God’s Answer to Fear, Anxiety & Worry: Faith Filled

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 Devos learn more and sign up@harvest.org what is it that is in the mix is they will argue fix this thing. Maybe you can really what you mean give you all know the Lord. It seems we try everything out prayers last resort pastor Greg Morris is think of the Lord Jesus. We allow our minds and hearts to be filled with out fear and anxiety.

We can start this thing cry out to Jesus and difficult problem that causes more fear and worry many of downward spiral like that often when we get to the end of ourselves.

God today on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie points out that the Lord is ready to help our invitation that has you back was on the way. Bible two passages one is John chapter 14 and the other one is Matthew chapter 14 so John chapter 14 the very familiar passage, one that I really love Jesus says let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me. 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 if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself.

Therefore, I am you know and you may be there also. Where where I go you know in the way you know. There were the Jesus uses airports troubled is a picturesque word means. Don't let your heart shutter. Ever had your heart shutter just really bad news, something that just was a shock to your nervous system. He says don't let your heart shutter.

One day Jesus said to his disciples. Let's cross over to the other side we got the boat made their way across the sea of Galilee, which is actually a massive freshwater lake and then a huge storm came and the waves were beating against her little boat but Jesus was asleep. They woke him up and said master. Don't you care that were perishing, and he arose, and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, peace be still, and the wind stopped and the water was calm and Jesus turned to them and said why are you so afraid. Don't you have any great say what they saw was Jesus had the power to stop natures habit if he chose to what he said, peace be still, and sometimes Jesus will come in the midst of your problem.

If they stop and it stops and other times he's just with you as you face your problem but I look at it this way. Better to be in a storm.

Would Jesus and anywhere else. Without him, Jesus is on board my boat that I'm okay.

By the way, Jesus said, let's cross over to the other side did say let's go out to the middle of the sea of Galilee and all die be said that I would not of gotten on the boat he said let's go to the other side. He did not promise them smooth sailing, but he did promise them a safe arrival. The same is true for us. He is not promise to smooth sailing in life but yes promise you a safe arrival you will get to the other side will I want to look at one last story. This is also in the sea of Galilee. This is also about Jesus out there during a storm. But this one's a little different.

It was a stormy night and the disciples were on the boat. But Jesus was not on board with them on that particular occasion and then they turned and saw Jesus walking over the tops of those waves and that brings us to Matthew 14 verse 27 you have in turn there yet.

Look at that Matthew 14 immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, be of good cheer. It is all I don't be afraid. Peter answered him and said, Lord of it.

You command me to come to you on the water. Jesus said, I would Peter come down out of the boat, he walked on the water and when he saw he might underline the stewards he saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. There's a why did Peter sink because he was afraid. Fear makes us sick. We all know the feeling. Things going great and all of a sudden the grip of anxiety and fear and were practically drowning in our doubts.

Faith gives way to fear trust to worry. And when faith rains.

Fear has no place but when fear rains. Faith is driven away. Why did Peter sink number one because he took his eyes off of Jesus. Verse 30 he began to sink and he cried out he was doing really well when you skim some credit in a people critique Peter because he was soft-spoken and said honestly some pretty crazy things but there's a lot of ink given to Peter.

He talked to Jesus and made many statements far more than any of the others in the gospel so it a lot to say always know you stood with Peter and top but hey, he's the only guy that had the courage to actually try to walk on water. And Jesus actually said, commonly came in. Of course, he began to sink. He started to sink wife will he took his eyes off of Jesus.

Years ago we were in Hawaii and Jonathan was much younger then and he wanted to learn how to scuba dive sites okay will let's put you through little course and the way worked as a retraining for a day and then you would go out for a dive. The next day with a certified instructor so I met the instructor in a sublime certified to Lisa so good you can come in the dive.

