How to Not Be Born Again | His Power On Display

You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners for more ways to deepen and challenge your spiritual walk and roll and pastor breaks free online courses sign@harvest.org is always there are 100 billion stars in the average galaxy. There are at least 100 million seasons of known space and your father made all those things. So when you have a problem, challenge has invaded pastor Greg Maurice's God what an insult to God realizes power. He wants to display your life and not on the scientific wanted God make them visible thousands of light-years away.

Maybe it's a message if you can create a universe bigger than we can imagine. Maybe you can solve a problem, we can handle a new beginning for Greg Laurie look at God's power is low. Demonstrated how we sent his son to save us from our sin number of years ago I went to a mental institution.

Maybe I should explain… Is as a patient. I was there as visitor bucket was going to pray for someone that requested a pastor and so I'm there with the fellow Castro and we meet a patient in the institution. My friend says to this guy. Have you ever met Jesus Christ personally and this guy without missing a beat turns to me and shakes my hand and says Jesus it's good to meet you brought Jesus in the institution but I mean, isn't that what we would all like to do. I am by the way, going back that story starts taking my hand.

He says Jesus it's good to me.

Joy said no no no, my name is Greg.

I'm not Jesus, but when we just loved it to shake his hand. I mean actually see him face-to-face.

If you could pick any other time in history to live would you pick 2000 years ago, so you can walk the streets with Jesus and talk to Jesus and hear the boys of Jesus I mean think about the impact he has had on the world, more books have been written about Jesus Christ and any other person is ever live. I was up by grandson Christopher the other day and I have some old typewriters in my office. They don't work on my shelf there more for declaration, but he really was fascinated by yet so I took it down and I said in front of me to start typing away like he really knows what you think I can cockily clack and so I said Christopher are you writing a book. He said no.

I said will, if you wrote a book what would you write about me still typing old by Doug and Debbie. He says Jesus that's great answer for four-year-old you write about Jesus. What would you say he is. I don't know and he just kept typing but I love that that it's in his little heart I write a book about Jesus more books have been written about him more songs have been written about Jesus Christ. More art is been produced depicting Christ and any person who is ever lived.

I never get tired of talking about Jesus. Do you ever get tired of hearing about Jesus, you know, we come to church.

I wanted look at something that Jesus at all. No, not Jesus again.

No, it's the opposite right. Oh yes, I want to know what Jesus has to say with the apostle Paul said in Philippians he said this determined purpose in life. In Philippians 310 was to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and participate in his sufferings, becoming like him is that by the way, that should be the goal of every Christian to know Jesus, to spend your time learning about Jesus and more to the point, becoming like Jesus arrival. Let's grab our Bibles and will get it turned of the gospel of John in the way it begins is amazing because he goes way back before the little town of Bethlehem, he goes way back before Mary and Joseph. It goes way back. Even before the garden of Eden goes back to the solar system goes back to the beginning of the beginning. So that's over going to start John chapter 1 starting in verse one. Read verses 1 to 5 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God all things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made in him was life and that life was the light of men in the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend. There. Now this is interesting because there is not a definite article before the word beginning meaning you cannot pinpoint this moment in time where there was a beginning. So really what he says the beginning we do. We don't even know where that starts but John is taking his back to eternity past further back than the human mind can imagine that that brings me to my first point about Jesus. If you're taking notes and here it is. Jesus is God. Jesus is God. That's a really important thing to understand and believe for a Christian. Jesus is God before there was a world before the was planets before there was light or darkness before there was matter before anything else. There was the Godhead and there was Jesus Jesus Christ coequal, coeternal coexistent with the father and the Holy Spirit, the Word was with God. The word was God and Jesus was and is God. If you don't believe that Houston we have a problem most called groups deny the deity of Christ. When I see deity. I mean his divinity, or saying he is God that you want to find out where religious group is just cut to the chase is a who do you think Jesus Christ was and they say he was a mere messenger or a prophet. I want to bend the sons of God. That is a wrong answer. The only correct answer is Jesus is the only son of God who lived a perfect sinless life. He was God in human form. For instance, Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe Jesus was God.

So when you're done at the mall you see those friendly looking people behind the table and it says GW. They don't believe Jesus is God is and that's a big deal because you cannot have a relationship with the father. P don't believe this. Jesus himself said it back in John's Gospel, unless you believe that I am a claim to deity, you will die in your sin. Buddhists believe Jesus was a good teacher but he was less important in their estimation, then the Buddha. Hindus believe that Jesus was one of many incarnations or sons of God, they specifically teach Christ was not the son of God. He was no more divine than any other man, and they also teach Jesus did not die for the sin of humanity. Muslims believe Jesus Christ was only a man.

He was a prophet.

They will acknowledge equal to Adam nor Abraham, all of whom are below.

