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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - The 7 Love Letters of Jesus To His Church

February 19, 2026 | 27:29

Greg Laurie - The 7 Love Letters of Jesus To His Church
Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#Revelation #Jesus #LoveofGod #Church #BodyofChrist #EndTimes #LastDays #Prophecy #Future #Love #Devil #Tolerance #Sin #GregLaurie

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - The 7 Love Letters of Jesus To His Church | February 19, 2026
  • ...
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  • Greg laurie: hi, i'm greg laurie, and i'm so glad you've
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  • Joined us because god's word is full of promises.
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  • It's alive, it's powerful, and it can
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  • Change your life, so let's get started.
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪♪
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  • Greg: what exactly is love?
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  • I think you're in trouble if you define love by what you've
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  • Learned by listening to pop and rock songs over the years.
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  • For instance, there's a song that says,
  • 00:00:42.742 --> 00:00:45.345
  • "what the world needs now is love, sweet love."
  • 00:00:45.345 --> 00:00:49.783
  • Then foreigner sang, "i want to know what love is."
  • 00:00:49.783 --> 00:00:53.620
  • And then there's a very weird song.
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  • Some of you might remember this, "yummy, yummy, yummy.
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  • I've got love in my tummy." but what is love?
  • 00:00:58.491 --> 00:01:02.595
  • We talk about this love, it's in our tummy, we need it.
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  • But what is this love we're talking about?
  • 00:01:06.800 --> 00:01:09.202
  • Well, another song answers that question by saying,
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  • "love is a many splendored thing."
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  • Another song says, "love is the answer."
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  • Led zeppelin reminded we need a whole lot of love.
  • 00:01:17.277 --> 00:01:20.647
  • And then meatloaf sang, "i would do anything for love."
  • 00:01:20.647 --> 00:01:24.984
  • Personally, i'd do anything for meatloaf,
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  • Not the singer, but the actual food.
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  • And then, of course, whitney houston said,
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  • "i will always love you."
  • 00:01:31.391 --> 00:01:33.526
  • But then phil collins gives us a warning saying,
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  • "you can't hurry love," but, but why?
  • 00:01:37.197 --> 00:01:40.600
  • Well, another song gives the answer.
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  • It says, "that's the way love goes."
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  • Okay, let's review, try to figure this all out.
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  • Love is a many splendored. it's in our tummy.
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  • We need a whole lot of it, but we can't hurry it because that's
  • 00:01:51.845 --> 00:01:54.948
  • The way it goes, and it's what the world needs.
  • 00:01:54.948 --> 00:01:57.650
  • Well, maybe the answer is found in this song title,
  • 00:01:57.650 --> 00:02:00.787
  • "i said i love you, but i lied."
  • 00:02:00.787 --> 00:02:03.857
  • Maybe that's why the black eyed peas sang, "where is the love?"
  • 00:02:03.857 --> 00:02:07.894
  • I think i have the answer 'cause adele has a song with a
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  • Title, "send my love to your new lover."
  • 00:02:11.097 --> 00:02:14.534
  • Okay, now we see where the problem really is.
  • 00:02:14.534 --> 00:02:18.104
  • And then lady gaga sang, "stupid love."
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  • The beatles sang, "all you need is love."
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  • And then they broke up and sued each other.
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  • Another song warns, "too much love will kill you."
  • 00:02:27.313 --> 00:02:30.216
  • And maybe that's why dionne warwick sang,
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  • "i'll never love this way again."
  • 00:02:32.952 --> 00:02:35.488
  • And tina turner sang, "what's love got to do with it?"
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  • Concluding with the j. geils band who sang, "love stinks."
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  • Yeah, so if you got your definition
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  • Of love from songs, you're in trouble.
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  • Let me tell you what the bible says about love.
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  • The bible says god is love.
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  • Is there any better definition of love than that?
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  • God is love. and guess what?
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  • God loves you, so god loves you, he chose you.
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  • He wants a relationship with you, and he doesn't want
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  • Anything to break that relationship.
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  • And sometimes in his love, he has to correct us.
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  • And that's what we see in these love letters of jesus to the
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  • Seven churches.
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  • Enter the devil.
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  • Just as surely as there is a god in heaven who loves you, there
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  • Is a devil who hates you and wants to destroy you.
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  • Satan wants to entice you and get you
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  • To break your fellowship with god.
  • 00:03:32.812 --> 00:03:35.181
  • In fact, that is the devil's goal each and every day.
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  • He wants to get you distracted, defeated,
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  • And ultimately destroyed, listen to this.
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  • Even if some christians don't necessarily believe it, the
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  • Devil believes that jesus is coming back.
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  • Now, that should motivate us to live a godly life.
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  • But knowing his time is limited, knowing his days are numbered,
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  • Satan is trying to wreak as much havoc as he possibly can.
  • 00:03:58.571 --> 00:04:03.176
  • But don't let that scare you because the bible reminds us,
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  • "greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world."
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  • We need to be aware, and we need to be prepared.
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  • So, we're looking together at the book of revelation.
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  • Now, seven churches are what we're looking at.
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  • That's four, five, six, seven, there we go, seven.
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  • Seven churches are addressed by jesus.
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  • He sends these love letters, if you will.
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  • We already looked at two of them.
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  • We looked at the church of ephesus
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  • And the church of smyrna.
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  • As we come now to our next church called the church of
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  • Pergamos, the devil effectively joins the church.
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  • Revelation chapter 2, verse 12,
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  • Read with me if you would.
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  • "and to the angel of the church in pergamos
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  • Write 'these things says he
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  • That has the sharp two-edged sword:
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  • I know your works,
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  • Where you dwell,
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  • Where satan's throne is.
