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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - The Danger of the Compromised Life

September 9, 2025 | 27:40

Greg Laurie - The Danger of the Compromised Life
Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#Freedom #Lifestyle #Choices #Sin #FalseGods #Idols #Heart #WordofGod #Faith #TrustGod #Obedience

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - The Danger of the Compromised Life | September 9, 2025
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:00:00.477 --> 00:00:03.780
  • Greg laurie: god has given to you a free will.
  • 00:00:03.913 --> 00:00:05.949
  • The choice is yours.
  • 00:00:06.082 --> 00:00:07.584
  • You decide if you will go to heaven or hell.
  • 00:00:07.717 --> 00:00:08.518
  • You decide if you will follow christ or satan.
  • 00:00:10.353 --> 00:00:13.490
  • You decide if your sins will be forgiven,
  • 00:00:13.490 --> 00:00:15.792
  • Or you'll have to give an account for them.
  • 00:00:15.792 --> 00:00:18.228
  • That's all up to you.
  • 00:00:18.228 --> 00:00:19.963
  • But once you've made that decision,
  • 00:00:19.963 --> 00:00:21.931
  • God, in effect, will strengthen you in it.
  • 00:00:21.931 --> 00:00:25.769
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:00:25.769 --> 00:00:29.606
  • ♪ this is the day, the day when life begins. ♪
  • 00:00:29.606 --> 00:00:39.115
  • Greg: you know, prior to knowing jesus christ,
  • 00:00:43.053 --> 00:00:46.122
  • If we knew it or not, if we liked it or not,
  • 00:00:46.122 --> 00:00:49.225
  • We were under the power and control of the devil.
  • 00:00:49.225 --> 00:00:54.564
  • This is what the bible teaches.
  • 00:00:54.564 --> 00:00:56.266
  • The scripture tells us that this satan,
  • 00:00:56.266 --> 00:01:00.103
  • This god of this world, as he's called in the bible,
  • 00:01:00.103 --> 00:01:03.506
  • Blinded the eyes of us, and we were held captive by him,
  • 00:01:03.506 --> 00:01:07.944
  • Taken captive by him.
  • 00:01:07.944 --> 00:01:09.913
  • And the irony is we thought we were in
  • 00:01:09.913 --> 00:01:12.082
  • Control of our own lives.
  • 00:01:12.082 --> 00:01:13.716
  • That makes me laugh when people say,
  • 00:01:13.716 --> 00:01:15.285
  • "well, i don't want to become a christian,
  • 00:01:15.285 --> 00:01:16.753
  • Because i don't want to come under the control of god.
  • 00:01:16.753 --> 00:01:18.888
  • I'm the captain of my own ship.
  • 00:01:18.888 --> 00:01:21.224
  • I am in control of my own life."
  • 00:01:21.224 --> 00:01:23.059
  • No, you aren't.
  • 00:01:23.059 --> 00:01:24.794
  • You're under the control of the devil,
  • 00:01:24.794 --> 00:01:27.397
  • And he's a liar, and he ripped us off.
  • 00:01:27.397 --> 00:01:30.066
  • He promised us pleasure, but he brought us misery.
  • 00:01:30.066 --> 00:01:33.069
  • He promised us fun, but he brought us guilt.
  • 00:01:33.069 --> 00:01:35.638
  • He promised us life, but he brought us death.
  • 00:01:35.638 --> 00:01:38.842
  • And the most clever strategy of all,
  • 00:01:38.842 --> 00:01:41.678
  • He had us thinking he did not even exist.
  • 00:01:41.678 --> 00:01:43.947
  • But one day, in each of our lives,
  • 00:01:43.947 --> 00:01:46.015
  • For those of us who have put our faith in christ,
  • 00:01:46.015 --> 00:01:48.785
  • It was like a light went on.
  • 00:01:48.785 --> 00:01:51.054
  • Like a lightning bolt from heaven, it hit us.
  • 00:01:51.054 --> 00:01:54.290
  • Jesus christ is the answer.
  • 00:01:54.290 --> 00:01:56.159
  • Jesus christ is the one i've been searching for,
  • 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:59.262
  • So we believed in him, and that changed our life.
  • 00:01:59.262 --> 00:02:03.266
  • Now, this is the greatest event that will happen in any human
  • 00:02:03.266 --> 00:02:06.336
  • Life: the day that you're born again.
  • 00:02:06.336 --> 00:02:08.938
  • And i ask you today, are you born again,
  • 00:02:08.938 --> 00:02:11.474
  • And are you sure you're born again?
  • 00:02:11.474 --> 00:02:14.277
  • And if you're not, i'll tell you how to be at the end
  • 00:02:14.277 --> 00:02:16.312
  • Of the message.
  • 00:02:16.312 --> 00:02:17.647
  • But listen, after we made that commitment to christ,
  • 00:02:17.647 --> 00:02:20.416
  • You need to know what's going on.
  • 00:02:20.416 --> 00:02:21.985
  • The devil, well, to put it bluntly,
  • 00:02:21.985 --> 00:02:23.953
  • Is really ticked off.
  • 00:02:23.953 --> 00:02:26.422
  • He lost one of his own, and he's gonna do everything he can to
  • 00:02:26.422 --> 00:02:30.727
  • Undermine you, to trip you up, to pull you back,
  • 00:02:30.727 --> 00:02:34.297
  • If possible.
  • 00:02:34.297 --> 00:02:35.632
  • It's been said conversion has made our hearts a battlefield,
  • 00:02:35.632 --> 00:02:39.636
  • And it's true.
  • 00:02:39.636 --> 00:02:41.304
  • If you're not experiencing this spiritual battle,
  • 00:02:41.304 --> 00:02:43.673
  • Quite honestly, something is wrong with you.
  • 00:02:43.673 --> 00:02:47.210
  • And so i want you to know you're gonna face devilish opposition.
  • 00:02:47.210 --> 00:02:51.681
  • Now, i'm gonna talk about one of the devil's most effective
  • 00:02:51.681 --> 00:02:55.251
  • Strategies in this message, and that strategy is compromise.
  • 00:02:55.251 --> 00:03:00.023
  • And here's what we learned in hebrews 11, verse 27.
  • 00:03:00.023 --> 00:03:04.227
  • It says, "it was by faith that moses left the land of egypt,
  • 00:03:04.227 --> 00:03:09.666
  • Not fearing the king's anger.
