Hope for Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God.

If you would like to know how you can become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org that's harvest.org is said that you live 40 days without three days without water 80 minutes without air. About one second without home to one of my home.

Home single coming up today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out, when we place our hope in our God is hopes for us begin to take shape. I know the thoughts that I think Jesus is the Lord their thoughts and not of evil, to give you a future hope to lean on me talk about the value of leaning on a friend when were we today will see that's God's message to us when our lives have been shredded circumstances beyond our control circumstances brought on viral mistakes.

God is our refuge today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out after his son suddenly went to heaven. God's compassion was reconfirmed and he shares that reassurance today understand what I would be sharing with you is not from an ivory tower theory.

This is from the valley of the shadow of death, where I have personally found the hope promised to us in that is where we are going to find the hope that we need to find it in God's word. Let's of the Psalm 119 verse 114 you are my refuge and my shield.

Your word is my only source of all Romans 15 Ford says such things were written in the Scripture long ago to teach us and they give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises if and said that man can live 40 days without food three days without water. Eight minutes without air and about one second without whole. We all need hope in life to get through. But what does that mean they have hope of the just open all all II just know things will get better. Will wait you don't know what things could actually get worse, right. So what is my hope in my whole is in God I have the look to him and here's what God says to us in one of my favorite verses Jeremiah 2911 the Lord says I know the thoughts that I think Georgie says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and what hope that's what God is saying to us now, contextually, that statement was given to the Israelites when they were in Babylonian captivity because of their penchant for idolatry. The Lord banished them to the land of idolatry Babylon for 70 long years they they were no longer worshiping. They said they hung their hearts on the willow tree which means that they sort of a put the guitar away in the closet and unplug the M said there were no praise services happily because they felt like God had forgotten about them and God had abandoned them. So with that backdrop, the Lord says hey everyone, listen, I know the thoughts that I think Georgie says the Lord, thoughts of peace, not of evil, to give you a future and a whole God missing Israel listen to me. Your days are not over, I have a future for you and God is saying the same to us. Love of the Lord says I know the thoughts that I think toward you would've been enough about what is said, I know the single thought. I once had toward you for a fleeting moment when you be happy to know that God Almighty, the creator of the universe had a single thought about you. I will, but that's not what the Lord says he says I know the thoughts plural more than one that I think not. Just past tense, but present tense toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future so the thoughts of God are from what you thought what he is thinking and what he still will think they're good thoughts. The Bible says in Psalm 45. Many are your wonderful words would you have done in your thoughts toward us cannot be counted and what does he mean when he says the future they can better be translated and expected in or another translation would say a ground of hope are things hoped for. In other words, there will be an outcome there will be completion in your life. God will tie up the loose ends because as a Christian I am a work in progress. You know what a loved one leaves this world, especially when it's unexpected.

It tears us up inside even once expected. It's very hard to deal with the D sense of loss because it was a deep love know sometimes people will say we you shouldn't be crying. You should in the morning there and have it if you're a believer, but even the great apostle Paul talked about the deep sorrow he was feeling. If a friend of his would die in Philippians 225. He says I thought I would send the proper die this back to you is a true brother of people worker, a courageous soldier. He was your messenger to help me in my need. Now I am sending them home again, for he is been longing to see you and he was very distressed that you found out he was ill and he surely was built. In fact, he almost died, but God had mercy on him.

Listen to this. Paul says, also on me so I would not become such an bearable sorrow, this is Paul is been a heaven and is come back again this is Paul, who had more faith than anyone you can imagine.

And yet Paul himself is a concrete guidance had died.

I don't know if I could born. It's easy and that's all can be wondered can I bear this. Can I get through this.

When you lose someone you think it can I survive that. Some people say you know don't cry over it. I want to say something to you that know someone that's morning. The Bible says there's a time to weep and there's a time to mark and don't ever tell a person who's lost someone to get over it, or to stop crying.

