No One Is Beyond the Reach of God | The Whole Truth

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When we hear God's truth. We must do so boldly, lovingly and clearly the gospel is the joy of heaven would also go today on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie says we have to share the promise warning of the real hell is not so yes we do but we always going to God of second chances control alt delete has gone down a path of rebellion. Control alt delete recent dual well when a light spiritual reboot will find out today on pastor Greg Laurie brings good news about halfway to go the pathway of forgiveness you think of someone right now you know that you cannot in your wildest dreams even imagine ever being a Christian.

Or maybe it's a public figure well known and target is atheist person that supposedly dreads a big you can't even imagine that person forever carrying a Bible and same praise the Lord, by the way, I really struggled with that phrase when I became a Christian as I was wrong about all these believers up with said constantly praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord. This is great food. Praise the Lord. Pessimist potatoes brings the Lord. Praise the Lord business and I got I want to say, praise the Lord, but it feels so alien to say it. One day I was feeling like saying it and so I just started. I said you know right from good it does feel good. Let's all say it together. Praise the Lord. Again, you were to do that, you're wired to worship you created to bring glory to God will back to those people that we think of that you can imagine being a believer listen. No one is beyond the reach of God comes out of this. Sometimes the least likely are the most likely to come across.

Let me say that again.

Sometimes the least likely of the most likely let me explain. We think of the lease, likely because there argumentative or because there always getting in our days are always creating trouble.

What we talk about Jesus Christ, but that maybe because they're closer not further from the kingdom of God that makes no sense to me. Listen MIB because around of the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The classic example is Saul of Tarsus. He was a Christian killer. Literally he hunted followers of Jesus for for the arrested men and women and took their children through amended jail and even have a little fun doing it any thought. Ironically, he was doing the work of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

One day Saul of Tarsus, the Christian killer.

By the way he presided over the death of the first martyr of the church. Stephen he was on his way on the Damascus Rd., Johnson were Christians down and guess who shows up Jesus and he has this sense that he hears the voice of God read to him and the boys who is the Lord himself says Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me. Then the Lord says it's hard for you to kick against the goads. A goat is just a sharpened stick and so the idea is God's trying to get Saul's attention, Saul's kicking against it hard for you to kick against the go and then Saul says who are you, Lord. I'm sure Saul was thinking don't see Jesus don't see that Jesus says I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

So Saul, the Christian killer was transformed into the great apostle Paul the defender of our faith, so no one is beyond the reach of God's I bring this up because you're sort of an Old Testament version of that not Saul of Tarsus, becoming the apostle Paul, but the most powerful man on the face of the year that King Nebuchadnezzar telling us how he came to faith. In fact part of this very chapter were going to look at was written by the king himself understand Nebuchadnezzar had unlimited powers. There was no Congress or Senate door press to try to keep them in check.

There were no checks and balances.

He just did whatever he did whatever he wanted. No one was his rival, no one could oppose him. He had effectively conquered the planet.

It was Nebuchadnezzar's world and everybody else just happen to live in it and he was at the top of his game ruling over the magnificent city of Babylon. The hanging Gardens of Babylon were one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The walls of Babylon were 387 feet high that by the way, 1/3 of the height of the Empire State building. You could ride for chariots of brass across the walls of Babylon the mighty river Euphrates float right in the middle of the city and they had this massive temple erected to their false God of Bell and ruling over at all was the great Nebuchadnezzar, but in all of this he forgot something. Maybe I should say he forgot someone he forgot God and even worse, he took credit for what God had done. Now he should've known better because he had seen the Lord work.

Remember you had that vision that dream of that statue with a head of gold and breast and arms of silver, and in none of his soothsayers, fortunetellers, or astrologers could interpret it, but they called in the prophet Daniel John exactly what it meant and then later on he erected a giant golden image of himself commanded everyone to worship it in three courageous Jewish teenagers name Shadrach me shack in the Bendigo refused to bow. They were thrown into the furnace of fire. The flames are so hot that the very men, the men died from it, but yet as there in the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar says I thought I threw three men in, but yet I see four and the fourth looks like the son of God. Jesus was walking with his voice of the furnace and afterwords Nebuchadnezzar had to admit in his own words.

Quote there is never been a God who can pull off a rescue like that yet he did not believe Nebuchadnezzar knew about God.

He had a respect for God. But now the problem is he wants to take the place of God, and he commits a sin that is probably committed more than any other sin that is probably at the root of most since I'm talking about the sin of pride.

By the way, that was the first sin ever committed not on earth but in heaven by Lucifer. A high ranking angel what Isaiah 14 loose paraphrase, that I want to be God. I want the top job I want to roll Lord says you're done here and he was cast down to the earth, and then he goes to our first parents, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and Thames. And with that forbidden fruit which by the way, was not an Apple portable Apple thing come from it said over and over again. Sometimes even preachers will safe for Apple. There's no Apple in the Bible. I'm not against apples and just trying to be technical just get you don't get this accurate. It was a special fruit, but it wasn't the fruit that was appealing. That's what was promised if you ate of the fruit Satan said go ahead and take a bite, because in the day you eat thereof, you will be his God, knowing good and evil, appealing to their pride, and of course you know the rest of that story were still reaping the consequences of your great glory will have the second half of this message just a moment. Everybody what are you doing this weekend. I like to hang out with you at harvest and home services own. It is a time of worship and Bible study exclusively designed for people that are doing in from all over the place so you can be a part of our extended congregation at Harvest at Home.