  • 00:03:09.666 --> 00:03:11.801
  • He kept right on going, because he kept his eyes on the one
  • 00:03:11.801 --> 00:03:15.672
  • Who is invisible."
  • 00:03:15.672 --> 00:03:17.473
  • It was by faith, you see; because he had faith,
  • 00:03:17.473 --> 00:03:19.275
  • He did not have fear.
  • 00:03:19.275 --> 00:03:20.977
  • And the thing that prompted his faith and sustained his faith
  • 00:03:20.977 --> 00:03:23.680
  • Was keeping his eyes on jesus, looking to the lord.
  • 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:30.019
  • And when you have your eyes on the lord,
  • 00:03:30.019 --> 00:03:31.821
  • You can do amazing things; and when you take your eyes off
  • 00:03:31.821 --> 00:03:34.724
  • Of the lord, you're gonna face defeat.
  • 00:03:34.724 --> 00:03:37.727
  • So, let's see what happens now when moses has his first
  • 00:03:37.727 --> 00:03:40.330
  • Confrontation with the great pharaoh of egypt.
  • 00:03:40.330 --> 00:03:44.667
  • Now let's flip over to exodus chapter 7, verse 10.
  • 00:03:44.667 --> 00:03:47.937
  • "so, moses and aaron went into pharaoh,
  • 00:03:47.937 --> 00:03:50.073
  • And they did so just as the lord commanded.
  • 00:03:50.073 --> 00:03:52.175
  • And aaron cast down the rod--this is the shepherd's
  • 00:03:52.175 --> 00:03:54.877
  • Staff now.
  • 00:03:54.877 --> 00:03:56.212
  • "--before pharaoh and before his servants,
  • 00:03:56.212 --> 00:03:58.881
  • And it became a snake.
  • 00:03:58.881 --> 00:04:00.917
  • But pharaoh also had wise men and sorcerers,
  • 00:04:00.917 --> 00:04:03.253
  • And the magicians of egypt, they did the same thing with
  • 00:04:03.253 --> 00:04:06.489
  • Their enchantments.
  • 00:04:06.489 --> 00:04:07.824
  • Every man threw down his rod, and they became snakes,
  • 00:04:07.824 --> 00:04:10.660
  • But aaron's rod swallowed up their rods,
  • 00:04:10.660 --> 00:04:13.396
  • And pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them as the
  • 00:04:13.396 --> 00:04:18.101
  • Lord had said."
  • 00:04:18.101 --> 00:04:20.270
  • So now a series of judgments are gonna come upon egypt.
  • 00:04:20.270 --> 00:04:25.375
  • Each one is gonna be directed specifically against
  • 00:04:25.375 --> 00:04:29.646
  • A god of egypt.
  • 00:04:29.646 --> 00:04:31.581
  • You see, the egyptians worship pharaoh as god.
  • 00:04:31.581 --> 00:04:33.549
  • They worship the nile river as god.
  • 00:04:33.549 --> 00:04:35.685
  • They worshiped animals as god.
  • 00:04:35.685 --> 00:04:38.388
  • They worshiped frogs as god.
  • 00:04:38.388 --> 00:04:39.956
  • They worshiped all kinds of crazy things.
  • 00:04:39.956 --> 00:04:42.692
  • And so god's gonna bring a series of ten judgments
  • 00:04:42.692 --> 00:04:45.895
  • Or plagues against egypt
  • 00:04:45.895 --> 00:04:47.797
  • Each leveled at one of the gods they worship.
  • 00:04:47.797 --> 00:04:50.967
  • The first thing that happens is plague number one.
  • 00:04:50.967 --> 00:04:53.936
  • The nile river is turned to blood.
  • 00:04:53.936 --> 00:04:56.039
  • That's found in exodus 7:14-18.
  • 00:04:56.039 --> 00:04:59.509
  • God directs moses to go over with his staff,
  • 00:04:59.509 --> 00:05:01.644
  • And he calls pharaoh to come and watch,
  • 00:05:01.644 --> 00:05:04.547
  • And he puts the staff in the water,
  • 00:05:04.547 --> 00:05:06.449
  • And it turns to blood.
  • 00:05:06.449 --> 00:05:08.551
  • Now, not only did the egyptians worship the nile,
  • 00:05:08.551 --> 00:05:11.020
  • But that was also the source of food supply.
  • 00:05:11.020 --> 00:05:13.756
  • It was a source of drinking water.
  • 00:05:13.756 --> 00:05:16.959
  • They would use that water for bathing,
  • 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:19.162
  • For cooking, for cleaning, laundry,
  • 00:05:19.162 --> 00:05:20.963
  • And, of course, drinking, plus they got fish out of that nile
  • 00:05:20.963 --> 00:05:25.601
  • River, and now it's all turned to blood.
  • 00:05:25.601 --> 00:05:29.339
  • But the magicians come on.
  • 00:05:29.339 --> 00:05:31.941
  • Oh, that's no big deal.
  • 00:05:31.941 --> 00:05:33.543
  • We can do it, too.
  • 00:05:33.543 --> 00:05:35.044
  • And they take what little clear water there is and turn
  • 00:05:35.044 --> 00:05:36.913
  • That to blood.
  • 00:05:36.913 --> 00:05:38.247
  • It would almost seem to be a bit more logical if the magicians of
  • 00:05:38.247 --> 00:05:41.284
  • Pharaoh could turn the bloody water back to clear.
  • 00:05:41.284 --> 00:05:44.754
  • That would be helpful.
  • 00:05:44.754 --> 00:05:46.589
  • But they took what little clear water was left and turned
  • 00:05:46.589 --> 00:05:48.658
  • That to blood.
  • 00:05:48.658 --> 00:05:49.992
  • Whoever said sin makes sense?
  • 00:05:49.992 --> 00:05:51.694
  • Here's something i've discovered after years of walking with
  • 00:05:51.694 --> 00:05:55.631
  • The lord: sin makes you stupid.
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  • It does.
  • 00:05:59.268 --> 00:06:00.903
  • Sin makes you stupid.
  • 00:06:00.903 --> 00:06:02.438
  • I know clear thinking people--or at least i thought they were
  • 00:06:02.438 --> 00:06:05.508
  • Clear thinking--intelligent people do the most irrational
  • 00:06:05.508 --> 00:06:09.712
  • Things under the control of sin.
