“Why?” | Classic Message from the Los Angeles Crusade

Hey there. Thanks for listening to the Greg Laurie Podcast, a ministry supported by Harvest Partners. I'm Greg Laurie, encouraging you.

If you want to find out more about Harvest Ministries and learn more about how to become a Harvest Partner, just go to harvest.org. Why would God allow a person that we know to get cancer? Why would God allow a child to be born with a disability? Why would God allow a young man in the prime of his life to die in an automobile accident? A Barna poll was taken and the question was asked, if you could ask God one question and know that you would receive an answer, what would you ask? And the most common response was, why is there pain and suffering in the world?

C.S. Lewis said, and I quote, the problem of pain is atheism's most potent weapon against the Christian faith. Maybe there are some of you here tonight that are angry with God because something bad has happened to you or to someone you loved and you just can't reconcile it.

Your parents divorced. A close loved one died unexpectedly. You were born with a disability or someone else you know has been hurt and you say, why? The reason we ask that is because our human intellects and notions of fairness reject the apparent contradiction between a God of love and a world of pain. And the classic statement of the problem, either God is all powerful but He is not all good, therefore He doesn't stop evil. Or God is all good but not all powerful, therefore He can't stop evil. But the general tendency is to blame God for all the evil and suffering in the world.

Pass all responsibility to Him. But know this as we look back at the tragedy of 9-11. God did not do that.

Wicked people did that. And that is because mankind is wicked. Listen.

I hate to break this to you. Man is not basically good. To quote that great theologian George Thoreau, good. Man is bad. He is bad to the bone.

Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba bad. You understand what I am saying? The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Listen. We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. It comes naturally.

I never had to teach my two sons how to be sinful. It was natural to them. Just like it was to me.

Just like it is to you. But in a broad sense all sickness, all disabilities, even death are the result of sin. Now I am not saying personal sin in particular but sin in general. You see God's original plan was not for these bodies to break down in age.

God's original plan was for us to live forever in a perfect state. But our first parents Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. And by the way the Bible never says it was an apple. I don't know where that whole apple thing came from. I mean I don't know about you if I was going to be tempted by fruit. It would never be an apple. Maybe a nectarine perhaps.

I like nectarines. It probably was a piece of food like we have never seen before. It probably pulsated with light.

It had its own theme song. You know. Who knows.

Whatever it was they ate of the forbidden fruit and sin spread into the world. But we will say, but wait. Why didn't God make mankind so we could not sin.

Oh I get it. You mean like robots with no will of our own. You just push the little button and we say whatever we have been programmed to say. I mean have you ever picked up a little doll and you push the button and it says something to you.

Do you really get a charge out of that. Someone programmed it to do that. God did not make us that way. He gave us the ability to choose. So when we come back and look at the tragedy of what happened at the World Trade Center and we ask the question why did God allow this.

Here is really the answer. Because a very similar question was asked of Jesus two thousand years ago. Only a tower had fallen on a group of Gentiles. Non-Jews. And some were suggesting that it happened because they were non-believers and it was God's judgment. And Jesus said were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem. No I tell you unless you repent you will also perish.

Effectively Jesus was saying look guys. People die. Bad things happen. We don't always have to say oh it was God's judgment.

This happens and it doesn't always make sense. But listen. You better get ready because you could die.

Listen. Death is going to knock at every single door. No one is exempt. It could happen to any of us. It could happen tonight or tomorrow. The statistics on death are quite impressive. One out of every one person will die. The Bible says it is appointed unto a man who wants to die.

And then comes the judgment. The Bible says there is a time to be born and there is a time to die. Worldwide three people die every second. A hundred and eighty every minute.

Eleven thousand every hour. Two hundred and fifty thousand people enter eternity every single day. That is why David the psalmist said, Show me O Lord my life's end and the number of my days. Let me know how fleeting is my life because the span of my years is as nothing before you. Man's life is but a breath. Now in earlier days people talked more about the topic of death. Ancient merchants often wrote the words memento mori which means think of death in large letters on the first page of their accounting books. It was something that was before them. Nowadays we don't want to talk about it.

We don't want to discuss it. But you can't avoid the inevitable. Steve Jobs of Apple Computer said, Life is short and we are all going to die really soon.

It is true you know. Filmmaker Woody Allen said, I am not afraid of death. I just don't want to be there when it happens. Well you will be Woody. We all will.

Actor William Shatner who played Captain Kirk in the Star Trek TV series speaking about death in an interview said, I am so not ready to die. It petrifies me. I go alone.