Tomorrow is a good and so Jonathan went through his whole day of training in the next day came and it was kinda stormy and all the books were pitching out there on the water and I was hoping they'd cancel the dive and no it was on still so weak all got on the boat. Another promise I had not go for quite a long time and I was a little rusty and I get the equipment on and you got the weight belt and you've got the regulator in the masking the tanks and other fins and everything you know and then I'm in here sitting on a boat and the way we were to get into just fall backwards into the water, which is the last thing you want to do.

We have a much awaited attached to you right and so I was I was a little nervous because I was hoping I would remember everything and I didn't like the way the water was moving around and God.

Jonathan looked pretty scared so I just didn't want to show my was scared to because I'm certified right I'm supposed to be in cool and calm so so we go on the water and I were under bitten and it's even worse there and I look over Jonathan and his eyes were as big as saucers. There were huge youth totally panicky and he's looking over at the instructor and the instructor says the Jonathan, look at me, Jonathan, look at me then he says the Jonathan. Remember your training. I'm looking at the instructor to go to kick. I don't know if the training was when I'm looking at, so are we live through this, everything was okay but it was pretty good advice. Look at me and remember your training. So what were looking to Jesus. We can do crazy things, wonderful things, faith filled things seemingly impossible things, but will we take our eyes off of Jesus and we allow our minds and hearts to be filled with doubt, fear and anxiety. We can start this thing just like Peter started to sink, but when that happens, here's what you need to do cry out to Jesus. Look at verse 30 beginning to sink he cried out, Lord save me.

There's nothing wrong with doing that. What is it that is in us that makes for safe while I can. I can fix this I can get through this.

I can control this. Actually, maybe you can, and really what you need to do is call out to the lower auto sign of weakness. I actually think it's a sign of intelligence I think it's a sign of stupidity to think you don't need God's help.

11 Jesus said verse 31. I immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him. Peter is going that he catches him pulling him up and he says oh you of little faith, why did you doubt interesting thing this word these words little faith is one word in the Greek and there's sort of a tenderness to it all little faith that stewards one one word a little faith almost like a nickname or doodle free body. I know I named you Peter and I know that means rock in Little Rock sink, but amen you are doing well.

You are on a roll. Why did you doubt what did you take your eyes off of me and then he'd live some up and they walked back to the boat. Maybe you're sinking right now you're filled with fear and anxiety and worry, you feel defeated.

Maybe you're in the grip of some addiction so I can handle it. I've handled this before and then you fall. You know you fallen off the wagon and you're back in that same state again you never thought should be there again, but there you are. I know when we cannot ever get out of this again. I feel like I'm seeking it. It's the worst it's ever been.

Or maybe there's somebody that has a marriage that's unraveling you think I don't think there's any hope for my merit. Whether somebody else it's dealing with some other problem, but you need to call out to the Lord and remember that God is in control of your great glory will have the second half of this message in just a moment hearing from listeners who been impacted by Pastor Greg's teaching God's word is encouraging.

Listen to these comments from one of her listeners, Esther, Greg wanted to reach out and let you know how much I appreciate your teachings and how the Lord uses you to give hope and understand.

I'm a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan right after 9/11. I've really been struggling with how the situation Afghanistan holding my anxiety and PTSD is been really aggravated recently say this to thank you for helping me wearing this extremely difficult time your teaching from God's word. God has given you an amazing gift to be able to explain and teach his word way I can understand it. Thank you for pointing us to the cross and helping me personally to stay focused on the blessed hope that Christ is coming back and all things will be righted.

How have these studies in God's word help to if you have a story.

Call us and share with us: 866-871-1144 866-871-1144 were getting some good insight today from Pastor Greg on living a worry free life from a study called God's answer to fear, anxiety and worry.

Part one. Let's continue.

Romans 828 says, for we know that all things work together for good to those that love God, another called according to his purpose.

Verse 29 for whom he foreknew he also did predestined to be conformed into the image of his own dear sensei, here's our work. Something bad happens and we call Romans 828 well, all things would get the roof could so no matter how bad it is.

It's going to be good.

That's not what the person that's it's it's all things work together for good. It doesn't even say that God makes all things good because some things are bad.

