Struggling to answer someone's questions about your faith, Pastor Greg Laurie recommends a great book to help. You know, I remember the first time that I shared my faith. I was so young, and I was challenged by an atheist. I did not have a clue as to what I should say. And I wish I'd had a copy of this book by Frank Turek and Norman Geisler, and the title of it is "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist." And we want to send you this book for your gift of any size, available at.
Harvest.org. Has the Lord shown you to do something? Go do this. Go pray for that person. Go share the gospel with this other person.
Go take this little step of faith in some other area of your life. Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you." Some leave all the kingdom work to the pastor or to the Lord Himself. Coming up today on a new beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie says we each have a role to play. There is God's part. There is our part.
This is the day when the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. Believers have the opportunity to be salt and light in a world that desperately needs both. Our culture is marinating in sin and hopelessness, and we have the opportunity to point the way to hope and forgiveness.
But will we stand up and speak out today on a new beginning? Pastor Greg Laurie helps us recognize the difference we can make, and make the difference so many will recognize. If you've ever complained about the state of the world we live in, learn how your efforts can help turn the tide. John chapter nine. Turn in your Bible to John chapter nine, and the title of my message is "Believing." Is seen, believing is seen.
You know, eventually we all get around to asking the big questions about life, and one of the questions that's often asked is, "Why does God allow suffering? Why does the Lord allow evil in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people?" And we can even ask, "Why do good things happen to bad people?" These are big questions. We also have other questions like, why do I only lose one sock, and where does the other one go?
Now, that's not really a big question, but, but this is not a new question. You might think it's new because it's a occurred to you, but this is a question that has been asked pretty much for all human time. Even back in the days of Jesus, this question was asked. This is the story before us of a blind man that was healed by Jesus, and this man not only had his eyes opened physically, he also had his eyes opened spiritually. We have all heard it said, "Seeing is believing," but in this case, believing was seen.
I mean, imagine for a moment if you did not have the gift of sight. This man was born blind. He never was able to see. To be able to see for the first time the faces of your loved ones, the beauty of God's creation, and best of all, to see the face of Jesus Himself—how amazing that was! And this man saw what really mattered.
He saw what life was all about because of his encounter with Christ.
So let's read together, John chapter nine. I'll read verses one to seven. By the way, I'm reading from the. New Living Translation, as Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind from birth. Rabbi, his disciples ask him, "Why was this man born blind?
Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?" Jesus answered, "It was not because of the sins of his parents or his sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned to us by the One who sent us. The night is coming when no one can work." But while I'm here in the world, I am the light of the world. Then Jesus spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes, and told him, "Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam." Siloam means sent.
So the man went and washed, and came back seeing. Great story, isn't it?
So we're looking at the signs of Jesus as given to us in the Gospel of John. Seven signs in total. Sign number one was when Christ turned water into wine. Sign number two, he cleanses the temple. Sign number three, he heals the nobleman's son.
Number four, he heals a lame man in Jerusalem. Sign number five, he feeds five thousand people plus others. And finally, this one. The healing of the blind man.
Now, Jesus did many miracles when he walked this earth. Why are these particular signs chosen? And given to us by John in his gospel. Why do these signs matter so much? John gives us the answer in John chapter twenty, when he says, "The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs, in addition to the ones recorded in this book.
But these are written that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him, you may have life." By the power of His name, so these signs were given that we might believe. This is why I always say to a non-believer who's reading the Bible for the first time, start with the Gospel of John. You say, "No, Greg, they should start with Genesis." Well, they could. Genesis is as inspired by God as John is, but the Gospel of John was written so people might believe.
So it's a great book to start reading if you've never read the Bible before.
So it's so people who don't believe will believe, but it's also written so believers will keep on believing. Again, he writes, "So you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah." It was given that believers would keep on believing, as the great theologian's journey remind us. Don't stop believing. And even as Christians, we have moments of doubt, we have lapses in our faith, we have things that come our way that don't make sense.
So the Bible bolsters our faith. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
So when I read the word of God, and most importantly believe in and act on the word of God, my faith will grow stronger.
Sometimes we have our lapses, and that's why, as Christians, we need to doubt our doubts and believe our beliefs.
Now, you think about these miracles that Jesus did—the first one, turning water into wine—he just brought joy into a wedding ceremony. But the miracles that followed, like the healing of the nobleman's son, the feeding of the five thousand, we see Jesus healing our bodies and providing our needs. But this miracle before us is on another level.