I go to a place I don't know. It might be painful. It might be the end. My thought is that it is the end. I become nameless when I spend a lifetime being known. But what happens after we die?

That is the big question. There is an inscription on a tombstone. I am told in England with these words, Pause now stranger as you pass by. As you are now so once was I. As I am now so you will be. So prepare for death and follow me.

Someone reading that inscription was overheard to say, To follow you is not my intent until I know which way you went. So here is my question for you tonight. What will happen to you after you die? According to the Bible there are two options. There is heaven and there is hell.

There are no other choices. We live in a fallen world. Bad things happen.

People die. Maybe you have come here with great sadness tonight. Someone close to you has died. You have recently found out you have cancer.

Your marriage is unraveling before your very eyes. Understand that as I speak to you tonight I am not speaking from an ivory tower of theological theory. I am a man in pain speaking to people in pain. You heard a little of my story in that video about my son Christopher age 33.

He died in an automobile accident in 2008. I have been a pastor for many years. I have gone to visit many people who have lost loved ones including children.

I have always tried to say the right words and tried to bring a measure of comfort to them. But I remember thinking to myself I hope this never happens to me because if it did I don't think I could handle it. But it did happen to me. When I heard the news it was like time stood still. It was like all of the air in the room was sucked out. I couldn't believe this was actually happening. I was numb. I was in deep pain. People will say to you a few months after well are you over it yet? Listen.

It is three years. I am not over it yet. I don't know that I will ever get over it. But let me say this. Though it was the most painful moment of my life and my wife Kathy and our son Jonathan.

Christopher's brother and his wife Brittany. I want to tell you also that God was with us in our darkest hour and He got us through it. I want to bring a measure of hope to you tonight.

I am not saying it is easy. I am not saying there is not deep sadness. I grieve and I miss him deeply. As David lost his son Absalom even though he was a wicked boy he said I wish it had been me instead of him.

And any father would gladly trade places and go to heaven instead of their son or die. We have shed many tears. But the Bible says we do not grieve as those that have no hope. We have hope. What is the hope? I know I will see my son again in heaven because he put his faith in Christ and I put my faith in Christ. We will be reunited. Do you have that hope? But why?

Why does God allow things like this to happen? Ok. I am ready to answer the question. I hope you brought a note tablet.

Or you can put it in your phone if you like. I am not going to answer the why question. Why does God allow bad things to happen? To good people.

Even godly people. Here is my answer. Are you ready? I don't know. I don't know. One day when I stand before God the Bible says all my questions will be answered. But until that day yes I will have questions. But here is what I do know. I know that God loves me. I know that because my son put his faith in Christ he is in heaven.

I know because I put my faith in Christ I will see him in heaven one day. I know when I get to heaven all of the whys will be resolved. So maybe we shouldn't be asking the why question. We should be asking the what question and the who question. What is the what question?

It is what do I do now? Ok so you are suffering. You have come here with pain.

What do you do now? Now let's come to the who question. You turn to Jesus Christ who will give you the help you need to get through this. You might say what does Jesus know about pain and suffering?

Are you kidding? No man ever suffered like Jesus. Well he was God. Oh yeah he was God.

And he was fully man. And when those spikes went into his hands he felt pain like you and I would feel. That was real blood that coursed in his veins and spilled to the ground as he hung on the cross of Calvary and died for the sin of the world. That was real rejection he felt as his own disciples that he handpicked turned away from him for the most part. And that was real loneliness he experienced as he hung on the cross and said, My God my God why have you forsaken me?

But listen to this. Jesus was forsaken that you might be forgiven. Jesus hung on the cross and died and rose again so you could live forever. So God knows what you are going through.

Turn to Him. Ok. Let me make a provocative statement. Only those who are prepared to die are really ready to live. Here are the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 1. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Yet if I live that means fruitful service for Christ. I really don't know what is better. I am torn between two desires. Sometimes I want to live and sometimes I long to depart and be with Christ.

That would be far better for me. But it is better for you that I live. To live is Christ and to die is gain.

Now when you hear a statement like that you think what planet are you living on? What do you mean to die is gain? And what do you mean when you say to live is Christ? You know one of the criticisms against Christians is we are so heavenly minded we are no earthly good. Oh really. I think when you are really heavenly minded you will be of the greatest earthly good. Listen. Whenever there is a tragedy somewhere in the world it is always Christians that respond first.

