A Life Well-Lived | Staying Focused on Christ

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-up@harvest.org what are you really vote about the Lord wants us to be passionate about loving him, serving him honoring Greg Laurie says it's too easy to focus and knows where we can describe your voice is very so just not the main thing the main thing the main thing the main thing people is Jesus Christ.Robert Johnson the last thing in the front row last well is my teachers try not to look so distractions are power and everywhere Laurie points out the importance of keeping our eyes fixed on the fate of life will live.

New study shows that many Americans are suffering from what experts call digital structure right, it's all because of this device.

I molding them again. The phone there was a Harvard study that was done in a reveal that people are experiencing digital overload.

It's a defining problem in today's workplace all day and night on desktops and laptops, tablets, smartphones, and even watches we have so many messages and alerts that even when we want to focus it's nearly impossible, and people you know when they're driving. It's like people are driving drunk these days but actually there driving while using their phone. You know what it's like some of the front of you in the light in the light goes green. The don't go and you honk and you go around there looking up their phone or their doing something else and were very distracted by these things, but this can happen among Christians as well. We could be distracted because here's what it comes down to working to follow our passion in life, you're going to walk where you look so fine looking this way.

That's a direction I walk in you walk where you look.

So here's my question for you in this message. What are you really passionate about.

I know the default answer is Jesus. But here, so I went to find out what you really passionate about all just get your social media because the Bible says where your Instagram is there with your heart be also Bible to say that what it says where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

But I can find out a lot by you. In fact, now employers will look at the social media of a potential hire to go. This is a red flag or this is a problem or this person is really obsessed with cats or whatever it is that you post about the most.

That's where our passion is going to be revealed. And here's the problem.

We can be distracted by secondary thing. They're not bad things in and of themselves. They're just not the main thing because as I said before, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing and people.

The main thing is Jesus Christ.

That's where our passion needs to be what the devil hates evangelism.

The devil hates the church the devil hates followers of Jesus, so the enemy attacks the church.

He tried to strategies that backfired strategy number one was persecution so Peter and John were arrested for preaching the gospel. They were told by the authorities to cease and desist and instead of doing that they got together with the other believers pray for even more boldness to preach the gospel to even more people in the room shook and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, then the devil tried to infiltrate the church through corruption and or Ananias and sub Ira the liberal definitions of a hypocrite because as you recall, a hypocrite, biblically speaking, is an actor it's a person who is playing a part, but this was dealt with swiftly and in short order. So now the devil comes with this third wave of attacks against the church and I would describe it simply as a distraction distraction, so let's read acts chapter 6 and the reverse is 128 and I'm reading from the new living translation as the believers rapidly multiplied. There were rumblings of discontent. That's a fascinating verse right there as the believers were multiplying rapidly.

There were rumblings of discontent. The Greek speaking believers complained about the Hebrew speaking believers saying their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the 12 called a meeting together of all the believers and they said we apostles need to spend our time teaching the word of God and praying not running a food program so brothers select seven men were well respected full of the Holy Spirit in wisdom and will give them this responsibility and then we apostles could spend our time in prayer and preaching the word everyone like the idea something shows seven spiritual band and among those men was Steven and also Philip and then we read God's message continued to spread in the number of believers greatly increase in Jerusalem.

Many of the Jewish priests were converted to but Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. There so you can see just by reading those passages. What the focus of the first century believers was it was about prayer, Bible study, evangelism hey guys were getting distracted.

The apostles are saying we need to spend time studying the word of God and praying, so we can use the gifts that God has called us to use and therefore we want to continue on in evangelism. So let's get this resolved and so that's what they did when they were having incredible success in reaching people 3000 people believed on the day of Pentecost and asked for another 4000 believe in Jesus so when God is working. The double will always be attacking and it's through division verse one as the believers rapidly multiplied. There were rumblings of discontent. You know it's not even really important what they were complaining about in this instance he felt. One group was being favored over another group, but really what it was about was selfish instead of selflessness.

What about me when are we going to mature enough as a Christian lower realized it's not about me it's about we write not just me.

We fight us like it's not just how can everyone serve me. How can I be blessed. What can I get out of this but when are we going to mature enough to come to church and state. How can I serve other. How can I be used by God. How can I develop and use my gifts.

This is the thing that sometimes we miss out on is if you want to know the secret of Christian living that sort of upside down. That's why call this series, upside down, living it's upside down in this way, the way the is down. Happiness is found in serving not being Sir happiness is not found in self-fulfillment but in self denial Jesus today you will find your life then losing your life. If any man will take up his cross and follow me and lose a fight, then he will find it was ending, and means that you put God's will.

