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May 23, 2022 3:00 am
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A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.
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You're listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Visit our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org 000 the Lord anymore. Believers used to be called God-fearing men and women read Mauricio shall misunderstand the wrong way showering 04 God we don't really want to go toward the respect and reverence for God, the law of God the honor of God. We fear God, we obey God.
When we fear God, we don't hear much else today a new beginning for Greg Laurie Bridges the book of Nehemiah is the story of the rebuilding of the walls of God's people working. Sean began acting in a way that was out of sync with being a God-fearing man or woman helps us learn development. Jesus said about how the body begins itself cannot stand is one of our calling fathers.
Benjamin Franklin said after he signed the Declaration of Independence, the other founding fathers in the room quote gentlemen. Now we must all hang together or surely we will all hang separately."
That's very true. Franklin knew that the greatest threat to this new nation called the United States was not the British coming from the outside it was the vision and internal strife from the inside.
That's exactly what we see happening now is go to BMI five starting in verse one. About this time some of the men and their wives raised the cry of protest against their fellow Jews reading from the new living translation. By the way they were saying we have such large families. We need more food to survive other said we mortgage our fields and vineyards and homes to get food during the famine, and other said we had to borrow money at our fields and vineyards and pay our taxes, we belong to the same family as those who are wealthy and our children are just like bears, yet we must sell our children in the slavery just to get enough money to live. We've already sold some of our daughters and are helpless to do anything about it for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others. There so these folks.
These Jewish people have left Babylon a great sacrifice. They love the comfort of their homes.
They got there there rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem by the way, these people were not builders. There were construction people. They were just regular folks this job and needed to be done wanted to do something about it, but they were being taken advantage of by their own spiritual family. To make matters worse, there was a famine. According to verse two of chapter 5 they're paying these insanely high interest rates charged by greedy relatives that so bad that their children are becoming slaves there losing their properties in this just to Nehemiah off.
Look at Nehemiah 56 when I heard their complaints. I was very angry and thinking it over I spoke out against these nobles and officials, but I told him you're hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrowed money, so we called a public meeting to deal with the problem so Nehemiah is taking the bull by the horns here and there's something that needs to be done. These other boats. These other Jewish people were taken advantage here is what I've come to them. There are people that say there are Christians that do not behave as Christians. And it's hard for me to believe there believers but they profess faith and sometimes I wonder how I know you're a Christian state.
How do you know I'm a Christian because I stand here and preach. No, that's not how you know I mean maybe it's one indication but you know my life. You know by the choices I make. You know by my reputation or by fruit. I know the same from your life and it is possible to be in the church to read the Bible to know a few verses and not know the Lord at all, at Betsy's people were very disobedient believers.
Worse, they were people pretending to be believers, but whatever was this was a bad situation so they they complain. The people that are being hurt complainant and by the way, there's a place for complaining.
There's a place for criticism. Sometimes you might see something that isn't right and you think it should change, so you need to bring that to the attention of those who are in leadership. There's a difference between constructive criticism and disruptive criticism.
Constructive criticism sees a problem and wants to help.
Constructive criticism sees a problem, amplifies it, and wants to hurt one wants to help you and build you up, the other wants to destroy you and tear you down so view of an issue with someone.
Don't talk about them. Talk to them and people come up to me and said you heard about so-and-so what you so-and-so just did this. How do you know I read it on the Internet all then it must be true because everything on the web is true right everything that's tweeted or posted. It's all true. There's so much fake news out there. It's a Joe and Saul say what you talk to that person know why not. You should go to the person given the opportunity to tell you their side of it. You may find that thing you heard was, not true at all.
Listen when you hear rumors or negative talk, you can throw one of two buckets on the fire. You can either throw water or you can throw gasoline. You can either try to put it out or you can blame it even worse. But here's what the Bible says Ephesians 43 make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. Will Nehemiah was mad. He says in verse six when I heard the complaints I was very angry. Not generally anger is not a good thing right now. Usually the we've all done things are more angry. It's almost like when you have an angry brain you lose touch with reality.