Have you ever noticed that? It doesn't matter if they are of another faith. It doesn't matter if they have no faith at all. We reach out. We provide housing. We provide clothes.

We provide food and everything else that we can. And we also want to tell them about our faith in God. Have you ever noticed there are no atheist relief organizations? You know there is not an organization out there called non-believers purse. But there is one called Samaritan's Purse. Ok. There is no mission downtown called the atheist mission. But there is the Fred Jordan mission.

Ok. So that is because of Christ. To live is Christ.

To die is gain. See a Christian can enjoy life more than anybody else. Because we look out and see a beautiful sunset. We see something that God has made and we give Him the glory. We can enjoy the taste of food. The joy of love and marriage. The comfort of family and friends and laughter.

We don't need drugs or alcohol to enhance the experience. We know God. To live is Christ. See we have Christ in our life. That is where the life comes from. But we also know as believers that life on earth is not all there is. We know the greatest experiences we have here are by hints of heaven. Sort of like when you go to a movie theater and you see a trailer you know for something that is coming. Have you ever noticed that a lot of trailers are better than the actual movies? But it is sort of something you see.

Oh that is cool. I want to see that film. We have little hints of heaven. Little glimpses into eternity if you will.

C.S. Lewis said and I quote, All the things that ever deeply possessed your soul have been but hints of heaven. Tantalizing glimpses. Promises never quite fulfilled.

Echoes that died away just as they caught your ear. Have I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy. The most probable explanation is I was made for another world. Earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy but to arouse to suggest the real thing.

End quote. See one day we will see all of our dreams come true in a sense. One day we will all live happily ever after when we stand before God. But this is why from the moment you were born you have been on a quest. On a search trying to find the meaning of life. Animals don't search for the meaning of life. Dogs don't lay around in their backyard and say, Why am I here on this earth?

What is the reason for my existence? I have tried all the things this world has to offer. This is my dog voice by the way.

I don't know why this is a dog voice. I have tried everything this world has to offer. Chasing cats. Eating roadkill.

Drinking toilet water. None of it ever fulfilled me. No dogs don't think about stuff like that. But people do. You do. You think about it all the time. Why am I here?

Well here is a question for you. What do you live for? What do you live for? Fill in the blank. Paul said for me to live is Christ.

And he could say to die is gain. What do you live for if you are on us tonight? Some would say well to live is to just live. You know. Take it easy man. That is what we say to each other. Take it easy.

Take it one day at a time. They just exist. They have no philosophy to speak of. They don't like to contemplate the meaning of their life. They just live for the moment. They satisfy their desires no matter how bizarre or deviant they may be. Paul in the book of Romans talks about people whose god is their belly.

Some people's gods are a little bigger than others I think. But when he says belly he means their appetites. They live for fulfilling their own appetites.

When you bring up the subject of spiritual things they don't want to talk about it. They just live. But others would say ah. To live is pleasure.

Pleasure. It is all about having fun. A well-known actor was interviewed in a magazine and he made this statement. A lot of people are just relationship junkies. You roll from relationship to relationship because you are afraid of being alone. When I was lonely I would get into relationships just to alleviate the loneliness. You need something to fill the emptiness. It can be another person. Drugs.

Prestige. I have tried all those things. They don't do the trick. Maybe you have felt that way lately. Maybe recently you were partying with a bunch of friends.

Everybody was laughing. And suddenly you looked around and you said I hate this. My life is empty. The lead singer of one of the most well-known rock bands in America that sold millions of records recently committed suicide.

On his shirt there was a note that was clipped and he wrote these words. I am a lonely soul. Is that you tonight? Singer Amy Winehouse recently died. She was only 27 years old. She joined the so-called 27 Club of rock stars that died young. Like Jim Morrison. Jimi Hendrix. Janis Joplin. Brian Jones.

Kurt Cobain. Now Amy Winehouse's name has been added. She won five Grammys. Best New Artist. Record of the Year.

Song of the Year. Her most well-known song was Rehab. In an interview she said quote, Since I was 16 I felt a black cloud hanging over me. Since then I took pills for depression end quote. She made no apologies for her lifestyle.

She says my justification is most people my age spend a lot of time thinking about what they are going to do for the next five or ten years. The time they spend thinking about their life I just spend drinking end quote. How sad. The Bible says she that lives for pleasure is dead while she is living. It is a dead life. Don't live that way. There is a better life for you in Jesus Christ.

