Classic Crusade: Hope for Hurting Hearts

Hey there Victor, listening to the great glory part just a ministry supported by harvest partners on Greg Laurie encouraging you if you want to find out more about harvest ministries. To learn more about how to become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org.

Now the words of Jesus cry for you that have come here tonight with broken heart trouble heart with hurting harness. I hope for you. Here's what the Lord says in John chapter 14 let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions that were not so I would've told you.

I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that were I am, you may be also in where I go you know the way you know, so don't Lord we don't know where you're going.

How can we know the way Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes of the father except through me. Great word believe you are listening now with the trouble heart or it's broken. Life is not gone the way that you hoped it would. You had a nice plan and then something went wrong. You thought your life would be happy tidy say like an unwanted visitor tragedy came knocking. Pain took up residence in your house, and I won't go away.

Steven Curtis Chapman in his record beauty will rise as a song: where are you God it in that song Stephen asks these very honest questions.

Where are you God because you are turning out to be so much different than I imagined. Where are you God is. I finally like to be much harder than I can. You know that I believe in you.

But I still have these question.

There's nothing wrong with having questions. There's nothing wrong with asking why in his book the lion witch and the wardrobe. CS Lewis writes about a conversation between little Lucian Mrs. Beaver. Lucy is very nervous about meeting the great one.

The lion Lucy asked Mrs. Beaver. Is he saying I would feel rather nervous about meeting a lion Mrs. Beaver says in response that you will Jerry and make no mistake if there's anyone who could appear before Absalom without their knees knocking the reader braver than most or just selling Lucy then says that he is insane.

Mrs. Beaver says say don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you who said anything about being say, of course, he doesn't say, but he's good. The king, I tell you and God is good, life is not always what we call safe. There are things that don't make sense when life is bad, God is still good. Jesus says let not your heart be troubled. That's an interesting phrase trouble and needs. Let not your heart shutter. If you ever had that she'll go down your spine, you heard that you saw that scene nothing happened.

Jesus said don't let that happen to you if you're one of my followers and then he gives us three reasons why we don't have to have part trouble three things to remember when you are praying, number one, believe that God's word is true again. Reason number one do not have a trouble heart believe that God's word is true because Jesus says there John chapter 14 if you believe in God believe also in me.

One of the things that you will struggle with when tragedy hits is without you'll wondered if God has forgotten about you or of God maybe is an paying attention to you. Here's what Jesus said believe in the original Greek.

It carries the idea of firmness and resolve the conviction of a command yet from the context sharing these words in a gentle way he is saying, in effect, dear one must believe and take me at my word. And in the original tenants of the statement it means to keep doing it figures what Jesus is saying you must believe my word and you must keep on believing that again and again and again, not just believe one keep believing.

Fill your mind and heart with the word of God. Sometimes it's hard to get to sleep at night when you're filled with anxiety or fear or worry that it is said that I preach to myself. I know that may sound really odd. I don't have a pulpit at home that I preach from, but I do preach to myself sometimes I'll have moments of doubt, question, and I'll see no Greg you listen to me. The Bible says in all quote Scriptures out loud to myself to remind myself of what the word of God says that's what you need to know the Bible and memorize the Bible quote the Bible to others and yourself because this word is true you choose to believe it again and again like that one guy in the Bible is the Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief.

Here's the truth that you need to know if you have a loved one who is dying. They are in heaven and you can take that for what it is, God has set it. It's true because were told in first on 513.

If you believe in the name of the son of God, you know that you have eternal life.

You know, we talked about Jesus weeping at the tomb of Lazarus.

We think the reason that Jesus wept was because he was sharing in the sorrow of all of the people were missing Lazarus and I think that is true, but there may have been another reason that Jesus wept because he know just a few moments he was going to say Lazarus come forth about poor guy you have to leave the glory of heaven and come back to this stinking earth.

So Jesus wept for two. Can you imagine being Lazarus arriving in heaven, having God say I have some good news and some bad news. What's a good news lawyer coming back again.

What's about to you're getting call back to earth, so trust me when I tell you that no one in heaven would ever want to come back to earth again but we still miss them, and we wish they could. But one day because we put our faith in Christ, we will be reunited with them again. So number one if your heart is shuttering take out of this word number two. Remember you will put your faith in Jesus Christ are also going to heaven you have God word on it.

Nothing is more important than that, but you know heaven we think about heaven and it seems so unreal to us and I were you. What center on clouds and stroma heart sounds boring but another BNL party with my friend or you may end up in hell but you will be partying with anyone you can be sure of that heaven is not boring science fiction writer Isaac Asimov wrote.

I don't believe in an afterlife, so I don't have to spend my whole life.

Yell or fear you have an even more.

