In Case of Emergency - II

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 our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Grigori, and rear boards were probably somewhat about the awesomeness of closely to see my problem, challenge the changes necessarily change my perspective. Listen to this God is bigger than your problem you trial tragedy lost. God knows we are going about what you're going through and he has the power to get you through your Greg Laurie points out, he wants us to come to him and ask for his help prayers of vital part of my life throws our way.

Today Pastor Greg help you effectively using the Lord's model and a possible situation with no way out. Let me restate the question, are you in right now in a possible situation with no way out, or have you ever ever desperately needed, or even wanted something, but it seemed there was no way you would ever have it, ever thought there was no future for you and for you. It was just too late. If so, you need to know more about the power of God will can take place through prayer. For one thing certainly sends out of the pages of Scripture is that prayer can dramatically change situations, people, and on occasion even the course of nature itself, but the thing that prayer changes the most is us and who knows more about prayer than Jesus. And so that's what we can look at here in just a moment, the disciples came to him as the Lord we have a question. Would you teach us how to pray. Jesus gave them this prayer which shows prayer is something that can be taught.

You need to be taught how to pray. And sometimes you are taught by watching others do it in your taught of course by reading Scripture there certain principles that you can engage when you pray that we call this the Lord's prayer and there's nothing wrong with calling that that the Bible never addresses it as such. I I don't think it really was a prayer Jesus himself right is it will of course he did know actually that because Jesus would never need to pray, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us because Jesus never sinned.

If you want to read.

The real Lord's prayer the prayer that only Christ could pray.

John 17 that is the Lord's prayer. It's rather long. It's a prayer.

Only Christ could break this could better be described as the disciples prayer or maybe the template for prayer we call it what you like. We think of it as the Lord's prayer. It's a model for all prayer I would be reading from Matthew six verses 9 to 14 not tell you what I want us all to do this out loud together. This is the new King James version. Let's read it together in this manner therefore pray our father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen and a beautiful prayer the Lord's prayer that we think of this maybe is the big gun in case of emergency, break glass and pray this prayer is nothing wrong with if you're in a moment of crisis and you just say our father who art that's okay you pray that prayer you have me a hard time getting to sleep at night.

Just go through that prayer about that prayer.

Ponder that prayer. That's all good but it's not just the big gun so to speak. It's not just the in case of emergency prayer. As I said it's a model for prayer. So here's a point number one if you're taking notes you have complete access to the creator of the universe through prayer. You have complete and total access in all states pass if you will, to the creator of the universe through prayer. Let's start at the beginning, our father who art in heaven, so you just call him and you say that I need to ask you a question that's called access that's a relationship were talking about here.

This is God Almighty that I have I have them on speed dial.

I have his private number I can access them anytime I want. That's relationship okay you have relationship with God. You're his daughter you're his son.

He loves you. He lights up when you walk into the room he wants to hear from you. He wants to talk to you.

He wants to spend time with you. It's never a drudgery.

It's always a delight and the same should be true for us. This is your father in heaven, a father who will always be there, a father who listens a father who loves us.

Your father in heaven. That's a problem in heaven evidence so far away. I need someone hereunder will, for starters, God is omnipresent, which means present everywhere so is in heaven and here is heaven really that far away. I think we think you know here is that the sky and a here's a solar system and then here's the third heaven and the just so so far. And maybe in a sense that's true in another sense heaven is closer than you realize.

Heaven is another dimension. It's a supernatural realm.

So for the father in heaven to step into your world is nothing to him. He's here. My father, who art in heaven how would be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So God is deeply involved in deeply concerned about what you're facing right now.

If it concerns you concerns him our father who art in heaven. Notice it's our father in heaven, not my father in heaven were being taught by Jesus to pray with other believers. He doesn't teach us to pray, give me this day my daily bread, and nor does he teach me to pray, forgive me my sins as I forgive those who sin against me. He teaches me to pray.

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us is nothing wrong with asking God to forgive you of your sin.