And I am going to tell you how to come into a relationship with Him tonight. Listen I am not saying that sin cannot be fun. I am one of the few preachers that may actually say sin can be fun for a while. Then comes the penalty. The Bible says there is pleasure in sin for a time.

But it also says the wages of sin are death. It is sort of like waiting in line at an amusement park. If you notice when you go to parks like Disneyland now they have these little signs. If you are at this point in the line you will get on the ride in one month.

It is like is this really helping? But you wait and you wait and you wait and you wait and you wait. Finally you get on the ride. You strap down the bar. You go.

You go. It lasts for it seems like nine seconds. And then you go and get in another line. Right? That is what life can be like. We go from line to line trying to find fulfillment. We have little moments of fun but so much of that time is spent in emptiness. To live is pleasure. That is a dead end street. Another might say hey to live is possessions. The bumper sticker on their car says he that dies with the most toys wins.

Right? Thousands of years ago a man named Solomon lived. He was known as the wisest man who ever lived and also one of the wealthiest.

He made this statement that sounds so current in the book of Ecclesiastes. I tried to find meaning in building huge homes for myself. I had everything a man could desire. Anything I wanted I took.

I did not restrain myself from any pleasure. Listen to this. But as I looked at everything I worked so hard to accomplish it was so meaningless it was like chasing the wind.

There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. I read an interview with Simon Cowell. One of the most successful men in show business today. The interview was done in his 14,000 square foot home. It says that it is complete with staff, guest house, movie theater, and garage.

It houses a Bugatti, a Rolls Royce, a Bentley, and a Ferrari. Surely a man like that is happy right? In the interview Simon says, I get very dark moods for no reason.

Nothing in particular brings it on. You can be having the best time of your life and you are utterly and totally miserable. He says I am just a wandering asteroid without a home. Does that sound like you?

It sounds like Solomon. I had everything this world offers but it left me empty. Yes that is what you may be living for but that is never going to fulfill you. Here is what Paul says, to live as Christ and to die as gain. Now what does he mean when he says to die as gain? Was Paul saying he looks forward to dying?

No. But he is saying, look man I know what is on the other side. Well how would he know?

Check this out. Paul the apostle died and came back to life again. By the way he didn't write a book about it. But he just gave us a few words. He says, hey I was caught up if I was in the body or out of the body I don't really know into paradise and saw things I can't even really describe. So that is why from that moment on he was homesick for heaven. He knew what was coming.

He wasn't afraid anymore. That is how he could say, I longed to depart and be with Christ which is far better yet I need to stay here and be here with you guys. Can you imagine what that was like for Paul to die?

Many believe it may have happened when he was preaching the gospel in the book of Acts and he was put to death by stoning. So he enters into heaven. There he is standing before the Lord Himself. And I wonder if God said, Paul welcome I have some good news and some bad news. What is the good news Lord? The good news is Paul you are coming back again. Paul might ask, well what is the bad news? The bad news is people down on earth they are praying for you to be raised again from the dead. Paul might have said, Lord don't listen to their prayers. They are sinners.

I don't want to go back. No Paul I have a work for you to do still. Meanwhile back on earth the apostles, our people are praying, oh Lord raise up Paul. Lord bring Paul back to life. Suddenly the flesh of color comes back to his skin.

Paul's hand begins to move and he makes a fist. Boom. That is what I would have done. Ok who's idea was it to pray for me to come back from the dead? Yeah he came back for a time. But ever since that day he said I am homesick for heaven. I long to depart and be with Christ.

You know it is interesting the word that Paul uses here for depart and be with Christ. It is a word that means to break camp. Do you like to camp? How many campers do we have out there?

A few of you. I don't like to camp. I like hot showers. I like a roof over my head. I like to go to the beach though.

You know what I have discovered? My favorite time about going to the beach is when I get there and when I leave. Because when I arrive at the beach I am so excited. Oh we are here at the beach. It is so sunny. It is so great.

I love this. And then after about an hour I am like I am hot. I am sweaty. Let's go home again.

Sands in the sandwich. Regals are flying off with your kids and let's go. Paul says I want to depart and be with Christ. The idea is to break camp. He compares the human body to a tent. See tents aren't meant to last forever.

They are only temporal right. And maybe you are trying to stay eternally young and you have gone out there and gotten some cosmetic surgery and I have no problem with that whatsoever. But though sometimes I look at some people and wonder did you want to look that way. I don't know.