  • 00:06:09.712 --> 00:06:12.415
  • As the great theologian forrest gump once said,
  • 00:06:12.415 --> 00:06:17.620
  • "stupid is, is as stupid does."
  • 00:06:17.620 --> 00:06:20.089
  • Really bad forrest gump imitation.
  • 00:06:20.089 --> 00:06:22.959
  • And because of this devilish imitation that pharaoh
  • 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:26.929
  • Hardens his heart.
  • 00:06:26.929 --> 00:06:28.998
  • But really what was happening was god was striking down
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  • Their god.
  • 00:06:32.502 --> 00:06:34.070
  • He was saying, "you worship the nile as a god.
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  • Your god just failed you.
  • 00:06:36.139 --> 00:06:39.175
  • Your god isn't real.
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  • Where is your god now?"
  • 00:06:40.510 --> 00:06:42.378
  • You know, we can have gods, too, with a small g.
  • 00:06:42.378 --> 00:06:45.515
  • A god, an idol is anything or anyone that takes the place
  • 00:06:45.515 --> 00:06:51.454
  • Of the lord god in our life.
  • 00:06:51.454 --> 00:06:55.224
  • You know, some people make gods out of careers,
  • 00:06:55.224 --> 00:06:57.560
  • Some even ministries.
  • 00:06:57.560 --> 00:06:59.962
  • Some make gods out of relationships.
  • 00:06:59.962 --> 00:07:01.831
  • Some make gods out of possessions.
  • 00:07:01.831 --> 00:07:04.066
  • That becomes the most important thing to them.
  • 00:07:04.066 --> 00:07:07.336
  • And sometimes something will happen to remove that god that
  • 00:07:07.336 --> 00:07:10.706
  • Has blocked the true lord out of our lives.
  • 00:07:10.706 --> 00:07:15.845
  • Maybe you're terminated from your job.
  • 00:07:15.845 --> 00:07:17.914
  • Maybe the relationship unravels.
  • 00:07:17.914 --> 00:07:20.516
  • Maybe the object you worshipped is stolen,
  • 00:07:20.516 --> 00:07:22.552
  • Or damaged, or whatever it is.
  • 00:07:22.552 --> 00:07:24.987
  • Your god is knocked over, and you realize it was never a true
  • 00:07:24.987 --> 00:07:28.324
  • God at all, and it opened your eyes to see your need for
  • 00:07:28.324 --> 00:07:32.595
  • The true and living god.
  • 00:07:32.595 --> 00:07:34.997
  • And here's pharaoh.
  • 00:07:34.997 --> 00:07:36.332
  • He's seen the nile river turned to blood,
  • 00:07:36.332 --> 00:07:38.568
  • But still his heart gets hard.
  • 00:07:38.568 --> 00:07:40.436
  • In fact, exodus 7:23 says, "he returned to his palace and put
  • 00:07:40.436 --> 00:07:43.172
  • The whole thing out of his mind."
  • 00:07:43.172 --> 00:07:46.242
  • Said, "god, big deal."
  • 00:07:46.242 --> 00:07:47.743
  • Now plague number two comes, an invasion of frogs.
  • 00:07:47.743 --> 00:07:51.380
  • That's in exodus 8, and this is a crazy plague,
  • 00:07:51.380 --> 00:07:56.052
  • Frogs everywhere.
  • 00:07:56.052 --> 00:07:57.653
  • You know, when i lived in hawai‘i years ago--i was
  • 00:07:57.653 --> 00:08:01.023
  • A kid--we used to walk around everywhere barefoot.
  • 00:08:01.023 --> 00:08:04.060
  • And, you know, so at night you'd walk around barefoot
  • 00:08:04.060 --> 00:08:07.363
  • And sometimes step on frogs.
  • 00:08:07.363 --> 00:08:09.832
  • There's lots of frogs in hawai‘i, and they're big frogs.
  • 00:08:09.832 --> 00:08:12.568
  • And i'll tell you, that is gross.
  • 00:08:12.568 --> 00:08:14.904
  • You know, have you ever stepped on a snail barefoot.
  • 00:08:14.904 --> 00:08:17.773
  • That's so bad. here's why: squish.
  • 00:08:17.773 --> 00:08:20.943
  • Oh, ugh!
  • 00:08:20.943 --> 00:08:22.778
  • A frog's worse.
  • 00:08:22.778 --> 00:08:24.981
  • [making squishing noises] ribbit.
  • 00:08:24.981 --> 00:08:26.983
  • Oh!
  • 00:08:26.983 --> 00:08:28.584
  • Is there a frog on my foot?
  • 00:08:28.584 --> 00:08:30.186
  • Oh, no, you know.
  • 00:08:30.186 --> 00:08:31.521
  • There were frogs everywhere, the bible says.
  • 00:08:31.521 --> 00:08:34.423
  • There were frogs on the floor.
  • 00:08:34.423 --> 00:08:35.858
  • There were frogs in the chairs.
  • 00:08:35.858 --> 00:08:37.426
  • There were frogs in the ovens.
  • 00:08:37.426 --> 00:08:38.895
  • There were frogs in the bed.
  • 00:08:38.895 --> 00:08:40.530
  • You know, you kiss your wife goodnight.
  • 00:08:40.530 --> 00:08:42.031
  • "goodnight, honey, i love you."
  • 00:08:42.031 --> 00:08:43.366
  • Ribbit. oh.
  • 00:08:43.366 --> 00:08:45.368
  • And it's a funny thing because the egyptians worshiped
  • 00:08:45.368 --> 00:08:48.504
  • A frog god.
  • 00:08:48.504 --> 00:08:50.406
  • His name in egyptian was kermoto,
  • 00:08:50.406 --> 00:08:52.808
  • And i made that up.
  • 00:08:52.808 --> 00:08:56.445
  • That was--remember kermit?
  • 00:08:56.445 --> 00:08:57.847
  • Kermit the frog, sesame street--
  • 00:08:57.847 --> 00:09:00.983
  • It was actually called heget, h-e-g-e-t.
  • 00:09:00.983 --> 00:09:04.987
  • They worshiped a frog.
  • 00:09:04.987 --> 00:09:07.456
  • What a stupid thing to worship.
  • 00:09:07.456 --> 00:09:10.226
  • God says, "you want frogs?
  • 00:09:10.226 --> 00:09:12.061
  • Is this your god?
  • 00:09:12.061 --> 00:09:13.396
  • Here's a whole bunch of gods to worship.
