Time to Take Out the Trash: Where Our Focus Should Be

You're listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere. No guide this at our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org when you were God's kingdom first light.

We offered to everyday concerns today on a new beginning after Grigori helps us turn those worries over all those things you think about what you drink what you going to where were you married all those things are concerned about all those things you sometimes worry about. God promises him for older students to look ahead on the road focus on the Billboard car opens on those dangers you to steer the direction to a level we find similar advice in the Lord's sermon on the Mount. Grigori highlights this time tested worries and cares where we should my messages time to take out the drive for looking at two passages together one of those passages is first Peter five and the other one is Matthew six because we are looking at the sermon on the mount so first Peter five Matthew six let me say something that might seem a little odd, but Jesus Christ is our Savior Jesus Christ as our Lord Jesus Christ is our God. But Jesus in the fact wants to pick up your trash. Let me explain Jesus as a Matthew 1128 come to me all you who are weary and can't carry your heavy burdens that I would give you rest.

Jesus is saying. Would you please bring your cares to me, would you please bring your anxieties and your worries and your problems and your burdens to me and he says and when you do that, I will give you rest.

I mean, that's quite a promise and we all have cares and anxieties and worries that weigh us down.

Don't wait. Here's what the Bible says we should do with them. Let's read first Peter chapter 5 verse six and reading from the new living translation so humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Casting all your cares upon him for he cares for you. Stay alert. Watch out your great enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Stand firm against them, be strong in your faith and remember that your family of believers are all over the world and they're going to the same kind of suffering. You are so if you're taking notes. Here's point number one you are not alone in your suffering. You are not alone in your suffering. Look at verse eight.

There first Peter again, remember that your family of believers all over the world are going to the same kind of suffering.

You are I don't know why this was just good to know I'm not the only one going through suffering right that there's somebody else that is facing something as hard as I'm facing. Maybe even quite a bit harder than I'm facing. This is were community comes in. This is where the church comes in. The Bible says bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. It's so wonderful when we can do that for one another. Number two. We need to give our burdens to God. We need to give our burdens to God to give her seven casting all your cares upon him wife because he cares for you.

Listen, if it troubles you, it concerns God.

So what you do when your burdens are piling up. You bring them to God right so let's shift gears now go over to Matthew chapter 6 will see the next thing that we need to do a read a few verses together. Matthew six verse 25. Here is Jesus in the sermon on the Mount.

This is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life. Whether you have enough food or drink, or close to where is alive more than food in your body more than clothing. Look at the birds.

They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them in your far more valuable to him than they are general all of your worries at a single moment to your life. Why do you worry about clothing look of the lilies of the field, how they grow, they don't work or make their clothing. Yet Solomon in all of his glory was not as just as beautifully as they are, and of God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow he will certainly care for you, why do you have such little faith so don't worry about these things same. What shall we eat, what shall we drink, what shall we wear these things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly father already knows all of your needs very important verse, verse 33 seek first the kingdom of God above everything else in his righteousness give you everything you need.

So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. Their powerful words from Jesus. So let's review.

Number one, were not alone in our suffering. Number two, we should cast all our cares on God number three this is a big one, the believers should not worry, Jesus is a don't worry. Verse 25.

Don't worry about your life for a better translation don't have anxiety about the issues of life. Stop doing what you've already been doing so the ideas you been doing this I want to stop at stop worrying becomes under this we need to trust in the providence of God. God is in control of all things, and there's no accidents in our lives and nothing touches us. It is not first pass through his loving hands of God is in control point number four worry does not make life longer. In fact, it can make life more miserable. Verse 27 can all your worries at a single moment to your life. In other words, can you do worry and anxiety by assessing over your life, make it longer. No worry. In fact, may shorten your life.

Studies have been done that are shown that worry can actually have detrimental effect upon you physically, so you know and and some people that they want to live the healthiest life and they're always changing the rules of you notice that foretold low fat old. Only these low-fat things will be healthy and then I just read the paper the other day.

I'm not making this up beef and cheese are really good for you, especially together like really.

