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February 18, 2020 11:37 am
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The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. If you would like to know how you can become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org that's harvest.org coming up on today's addition of a new beginning after Greg Laurie brings practical counsel for our prayer line of cars around right yes no way I will know generally we usually are happy with you.
We don't really know my way.
Is there anything we can do this year first answered more often in the affirmative, believe the rents so I want to talk to you about secrets to having your prayers answered in the affirmative and privileges and one of our most powerful tools.
Many of us don't feel like we've maximize our prayer lives today on new beginning. Hopefully will all the good giants go forward. Pastor Greg Laurie look to the Lord's model to bring us practical counsel. We can all work today is on the island of Maui today, having just visited one of the satellite campus sculpture California nope you're in a restaurant that someone is seated at a table near you. There been a conversation, you may not even be noticing. But one of them says I want to tell you a secret, no matter what.
I don't want you to share this with anyone question. Do you listen. Of course you do. Even if you know the people you want to know a secret, you know, again, welcome to my grandkids is what were going somewhere, maybe in a restaurant or hear their casino we can go the regular way we can go the secret way which way do you want to go. They always say we want to go the secret way. I just taken the side door something but we all like secret monthly of three psychiatrists that were out a convention them. They were hanging out together and one of them said you know the problem is we hear everybody else's problems, but we don't have anyone that we can discuss our problems with and one of you guys we can all just share what were struggling with and the hip. We can trust each other. Who can we trust.
They all agree.
So the first guy said, you know, here's my problem. I have a real issue with overspending so I'm always clinging to a 20 so now I overbuild my patients and they pay for the second. I set out below. I have a problem with drugs. In fact, I actually have my patients go out and buy me a legal drug concert guy said oh my problem is I can't keep secrets. I can't wait to get out of this place. Just what God has some secrets to event the Bible says the secret of the Lord is with those that fear him know in a way they're not really secret because they're playing in the pages of the Bible, but I think for some they might seem like a secret because they've never heard these things before, so I wanted to talk to you in this message about secrets to having your prayers answered. Listen in the affirmative and are all all prayers are answered effectively right yes no way I will like to know generally we usually are happy with. Yes, we definitely don't like the way but is there anything we can do to see our prayers answered more often in the normative. I believe there is. So I want to talk to you this message about secrets they having your prayers answered in the affirmative. Jesus said after this manner therefore you should pray our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil or the evil one, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and I love that prayer as I pointed out, it's not just the great vertebrae. It's a template for all prayer the story of a father and his little boy or frame before bed and in the that sits on go ahead and pray in the little guy prayed our father who art in heaven how would be your name that sums up what would you just call God, why did you call got Howard would then that's of the call and done the church a little guy said the brothers that what you talking about the little boy said they they pray our father who art in heaven, Howard beer name. No it's not Howard, it's hollow, it was ME. That means set apart honored and glorified be the name of the Lord for us. As followers of Jesus we need to understand that when we come in the God's presence. We need to just stop in rugged guys were speaking to the all-powerful and all-knowing and all loving Creator of the universe. I think we will do that it will change the way that we pray our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Just let it sink in for a moment and then we pray your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven effectively were saying the Lord if what I'm about to pray violate your will in any way shape or form. I ask you to overrule it.
One thing you'll discover after you walk with the Lord.
For a time is God's plans are better than your plans in his will is better than your will remember Jesus there in the garden of Gethsemane, praying, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.
Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. He was submitting to the will of the father is a become a great then he was beaten, crucified, just and all the sins of the world were paid for. Sometimes the will of God doesn't look good in the moment but in the big picture, you'll see that it really was good. I'm convinced we get to heaven look back on the events of earth from the eternal perspective will see everything differently. I think perhaps things we thought were good on earth will determine later may not of been as good as we thought in things that we were sure were really bad on earth ultimately work together for God's good will never be afraid to commit your purpose in your future to God. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Then Jesus taught us to pray give us this day our daily bread.
