A New Beginning presents something for the New Year from Pastor Greg Laurie. We want to help you get stronger in your faith and discover what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. To help you do that, we're offering a book called Discipleship, The Road Less Taken. I explore what the Bible says about discipleship and how we can grow in this area.
And we'll send this book to you for your gift of any size. Get your copy of Discipleship, The Road Less Taken at Harvest.org. Understanding Bible prophecy brings hope in a hopeless world. When we're reminded that this life is temporary, that a real home is with the Lord, Pastor Greg Laurie points out the relief it can bring us. If you believe Jesus can come back at any moment, it's a happy, hopeful thing. So if you find yourself unhappy, and you find yourself depressed, and you find yourself hopeless, you need to look up, and you need to realize He can come back at any time. When we know our pain and discomfort are temporary, it's a whole lot easier to stick with it.
When long-distance runners have the finish line in sight, they kick even harder because they know relief is coming. Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie points out the joy that's coming as a part of the Lord's end times plan. Jesus is coming soon, and that's when our pain and troubles disappear. Good inspiration to encourage one another as we see that day approaching. Well, we are in the book of James, chapter 5, and we're starting a brand new series. And the title of this series is The Future is Written. And I want to answer the question, is Jesus coming back again?
The simple answer is yes. And Jesus Himself said, I will come again. And I think we need to recognize the fact that we are closer to the return of Jesus in any generation that has ever existed. Just think about that.
We're closer. You can sense the nearness of His return. But the question that is often asked is, when will Jesus come again? In fact, people will get really obsessed with the question, when is Jesus coming? And you'll find people that will come along every now and then that will say they've cracked the code and they know the date of the Lord's return. But Jesus did say, no man knows the day or the hour when the Son of Man will return. And if you were to go back to the original language and translate that out in modern English, it would say something along the lines of, no man knows the day or the hour when the Son of Man will return. What it actually means is no one knows. So anyone who says they've cracked the code or they know the date, I'm telling you at the outset they're wrong. There was a book that was very popular in 1988 with the title 88 Reasons Why Christ is Coming Back in 1988.
It's not so popular now. That was quickly dated. There is a Latin term for this. It's called rapturous nuttiness. That's not a real Latin term, but I mean that's what it is. So instead of focusing on the when, no man knows the day or the hour, let's think instead about the what.
As in, what should we be doing as we await the Lord's return? You know, people get so sidetracked. These are the people that see the end at the end of the film and think it's a sign of the times. I actually had someone come up to me a while ago and say I saw a hamburger on sale for $6.66. Six, six, six.
Get it? Is it okay to buy the hamburger? I said yes because once they add tax, it'll be a different number.
However, if they want to put a mark on your right hand or forehead, I would probably not buy it. Well, let's think a little bit about what Bible prophecy is. Bible prophecy is history in advance as revealed by God. And the scripture oozes with the return of Christ. The New Testament contains over 300 references to the return of Jesus. That's one out of every 13 verses. 33% of the Bible is prophecy. More than 10,000 of the 31,102 verses in the Bible pertain to Bible prophecy.
That's no small down payment. Now understand, when God predicts the future, he's not going out on a limb. He's not taking a risk because God is omniscient, which means God knows all things. He remembers all things and he knows all things in the future. Now I figure between my wife and I, we have one complete human brain because I'll remember something and she'll forget it.
And so together we're trying to figure out something and we piece it together. But what's really strange is sometimes I'll be telling this story and my wife will interrupt me, that's not the way it happened. I'll say, you weren't even there.
How would you know? She said, it's different than the way you told it to me the first time. And doggone it, she's right. Yeah, I missed a couple of details, but God doesn't miss details. God is telling us exactly what we can expect because he lives in the eternal realm. And he has given us in the Bible many signs that tell us his coming is near.
What are they? Here's just a few of the signs of the times as identified by scripture. The outbreak of war around the globe.
Jesus said, you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. The persecution of Christians. The emergence of China as a superpower. The aggressiveness of Iran and her repeated threats against Israel and attacks against Israel.
Nuclear weapons today are more sophisticated and now are small enough to fit into a suitcase. We have the spread of radical Islam, terrorism, a resurgence of Marxism, and communism, and the dramatic rise of anti-Semitism. A lot of isms that are all signs of the times. The falling away of spiritual leaders and seemingly strong Christians from the faith.
