Indecision | Decisions About Jesus

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When you subscribe to pastor Greg daily Devos learn more and sign up@harvest.org people choose other things over growing some career over Jesus is true from choose the temporary overly internal we overlook hereafter know to Greg Laurie points out the following also applies. My integrity is whatever it's all about success really is the Lord number one in your life and every climbed the ladder and then we'll talk sometime over the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall.

It's all about the decisions we missionary humility as he is no fool what he cannot keep the today on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie decisions made restaurant try with Jesus for us in John 18 is a story of an indecisive man who let others do his thinking for him, the matter tried to appease a bloodthirsty Google crowd in his own troubled conscience. He tried to find a middle ground to make everyone happy in his name was Pontius pilot pilot was a little bit like that soldier in the Civil War. He couldn't decide what side he wanted to fight for. So he put on the code of the North and the pants of the South when on the battlefield and we ended up getting shot up from both sides happens to the man of the woman that lives in indecision. He was the consummate politician Pontius Pilate.

He was trying to appease everyone and thus made the worst imaginable decision decision. No doubt he regretted for the rest of his life.

And here was the question that was brought to him and that is eventually brought to every man and every woman what are you going to do with Jesus. That's it. What you going to do with Jesus, you know, ultimately, when we stand before God. It won't be a single question that will be a son question SON.

In other words, you will be will to do a little good life you did your good deeds outweighed your bad deeds and you get to heaven all your more bad deeds and good deeds and you go to help, not at all. It's all about Jesus Christ, God's provision for us to get into heaven, and because conventional thinking is that we live good lives will get to have a depleted God lives will go to hell.

But here's the biblical truth. You can live in. Some people like this you can live a wicked life and at the very and repent of your sins and you can make it into heaven above some people unless you're the person who repented at the end and then you're very thankful and then another thing that people do like to hear is you can live a good life, relatively speaking, a moral life and end up in hell if you reject God's provision for you to get into Kevin who is Jesus crying. So it's all about Jesus. Okay so here we are chronologically in the Gospel of John.

He's been arrested. Now he's taken to the house of Caiaphas, he has already been cruelly beaten and rushed through a hastily prepared appearance before the religious elite of the day the Jewish Sanhedrin having confirm that Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah. They sent him to Pontius pilot. So let's read some verses together.

John 18 starting in verse 20. Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Pretoria. It was early morning, but they themselves are not going to the praetorian list. They should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover pilot I saw a legitimate question. What are your charges against this man and his other dignities being impugned their response what we would've handed them over to you if you want to criminal well pilot citizen judge them according to your law. He just gave them permission to put Jesus to death that they wanted to and by the way they did put people to death. They did it by stoning. They stoned Stephen you remember the first martyr of the church so they did have the authority, especially in this situation to execute Jesus, but they were saying no you do it, then Pilate entered the praetorian again called Jesus and said to him, are you the king of the Jews, Jesus answered, are you speaking for yourself about this or did others tell you this concerning me. Pilate answered my shoe your own nation and that she prays that delivered you to me what you done Jesus answers my kingdom is not of this world, my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here. Pilate therefore said to "are you a king then Jesus said, you rightly said, I am a king.

For this cause I was born for this cause I coming of the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate said to him, what is true and when he said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, I find no fault in this man.

While powerful story. Now we have an interesting insight from another gospel.

Luke. Luke tells us that he said to the leaders. I find no basis for a charge against this man and they responded by saying he stirs up the people all around Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and is come all the way here.

Oh that's not my jurisdiction. You're telling me this guy from Galilee. All that is a jurisdiction of my enemy hair and I can't think of something I'd rather do than dump this on his doorstep. So Pilate thinks he's he's over this.

This is not a problem anymore. He's dealt with it. And now Jesus is brought before him again. It's� Say Jesus is back. By the way, Herod sends his love.

Here's Jesus again. His heart sank once again to do.