Who are you to say such a thing be patient with people or morning Penelope say a word to you who are mourning the loss of someone unique perspectives in the perspective Psalm 42. The psalmist writes day and night. I've only had tears for food while my enemies continually calmly safe. Where is this God of yours. My heart is breaking. As I remember how it used to be. I walked among the crowds of worshipers leading to great process in the house of God singing for joy in giving things was a sound of a great celebration but then he corrects himself and he says why am I discouraged, why am I so sad. I will put my hope in God. I will praise him again. My Savior and my God I know what the psalmist means when he says I've only had tears for food when you have a breakfast lunch and dinner of tears and you lose your appetite and you cry constantly you know my wife said she'd only see me cry. Maybe two or three times in our life together and after the Lord Christopher. I cry every day for hours and in deep crying and so I understand what he's talking about here, but there would be times Robert sort of go into like a black hole. Here's what happened.

You're just going about your life and something triggers a memory in so many things could do it. It's ridiculous and you remember this time you were together and then you while your first instinct is to call him or talk to them and you realize they're gone. And then you say they're gone they're gone. I'll never see them on this earth again and then you say I'll never see them again. And why did this happen to me. You and all these things go through your mind.

I'm just being honest with you, you think preachers don't think these things that still just got okay. All these thoughts go through my mind. So here's what I did I say Greg you listen to me now. I start preaching to myself someone watching with think I'm a lunatic maybe I am but I'm a hopeful lunatic say Greg you listen to me.

The Bible says you will see your son again and he's in heaven and the Bible says that Jesus is the resurrection on the life and he that believes in him will not die and Greg remember in all remind myself of the promises of God. I'll quote them out loud to myself, you know what it just sort of lists via from this. I found myself in and we need to do this out of the psalmist is doing.

Amen.

All I do is cry day and night wise as I believe I remember the good old days and he says hey hole, thou in God, what are you doing any corrects his thinking grave is a lot like wiping out on away. How many of you serve, raise your hand. We don't have a lot of surface or harvest okay let me restate the question how many of you have ever been out of the ocean and you got caught in the set of waves and got pounded in Whitewater raise her head where we are. See, that's more like me. I would like to say is on a great server but I more like the guy floundering in Whitewater. I went out surfing with rivalries a while back and and Rall tells everyone how much he serves and as I recall we did do a lot of wave catching we did more floundering in Whitewater. The two of us together but it sounds good when we say work surface right but I anyway I which you want to avoid is getting caught in this impact zone so when you're out surfing her body surfing or boogie boarding or whatever you're doing, you see a set of waves coming in. You have to be the very thing you don't want to do, which is toward the wave right you want to run to the Shoreview don't do that. So you go toward the way you swim. Try to go under the way or over the top of the way but you're paddling out in the way picked you up in the worst way to go is words which I've done and then you get so discombobulated you don't know which way is up more than one person is brown because they want the wrong direction. They went down when they should have gone up. They take water that their lungs they going conscious. So here's what you need to remember. If you're out surfing and you have your surfboard or your boogie board. Anyone of a leash on a taxi wrinkle. Grab your leash and pull on it and go on the direction of the league why because it's attached to your board and your board is boy and I will be on the service.

So, even if it goes against the logic of the moment. Follow your leash to the top right that's very helpful. Guys want to give that will tip anyway so no to good tempo. Here's the analogy the word of God is like that lease that we pull on and it takes us to the surface where we can get proper perspective on what is really happening because our emotions like Whitewater will get the best of us. I will be overwhelmed, but we hope in God, and we believe the word of God and the corrects us and then Micah caught another way than another, but we keep hoping again and again and again. Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment.

It's a privilege to bring these studies from Pastor Greg your way and it's encouraging to know that the program is reaching all parts of the world, including to this soldier in the Middle East a faster Greg. I'm not sure if you'll get this email but I was walking through our morale, wellness and recreation center this morning and saw one of your messages on TV. I got saved to vacation Bible school in your church when I was five years old. My parents also dedicated me to God as a child at your church as well.

Your book lost boy helps bring me back from a dark place in my life during college. The day I read that book I recommitted my life to Jesus and have been following him ever since. Thank you for continuing to serve in God's Army thought you would like to know God is using your ministry. Well, we send these daily studies for pastor grading the radio, satellite and over the Internet. Would you like to share in this ministry is made an impact on your life.