I like that that's a good that's a good discovery never told copies good copies bad copies good copies bad, right, so that it's always changing and I were trying to figure it out and so you're done at the health food store and I find very interesting. People hang around health food stores and you notice that as well.

Interesting collection of people here and I and yet here I am among them. For some unknown reason wanted kale become so popular wasn't that just pretty much like what we used to call parsley years ago just kind of a little decoration on the plate.

Now we eat kale we drink, shakes, made out a kale.

We build our previous exotic Kayla took a lot of care but I want to tell you this and I'm not you know probably if you're eating a healthy diet, and your exercising means you're going to probably have a good strong life. In contrast of the person is not doing those things.

But I'm just telling you ultimately determines the days of your life you don't determine it. Point number five. Worry is an indication of a lack of faith worry is an indication of a lack of faith, verse 30.

If God so wonderfully cared for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith, no notice, Jesus did not say you have no faith you of little faith.

Some have more faith than others. How do you build your faith. You build your faith up by doing what you're doing right now what you doing right now, you say well I'm actually taking a nap, wake up and listen to what I'm saying what you're doing right now as you're listening to a Bible study and don't you love Bible study either why this is build our faith up because Romans 1017 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God see when I hear the word of God. It puts things in perspective. I see everything the way I ought to see it so it's important for us to hear God's word and bolster our faith. Listen we need to believe our believes that we need to doubt our doubts. Far too often we doubt our beliefs and we believe our doubts let's flip that around.

Doubt your doubt.

What if… Forget what it go back to what God says in his word.

What you know is true. That's how you build your faith. You also build your faith by using it. Faith often grows in the garden of adversity and by that I mean when you're going through times of trial and testing your faith grows because you have a choice. You know, run away and abandon God or hang on to God tighter than ever. And faith also comes to use. It's not unlike a muscle, the more you use a muscle, the stronger the muscle becomes. You effectively break down the muscle to build up the muscle and if you don't do that, your muscles will atrophy so you need to keep moving and so this is that we build our faith by using our faith. So we take steps of faith we we do things outside of our comfort zone way we take risks we we do things that we would not normally do for God's glory. That's how you build up your faith, your great glory will have the second half of this message just a moment. So many listeners have come in the help they receive these daily messages God's word ministers to them and often gets them through some of their darkest hours working here 20 then my dad had heart delay. After that my has been the night listening to your Encouraging Word and your books on audible has helped me through it with a smile on my face and joy in my heart I know there will be more prompt in the road along the way, mainly because I'm a fixed time survivor that I know who gave me in my journey and I thank God like you. Well, God bless you listeners are hearing these messages using his word to comfort call Pastor Greg studies impacted your life would you let him know drop an email to greg@harvest.org that's great@harvest.org well today and one of the past years most requested messages. Pastor Greg is pointing out why worry shouldn't find a home in a believer's life is a study based in Matthew chapter 6 instead of worry. Put God in his Word in your life. First, instead of worry, but God in his word first in your life. Verse 33 seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. So Jesus is effectively saying instead of worrying about food and drink and clothing like unbelievers to focus your attention and hope on the things of the Lord and God will take care of all of your needs. Seek God's kingdom towards the speak. The persistence let's say you drop depending on the ground, would you pick it up. I would pick up a stink and pending dime for sure Carter it's a it's an issue to find the court you dropped $100 bill in a little breeze picked it up, would you go looking for it. Yes, you would of course you would.

And so think of this is something of the greatest importance.

You know that this putting God's kingdom.

First, above all things.

But what is it mean when we say seek first the kingdom of God. It means principally above everything else give God number one position in your life what you seeking the kingdom of God. What is the kingdom of God is the rule and reign of Jesus Christ in your life.

So to say Lord I want your will above my own will put God first, put God first in your marriage, put God first in your singleness put God first in your business. Put God first in your finances.

Put God first in everything in every area of your life you put God first.

When you start the day with prayer. You seek first the kingdom of God. When you start the day with study of Scripture seek first the kingdom of God when your regular and in fellowship all these things are just pretty much no-brainers, but sometimes folks don't understand the put God first and here's the last thing I want to point out number seven. When you put God's kingdom first life will find it proper balance when you put God first, we put him in his kingdom.