If you lose a loved one that's bad that's sad. That's hard with little work together for good. Know God will bring good despite this tremendous loss is other hardships you may be a basic don't try to think that everything is to become good, God will bring good despite some of the bad things he allows in our life but here's another big picture. One day when I get to heaven I may realize that those so-called bad things were maybe actually good things.

I don't know that I can understand that this side of heaven.

But on the other side of the oh I get it you were using that to conformity into the image of your own dear son you were using that to prepare me for something still in my future and actually my loved one that died and I felt so bad about that. They were in pure bliss and happiness.

But I was suffering because I miss them but now I see that you even had a purpose and that there's a lot of mysteries are knocking to figure out this side of heaven. So we just need to trust him until that day. But whatever you're going to can be turned around, read an illustration used by trucks one doll in the book that he wrote about a man that was shipwrecked on an uninhabited island painstakingly built a little hot for protection from the elementary kid keep the few items he had salvaged from the rep for weeks.

He lived in this little hot and and he would shelter himself from the storms I would comment every day he would scan the horizon prayerfully hoping for someone to come and rescue him and then he would go out for a while and search for food and come back to his little hot. One day while he was out searching for food. He came back and was horrified to find this little hot. Rescue possessions were was in flames. Now everything that he had was completely gone.

He could not believe his bad fortune and he fell asleep that night thinking how badly things are gone.

Why would this happen and then he awoke to the sound of someone's voice and it was the captain of the boat had just arrived and he said we saw your smoke signal and we came to rescue you. So sometimes we think is the worst disaster as a smoke signal leading to our deliverance. The worst case scenario can actually be exactly what the Lord is ordered or your life is one final movement in the story about close as Jesus was walking to them on the water in Mark's version. It says, and he would've walked right past them. I love that detail if I care. They are freaking out the water.

They see Jesus walking and he doesn't want to them. You just cannot walk in by like hey guys how's it going on Jesus and just walk around on the water is when your God you can do stuff like this. It's amazing like the Lord, Lord, born our boat.

We need you here. You want me to come. Yeah, we want to jump sure Erica and I think the reason Jesus did. This is, he won't force his way to anybody's life you of your problems right now. I don't want Jesus. Okay, he won't force his way in your lot go and deal with your troubles in your own way freak out worry, be filled with anxiety, that's not going to help turned to drugs turned to drinking turned do whatever it is you think is going to fix it. That's not going to help you, or you can call out to him but I'm telling you the moment you call out to him, he will hear your prayer and he will answer your prayer.

The Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved in the verse that sums it all up as Revelation 320 were Jesus says behold I stand at the door and I knock it if you cure my voice and open the door, I will come in how easily it is said, I'm God, you're not kicking the door and to get out of the way by the way, if you ever tried to kick the door in. I did once we were living in little house in Riverside and we were locked out and we couldn't get in.

And so I thought it would be a great idea to kick the door in and I did after like 25 kicks in, practically dislocating my leg, but John Wayne did it with one kick right so it's not so easy to do. He could have kicked his way any could force his way in to say if you don't want me in your life.

I will come in your life but if you want me in your life. I'll be there.

I'll be there and I'll help you know what if there's somebody here that sinking your sinking in addiction your sinking in despair your sinking in loneliness your sinking in anxiety and reality are sinking in sin and your only hope is Jesus. You call out to him you'll reach out and pull you out but you have to ask for his help in calling his name. He died on the cross. 2000 years ago for you. Let me finish the verse I quoted earlier.