If so, just from Pastor Greg an email.

It's great@harvest.org again, that's great@harvest.org will today. Pastor Greg is presenting one of his most requested messages of the past year called hope for those who have lost loved ones get a copy of it, harvest.org will know what our text on Chapter 11. This is a story of people who have lost hope. It's a story of the death of a loved one, amending Lazarus and how his sisters, Mary and Martha reacted. It's also a story of how Jesus reacts to such circumstances, and how God can be glorified in such situation, but it's a hopeful message. We see how the Lord deals with these people. Now he deals with us before we read these verses such as point out that Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were a tightknit family. There were three siblings that love each other and they had a great home. Everyone knew Martha was a killer chef and Jesus love to come visit shown up on the bondsman since they were here at 12 friends. Is that okay Martha was so hospitable would always make up a fantastic meal for the Lord these guys, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus can legitimately say that Jesus of Nazareth was their personal friend because he frequented their home which was within striking distance from Jerusalem. There in Bethany, so now tragedy comes even though there, and Lazarus is very very ill that so the story starts. John 11 verse one now certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha Davis at Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was said therefore the sisters sent to them, saying, Lord, be called a key whom you love is set so what we learn from this story number one life is filled with pain, sorrow, and the death of loved ones again. Life is filled with pain and sorrow the death of loved ones. I don't know why but some of us may think were going to get a pass for you to somehow make it through life unscathed. Never having a major tragedy. Never having any kind of illness, never losing a loved one. I it's it's all going to be great, but then when it comes our way were shocked. Don't be shocked. Peter said in first Peter 412 11 do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing were happening to you, don't. Don't be surprised like why is this happening when he wasn't happening happens to everyone. Jesus said in this world you will have tribulation, so it's going to come your way. It's going to knock your door. It will probably start with your grandparents dying and then your parents and eventually it could be your spouse.

It might be a child that you be a close friend that will remind you of your mortality, but wanted someone close to you like a spouse or a child or a brother as it was for Mary and Martha.

It's a whole different thing. So that's number one. Life is filled with pain and sorrow in the death of loved ones number two God loves us.

God loves us no rights over that and don't misunderstand it, let it sink in. God loves you. Listen to this. Whatever he does or allows to happen in your life as his child is motivated by his everlasting love for you repeat that whatever he does or allows to happen in your life as his child is motivated by his everlasting love for you. God says in his word. I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore with lovingkindness. I have drawn you he loves you and he loved them.

I want you to notice what they said in verse three Lord, the one whom you love is sick.

They knew Jesus love the and by the way, this word that is used here for the one you love is from the Greek word for Leo and for Leo means brotherly that's for Philadelphia got their name. The city of brotherly love for Leah Lord your friend that you love like a brother is said that was the word that they said to Jesus you know and that is the perfect thing to do when crisis hits when you're in trouble, bring it to Jesus. When the Israelites were criticizing and turning against Moses read in Exodus 1525 cry then to the Lord when you're criticized unfairly, take it to the Lord.

When Hezekiah received a threatening letter we read that he spread it out before the Lord of your received a letter threatening you, when John the Baptist was beheaded.

The disciples went and told Jesus. Matthew 1412 says so that's what we need to do when trouble comes we need to go and tell Jesus know I want you to notice the basis for their appeal then say hey Lord, you will iceman we thank you all the time and you and your friends Christ at our house so little love here in healing your body. They didn't see anything like that pay Mary to visit who was there at your feet, anointing them. That was me right.

Martha give is that he who makes your favorite meatloaf. They didn't do any of that. They just said, Lord, the one that you love is sick. Verse three.

They didn't even say Lord we love you so much. So do this for us.

They did not base their appeal and their love for God, but rather on his love for them.

That's just what we should do is guess what my love your love. It's fickle and fluctuates God's love for me is consistent and never changing Lord, the one that you love is taken the time to act is now in Jesus. What in his time and in his way. Verse four and five when Jesus heard that, he said, this sickness is out of the death, but for the glory of God the son of God may be glorified through it. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Therefore, when he heard that the was sent.