First in your life and pursue that you will find the happiness and joy that you really want. So the next time you feel like throwing in the towel, whether to take up the towel instead and washed the feet of others, so to speak, because Jesus said it's more happy to give then it is to receive some of the apostles available and find some spiritual bent for this really interesting is that the needed spirit filled, godly individuals of wisdom to do the things that needed to be done and I bring this up because sometimes people think if you're called to be a teacher or a preacher. That's up highest call, but if you're called to serve behind the scenes or do different kinds of work that's not as important, not at all these men needed to be spirit filled as anybody else did these musicians that lead us in worship. They need to be full of wisdom, the word of God. They need to be spirit filled with the people running the equipment they really need to be spirit filled every kidding when I say that everybody needs this power. So we see some unique qualities the life of Stephen that I want to identify Greg Moore will have the second half of this message in just a moment. Whenever you send us a letter text and email or post a comment on social media. We read every word. Thank you for your word Billy I found out that one of the work clothing, leaving me my coworkers out of a job in certain will do our family and our financial situation. However on writing worry. Help me to have more faith in God and know that you control the situation. Thank you again for your ministry what you do those resources and a new beginning or helping listeners.

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What were taking a look at the life of Stephen days of the first century church pastor Greg titled today's message a life well lived. There is another thing that will come out of this story is Stephen died at a very young age. In fact, he was the first martyr of the early church and we look at someone who dies when they're young we think of it as a tragedy and in fact in many ways it is. But it's interesting because Stephen's name means crown crown and an early death means in early crown.

Let me illustrate… You were standing in line to go to Disneyland and let's say the line is like 45 minutes before you're going to get into the park and your hot and you're sweating in your miserable and all of a sudden the CEO of Disneyland comes out with Donald Duck next to get any wants to you in the back of the blind in me says you don't look like you're that comfortable. I would it take you to the front of the line and take you one of the park and Donald Duck said so you go.

I just read people woke up what was happening so you walk in that event Donald Duck right Donald targeted when I have time sometime Donald Duck than a worship song. I actually have a couple but I was pass out when I do and I don't know why something with thinking that sound but done just Donald Duck getting angry, ready for like that to people.

That's all you remember the sermon about who nobody did this. Don't Stephen that certain qualities that God put in his life when he was called home to heaven early, but he made a great impact. Here's some of the qualities of his life from and just sort of fly over these verse three tells us he was a well-respected lesson if you want to be used by God. You need to be well respected in the phrase well-respected is translated in the King James version as a man of good reputation.

This means that even nonbelievers spoke well of him in first Timothy 37 we read people outside the church should speak well of a person who is called in to leadership. Number two.

He was full of faith in the holy spirit. You know what we think of the Holy Spirit. We think of power we think of Jeff, but let's not forget there's also the fruit of the Holy Spirit right. Galatians 522 says the fruit of this spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Look, I don't care how gifted you are can you be a patient person I mean I appreciate the fact that human ability to speak.

Perhaps what can you be a loving person. Can you be a kind person. We don't just mean the power of the spirit we need the fruit of the spirit to Stephen also was filled with wisdom. Verse three that you see in the message that he gave here in acts six and seven. It was just filled with Scripture, and he had this great wisdom, and though he was young he was someone I met young people that I'm so impressed with their wisdom because they studied the word of God. If this passion for Christ and admit older people who are just their own fools never learned anything in life, so Stephen was young, but he was full of wisdom.

Also, I would point out he was faithful in the little thing but was his job waiting on tables distribute food to the menial work if you will, but because he was faithful in the little things God gave him an opportunity to do even greater things, so his enemies saw that got a gifted Stephen so they wanted to stop him. In acts 611 says they persuaded men to lie about Stephen saying we heard him blaspheme Moses and even God. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Stephen honored God he glorify God, but they made these lights up about them. Let people make up lies about you. Jesus said blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. Have you ever had someone tell a lie about two. Have you ever been slandered before. Well, let them be lies because… A godly life. They had to make stuff up. Here's another quality of Stephen E. Look for opportunities and he sees them. Sin always brought before the Sanhedrin, the Sanhedrin was sort of like the Supreme Court of the day, but back in this culture they had religious authority but they also had secular authorities so they ruled in all kinds of affairs and issues of the day. These guys were the most influential people in the land so your stand Stephen before this very distinguished group of individuals and thinking this is an opportunity for the gospel now is Stephen. He played his cards right, he could have gone home for dinner, but he thought, no, I want to reach these people with the gospel and I wonder I can guarantee this, of course, but I wonder if even zeroed in on one of those men in the Sanhedrin. Clearly the leader, a young man named Saul and he thought what if God reached God. What if he became a follower of Jesus. Can you imagine what the Lord could do through a man like that.