  • 00:09:13.396 --> 00:09:15.331
  • Have fun, gang."
  • 00:09:15.331 --> 00:09:16.766
  • Yeah, there were frogs everywhere.
  • 00:09:16.766 --> 00:09:18.434
  • And then the pharaoh goes to moses and says,
  • 00:09:18.434 --> 00:09:21.537
  • "make these frogs go away."
  • 00:09:21.537 --> 00:09:23.306
  • And then moses prays, and the frogs all die.
  • 00:09:23.306 --> 00:09:27.243
  • The only thing worse than a living frog is a dead frog,
  • 00:09:27.243 --> 00:09:29.545
  • And it's stinking.
  • 00:09:29.545 --> 00:09:30.980
  • And coming back to my childhood in hawai‘i,
  • 00:09:30.980 --> 00:09:32.348
  • We would get up in the morning, and there would be all these
  • 00:09:32.348 --> 00:09:34.951
  • Frogs laying on the street that were run over by cars, you know?
  • 00:09:34.951 --> 00:09:38.788
  • They were, like, in this little, like this position.
  • 00:09:38.788 --> 00:09:41.490
  • And they made great little frisbees, frog frisbee.
  • 00:09:41.490 --> 00:09:44.193
  • They're only good for one throw.
  • 00:09:44.193 --> 00:09:46.228
  • They fell apart. but this is all true.
  • 00:09:46.228 --> 00:09:48.698
  • And the bible says the land stank.
  • 00:09:48.698 --> 00:09:52.969
  • I love that word stank.
  • 00:09:52.969 --> 00:09:55.171
  • That's a good biblical word of someone who isn't smelling well.
  • 00:09:55.171 --> 00:09:59.275
  • You know, you need to take a shower, bro.
  • 00:09:59.275 --> 00:10:01.010
  • Man, you be stanking.
  • 00:10:01.010 --> 00:10:02.645
  • You know, the land stank.
  • 00:10:02.645 --> 00:10:05.781
  • So, pharaoh, of course, now his heart softened,
  • 00:10:05.781 --> 00:10:08.484
  • And he responded no, exodus 8:15.
  • 00:10:08.484 --> 00:10:11.487
  • "pharaoh saw there was relief, and he hardened his heart.
  • 00:10:11.487 --> 00:10:15.658
  • This is so typical of nonbelievers.
  • 00:10:15.658 --> 00:10:17.827
  • Pharaoh asked moses to call on god,
  • 00:10:17.827 --> 00:10:21.030
  • And moses did.
  • 00:10:21.030 --> 00:10:23.532
  • And once the crisis was gone, pharaoh said,
  • 00:10:23.532 --> 00:10:25.935
  • "great, i'll go back to being hard again.
  • 00:10:25.935 --> 00:10:28.304
  • Heard about a hospital chaplain who kept a record of some 2,000
  • 00:10:28.304 --> 00:10:31.941
  • Patients, all of whom were near death,
  • 00:10:31.941 --> 00:10:35.378
  • Or at least thought they were.
  • 00:10:35.378 --> 00:10:37.480
  • And what he found was of those who were sorry and repentant
  • 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:41.050
  • For their sins, when they were restored back to health,
  • 00:10:41.050 --> 00:10:46.122
  • He felt only two out of 2,000 showed a marked change in
  • 00:10:46.122 --> 00:10:51.093
  • Their spiritual lives after their recovery.
  • 00:10:51.093 --> 00:10:54.597
  • In other words, when they thought they were dying,
  • 00:10:54.597 --> 00:10:56.098
  • "oh, god, help me.
  • 00:10:56.098 --> 00:10:57.767
  • Oh, god, i turn to you."
  • 00:10:57.767 --> 00:10:59.201
  • And then when they recovered, "oh, thanks, god.
  • 00:10:59.201 --> 00:11:01.604
  • See ya later."
  • 00:11:01.604 --> 00:11:03.039
  • That's what the pharaoh was doing.
  • 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:04.507
  • "oh, you got me out of this mess.
  • 00:11:04.507 --> 00:11:05.841
  • Well, i'll just go back to hardening my heart."
  • 00:11:05.841 --> 00:11:07.476
  • So, what's going on with this heart of pharaoh?
  • 00:11:07.476 --> 00:11:10.312
  • And this raises one of the apparent contradictions in the
  • 00:11:10.312 --> 00:11:14.383
  • Bible, because we read here that pharaoh hardened his heart.
  • 00:11:14.383 --> 00:11:19.588
  • But then later on in exodus 10:1,
  • 00:11:19.588 --> 00:11:21.691
  • We read god hardened pharaoh's heart.
  • 00:11:21.691 --> 00:11:25.494
  • Contradiction.
  • 00:11:25.494 --> 00:11:27.496
  • Who hardened the heart?
  • 00:11:27.496 --> 00:11:28.831
  • Was it god or was it pharaoh?
  • 00:11:28.831 --> 00:11:30.166
  • The answer: both.
  • 00:11:30.166 --> 00:11:31.634
  • It's not a contradiction.
  • 00:11:31.634 --> 00:11:33.235
  • It's two sides of the same coin.
  • 00:11:33.235 --> 00:11:35.638
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:11:35.638 --> 00:11:40.309
  • Greg: hey, greg laurie here. maybe you've seen this.
  • 00:11:40.376 --> 00:11:42.611
  • This is called the "new believer's bible," and a number
  • 00:11:42.611 --> 00:11:45.948
  • Of years ago, i wanted to do an edition of scripture with
  • 00:11:45.948 --> 00:11:51.187
  • Commentary that would make the bible more accessible to someone
  • 00:11:51.187 --> 00:11:55.791
  • Who's never read it before, like a new believer.
  • 00:11:55.791 --> 00:11:58.828
  • But today we live, of course, in a digital world,
  • 00:11:58.828 --> 00:12:02.631
  • So we've taken the curriculum from the "new believer's bible"
  • 00:12:02.631 --> 00:12:06.001
  • And we created this online community of people just like
  • 00:12:06.001 --> 00:12:09.739
  • You who are studying the word of god together.
  • 00:12:09.739 --> 00:12:12.775
  • By the way, this is free of charge, you can learn at
  • 00:12:12.775 --> 00:12:15.811
  • Your own pace, but most importantly, you'll experience
  • 00:12:15.811 --> 00:12:19.348
  • The power of god's word to transform your life.
