Heaven on Earth: Face to Face

We are glad you're joining us for a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners get more encouraging audio content. When you subscribe to pastor Greg daily depots. Learn more and sign up@harvest.org on your tears so we can wipe them away. One day coming up on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie held his gaze into the future when we are in the presence of the Lord during the richness of life eternal sorrow everything she will have them for something to happen right here right now to see change. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ. Find one will be possible after the rapture will be with the Lord forever.

Comfort one another with those words today on the new beginning. Greg Laurie brings we look past the stresses and crises of the day, the glory of life eternal just around the corner nearing the end of an exciting series of studies in the book of Revelation. I was really into all things Disney. I love Disney movies. I love watching those shows on television like the Mickey Mouse club and of course the TV show the wonderful world of Disney later changed to the wonderful world of color because color television was coming into its own. Just I am old enough to remember only black and white TV so one day Walt himself announced that he was opening up a new place for everyone to visit called Disneyland and he kept his promise and in 1955 Disneyland open and I remember the excitement I had when I went there for the first time I was so would this affect every film they put out, especially the animated films.

I decided at an early age that I wanted to be an artist maybe an animator may be a cartoonist or a graphic designer of some kind. No one of the reasons that I was so excited about Disneyland as it was to me as a little kid, almost like heaven on earth.

It was an escape from the kind of awful life I was living in my childhood.

My mother was married and divorced seven times and she was a raging alcoholic. So Disneyland was this fun place that I would go to and enjoy so much.

One day my mother brought home an actual Disney animator and I didn't believe him, and I made improvement so I took out a pencil and he drew a flawless Mickey Mouse on a piece of paper and then this man said to me you take this pencil and put it on your pillow and go to bed now and when you wake up in the morning you'll be able to draw like me.

I believe that sad thing is I was 18. No, not really.

I was much younger I went to bed, put the pencil under my pillow fell asleep woke up the next 20 grab the pencil went to a piece of paper. No, I could not draw Mickey mouse.

I just think this guy wanted to spend time with my mom but you know Disney himself Walt Disney had a vision and when he was a little boy he used to love to go to a place called electric part and there was a carousel there and to begin the plot out in his mind, an amusement park that he would build one day he was trying to I think it is own mind. Bring a little heaven on earth. I read a book a while ago on the life of Disney and the author Pat Williams said this and I quote I know that Walt felt a longing for heaven. He had that longing.

When he was a boy in Kansas City, peering through the fence at electric part wanting Woody could not have because he didn't have a dime in his pocket. I believe it was that longing for heaven that drove Walt to build a perfect place where children can ride merry-go-round and always catch the brass ring, a place for yesterday and tomorrow are always within walking distance. A place where anyone can be perfectly happy if only for a day and Walt's mind writes Pat Williams. Heaven is a beautiful part, all shiny and clean filled with wonderful things to see and do. Whether counsel rising over it all in a train that goes around it."

Beautifully written. I think Walt Disney like all of us had eternity in his heart. The Bible tells us that God puts us inside of each of us will be long for something more longing for a place we've never been to before and I believe that longing is actually for heaven itself were homesick for heaven and things happen in life that seems so wrong and so unfair. Tragedy may strike in life on earth often disappoints, but I think you begin to realize that when you put your faith in Christ is you were made for another world. And that's exactly what we're looking at here in Revelation 21 were looking at another world that is our future, and it's even better than Disneyland.

Revelation 21. I'm reading from the new King James version. John writes in I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no more sea that I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice from heaven say, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. I love this verse. Verse four of Revelation 21 and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. The be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, and no more paying for the former things have passed away. You know, we may think that when we become a Christian will then live a trouble-free life will never suffer will never get sick loved ones that are close to us will never die own all these things may happen to us being a Christian does not mean you will never weep may mean you weep more because your heart is tender and Ezekiel God says I'll remove a heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. I mentioned earlier my mom being married and divorced seven times so I did develop these defense mechanisms were I was walled off. I was always moving, so I never could establish long-lasting relationships and friendships with people.

I was always the new kid in class. According to the whims or were my mom wanted to go next and in my home.

Love was not expressed by me. I can't remember a single time in my life or my mom simply said I love you I'm proud of you. So being a walled off person.

It was hard for me to give love and it was hard for me to accept love and never that's all going to change for all of the shows. Sometimes we bottle things up deep inside but here's what we need to do instead of bottling things up. We need to open our heart to God and let him put these troubles in his bottle is better know what you're talking about will some 56 eight says, you keep track of all my sorrows you've collected all my tears in your bottle recorded each one in your book.

I have a little bottle in my office. It's blue.

I bought it in the old city of Jerusalem some years ago in an antiquities shop and I asked the proprietor of the owner of the shop and what is this little blue bottle. These little that's a Roman chair bottle I asked what is that said will back at this time the Romans believed when they lost a loved one, that they should collect their tears and these little bottles and that's what they work for.

Will God keeps your tears and a bottle so we can wipe them away.

One day, because one day all pain will be gone all sorrow will in everything will be changed, but you don't have to wait until heaven.

