How to Never Stumble or Fall: Pushing Forward

You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God this at our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org. Lloyd is one of because the growth was recent so we know it all, there's no cruise control over the water today on a new beginning. Pastor Gregori pointed out the importance of rushing forward in our walk with God wise person realizes there's always so much to learn so much in your life. It needs to still shake as your transform the image of Jesus Christ and his last night Southern California or online from around the country tell harvest live from Angel Stadium.

So many were brought face-to-face with their need for the Lord your about the results of the minute details of harvest.org, but to help those who make commitments to Christ today on a new beginning after Gregori focuses on the next step how to walk each day at fellowship with the Lord is coming your way long ago I read Lisa books go for a walk as they was all is much more for that I am I try to get a walk every day for maybe 30 minutes or so, but all I could take longer walk. They said were we going. He said I wouldn't take usual really amazing like okay so we started a walk and I notice a lot of it is going up by Monday in climate and the 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 want making progress or okay now I'm getting a bit fatigued is rotted hour and 20 minute and I said how much further it is that he said just write 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 go back is Craig Kaman 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 or 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 lot 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 get going another step I worn out.

I've done and it's good to have a Christian friend that saying 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 really 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 of 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 they'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 my faith will really the answer is that's entirely up to you but here's one thing I would bring 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 the 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 that the question Scripture 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 should drink that in challenging Scripture, will 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 need is the Bible the word of God or not.

So we noted 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 them, and even 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 of the day you eat, you will become like God, knowing good and evil even check it out. You'll be a goddess girl listen, you get 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's sincere running saying you can trust. That's a snake reference if you're missing that 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 your thinking. Why did you read a book about him.

While 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 downs but he had 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 never new name for all the disciples, but he had a new one for Simon. Here's your new anybody of the rock that's pretty cool. Now 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 writes that computer 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 low 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 St. 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 her message just moment, everybody Greg Laurie here.

You know my uncle Fred Jordan at one of the first Christian TV programs out there. It was called church in the home.

I remember watching it as a little boy when I was living with my grandparents we have church in the home for you every weekend is called harvest@homeinvitedtoharvest.org we have worship in a message of God's word. So join us this weekend for harvested home harvest.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 bowl 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 want 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 going to 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, very 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 have been tempted by Satan himself. No understand you are tempted by one of his minions of those minions 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, the powerful has limitations.

God is omniscient, which means all knowing Satan's knowledge, but not equal to that of God. God is omnipresent, mood swings, 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 go to prison for you all the time 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 is ever fallen away from the faith, or any person was ever stumbled or fallen. I don't care what the particular sin is 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 who 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 for some of you do that I would appoint you out today because assessments… One bit, and you need to check new chip next guilty anyway because I don't like to see residue in the ghetto anyway. So here they are used RV chips and salsa, so to speak, and Jesus is the guy who's dipping this chip and the salsa is a one is going to betray me at the moment.

Judas has a chip in the salsa Judah everyone looks at you disease like 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 Lewis and 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.

I never do that. Think Holland 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 carelessness is a word how many of you think it could be a word, raise your hand. Here we have a quorum it's a work carelessness 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, as 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 I consider 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 begin 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. Got all fix that Lord way the second pray about 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 in making right now is putting myself in someone else's shoes, but every marriage can always use some help, including money right in yours. But maybe your marriage is hanging by a thread in the threads on fire or I thought I could overcome this addiction. Tonight I tried on my own strength but I keep falling back into it. Lord help me see, that's the idea you're calling out to God in prayer. 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 to run a new beginning, and to get an instant replay of today study just go to harvest.org.

The title of the message is how to never stumble or fall into pastor Greg so many people wish they knew the book of Revelation better yeah they wish they understood the symbolism and had a clearer picture of what it all means. And of course your new book will help them with that, but she wants the byproduct of having a good understanding Revelation.

What will it do for us as Bible students will be a blessing in your life and I base that on his statement in Revelation itself when it says blessed is the person who reads here's and keeps the words of this book so there's three conditions to receive the blessing promised to the person who opens up Revelation. First you have to read it interesting that word read to be translated read it out loud and so you just need to read the book and then you need to hear it. Jesus would often say he that has ears to hear, let him hear.

You need to open your heart up spiritually and let God speak to you this is a Bible prophecy is not a budget data we want to just fill our head with God wants to move your heart with that as well.

You know in first-run. It says he that has a soap that is the home of the larger turn, purifies himself, even as he is pure. That brings me to the third point you have to keep it so you read it you hear it and you keep that you do with the book says you should do actually Revelation as a lot deceive you personally as a follower of Jesus Christ. It's not just about eschatology.

That said, you know, a theological word that speaks of the study of end times events, but these are powerful truths that God wants us to understand because he's attached a blessing to it. Listen though you'll be blessed by reading the Bible and studying Bible prophecy in general. The fact of the matter is there is no other book that comes with a specific built-in blessing apart from the book of Revelation, so I'm sure you that are listing right now want to be blessed and that's why want to send you a copy of this new book that I've written based on Revelation, I've simply called it Revelation, a book of promises. I think this'll probably be the easiest to understand book.

Maybe you've read on the book of Revelation, and I think that you'll find it will open it up maybe in new ways for you. Look, the book of Revelation tells me that God is in control. The book of Revelation tells us about Jesus Christ. In fact, it's the unveiling of Jesus Christ.

The book of Revelation tells me that we win in the end, so I want you to know more about that so order your copy of Revelation, a book of promises to a brand-new book, very happy with it. It's a big book.

It's a book that will be a great addition to your library, that's for sure and will be glad to send it your way to thank you for your partnership with us. It's only through the support of listeners that these daily studies can come your way. So get in touch with your donation today and ask for Revelation, a book of promises.

And if you get in touch right away will include a custom bookmark that shows an overview of the events of the end times in chronological order. It's very helpful to keep it straight to contact us today at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24 seven again at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org the next time more insights drawn from Peter's denial of Christ. Looking at the steps to spiritual decline and how to avoid join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher break for an everybody thinks or listening to beginning this is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. So for more content can help you know God and equip you to make him known to others or to learn more about how you can become a harvest partner. Just go to harvest.org