  • 00:12:19.348 --> 00:12:22.985
  • The bible says of itself it's alive and powerful and sharper
  • 00:12:22.985 --> 00:12:27.823
  • Than any two-edged sword, so i hope you'll take your phone
  • 00:12:27.823 --> 00:12:31.560
  • Right now and join us online at harvest discipleship.
  • 00:12:31.560 --> 00:12:35.898
  • Let's learn and grow together.
  • 00:12:35.898 --> 00:12:38.601
  • ♪ this is the day, the day when life begins. ♪
  • 00:12:41.704 --> 00:12:49.345
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:12:51.981 --> 00:12:56.185
  • Greg: initially, pharaoh hardened his heart.
  • 00:12:56.185 --> 00:12:58.487
  • Listen, god has given to you a free will.
  • 00:12:58.487 --> 00:13:00.890
  • The choice is yours.
  • 00:13:00.890 --> 00:13:02.658
  • You decide if you will go to heaven or hell.
  • 00:13:02.658 --> 00:13:05.127
  • You decide if you will follow christ or satan.
  • 00:13:05.127 --> 00:13:08.531
  • You decide if your sins will be forgiven,
  • 00:13:08.531 --> 00:13:11.467
  • Or you'll have to give an account for them.
  • 00:13:11.467 --> 00:13:13.335
  • That's all up to you.
  • 00:13:13.335 --> 00:13:15.004
  • But once you've made that decision,
  • 00:13:15.004 --> 00:13:17.339
  • God, in effect, will strengthen you in it.
  • 00:13:17.339 --> 00:13:20.309
  • If it's a decision to follow christ,
  • 00:13:20.309 --> 00:13:22.645
  • He will strengthen you in that decision,
  • 00:13:22.645 --> 00:13:24.413
  • Because a better translation of the word used,
  • 00:13:24.413 --> 00:13:26.682
  • When it says "god hardened pharaoh's heart," would be god
  • 00:13:26.682 --> 00:13:29.752
  • Strengthened or stiffened pharaoh's heart.
  • 00:13:29.752 --> 00:13:35.024
  • So, pharaoh initially hardened his heart,
  • 00:13:35.024 --> 00:13:38.360
  • And god confirmed him in that hardness.
  • 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:41.163
  • So, you're the one who decides, ultimately,
  • 00:13:41.163 --> 00:13:44.099
  • But then the lord will confirm you in the position you hold.
  • 00:13:44.099 --> 00:13:47.269
  • He will not violate your free will.
  • 00:13:47.269 --> 00:13:50.272
  • He will not overrule your free will.
  • 00:13:50.272 --> 00:13:53.108
  • And that's exactly what happened to pharaoh,
  • 00:13:53.108 --> 00:13:56.712
  • And his heart got harder and harder.
  • 00:13:56.712 --> 00:13:58.848
  • And the more signs that were done before him,
  • 00:13:58.848 --> 00:14:01.584
  • The harder his heart got, and that sort of addresses the idea
  • 00:14:01.584 --> 00:14:06.622
  • Of people believing if they see a miracle.
  • 00:14:06.622 --> 00:14:09.325
  • You know, you're thinking, "man, if i could perform a miracle,
  • 00:14:09.325 --> 00:14:12.094
  • I know all of my nonbelieving friends would come to christ.
  • 00:14:12.094 --> 00:14:14.830
  • Like, at my super bowl party after church,
  • 00:14:14.830 --> 00:14:17.800
  • If i could like have the, you know,
  • 00:14:17.800 --> 00:14:19.768
  • The burgers out on the grill, and if i can call fire from
  • 00:14:19.768 --> 00:14:22.171
  • Heaven on the burgers, they'd believe
  • 00:14:22.171 --> 00:14:25.274
  • Right there on the spot."
  • 00:14:25.274 --> 00:14:26.609
  • No, they wouldn't.
  • 00:14:26.609 --> 00:14:28.244
  • They wouldn't believe, because miracle after miracle was done
  • 00:14:28.244 --> 00:14:31.113
  • For pharaoh.
  • 00:14:31.113 --> 00:14:32.481
  • And more to the point, when christ walked this earth,
  • 00:14:32.481 --> 00:14:34.750
  • He healed people of leprosy.
  • 00:14:34.750 --> 00:14:36.886
  • He restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf.
  • 00:14:36.886 --> 00:14:40.389
  • He even raised people from the dead.
  • 00:14:40.389 --> 00:14:43.192
  • He walked on water, man.
  • 00:14:43.192 --> 00:14:45.561
  • What more do you want?
  • 00:14:45.561 --> 00:14:47.863
  • And by and large, almost all of the people turned against him,
  • 00:14:47.863 --> 00:14:51.767
  • Demanding his crucifixion and his death.
  • 00:14:51.767 --> 00:14:56.772
  • No, we don't need to do a miracle to cause people
  • 00:14:56.772 --> 00:14:59.074
  • To believe.
  • 00:14:59.074 --> 00:15:00.442
  • Here's what jesus said: "a wicked and adulterous generation
  • 00:15:00.442 --> 00:15:03.646
  • Seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to them but that
  • 00:15:03.646 --> 00:15:06.982
  • Of the prophet jonah.
  • 00:15:06.982 --> 00:15:09.418
  • And as jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the
  • 00:15:09.418 --> 00:15:12.054
  • Great fish, so will the son of man," speaking of himself,
  • 00:15:12.054 --> 00:15:15.991
  • "be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
  • 00:15:15.991 --> 00:15:18.961
  • What does that mean?
  • 00:15:18.961 --> 00:15:20.296
  • Let me loosely paraphrase that, and i think i'm doing justice
  • 00:15:20.296 --> 00:15:22.097
  • To what he was saying.
  • 00:15:22.097 --> 00:15:23.832
  • People don't need a miracle.
  • 00:15:23.832 --> 00:15:25.968
  • They don't need a sign.
  • 00:15:25.968 --> 00:15:27.536
  • Here's the sign they need: the death and resurrection
  • 00:15:27.536 --> 00:15:30.372
  • Of jesus christ from the dead.
  • 00:15:30.372 --> 00:15:32.574
  • That's our message to this culture.
  • 00:15:32.574 --> 00:15:34.410
  • Jesus loves you, jesus died for you,
  • 00:15:34.410 --> 00:15:36.946
  • Jesus rose again from the dead.