A provider daily bread but the emphasis here is this is something we should do together. Christians need to pray with Christians and helps dozen never had a burden or overwhelm something see a Christian friend you say can we pray yes and after you pray, you just feel so much better. That's because there's power and unified prayer. That's why Jesus said if any two of you will agree on anything. It will be done of your father in heaven. Of course we need to be aligned with the will of God.

But the point is praying together makes all the difference in the world. The Bible tells us to bear one another's burdens don't do it alone.

Don't do life alone.

Don't try to be a solo Christian our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.

So we do this together and then of course we give him honor and glory.

But what does Jesus teach us in this template for prayer when you pray for our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven now, we wrote the Lord's prayer it would probably sound like this, our father who art in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

Just get on the business is my list. Others a place or petition.

Nothing wrong with asking the father in heaven for what you need. But notice that Jesus says, first take time effectively to contemplate the greatness of God.

No, there are exceptions if you thought the latter in your on your way down help will do okay. You can even finish the Lord. God help her maybe around surfing and a great wife shark is approaching you and you know because you hear the music didn't intend to do because John Williams is over there directing this orchestra and you don't know whether even on the beach don't intend to go will is getting closer.

God help me God deliver meet God save me the starts getting closer and then you say God I just pray he's a Christian shark well the shark is same for this meal that I'm about to receive. I give thanks. These are the jokes people in a note to say, but as I think about the awesomeness of God as I contemplate the greatness and bigness of God. It will cause me to see my problem, challenge need in a different light. It won't change it necessarily but it will change my perspective all see it differently because, listen to this God is bigger than your problem. Whatever it is, God is bigger so my father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, set apart your name honored and glorified being your name, Esther, Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment. It's a privilege to bring the studies from Pastor Greg your way and were encouraged to hear when they took people dear Greg, thank you for your daily devotions in my email. They help me as I deal with chronic pain every day. And also share them with several people close to me are going to cancer. It helps them to open your email every morning first thing and it encourages me to get to the day is like opening a present. I hope you received many letters that, thank you for your anointed words. Keep the faith. We will keep the faith and continue to bring you these daily studies from Pastor Greg has Pastor Greg heard from you. Why not let them know how this ministry is impacted your life.

You can email Pastor Greg at grading@harvest.org again, that's great@harvest.org were given careful consideration to the Lord's prayer today as Pastor Greg presents his message called in case of emergency and same-store harvest partners and others who support this outreach for their help in making today's teaching possible point number four now.

Prayer is getting God's will on earth, not my will in heaven. Prayer is getting God's will and earth, not mine will in heaven. Verse 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven covered people say have been wrestling with God a lot in prayer really. I hope you're losing you don't want to talk God into something that is not his will, not that you could why even try EC prayer is is not about changing God's mind. It's many cases about changing my mind.

Prayer is not pulling God my way it's pulling me his way. So I'm say Lord I want your kingdom to come and I want your will to be done that when I talk about the kingdom. I really just say Lord I long for heaven. Every Christian is been prewired to know God and they been prewired to long for a place they've never been to before. Sort of a homing instinct receive in the animal kingdom. God is put it in humanity as well.

We long for heaven were homesick for heaven. So when I'm praying your kingdom come, your will be that I'm just saying I long for the day when I'll be in heaven in the presence of the Lord. But I'm also saying I long for the day when Jesus will come back to this earth again because the word that is used here by Christ. Come is a word that means something that's sudden and instantaneous. So effectively when I say your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

I'm say Lord please come back and do it soon, and it's also a personal request.

I'm say Lord I want your kingdom in my life.

I want your rule in my life.

Jesus said the kingdom of God is in the midst of you by that he meant when he was at with a group of people on here wherever I am. Much of the kingdom of God is so when I see your kingdom come, your will be done and say Lord I want your rule in my life.

I want you to be in charge of my life. I would give you the master key of every door in my little house.

I want to give you all my passwords noon you can access all my social media accounts. You can access anything I look at here it is Lord.