Pilate has another idea. He remembers that there is a custom among the Jews to release a prisoner at Passover says I just got to the crowds all say all who do you want me to release Jesus the miracle worker, Jesus, I want to feed your empty stomachs.

Jesus, the one with this wonderful teaching or this total creep. Barabbas Barabbas was an insurrectionist, which is another way of saying he was sort of like a terrorist get dedicated his life to the violent overthrow of Rome. No doubt Barabbas had killed many people and that's why he was going to be sent to a cross so by the figures are put you know Jesus out there Barabbas out there for sure the people again is a free Jesus, and then I get to say sorry but the will of the people, religious leaders, there is nothing I could do but of course the religious leaders infiltrated the crowds and start them all up and said no call for Barabbas to be released.

I'm sure Barabbas was really shocked that day when they said release Barabbas that's exactly what happened know what is Pilate going to do, so he's trying to get out of this thing he tries to hang them up to here that doesn't work, he tries to get them free, and they choose Barabbas over Jesus and now to add to his misery. His wife shows up.

She says honey, I had a dream about Jesus have nothing to do with this. Just man so Pilate was hearing a lot of voices on this day.

Here the whites of his wife and told him have nothing to do with Jesus, the voice of the bloodthirsty multitudes who cried out to crucify him the voice of his own conscience, no doubt attesting to the innocence of Christ and then he heard the voice of Jesus himself and Jesus says the pilot everyone was of the truth hears my voice so what pilot do next over. In Matthew 27 is the answer. Verse 24 pilot I wasn't getting anywhere in a right was developing so he sent for a bowl of water and he wants to Sandra for the crown. It is that I am innocent of this man's blood. The responsibility is yours and the people responded led his blood be on us and on our children. It's like a lot of people again today that they just you know they want to put it off. They don't want to deal with it and that's what pilot was done. I am not going to deal with this issue and it ended up jamming is so he hardened his heart to the very voice of God.

Despite the fact that he knew Jesus was innocent and great glory will have the second half of his message in just a moment whenever you reach out to us, whether through email a letter or even a text message we read every word by Pastor Greg, thank you for everything you do.

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If so, would you let us know tell us your story by calling 1-866-871-1144 again it's 866-871-1144 Pastor Greg is focusing on the arrest and trial of Jesus and how Pilate made some unfortunate choices. Choices which contributed to the death of Christ must continue. No, Pilate died a tragic death as well because we know historically that he was banished to Gaul by Caligula and that he suffered what appears to be a mental breakdown in the ultimately committed suicide. We know that historically, so Pilate had his chance, Pilate is wicked as he was going to believe in the son of God, he heard with his own ears, the voice of God. But his craving for popularity and power was more importantly, say what an idiot yeah he was just what people do the same thing today people choose other things over Christ. Some choose career over Jesus. That's what pilot did effectively. This career is political career was more important than Jesus Christ. The very son of God. People do that today while my my career is the most important thing in my life. I want to be successful. I don't care what it cost me don't care what it cost my family all sacrifice my integrity and sacrifice my standards.

I'll even sacrifice my faith whatever I have to do to get ahead. It's all about success really is not bad to want to succeed in your field of endeavor, but don't do it at the expense of your faith because I believe whatever you do, if you will do it for the glory of God. The Lord will bless you and if you can't do it for the glory of God.

Don't do it. And clearly there are some jobs you can do for the glory of God. Okay, do God's calling me to rub things and just pray no that's a compass led to be a stripper so I can work something just can't go there.