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  • And you hold fast to my name,
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  • And you did not deny my faith
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  • Even in the days in which
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  • Antipas, my faithful martyr,
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  • Was killed among you,
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  • Where satan dwells.'"
  • 00:05:05.538 --> 00:05:07.640
  • You know, it's interesting that's mentioned
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  • Twice, "where satan dwells."
  • 00:05:08.975 --> 00:05:11.377
  • Listen, the devil is not the equal of god.
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  • God is omniscient, which means he knows everything.
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  • The devil is limited in his knowledge.
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  • God is omnipotent, which means all powerful.
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  • The devil has limitations to his power.
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  • And god is omnipresent, which means present everywhere.
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  • But the devil can only be in one place at one time.
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  • So, if the devil's in san francisco,
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  • He can't be in moscow.
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  • And if he's in moscow, he can't be in wherever.
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  • So, the point is, he seemed to have set
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  • His seat up in this city where the church was.
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  • And what's happening here with this
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  • Church is they're starting to compromise.
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  • It starts with little things, and it ends up in big things.
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  • That's the way sin works.
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  • This is the problem with the church of pergamos is they were
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  • Tolerant of sin, look at verse 14.
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  • "i have a few things against you, because you have
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  • Those who hold the doctrine of balaam, who taught balak to put
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  • A stumbling block before the children of israel, to eat
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  • Things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality."
  • 00:06:15.775 --> 00:06:20.146
  • Okay, so who's balaam and who's balak?
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  • Balak was the king of the moabites, the enemies of israel.
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  • He wanted to destroy the nation israel,
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  • So he hired balaam the prophet.
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  • Now, i don't know where he found balaam the prophet.
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  • I think you could have spelled prophet, p-r-o-f-i-t
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  • Instead of the biblical spelling.
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  • Balaam seemed to be a prophet for hire.
  • 00:06:43.870 --> 00:06:45.938
  • So balak says, "look, man, i want you to curse these
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  • Israelites, curse them in the name of god so we don't have to
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  • Deal with them on the battlefield."
  • 00:06:52.145 --> 00:06:54.447
  • Incredibly balaam the prophet agrees.
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  • "yes, i will do that."
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  • Well, the lord comes to balaam and says, "i don't want you
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  • To do that," but balaam decides to do it anyway.
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  • So, the next day he gets his donkey and he's riding along.
  • 00:07:03.756 --> 00:07:06.726
  • And all of a sudden, his donkey just stops in its steps.
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  • Balaam is like, "come on, let's go, let's go."
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  • And the donkey stops and then
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  • The donkey walks a little further.
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  • And they're in between two rock walls, and the donkey slams up
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  • Against the wall, hitting balaam's leg, now he's angry.
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  • Balaam pulls out a stick and he's beating
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  • His donkey, he's so angry.
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  • And the bible says the lord opened the mouth of the donkey
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  • Who said, "why are you beating me?"
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  • That's amazing, what's more amazing to
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  • Me is, without missing a beat, balaam
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  • Says, "because you're not doing what i want you to do."
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  • Then the donkey says, "haven't i been a good donkey?
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  • Haven't i always done what you wanted me to do?"
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  • Balaam said, "yeah, you know, i have to agree.
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  • You've been a very good donkey."
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  • They're having this conversation.
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  • Well, here's what balaam didn't know.
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  • The donkey seemed to have more sense than balaam did because
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  • The donkey saw an angel of the lord with sword drawn.
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  • The angel's probably thinking, "oy vey, i mean,
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  • This guy's talking to his donkey."
  • 00:08:03.516 --> 00:08:05.985
  • Finally, the angel makes himself visible,
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  • And balaam sees what's going on.
  • 00:08:08.187 --> 00:08:10.923
  • But the angel was trying to stop him.
  • 00:08:10.923 --> 00:08:13.359
  • So, balaam didn't do exactly what balak wanted him to do,
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  • But he came up with a little plan.
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  • He said, "listen, balak, here's what you need to do.
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  • Get your really foxy babes from moab to go sexually entice those
  • 00:08:21.734 --> 00:08:27.406
  • Young israeli boys to come into their tents and make them
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  • Worship at your little altars and your--
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  • Worship your false gods.
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  • And they'll go for it, and god will judge them."
  • 00:08:36.015 --> 00:08:38.084
  • And that's exactly what happened.
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  • So, what is this saying to us?
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  • Well, balaam, the sin of balaam is compromise.
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  • He wanted to do something, even when god told him not to do it.
  • 00:08:46.025 --> 00:08:50.463
  • And there are people like this today.
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  • They say, "well, i'm a christian.
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  • I want to go to heaven, but i kinda want to live like hell.
  • 00:08:53.966 --> 00:08:57.370
  • I still want to party. i still want to cheat.
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  • I still want to lie.
  • 00:08:59.572 --> 00:09:01.107
  • I still want to do whatever i need to do
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  • Or whatever i want to do."
  • 00:09:03.476 --> 00:09:05.778
  • And god's saying, "no, that's compromise.
  • 00:09:05.778 --> 00:09:09.115
  • That is the doctrine of balaam. don't live that way."
  • 00:09:09.115 --> 00:09:13.953
  • So, we need to follow the advice jesus gives here to pergamos.
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  • Verse 16, "repent, or i'll come to you quickly and
  • 00:09:18.691 --> 00:09:20.960
  • Fight against those with the sword of my mouth.
  • 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.663
  • He that has an ear to hear,
  • 00:09:23.663 --> 00:09:24.997
  • Let him hear what the spirit is saying."
  • 00:09:24.997 --> 00:09:27.233
  • This is god's wake-up call. let me just say this.