First, your life will find its proper balance.

Verse 33. All these things will be added to you what you can eat what you're going to drink what you're going to wear where you live where you're going to marry all those things you think about all those things you're concerned about. And yes, all those things you sometimes worry about. God promises take care of it if you put him first so amazing promise but look these things that I've shared tonight are not just for any person this sermon on the Mount is given to believers. You know it's interesting a point that's often overlooked as we think Jesus delivered the sermon on the Mount to the multitude. People say I just live by the sermon on the Mount will frankly no one probably really lives by this, much as they should but it was given to his disciples. We don't read Jesus said these words of the multitudes. It's is the multitudes gathered and he called his disciples aside and he said to them, these words are given to Christians. These words are only true for Christians. These words are only applicable to the man of the woman was put their faith in Christ will let me come back to the subject of worry if you're not a Christian you are to be worried. If you aren't a Christian you want to be afraid because there's a lot of things to be afraid of starting with you don't have God in your life and you're going to face the consequences for your sins and your actions and also if you die will not have when everyone will die sooner or later when you die, though be no more chances for you beyond the grave. Why would you risk something like that you want to get right with God and then you can put him first in your life and discover his plan for you seeking first the kingdom starts with being born again you know you must be born again, he what is that mean what Jesus actually coined the phrase they said it to some religious guy named Nicodemus. He said Nicodemus you must be born again. Whoever is born again will enter the kingdom of heaven. What is that mean it means you have a spiritual rebirth US Christ to come into your life. Remember, Jesus said, I quoted this earlier in Matthew 1128 come to me all of you are wary in your carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest you come to church with a heavy burden have you come with a lot of fears have you come after maybe reaping the consequences for some really bad decisions you've made and you don't know how to get it all sorted out.

Here's what you need to do, just come to Jesus it's not a 12 step program. It's a one step program you come to him with your burdens. You come to him with your problem you come to him with your sins, you come to him with your addictions. You come to him with your questions.

You come to him with your trash and say Lord, would you pick the trash up because it's overwhelming me you come in with all of them say I can't fix it.

Lord, I need you to help me and you cast your care upon him, you give it to him in a lifted off of you and forgive you of your sin. See Jesus carry that cross that heavy cross weighing hundreds of pounds on his shoulders and the fact that it already been ripped open by the Roman cat of nine tails. He carried the weight of that cross for you.

2000 years ago, so you don't have to carry the weight of your sins, today you can be forgiven come to him with all of your sins and all of your cares. I member when I became a Christian. Many years ago as a kid 17 years old and I I pray this prayer to ask Jesus in the my life. Frankly, I really didn't even know what I was doing. I just knew I needed God and so I prayed the prayer and I remember distinctly. After I prayed the prayer I had this feeling that a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. Did any of you ever feel that you know I felt the weight was taken off of the hide not read Matthew 1128 yet.

I didn't know Jesus promised to take my burdens off of me. I just know that is a kid who had made a lot of bad decisions in this life. All this weight was lifted off of me and I didn't realize it at the time of us carrying the weight of the world as carrying my sin is carry my guilt and my pain. And Jesus lifted it off of me and he will do that for you tonight.

So what you need to do. You need to come to need to come to him so in a moment were going to pray and I meant to give you an opportunity to come to Jesus is able where is he, where is he sitting he's in this room and he'll come and live in your hearts, and he'll be you know there's a phrase that we use and it sounds like a cliché but it's actually theologically correct. I like it.

He'll become your personal Lord and Savior.

I like the word personal because it's true. Guys are Lord and Savior is my Lord and Savior, but he'll be your Lord and Savior.

You will be alone in life anymore you walk with you through life. Forgive you of your sin and then one day when you die, you go to heaven or if the rapture comes, you get to heaven faster. Let's hope that happens I'm I'm down for that leisure reading Kale not getting even keel people are going to get to have so working to pray in a moment I'm a new extend an invitation for you to respond to Jesus an opportunity for you to take all of your cares and anxieties and worries and wait and sins and throw them on Jesus walk out of here tonight.