Basically when we pray that prayer were acknowledging that everything that we have because come, God in everything that we need in the future must continue to come from God. But now we come to the first secret answered prayer. If you don't get this one right.
Nothing else really matters. It teaches us to pray, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
If I have unconfessed sin in my life. All of the prayers in the world will really accomplish nothing God says is on the money here is heavy that I can't hear is under my arm is short that I can save but your sins that separated you from me. The summer set up by regard or hang onto iniquity in my heart. The Lord will not hear me if you confess your sins it's like you just hung your phone up on God.
There still may be relationship that doesn't go away because that's given to you as a result of your believing in Jesus, but fellowship and communication can be severed temporarily, but it can be reconnected to the confession of sin, something will. I don't really know that I have any since the confess all we have to go back to the first part of the Lord prayer our father who art in heaven, the more we see God in his glory, the more will see ourselves and our sinfulness. So here's the point we have to come and admit our sin and we have sin not to like colored pants on today and I was noticed whenever I wear like that's I spill myself more.
But you know what I realize is I am always spilling myself.
I just wore dark jeans normally and I don't see the same. I think you send more than you think you said because there sins of commission and omission. The sin of commission of courses doing what you should not do a sin of omission is not doing what you should do to just trust me when I tell you it's a good thing on a regular basis on a daily basis and maybe even on an hourly basis to say forgive us our sin as we forgive those who sin against us coming up on a new beginning. Pastor Greg explains there's an principal to answered prayer found in the famous Broadway show the connoted is that's coming up. We hear from so many listeners who have found strength through Pastor Greg's ministry and it often helps them in life's most difficult times dear Pastor Greg, I was gifted yearbook as it is in heaven. About two months ago from a friend. I couldn't put it down.
At the beginning of this year, my brother, and 10-year-old nephew died in a tragic house fire that did my grandparents homestead to the ground in minutes before the firefighters could arise.
We went through 2 1/2 months with no answers until my poor father discovered my brother's remains in the rubble. Authorities believe my brother had been too close to the explosion and basically is made into dust. My brother had a propane tank in the house a small heater keeping the pipes from freezing in the tank exploded and took their lives.
When sent these last three months have been a nightmare.
As you can imagine, I'm writing to say I believe it's mostly thanks to you and your book that I have been walking closer to Jesus than I ever have and through discovering, I've been able to be a solid rock of unwavering faith for my family and my parents since I've read your book I found your podcasts and I listen every single night while doing my computer work and even when I'm driving until now I was a lukewarm Christian.
I'd never slowly read the Bible and wasn't thirsty. To learn more. Your sermons on trials and suffering have brought me so much hope more than I can really explain. You have changed my life for the best were blessed to hear Pastor Greg's messages felt especially in a time of trial, would you consider sharing your story with us.
If so: leave us a message at 1-866-871-1144 1-866-871-1144.
We caught up with Pastor Greg today in Hawaii. He offered preachers at the satellite campus of harvest Christian Fellowship on the island of Maui and today he's bringing us insights on prayer. Okay, no principle number two for having your prayer answered in the affirmative. Another secret. This is a big one. You must forgive others. Let's go back to the Lord's prayer again. Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And I think were okay with the part about being forgiven by God, here's the big one are we willing to forgive other people listen forgiven. People need to be forgiving people see if you're not forgiven by God, then you're racked with guilt. But if you don't forgive others you're consumed by bitterness unforgiving people are bitter people. No one wants to hang around them because are always upset. They're always renting they they dine out alone, you know when the announcement is made dinner party of one you need to forgive his or someone right now that you need to forgive that has sinned against you.