Whatever the tortures of hell. I think the board about heaven would be even worse." Lane treatment. He doesn't know anything about heaven. Listen heaven is a place we think of it as this. This surrealistic unreal state of mind. No evidence of quite Jesus said I am going to prepare up place for you were on a place called earth one day will be in a place called heaven that is far better than Earth. We have will be as good as earth know will be better. Earth is a pale limitation of heaven, not the other way around heaven is the real deal in the hope of every follower of Jesus Christ. It is a place evidence of paradise. Jesus said that the pain next to on the cross. Truly, truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. The apostle Paul guy came back to life again in describing what it was like to be in God's presence. He said I really can't put it into words for you, but I'll tell you this much. It was paradise but heaven is also called the city. The Bible says that the builder and maker of heaven is God, the Bible tells us we are within boring city, a city that is to come listen city center building culture.

They are barking up music goods and services. An event it's not some weird sitting around in a cloud kind of thing out in the city of heaven will recognize one another in heaven.

Sometimes we will see what we what we know one another in heaven. Why do you think you would know less in heaven than you know on earth you going to be smarter up there no more stupid all your questions will be answered. Then all of your problems will be resolved in all disabilities will disappear. Then, all pain will be gone then in this paradise. In this city in this place called heaven a while back I was speaking in North Carolina at the Billy Graham training center at the coven. We got news that Billy Graham wanted us to come and have lunch with that of course is a great honor and so we made our way up that road to his cabin therein, North Carolina and so we took our see that the table and Billy came in and Billy's in his 90s now and he doesn't move as quickly as he used to move in the can see as well as he used to be able to see Kent here as well as it used to be able to hear but when he comes in a room. He is the man Billy Graham and he sat down and we had a great lunch of barbecue all the fixings corn and cornbread and so forth, and we were talking a little bit in Delhi wasn't quite hearing everything I was saying that so we were conversing. Simon and his daughter Gigi was also there to tickle Greg what he is speaking on tonight. I said Gigi I'm speaking on the topic of heaven to settle what you gonna say. So I did like a little four-minute overview of my message I talked about what the Bible says about heaven. Billy listen carefully, those blue eyes staring at me deeply, taking in every work in our private then speaking. He repeated that all the points that I made and he said when I get to heaven I don't know one of the sea first. Ruth, his wife or Jesus is no billing but is going to be wonderful and we talk a little bit more and then as I was leaving he looked at me and said Greg I'll see you in heaven's events, the whole at the Christian have we will be reunited with loved ones again. One set of gone before us were going to have but not all of us are going to have. In fact, I would even take it a step further and say most of us will not go to heaven when I say us. I don't mean us here now, but I need most of us in this world wide away say that because Jesus said brought as a way that leads to destruction, and maybe there are the go that way, but narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there are that find it. Heaven is not the default destination of every person who dies only the person listen now was put their faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, has the assurance they will go to heaven and I hope you've done that, and if you have and I'll tell you how in just a couple of moments.

So take out of this word were going to heaven and the third reason we don't have to have trouble hearts tonight is Jesus Christ is coming back again and it could be sooner than we realize, Jesus said, I will come again and receive the view to my cell. The Bible says it will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God.

The dead in Christ shall rise first. Those which are alive and remaining will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. We will always be with the Lord.

So comfort one another with these words wide with those words become pretty because Paul when he gave that statement was talking to people thought they would never see their loved ones again would die pulses, check this out to be reunited with them again. I have a family reunion in the air and you'll be in heaven together mothers and fathers will be reunited with sons and daughters sons and daughters with mothers and fathers, wives reunited with husbands and husbands and wives, brothers with brothers, sisters, with sisters all be reunited with my son Steven Curtis Chapman will be reunited with his daughter Mark will be reunited with his daddy. We will all see our loved one again. This is the promise of God that is not only the great depth of the great separator. But Jesus Christ is the great reconciler yes said that he is coming. Are you ready or maybe you come here tonight your life is messed up in your despondent you're so despondent you even thought of taking your life in fact one of the reasons you haven't done it is because your fridge go to hell, or you're afraid of the effect would have on others was so even for you. We did our crusade in Albuquerque New Mexico. Some years ago in an amazing story took place so that I just heard recently from a man I met in Chicago were were going to be doing to crusade in the month of September. His name was Earl. Earl wasn't to stumble.

He was raised in a Muslim home raised in Islam, and Earl sort of turned away from his Islamic roots divorced his wife moved to the United States and then ultimately moved to Albuquerque New Mexico was living with some girl got into drugs and drinking spent all of his money on drugs. One day Earl decided he was going to kill himself. He decided he was going to overdose on drugs. So I called up his drug dealer find that Woody can buy her 800 bucks that's as much money as he had left the bank account. He was on his way to his drug dealer, South get enough take his own life as he was driving along, he turns on the radio looking for some really dark music is sort of a backdrop for what he was about to do.

Sold Earl comes across a Christian radio station.

He likes the sound of one of the song and then the DJ said by the way, that band is playing tonight at the pit at the harvest Crusade.

We were having our crusade in their auditorium there that ironically is called the pit and at that moment Earl looked out his window and he driving right by the pit returns in gets out of his car. He walks in.

The music is playing, he likes it.

