March 19, 2025 3:00 am
Our God can calm storms, create storms, part the waters of the Red Sea. He can make time literally stand still, He can raise the dead, and cause the deaf to hear. So what is it that you need today? Glad you’re along for A NEW BEGINNING as Pastor Greg Laurie helps us see nothing is impossible for the Lord. And He invites us to come to Him in prayer. He bids us to “ask, seek, and knock.” And when our petitions intersect with His willingness, big things can happen!
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A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.
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A New Beginning
Greg Laurie
A New Beginning presents a new book from Pastor Greg Laurie. We are offering a brand new resource called The House of David Devotional and it's based on the great Psalms of David as well as the life of David. So I'm going to put this brand new devotional in your hand so you can learn from this man of God. Or your gift of any size at harvest.org.
It's the official companion resource for the new Amazon TV series also called The House of David. He can do more than you think he can do. Don't limit him with your unbelief. Our God can calm storms, create storms, part the waters of the Red Sea. He can make time literally stand still. He can raise the dead and cause the deaf to hear.
So what is it that you need today? Glad you're along for a new beginning as Pastor Greg Laurie helps us see nothing is impossible for the Lord. And he invites us to come to him in prayer. He bids us to ask, seek, and knock.
And when our petitions intersect with his willingness, big things can happen. This miracle that we're going to look at is the only miracle found in all four Gospels. It's a story of the feeding of the five thousand. Now this is a series we're doing called The Seven Signs of Jesus.
We've already looked at Jesus turning water into wine. That was sign number one. Cleansing the temple, sign number two. Healing the centurion's son, that's number three. Healing the layman in Jerusalem, that's number four.
Now we're at number five. The feeding of the five thousand. John chapter six starting in verse one. Verse six. This is very important.
You might underline it. But what good is that with such a huge crowd? Jesus said tell everyone to sit down. They all sat down on the grassy slopes. The men alone numbered about five thousand. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterwards he did the same with the fish and they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full Jesus told his disciples now gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted. So they picked up the pieces and filled 12 baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. When the people saw this miraculous sign they exclaimed surely he is a prophet we've been expecting.
We'll stop there. Here's all these adults perplexed by this problem and here's a little kid that says well I've got this if this could be of any help I'd like to offer it to you Jesus. So what do we know about this little boy? We know he was poor and the reason we know that his barley bread was the cheapest of all bread.
And in fact it was held in contempt. It was thought of as food for animals not people. And he had two small fish.
Not big fish, small fish. It's like having crackers and stale crackers at that. Crackers and sardines. It wasn't a gourmet lunch. It wasn't a lot. But that little boy gave his lunch as poor as he was to Jesus. The lunch was as insignificant as it could be.
The little boy was as insignificant as he could be. But here's the point of the story. That which was insufficient and insignificant became sufficient and significant when placed in the hands of Jesus. So you say Lord okay here I am. I don't have a lot to offer. But I do give it to you. And I give it all to you. And I ask you to take what I've given and use it for your glory. So I encourage you bring your loaves and fish to Jesus. Bring your crackers and sardines and watch what God will do. Now without question this became the most popular miracle of Jesus. It's sort of like that people would say hey water into wine that's good. Restoration of sight. All these things.
They're all good but free lunch. Now we're talking. In fact we like this so much we want to make you our king. Understand the Jewish people are under the control of the Romans. They believe Jesus is a militant messiah. A political savior. Someone that's going to deliver them from the power and tyranny of Rome. So they said we want you to be our king right now. Look at John 6 verse 14. When the people saw Jesus do this miraculous sign they exclaimed he is a prophet we've been expecting. And when Jesus saw they were ready to force him to be their king he slipped away into the hills by himself. Forced him to be their king.
The whole idea is laughable. See these people wanted to use God instead of being used by God. They wanted God to do what they wanted him to do. Listen God wants to use us but having said that he will never be used. What are some takeaway truths from this story?
Number one. There will come times in our lives and we are utterly overwhelmed by our problems by our challenges and by our hardships. We will not have the abilities or the resources to respond. Things that are beyond your control. Tests that will come to you in life. These tests are given to determine if you're learning anything as a Christian. Why does God allow us to be tested? James gives us the answer. When he says dear brothers and sisters when troubles of any kind come your way consider it an opportunity for great joy for you know when your faith is tested your endurance has a chance to grow.
So let it grow. For when your endurance is fully developed you'll be perfect and complete needing nothing. As I've said before trials and tests and the life of the Christian are like God's gym. You're broken down to be built up. So when you go to a gym and you lift weights and you do repetitions and then you get stronger and then you lift more weight and then you in time lift even more weight you're building your muscle up by first tearing it down. The same is true in the tests of life. Why am I going through this?
I don't see any reason for this. Don't you know God's making you stronger? Why do I go through these things so my endurance may grow? One translation I believe it's a Phillips translation says when trials come into your life my brothers don't treat them as intruders but friends.