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  • Am i talking to somebody right now that says
  • 00:09:30.336 --> 00:09:32.772
  • They're a christian, but you're sleeping with
  • 00:09:32.772 --> 00:09:35.274
  • Your boyfriend or your girlfriend?
  • 00:09:35.274 --> 00:09:37.643
  • You say you're a christian,
  • 00:09:37.643 --> 00:09:39.412
  • But you're having an affair on your spouse.
  • 00:09:39.412 --> 00:09:42.682
  • You say you're a christian,
  • 00:09:42.682 --> 00:09:44.550
  • But you're lying on your tax returns.
  • 00:09:44.550 --> 00:09:46.852
  • You say you're a christian, and you regularly tear others down
  • 00:09:46.852 --> 00:09:51.991
  • And denigrate them and slander them.
  • 00:09:51.991 --> 00:09:54.627
  • Hold on now, you're like the people
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  • In the church of pergamos and you're like balaam,
  • 00:09:56.662 --> 00:10:00.132
  • You're compromising and that is not what god wants.
  • 00:10:00.132 --> 00:10:03.269
  • Bringing us to our fourth church identified as thyatira.
  • 00:10:03.269 --> 00:10:08.040
  • So, they go from compromise with pergamos to full blown
  • 00:10:08.040 --> 00:10:11.978
  • Acceptance of sin in the church of thyatira.
  • 00:10:11.978 --> 00:10:16.782
  • Revelation 2, verse 19, god or jesus says, "i know your
  • 00:10:16.782 --> 00:10:21.087
  • Works, your love, your service, your faith,
  • 00:10:21.087 --> 00:10:23.823
  • And your patience; and as for your works, your last
  • 00:10:23.823 --> 00:10:27.059
  • Are more than your first," so he commends them.
  • 00:10:27.059 --> 00:10:29.695
  • "you know, there's some of you doing pretty well."
  • 00:10:29.695 --> 00:10:31.931
  • "nevertheless i have a few things against you, because
  • 00:10:31.931 --> 00:10:34.700
  • You allow that woman jezebel, who calls herself
  • 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:38.070
  • A prophetess, to teach and seduce
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  • My servants to commit sexual immorality
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  • And eat things sacrificed to idols.
  • 00:10:43.843 --> 00:10:45.978
  • I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality,
  • 00:10:45.978 --> 00:10:48.547
  • And she did not repent," so who's jezebel?
  • 00:10:48.547 --> 00:10:51.851
  • Jezebel was the wife of king ahab.
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  • She was a wicked woman who was a queen of israel.
  • 00:10:54.453 --> 00:10:58.290
  • And she believed in the worship of the false god of baal.
  • 00:10:58.290 --> 00:11:02.795
  • Jezebel was the one that put the contract out on the prophet
  • 00:11:02.795 --> 00:11:05.965
  • Elijah and said, "i'm gonna put that man to death."
  • 00:11:05.965 --> 00:11:09.502
  • And she actually influenced the whole nation.
  • 00:11:09.502 --> 00:11:12.738
  • So, the church of thyatira had grown tolerant of sin.
  • 00:11:12.738 --> 00:11:18.344
  • Have you grown tolerant of sin in your life?
  • 00:11:18.344 --> 00:11:21.380
  • Are there things you know you should not be doing, but your
  • 00:11:21.380 --> 00:11:23.783
  • Conscience doesn't seem to be kicking in anymore?
  • 00:11:23.783 --> 00:11:28.521
  • Maybe you have a very tender heart, a sensitive conscience.
  • 00:11:28.521 --> 00:11:33.325
  • And when you do something wrong, when you think something wrong,
  • 00:11:33.325 --> 00:11:36.095
  • You feel guilt and remorse over it.
  • 00:11:36.095 --> 00:11:39.131
  • Rejoice, that means your conscience is working.
  • 00:11:39.131 --> 00:11:42.601
  • But if you can go and sin, if you can go and do things that
  • 00:11:42.601 --> 00:11:46.105
  • The bible says are wrong before god and not feel any ping of
  • 00:11:46.105 --> 00:11:50.209
  • Guilt or any remorse, something isn't working.
  • 00:11:50.209 --> 00:11:54.747
  • Pray that god will re-sensitize your conscience.
  • 00:11:54.747 --> 00:11:58.384
  • Jesus tells them to repent.
  • 00:11:58.384 --> 00:12:00.986
  • Now we come to the church of sardis
  • 00:12:00.986 --> 00:12:03.189
  • In revelation chapter 3, verse 1.
  • 00:12:03.189 --> 00:12:06.258
  • "to the angel of the church in sardis write
  • 00:12:06.258 --> 00:12:09.395
  • 'these things says he that has the seven spirits of
  • 00:12:09.395 --> 00:12:12.231
  • God and the seven stars: 'i know your works, you have
  • 00:12:12.231 --> 00:12:15.668
  • A name that you are alive, but you are dead.
  • 00:12:15.668 --> 00:12:18.904
  • Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain,
  • 00:12:18.904 --> 00:12:21.674
  • That are ready to die, for i have not found
  • 00:12:21.674 --> 00:12:23.809
  • Your works perfect before god.'"
  • 00:12:23.809 --> 00:12:26.879
  • Here with these churches we've looked on,
  • 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:29.081
  • We see the natural regression of sin.
  • 00:12:29.081 --> 00:12:32.351
  • Sin always pulls you down, so you begin to lose your passion
  • 00:12:32.351 --> 00:12:38.491
  • Like the believers in the church of ephesus.
  • 00:12:38.491 --> 00:12:41.560
  • Instead of moving forward,
  • 00:12:41.560 --> 00:12:42.928
  • You're starting to move backwards.