Just get on the road.
The crazy things people do in cards if you dare to use your turning signal and go another lane and turn legally there. They take it personally and they get angrier they tailgate you work your scream at you are extended certain finger in your direction. What is not all about our baby. You're angry with someone your spouse make you angry so you just hello you let him have a what both out.
You feel really good about it. Then about five minutes later, the adrenaline wears off and you think and what one is I just do. Why did I even do that. Or maybe you met someone your miniature boss, send him an email of her and I'll tell them what I really think the typing hawk and then when you can send a check that we will send them a good Southern. The adrenaline wears off and your googling how do I get my email back answer. You know should give it some time thought about it pray to there been times I've written emails or letters and never hit send solids if I feel that way in the morning I get the 20 what was I thinking. No way am I sending the crazy thing. Yes, it generally anger is a bad thing, but sometimes it can be a good thing. In the case of Nehemiah and was it was righteous indignation and look what Nehemiah did verse six. He's angry and he consults with himself.
That's very interesting. He consults with himself. That's King James version, which literally means to give oneself advice or counsel oneself. Have you ever counseled yourself known and talking about your see say something this person said this or did that I wouldn't do this again. I'm back in any is a way and then he quoted Scripture to yourself.
You're mostly correcting yourself. That's it. Nehemiah did. He thought this through.
But then he did take action as he was led by the Lord. Nehemiah fiber side. What you're doing is wrong. He says of the leaders is there no fear of God left in you. Don't you care with the nations around here are our enemies. Think of you I my brothers and the people working for me that I have also loaned the money but this geology with interest has to stop to get them back there for close fields and vineyards and olive groves and almost right now, forgive their claims on their money gray new wine and olive oil and they said will give it all back.
Nehemiah says don't you care what your enemies think of you listen to this. Nonbelievers watch you each and every day. It will tell you there watching you.
They are, and you know what they're looking for. They want you to slip up so bad I just wanted to do something or say something so I can save you quite you phony and when you live a godly life. When you bring honor to the Lord. Despite suffering hour when you do something kind for somebody you forgive someone who is searching for tribes and insane and this is really what Nehemiah say don't you guys even care with the outside world thinks about you do doesn't even cross your mind what the other nations would think what our enemies would think, and I wonder sometimes if people in the church. Think about this. I will just go out and disobey God interest in couples getting a divorce. What what what Christian couples merge our divorce but when you pledge your loved which I know you were divorcing.
Okay, why are you divorcing irreconcilable differences really yeah what are they there just irreconcilable. As I've often said, I've had irreconcilable differences with my wife for 42 years, but you know you can't forgive. You can work as a no no camera guy would get it in the bars of what was going on there about this when one Christian takes another Christian to court in Susa. Paul actually brought this up in first Corinthians 6. He says when you have a dispute with another believer.
How dare you follow lawsuit and ask the secular court to decide the matter. Instead of taking it to unbelievers and said one believer sues another right in front of on believers get a toilet, what are you doing you even think about your witness or lack thereof. This is why the prophet Nathan came to David after his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and really his hand in the murder of her husband Uriah and he said you have given the enemies of God an opportunity to blaspheme the Lord. It's crazy we need to think about these things. That's what Nehemiah is bringing up when he asks a powerful question. Verse nine is there no fear of God left in the great glory will have the second half of this message in just a moment. I don't know if you know about this, but we have a weekend service called Harvest at Home exclusively for people that are tuning in literally from around the world listen to this. We even have harvest groups where you can get into a small group with folks from all around this planet of ours, studying the word of God to join us this weekend Saturday and Sunday for Harvest at Home@harvest.org will today. Pastor Greg is showing is Nehemiah's reaction hearing that some of the people were taking advantage of the others as the walls of Jerusalem were being rebuilt.
He asked, is there no fear of God left in you. Pastor Greg continues now the fear of God that God you don't hear much about the fear of the Lord anymore. We assess a he's a God-fearing man was positive.