Could you think of the trial you're going through as a friend instead of an intruder? Could you think of the hardship you're facing as something that God can use like when that unexpected bill or expense comes and you wonder how will I ever pay this? When you have that crisis with your spouse and you wonder how will we ever get through this? When that perfect child of yours gets themselves into trouble and you wonder how will we resolve this?
When a loved one dies unexpectedly and you wonder how will I survive this? Know this God is able to meet whatever comes your way because God is able. I love this phrase that God is able. Let me give you seven verses very quickly that use the word evil in them showing the ability of God to meet your needs. Number one 2 Corinthians 9 8 says God is able to make all grace abound toward you so you having all sufficiency and all things may have an abundance for every good work. Also over in 2 Timothy 1 12 God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly beyond that which you could ask or think. So when you pray for something why do you think God always wants to give you less? What if he wants to give you more? These people that were fed that they get just enough to fill their stomachs they were filled and there were leftovers and no doggy bags right.
They were full. God wants you to be fed and full and he can do more than you think he can do. Don't limit him with your unbelief. Hebrews 2 18 says God is able to help those who are tempted. If you're being tempted right now you might say I can't resist this temptation. It's too much for me.
Wrong. You can and you will if you lay hold of God's sufficiency. Don't try to do it in your own strength. Also in Hebrews 7 25 it says he's able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him and he will make intercession for them. So no one is beyond the reach of God. Do you know someone you think I could never see them coming to Christ. No one's beyond the reach of God. Keep praying for them. He's able to save to the uttermost and he's able to save to the guttermost.
I don't care how low it is or they are. And also this he's able to keep you from stumbling Jude 1 24 says and to present you faultless faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. He'll keep you from stumbling. You might say well what if I fall away.
Do you want to fall away. Well no then you won't. Hang on to the Lord. He will keep you from stumbling and present you faultless in that final day before the father. And he's also according to Philippians 3 21 able to take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own. He's gonna redeem you and resurrect your body one day. Isn't that great to know God is able.
Remember that. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment. Don't miss House of David a brand new original television series on Amazon Prime. Can one stone change the course of history. I will tell you the story of David who became one of the most famous kings who ever lived. It's not about the greatness of the giant. It is about the greatness of God.
Can one stone change the course of history. Well you've seen this beautiful series on Amazon Prime the House of David. Now watch the special documentary that we have created a companion piece that we're calling Beyond the House of David. It was my privilege to go with my wife Kathy to Greece where the House of David was filmed and walk through the sets where the scenes that you're seeing now in this series were shot. To walk out in the beautiful scenery of Greece which is so similar to Israel and read the Psalms of David and talk about the life of David and apply the principles of his life to our life.
So this is something that we want you all to see so download the Harvest Plus app and start watching this cinematic companion piece to the House of David that we're simply calling Beyond the House of David. Well today Pastor Greg is offering some encouraging perspective on the nature and power of God. We're learning the Lord is able.
Let's continue. Nothing is too big or small and insignificant for God to respond to. You have a big problem pray about it.
You have a small problem. It's okay pray about it. Philippians 4 again says in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
In everything it doesn't say and only the big gnarly things. In everything if it's troubling you it concerns God. So you have a burden this is really bothering me. Okay pray about it. Turn your worries into worship. Turn your panic into prayer. Offer it to the Lord. I love what Psalm 61 says the psalmist writes. Hear my prayer oh God. Attend to my prayer for when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Have you ever been overwhelmed with your problems?
What do you do? You call out to the Lord. Lord I'm overwhelmed so I'm turning to you. 1 Peter 5 7 reminds us cast all your care upon him for he cares for you. One last thing bring your talents abilities gifts and resources to Jesus. No matter how insignificant they may seem to you God can do a lot with a little. Look at what he did with that little boy's lunch. But you know these people would turn on Jesus.
It's true. The same people that cried Hosanna to the son of David on palm Sunday would later be saying crucify him. But yet he died on the cross for them. I mean imagine Jesus walking through the streets of Jerusalem carrying a cross on his shoulder. His back has been ripped open after 39 lashes of a Roman no doubt cat of nine tails.
Horrible torturous device. He's had his face punched repeatedly. He's had his beard ripped from his face. There he is carrying the cross and the people are screaming at him.
They're yelling at him. He could have thrown that cross to the ground and said forget it. He could have ascended to glory right there. But he kept carrying it.
Why? The answer is given in Hebrews when it says for the joy that was set before him he endured the cross despising the shame and now he has set down on the right hand of God. Wow. The joy set before him.
What was that? Certainly wasn't the people surrounding him. What was the joy set before him? What kept Jesus going? Why did he carry the cross all the way to the end and then die on that cross and then shed his blood on that cross and then rise from the dead? The answer is he did it for you. He did it for me.
He was thinking of you. I love the way Paul summarized it when he said he loved me and he gave himself for me. Yes it's true for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son and whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. But it's also true he loves and loved you.