  • 00:15:36.946 --> 00:15:40.582
  • And jesus will come and take residence in your heart.
  • 00:15:40.582 --> 00:15:44.720
  • That's the sign we need, backed up by a godly lifestyle.
  • 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:50.225
  • Listen to this.
  • 00:15:50.225 --> 00:15:51.760
  • How does one get a hardened heart?
  • 00:15:51.760 --> 00:15:54.396
  • You might be surprised by my answer.
  • 00:15:54.396 --> 00:15:57.099
  • You get a hardened heart by continued exposure to
  • 00:15:57.099 --> 00:16:01.103
  • The truth of god and a refusal to obey and respond to it.
  • 00:16:01.103 --> 00:16:06.108
  • Let me say that again.
  • 00:16:06.108 --> 00:16:07.910
  • You get a hard heart by continued exposure
  • 00:16:07.910 --> 00:16:12.081
  • To the word of god or the truth of god and a refusal on your
  • 00:16:12.081 --> 00:16:17.653
  • Part to obey and respond to it.
  • 00:16:17.653 --> 00:16:19.655
  • We might think that the worst thing that can happen to
  • 00:16:19.655 --> 00:16:22.257
  • A person is that they get into some sensual lifestyle,
  • 00:16:22.257 --> 00:16:25.160
  • Be it drinking, or partying, or drugs,
  • 00:16:25.160 --> 00:16:28.263
  • Or whatever it is.
  • 00:16:28.263 --> 00:16:29.965
  • But listen, there's more chance for the person who's in the grip
  • 00:16:29.965 --> 00:16:33.102
  • Of some specific sin and still retains a heart and
  • 00:16:33.102 --> 00:16:36.739
  • A conscience, than for the man or woman who is hardened.
  • 00:16:36.739 --> 00:16:41.410
  • And where is the easiest place to get a hardened heart?
  • 00:16:41.410 --> 00:16:44.780
  • Right there.
  • 00:16:44.780 --> 00:16:47.049
  • Yes, you heard me right.
  • 00:16:47.049 --> 00:16:48.717
  • Right here in church; because some will hear the word of god,
  • 00:16:48.717 --> 00:16:52.654
  • And they'll receive the word of god,
  • 00:16:52.654 --> 00:16:54.890
  • And they'll obey the word of god,
  • 00:16:54.890 --> 00:16:57.026
  • And they'll be changed by god.
  • 00:16:57.026 --> 00:16:59.395
  • And others will hear the word of god.
  • 00:16:59.395 --> 00:17:01.530
  • They may not even hear it.
  • 00:17:01.530 --> 00:17:03.032
  • They may have ear plugs in or doing something else.
  • 00:17:03.032 --> 00:17:05.934
  • But they'll just blow it off, and then their heart will get
  • 00:17:05.934 --> 00:17:09.471
  • Hard, hearing god's word.
  • 00:17:09.471 --> 00:17:12.207
  • So, let's hear god's word as we ought to hear it,
  • 00:17:12.207 --> 00:17:15.444
  • And let it change our life.
  • 00:17:15.444 --> 00:17:17.446
  • Because if we don't hear it the way we ought to hear it,
  • 00:17:17.446 --> 00:17:19.982
  • It can harden our heart, and you can end up like pharaoh.
  • 00:17:19.982 --> 00:17:24.153
  • It's scary.
  • 00:17:24.153 --> 00:17:25.788
  • And actually, over in the book of hebrews,
  • 00:17:25.788 --> 00:17:27.923
  • We read these words in hebrews 3: "don't harden your heart,
  • 00:17:27.923 --> 00:17:32.061
  • Brothers," speaking to christians,
  • 00:17:32.061 --> 00:17:34.396
  • "and walking away from the living god,
  • 00:17:34.396 --> 00:17:36.765
  • But stand firm in the faith while it's still called today."
  • 00:17:36.765 --> 00:17:40.969
  • So, it's basically saying we, as believers,
  • 00:17:40.969 --> 00:17:43.672
  • Can harden our heart.
  • 00:17:43.672 --> 00:17:45.174
  • Let's not let that happen.
  • 00:17:45.174 --> 00:17:47.976
  • Well, now comes plague number three,
  • 00:17:47.976 --> 00:17:49.344
  • A bunch of gnats.
  • 00:17:49.344 --> 00:17:51.513
  • That's all folks.
  • 00:17:51.513 --> 00:17:53.182
  • Okay, you're not responding to the nile turning to blood.
  • 00:17:53.182 --> 00:17:56.285
  • You're not responding to the frogs everywhere.
  • 00:17:56.285 --> 00:17:58.987
  • Here's a bunch of bugs, gnats.
  • 00:17:58.987 --> 00:18:01.824
  • Gnats are horrible, aren't they?
  • 00:18:01.824 --> 00:18:03.592
  • And this particular plague included all kinds of insects,
  • 00:18:03.592 --> 00:18:06.595
  • Winged insects, primarily.
  • 00:18:06.595 --> 00:18:09.031
  • You know, we have spiders and tics and beetles.
  • 00:18:09.031 --> 00:18:12.868
  • It was the first case of beetle mania.
  • 00:18:12.868 --> 00:18:16.305
  • Ladies and gentlemen, the beetles.
  • 00:18:16.305 --> 00:18:18.574
  • In come the beetles.
  • 00:18:18.574 --> 00:18:20.075
  • And if you got that joke, you're really old.
  • 00:18:20.075 --> 00:18:21.777
  • And most of you didn't get it, so maybe that's good.
  • 00:18:21.777 --> 00:18:24.012
  • But that didn't cause the pharaoh to respond.
  • 00:18:24.012 --> 00:18:27.416
  • His heart just gets harder, but now this is interesting.
  • 00:18:27.416 --> 00:18:30.619
  • He knows what moses is trying to do,
  • 00:18:30.619 --> 00:18:32.254
  • So he's gonna change his strategy,
  • 00:18:32.254 --> 00:18:34.523
  • And that really brings us to the heart of this message.
  • 00:18:34.523 --> 00:18:37.926
  • He brings a series of compromises to moses,
  • 00:18:37.926 --> 00:18:41.430
  • So he'll not do what is right.
  • 00:18:41.430 --> 00:18:45.634
  • Look at exodus 8:25.
  • 00:18:45.634 --> 00:18:47.903
  • Read this with me.
  • 00:18:47.903 --> 00:18:49.238
  • "pharaoh called for moses and aaron.