A person relieved a person at rest. A person who now knows God. If you need to do that when it should do this. We pray now father I pray that your Holy Spirit will speak to every person here every person watching, listening, wherever they may be. If they don't know you yet. Lord, let this be the moment they come and believe in Jesus name I pray for Greg Lord important closing prayer and if you'd like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord. Pastor Greg will help you do that in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes that it's a real joy to have a good friend, Pastor Levi Lesko with us easily, pastor of fresh life church in Montana, Utah, Oregon, and Wyoming and is written a new book that were making available a colorful children's devotional resource called roar like a lion, Levi, what are you hearing from parents about the book.

What is this resource done for kids and their folks what's been so surprising. Dave you know I'm I knew that kids would you like it because we had focus groups with our own kids all my kids when I would write one would read it. Tell me what they didn't like about it.

Then when our illustrator Catherine Pearson would send us the rough sketches of the drawings she was in Switzerland so she wouldn't email them. My kids would say I don't like that or that bears not fat enough for you, whatever and we would make the tweaks so we Artie knew that we had something good on her hands, but what I was surprised by was the fact that I would hear back from adults who are blessed by to matter fact one pastor who I sent it to in Australia wrote me back and said I don't even have kids in the house anymore my grandkids around, but I've enjoyed reading this myself and it was a great laugh because you know God's word is God's word and of course the kids devotional should encourages us because it's based on God's word, which will encourage all of us. And Jesus said we all have to have faith like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven. I also have recurred a lot from homeschooled moms and homeschooled dads who said that this is been a really indispensable part of their homeschooled curriculum because it has history and Bible so they'll do. Maybe a little bit of this lesson then will do a deep dive on the right brothers and the fact that they flipped a coin to figure out who is gonna fly first to Kitty Hawk or the Corrie 10 boom section and then the learn more about that historical person and then they'll do a deeper dive on the Scriptures, and that they said it's basically functioning as Bible and history class, great.

So roar like a lion.

This new book by Levi Lesko deals with topics like having courage to try something new. Even when others are watching facing fears about school and friendships handling new challenges and past disappointments dealing with peer pressure and bullying and finally understanding how we each fit into God's great story so you can see that Levi's bringing it into the real world of what your kids are facing right now so you can equip them prepare them, help them, encourage them and more so order your copy of this brand-new book by Levi Lesko titled roar like a lion 90 devotions to a courageous faith. Yes, the perfect time for new devotional resource the start of a new year and what better way to have quality time with your kids or grandkids will send it to you to say thank you for your investment in this ministry and the lives that will be touched in the coming year and does in our culture need to touch from the Lord right about now.

So thank you for your investment today and will say thanks tangibly with a copy of the brand-new book called roar like a lion. You can donate securely online@harvest.org or write us shed a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 Pastor Greg you spoke today about having a relationship with the Lord. Yeah, someone can enter into that kind of a relationship with God right now and yeah they really can. That's the amazing thing. I think people are surprised that it doesn't take years to become a Christian. It doesn't take months. It doesn't take weeks. It doesn't take days, it doesn't even take ours you can believe on the spot and I would like to lead you in a prayer where you can ask for his forgiveness.

A prayer where you can receive Jesus Christ into your life as your Savior and Lord. So if you want Christ to come in your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want a second chance in life. If you want to go to heaven when you die, stop what you're doing and pray after me these words Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I'm sorry for my sin and I turn from it now and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as Savior and Lord is God and friend. Thank you for loving me and calling me ever giving me in Jesus name I pray, amen man listen.

If you have just prayed those words with pastor Greg Bentham.

Sincerely, the Lord is heard you and forgiven you of your sin. The Bible says Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and would like to send you some materials to help you begin to live this new life we call it our new believers gross packet just asked for and will send it to you free of any charge if you prayed for the first time today with pastor Greg just call us at 1-800-821-3300.

That's a 24 hour phone number 1-800-821-3300 or write us at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or go online to harvest.org and click know God will next time more from the most requested presentations of the year pastor Greg brings a heartfelt message called hope for those who have lost loved ones, you know someone facing that pain.

If I send a listen as well join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible feature Greg for an new beginning as a podcast, made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God if this shell has impacted your life.

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