Join us this weekend Saturday and Sunday for harvest home@harvest.org today we're learning about the pathway that leads to God's forgiveness as Pastor Greg helps us track the conversion of mighty King Nebuchadnezzar must continue. Here's Nebuchadnezzar he's filled with pride. So one night he goes to bed. He has a dream. It's a troubling dream in his dream he sees massive tree, a magnificent tree tree that is so big you can see it anywhere in the world. There's a lot of fruit coming from the street and everyone is eating of the fruit of the tree and then suddenly an angel comes down from heaven and cuts the tree down. The angel says cut down the tree strip its branches within the angel says let the stump remain leave the stump in the ground.

Nebuchadnezzar woke up and don't ever dream you wake up with a feeling that was not a good dream and you try to figure out your own dreams while he he calls in the soothsayers in the astrologers and the fortunetellers and who knows why should a call for Daniel. None of them have the answer again Daniels brought in and he gives them the interpretation of the dream and what Daniel says no to the king to me is a case study in evangelism and it's also a case study in how to confront a person about their sin in hopes that they will repent of their sin. Let's read together. Daniel chapter 4 starting in verse 19 he hears the dream and upon hearing this, Daniel also noticed both the Shah's are was overcome fruit time frightened by the meaning of the dream.

Then the king said to about this as our don't be alarmed by the dream.

Tell me what it means belt HSR that's Daniel replied. I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream. What happened to your enemies and not this brings me to point number one we share God's truth we should do so boldly, lovingly and clearly.

Let me say that again when we share God's truth. We must do so boldly, lovingly and clearly that's exactly what Daniel did.

This was not an easy message to deliver. He's going to have to tell him that King you're the tree and the trees cut down because you're going to be cut down as well.

You know it's hard to tell someone that you love the truth sometimes so we won't see what we really think you know and and then we heard that we end up maybe sometimes enabling them them in their sin or not, warning them of something that could be spiritually destructive in their life. Proverbs 27 six says open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. In other some people say oh I love you I love you I love you did the tear you down behind your back, but a true friend.

Someone who really loves you, will tell you the truth to your face. A true friend stabs you in the front lawn of the back, but you do it with love because you know sometimes we use the message of truth. Like if Thor's hammer, Eric comes home wearying and happy that that's not the way to deliver to you deliver the truth in love, were told in Scripture that if a brother or sister is overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual should restore such a person in the spirit of me must you also be overcome. Listen buckaroo. One day it may be you snowmobile arrogant you might be the person down one day and you're going to need some help. So you deal with humility and I'm really sorry to tell you this.

I really care about you. My objective is to get you back in your feet again not to kick you when you're down and so this is the idea Daniel has to deliver a hard message to the king, and this is very important to get the tell them the truth, he couldn't, you know, candy coated and what we are sharing the gospel.

We need to do the same if sometimes we don't want to tell a nonbeliever what will happen if they don't believe will leave those things out with the promise the hope of heaven without warning of the reality of hell is not the true gospel to offer the forgiveness of God without telling a person they need to repent of their sin is not the gospel, and this would not of been an easy thing to deliver this message to someone as powerful as Nebuchadnezzar with one word jury had to be separated from your body for UW torture or your family so you and your walking on eggshells around a guy like this, but I love the boldness of Daniel but also the humility of Daniel.

No other people of God spoke boldly as well. Moses spoke boldly to the Pharaoh. Nathan the prophet spoke boldly to the king when he was in sin. Elijah courageously confronted King Ahab and John the Baptist please stop with Herod. They all told the truth. This is what Daniel does would look at the love he has for the king. In verse 19.

I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream. What happened to your enemies and not to you. Listen, Daniel took no pleasure in delivering this bad news to the king.

I wish this wasn't true. I wish I was on the what I had to tell you the things the king I care about you even though your pagan even though you change my name and the names of my friends even though you held me here and have held me as a captive for many years of kinda grown to like you.

I have to admit I have an affection for you. I wish this was for your enemies, not you, and always getting up to give the interpretation. Daniel 424 this is what the dream means your Majesty, what the most high is declared will happen to my lord the king, you will be driven from human society. You will live in the field with wild animals you will eat grass like a cow and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Although most of a lot of fun to tell them accuse me your highness, you're not going to become your aloneness got bad news for you King you're going to go on in the field. Any grass like a cow.

What I'm saying to you is regularly moving out of, soon and I'm giving you the other truth, your king look I want to milk this thing.

But I gotta say is a good stand-up comedy, a tough audience. I get no respect for you deliver the message.

