maybe you could help them with that right now, I'd be delighted to listen if you would like to accept Jesus Christ into your life right now. By that I mean if you would like your sin forgiven and have the assurance that you will go to heaven when you die. Would you pray this prayer with me, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I think you for dying on the cross for my sin and rising again from the dead. I'm sorry for my sin, Lord, and I turn from it now and I put my faith in you to be my Savior, my Lord, my God, my friend. Thank you for loving me and calling me and accepting me in Jesus name I pray, amen. Listen if you just pray that prayer in minutes. I want you to know on the authority of God's word that Jesus Christ has just come to take residence in your heart. The Bible says these things we write to the believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life lesson we want to send you some resources that will help you grow spiritually. So here's Davison details and let me say God bless you and welcome to the family of God, and those resources Pastor Greg just mentioned are all contained in what we call our new believers growth packet will help you get started living for the Lord and will send it at no charge. So ask for your new believers growth packet when you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or you can call us anytime 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest God for next time. Pastor Greg brings a message called the seven love letters of Jesus to his church, in-depth insight based on Jesus message to the seven churches. Revelation join us beginning a new beginning as a part made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. If Michelle has impacted your life. Share your story leverage you on your favorite podcast and help others find help