  • 00:18:49.238 --> 00:18:51.573
  • 'all right,' he said, 'go ahead and offer sacrifices to your
  • 00:18:51.573 --> 00:18:55.244
  • God, but do it here in the land.'
  • 00:18:55.244 --> 00:18:59.615
  • Moses replied, 'well, that wouldn't be right.
  • 00:18:59.615 --> 00:19:01.283
  • The egyptians detest the sacrifices we offer to the lord
  • 00:19:01.283 --> 00:19:03.752
  • Our god.
  • 00:19:03.752 --> 00:19:05.187
  • Look, if we offer our sacrifices here where the egyptians can
  • 00:19:05.187 --> 00:19:07.856
  • See us, they will stone us.
  • 00:19:07.856 --> 00:19:09.658
  • We must take a three-day trip into the wilderness to offer
  • 00:19:09.658 --> 00:19:12.594
  • Sacrifices to the lord our god, just as he commanded us.'
  • 00:19:12.594 --> 00:19:16.565
  • Pharaoh replied, 'all right, go ahead.
  • 00:19:16.565 --> 00:19:19.935
  • I'll let you go into the wilderness to offer sacrifices
  • 00:19:19.935 --> 00:19:22.437
  • To the lord your god, but don't go too far away.
  • 00:19:22.437 --> 00:19:28.310
  • Now hurry and pray for me.'"
  • 00:19:28.310 --> 00:19:33.615
  • Mm, so the pharaoh said, "okay, okay, already.
  • 00:19:33.615 --> 00:19:36.618
  • Go, leave, but don't go too far.
  • 00:19:36.618 --> 00:19:40.923
  • Hey, and don't forget, pray for me,
  • 00:19:40.923 --> 00:19:43.692
  • Intercede for me."
  • 00:19:43.692 --> 00:19:45.093
  • Now, what's going on?
  • 00:19:45.093 --> 00:19:46.428
  • He's trying to get them to compromise.
  • 00:19:46.428 --> 00:19:48.697
  • First of all, he says, "go sacrifice here in the land."
  • 00:19:48.697 --> 00:19:52.267
  • But what did god tell them to do?
  • 00:19:52.267 --> 00:19:54.102
  • He said, "go three days into the wilderness."
  • 00:19:54.102 --> 00:19:55.671
  • Why?
  • 00:19:55.671 --> 00:19:57.039
  • Because god wanted them to put as much distance between them
  • 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:00.776
  • And egypt as possible, so they wouldn't be tempted to go back.
  • 00:20:00.776 --> 00:20:04.046
  • And in the same way, when we become a christian,
  • 00:20:04.046 --> 00:20:06.748
  • God tells us to make a break with our past and our sinful
  • 00:20:06.748 --> 00:20:10.719
  • Activities and begin to follow jesus christ.
  • 00:20:10.719 --> 00:20:13.121
  • Because, you see, if you make a deal with the devil,
  • 00:20:13.121 --> 00:20:16.625
  • You're going to ultimately lose.
  • 00:20:16.625 --> 00:20:19.127
  • You know, the devil will say, "all right,
  • 00:20:19.127 --> 00:20:21.563
  • All right, if you have to be a christian,
  • 00:20:21.563 --> 00:20:23.532
  • Be one, but be practical.
  • 00:20:23.532 --> 00:20:25.467
  • Don't get fanatical."
  • 00:20:25.467 --> 00:20:27.135
  • Heard a story about a hunter who went out to shoot a bear,
  • 00:20:27.135 --> 00:20:31.006
  • And he found a big one.
  • 00:20:31.006 --> 00:20:32.708
  • He had him in his sights.
  • 00:20:32.708 --> 00:20:34.743
  • He was just getting ready to pull the trigger when the bear
  • 00:20:34.743 --> 00:20:36.912
  • Turned around and said, "excuse me."
  • 00:20:36.912 --> 00:20:39.181
  • This is a true story.
  • 00:20:39.181 --> 00:20:41.016
  • Hunter's shocked, of course.
  • 00:20:41.016 --> 00:20:43.418
  • It's a talking bear.
  • 00:20:43.418 --> 00:20:44.886
  • Bear says, "excuse me, what are you doing?"
  • 00:20:44.886 --> 00:20:46.388
  • The hunter says, "well, i'm gonna shoot you and kill you."
  • 00:20:46.388 --> 00:20:48.323
  • The bear said, "wait, isn't it better to talk than to shoot?
  • 00:20:48.323 --> 00:20:51.627
  • And let me ask you, what is it you want?"
  • 00:20:51.627 --> 00:20:54.563
  • The hunter said, "well, i'm cold.
  • 00:20:54.563 --> 00:20:55.897
  • I want a fur coat."
  • 00:20:55.897 --> 00:20:57.532
  • The bear said, "okay, maybe we can talk.
  • 00:20:57.532 --> 00:20:59.401
  • Here's what i want: a full stomach."
  • 00:20:59.401 --> 00:21:02.004
  • So, the hunter set his gun up against a tree,
  • 00:21:02.004 --> 00:21:04.573
  • And the bear and the hunter disappeared into the forest
  • 00:21:04.573 --> 00:21:07.376
  • For a while.
  • 00:21:07.376 --> 00:21:08.744
  • A little bit later, the bear emerged alone.
  • 00:21:08.744 --> 00:21:11.413
  • Apparently, the negotiations had been successful.
  • 00:21:11.413 --> 00:21:14.416
  • The hunter got his fur coat, and the bear got a full stomach.
  • 00:21:14.416 --> 00:21:19.021
  • That's how compromise works.
  • 00:21:19.021 --> 00:21:22.391
  • "oh, don't go too far, don't be too fanatical," the devil says.
  • 00:21:22.391 --> 00:21:27.396
  • And we compromise with him.
  • 00:21:27.396 --> 00:21:28.730
  • But look at this.
  • 00:21:28.730 --> 00:21:30.065
  • This is really interesting.
  • 00:21:30.065 --> 00:21:31.600
  • The pharaoh says in verse 28, "i'll let you go,
  • 00:21:31.600 --> 00:21:34.102
  • But pray for me."
  • 00:21:34.102 --> 00:21:36.505
  • Wow.
  • 00:21:36.505 --> 00:21:38.240
  • Doesn't that look like he's getting closer to god?
  • 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:40.409
  • Well, maybe and maybe not.