So yes, we need to speak the truth lovingly, boldly and clearly would point number two always point people to the God of second chances always point people to the God of second chances. Despite this ominous warning from Daniel. There is still hope. Look at verse 27, King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice, stop sinning. This is another way to say, repent, stop sinning and do what is right.

Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper considering Daniel's perfect track record up to this point you would've thought the king would have listen Daniel same body. This doesn't have to happen if you repent. But the king was not having it. But here's the thing we tell people the truth, but we always give them all yet are a sinner gesture separated from God know there is nothing you can do to right this wrong nothing you can do to earn God's approval. That's the bad news I gotta tell them because you know when you're not going to appreciate the good news, if you don't first know the bad, and so then I give him the good news. But the good news. The good news is there's a God in heaven who sent his son to die on the cross for your sin will turn from your sin, you can be forgiven on the day of Pentecost.

Simon Peter was preaching to some of the very people who crucified Christ, I mean literally the people that kneeled into the tree and as he speaking to the crowd. He says that some of you playing a hand on this and I wonder if he pointed his finger to his Centurion over here for a religious leader over there was you I saw you mad and the Bible says they were cut to the heart.

That's an interesting phrase that means something that happened sudden suddenly and unexpectedly, like a knife going in your heart thought they were cut conviction of the spirit, they somewhat showing to and Peter said you're going to burn in hell.

That's what you'll do not be said is he says).

I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. In times of her freshmen will come from God's either.

So that's what Daniel was saying to the king. There's hope for you. So yes we tell them the truth, but we always point them to God of second chances, Greg Laurie Orton counsel today on how to share the message of the gospel appropriately. We share the whole truth, but also share the hope of forgiven sin faster. Greg will have a closing thought before today's addition of a new beginning wraps up, and then Pastor Greg were excited to announce your new book with the fascinating title Lennon Dylan, Alice and Jesus. Yes, it's a deep dive into the lives of some famous names in music and where they stand or where they stood with the Lord. The subtitle is the spiritual biography of rock 'n' roll and it's it's interesting that a pastor is writing a book about rock 'n' roll rock musicians seems like an unlikely pairing will let me just say that I've always loved music. I've always loved rock 'n' roll.

To quote the great theologian Joan Jett. I love rock 'n' roll. And so I've always been aware of rock of always listen to rock. I kinda became aware of it more as a young man watching the Beatles, but in this book.

This is not glorifying rock music are rock musicians.

This is a book that is exploring the lives of people that have basically experienced everything this world has to offer and it found it empty. It's sort of a modern version of the story of Solomon, who had everything this world offers and then he concluded it was all emptiness. It was like she seen the wind. It was like a bubble that bursts and so you know when you climb to the top of the mountain and you been all that and a bag of chips went when you been on a lunchbox or on a T-shirt or people you don't have your poster hung in their room. You realize how empty all of that is so.

I explored these stories. One fascinating section of the book is about the so-called 27 club ever heard about that. These are artists who are very well known who all tragically died at the age of 27 Jimi Hendrix died at the age of 27 so did Janis Joplin. You have to put Jim Morrison in there as well. Fast-forward a number of years and you put Amy Winehouse in there along with Kurt Cobain. People that had it all and yet died.

At the very young age of 27 so I sort of showed the birth of rock the growth of rock. The pinnacle of rock in the 60s and 70s and then the just complete collapse of so many of these iconic people. But then, I explore the lives of those rock stars who have come to Jesus Christ and are following him people I've got to know personally like Dion do Mucci of DM and the Beaumont Ritchie pur�e of the Buffalo Springfield and Pogo and Alice Cooper who I've interviewed multiple times. This is a guy that is experienced all that this world has to offer and is found it empty, and now is following Jesus Christ. So it's a book that shows what happens when you make the right and the wrong choices, but ultimately it's a book that I think will offer hope and say to you, there is no one that you know that is beyond the reach of God's fuller great reassurance and powerful insights on where fulfillment is really found.

So can we send a copy your way again is called Lennon Dylan, Alice and Jesus.

The subtitle is the spiritual biography of rock 'n' roll and it's our gift to thank you for partnering with us right now.

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You can call us at 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 hour phone number 1-800-821-3300 or write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or go online to harvest.org when next I more insight from our studies in Daniel and his encounter with King Nebuchadnezzar.

But before we go.

Pastor Greg has a final comment we have a divine responsibility to share the gospel message. If you agree, say amen if you've done it this week. Say amen as many amen we should do it every opportunity I look at it this way. It's like if you were a medical scientist and you have cancer, let's say you spend hours and hours and weeks and days and months trying to find a cure and one day you discover the cure one pill to give one time in your cancer is gone.

So you take it here cancer free, and that he is a will, I'm not telling anyone about this because I'm in comfortable talking to strangers skews me, but this is not about you. This became much bigger than you now know you need to share this with others because they need the cure to what we have Christians is even more important than the cure for cancer. We have the cure to eternal death and separation from God. We've got a sheriff beginning Greg Laurie podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for daily devotions and learn how to become a harvest partner harvest.org