  • 00:12:42.928 --> 00:12:44.897
  • Then you start compromising like the churches of pergamos and
  • 00:12:44.897 --> 00:12:48.434
  • Thyatira, and you end up dead like sardis.
  • 00:12:48.434 --> 00:12:52.338
  • As i've said before, no one generally plans on backsliding.
  • 00:12:52.338 --> 00:12:56.208
  • But one day you wake up and you say, "what happened?
  • 00:12:56.208 --> 00:12:59.278
  • What happened to my life?
  • 00:12:59.278 --> 00:13:01.013
  • What happened to my marriage, or what happened to my health?
  • 00:13:01.013 --> 00:13:04.950
  • I've made all these bad decisions, how did i get here?
  • 00:13:04.950 --> 00:13:08.754
  • I never wanted to go to this place, but here i am."
  • 00:13:08.754 --> 00:13:12.291
  • It started through little compromises
  • 00:13:12.291 --> 00:13:15.094
  • That led to this slippery slope of sin.
  • 00:13:15.094 --> 00:13:20.132
  • Sardis is a church that looks good on the outside,
  • 00:13:20.199 --> 00:13:23.869
  • But they're dead on the inside.
  • 00:13:23.869 --> 00:13:25.771
  • Have you ever been to a hollywood set?
  • 00:13:25.771 --> 00:13:28.808
  • You realize that when you watch these movies and tv shows,
  • 00:13:28.808 --> 00:13:32.411
  • That a lot of the times they're not real buildings,
  • 00:13:32.411 --> 00:13:34.847
  • They're just the facade of a building, and behind it
  • 00:13:34.847 --> 00:13:38.083
  • Are pieces of wood holding it up, and so in many ways
  • 00:13:38.083 --> 00:13:42.621
  • This is a church that looked good on the outside,
  • 00:13:42.621 --> 00:13:45.024
  • But they were dead on the inside.
  • 00:13:45.024 --> 00:13:46.559
  • Is that a description of someone i'm talking to right now?
  • 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:49.461
  • Everyone thinks you're just the greatest christian of all time,
  • 00:13:49.461 --> 00:13:52.565
  • But there's a deadness inside of you.
  • 00:13:52.565 --> 00:13:55.367
  • That's what was happening with this church.
  • 00:13:55.367 --> 00:13:57.837
  • So, what can a dead church do?
  • 00:13:57.837 --> 00:14:00.472
  • Or let me personalize it, what can a believer do if they feel
  • 00:14:00.472 --> 00:14:04.677
  • That they're in a deadened state?
  • 00:14:04.677 --> 00:14:06.846
  • Well, the great physician, the lord himself,
  • 00:14:06.846 --> 00:14:09.949
  • Gives his prescription for recovery.
  • 00:14:09.949 --> 00:14:13.219
  • Here is--here's what he's saying, here's what you need
  • 00:14:13.219 --> 00:14:15.421
  • To do if you find yourself feeling spiritually dead.
  • 00:14:15.421 --> 00:14:19.525
  • It's all found in his description of himself in verse
  • 00:14:19.525 --> 00:14:22.995
  • 1 of chapter 3, he says he's the one who
  • 00:14:22.995 --> 00:14:26.599
  • Holds the seven spirits of god and seven stars.
  • 00:14:26.599 --> 00:14:31.704
  • The seven spirits are a symbol of the holy spirit
  • 00:14:31.704 --> 00:14:35.875
  • In his fullness.
  • 00:14:35.875 --> 00:14:39.011
  • What many believers need is to be empowered by the holy spirit.
  • 00:14:39.011 --> 00:14:44.717
  • Now we come to the church of the last days.
  • 00:14:44.717 --> 00:14:47.887
  • As we will discover in the book of revelation, i believe,
  • 00:14:47.887 --> 00:14:51.323
  • Personally, we're in the last days.
  • 00:14:51.323 --> 00:14:53.325
  • I'll make a case for that.
  • 00:14:53.325 --> 00:14:55.261
  • And by that, i mean i believe jesus could come for us
  • 00:14:55.261 --> 00:14:59.431
  • In our lifetime, so we want to be ready.
  • 00:14:59.431 --> 00:15:03.335
  • You don't want to be a part of the church of thyatira.
  • 00:15:03.335 --> 00:15:05.971
  • You don't want to be a part of the church of pergamos.
  • 00:15:05.971 --> 00:15:08.407
  • You definitely don't want to be in the church of sardis.
  • 00:15:08.407 --> 00:15:10.843
  • But you do want to be in this church 'cause, really, you
  • 00:15:10.843 --> 00:15:13.712
  • Choose what church you're gonna go to.
  • 00:15:13.712 --> 00:15:16.782
  • You decide what church you're gonna be.
  • 00:15:16.782 --> 00:15:19.685
  • It's really up to you.
  • 00:15:19.685 --> 00:15:21.687
  • This is the church now of philadelphia that's alive.
  • 00:15:21.687 --> 00:15:26.225
  • Look at revelation 3, verse 7, "to the angel of the
  • 00:15:26.225 --> 00:15:29.228
  • Church in philadelphia write 'these things says he
  • 00:15:29.228 --> 00:15:32.097
  • That is holy and is true, he who has the key of
  • 00:15:32.097 --> 00:15:34.700
  • David, he who opens and no one shuts, and shuts
  • 00:15:34.700 --> 00:15:38.537
  • And no one opens: i know your works.
  • 00:15:38.537 --> 00:15:41.840
  • I have set before you an open door, and no man can
  • 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:44.109
  • Shut it; for you have a little strength, and you
  • 00:15:44.109 --> 00:15:47.112
  • Have kept my word, and you have not denied my name."