John 14 where he says there were I am you know and you may be there also. Where where I go you know in the way you know Thomas said we don't know the way you're going and we don't know what you're talking about these is I am the way the truth and the life no man comes of the father but by me. So now he's telling this how to come into a relationship with the Father through him and only through him all roads don't lead to God all religions don't pray to the same God as some would assert no were calling on the true and living God and the only way to come to him is to Jesus why because only Jesus died on the cross for the sin of the world know Guru did that no profit. So-called did that no other leader did that. But Jesus died for us and then he rose again from the dead, and he is alive in these with this here right now and outcome of your life and forgive you of your sin but you must ask him to the moment were going to pray. I'm going to extend an opportunity for you to believe in Jesus opportunity for you to ask him to come into your life. If you've not done that yet that you do it right now. Let's all pray together. Father, thank you for loving us so much that you send Jesus to die on the cross in our place or Jesus, thank you for coming and lean your life down, then rising again from the dead. Thank you that you're here ready to forgive sins. Those that would call on you help those in need.

You to reach out to you now in Jesus name I pray for Greg Laurie important prayer about inviting the Lord into our lives.

And if you'd like to do that. Pastor Greg will help you with that in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes with Pastor Greg. I know you really like contemporary Christian music. I know you listen to it quite a bit and that you are there. Back when contemporary Christian music was first born. They held that the Jesus music you are you are a tuba player want you never know I arrived, I thought.

I remember seeing you trying to fit that into your Corvair. Oh, that was another guy with long hair and a beard back in the day. I don't think there was a lot of tubas in the in the music back then. Maybe in the brass section but yet so I did see it happen before my eyes.

And you know I've always been a lover of music. I grew up in music of the late 60s and 70s and so you know I listen to the same band you listen to and after I became a Christian I thought well I guess that's over with them. I can listen to those bands anymore. I guess I'll just listen to choirs.

I'm not really sure. And so I went to Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa and a whole movement was happening.

Call the Jesus movement and along with that movement was a whole new form of music, later to be called contemporary Christian music back then. We just called it Jesus music and what I love was these were guys like me that played the candy music I like to listen to, but it had lyrics that honored and glorified God and proclaim the gospel now fast forward to today and the music is change in the stalls of change, but the message is essentially still the same and this music is so important.

It's become a whole industry. It touches thousands of people around the world.

But here's a book that tells you how it all got started I got started in his spiritual awakening the title of this book that we want to offer to you for your gift of any size is simply the Jesus music. By the way, there's a documentary film by the same title as come out from my friends the Irwin brothers at kingdom production so we want to take this beautiful hardbound brand-new book and offer it to you for your gift of any size whatever you send will use it to continue our ministry and then you'll have your own copy of the Jesus music to enjoy yet such a great book.

Such a rich history and fascinating stories get a copy for yourself or for someone else. Maybe a Christmas gift when you send your donation today. Be sure to ask for the Jesus music. You can write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We are here to take your call 24 seven that's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org will Pastor Greg you pointed out the importance of asking Jesus to forgive our sins.

A few moments ago. Could you help those who want to do everything right now.

Yeah, you know, the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ stands at the door of our life any knocks and if any man will hear his voice and open the door he will come in maybe. As you've heard me speak today while you've heard another voice speaking to you with the voice of God and you realize you need Christ in your life you need your sins forgiven you want the assurance that you will go to heaven when you die. We here's what you need to do.

You need to pray and I would like to lead you in a prayer right now or you will be seeing the Jesus Lord come in the my life. I choose to follow you. So let's pray Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I think you for dying on the cross for my sin. I turned from that sin. Now and I put my faith in you be my Lord, my Savior and my God, my friend. I choose to follow you, Jesus.

From this moment forward. Thank you for loving me and calling me and accepting me in Jesus name I pray, amen. Listen if you just pray that prayer I want you to know on the authority of Scripture that Christ himself is coming to your life. The Bible says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. If you just prayed that prayer and minute you can know today you have eternal life MEI be the first to see the you welcome to the family of God and we want to help you grow as a believer want to send you our new believers growth packet will send it free of charge if you prayed with Pastor Greg today just write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 seven that's 1-800-821-3300 or you can request it online@harvest.org just click on know God was next time. Pastor Greg has more in-depth insights on how the Lord enables us to live a life of fear, anxiety and worry. Join us here on a new beginning.

Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Moore new beginning of the podcast, made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God if this shell has impacted your life. Share your story, leave a review on your favorite podcast and help others find help