Also a sign of the times. The explosion of technology including artificial intelligence. Increasing government overreach in our lives seeking more control.
Another sign of the times. A dramatic increase of drug use decimating American cities. International financial instability. Mass shootings. The disintegration of the family. The blatant pushing of immorality on every platform from movies to television to social media.
The redefinition of what a man and a woman are including child gender mutilation and the aggressive marketing of this to young people. All of these things are signs of the times and they're telling us Jesus Christ is coming back again. And this is an explosion of things happening quickly. The Bible compares the signs pertaining to the return of Christ to labor pains.
So you ladies who have had children know what I'm talking about. As your labor pains get closer together the birth of the baby is soon. Right? And the Bible says when you see these things closer together it seems like every time you turn around it's something. And scary crazy wicked things happening. We say what is going on? They're signs of the times. That's what's going on. The Bible says in the last days there will be satanically energized times and things will go from bad to worse.
And we're seeing that play out in real time right before our eyes. This is stressing a lot of people out. Psychologists have even coined a phrase for this. It's called doomsday anxiety. That includes the fear or worry about the end of the world or life as we know it.
Symptoms include chronic nightmares, an underlying feeling of fear, and an obsession with the news or doom scrolling through online media. Even secular futurologists are sounding the alarms as they see conversing lines of danger and instability around the world. So speaking of all of this Jesus says let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid. You believe in God believe also in me. If I go Jesus says I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am you may be also. In my father's house are many mansions and I go to prepare a place for you. Jesus also said when you see these things begin to happen freak out because you are dead.
No. The Bible says when you see these things begin to happen look up for your redemption is drawing near. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. Hey everybody I want to tell you about a major new ministry initiative that we have here at Harvest called the Harvest Discipleship Platform. So it's a major leap forward in our national ministry and we adapt teachings from the New Believers Bible.
Do you know about that? That's a Bible project I worked on years ago and they're all around the world where we have excerpts from the New Believers Bible and also we have an online community of believers who are looking for what's next in their spiritual walk. So at Harvest Discipleship you can find trusted Bible teaching and a community that cares for you and positive encouragement in your spiritual life.
That sounds pretty good right? So become a part of the Harvest Discipleship Platform and you can do that by just going to harvest.org. Well we're launching Pastor Greg's new series today called The Future is Written.
Let's continue now. I think it's really important to study Bible prophecy. Let me give you just a few reasons why. If you're taking notes here's point number one. Understanding Bible prophecy brings hope in a hopeless world. Let me say it again. Understanding Bible prophecy brings hope in a hopeless world. Titus 2 13 says while we wait for the blessed hope the appearing of the glory of God and our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Blessed hope. And by the way the word blessed is interchangeable with the word happy. So we can call it a happy hope. If you believe Jesus could come back at any moment it's a happy hopeful thing. So if you find yourself unhappy and you find yourself depressed and you find yourself hopeless you need to look up and you need to realize he could come back at any time. I love the statement of Martin Luther and he said this to me personally. No not really.
Not that old. Martin Luther said quote there are two days on my calendar. This day and that day end quote. And that day that he was referring to was the day of the Lord. The Christian does not need to fear the future because we know who holds the future. And he has given us a blessed hope.
Number two. Understanding Bible prophecy unravels the mystery of history. Understanding Bible prophecy unravels the mystery of history. We wonder why is there so much evil in the world as the believers who are martyred in the book of Revelation say how long oh Lord holy and true until you judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth. They are wanting to have an explanation. And the Bible says that one day God will bring justice and Satan will be judged.
Number three. Studying Bible prophecy brings sense to our suffering. Studying Bible prophecy brings sense to our suffering. What do you say to someone who has suffered great tragedy? What do you say to someone who is suffering with a disability? What do you say to someone who has lost a loved one?
What do you say to someone who is mourning and weeping from grief? You say this is not God's final plan. In Revelation 21 4 says he will wipe every tear from their eyes and there'll be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain and all these things will be gone forever.
We know Jesus Christ is coming back again and he will make every wrong right. Heard a story about a guy who loved to study the book of Revelation. He wasn't a great academic or intellectual but he loved Revelation.