For some things to change that can happen right here right now because second Corinthians 517 says if anyone be in Christ he is a new creation old things have passed away. All things become new. Love the Phillips translation of that same verse which says if a man is in Christ, he becomes a new person altogether. The past is finished and gone and everything is become fresh and new.

Think about that. Do you need a fresh start.

Do you need to begin again. Have you done things you wish you had not done said things you wish you would not said if they will now I guess I just have to face the consequences of all my bad decisions while there may be some truth to you having to face up to what you've done, but I want you to also know that there is a God in heaven who loves you and will forgive you of all of your sin and not only will he forgive you of your sin. He will forget your sin. Psalm 103 verse 12 says God speaking. As far as the east is from the west is as far as I will put your transgressions from me his seed change happens when you put your faith in Jesus Christ.

If you're a real Christian, your focus and your values will change old values old ideas plans and desires will be replaced by new things, a new desire to know God and love him, a new desire to study the Bible, a new desire to engage with God's people in worship, a new desire to bring glory to your God. And yes, a new desire to see God himself, Esther, Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here encouraging you to join us as we give her what we call harvest that home is worse in the message of the word of God.

You can watch it with your family and your front room. You can watch it on the go on your tablet on your phone or your computer. Take it with you.

Take the word of God with you. Join us for harvested home harvest what were studying the book of Revelation requested Pastor Greg new commentary on Revelation with you more about it a little later in the program or get the details now@harvest.org sullenly wrap this up. How should all of this affect us.

What should we be doing in the light of the fact that we have this great hope of heaven, and one day a new earth. Here's how it helps us number one. It helps us to keep perspective during times of trial, it helps us keep perspective during times of trial bottom-line life on earth is full of trial hardship sadness, disappointment and pain, but according to this and other passages God is going to make up for the losses of earth. No pain is wasted by God.

Paul says in Romans 818 I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. See, here's God's plan for you.

He wants to make you like Jesus.

Romans 828, the first well-known quote.

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God and of the called according to his purpose right love that verse within the next verse, verse 29 says, for whom God did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed into the image of his own dear son. See, we sometimes take Romans 828 and think it means whatever bad thing happened. God can insert it into a good thing that is not with the verse promises again it says all things work together for good to those who love God and other called according to his purpose for whom let's keep the verse going God did foreknow, he predestined to be conformed into the image of his own dear son to God's plan for you is to make you more like Jesus to make you a chip off the old rock if you will, and that means hardship. That means difficulty as well as Joyce and happy things happening to you. Second Corinthians 417 pulses are present troubles are quite small and won't last forever.

Yet they produce for us and immeasurably great glory that will last forever so don't look at the troubles you see right now rather look forward to what you have not seen yet for the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come won't last forever.

So no matter what you're going through right now. Get the big picture God's in control.

The word hoops is not in his vocabulary that freak you out a God's it moves what you drop the planet what God doesn't say hoops. He knows what he's doing is making you like Jesus is getting you ready for heaven. Number two, believing that will go to heaven in heaven will come to earth one day will should cause us to want to live godly lives as I've said before, if in our studies of the book of Revelation. It hasn't prompted your motivated you to want to be more like Jesus and walk more closely with them than I think we've missed the point right heard a story about two farmers and they went out hunting ducks and one of the farmers had his dog with them would retrieve the dots so they saw Dr. fly by.

The farmer shot the dog fell from the sky into the lake and his dog ran out to retrieve the.and ran across the top of the water got the dog ran back over again. On top of the water came back to the farmer and dropped the dock at the farmer's feet. You have the farmer looked at him and said I don't think your dog knows how to swim.

They talk about missing the point. The dog walked on the water, not a true story, but we often miss the point. Yet this should motivate us to live a godly blood because again Scripture says he that hasn't so purifies himself, even as he is pure and then Paul tells us in Colossians 3. Since you been raised with Christ, set your mind on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. This phrase set your minds means think Kevin so I know I'm going to heaven. Think heavenly thoughts our feet must be on earth in our minds and our hearts should be in heaven.

And third, and lastly really believe and I wonder, do you really believe what we read in this message and others you really believe the Bible is true. You really believe that there is both a heaven and a hell do you really believe that we can enter into the afterlife. If you do, and I'm sure almost all of you do some of you don't probably but if you believe this should not motivate you to want to take some people with you to heaven you probably noticed that at the end of a message that I get your harvested home or in our church services are not radio program RTV program. I always invite people to Christ. You might say what you do that. Why do we do that because I wanted to because many people to heaven with me as I possibly can.

I want you to go to heaven. I want you to know Jesus Christ. I want to help you understand what you need to do to believe in Jesus Christ, so let me close with this appeal to you, someone who was not sure of Jesus is living inside of them. Here's what you need to do everything can change for you right now and God can make all things new is a great it's too late for me. I can't change. I tried to change myself and it hasn't worked. You can you can change anything. It's just the way this no God to make all things new. God can change your story. I don't know how old you are. I don't know where you are in your life but whatever it is, God can change it.

Especially the ending that you must come to him and say.I know I'm a center I know you broken your commandments.