  • 00:15:47.112 --> 00:15:50.049
  • Here's some takeaway truths from the church of the last
  • 00:15:50.049 --> 00:15:53.152
  • Days, the church we should all be a part of.
  • 00:15:53.152 --> 00:15:56.288
  • Number one, jesus has given to us an unprecedented open door.
  • 00:15:56.288 --> 00:16:02.828
  • God opens doors up.
  • 00:16:02.828 --> 00:16:04.263
  • Now, there might be an open door in your
  • 00:16:04.263 --> 00:16:05.597
  • Life right now with a neighbor.
  • 00:16:05.597 --> 00:16:07.399
  • They were closed, closed to the gospel, closed to anything
  • 00:16:07.399 --> 00:16:10.402
  • Spiritual and suddenly they're open.
  • 00:16:10.402 --> 00:16:12.871
  • Or you just met somebody, or an opportunity came up,
  • 00:16:12.871 --> 00:16:16.241
  • Look for open doors, they're out there, pay attention.
  • 00:16:16.241 --> 00:16:20.579
  • Number two, god has given us enough strength to do
  • 00:16:20.579 --> 00:16:23.916
  • What he has called us to do.
  • 00:16:23.916 --> 00:16:25.951
  • God has given us enough strength to do
  • 00:16:25.951 --> 00:16:28.887
  • What he has called us to do.
  • 00:16:28.887 --> 00:16:31.623
  • We read that this church was making a comeback.
  • 00:16:31.623 --> 00:16:34.426
  • In verse 8 jesus says, "you have a little strength."
  • 00:16:34.426 --> 00:16:37.863
  • By the way, that's not a negative criticism.
  • 00:16:37.863 --> 00:16:41.033
  • It's a commendation that he is giving to this church.
  • 00:16:41.033 --> 00:16:44.803
  • The picture here is of a sick person coming back to life.
  • 00:16:44.803 --> 00:16:49.141
  • As you may know, i got covid a number of months ago,
  • 00:16:49.141 --> 00:16:53.012
  • And i started with, you know, congestion
  • 00:16:53.012 --> 00:16:56.315
  • And a little bit of a fever, i had a mild case, thankfully.
  • 00:16:56.315 --> 00:17:00.619
  • But one thing that stayed with me for a while was fatigue.
  • 00:17:00.619 --> 00:17:05.591
  • It took me a while to get my energy back.
  • 00:17:05.591 --> 00:17:07.726
  • I would get up and do something, and i'd be tired
  • 00:17:07.726 --> 00:17:09.828
  • And just go sit for like an hour.
  • 00:17:09.828 --> 00:17:11.997
  • That's not me. i'm a very busy, active person.
  • 00:17:11.997 --> 00:17:15.467
  • But thankfully, my strength has come back again.
  • 00:17:15.467 --> 00:17:18.070
  • But that's a picture here of the church of philadelphia.
  • 00:17:18.070 --> 00:17:20.973
  • It's like a sick person coming back to life.
  • 00:17:20.973 --> 00:17:23.876
  • They're not at full health yet, but they're getting there.
  • 00:17:23.876 --> 00:17:26.745
  • They're out of the bed now. they're standing up again.
  • 00:17:26.745 --> 00:17:29.481
  • They're starting to move around again.
  • 00:17:29.481 --> 00:17:31.283
  • This would appear to say that the church of the end times is
  • 00:17:31.283 --> 00:17:35.387
  • Going to experience revival.
  • 00:17:35.387 --> 00:17:38.257
  • What is revival?
  • 00:17:38.257 --> 00:17:39.591
  • It's returning to original condition.
  • 00:17:39.591 --> 00:17:41.994
  • What is original condition?
  • 00:17:41.994 --> 00:17:43.662
  • It's the church of the 1st century,
  • 00:17:43.662 --> 00:17:45.931
  • The church that changed the world, the church
  • 00:17:45.931 --> 00:17:48.534
  • That turned the world upside down.
  • 00:17:48.534 --> 00:17:50.636
  • So, this last days church of philadelphia is coming back.
  • 00:17:50.636 --> 00:17:54.873
  • They're making a comeback.
  • 00:17:54.873 --> 00:17:57.142
  • Their strength is returning, a church that is going through
  • 00:17:57.142 --> 00:18:01.680
  • Open doors of opportunity.
  • 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:04.416
  • He gives them a promise.
  • 00:18:04.416 --> 00:18:05.951
  • And this shows this is a church of the last days.
  • 00:18:05.951 --> 00:18:09.021
  • In verse 10, he promises to keep them, he promises to keep us
  • 00:18:09.021 --> 00:18:14.693
  • From the great tribulation period.
  • 00:18:14.693 --> 00:18:16.862
  • Verse 10 says, jesus speaking, "i'll keep you
  • 00:18:16.862 --> 00:18:19.331
  • From the hour of trial that will come upon the whole world
  • 00:18:19.331 --> 00:18:22.434
  • To test those that dwell on the earth."
  • 00:18:22.434 --> 00:18:25.604
  • Now, we're all gonna go through trials
  • 00:18:25.604 --> 00:18:27.039
  • And tribulation in life as followers of jesus.
  • 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:30.609
  • Jesus even said, "in this world, you will have tribulation.
  • 00:18:30.609 --> 00:18:34.880
  • But be of good cheer, i have overcome the world."
  • 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:37.015
  • But there's a difference between personal tribulation and what we
  • 00:18:37.015 --> 00:18:42.387
  • Call the great tribulation period.
  • 00:18:42.387 --> 00:18:46.225
  • The great tribulation period is a global event.