By the way, now we hear so much about the love of God and believe me, the Bible teaches the love of God and we should preach the love of God, but it seems to me in the days on which were living.
We hear a lot about the love of God, but we never hear about the fear of God. We hear a lot about the glories of heaven, but we never hear warnings about how we hear a lot about forgiveness will you don't hear much about repentance and all of that is the gospel is that all needs to be proclaimed no criticism of days gone by was I'm sick of all these hellfire and brimstone preachers my responses. Where are they. I want to hear what I hear preachers talking about health and wealth and prosperity, and free parking spaces and blessings galore no matter what I like to hear hellfire and brimstone message and I would like to hear something more about the fear of God is able what it was. I mean, the fear of God that everybody's clapping was a mean losing what I mean. The fear of God. Let me say what I don't mean we talk about the fear of God.
It doesn't mean cowering in fear before God like oh God, don't get me don't baby that's not the fear of God to got the word fear. Put another rent the respect for God. The reverence for God, the all of God the honor of God. Why is that important because the Bible says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, it was because the Hebrew midwives feared God. We read in Exodus 117. They did not obey the authorities and killed the little Jewish baby boys. It's because the Pharaoh did not fear God that he brought the judgment of the Lord upon himself. Solomon went on a binge of access and chased after everything this world offers as sex and money and possessions in power and all the rest and he said okay. After this little experiment. Here's my conclusion, fear God and keep us come. Here's what I learned just fear the Lord respect the Lord.
One definition of fearing God is a wholesome dread of displeasing him. A person that doesn't regard this as God loves me will do whatever the heck I want to do that God will forgive me and that's all cool. A person of yours. God says oh I love the Lord. I know he loves me but I reverence him that I don't want to bring dishonor to his name. And if I did that that could keep people away from Christ or stumble a younger believer. Therefore, I won't do it seat you need to know the love of God and the need to have the fear of God, they're both really. Oswald Chambers is best known for his devotional. My utmost for his highest, made the statement about the fear of God. Quote the remarkable thing about fearing God is when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else." Paul said. One last thing. Nehemiah told these disobedient believers to take action then and there is is I want you to forgive their dads.
Now I want to return their properties. Now I want you to take action now, not tomorrow, not a week now. Right now, and they said will do it. He said you better do it is you just made the statement before God that sign on the dotted line to confirm it in the same is true for us if we need to do something, do it now. Maybe someone has been hurt by you. You hurt them you slandered them you you said things and were not sure about them then you realize it were true.
So you sheepishly said one sorry well that's nice but you still damage your reputation about this for an idea, let your repentance be as widely known as your sin so you did your sin and everyone thought now let everyone know about your repentance. That's called making restitution. We don't think about that one.
Sorry boys, make restitution was having given that maybe give a little something extra to make up for the misery of gospel that say I stole your car and I had your car for a month. You really needed your car one day connect sorry so your garbage car back had dents all over it flat tire.
Things could you like fix my car. They maybe get me a new car. See, that's restitution. So it's not just saying I'm sorry to make it right that the people were enough to do to make restitution.
One day Jesus showed up on the little town called Jericho and is walking through a crowd of adoring people and there's a little dude up in a tree named Zacchaeus he was a tax collector. Nobody wanted to hang out with Zacchaeus because they hated them. They thought he was a turncoat working for the Romans taken advantage of them. Not only taking Texas for Rome, but pocketing extra that he put on top of it.
So here goes Jesus or the crowd. Everybody wants a moment when Jesus everybody wants to talk to Jesus is looking rent is a number Zacchaeus. He looks at the areas he says okay thank you mind out of going over to your house for lunch. Seki is couldn't believe it scurries down the tree runs ahead of Jesus prepares a meal for Christ and Christ walks into his office on the door shuts so pretty much the whole city is just standing there waiting. Why is Jesus saying in Rome with a loser like that, why would Jesus spend time with the guy the ribs off other people. Doesn't Jesus know how evil he is a time passes. Now here comes Jesus and Zacchaeus be standing there in the front porch and Zacchaeus says I'm sorry for what I've done, harvest or anything that I've taken unjustly, and I've even to give you something on top of it. Jesus is truly salvation has come into this man's life today why there was evidence that was evidence he wanted to make it right in the same Jesus that wanted to come to the home of Zacchaeus wants to come of your life right now know back in biblical times. Having a meal was something that they took their time to have. There were no fast food restaurants. She didn't pull your chariot through you know in and out, falafel or whatever know you would get together with family and friends would sit down and eating was a time to talk. It was a time to share time to be together.