Mohammed and importance, so don't tell me all religions teach the same thing. So when someone says that it's their way of saying I'm an idiot and I don't know what I'm talking about. Seriously, all religions teach the same thing. I have a sticker in my car coexist. J so my previous and getting kill for lunch. Okay, wait, I'm up for coexisting and I like kale and princes get great mileage but and I want to coexist. You know, I think Christians are the most tolerant people on the face of the earth and were often described as intolerant, unloving, bigoted, nothing could be further from the truth.

I find the most intolerant people are the ones that talk about tolerance. The most because they will not tolerate anyone who dared to say I believe the Bible is the word of God will accept everything but that. And so that's of the intolerances you work tolerant but at the same time we have our beliefs based on Scripture I know what Christ himself said, and so all religions do not teach the same thing religions cancel each other out. So you have to pick the one you believe in just a moment. Pastor Greg relation facts about the Asian that will give us some perspective on just how great our God is that's coming up everybody Greg Laurie here encouraging you to join us as we give her what we call harvesting that home is worse in the message of the word of God.

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Pastor Greg is presenting some foundational truth is current series from the Gospel of John simply called life. Let's continue. The Bible teaches that Jesus was the God man who spoke everything into existence. Hebrews 12 says he is spoken by a son, by whom he made the world. The scientists tell us there are 100 billion stars in the average galaxy, and there are at least 100 million galaxies and known space how they come up with this. I have no idea but as the come up with more powerful telescopes impure deeper into the solar system.

They seem more and more and they're finally figuring out God knew what he was talking about when he said that the stars were like the sands of the sea was a time historically when they got to get actually count the stars one to get to start over again want to get one now we know that's virtually impossible. Einstein believe that we have only scanned with our telescopes. 1 billion of theoretical space.

That means that there is something like 10 billion stars in space so what is on Chilean okay so here's how it works. A thousand thousands is a million right of thousand millions is a billion thousand billions is a trillion thousand Chileans is a quadrille yet. A thousand quadrillions is a quintillion 5000 quintillion, says that sex trillion has nothing to do with sex. Don't get excited. Three beautiful good sex stars go back to sleep. Okay 5000 said still you this except billion and a thousand step billions is an aunt billion so 10 billion to stand with 27 zero so to avoid telling Mrs. well if Einstein's right and there may be more than this, even let's just say he's right is a pretty smart guy. Just remember this, God made it all, your God, your father in heaven made all of those things. So I think when you have a problem God can handle it if sons also say hello we have this crisis and we've tried everything I know we can do now is pray oh you mean pray to the Almighty God that created all these things yeah I think that's the first thing you want to be doing what an insult to God that realizes power. He wants to display in your life were told Matthew 1926 with God all things are possible so we sometimes fail to see how much God loves us and how interested he is no look of God be all the things in which this is all powerful God he didn't care about me, that would be amazing, but he cares about me.

Remember, Jesus was God among us and Jesus said, fear not, little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. And you love that verse. Fear not, little flock, so first of all, he reminds us that he's our shepherd for not little flock. He'll take care of you if you go straight to bring you back again if you break your leg will mend it for you and get your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom is not just your shepherd is also your king is in control and he is all powerful, but then the king who is your shepherd cares about you personally because he says to you, you're not little flock point number three God who became a man shine his light on humanity. Look at verse four in him was life and the life of the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend on or about you, but before I was a Christian I thought man was basically good and that's why was so confused about life because in the 17 years of my life and earth. I'd seen so many bad things I'd seen things no young boy should ever see, I was exposed to the worst underbelly of people and things they didn't and I don't want a man's basically good. Why do people do such awful things in my became a Christian then I realize man was not basically good but it was simple.

Everything started making set right.

This is clearly what the Bible teaches, because despite all of our advances technological advances scientific advances and we can point to all these things. Yet, much as we really change we made no progress whatsoever in the basic ills of the human condition crying violence, war, justice races, we would just get back to what God said in his word and how to live our lives. Things would change overnight, but we disregard the things we even mocked these things we even persecute people that believe these things on that thing we do as Christians, but others do in our country we diversify the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend the word comprehend can be translated, understood, or overcome. In other words, those who live in darkness.

Don't get you as a Christian I so you can try to be the nicest Christian person who ever lived you to generously you always have a smile on your face when the parking lot is full and there's a space in your pulley men and someone else wanting you give them the space. You see, God bless you as they pull in your pray for them as they going to the mall is always a kind thing to say you share your lunch with people you yet you do so are we knifing the person to do and you do it in the name of Jesus and people still don't get you why, because the darkness cannot comprehend the light. I'm not suggesting we just abandon all these ideas just will be mean and forget about it.