My wife is all my passwords that I will peers does to your husband but no secrets. Lord, I want you to web access. You say would you want to say you do what you want to do this is what Jesus meant when he said seek first the kingdom of God. Also when I pray your kingdom come, your will be done on earth doesn't is in heaven.

I'm praying for the salvation of those that don't know the Lord and we can play a part in bringing that kingdom to others. Can't wait God's kingdom is brought to this earth.

Every time a new soul is brought to Jesus.

Point number five. God wants us to bring our needs before him, each and every day God wants us to bring our needs will form each and every day. Verse 11. Give us this day our daily bread nudge on the Quito diet. You left a change that. I suppose give me this day my daily meat in cheese. I suppose give me this day my daily bread. Now what is this me what it's obvious that Brad bread was a staple of the first century diet so it includes adequate bread speaks of everything. It speaks of your finances. It speaks of a roof over your head. It speaks of your health. Just everything you need.

Unlike my daily bread to funny thing back in the 60s there was an expression for money. Someone might come up. The it's a humanity have any bread, by the way that's by default 60s way of speaking everybody in the 60s. Even you have any bread yeah too many drugs but God wants to provide everything you need in life and it's a reminder that everything I have in life is provided for me by God. Notice it says give me this day my daily bread. It doesn't say give me this month my monthly bread. This year my yearly bread. The Lord will sometimes allow things to happen in our lives that will remind us we need him every day. Maybe you're going through some like that right now all of us in a while you you have this financial crisis. All of a sudden you have this health scare. All of a sudden you have this problem in your marriage. You have this problem with your kids or you have this other problem and it's like God help that's okay sometimes allow these things to remind us that she's the provider we need to come to give each and every day not just asking for stuff, but giving him glory for this stuff is already given when the last time he just prayed a prayer of thanks a Lord, thank you for this. Thank you for providing for this. Thank you for my wife. Thank you for my husband, giving him thanks.

Point number six. God wants us to ask for an extension forgiveness to others that some people don't think they need forgiveness. I don't know that I really send today Thursday.

No I can think of single impure thought. I got a I did lose my temper. One side. I don't think I'd send it out.

We are sitting right now with pride by the way, but whatever know we sin every day. We really do. The Bible says if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But then it also goes on to say in first John 19, we will confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all on righteousness. So I need to ask God constantly for forgiveness.

I think most of us get that.

I think most of us want that but here's where it gets tricky. Forgive us our debts as we forgive those who were indebted to us. Wait, what yeah forgive people, but Greg, this person that hurt me. This person believe me on social media. How this person insulted me. This person did something that so horrible I can forgive them ever really Jesus said you better be praying not only for your daily bread, which you been to be praying and extending forgiveness. Every single day like what CS Lewis said about this and I quote everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forget" it's a great concept. Forgiveness I love forgiveness until it's time for me to forgive someone that doesn't deserve it. Now let's just concede the point.

They don't deserve it. Therefore I will not forget that you hold on now, do you deserve forgiveness where no no okay you don't deserve forgiveness. Should God give it to you. Why would you not extended to another person as well. The Bible says you been forgiven. Therefore, be tenderhearted, forgiving others listen to this one person put it this way, forgiveness is not about absolving the perpetrator. It's about healing the victim.

Here's another statement I like forgiveness is in giving into another person.

It's getting free of that person got it seated in a way that's even not about the person. Let's just say here's this person. He did this thing to me. I choose to forgive him. Doesn't deserve it. Did it anyway.

Who's getting free now.

Yeah, not really, but I am because I was not driving me crazy.

So when he walks in the room. I'm not seething over in the side because of letting go, let it go forgiveness you been forgiven. God wants us to ask for an extension forgiveness throughout Mr. Greg Laurie with insight on the importance of forgiveness following the Lord's model for prayer laid out and we commonly called the Lord's prayer and pastor Greg has more to come in this message. Called in case of emergency.