So when Jesus says I sent at the door of your life and I'm not that I want to come in and sup with you. King James or have a meal with you.
You think I want a relationship with you. I mentioned earlier here. You can be in the church and never know Jesus you can be a religious person and never know Jesus. This is not about a religion. It's about a relationship with God and ask if you have that right now you know that your life is right with God. And if you don't would you like that that changed Jesus Christ who came in to the little house of Zacchaeus years ago can come into your house, he probably had a big house. Come to think of it, but he can come in here home right now and he can come into your heart and into your life and forgive you of all of your sin and start changing you and so you can leave today knowing your life is right with God via my essay to these people do it now do it and now I'm in ask you to do it now. Today, everything can change for you.
Yes, there is a hell in the last thing God wants us for any man or woman created in his image to spend eternity separated from him in this horrible place prepared for the devil and his angels called hell. God wants you to join him in heaven. But you have to say I'm a sinner you want to understand Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sin.
Paid the price for all the wrongs you've ever done. And then he rose again from the data needed say Jesus come in the mind house.
Come in the my heart come in the my life and he will do it right now he's just a prayer away.
When we close in prayer. Let me give you this opportunity to ask Christ in your life. Everybody praying with me please father, thank you for your love for us in sending Jesus to die on the cross in our place. Now I pray for any that are here or any that are watching that do not yet know you help them see their need for you and help them become due today and be in your name I pray a great glory important were the prayer and if you'd like to make that kind of change in your relationship with the Lord today.
Pastor Greg will come back in just a moment to help you do that for today's addition of a new beginning.
Concludes will Pastor Greg were so excited about your new book, Lennon 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 you 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 and 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 Pastor Greg or somebody listening right now knows that they need to make a change in their relationship with God.
They can do that right now and think they really can and I think some people might say what what, pray what the why listening to the radio, absolutely because guess what Jesus Christ is with you right where you are right now if you want Jesus Christ to come in your life and forgive you of your sin if you want to invite them in your life, why don't you pray this prayer after me right now. In fact, I would even encourage you to pray it out loud. Let's pray Lord Jesus, I want you to come into my life and forgive me of my sin.
I think you for dying for me on the cross and then rising again from the dead. I choose to follow you from this moment forward be my Savior be my Lord be my God, and be my friend.
Thank you for loving me and calling me and forgiving me in Jesus name I pray, amen the listener is you just pray that prayer maybe you felt something emotional. I've had people write me and tell me of how they prayed with me at the end of our radio broadcasting.
Tears came down their cheeks or they felt a great joy to be one of those things happen you are and then again maybe you felt nothing. Listen irregardless of how you feel right now I want you to know a fact if you prayed that prayer and minute Jesus Christ has come into your life.
Why don't I say that because the Bible says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life that first doesn't say so you can think you have eternal life. For hope of God's in a really good mood. You may have eternal life notes as you can know it. And if you just pray that prayer and minute prices come in your life. So let me say to you, welcome to God's family and would like to help you get started in living your new life with the Lord would like to send you some free follow-up materials called our new believers growth packet just get in touch and will send that packet right out to you as I said, it's free of charge and a special thanks to our harvest partners and others who support this ministry for helping us to make resources like this available. Here's her mailing address, a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go to harvest.org and click on know God. Next time as our study in the book of Nehemiah continues pastor Greg focuses on the opposition.
Nehemiah faced personally strong lessons we can learn things men and women of character. Join us here on a new beginning.
Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie and I knew beginning of the podcast, made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God if this show has impacted your life.
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