Here's the Jesus says if you come and you bring your gift in the temple and you remember that someone has something against you, go to that person and seek reconciliation with them then bring your gift to the altar and interesting you say that they have something against you, you might say, well, that's their problem actually know it's coming. Your problem to you need to deal with it and we need to go to that person and you need to forgive them what CS Lewis once said, forgiveness is a lovely idea until we have someone to forgive you know another way that verse is translated. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us is forgive us our debt as we forgive those who are indebted to us annexing that accurate because the words of this user percent also implies that and that's why it's often translated that way. First, we have to be forgiven up our debts listen. Your debt is so high, there's no way you could ever pay it back the debt of sin. That's all we all have to just basically go Chapter 11 spiritually and declare complete bankruptcy and common total dependence to God who will forgive us in Colossians 3 it says that Christ canceled the debts that were against this taking them out of the way nailing them to the crossing the 10 Commandments condemns you and condemns may we all fall short. And so Jesus took that debt that we owed and he paid it for us. He came to pay a debt he did not know because we owed a debt we could not pay some, forgive us our debts our sins as we forgive those who are indebted to us or have sinned against us, no one of my favorite stories is called Les Miserables written by Victor Hugo many years ago. Actually, it was me know. Broadway show and then later into movies so the main character of Les Miserables is John Valjean and he's a good man and he has a sister who starving along with their children, so he steals a loaf of bread to feed them. He's arrested and he sent to prison and eventually he's released from prison, but he can't find employment anywhere and so he stopped communicating with them. He violates Perot and arresting officer names you bear is sent after him in the most recent films of bear was played by Russell Crowe, John Valjean, played by Hugh Jackman and so John goes on find shelter in a monastery and their very generous to him to give him a warm meal to give him a bed and and the priest takes has compassion on John goes on well in the night John those on cc valuable candlesticks. He decides to steal them, and he's arrested immediately back to the monastery and the priest seizes the lame appears a goes back to prison. He may never get out again in the present know I gave those to John Valjean. Once the police leave the priest gives John Valjean. The two candlesticks he stole, that are made out of silver and says they can view been spared by God not going make an honest man out of yourself and if you go's book, the priest says John Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong the evil, but the good it is your soul.
I buy from you and I give it to God. So John Valjean is violated parole and is being hunted by Joubert played by Russell Crowe. So Hugh Jackman is running problem.
So basically we have gladiator chasing the wolverine right and they come to a point where John goes on, could have killed Russell Crowe i.e. Joubert but he chooses not to do it. John Valjean establishes a new identity as the mayor of the town girl that worked for him name on teen is fired and she turns to prostitution as a child as well.
Just try to support this child.
The child's name is because that so there on her deathbed, John Valjean promises to take care of because that child up on teen the prostitute in the raises Rupp to be wonderful young woman. But here's the thing though. I love the story so much is a story of a man who was forgiven.
So he forgave and that's the thing. If we know anything about God's forgiveness. We should be forgiving people, and yet there are people today Christians even that are harboring this anger toward other people and here's the problem it's eating you up more than it's eating them up. You know harboring unforgiveness is like drinking rat poison and hoping the rat will die. It's killing you it's eating you up inside, so Jesus says, say to the father, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
Listen to this. When you forgive someone you set a prisoner free yourself, you know, there's actually a new field of research that's been developed on the subject of forgiveness and recent studies suggest that those who do not forgive are more likely to experience high blood pressure, bouts of depression problems. A Bangor stress and anxiety. One expert said there's robots psychological differences between non-forgiving and forgiving people. They said forgiveness isn't giving into another person is getting free of that person. You know after the Civil War president Abraham Lincoln was asked why he made friends of his enemies. Someone said you should not make friends of your enemies, you should destroy them in Lincoln responded am I not destroying my enemies when I make them my friends see this is about being free of it yourself. Just letting it go."
The great theologian Elsa from the film, frozen, let it go. Just let it go and put it in God's hands.
The Bible says avenge not yourself. Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord Scripture also reminds us to be tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven you say, but Greg they don't deserve forgiveness.
Okay, maybe that's actually true.