And he had some friends who considered themselves theologians. They said no one can understand the book of Revelation. He says well I understand it. You do not understand it they said. It's an enigma. No one can understand it. This guy says I understand it. Okay explain the book of Revelation. He said okay here it is. The book of Revelation.
We win in the end. Not bad. Not bad.
Not bad. Number four. Understanding Bible prophecy brings a specific blessing to us. Revelation is the only book in the Bible with a built-in blessing attached. That's not true of any of the other books in the Bible.
There are 66 books in the Bible in total. Only Revelation has the built-in blessing. Revelation 1 3 says blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keeps the things that are written in it for the time is near. So that's why it's a good thing to talk about the Lord's return. We learn about the future to motivate us to live right in the present. What you believe about the end times will affect how you live in these times. So it's a very important thing and it also motivates us to live a godly life. In fact over in second Peter 3 11 it says everything around us is going to be destroyed.
So what holy and godly lives we should be living. Then in first John it says he that has this hope that is the hope of the Lord's return purifies himself even as God is pure. But some say oh it's it's too hard to understand.
No one can understand it. Well excuse me the very word revelation means the unveiling. Okay it is God's desire to reveal not conceal. And Bible prophecy is not given to scare us but to prepare us. And it's interesting that when Jesus is discussing something called the abomination of desolation in Matthew 24 it says let the reader understand. And then when this topic of the rapture is being addressed by the apostle Paul he says let's not be ignorant about these things brothers. And so we should not be ignorant. We should understand these things together. And they're laid out before us right here in God's Word. It's not given to entertain us. It's given to motivate us to personal godliness.
If talking about this topic does not affect you and the way that you live and the decisions you make and the thoughts you think then something is missing. Heard about a farmer his name was Jeb and he had a dog that walked on water. True story. Probably a Christian dog. There are no Christian cats. There might be a couple.
I know a couple of cool cats. But anyway so he has a dog that walks on water. His neighbor Clem isn't impressed by anything so they go out duck hunting.
And he wanted to impress his neighbor. So he fires off a shot. Duck falls. Lands in the middle of the lake. His dog runs across the top of the water. Retrieves the duck. Brings it back and drops it at his feet. So Jeb looks over at Clem and says well Clem what do you think about that?
Well Clem just kind of kicks the dirt and says I don't think your dog knows how to swim. Talk about missing the point. So if you study Bible prophecy and it doesn't affect you and the way that you live you have missed the point. So what should we do in light of all of this?
How should it affect us? That brings us to James 5. I'm going to read verses 7 to 11.
Read with me if you will. Dear brothers and sisters be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring.
They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to reap. You too must be patient. Take courage for the coming of the Lord is near. Don't grumble about each other brothers and sisters or you will be judged.
For look the judge is standing at the door. For examples of patience and suffering. Dear brothers and sisters look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance you know about Job a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him in the end. For the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. We will stop there. So what are the takeaway truths from this text?
Number one. If you are taking notes be patient. As we await the Lord's return be patient. Look at what he says in verse 7. Dear brothers and sisters be patient as you wait for the Lord's return.
The word used here for patience is not speaking of a passive resignation but rather a patient expectant waiting on the Lord. Sort of like the excitement you feel when you're getting ready to go on a trip and you're very thrilled about that trip. Or maybe the way you used to feel when you were younger on Christmas morning.
You wanted your parents to wake up so you could open the presents under the tree. That's how the Christian should be. Filled with patient expectation. The problem is some people are asleep spiritually. Romans 13 11 says understand this present time. The hour has come to wake up out of your slumber because our salvation is near. Then we first believe the night is nearly over.
The day is almost here. You can be asleep. And the problem with people who sleep is they won't acknowledge it. Why is it we always deny we're falling asleep? Sometimes I'm watching something on television and I'll fall asleep.
And Kathy will say are you watching? Are you awake? Yes. I wasn't awake. I was sleeping. I was probably snoring. But we deny it. So sometimes the people who are asleep are the last to know.
Are you asleep? Wake up the Bible says. The day is short. The coming of the Lord is soon. And then he goes on in Romans 13 12 to say therefore let's put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Behave decently as in the daytime. Not in orgies and drunkenness. Not in sexual immorality or debauchery.