Yes the world but you individually personally that's why he died on the cross because we've all sinned we've all broken his commandments and he knew the only way for us to be forgiven is for him to die in our place as a substitute for us because we need a savior. Let's say you were on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and you were leaning over looking at the water and you fell over and nobody even knew and off the ship went there you were bobbing around in the Atlantic Ocean. Now let's say you're not a very good swimmer how long will you last? Not long.
Not long at all. Let's say you're a pretty good swimmer you know to tread water oh maybe you'll last an hour two hours maybe a little longer. Let's say you're an Olympic swimmer and you've earned gold medals oh you'll last longer than the other two swimmers but not that long because ultimately your only hope is you need a savior. You need someone to literally pull you out of that water and save you that's us. Every one of us needs Jesus.
Now some have lived more sinful lives and but all of us have sinned and all of us have broken his commandments and he wants this relationship with him so coming back to what I said about you what I said about Jesus wanting to have a meal with you. Imagine if after church today Jesus was going to come to your house for lunch. Hey you want to go to lunch? Yeah. Guess who's coming? Who? Jesus. What? Yeah Jesus. How awesome would that be?
Hey he wants to have lunch with you he wants to have breakfast with you dinner with you he wants to live your life with you and reveal his plan for your life he wants a relationship with you but only you can open that door of your life and ask him to come in. Again I repeat that verse Jesus says I stand at the door and I knock and if you'll hear my voice and open the door I will come in. So we're going to close now in prayer and I'm going to extend an invitation to anyone here anybody wherever you are wherever you're hearing this if you need Jesus Christ today respond to this invitation let's all bow our heads and pray father thank you for your word to us thank you for your love for us in sending Jesus to die on the cross in our place your only begotten son Lord Jesus thank you for coming and laying your life down for us and now we know that you're here with us knocking at the door of our heart ready to forgive us of all of our sin if we'll just call out to you we need you so badly I pray that your Holy Spirit will help people to realize right now how much they need Jesus and we ask all of this in Jesus name Amen.
Amen. An important prayer from Pastor Greg Laurie. Maybe you felt the Lord speaking to you today and you want to make a change in your relationship with God. Pastor Greg maybe somebody would like to do that right now could you help them with that? Sure I'd love to I would like to just pray a prayer and I would ask you to pray it after me you might even pray it out loud this is a prayer I've led a lot of people in over the years and I've seen God change lives there's no magic in this prayer it's the God you're speaking to who will hear this prayer and answer this prayer so if you want Christ to come into your life if you want to be sure your sin is forgiven if you want to be confident that you will go to heaven when you die just pray this prayer even out loud after me right now pray these words Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner but I also know that you are the savior because you died on the cross for my sin and you rose again from the dead Jesus come into my life and forgive me of every sin I've ever committed I choose to follow you from this moment forward thank you for hearing this prayer thank you for answering this prayer Lord and I pray all of this in Jesus name amen if you just prayed that prayer and meant it I want you to know on the authority of scripture God almighty has heard your prayer and he will answer this prayer you are now a newly minted child of God so congratulations you've made the right decision and welcome to the family of God I want to send you a special gift because of that prayer you've just prayed it's called the new believer's bible so the new believer's bible is the new testament in the new living translation with hundreds of notes that I wrote that will encourage you in this commitment you are making to follow Christ there's some other materials included as well in what we call the new believers growth pack but let me get this new believers bible into your hands as quickly as possible here's Dave to tell you more yeah we'll be glad to send it all your way free of any charge if you've prayed along with pastor Greg today just ask for the new believers bible when you call 1-800-821-3300 you can reach us anytime 24 7 at 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 you know pastor Greg we hear from people all the time who tell us how these daily studies have impacted their lives so many have found the Lord and been encouraged through this teaching that's right and we hope our listeners might pray about making an investment so these studies can continue yeah it's really true Dave you know and even a little bit helps you know people need to hear the gospel so badly they need to hear the teaching of the word of God it changes everything because it changes us and I'm so passionate about it and I'm called to do it and I'm thankful for it but I can't do it alone so I'm going to ask folks that are listening if you think more people need to hear the gospel if you believe more people need to hear the teaching of the word of God then perfectly consider investing in Harvest Ministries and maybe even become a Harvest partner which means you're someone who stands with us every month in your faithful giving and that opens up a lot of new opportunities for us so thanks for that yeah that's right and we really are thankful for your partnership you can reach us anytime day or night at 1-800-821-3300 that's 1-800-821-3300 or write a new beginning box 4000 Riverside California 92514 or just go online to harvest.org well next time as Pastor Greg continues his series called the seven signs of Jesus we'll see the rich insights we can glean from the account of the healing of the blind man join us here on a new beginning with pastor and bible teacher Greg Laurie
Whisper: medium.en / 2025-03-19 05:29:48 / 2025-03-19 05:38:09 / 8