So let's come to question number one, point number one: Why does God allow suffering? The disciples ask in verse two: Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?
So we ask the same question today: What? Why? Why would a little beautiful baby be born with a disability? Why would God allow that act of terrorism? Why would God allow this war?
Why would God allow this other thing that is happening? This tragedy to happen in my life? I'm talking to someone I know who feels like they were dealt a bad hand. In the game of life, and it doesn't seem fair because you know other people that never experienced the trauma you've experienced. Why did that have to happen to me?
We ask. Why did that loved one die unexpectedly? Why do I have to have this disability? Why this? Why that?
There are valid questions. Ed Sheeran, you probably heard of him, is among 21st century's biggest global pop stars. But he just in an interview where he found himself, in his words, feeling suicidal after the death of two friends, and he also said that he got very depressed and found himself filled with anxiety and fear because of a sickness his wife was dealing with, and so he's in despair. I mean, being a pop star doesn't free you from fear and despair. Having thousands of people adore you and buying your music doesn't make things necessarily better.
He deals with the same issues that you and I deal with.
So these are things that don't always make sense, and there's not an easy answer. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. We love hearing from listeners who find encouragement from Pastor Greg's teachings. Hi, Pastor Greg. I really enjoy your daily devotion.
Whenever I'm so caught up with work, life, stuff, your email is the one thing that connects me back to the Lord. Even if it's only five minutes, it's the most precious five minutes of my day. Thanks. When we hear from you, it's not only a blessing; it also confirms that these studies are making an impact. If you'd like to sign up for Pastor Greg's free daily devotional, just go to harvest.org.
That's harvest.org.
Well, we're considering some of the big questions of life today, including why God allows suffering. It's from Pastor Greg's message called "Believing Is Seeing." That brings us to point number two. Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world. Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world, and abroad, sent sickness, disabilities, even death, are all the result of sin—not personal sin. Because that was the question the disciples asked: Was it his own sin that brought this on him, or was it the sin of his parents?
Jesus is saying neither.
Okay, so we don't need to blame it on someone. It's just sin in general, passed on to us by our first parents, Adam and Eve. Thank you very much. But if you had been in the Garden of Eden and you had been faced with the same temptation, you would have eaten the forbidden fruit too. How many of you have ever sinned?
Raise your hand. I rest my case. You would have done it. I would have done it. And sin entered the world.
Man was not created evil. He was created perfect. He would never have aged. She would have never had to die. We would all have been innocent in a sense, but Adam and Eve were given the ability to choose, and God gives all of us this ability to choose.
Romans five twelve says, "As sin came into the world through one man, death came through sin, and spread to all men because all of sin." So God's not responsible for our sin. We're responsible for our sin. But we ask, well, why didn't God make us so we could not sin? Because He's given you a free will. He doesn't want a bunch of little robots pre-programmed.
Doing it exactly what he wants them to do, he gives us a choice, and we can choose good, and we can choose evil. We can choose right, or we can choose wrong, and then we make our choices, and our choices make us. There's a verse I love in Scripture where God says, "Behold, I set before you death and life, blessings and curses.
Now choose life that you may live." It's almost like he teachers in front of a classroom. And she says to the class, "Okay, now you need to pass this next exam. And there is one question on the exam, and I am going to give you the answer. Here is the answer. God says, 'Okay, you you are going to go through life, and I give you choices for life, death, blessings, curses.' Then God gives us the answer.
Choose life. I am telling you, choose life. But you don't have to choose life. You can choose death." You can choose sin. You can choose a lot of things, and then you face the consequences.
I know it doesn't seem fair at times, but God gives us the ability to exercise our free will.
So, what do we learn from this story? Number three: Though life can be bad, God is good. Though life can be bad, God is good. I want to read verses three to four again. But there's no break in the original chapter, so when we read in our Bibles, there'll be verse three, there'll be verse four, there'll be chapter this, chapter that.
But Jesus was just speaking in a continuous statement, so let's read it that way. Jesus said, "It's not because of his sins or the sins of his parents this happened.
So the power of God can be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the task assigned to us by the one who sent us. The night is coming when no man can work.
So instead of dealing with how this man ended up blind," Jesus said, "I'll glorify myself through it. How? By healing this man. And by the way, God still heals people today, and it's a good thing to ask God to heal you. The Bible does say, 'If you have not, because you ask not.' So, if you're sick, if you have some problem, by all means, go to the Lord and ask for His healing touch.