  • 00:18:46.225 --> 00:18:49.962
  • Look at verse 10, he says,
  • 00:18:49.962 --> 00:18:51.630
  • "i'll keep you from the hour of trial that will come
  • 00:18:51.630 --> 00:18:53.632
  • Upon the whole world to test those that dwell on the earth."
  • 00:18:53.632 --> 00:19:00.005
  • This is a global event that will affect everybody.
  • 00:19:00.005 --> 00:19:03.709
  • Secondly, it's a specific period of time.
  • 00:19:03.709 --> 00:19:06.378
  • Jesus calls it an hour of trial.
  • 00:19:06.378 --> 00:19:09.581
  • It's not 60 minutes, it's seven years in total.
  • 00:19:09.581 --> 00:19:14.186
  • So, he says, "i'll keep you from that."
  • 00:19:14.186 --> 00:19:16.588
  • It is my firm belief that the lord will call us home to heaven
  • 00:19:16.588 --> 00:19:21.560
  • Before the tribulation period begins.
  • 00:19:21.560 --> 00:19:24.463
  • I believe the church will not go through the tribulation period.
  • 00:19:24.463 --> 00:19:28.600
  • I don't even think the tribulation period
  • 00:19:28.600 --> 00:19:30.802
  • Can begin until the church is removed.
  • 00:19:30.802 --> 00:19:34.806
  • Now, we come to our final church in the book of revelation,
  • 00:19:34.806 --> 00:19:38.644
  • The seven of seven churches.
  • 00:19:38.644 --> 00:19:41.980
  • Remember i said in the beginning, we start with an
  • 00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:45.117
  • Apostolic church and we end up with an apostate church.
  • 00:19:45.117 --> 00:19:49.821
  • Some churches make the lord weep,
  • 00:19:49.821 --> 00:19:52.624
  • Other churches make the lord angry.
  • 00:19:52.624 --> 00:19:55.160
  • This church makes the lord sick, but he loved them anyway.
  • 00:19:55.160 --> 00:20:00.465
  • Look at revelation 3, verse 14.
  • 00:20:00.465 --> 00:20:04.503
  • "and to the angel of the church of the laodiceans
  • 00:20:04.503 --> 00:20:07.206
  • Write 'these things sayeth the amen, the faithful and
  • 00:20:07.206 --> 00:20:10.275
  • True witness, the beginning of the creation of god:
  • 00:20:10.275 --> 00:20:13.278
  • I know your works, you're neither cold nor hot,
  • 00:20:13.278 --> 00:20:16.682
  • How i wish you were cold or hot.
  • 00:20:16.682 --> 00:20:19.184
  • So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold
  • 00:20:19.184 --> 00:20:21.420
  • Nor hot, i will vomit you out of my mouth."
  • 00:20:21.420 --> 00:20:25.991
  • Now, if you have a king james version,
  • 00:20:25.991 --> 00:20:28.160
  • We have jesus saying, "i will spew you."
  • 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:30.429
  • Well, that's a very nice way of putting it, i will spew you.
  • 00:20:30.429 --> 00:20:33.265
  • You know, you're feeling nauseated.
  • 00:20:33.265 --> 00:20:34.600
  • [in a british accent ]"oh, excuse me, i think i have
  • 00:20:34.600 --> 00:20:36.335
  • To go spew," i don't know why you'd have a british accent.
  • 00:20:36.335 --> 00:20:39.571
  • "but i'm gonna go spew."
  • 00:20:39.571 --> 00:20:41.206
  • Well, this translation says, "i'll vomit you,"
  • 00:20:41.206 --> 00:20:43.408
  • And that's exactly the word.
  • 00:20:43.408 --> 00:20:45.110
  • I will regurgitate you. it makes me sick to my stomach.
  • 00:20:45.110 --> 00:20:50.282
  • This is a pretty harsh criticism
  • 00:20:50.282 --> 00:20:53.185
  • That jesus is giving of this church.
  • 00:20:53.185 --> 00:20:55.787
  • And he says, "i'd rather you be hot, i'd rather you be cold,
  • 00:20:55.787 --> 00:20:59.224
  • But if you're lukewarm, it turns my stomach.
  • 00:20:59.224 --> 00:21:02.060
  • Look at verse 17, jesus says, "you say, 'i'm rich, i've become
  • 00:21:02.060 --> 00:21:05.030
  • Wealthy, i have need of nothing.'
  • 00:21:05.030 --> 00:21:06.832
  • Don't you know you're miserable, wretched,
  • 00:21:06.832 --> 00:21:09.401
  • Poor, blind, and naked?"
  • 00:21:09.401 --> 00:21:11.770
  • You see, here's the thing, you may be lukewarm
  • 00:21:11.770 --> 00:21:14.339
  • And not even know it.
  • 00:21:14.339 --> 00:21:15.774
  • You may be lukewarm if you're completely bored right now.
  • 00:21:15.774 --> 00:21:19.511
  • I'm not implying that everyone who is bored with my sermons is
  • 00:21:19.511 --> 00:21:23.782
  • Lukewarm, but as i'm talking about
  • 00:21:23.782 --> 00:21:25.751
  • These things, you're disinterested.
  • 00:21:25.751 --> 00:21:27.452
  • If you're on fire, you're like, "tell me more,"
  • 00:21:27.452 --> 00:21:29.921
  • You're leaning in.
  • 00:21:29.921 --> 00:21:31.256
  • If you're lukewarm, you're like, "come on,
  • 00:21:31.256 --> 00:21:32.591
  • Just wrap this up, aren't you done yet?
  • 00:21:32.591 --> 00:21:34.493
  • Who cares about this?
