A New Beginning presents a great book to show you how to easily share the gospel by Pastor Greg Laurie. The book is called Tell Someone You Can Share the Good News. And I wrote it with this thought in mind. I acted as though I were sitting down with an individual and sharing truths I've learned about evangelism. And it's something that is really important to me.
And I want to share what I've learned with you in this book, Tell Someone. Yours for a gift of any amount at harvest.org. God has a future planned for you. Jesus said this, which of you by worrying, Can add a single hour to his life. Worry can't add to our lives, but it can surely subtract from them.
Pastor Greg Laurie says, trust God's plan. Stop worrying about how long you're going to live. You know what, all of your tofu and all of your kale is not gonna extend your life.
So have a few pieces of bacon and enjoy yourself. This is the day when the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. Oh, can you hear all the angels singing?
This is the day, the day when I begin. Do you know someone who always runs late? They're on their own timetable. One thing is certain, one day they'll meet God exactly on time. God never taps his watch and says, what took you so long?
Nor does he say, You're here already? God has definitively numbered our days. Coming up today on a new beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us see how reassuring it can be to know our life is in the Lord's hands. He's in control, and we can trust His plan.
Okay, why don't you grab your Bibles and turn to Psalm 31? Psalm 31. This is our new series that we're doing called The Psalms of David. And the title of my message is Our future is in God's hands. Here in Psalm 31, verse 14, David writes, I am trusting you, O Lord.
saying, You are my God, and my times are in your hands. My times are in your hands, or as another translation puts it, my future is in your hands. And by the way, David did not write these words. laying on the beach somewhere or Having a nice little glass of iced tea. No, he wrote this when he was on the run, he was being hunted down by King Saul because after David had been anointed to be the next king of Israel, and Saul realized who his successor was, he made it his mission in life to destroy this young man.
I mean, David was going from shepherd boy. to the king of Israel. And it was not going to be an easy road. In fact, I think David might have thought more than once: you know what? It actually was a lot better when I was just tending the sheep.
Back then, I knew who my real enemies were: lions, bears, ultimately Goliath. But now he's dealing with a different kind of enemy. He's entering into the world of politics and intrigue. He's dealing with this man, King Saul, that wants to destroy him. And this is where he's writing these words.
At one point, he said of his life: there is but a step between me and death. In other words, because of The fact that he was a fugitive and running for his life meant that he did not know if he would make it another day. But then he says, But my times are in your hands. You know, David was going to become not just a king, but the greatest king in the history of Israel. You know, they still speak of David in Israel today.
There's a folk song that they teach the little children with the lyrics: David, David, Melek, Israel, Hi, Hi, Vekaion, which means David is the king in Israel. But the most significant thing about David is that he would be in the royal line of the Messiah. And in fact, Jesus Christ would identify himself as the son of David. The reason that Mary and Joseph went and had their baby in Bethlehem after that decree was given by Caesar was because it was the boyhood home of David, and that's who their genealogy trace back to.
Now he first came into the public consciousness when he took down the 9'6 inch giant of a man known as Goliath. And on the heels of that, he became a folk hero overnight, and he gained a huge following. In fact, there were 300 men. Dedicated themselves to David to follow him wherever he went. And it was during this time now as he's running from Saul, because once he becomes the hero in the eyes of Saul, he becomes a big zero because he's a threat to the throne.
And now, While he's running from Salt, he writes Psalm 31. He writes Psalm 27, and he writes Psalm 54. Here's a little backdrop to the story now. We see that the Philistines are up to their old tricks. They attacked a little border town of Kelea.
And the farmers had just harvested their crops, and the Philistines stole their crops. And so these farmers of Keleah went to David, even though Saul was king, they knew Saul would do nothing about it. He was sort of a lame duck king at this point, but they knew David was a mighty warrior who was fearless. And they said, David, would you help us? And David prayed about it.
And the Lord said to him, Go. Take these Philistines on. And he went and conquered them in battle. And then, writing of that in Psalm 31:21, David said, Praise to the Lord, He's shown me the wonders of His love while I was in a city under siege. But now, This attack comes not from the Philistines, but from Saul.
Now, Saul and David were both believers in one sense. Saul seemed to be lapsed in his faith, but Saul had a good beginning. When God appointed him to be the first king, Over Israel, we read he was a humble man. We read that the Spirit of God came upon him. He had tremendous potential, but he messed up.
And in his own words and in an autobiographical statement, he said, I have played the fool and I've erred exceedingly.
So, because of his pride and his disobedience, God rejected him from being the king, you know, in life. It comes as a surprise sometimes to us as Christians to find that were opposed not only by the world, but sometimes by fellow believers. And it doesn't always make sense. You know, some Christian that you know or someone you had a friendship with may turn on you, they may criticize you. And that's what's happening to David.
Because consider this: not only was David going to ascend to the throne, but he married Saul's daughter, Michael.
So Saul's his father-in-law who's trying to kill him.