Having said that, God does not heal everybody. Why? I don't know." But I'm going to make sure that I ask him for that healing, and it's okay to keep asking him for that healing again and again.
So Jesus chose to do a miracle in this man's life. The question was not who caused the misery. The question is, God speaking, will you allow me to use it? And how Jesus touches this guy is really interesting because Jesus healed people in different ways.
Sometimes he would just speak, and a person was healed. There was a man who was paralyzed in Matthew nine. Jesus just said, "Hey, take up your bed, go home," and the guy did it. And then there's another instance where a blind man was healed by the word of Jesus. He said, "Your eyes are healed," and they were.
But then sometimes Jesus would physically touch people. The Bible tells the story of Peter's mother-in-law, who was sick, and we read he took her by the hand, and she was healed. Then there is a story of that woman who had the issue where she was constantly bleeding, and had spent all of her money on doctors, and she reasoned, "If I can touch," The hem of his garment. I'll be healed. And as Jesus was passing by through a crowd, she reached out her hand and touched the edge of his robe with her finger, and the power of God was released, and she was healed right there on the spot.
So sometimes he spoke to them, sometimes he touched them, sometimes they touched him. This is different. Jesus spits on the ground. He never did this any other time. Can you imagine coming for prayer, Pastor?
Would you pray for me? Sure. Would you lay hands on me and pray God heals me? I was thinking of something else. What's that?
Wait. What? This is kind of weird. Let's be honest. He spits on the ground, then wipes it in the dirt, puts it in the guy's eye sockets.
Here's mud in your eyes, buddy. Then go to the pool of Siloam and be washed. Incredible! Jesus varies his methodology, so we will not trust in the methodology, but rather trust in Him. God has no limitations as to what or who He will use for His glory.
No limitations. Think of all those stories in the Bible we've read for so many years. God used a stick in the hands of Moses. To part the Red Sea, we call it a staff.
Okay, fine, it's a stick. Take that stick, hold it up, and the Red Sea will part. And that's what Moses did, and that's exactly what happened. God used pitchers and torches in the hands of Gideon and his men as they attacked the Midianites. Here is the battle plan, Gideon.
Yes, Lord. I want you to get a pitcher, okay?
Now I want you to get a torch of fire. Put the torch of fire inside of the pitcher, right?
Now I want you to run down a hill and scream and yell. What? That's the plan.
Well, you're going to break the pitcher, and they'll see the fire, okay? Where do the swords come in? No swords, just a pitcher, just the flame. Let's go. And they went running down that hill, yelling, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon." And the Midianites freaked out so much they started killing each other.
Worked out pretty well. How does God bring down the walls of Jericho? Here's the battle plan, guys. March around the wall.
Now you blow your trumpets and you shout really loudly, and the walls collapsed. Why did God pick such weird ways to do things so we would look to Him? You know the whole message of the Jesus Revolution film is God uses really flawed people. Every one in that movie was flawed: Chuck Smith, Lonnie Frisby, Greg and Kathy. Everybody flawed people.
But listen to this: God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick. We always want everyone to be perfect and flawless, and they never make a mistake. But God goes out of His way to choose really broken, flawed people to get glory from, and why does He do this? The answer is found in First Corinthians one twenty seven, where Paul writes, "God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise, and He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. And as a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God." So God works to a certain person.
We say, "I know that person. They could never do that." That has to be God exactly. See what that means is God can use you, and God can use me. Point number five: there is God's part, and there is our part. There is God's part, and there is our part.
Look at verse seven again. Jesus told him, "Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam." And the man went and washed, and came back clean. That must have been a weird sight, isn't that? That blind guy. Why is he running down the street?
What's in his eyes? Where is he going? What's happening? And this guy goes and does what Jesus said. I want you to notice there was no promise attached to this command.
Jesus did not say, "Go wash in the pool of Siloam, and your eyes will be healed." I'd run too. He just said, "Go wash in the pool of Siloam." Then say what would happen next. This guy's faith is activated, and he can't get to the pool of Siloam quickly enough. He's sprinting there to do what Jesus said. We need to follow his example.
Listen, when opportunity knocks, don't sit there complaining about the noise. When opportunity knocks, you need to open the door. And I've found in my life that pretty much everything I've ever done has been a step of faith. I've never had a detailed blueprint. I didn't even know I was starting a church when I was starting a church.