Ok if you did you got it I guess. But you know maybe I am going to get a tattoo man. I want to look. I want to have street cred. So I am getting that tattoo.

I have no problem with tattoos. Let me just say though the tweety bird of today may be the big bird of tomorrow. Maybe because you get bigger. Think about it. That cute little butterfly is going to be a pterodactyl. So think those designs over carefully before you get eaten. Yes.

These bodies are temporal. The Bible says one day we are going to move from a tent to a mansion. Remember the Beverly hillbillies. Didn't they live near here somewhere.

Remember the story. Old Jed was out hunting and up from the ground came a bubbling crude. So what did Jed and Ellie Mae and Jethro and Granny do. They loaded up their truck and they moved to Beverly Hills that is.

Swimming pools. All the old people said that. All the kids are like, what is happening.

I am quoting the lyrics to a sitcom from many years ago. That is what we are going to do one day. We are going to leave this broken body and move into that new body that God has waiting for all of us. That is good news. Because these bodies are breaking down. The bodies don't last forever.

They are the tell tale signs. You are getting old. You know you are getting old when your knees buckle and your belt won't. You know you are getting old when happy hour is a nap. You know you are getting old when you straighten the wrinkles in your socks and then you are shocked to discover you are not wearing socks. You know you are getting old when someone calls you at nine o'clock in the evening and says did I wake you.

You know you are getting old when your teeth and you don't sleep together anymore. But one day God will give you that new body that is way better than this one. Why is heaven better than earth? Because all the pain will be gone.

If you have a disability it will be behind you. Whatever you are facing God has something better in heaven for you. Another reason heaven is better than earth is because it is immediate. Paul says I long to depart and be with Christ. Listen when a Christian dies they go straight to heaven.

That is the truth. The Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The moment you take your last breath on earth you take your first breath in heaven. And I will tell you why else heaven is better.

Heaven is better because all of your questions will be answered. We have questions. Why God? Why? I have my questions.

You have yours. They will all be answered. Heard about one woman's question for God. In an ambitious moment she invited a bunch of her friends over for a birthday party. At the table she turned to her six year old daughter and said honey why don't you pray for our food and ask the blessing. The little girl said mommy I don't know what to say. The mother said sweetheart just say what you hear mommy say. The little girl said okay everybody let's pray.

Lord why on earth did I invite all these people over to my house? One day all of our questions will seriously be answered because we will be with Christ. Listen you don't go to heaven to find Christ. You go to Christ to find heaven.

Let me say something controversial. I believe that all roads lead to God. Probably didn't expect me to say that but it is true. All roads lead to God. Whatever you believe. Whatever your religion or lack thereof. If you are fervent in your faith you are an outright atheist that road will lead you to God.

Yes it is true. You will die and you will stand before God almighty one day. There is no getting away from it but only one road leads to heaven and that is Jesus Christ. You say well Greg that is your opinion. Well no it is actually God's opinion. Because Jesus said in John 14 says I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father but by me. He is the only way. You say but why Greg. Come on that is so narrow.

Well yeah in a way it is isn't it? But here is why. Because there is no man that ever walked this earth that was fully God and fully man. That is why Jesus and Jesus alone was uniquely qualified to satisfy the righteous demands of God and reach out to sinful humanity. See when He died on that cross in effect with one hand He reached out to God. With the other hand He reached out to mankind and spikes were driven on those hands and He died there in your place.

He came to pay a debt He did not owe because you owed a debt you could not pay. And He will forgive you of all of your sin tonight if you will put your faith in Him and you can go to heaven when you die. What do you need to do to get right with God and know that your sin is forgiven? What do you need to do to fill that void in your life? What do you need to do to go to heaven?

Number one. You need to admit you are a sinner. Stop blaming people for it. You say, well Greg I come from a dysfunctional family.

Oh please. Listen I came from a dysfunctional family and I am the head of a dysfunctional family ok. We are all dysfunctional. We are all sinners. You heard Kirk Franklin's story. How his mother and father effectively gave him up. I was conceived out of wedlock.

I wasn't a wanted child per se. But though I wasn't planned by my parents I was planned by God and I am loved by God and He loves every one of you. But you are a sinner. Now I know some people don't like to hear that well what do you mean I am a sinner? You are a sinner. What is sin?

Sin is to cross the line. God has given us commandments. You shall not lie. You shall not steal.

You shall not take the Lord's name in vain. Have you ever broken any of the commandments? No I never have. You are lying right now. Of course you have. Ok well I have but I am not as bad as some people.