But here's my response to you, deserve forgiveness do I answer no, we don't know because I've been forgiven. I want to bring in forgiven people are giving people good insight forgiveness today from Pastor Greg Laurie and he'll have more principles of productive prayer. Next time you're on a new beginning but for a copy of this study get in touch for the title secrets to answered prayer. Just go online to harvest.org or call 1-800-821-3300.
Again, 1-800-821-3300 yesterday were making available the book. I still believe by Jeremy Camp. Yeah, it recounts his life and the many struggles she went through and of course his marriage to a young woman named Melissa who succumbed to a terminal illness. Just months after they became husband and wife. Yes, I don't mean to make this sound fatalistic, but we all come to the end of this life and of God provides a supernatural healing from illness today right but we still have to face the end of this life. At some point, you know, tomorrow, next month or year or decade from now do we focus too much on prolonging this life and think too little of the fact that earthly healing are not all believers will enjoy life everlasting in the presence of the Lord, you know it's interesting. Years ago people used to write a phrase over their accounting books over their bank balance in the phrase was Momento Mori and it means think of death, not in a morbid way, but in a realistic way. The idea being, hey, look at how much money I have a my bank account yet. Awesome.
Check it out. Momento Mori think of death. In other words you leave this behind and so it's just a good reminder to always be ready for the afterlife. You only those who are prepared to die are really ready to live and that means that we know that life is a gift from God. Every beat of our heart is also a gift from God. Every breath that we draw that's from the Lord.
So, as the Bible says you're not Sharon you been bought with a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. So touching.
Not a bad thing to always be aware that one day could be your last day because one day it will be your last day is today. Tomorrow a thousand days from now.
Only God knows so.
So don't worry about it.
You'll do the Bible doesn't say don't think about it and says don't worry about it. Jesus said don't worry about what you're going to wear what you can eat what you're going to drink out of the nonbelievers are always worried about but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you Jesus to Dante, don't think about these things we do have the think about what organ aware what were going to where will you live organ work etc. but don't let it consume you and I would say the same of life in general. It's like be aware of the afterlife as the Bible says, set your minds on things above, or is one translation puts it, think heavenly thoughts, or even another translation simply sums it up by saying think Kevin I think it's a good thing to get up in the morning and just think, Kevin, and that's exactly what we see in the powerful story of Jeremy and Melissa In the book called, I still believe they were young people just starting out in life and they had to think Kevin had the think of eternal things because Melissa had cancer and it appeared that she was healed. In fact she was she was in remission, but it did return, and they had to grapple with that, but Jeremy has written down many of the things he learned to this very difficult experience in a book that were offering to our listeners this month for their gift of any size in the title of the book is, I still believe and the reason we offer resources like this is because we want to encourage you and I know this will be an encouraging book for you to read and it might be a really good book to hand on to a loved one that's dealing with some kind of hardship in life but also will get you ready for a powerful film that's going to be released nationwide directed by the Irwin brothers in the title of the film is the same title of the book. It's all I still believe in, and you'll see a lot of things in the film that are fantastic but there's things in the book that are not in the film.
That's why you want to get the book 1st and read it and then go to the theater and hopefully take someone with you. That's not Christian yet and see for yourself what I think is the best film. These guys have brought out yet. They brought some great ones out. I still believe so I can for your gift of any size will send you this book. Now, some can give a little more. Some can give as much rent. Everyone can give something. Whatever you give will rush to your copy and you can read a very inspiring story about how a young man had his faith put to the test, but saw God come through for him once again. The book is called. I still believe and will send it to thank you for partnering with us would invite you to become what we call a harvest partner. These are the close friends of the ministry who appreciate and support the work we're doing not only here on a new beginning but also through Pastor Greg's harvest crusades and they sent a gift each month in support.
The amount is up to them when I get the details by calling 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or send your first gift as a harvest partner to a new beginning.
Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 four just go online to harvest or and again will thank you, with your McCance book. I still believe what Laura Pastor Greg's insight on seeing our prayers answered sure to join us new beginning possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions at harvest title work