How to Never Stumble or Fall - I

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by some special friends of this ministry pastor Greg wanted to see a special word of thanks to the harvest partners who make this ministry possible next time your online check out Pastor Greg's personal blog@blog.greglaurie.com. The reason why is one of constant growth will soon ring somewhat so we know it all, there's no cruise control healthy Christian water today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out the importance of pressing forward in our walk with God wise person realizes there's always so much to learn so much in your life that needs to still she is your transform the image of Jesus Christ and that unenviable losing traction in their car, no ice on the muddy road in the sand. The secret weapon for times like that is often four-wheel-drive.

What's the secret weapon for those times when we lose traction in our walk with God Pastor Greg Laurie will answer the beginning as he brings us a practical message: how to never stumble or fall wise counsel for those of us wrestling sin nature. Long ago I read these books go for a walk as they was all is much more fit than I am. I try to get a walk every day for maybe 30 minutes or so, but all I could take longer walks. I said, were we going. He said I wouldn't take you to a really amazing like okay so we started a walk and I noticed a lot of it is going up by Monday in climate. Maybe I get the 30 minute markets under precharge or Paula, when we should have got to go so just a little further now or at an hour in my little Apple watches moving away in the little apps going to why making progress or okay not getting a bit fatigued because rotted hour and 20 minute and I said how much further it is that he said just right up you the link you were almost there. So I see someone coming in the opposite direction. I said excuse me if there were like up there. They said oh yeah, way up there. My call no sin I'm go back is Craig. Come on, you're gonna love this way so I finally made it so that the and I came to the lake. Honestly, it was more of a pond and lake. I was a little disappointed that we begin the journey back to what it was all said and done I walked 6 miles now, that's a little odd for some of you freaks go for some some of you were more fit for me. That was a long walk but you know what we all need a guy like Paul in our life that pushes us forward because we get discouraged we think I could go on another step I worn out, I'm done. And it's good to have a Christian friend that sings you can go further.

You can do more. Let me help you.

Let me encourage you so I hope you have the person in your life and I hope you are that person and someone else's life because sometimes we find ourselves going the wrong direction fast because if you're not moving forward in your relationship with Christ. You're naturally going backwards. You read the going this way are you going that way. But there's no standing still in the Christian life, and I bring this up because there's been a few stories in the news. I've even been asked about these things in interviews and some notable people who basically said were no longer Christians and we get out about what would happen or how can a person be a Christian and even a leader.

Then one day say you're not a Christian. Well, it's an interesting question because I don't know if they were Christians to start with. I just because someone makes a profession of faith doesn't mean there necessarily a Christian but baby when we hear a story like that.

It concerns us because we think in my next I going to bend the my faith will really the answer is that's entirely up to you but here's one thing I would bring to your attention.

One of the signs of the last days is some would fall from the faith, because were told over and second Timothy chapter 4 the Holy Spirit speaks clearly that in the last days. Some would fall from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and the doctrines that demons teach. I think one way you know you're going in the wrong direction is when you question Scripture let me put it another way, you know you're going the wrong way. If you're challenging Scripture is not bad. The question Scripture you're going to come up across passages that don't make sense to you. You can find someone that's been reading the Bible for a while or talk to a pastor they can give you clarification whether to them. She drew that in challenging Scripture.

When you come to a person is a well, I don't like with that verse says because I've chosen to live this way and I don't want to do with the Bible says not to different matter altogether.

Someone once asked me a few years ago.

If you come to a passage in the Bible you don't agree with what you do.

My answer was change your opinion, you're wrong right I mean is the Bible the word of God or not. So we noted that the Bible to our lifestyle we adapt our lifestyle to the Bible and understand that this is God's inspired word that he is given to us, but this goes back to the temptation about a believe in the garden, the devil came to them and what you really say he said did God really say what you thought he said you can eat of any tree including this one right here because in the day you eat, you will become like God, knowing good and evil even check it out.

You'll be a goddess girl and listen you going to be a deity.

Forget what God said God doesn't know what he's talking about.