Check this out. God does not grate on the curve. One sin is enough to keep you out of heaven. The Bible says if you offend at one point of the law you are guilty of all of it. We have all broken God's law. But in addition the word sin means to fall short or to miss the mark.

God has set a mark for humanity. It is perfection. None of us are perfect. You might say well you are sinned.

You are perfect Greg. No. I am a sinner like you. But that is where Jesus came in.

You see. Admature is sinner. The Bible says all of sin. Just admit it.

Number two. Repent of your sin. So I don't know what that means. I haven't even pented yet much less repented. The word repent means to change your direction.

Think of it this way. You are going to hang a U-turn on the road of life. You have been going away from God.

Now you are going to hang a U-ey and go to God. You are going to turn away from that sin. The Bible says repent and be converted in times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord. The Bible says God has commanded people everywhere to repent. So it is not enough to just say you are sorry. Turn from that sin.

Number three. You must receive Jesus Christ into your life as Savior and Lord. Being a Christian is not just going to church. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a donut shop makes you a cop. It is just a joke. If you see me cuffed afterwards you will know what happened. You say, I was raised in a Christian home.

Well congratulations. But there has to come a moment when you put your faith in Christ. You can't live off your parents' faith. You can't live off your husband's faith or your wife's faith or your friend's faith. You need your own relationship with God.

That is what it is to know Christ. I am not talking about a religion here tonight. Folks believe it or not I do not consider myself a religious person.

And guess what? I don't want to become a religious person. I am talking about a relationship with God through Christ as He comes and lives inside of you. Jesus says, Behold I stand at the door and knock and if you will hear My voice and open the door I will come in. You must receive Christ into your life.

And lastly you must do it now. The Bible says today is the day of salvation. Tonight is the night. You can leave Dodger Stadium tonight with your sin forgiven. You can leave here tonight with a change in your eternal address from a place called hell to a place called heaven.

You can leave here tonight with your guilt taken away if you will put your faith in Jesus Christ who loves you, who died for you and rose again from the dead and will live inside of you. So we are going to pray. And then I am going to invite you to make your stand for Christ.

Let me say one last thing. Jesus said you are either for me or against me. This is a neither or proposition here folks.

Jesus did not say admire me or think good thoughts about me. He said you are for me or against me. You either believe who I am and follow me or you reject me or turn away from me. You are going to make a decision in the next few moments.

And you know what? It is the most important decision of your life. I pray you will make the right decision and follow Christ. Let's all bow our heads and pray together. Father I pray for every person in this stadium. I pray for every person that is listening and watching. Help them to see their need for you.

Help them to come to you and receive the forgiveness that you offer through Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. We can't let any more people on the field. The fire marshal has said this is the maximum amount so all of you that are in the stands that want to come down we will bring Bibles to you.

Listen you are making the most important decision of your life right now. The decision to follow Jesus Christ. I am going to lead you in a prayer and I am going to ask that you would pray this prayer out loud after me. Send it from your heart and God will hear you. So again as I pray if you would please pray this out loud after me.

If you would all bow your heads right now. Pray this out loud now. Lord Jesus I know I am a sinner. I have broken your commandments.

I have fallen short of your standards. I am sorry for my sin. I turn from it now. I put my faith in you. I want to follow you Lord from this night forward. Thank you for loving me and calling me and forgiving me. I choose to be your disciple.

Thank you for accepting me now. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

God bless everyone of you and God bless you all. Well officially 5934 people registered decisions for Christ on the field at Dodger Stadium. We understand there were at least a thousand more in the stands who also made commitments and received the follow up materials.

It was the largest response we have seen in 22 years. You know it was a step of faith to come to Dodger Stadium. We didn't know for sure if anyone would show up.

Fifty thousand did. And if you've just prayed with Pastor Greg we want to welcome you into the family of God too. And we also want to help you get started off right in your walk with the Lord. We'd like to send you our New Believers Growth Packet to help answer your questions and help build a strong foundation for your faith. Just click over to KnowGod.org that's K-N-O-W KnowGod.org. You can watch a short video from Pastor Greg that talks about the plan of salvation. Or just simply click the connect icon and let us know where to send your New Believers Growth Packet. Let us help you get started in your new faith in Jesus Christ. Hey everybody this is Greg Laurie and you've just been listening to a classic message from Harvest Ministries. This podcast is supported by Harvest Partners. To learn more and to find out how you can become a Harvest Partner just go to Harvest.org.