We don't know if that was the case for we know Saul was there. So now Stephen gives this amazing overview of the history of the Jewish people in her so much interesting detail limits and then he brings it to Jesus and reminds them that the trade price they crucified Christ will this didn't go over real well. We put the story up in acts chapter 7 verse 54 wanted to look at that with me.

The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation and they shook their fists that human ring you know a message is not going over well.

When people do that when they shake their fists into but Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit gaze steadily and that heaven and saw the glory of God and he saw Jesus standing on the place of honor at God's right hand and he told the look I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the place of honor at God's right again and then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting and they rush to Kim and drag him out of the city began to stone him and his accusers took up their coats and leave them at the feet of a young man named Saul and as they stoned him, Stephen prayed Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. He fell to his knees, shouting Lord, don't charge them with this sin. With that he fell asleep while what a story of the blind bias of these people that should know better. They knew the word of God, but verse 57 says they put their kids over their ears, they began shouting and rusted him and drag him out of the city.

Isn't it interesting how irrational people can be when you start talking about Jesus you know he can talk about anything there like cool have a little debate maybe ball you bring up Jesus and now they get all fired another upset things pop out of there for the can't read their voices louder said the ring he would talk to me about that. It's not real. I don't believe any of it. Okay, okay, calm down, but why do they react that way.

Jesus gave us the answer in John 320. It says they hate the light because they want to send them the darkness they stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed though we punish the reason they don't like what you're saying is you're a bright light in the dark place. Think about when you're asleep. Give all the shades drawn, and maybe your mom that you meant time to wake up. The sad thing is you're in your 40s, so your mom opens up the lies seen the light dim is all you put your pillow over your head. You're not ready for the light that's all people are when we talk about Jesus, but I love how it says Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit listen when you're obeying God you feel you with the Holy Spirit. God doesn't pour his spirit on is just for the fun of it. Listen the gifts of the spirit are not toys to play with their weapons to fight with in their tools to build with the power that God gives us his power with a purpose. Acts 18 says you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit has come upon you for what purpose to be witnesses unto me when a fire hose never seen when the firefighters lose control of the hoses flailing about water, going everywhere. Then they get all of that hope in a game and in the direction of a burning house and think of the good they can do so God keep this power to Stephen for a purpose to proclaim the gospel. I bring this up because sometimes people say you know I'm so trying spiritually.

Let me ask you this question when is the last time you shared your faith with someone see the gospel is designed to be shared, not hoarded your blessed to be a blessing. Proverbs 1125 says the generous soul will be made fat and he the waters others will be watered himself, but don't you want a fat soul. Maybe not a fat body but you want to fat soul. I and so it says when you water others. Would you give to others when you serve others you are water, get it to even know know it's all about me it's about you doing this for me. Actually it isn't.

It's about you doing something for someone else. The Bible says give and it shall be given unto you press down, shaken together and running over, as you give God will replenish you. I can tell you this from experience there been times I get up to preach that I'm not really in the mood. Can you believe that and it's not because if you it's because of me.

It's maybe it's summer I heard some news that's troubling her. Are there some conflict of some kind or something's happening or whatever it is I'm just not feeling up to it.

At that moment, I can tell you so many times I started my sermon on empty and I ended it on full. I'm replenish its true really say my life is so hard and you know maybe they just get out a little bit maybe go see some of the truly suffering are no men of good liquid cooled and it's a really bad one. Then he will visit someone in the hospital was stage III cancer all of a sudden your problem is every bit as it to think we need to get perspective. And when you are obeying God.

God will bless you and God will use you and Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit in these members of the Sanhedrin were coming under the conviction of the spirit. Because according to verse 51.

They were resisting the spirit which implies they knew it was true and they were saying no. I know what you're saying is true that I'm putting my hands over my ears. That's why I'm I'm screaming.

That's why I want you to stop. That's why I'm shaking my fist. I know it's true and I don't want to hear it anymore. It says in verse 54, they were cut to the heart that could literally be translated, they were sawn in half. Stephen was a true hero of the Christian faith was the price in this action, even when he was on his knees, stood tall and give us a godly example follow Pastor Greg Lori has more from this message or to come here on a new beginning pastor Greg every day we get such wonderful correspondence from our listeners.

Yes, letters, emails, text social media postings, and many times the listener will mention their harvest Parker go and I just make her smile because that means there part of our family explain it well harvest partners in case you don't know are people that stand with this every month you know so many of us listen to Christian radio would listen to great teachings or witness nor favorite Bible podcast and MVA because these things become a part of our life and sometimes would take them for granted and so you know when they say hey, help us financially rethink all well. Someone else will do it well. Sometimes someone else doesn't do it and so I'm asking you to be a partner with us. What does it mean it means that you make a commitment to stand with us financially every month.

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