So he writes down these words in what I've described as David's diary, the book of Psalms. Again, Psalm 31, look at verse 7. I'll be glad and rejoice in your mercy, for you have considered my trouble. You've known my soul in adversity.
Now, his army of three hundred multiplies to six hundred. Bringing me to my first point.
Sometimes the ones you hope the most hurt you the worst.
Sometimes the ones you help the most hurt you The worst. And sometimes it happens among believers. But here in the process or in the midst of all this, David has faced betrayal. By his father-in-law. And ultimately, by his own son Absalom.
Look, here's the bottom line: people are going to hurt you in life. And the reality is, you are going to hurt people in life as well.
Sometimes you'll be hurt by people that you tried to help. And the only way you can deal with this is keep short accounts and forgive them. Even if they don't deserve your forgiveness, forgive them anyway. It'll help you sleep better at night. But forgiveness doesn't mean condoning bad behavior or dismissing it.
It doesn't even suggest necessarily reconciliation. It just means You forgive. You say, well, no, shouldn't we be reconciled to people? Yes, if possible. But the Bible says, as much as it's possible, live at peace with all men.
Some people, you can't live at peace with them. But you can forgive them. And they don't deserve your forgiveness, but you should forgive them for your own peace of mind. Forgiving someone means you're surrendering the right to get even, not giving them what they deserve. And that's another reason that David was a man after God's own heart, he was a forgiver.
He had multiple opportunities to kill. King Saul, and he would not raise his hand against him, even though Saul was attempting to kill him. And even more, he extended grace to the grandson of Saul, the son of Saul's son, Jonathan. And that boy's name was Mephibosheth. And Jonathan was a bright light in this dark place.
Because Jonathan and David became close friends. And even though Jonathan was really the heir to the throne, He understood that God had called David to that role, not him. And so David forgave, and I think that's so important. Point number two: God is in control of our lives and He determines how long we'll live. I raised this earlier.
Let me elaborate a few more moments. He is in control of this. Again, in Psalm 31, David writes, I'm trusting you, O Lord, saying, My times are in your hands, or my future. Is in your hand.
So stop worrying about how long you're going to live. And some people are doing this today. Oh, how long am I going to live? And so, you know what? All of your tofu and all of your kale.
It's not going to extend your life.
So have a few pieces of bacon and enjoy yourself. Jesus said this: Which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? God has a future planned for you. Of course, we all know Jeremiah 29:11. I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
So never be afraid to commit an unknown future to a known God. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. Um We love hearing from our listeners. Whether it's a short word or they take some time to tell us what's going on with them, we read every word. Pastor Greg, I appreciate your good, solid, biblical teachings on your podcast.
Your messages are a great resource for new Christians. I wish I had this to listen to when I was at that stage in my life. Thanks. I know Pastor Greg probably would disagree with me because he's a humble sort of fellow. But he's second to none in my book amongst the Bible teachers of today.
He has a way of explaining things so that a child can understand. I love his stories. And the jokes are great. It all makes for a better listening experience. which keeps me engaged.
Thank you. Do you have a comment to share with Pastor Craig? If so, email him and tell him about it. Send it to Greg. At harvest.org.
That's Greg at harvest.org.
Well, we're learning lessons from the life of David today. as Pastor Gregg is basing his message in Psalm thirty one. Let's continue. Point number three. Get your eyes off of your problems and put them on God.
Get your eyes off of your problems and put them on God. Look at Psalm 31, verse 23. O love the Lord, all you his saints, for the Lord preserves the faithful and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and he will strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. What is your hope in right now?
Is there hope? In money. Is your hope? In your career, Is your hope? Even in your family, as good as a family can be, is your hope.
And a politician. All of these will fail you in some way, shape, or form. Put your hope in God, He will never fail you. Right? Psalm 119, verse 114 says, You are my refuge and my shield.
Your word is my only source of hope, His Word. And then we read over in Romans 15:4, such things are written in the scriptures long ago to give us hope. And encouragement. As we wait patiently on the promise of God, we need hope in this life. And I think that's so very important.
I love the statement of Corey Tinboom. She said, and I quote, if you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. But if you look at God. you'll be at rest.
So Let's wrap this up, the story of David. During this time he wrote in Psalm 27 as well as Psalm 31. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart. Wait, I say On the Lord. See, David didn't know the rest of his story.
And you don't know the rest of your story either, do you?
So don't worry about it. Because someone is writing your story, and it's not you. It's God. And you know what? It's a good story.
And when you get to the end of it, you're going to look back and say, Lord, thank you that you were in control of my life. Let me close with this. What or who is your hope in today? And my question is: will that hope sustain you? in your last hour.
Only God can do that for you. Here's the good news. As a Christian, I am indestructible until God is done with me. But when God's done with me, that's it. I don't decide the length of my life through all of my little health regimens and vitamin supplements and all that.