He states two more days in the place where he wants what he did what it seems like we would've read that when Jesus heard this, because he love Mary Martha and Lazarus. He found the fastest horse and ran full speed to get to his sick friend. Or we could read that Jesus just appeared there. Oh hello everyone, what's up, how can I help know because he love them. He delayed his arrival.

Interesting though different word is used here for love Mary Martha C. The one you love for Leo brother love is sick. The word that is used here is the Greek word agape which speaks of God's all-consuming love in Jesus because he loved him. In this way, did not come when they wanted him to come remember his delays are not necessarily his denials just as surely as God has his will. He has his timing of Ecclesiastes 311 says God has made everything beautiful in his time. So here is what is really happening. Jesus is trying to get Mary and Martha get the big picture guys. I know it seems like I can come there right now, but what I want to do is better than what you're asking me to do, they go above and beyond your quest for Greg Lord's reassuring insights on the hope we can find in the Lord and there's much more to come as Pastor Greg completes the study you're on a new beginning. If you like a CD of the full presentation get in touch and mention the title of the study hope for those who have lost loved ones.

It's one of the most requested messages of the past year.

Order online@harvest.org or call 1-800-821-3300 1-800-821-3300 and I were so excited about Pastor Greg's new book chronicling the spiritual journey of singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. It's a book called Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon, and that Pastor Greg pointed out that Johnny grew up in a very imperfect home.

His mom was very devoted to the Lord, but he had a troubled relationship with his father, but I don't know anyone who grew up in a perfect home know there's always going to be drama and pride and stress. A lot of people may see themselves in the story of his early life.

In fact, you stated in the book that you saw a bit of yourself and his story will yeah I saw a bit of myself and Johnny story because of his life growing up with his father and also from him being from Arkansas, you know, people know my story, my mother was married and divorced seven times.

So as she was out running around, you know, living her crazy party life I lived a good part of my life with my grandparents a good part of my childhood, I should say so.

I was effectively being raised by two people from another generation and my grandfather was a good man but he was pretty cold in a very harsh disciplinarian so I understood a little bit of what Johnny may have been facing because his father also from Arkansas array was a very harsh man, a very harsh disciplinarian and never really give out compliments Johnny, you know, though he is a sort of rugged persona and and people think of him as a man's man and he was that he was an artist in meaning he was a musician.

He was sensitive. He was a songwriter you know and any needed encouragement and Ray never gave that to amend early in his life. Johnny had his older brother Jack. We looked up to so much and Jack in fact wanted to be a preacher.

He was a very responsible young man always carried his Bible with them everywhere. Quoted Scripture is tenant trying to keep his younger brother Johnny on the straight and narrow and that one day Johnny was going up for scene.

He asked his brother to go with them, and his brother couldn't because he had taken a job to make a little bit of extra money working in the sawmill and it was a tragic accident where he was pulled into the sigh and almost died, but lived a little bit of time after that, but ultimately died and so poor Johnny's coming back from visiting and his father picks him up tells him to throw the fishing pole of the back of the truck. They drive to the hospital and after Johnny's older brother died, Johnny's father said God took the wrong son, you know, so Johnny live with that. There was life. God took the wrong son so he always felt like he was a disappointment, and even when he was starting to experience a lot of success. His father was still very reluctant to give up the compliments and so you know, that was something that affected them well into his adult years for sure. You can see why. And there's so much more to Johnny story. He had a real relationship with the Lord but also had many struggles with addiction. Pastor Greg points out that Johnny became an ordained pastor, but the temptations of the road and the injuries she suffered now and then would be treated with prescription pain pills than that would reignite his addiction but his walk with the Lord began well and ended well and Pastor Greg's biography on Johnny Cash is a story of hope. Who do you know who needs to hear this message of hope.

We like to send you Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org Pastor Greg comes back to wrap up this message called hope for those who have lost loved ones will be back to join us next time you're on a new beginning with Pastor Greg for an impossible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor greats free daily email devotions and harvest.org