  • 00:21:34.493 --> 00:21:35.827
  • I've done my little token thing and
  • 00:21:35.827 --> 00:21:37.829
  • Watched this sermon, i have other things to do."
  • 00:21:37.829 --> 00:21:41.166
  • No, don't be a lukewarm person. but listen to what jesus says.
  • 00:21:41.166 --> 00:21:44.236
  • He says, "as many as i love,"
  • 00:21:44.236 --> 00:21:45.737
  • Verse 19, "i rebuke and chasten."
  • 00:21:45.737 --> 00:21:48.707
  • That can be translated, "as many as i dearly tenderly love."
  • 00:21:48.707 --> 00:21:53.745
  • I started by talking about love, and the way that god shows us he
  • 00:21:53.745 --> 00:21:57.082
  • Loves us, among other things, is to tell us the truth.
  • 00:21:57.082 --> 00:22:01.119
  • Hebrews 12 says, "the lord disciplines those he loves, and
  • 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:04.690
  • He chastens those he accepts as his children."
  • 00:22:04.690 --> 00:22:09.194
  • If the lord has chastened you, and by chastened, i mean he's
  • 00:22:09.194 --> 00:22:11.863
  • Convicted you of your sin, and by convicting you, i mean
  • 00:22:11.863 --> 00:22:16.068
  • There's a sense of guilt that i alluded to earlier.
  • 00:22:16.068 --> 00:22:19.738
  • "oh, i shouldn't be doing this."
  • 00:22:19.738 --> 00:22:21.640
  • That's a reminder that god loves you, you see?
  • 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:25.077
  • He chastens the one he loves.
  • 00:22:25.077 --> 00:22:26.712
  • I love how david wrote in psalm 23 of the lord,
  • 00:22:26.712 --> 00:22:30.482
  • "your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
  • 00:22:30.482 --> 00:22:33.952
  • So, what do you do if you become lukewarm?
  • 00:22:33.952 --> 00:22:36.121
  • What is the answer to come out of lukewarmness?
  • 00:22:36.121 --> 00:22:38.890
  • And i'll close with this.
  • 00:22:38.890 --> 00:22:40.258
  • You have to enter into a relationship with jesus christ.
  • 00:22:40.258 --> 00:22:44.963
  • See, you can be a religious person
  • 00:22:44.963 --> 00:22:46.898
  • And have no relationship with god.
  • 00:22:46.898 --> 00:22:49.267
  • You can go to church and not have
  • 00:22:49.267 --> 00:22:50.936
  • Christ living inside of you.
  • 00:22:50.936 --> 00:22:53.004
  • Going to a church doesn't make you a christian any more than
  • 00:22:53.004 --> 00:22:56.141
  • Going into a doughnut shop makes you a cop.
  • 00:22:56.141 --> 00:22:59.911
  • That's a joke, but you get what i'm saying.
  • 00:22:59.911 --> 00:23:02.514
  • Some people go to church, they do the things outwardly,
  • 00:23:02.514 --> 00:23:05.050
  • But christ is not living inside of them.
  • 00:23:05.050 --> 00:23:08.086
  • Now, look at the words of the lord,
  • 00:23:08.086 --> 00:23:09.688
  • A very familiar verse.
  • 00:23:09.688 --> 00:23:11.957
  • Many of us have committed it to memory.
  • 00:23:11.957 --> 00:23:14.259
  • Revelation 3:20.
  • 00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:15.794
  • Jesus says to the church of laodicea,
  • 00:23:15.794 --> 00:23:19.498
  • "behold, i stand at the door and knock.
  • 00:23:19.498 --> 00:23:22.267
  • If any man hear my voice and open the door, i will come in
  • 00:23:22.267 --> 00:23:27.672
  • And dine with him, and he with me."
  • 00:23:27.672 --> 00:23:31.777
  • Greg: maybe god has spoken to your heart,
  • 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:37.115
  • And you have seen your need for jesus christ.
  • 00:23:37.115 --> 00:23:40.519
  • Jesus christ is the son of god
  • 00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:43.522
  • Who came from heaven to this earth.
  • 00:23:43.522 --> 00:23:45.924
  • He was born in a manger. he died on a cross.
  • 00:23:45.924 --> 00:23:49.661
  • He rose again from the dead, why?
  • 00:23:49.661 --> 00:23:51.663
  • Because he loves you, and he wants a relationship with you.
  • 00:23:51.663 --> 00:23:55.267
  • Listen, i'm not talking about religion.
  • 00:23:55.267 --> 00:23:57.469
  • I don't want to be a religious person,
  • 00:23:57.469 --> 00:23:59.304
  • I don't think you want to be one either.
  • 00:23:59.304 --> 00:24:01.273
  • I'm talking about relationship with god.
  • 00:24:01.273 --> 00:24:04.910
  • Jesus, who died and rose again, stands
  • 00:24:04.910 --> 00:24:07.679
  • At the door of your life and he knocks.
  • 00:24:07.679 --> 00:24:10.148
  • And he says if you'll hear his voice,
  • 00:24:10.148 --> 00:24:12.050
  • And open the door, he will come in.
  • 00:24:12.050 --> 00:24:14.252
  • Question, have you asked jesus christ
  • 00:24:14.252 --> 00:24:16.621
  • To come and live inside of you?
  • 00:24:16.621 --> 00:24:18.557
  • You might say, "well, i think so, i'm not sure."
  • 00:24:18.557 --> 00:24:20.592
  • Hey, if someone moved into your house in the middle of the
  • 00:24:20.592 --> 00:24:22.861
  • Night, do you think you would be aware of it?
  • 00:24:22.861 --> 00:24:25.730
  • I'm sure you would.