Listen to me. I'm telling you the truth I'm completely sincere right I'm saying you can trust me that's a snake reference if you're missing it and they did trust him and were all paying the price because of it. Point number two true believer may stumble, but they will ultimately return to God and if they do not return to God and they never were really a true believer again. A true believer may stumble, but they will ultimately return to God if they do not return to God than they were never really a true believer now you're probably aware that I have written a book called Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American like you thinking Greg. Why did you write a book about him. Well, I've always been fascinated with Johnny Cash have always liked his music. To me he's kind of a sound all his own. No one is really like him and he's not really like anybody else, but I grew up thinking I was related to Johnny Cash because I live for a few years of my grandparents while my mom is outliving her crazy life and so Charles and Stella McDaniel.

And so whenever Johnny Cash got in trouble and he was arrested multiple times my grandfather would say to my grandmother Stella your cousins in trouble again and I don't what I'm related to Johnny Cash and as it turns out my grandmother's maiden name was Fowler cash and she was from a city in Arkansas not far from where Johnny Cash was born, so maybe I'm a distant distant cousin.

You know, but I was aware of him, way, way back and then when I became a Christian I realize it Johnny Cash was a Christian as well and of course he sing in many Billy Graham Crusades, but he was the man in black. He was called by some the Godfather of cool.

Another: the voice of America, Chris Christopherson, who knew Caswell said he was like Abraham Lincoln with a wild side but Johnny got himself into a lot of trouble and Johnny struggled with drug use and drinking in other things throughout his life, and it was all there a lot of up and down 20 get a deep faith in Christ Johnny once said, quote sometimes I'm two people, Johnny is a nice one, and cash causes all my trouble. They fought will is in there like a lot of us don't we have the dual natures that are constantly writing.

Certainly Simon Peter had, because his name was Simon and Jesus gave him a new name which was Peter which means rock didn't have a new name for all the disciples, but he had a new one for Simon. Here's your new anybody near the rock that's pretty cool. So Simon didn't always suck like a rock. He outdone himself in the trouble but Simon caused him all the trouble. Lillian Peter was the good one if you will, in fact it was Simon Peter that told us that if we do certain things will never stumble or fall in the second epistle he right second Peter 13 God is given us through his divine power everything we need for godly living. And then he tells us we must have faith, indoor faith, we must add moral excellence into our moral excellence. We must acknowledge your knowledge, we must add endurance and love brothers. Then he says if we do these things will never stumble or fall.

He goes on to say, if you do these things you'll never fall away. And God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ triggers a Peter saying the Christian life is one of constant growth. Listen, you don't reach some plateau you know it all the moment to think you know it all. You probably know a lot less than you think you know a wise Christian of smart Christian, a growing Christian realizes there's always so much to learn right and you know there's so much in your life.

It needs to still change as your transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

And who better to tell us about this. Then Simon Peter will learn what Peter has to say when Pastor Greg continues our message in just a moment. We love hearing stories about how God's Word touches lives. I've always believed in God, but I guess I never understood or was a skeptic my life was pretty good that something inside was telling me that there's more stagnant struggle with stress and anxiety just started reading the Bible for the first time in 40 years, finally starting to make sense and anxiety since last I realize my problems were connected to the lack of purpose in my life no more. I surrendered my heart to the Lord. What an encouragement has God's Word impacted your life would you let us know tell us your story by calling 1-866-871-1144.

That's a special number 1-866-871-1144 Pastor Greg is offering some important counsel today from Simon Peter counsel on avoiding backsliding and staying on track in our walk with God and our thanks to our harvest partners and others who support this outreach for helping to make today study available Simon Peter. He's famous for his legendary full pause when he said things he should never said Eddie's also very well known for the fact that he openly denied the Lord God wants, not twice but three times.

So I went to look for a few moments in the gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John at the steps that led to Peter's fall and how we got back up again and I think in these steps will learn about things we want to try to avoid them before we come to our first passage. Let me sort of set the scene here in Luke 22 Jesus is in the upper room with his disciples. He's headed to the cross. He's told the he's headed to the cross.

He's gonna break bread with them and tell them to do this in remembrance of him, but before that he is a fascinating conversation with Simon Peter.

Luke 22 verse 31 Jesus says Simon, Simon, Satan is asked to sift you as wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. And when you are repented and turned to me again you'll strengthen your brothers. Peter said Lord I'm ready to go to prison with you and even then die with you, Jesus said, let me tell you something before the rooster crows tomorrow morning you will denied three times that you even knew me. Put yourself in Peter sandals for a moment. You're just hanging out with Jesus is not his normal jubilant self.