Sorry, but there are other things you can do, and they're not ministry per se, but there a vocation, you have the skill set for and you can go there and work with integrity and put in a good day's work and be honest and then as you advance and you probably will you work hard you can give honor to the Lord and use it as a opportunity to share your faith, so you don't have to make a choice, but some people do they choose career over Christ. Others choose people over Christ, people are more important than Jesus what their friends think are more important than what God thinks nothing of the way people are in social media today. There's so worried about how many followers they have only followers I have been faced with death commonly likes that I get from the last post pointing get enough likes and sometimes people build these completely fake profiles of themselves like to this effectively a virtual person you don't even know what they look like, because when they post a photo is all the little filters to look better write this would make me look thinner and this one looks this way and that. So you do all that you know retouching and everything in and you have your perfect little life we never take pictures of what we really look like some people do, but most don't you get up in the morning just woke up. I would take a self-imposed. This is my profile for know you wait for the lighting to be writing seven digit picture and you say no to get again note to guide online look fat not pick you were so concerned beginner just a thought those people that are your friends out there face but they're not your friend. people that fall you on twitter.

they don't really care about you.

generally, so don't worry about all that the little things become more important to you than what god thinks look better to succeed in god's eyes, and feel in the world. size.

nothing is more important than pleasing the lord make that number one in your life. make it your life's goal to please god put god first in everything that you do. jesus said seek first the kingdom of god and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you, what things while he was talking about what you're getting. eat what you gonna wear all the things that we care about and in our case to give you where you're going to live or what your future is are who you marry whatever you're thinking about all these things will be taken care of if you put god first one is a need to seek first the kingdom of god.

it means studying the bible know what the bible says about things and do what the bible tells you to do. that said, let biblical life. here's a promise. jesus made his wendy as disciples of lord we left everything to follow you. listen to this promise of price because it applies to you as i assure you that everyone who is given a pals or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property for my sake and for the gospel sake will receive now and return 100 times over houses, brothers, sisters, mother's children property with persecutions in the world to come. they will have eternal life.

for many who seem to be important now will be the least important then and those are considered lee's dear will be the greatest that money loosely paraphrase that whatever you give up to follow christ will be replaced with something far better is something far better for you. so god says no god take something out of your hands. you see, that's not fair. got to just hang on.

now, okay, and he's going to give you something better in its place and amoebae in this life and it may not be in this life because it will be tragedies there will be setbacks. there will be inexplicable things that happened to you that make no sense but god promises he will compensate.

he will repay.

don't make it up to you and we get to the afterlife will see how true that really is and will all be sorted out. that'll all be settled till all makes sense. so until that day. my job, our job is to just walk closely with the lord and put him first in a pilot he had the ultimate opportunity. he had god standing in front of them and he said well i'm looking to make a decision and he washed his hands. i wash my hands of this matter can wash your hands of jesus. this is an either/or decision. this is a yes or no proposition. jesus says you either for me or against me. so was pilot for christ or against them. he was against while he didn't say was against him yes but by not being for him. he turned him away. he was against them, so we might say well i'm not against jesus. i just don't necessarily believe in all the things you guys saying jesus is but i sort of admire him for your against them will know you're putting words in my mouth. no, jesus makes radical claims. he says that he is the very son of god, he says, that is, he is the only way to heaven says there's no other way to heaven.

he says i am the way the truth and the life and no man comes of the father but by me.

not you believe that, then follow him or say. i don't believe that and reject him and face the consequences. but we try to carve out this little in between spot right will will i believe it but i don't totally believe her but i don't totally disbelief when you're just like the guy mentioned with the code of the north and the pants of the south you get shot up from both sides. i get out of that stupid. no man's land of indecision and make your decision and stop letting other people do your thinking for you.

we do that all the time will i believe we would. we believe will look at each other.

what do you believe believing what god chose you to believe that gives you the standards.

it gives you the absolute and i may be popular, and it may not be popular.

generally, it is unpopular by the way, that doesn't matter. what matters is what's right.