I got them started speaking and Earl told me Greg while you were speaking. I was just saying to myself what you hurry up and tell me how to get right with God. Tell me how I can go to heaven. Finally I ended my message and get that invitation meeting went down and gave his life to the Lord and that was some eight years ago and walking with the Lord now known as life is been changing. God can change you that I no matter what your background is no better done but how would Jesus gave us the answer right here in John 14.

He gives us hope. He tells us that were going to heaven.

God's word is true he's coming back again and then he says, and where I go you know in the way you know Thomas said, Lord, we don't know where you're going and we don't know the way I love Thomas.

He's always criticize old doubting Thomas.

Whatever gives him credit for anything is one time and promise to stated the obvious humor when you're back in school and the teacher would do some complex problem up on the board. Maybe in your math class and then they would turn to the class and say does everyone understand and no one had a clue as to what just happened up there, but no one wanted to be the one person say I don't get it. Thomas wasn't afraid to speak up. So where I go you know Jesus as in the way you know Thomas is like a question, yes Thomas, we don't know where you're going and we don't know the way Jesus doesn't correct them.

He says I am the way the truth and the life no man comes of the father but by me. Good question Thomas. Here's the answer.

I am the way, I am the truth I am, there is no other way to come into a relationship with the God that we have sinned against up part from me in Jesus Christ. Why because Jesus Christ was more than a good man. He was the God man, fully God and fully man uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between the holy God of heaven that we have all sinned against. So Jesus voluntarily went to across and died there in our place became to pay a debt he did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay so now maybe you're like girl in your same preacher we you just cut to the chase and tell us what to do.

Okay I want to do that if you want to know that you go to heaven when you die, here's what you need to do.

You need to admit you're a sinner.

The Bible says all of us in sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Every one of us have broken his commandment to get the Bible tells us why we were yet sinners, Christ died for us so we have to first realize were a sinner stop making excuses.

Stop delaying shifting except responsibility for the wrongs that you've done in the realize that Jesus Christ came and died in the cross in your playing seemed voluntarily when to that place, to die for the sin of the world as he hung there. He loves. That's why he did it. It was not nails, and held Jesus to the cross. It was love for you in for me. Number three. You must turn from your sin. The Bible says repent from your sin. Scripture tells us that God has commanded people everywhere to repent. What is it mean to repent means to change your direct line you been going away from godlike overall was now go towards God, stop living in this sinful lifestyle turned toward Christ and faith means to repent, be sorry for your sin, but be sorry enough to turn from it and then you must receive Jesus Christ into your life. Being a Christian is not merely believing a creed. It's not simply going to church or carrying a Bible being a Christian.

That means Jesus Christ. The living son of God, take residence in your heart as your Savior and your Lord friend right now. Right now Jesus who died and rose again from the dead knocking at the door of your heart anything listening. If you will hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in July Christ to come in your life you will. You must receive him into your life. You must say, Lord.

I'm sorry for myself. The Bible says, for as many as received him, he gave them the power to become son of God is just like a gift up.

I would offer you a gift and I like this Bible here and say here. I got this for you. Merry Christmas or happy birthday or whatever the occasion was that this they will. Greg, thanks so much and receive the gift.

It doesn't do any good if you just look at it and admire it takes a gift I'm offering you God is offering you the gift of eternal life. Tonight reach out and take it and make it your own. It's here for you must receive prime and I would ask you to do that publicly we have had thousands of people. This weekend comes out of this field and make a public stand for Jesus Christ, and ask you to do the same thing and I why though, because Jesus said he will acknowledge me before people, I will acknowledge you before my father and the angels in heaven, but he had you deny me before people, I will deniable for the father and his angels by coming down in this field and standing behind the stage.

You will be saved publicly tonight.

I want to know God.

I want my sins forgiven.

I want to go to heaven when I die I want to say yes to Jesus Christ.

That's why men ask you to come public. One last thing. One last thing you need to do this now adults. They will do it next year I'll do it next Sunday or an amount no no.

The Bible says now is the time. Today is the day of salvation. The Bible says seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon, while he is near, but the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts let him return to our God will abundantly pardon. Listen. Seek the Lord while he is near these here. You may never have another opportunity like this one tonight to get right with God. You may never ever another opportunity like the one tonight to come back to Christ, and ask you to do that in a moment we'll get a pray, and ask you to make a decision by the way, this will be an either or decision you'll make tonight, you're either going to say yes to Jesus, you are going to say no to get is able, Greg. I'm just undecided. I neutral, no, this is yes or no. Jesus said your for me or against the side as we pray, and I pray you will make the right decision to follow Jesus Christ. Let's pray father speak. Not every person listening. Help them to see the words that we have shared tonight are true, there gospel truth and help those Lord that do not yet know you to come to you tonight and receive your forgiveness we pray, Jesus name, amen, amen. Everybody, this is great glory and you've just been listening to a classic message from harvest ministries. This podcast is supported by harvest partners to learn more and find out how you can become harvest partner just a little harvest.org