Not in dissension and jealousy. Then James likens it to a farmer. Verse 7. The farmer who patiently waits for the rains in the fall and in the spring. How many of you are gardeners out there? You're a gardener. Not a lot of gardeners.
Wow. No wonder California is so brown. Well I'm not a gardener either.
If there's a such thing as a brown thumb that's what I have. But there are people who are gardeners and they're farmers and they know a lot about planting crops and irrigation and watering and all of those things. And of course reaping. Well we all are farmers spiritually.
And we are all called to sow seed. And and we need to be patient. And sometimes we can be very impatient because we live in a culture where you can get everything so quickly. Is it just me or do microwaves seem slow to you?
I had to microwave something the other day. Two minutes and 20 seconds. That's so long.
We don't like to wait for anything. You know in the old days you would get in the car. Drive to the mall. Find a parking space. Go to your favorite store and hope what you wanted was in stock. Just go to Amazon Prime. You might get it the same day. You want food? Call Uber Eats.
You like a song? Download it now. We don't have to wait for anything. And we become impatient. Lord why have you not returned yet? Christ will return at the appointed time. Just as He came at the appointed time in human history the first time He will come the second.
The Bible says in the book of Galatians when the time was just right God sent forth the son born of a woman made under the law to redeem those that are under the law that we might receive the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father. When the time is just right Jesus was born in the manger of Bethlehem. And when the time is just right Christ will come again. Pastor Greg Laurie giving us some important insight on God's plan for the end times.
And there's more to come from this message here on A New Beginning. But the obvious question we each should be asking ourselves is am I ready? Am I ready for the Lord's return? Pastor Greg what would you say to the person who's not sure if they've ever come to the Lord and they're not ready for His return?
Yes I think they need to make this commitment to Christ. Here's what the Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. So you need to reach out to God not just think about it not just say one of these days I would like to just do it. In fact you can do it right now you say well how do I call out to the name of the Lord? You do it through prayer.
God is just a prayer away. He desires a relationship with you. He wants you to know Him.
He wants to reveal Himself to you. So you just need to call out and say Lord save me and help me. How about if I lead you in a prayer and you could pray this prayer after me. You can pray it out loud if you like. You can pray it quietly in your heart but direct this prayer toward God and you could pray it after me right now.
You ready? Pray this after me. Lord Jesus I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior and I want a relationship with you. So as your word says I'm calling on the name of the Lord. I'm asking you to save me from my sin and I'm asking that we begin a new relationship today.
Thank you for loving me and sending your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin and then raising Him from the dead. I now put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ and I ask this in Jesus name. Amen.
Amen. And if you have just prayed that prayer along with Pastor Greg and you've meant those words sincerely, let us be the first to welcome you into the family of God. And we want to help you get started off right in this new daily walk with the Lord. Pastor Greg would like to send you his New Believers Bible. It's a special edition of God's Word for those who are new to the faith with scores of helps for new believers written by Pastor Greg.
So get in touch and ask for the New Believers Bible. We'll send it to you free of charge. Just call 1-800-821-3300.
Again that's 1-800-821-3300. Or write A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, California 92514. Or just go online to harvest.org and click Know God. And then let us take a moment to thank you for praying for this ministry and for supporting it through your generous donation.
It's an investment in Kingdom business. Isn't that right Pastor Greg? Yeah it's really true Dave and I believe it's so important because you know the gospel saves lives. It saves eternal lives because when a person believes in Jesus according to scripture they pass from darkness to light from the power of Satan to the power of God. And then of course that changes the course of their future.
That impacts their children and their children's children. The gospel changes everything and thousands and thousands of people respond every every single year. Thanks to the Lord. Also thanks to you for your investment in this ministry enabling us to reach people wherever they are. So if this is something you care about I encourage you to make a financial investment in A New Beginning and Harvest Ministries. Yeah that's right and we really do appreciate your support. Thanks for partnering with us today.
It can make a real difference not just for today or this week but for eternity. So get in touch with your support today by calling 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 7 phone number 1-800-821-3300. Or write A New Beginning Box 4000 Riverside California 92514. Or go online to harvest.org. Well next time Pastor Greg shows us how we can spend our time most productively as we await the soon return of the Lord. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible preacher Greg Laurie.