so in closing your favorite part of the message. i know in closing for some of jesus christ is as much here with us right here right now as he stood before pontius pilate and the decision pilot had to make. you have to make. now i assume most of you here are christians, but not all of your some of your visiting for the first time some of you have them in the church in a long time. some of you maybe have come to this church but there's never been that moment when you said i am more jesus, i am now going to follow jesus your your beyond i'm looking into it. phase you're now ready to say i want to be a christian, christ living inside of me that can happen just like that. i want to close by extending the invitation for you to believe in jesus and be forgiven of all of your sin inc. about it pilot was a wicked guy.

he murdered a lot of people. he could have been forgiven and we could've seen them in heaven one day all, but he didn't want that. he wanted to be popular and in it he really wasn't even popular that the ernie is all fell apart form on top of everything else lose lose when you believe in jesus. it's win-win. you went in this life and the life to come. but again, as i said it's yes or no.

are you for jesus or against them. make your decision right here right now. let's pray father, thank you for your word to us. thank you for your death, lord jesus on the cross and how you died there in our place and pay for all of our sins and now i pray for any here any that are listening. help them to see that the same proposition that pilot faced is being faced by them.

what will they do with jesus. he stands at the door of our life in enoch's it says about here is voice and open the door will come in. we can either open the door and ask manner.

we can leave the door shut and in effect, turn them away. i prefer anyone here that needs to open that door that needs to believe lord that you would help me to do it right, we commit them to you now in jesus name, amen. if you'd like to make a change relationship with the lord.

pastor greg laurie will help you do that in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning. concludes we stay with us. will pastor greg were so excited about your new book, lenin, dylan, alice and jesus. it's a look at the lives of dozens and dozens of well-known music icons and the way their lives rose to the top and then often crashed to the bottom of the reasons for that. now some of the people you talk about in the book obviously are passed on which one of them would be at the top of the list of those you'd like to meet and have a conversation with. if that were possible. yeah, that's a really good question. i wish all my there's so many so many i think of janis joplin very talented young lady, harassed, made fun of when she was a young girl extraordinarily talented died so young. 27. i wish it could've sat down with her and said janice god loves you. and even if others don't love you, as they are to you are loved by the lord, and he has a plan and a purpose for your life. i was to get us sat down with john lennon it's a john you need to just follow jesus, you made a profession of faith in him.

now you need to just grow in your faith spiritually and continue want to discover all that god has in store for you.

i wish it could've sat down with jimi hendrix my opinion the greatest guitar player who ever lived by accounts of people that knew him. he was a kind person. he was a humble person but he was a man he was searching as well and i just wish i could've told these people that there is a god in heaven who love them and that a plan for their life. i wish i could tell them that their life matters and so many people care so deeply about them and i can't tell them that unfortunately but i can talk to people who are alive today who maybe are despondent, who maybe have thought about taking their lives somewhat of even attempted to take their lives and say, look, this is not the way you want to go.

here's the way you want to go you want to enter into a relationship with jesus christ and discover his plan for your life and get to know him and then you'll have that happiness and that peace that you've longed for throughout your entire life trying and you know there are some listening right now who have a close friend or loved one who had that same crossroad today.

they need to hear that message of hope. let us send you a copy of this new book, lennon dylan, alice and jesus read it yourself and then pass along this good news to the person you care about is a strong wake-up call and it's a message of hope and would like to send a book your way to thank you for your investment in harvest ministries and a new beginning where listener supported and without listener partnership. we simply couldn't be here each day were so grateful for your generosity and when you make a donation today.

we like to thank you with pastor greg's new book, lennon dylan, alice and jesus so call us at 1-800-821-3300. that's a 24 hour phone number 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org will pastor greg you spoke today about having a relationship with the lord. yeah, someone can enter into that kind of relationship with god right now. 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 in friend thank you for loving me and calling me ever giving me in jesus name i pray, amen man, and listen. if you have just prayed those words with pastor greg and met them.

sincerely, the bible assures us, your sins have been forgiven were told. the lord is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and we want to send some resource materials to you that will help you in this new relationship with the lord we call it our new believers growth packet and will send it without charge.

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