I Neu fall short of your glory. But I also know that you sent Jesus Christ, your son to die on the cross for my sin and pay the price for every wrong I've ever done. And then he rose again from the dead, and I want Jesus to come into my life.

I love it. Revelation 21 six says, he said to me, it is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. Deep down inside you thirsty spiritual.

There was a woman who would go to a well every day around 12 noon and draw water. She didn't have many friends she been married and divorced five times she was living with some due to present, and who is waiting for her at the well that she frequented it was Jesus himself. She braced herself for a confrontation ready for an argument.

She was even somewhat flippant and sarcastic when she began to speak to them and 11 Jesus said that if you drink of this water will thirst again but if you drink of the water. I give you will never thirst again.

He was using the well that you drew water from is a metaphor for life. You could write it over so many things in life.

If you drink of this water will thirst again.the well of materialism if you will. If that's where you're going for answers. You're always going to want more, you could write it over relationships, even if you drink of this water will thirst again you could write it over accomplishments or success or fame.

If you drink of this water will thirst again. You could even write it over the well of religion if you will, religion and rituals and other things. If you drink of this water will thirst again but if you come to Jesus and believe in him will satisfy your deepest spiritual thirst to go back to what I said in the beginning we all long for a place we've never been to before.

I talked about going to Disneyland as a child and how excited I was to be in the Magic Kingdom.

The happiest place on earth. Well, this is something that is deep down inside of all of us in an amusement park is not going to satisfy that special when you look at the price you pay to get it. I think when you're a kid. The happiest moment of going to Disneyland is when you walk in, but when you're an adult. They happiest moment is when you're leaving right and then having to figure out are you gonna pay for all of that, but that's just an idea to start with were longing for something more were longing for heaven over longing for God nothing this world offers will satisfy you. Apart from relationship with God. You can ask him to come and live inside of you and forgive you of all of your sin right here right now in a moment I'm gonna pray. A simple prayer that I would love to lead you in where you are simply saying to the Lord come in the my life satisfy my spiritual thirst make all things new for me. I want to go to heaven one day I want to be ready for your return.

If you would like to do that. Why don't you just pray this simple prayer after me. You could print out a lot if you like to say Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner but I know you are the Savior who died on the cross for my sin rose again from the dead. I discern from that sin. Now they choose to follow you from this moment forward Jesus name I pray for Pastor Greg Laurie is perhaps the most important prayer.

Anyone can pray making a decision for Jesus Christ and if you pray that prayer today.

We want to welcome you into the family of God and we want to help you grow and develop as a new believer, so we want to send you our new believers growth packet is designed to get you started off right and answer many of the questions you might have. It'll help you build a strong foundation for your walk with God. Just ask for it when you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 seven, 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org Pastor Greg. The world is in such a mess. There's turmoil everywhere you look at believers know it's coming. We know God's plan for the end times yes. How does your new Revelation commentary help us prepare great question, let me respond with the words of Jesus in John 14. He said let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid in my father's house are many mansions ever were not so I would've told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, you may be also notes interesting. This phrase troubled but not your heart be troubled, means agitated or filled with fear. There are things happening in our world right now. They can be scary and it can cause your heart to be filled with fear and it can cause you to feel it's like everything is out of control.

But if there's one thing that Revelation clearly shows it's that God is in control. God has a plan and things are going according to plan. His plan, and so it's all laid out for us because you know the Bible is the one book that dares to predict the future, not once, not twice, but hundreds of times with 100% accuracy. So the Lord knows what's coming. But the great thing is is you even start the book of Revelation.

You have the words of Jesus to the seven churches. So before we get into all that prophetic stuff if you will like the tribulation.

The hundred and 44,000. The antichrist is second coming, the millennium, Jesus has some special words for his own people are very personal, powerful words to each of us and so this is all found in this commentary that I've just written.

I use the word commentary loosely because that sounds as though it's good to be dull and theological. Actually, it does comment on Scripture but but it's very understandable. It's very down to earth and were calling this brand-new book care from harvest Revelation, a book of promises and I would love to send you a copy. It's hot off the press it's brand-new. We've never released this book before and so I hope you get your own copy, and by the way, is a pretty good size book. I it'll be a great addition to your library, it's something you can stand on when you need to reach a higher shelf little hold a heavy door open as well and so there's a lot of uses but the best use of course would be to open it up and read it and get a better understanding of the important book of Revelation. Yeah, that's right.

And we hope you will contact us today to ask for Revelation, a book of promises and by the way Pastor Greg is including a custom-designed bookmark that shows the timeline of God's end times events graphically help you see the order of events very clearly.

It's all available for your gift of any size. Keep in mind that your support is the only way we can keep bringing you pastor Greg Staley studies so thank you for your generosity and we hope you'll contact us soon will only be able to mention this.

A short time longer. You can write a set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 24 seven phone number 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org the next time pastor Greg begins the final message in our in-depth study series and Revelation join us here on a new beginning.

Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Moore everybody thinks or listening to an beginning this is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. So for more content can help you know God and equip you to make him known to others or to learn more about how you can become a harvest partner. Just go to harvest.org