He seems very serious, really intense. Then he turns to you and uses your name twice. Paul Paul Kathy Kathy Greg Greg Cindy Cindy Satan is been asking that you be taken out of the care and protection of God without freak you out of Jesus said that to you freak me out and it's interesting that he says Satan is been asking for you sometimes also you know the devil's been really hassling me lately. The devil's been tempting me. I seriously doubt most of us listening to this message had been tempted by Satan himself. No understand you are tempted by one of his minions of those men you something cute oneself by one of his demons because demons are fallen angels, Satan is a network of fallen angels or demons that do his dirty work, etc. so you are tempted by Satan. In effect, but probably not by him directly. You see, the devil is not the equal of God. God is omnipotent, which means all-powerful Satan, though powerful, has limitations. God is omniscient, which means all-knowing Satan's knowledge, but not equal to that of God. God is omnipresent, which means present everywhere the devil can only be in one place at one time but here's my point. Devil himself came looking for Peter, but Jesus then says I have prayed for you and I want you to know that the Bible says Christ lives to make intercession for you at the right hand of the father. Jesus is in effect praying for you. So the next time the devil comes knocking at your door. Send Jesus to answer it.

That's what happened here. I prayed for you Peter, that your faith would not fail for when you have returned, you'll strengthen your brothers returned to Florida. Peter says I will go to prison for you all die for you will since you brought it up rock you get a deny that you knew me three times. So he warned Peter that brings us to Peter's first step down and I would say that this particular attitude is at the root of any and every person who's ever fallen away from the faith, or any person was ever stumbled or fallen.

I don't care what the particular sin is there involved in this always starts here in itself confidence, self-confidence, verse 33. He said Lord I'm ready to go with you to prison in the death.

Jesus said Peter the rooster will not grow this day, until you denied three times that you knew me according to Matthew's gospel Peter added this detail. Even if all are made to stumble, I will never be made to stumble out of this come up. Jesus said one of you is going to betray me in the one who's dipping with me right now is the one and they would take the little pieces of bread and dip it into the sauces like we might have chips and salsa likes chips and salsa here. I love chips and salsa. I go to a feeding frenzy with chips and salsa anyway.

So to think of yourself and your friends.

You know you have your dipping your chip, please don't double dip okay to some of you do that I would appoint you out today because assessments� One bit and you eat the jet new chip next guilty anyway because I don't like to see residue in the ghetto anyway.

So here they are young Darby chips and salsa, so to speak, and Jesus is the guy who's dipping this chip in the salsa is a one as good of attribute. The moment you this as a chip on the salsa Judah everyone looks at you disease like all you know, whatever you do, do it quickly says Jesus. Now he says these are the things that meters as though all lightweight like Judas it even if these others betray you. I rock the guy you gave the new names you will never betray you.

Careful, you look at someone who falls Lewiston you to never do that. I'd never be unfaithful to my wife. I never become an alcoholic I'd never become a drug addict. Titan never do that. Think Paula now buckaroo you have the capacity to do that and much worse. And that's what we think. I'll never do that figure trusting in yourself instead of trusting in God, the Bible says pride goes before a fall and an arrogant spirit before destruction, so this simply means that I go through life aware of the fact of my weakness and my vulnerability and my propensity to do the wrong thing.

As the old song says prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the one I love self-confidence that leads to the next step down prayer list mess. I don't even know prayerless. This is the word how many of you think it could be a word, raise your hand. Here we have a quorum it's a work prayerless.

That's just not praying about that. Look at Luke 22 verse 39 coming out. He went to the Mount of olives as he was a custom when his disciples followed him to the place and he said to them, pray that you enter not into temptation know this place been referred to by Luke as the garden of Gethsemane because he was withdrawn from them about a stone so he knelt down and prayed saying father if it is your will take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. When he rose from prayer he came to his disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow and he said why did you sleep rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation. So this second sinner prayerless.

This was a direct result of the first sin of self-confidence. Jesus said, specifically you guys you need to pray and they decided to sleep instead.

And so there sleeping when they should have been praying and you know understand this, not praying about something can actually be a sin. It's a sin of omission, a sin of commission is doing what you should not do a sin of omission is not doing what you should do because the Bible says to him, the nose to do good and does not do it to him it is sin. So what we do instead of pray a lot of the time we worry like that's gonna really help worrying what you were told in Philippians, don't worry about anything, pray about everything in the peace of God that passes all human understanding, will guard and keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, so we don't pray. All I can handle this godfather fix that Lord. When the second pray about it. Lord, I need your help right now I need your provision right now I need your healing right now. I've tried to fix my marriage.