Now did you hear all of today study here on a new beginning. If not, you can catch up by going online to harvest.org oftentimes the online version contains several more minutes of insight from Pastor Greg so check it out@harvest.org or to get a permanent copy sent right to your home on CD. Call 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 Pastor Greg were making available the book called, I still believed by Jeremy Camp. Yeah, it recounts his life and the many struggles she went through and of course his marriage to a young lady named Melissa who succumbed to a terminal illness.

Just months after they became husband and wife. Yes, I don't mean to make this sound fatalistic, but we all come to the end of this life you know God provides a supernatural healing from illness today will still face the end of this life. At some point down tomorrow, next month, next year. Decades from now, do we focus too much on prolonging this life and think too little of the fact that earthly healing are not all believers will enjoy life everlasting in the presence of the Lord, you know it's interesting.

Years ago people used to write a phrase over their accounting books over their bank balance in the phrase was Momento Mori and it means think of death, not in a morbid way, but in a realistic way.

The idea being, hey, look at how much money I have a my bank account. Yeah, awesome. Check it out. Momento Mori think of death. In other words you leave this behind and so it's just a good reminder to always be ready for the afterlife.

You not only those who are prepared to die are really ready to live and that means that we know that life is a gift from God. Every beat of our heart is also a gift from God. Every breath that we draw that's from the Lord. So, as the Bible says you're not Sharon you been bought with a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. So it's actually not a bad thing to always be aware that one day could be your last day because one day it will be your last day is today and tomorrow. A thousand days from now. Only God knows so. So don't worry about it. You'll do the Bible doesn't say don't think about it and says don't worry about Jesus said don't worry about what you're going to wear what you can eat what you're going to drink out of the nonbelievers are always worried about but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.

Jesus did not say don't think about these things we do it the think about what organ aware what were going to work in a live organ work etc. but don't let it consume you and I would say the same of life in general.

It's like be aware of the afterlife as the Bible says, set your minds on things above, or is one translation puts it, think heavenly thoughts, or even another translation simply sums it up by saying thank heaven I think it's a good thing to get up in the morning and just think, Kevin, and that's exactly what we see in the powerful story of Jeremy and Melissa In the book called, I still believe they were young people just starting out in life and they had the think Kevin had the think of eternal things because Melissa had cancer and it appeared that she was healed. In fact she was she was in remission, but it did return, and they had to grapple with that, but Jeremy has written down many of the things he learned to this very difficult experience in a book that were offering to our listeners this month for their gift of any size in the title of the book is, I still believe and the reason we offer resources like this is because we want to encourage you and I know this will be an encouraging book for you to read and it might be a really good book to hand on to a loved one that's dealing with some kind of hardship in life but also will get you ready for a powerful film that's going to be released nationwide directed by the Irwin brothers in the title of the film is the same title of the book. It's I still believe in, and you'll see a lot of things in the film that are fantastic but there's things in the book that are not in the film. That's why you want to get the book 1st and read it and then go to the theater and hopefully take someone with you.

That's not Christian yet and see for yourself what I think is the best film. These guys have brought out yet. They brought some great ones out.

I still believe so, again, for your gift of any size will send you this book know some can give a little more.

Some can give as much of it, everyone can give something. Whatever you give will rush to your copy and you can read a very inspiring story about how a young man had his faith put to the test, but saw God come through for him. Yeah, that's right. And once again it's Jeremy's book called, I still believe and will send it to thank you for partnering with us would invite you to become what we call a harvest partner. These are the close friends of the ministry who appreciate and support the work were doing not only here on a new beginning but also through pastor great harvest crusades and they sent a gift each month in support.

The amount is up to them when I get the details by calling 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or send your first gift as a harvest partner to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or just go online to harvest.org and again will thank you Jerry McCants book. I still believe next time more insights on how enjoy an effective, rewarding prayer life as pastor Greg continues her studies of the Lord's prayer. Join us here on a new beginning ready for an impossible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor great free daily email devotions and harvest.org