I was 20 years old when I started pastoring. How would you like to have a 20-year-old pastor? But I didn't go out to start a church. I went to teach at a Bible study that no one seemed to really want to teach at, and I just did the best job I could do, and it started to grow, and and these people attending started calling me pastor. And I said, I'm not a pastor.
I'm just I'm very young still. In fact, I felt called to be an evangelist, and I said, no, someone else will come and be your pastor one day. And it continued to grow, and I realized it looks like I am a pastor. I was starting a church without even knowing it. I had no game plan.
This is the blueprint. This is how we'll do it. We'll get our brand, and then we'll get out there and get the word out. You know, there was just us doing what God was leading us to do, one step at a time.
So, has the Lord shown you to do something?
Sometimes it's just a little nudge from the Holy Spirit. Go do this. Go pray for that person. Go share the gospel with this other person. Go take this little step of faith in some other area of your life.
Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you." Whatsoever he didn't say, "You are my friends if you do whatsoever you agree with." Are you are my friends? If you do whatsoever you find easy, no, you are my friends. If you do whatsoever I commanded you, that men acted on faith. Great insight today from Pastor Greg Laurie here on a new beginning, counsel on following and serving the Lord in the way He's called us to. Getting back to the verse Pastor Greg just quoted, "You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you." What does the Lord want from us?
Well, first of all, he wants us. He wants to forgive us of our sins and welcome us into the family of God, Pastor Greg.
Someone can enter into that kind of relationship today, can't they? They can, and it's so simple. And I think because it's so simple, people think, "Oh, it can't be that easy." Well, look, Jesus did all the heavy lifting. He carried the cross for you. He died on that cross that he carried.
This isn't about what you do; it's about what he's done. But here's what the Bible says: Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
So let's just say that you're caught in a riptide out in the ocean and you need help, and there's a lifeguard at the stand, and they see you. You've got to call out to them and let them know you need saving. And the same is true when it comes to eternal life. Jesus. Is ready to save you.
Will you call out to him? You say, "Well, okay. How do I do that? You do it through prayer, and prayer is just talking to God.
So, listen. I'd like to lead you in a simple prayer, and if you pray this prayer after me. I believe God will hear it and answer it, and Christ will come to live inside of you. Thousands of people have prayed a prayer like this over the years that we've been doing this radio broadcast, and have seen their life change. There is no power or magic in a prayer; it's all about your commitment to Christ.
But this is a way to call on the name of the Lord in this prayer.
So, if you want Jesus to come into your life and forgive you of your sin, if you want to know that you'll go to heaven when you die, if you want to fill that big hole in your heart, just pray this prayer after me. You could pray it out loud if you like, pray it in the quietness of your heart. But pray these words if you would, 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. I am sorry for my sin, and I turn from it now, and I choose to follow you from this moment forward.
Be my Savior and my Lord, be my God and my friend. Thanks for hearing this prayer, in answering this prayer, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Listen, if you just prayed that prayer. I want you to know that God has heard you and has answered it. 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.
That you may know, it's yours now. God has given it to you because it's the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord." Congratulations. And welcome to the family of God. Yeah, and would you let us help you get started living this new life? Let us send you Pastor Greg's New Believers Bible.
It's in an easy-to-understand translation with so many helps specifically for those who are new to the faith. We'll send it free of charge.
So get in touch for your copy of the New Believers Bible. Call one eight hundred eight two one thirty three hundred. We can take your call any time. That's one eight hundred eight two one three three zero zero, or write a new beginning box four thousand, Riverside California nine two five one four, or go online to harvest dot org and click No God. And then let us say a word of thanks to those who support us financially, those who make it possible for us to bring you these studies each day.
We're definitely a listener-supported ministry. It's the generosity of listeners that help us be here with these programs.
So, if you've partnered with us, thank you. And if you have yet to partner with us, I hope you'll get in touch today and let us know that you're standing with us. Even a small investment would help. It's Actually, an investment in changing lives. Thank you for partnering with us.
You can donate securely online at harvest.org, or write a new beginning box four thousand, Riverside, California nine two five one four, or call us at one eight hundred eight two one thirty three hundred. Again, that's one eight hundred eight two one three three zero zero.
Well, next time, more insight based on the healing of the blind man in John chapter nine. Be back for more from the series "The Seven Signs of Jesus." Join us here on a new beginning with Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie.