Lord and it's only gotten worse and I'm at the point now where I'm tired of trusting of myself and I'm calling out to you, Lord, heal my marriage by the way, this is not a personal statement and make it right now is putting myself in someone else's shoes, but every marriage can always use some help, including mine and yours, but maybe your marriage is hanging by a thread in the threads on fire or I thought I could overcome this addiction and I'd like to try to my own strength but I keep falling back into it. Lord help me see, that's the idea calling out to God in prayer. Greg Laurie important counsel to help us seek the Lord in those times of desperation and pastor Greg has more insight to come as this study continues here on a new beginning. Now, earlier pastor Greg mentioned his book, Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon we had that book in supply here in our offices.

Find out more@store.harvest.org search for that title Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon, and to get an instant replay of today study you can get that@thesamewebsiteharvest.org or to get a permanent copy sent your way on CD. Call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300. The title of the message is how to never stumble or fall pastor Greg were making available a great book from a familiar friend, it's Jeremy Camp's book called, I still believe yes and a movie by the same title is just about to come out, but the book tells so much more of his story, doesn't it really does and it's such an amazing story, David. It just is so powerful and compelling and I tell you what people are gonna love this film.

I think this is the finest were clear when brothers have done to date and they've done some pretty fine work with films like Woodlawn, I can only imagine. And now I still believe if you come out of that theater without shedding a tear. You might have something wrong with you but it's a powerful story of faith.

It's a beautiful love story but there's a lot of hardship that a very young Jeremy Camp had to deal with when he found out that his new bride Melissa had her cancer return is that hold just in denial, like there's no way he knows nowhere are just married, you know what was in me and I find wrote down and walked into the room as I walked in, she saw that a crime � return again as I pass and not fight.

This unit is no way and the five-year it's something that will connect to so many people because I know there are folks in the audience that are suffering right now summer suffering action with cancer because we hear from you and others know someone that's dealing with cancer or you have illness so you have hardship and you're wondering why is this happening and here's what we know in the end, we really do live happily ever after. Because it's not a fairytale it's a hope of the Christian that puts her faith in Christ. But this book that were offering right now, written by Jeremy Camp called. I still believe is going to be a book that will touch everyone, both young and old, but I would especially say to you folks that have children and grandchildren.

You might want to give a copy to them because it's a beautiful love story and it shows how God worked even in the midst of tragedy and we're happy to send this book and all the help it provides to thank you for your partnership with us in this outreach. We especially thank our harvest partners were so faithful and are giving a pastor Greg if you would say order to tour harvest partners about how much their support means to us and actually how it impacts the level of ministry that we are able to provide sure will let me explain what harvest partner is first of all, for those that have not heard that phrase before harvest partners is somebody that has made a commitment to contribute to us on a regular basis and because of their faithful giving we can actually plan for the future because they've given to us. We can consider new opportunities like going into what is called a new market a new area with our radio broadcast. And you know you listen to this program. If you listen all the time. Maybe your first time listener.

I don't know but if you're a regular listener to new beginning. If this radio broadcast is of help to you and it's been of help to others. Would you consider becoming a partner become one of those folks that help us to bring this message to our nation and, indeed, to our world. And then you share also in the fruit of what were doing the spiritual fruit of people that are coming to Christ, you know, a new beginning is one of the few radio programs out there in Christian radio were an invitation is extended, and folks we got thousands of people respond and accept Christ. We invite them to ask the Lord to come in of their life and you've even heard me lead folks in that prayer maybe you been in a car with a nonbeliever present where I've gone to that moment in and you know that were giving people the opportunity to pass from darkness to light from the eternal destination of hell to heaven and we believe this is important and we know you believe it as well. So would you join this as a partner and help us get the gospel to more people and teach the word of God to more people as well. Thank you in advance for whatever you can do that we want to thank you tangibly for becoming a harvest partner by sending Jeremy Camp's book, I still believe so get in touch today by writing a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or go online to harvest.org or give us a phone call at 1-800-821-3300 � 1-800-821-3300 next time more insights drawn from Peter's denial of Christ were looking at the steps to spiritual decline and how to avoid next time on the new beginning to find out more about becoming a harvest partner harvest for an Greg Laurie possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor greats free daily email, devotions@harvest.org