Maybe I'll live a healthier life, but ultimately that's in the hands of God, you see.
So, but until the Lord is done. I don't have to worry about any threat against my life. Jesus said, You'll drink of any deadly poison, it will not harm you. Venomous snakes will bite you, and you will not die. There, Mark 16.
Now, some people have misinterpreted this, and they think it's a good idea to hand rattlesnakes around in a church service. Clearly, this is not what Jesus was advocating. That's not trusting the Lord, that's testing the Lord, and that's plain loco, okay? But what he is saying is that if you were bitten by a venomous snake and it wasn't your time to go, you would survive it. And in fact, this did happen to Paul the Apostle when he was shipwrecked on an island and he was warming himself by the fire, and a venomous snake bit him and he just shook it off into the fire because it wasn't his time.
But yes, his time did come. And Paul was martyred for the faith ultimately. But God had a plan until that time for his life, and then we go into his presence in heaven.
So stop worrying about these things and focus on living your life. To the fullest for the glory of God. See every day for what it is, it's a gift. It's a treasure. Don't waste it.
I love what Moses wrote: Lord, help me to number my days that I may apply. my heart to wisdom. Here's the thing we should be more focused on. Not how long will I live in this life, but rather where will I spend the afterlife? See, we talk a lot about this life.
We could call it the before life. It's not really all that long compared to eternity, but eternity has no end whatsoever. And I ask you, where will you spend the afterlife? Listen, you decide in this life where you will spend the afterlife. And if you put your faith in Jesus Christ.
You have nothing to be afraid of. But I ask you in closing: have you done that yet? Maybe God brought you here to church today for a reason. Let me restate that. God brought you here to church for a reason.
No, maybe. Right? But here's the bottom line: we're sinners, we've broken God's commandments. God sent His Son Jesus to die on that cross and rise again from the dead. And now He stands at the door of our life and He knocks and He says, If we'll hear His voice and open the door, He will come in.
Christ can come into your heart right now and give you hope in this hopeless world. He can give you the purpose and meaning you've been searching for. And you don't have to sit around and worry about the length of your life because you will know as a Christian that your times are in his hands, your future is in his hands, and God is in control. If you've not asked Christ to come into your life, you can do it right now. As we close in prayer, let's pray, Father.
Thank you for your love for us. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die on the cross for us and to rise again from the dead. And now I pray for anyone here, if they don't have a relationship with you yet. Let it begin today.
Now while our heads are bowed, and our eyes are closed and we're praying together. If you want Jesus Christ to come into your life. If you want to know that you will go to heaven when you die. If you want Him to forgive you of your sin and remove your guilt. Or maybe you've fallen away from the Lord and you want to come back to Him again.
I want you to pray this prayer. Out loud after me. Again, pray this prayer out loud after me right now. Just pray these words: Lord Jesus. I know that I'm a sinner.
But I know that you're the Savior. Who died on the cross for my sin? and rose again from the dead. I turn from my sin now. And I choose to follow you.
From this moment forward. In Jesus' name I pray. Yeah. Pastor Greg Laurie. Praying with those who are making a change in their relationship with the Lord today.
And if you're coming to the Lord for the first time and asking Him to forgive your sins, if you've meant those words today as you prayed with Pastor Greg, we want you to know that your sins have been forgiven and you're now a new child of God. And we want to help you get started off right. Let us send you Pastor Greg's New Believer's Bible. It's a special edition of God's Word that's perfect for those who are new to the faith. It'll answer many of the questions you may have and help you begin to build a strong foundation for your faith.
So ask for the New Believer's Bible when you call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24-7 phone number, again, 1-800-821-3300. Or write a new beginning box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514. Or just go online to harvest.org and click Know God. And, Pastor Greg, we're so thankful for the work God is doing through this ministry.
We're touching lives for eternity. And we're really thankful for our friends who see the fruit of this ministry and invest so this work can reach even further, isn't that right? Absolutely. When you invest in harvest ministries, you're investing in the souls of men and women. Boys and girls, and what is the value of a soul?
Well, let me personalize it. What's the value of your soul? What's the value of the soul of your husband, your wife? your son or your daughter. Oh, your mommy, your dad.
Or your best friend.
Well, I would say you probably couldn't put a price tag on it. It's so valuable.
Well, listen, God says all souls are mine. God loves us and sent His Son to die on the cross to pay the price for all of our sins so we could be forgiven and come into a relationship with Him. I can't think of a better investment of my resources, of my money, Than in the work of the kingdom of God.
So we would ask you to prayerfully consider investing in harvest ministries as we continue on to fulfill the great commission. Yeah, that's right. And you can make your donation right now at harvest.org or write us at a new beginning box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514. Or call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24-7 phone number: 1-800-821-3300.
Well, next time we take a look at grace and mercy from the Psalms of David. Was he David's heart toward a man named Mephibosheth? Join us here on A New Beginning with Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie. This is the day, the day when life begins.