We should seek to be godly, loving, caring people listen if you want to win zombie when some, it also be a loving person be a caring person, but having said all that, there's nothing you can say to help a nonbeliever figure you out because the Bible says the natural man of the nonbelieving man or woman does not understand the things of God. Neither can they know them because are spiritually discerned face of what I do what he do is keep living a godly life and pray for them because one day the light can go on for them and their eyes are open, remember what happened to you. I used to look at Christians like they were crazy people. I don't why would anybody live that way. Why would anybody act awake. What is wrong with these people and then one day just for a moment. Try to do thought on for size and the thought was one of their right and I'm wrong word of God can be known about know there's no way I quickly dismissed it. But after a little time examining the more I thought I actually think that is true. And then of course when I believed in Jesus. It was true, and then some.

But you need to pray for people because the darkness cannot comprehend the light. I know it's hard because you know we want people to believe that there's nothing you're going to do this going to make them believe so just keep living your life as a follower of Christ and keep shining that light in actually attend very friction that can ultimately result in convergent Jesus said you think that I've come to bring peace on earth. No I tell you, rather, a division at a store front men will be divided against the members of his own family following what the Jesus I cannot give a lamb wrapped around your neck and you flash and a peace sign.

What's this business about assorted division that Jesus is when a person believes in Jesus and think of family friends that many or all nonbelievers in every Christmas you just get drunk and and you do it on New Year's and you get together and a lot of you know off-color jokes and that you're weird crazy icky family and then you become a Christian in their estimation you're ruining all their fun. You don't have to say anything you do show up on Thanksgiving and in their reactions.

Here we go. You did nothing.

He walked to the rear wood. Here we go. Hey, how's everyone doing hypocrites fine. I bought the turkey whatever hypocrite she is just it's a mindset and note division is in your family the limits even weeds to get along and we used to have fun together and know you want to pray before the meal, and Jesus is in Jesus that you will correct our family know you have. This is where the division comes and it's the division that brings unity soon. I I've lost you to know what that means. Okay see you at kind of this false peace and false unity around evil things. But you came insert a broader division another's attention so that friction continues in time goes by, but then one of your relatives has a crisis their child is sick and guess who they call they don't want the drunks. Now they want the Christians to come down to the hospital and pray for my son and you say absolutely another heart begins to soften a little bit and now they're open. And now they come to church with you and now they've accepted Christ out to its two of you and so you yeah there was a division but this is the division that brings unity. Now it's three now it's for all. Watch out know the whole family has come to Christ and it's a whole new life that could have Greg Laurie pointing out how to let our light shine and what just may happen as a result, good encouragement from today's study called how to not be born again, and he has a final comment from the study before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes Prof. Gregor, sort of a multilayered relationship. We enjoy with our listeners, we bring in the studies each day. That's a good investment in their spiritual growth and then they invest in helping us keep these teachings coming and we appreciate their donations yes and then we invest back in them with a thank you gift a spiritual growth resource that enhances the relationship even further. Yes, we would put quality resources into your hands and we also want to give you an opportunity to support us as we teach the word of God and proclaim the gospel around this planet. Let me encourage you to be generous because we will take the resources that you send the money you send and use it to expand this ministry to reach more people look, I've dedicated my life to teaching the Bible to telling people about Jesus. Help us to continue to bring the message of the gospel to our generation and we hope you let us hear from you today go to harvest.org and get the details on the book called don't give the enemy see to your table. The subtitle is it's time to win the battle of your mind, Louis Giglio digs deep into Psalm 23.

To show us how to take back the control of our thoughts and emotions will send this resource your way to thank you for your donation. Just go to harvest.org or drop us a note at a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We're always here to take your call around the clock again, dial 1-800-821-3300 one Pastor Greg returns to the study to reinforce the importance of being genuine in our relationship with the Lord. But before we go.

Pastor Greg has a last word of encouragement for today by way of this story are the story about a man was a friend of Henry Ford, referred Henry Ford right front of the Ford motor company and I he had a friend named Charles Steinmetz and Steinmetz was a mechanical genius who is said to be able to build the engine of a car in his mind that if it broke down he can fix it in his mind. So one day the assembly line at Ford, broke down in the plant and none affords men could fix it so they called old Charlie and so he tinkered for a few minutes through the switch and then started running again a few days later he said his bill for $10,000 so Ford wrote back and said no Charlie, this seems like a pretty high bill for just spending a few moments to repair this and then Charlie said okay here's how the bill breaks down tinkering $10 knowing where to tinkered $9990.

Did I was Charlie still said he knew where to tinkered. He knew what to do. So when things are breaking down a life you serve the God who knows where to tinker, you know, sort of work he knows what to fix. He knows what's troubling you.

Right now you come to this service or your watching or listening to you of a burden on your heart and your overwhelmed by your God knows about it, your God cares about it in your God is more than you with an eye harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God learn how to become harvest partners sign up for daily devotions and find resources to help you grow in your faith harvest.org