  • 00:24:25.730 --> 00:24:27.098
  • And in the same way, if christ has come to live
  • 00:24:27.098 --> 00:24:29.367
  • Inside of you, you will know.
  • 00:24:29.367 --> 00:24:31.436
  • And if you don't know, maybe he has not come in yet.
  • 00:24:31.436 --> 00:24:35.207
  • He's just a prayer away.
  • 00:24:35.207 --> 00:24:37.042
  • All you need to do is say, "jesus,
  • 00:24:37.042 --> 00:24:39.077
  • I want this relationship with you.
  • 00:24:39.077 --> 00:24:41.079
  • I want you to forgive me of my sin.
  • 00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:43.448
  • I want to go to heaven when i die."
  • 00:24:43.448 --> 00:24:45.484
  • Would you like to do that?
  • 00:24:45.484 --> 00:24:46.918
  • Would you like christ to come into your life?
  • 00:24:46.918 --> 00:24:49.488
  • If so, why don't you just pray this simple prayer with me?
  • 00:24:49.488 --> 00:24:52.557
  • You can pray it out loud or you can
  • 00:24:52.557 --> 00:24:54.493
  • Pray it in the quietness of your heart.
  • 00:24:54.493 --> 00:24:57.062
  • But this is a prayer where you're asking
  • 00:24:57.062 --> 00:24:58.630
  • Jesus christ to be your savior and lord.
  • 00:24:58.630 --> 00:25:01.733
  • Pray this with me now.
  • 00:25:01.733 --> 00:25:03.068
  • "lord jesus, i know that i'm a sinner, but i know that you're
  • 00:25:03.068 --> 00:25:07.305
  • The savior who died on the cross for my sin and
  • 00:25:07.305 --> 00:25:11.576
  • Rose again from the dead.
  • 00:25:11.576 --> 00:25:12.911
  • Now come into my life.
  • 00:25:12.911 --> 00:25:15.480
  • I choose to follow you from this moment forward.
  • 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:20.018
  • Thank you for hearing this prayer
  • 00:25:20.018 --> 00:25:22.120
  • And answering this prayer, in jesus's name, amen."
  • 00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:26.791
  • Did you just pray that prayer with me?
  • 00:25:26.791 --> 00:25:28.994
  • If so, i want you to know, in the authority of scripture, that
  • 00:25:28.994 --> 00:25:31.863
  • Christ himself has come to live inside of you.
  • 00:25:31.863 --> 00:25:35.166
  • And i would love to send to you at no charge
  • 00:25:35.166 --> 00:25:38.236
  • Something called the new believer's bible.
  • 00:25:38.236 --> 00:25:40.872
  • It's a very friendly translation of the new testament
  • 00:25:40.872 --> 00:25:43.742
  • You'll find very understandable, and it's filled with hundreds of
  • 00:25:43.742 --> 00:25:47.345
  • Notes that i wrote that will encourage you
  • 00:25:47.345 --> 00:25:50.248
  • In this commitment you've just made to follow jesus.
  • 00:25:50.248 --> 00:25:53.151
  • Let me send that to you at no charge.
  • 00:25:53.151 --> 00:25:55.687
  • And let me be the first to say to you,
  • 00:25:55.687 --> 00:25:57.822
  • Congratulations, and welcome to the family of god.
  • 00:25:57.822 --> 00:26:02.661
  • Greg: you know, we you say to a new believer, "start reading
  • 00:26:02.727 --> 00:26:05.964
  • The bible," but they don't know where to start, do they?
  • 00:26:05.964 --> 00:26:09.301
  • So, we have a special edition of the bible
  • 00:26:09.301 --> 00:26:12.938
  • Called the new believer's bible.
  • 00:26:12.938 --> 00:26:15.106
  • I wrote thousands of notes for it, and i sort of see it as what
  • 00:26:15.106 --> 00:26:19.811
  • I would do if i was sitting down with a person over a cup of
  • 00:26:19.811 --> 00:26:22.781
  • Coffee and explaining the basics of the christian life to them.
  • 00:26:22.781 --> 00:26:27.819
  • There's over 10 million copies of this bible in print, but
  • 00:26:27.819 --> 00:26:31.556
  • Here's the exciting news.
  • 00:26:31.556 --> 00:26:33.491
  • We have personally given out 700,000 of these at no charge to
  • 00:26:33.491 --> 00:26:38.597
  • People to help them in their spiritual journey.
  • 00:26:38.597 --> 00:26:42.634
  • So, we need your help to keep doing this, so let's invest in
  • 00:26:42.634 --> 00:26:47.238
  • The spiritual future of people that are going to come to christ
  • 00:26:47.238 --> 00:26:51.009
  • Who will get a copy of the new believer's bible for themself.
  • 00:26:51.009 --> 00:26:54.946
  • Thank you for your financial support.
  • 00:26:54.946 --> 00:26:56.982
  • Together, we can change lives.
  • 00:26:56.982 --> 00:26:59.684
  • Female announcer: jesus says that where two or three are
  • 00:27:03.788 --> 00:27:06.191
  • Gathered in my name, there i am in the midst of them.
  • 00:27:06.191 --> 00:27:10.629
  • We are all different.
  • 00:27:10.629 --> 00:27:11.997
  • We have different interests, different personalities,
  • 00:27:11.997 --> 00:27:15.133
  • Different upbringings, and different ways we do life,
  • 00:27:15.133 --> 00:27:19.070
  • But here, we have a deep connection,
  • 00:27:19.070 --> 00:27:22.607
  • And you are welcome here.
  • 00:27:22.607 --> 00:27:26.711
  • This is harvest.
  • 00:27:26.711 --> 00:27:29.648