  • 00:21:40.409 --> 00:21:42.511
  • And we know, of course, it was maybe not.
  • 00:21:42.511 --> 00:21:44.813
  • It was a ploy.
  • 00:21:44.813 --> 00:21:46.481
  • And this happens to believers.
  • 00:21:46.481 --> 00:21:48.750
  • They get into relationships with nonbelievers.
  • 00:21:48.750 --> 00:21:52.621
  • Sometimes it's romantic, and sometimes it even becomes
  • 00:21:52.621 --> 00:21:55.223
  • Sexual, and they've totally compromised their witness,
  • 00:21:55.223 --> 00:21:58.560
  • And they know it's a bad thing, and they know they need to
  • 00:21:58.560 --> 00:22:02.030
  • Break up with this person.
  • 00:22:02.030 --> 00:22:03.498
  • So, the christian says to the non-christian,
  • 00:22:03.498 --> 00:22:05.834
  • "we need to terminate this relationship."
  • 00:22:05.834 --> 00:22:08.737
  • And the nonbeliever says, "well, wait,
  • 00:22:08.737 --> 00:22:10.505
  • Don't give up on me.
  • 00:22:10.505 --> 00:22:11.840
  • Pray for me.
  • 00:22:11.840 --> 00:22:13.175
  • I'm close to coming to christ."
  • 00:22:13.175 --> 00:22:14.876
  • Yeah, you know what?
  • 00:22:14.876 --> 00:22:16.211
  • They're not gonna come to christ by you compromising.
  • 00:22:16.211 --> 00:22:19.648
  • They're gonna come to christ by you standing up for
  • 00:22:19.648 --> 00:22:21.983
  • What is true.
  • 00:22:21.983 --> 00:22:23.518
  • You know, that's how you do it.
  • 00:22:23.518 --> 00:22:28.190
  • Okay, so now the final compromise,
  • 00:22:28.190 --> 00:22:30.025
  • Exodus 10:24.
  • 00:22:30.025 --> 00:22:32.094
  • Pharaoh calls moses and says, "all right,
  • 00:22:32.094 --> 00:22:34.062
  • All right, take your whiny little kids if you have to,
  • 00:22:34.062 --> 00:22:38.533
  • But leave your flocks and herds."
  • 00:22:38.533 --> 00:22:41.570
  • That seems like a pretty decent compromise.
  • 00:22:41.570 --> 00:22:44.306
  • Okay, okay, take your kids, leave your animals.
  • 00:22:44.306 --> 00:22:47.809
  • You know?
  • 00:22:47.809 --> 00:22:50.379
  • Moses could've said, "this is a good deal.
  • 00:22:50.379 --> 00:22:52.214
  • Let's get out while we're ahead.
  • 00:22:52.214 --> 00:22:53.949
  • I mean, he's telling us we can go.
  • 00:22:53.949 --> 00:22:55.417
  • We just have to leave our animals."
  • 00:22:55.417 --> 00:22:57.452
  • But i love what moses says to pharaoh.
  • 00:22:57.452 --> 00:23:01.289
  • Verse 26, "no, pharaoh, not a hoof will be left behind."
  • 00:23:01.289 --> 00:23:05.961
  • Why would pharaoh even want the animals?
  • 00:23:05.961 --> 00:23:09.331
  • Because he knew if there was something left in the land,
  • 00:23:09.331 --> 00:23:13.235
  • It would keep them potentially coming back to the land.
  • 00:23:13.235 --> 00:23:16.638
  • But here's what moses says, "no, you can't have our animals.
  • 00:23:16.638 --> 00:23:19.741
  • You can't have our kids. you can't have anything.
  • 00:23:19.741 --> 00:23:23.178
  • We are leaving lock, stock, and barrel."
  • 00:23:23.178 --> 00:23:25.714
  • And we need to say the same thing to the devil.
  • 00:23:25.714 --> 00:23:27.783
  • "here's the deal, devil, listen very carefully.
  • 00:23:27.783 --> 00:23:29.651
  • You get nothing.
  • 00:23:29.651 --> 00:23:31.987
  • You get zero.
  • 00:23:31.987 --> 00:23:33.588
  • You get zip. you get nada.
  • 00:23:33.588 --> 00:23:36.725
  • You've ripped me off.
  • 00:23:36.725 --> 00:23:38.627
  • You've taken advantage of me.
  • 00:23:38.627 --> 00:23:41.062
  • You ruined my life for years, and you've ruined the lives of
  • 00:23:41.062 --> 00:23:43.765
  • People i know, and i'm giving you nothing.
  • 00:23:43.765 --> 00:23:46.034
  • There's no compromise, goodbye."
  • 00:23:46.034 --> 00:23:48.670
  • And you turn your back on him and follow the lord,
  • 00:23:48.670 --> 00:23:51.640
  • And you'll never regret it.
  • 00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:53.575
  • That's the way to live for christ.
  • 00:23:53.575 --> 00:23:55.444
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:23:55.444 --> 00:24:00.382
  • Greg: maybe god has spoken to your heart,
  • 00:24:00.382 --> 00:24:03.185
  • And you have seen your need for jesus christ.
  • 00:24:03.185 --> 00:24:07.055
  • Jesus christ is the son of god, who came from heaven
  • 00:24:07.055 --> 00:24:11.193
  • To this earth.
  • 00:24:11.193 --> 00:24:12.561
  • He was born in a manger.
  • 00:24:12.561 --> 00:24:14.029
  • He died on a cross.
  • 00:24:14.029 --> 00:24:15.997
  • He rose again from the dead.
  • 00:24:15.997 --> 00:24:17.466
  • Why?
  • 00:24:17.466 --> 00:24:18.800
  • Because he loves you, and he wants a relationship with you.
  • 00:24:18.800 --> 00:24:21.703
  • Listen, i'm not talking about religion.
  • 00:24:21.703 --> 00:24:23.772
  • I don't want to be a religious person.
  • 00:24:23.772 --> 00:24:25.774
  • I don't think you want to be one either.
  • 00:24:25.774 --> 00:24:27.476
  • I'm talking about relationship with god.
  • 00:24:27.476 --> 00:24:31.213
  • Jesus, who died and rose again, stands at the door of your life,
  • 00:24:31.213 --> 00:24:35.717
  • And he knocks, and he says if you'll hear his voice and open
  • 00:24:35.717 --> 00:24:38.887
  • The door, he will come in.
  • 00:24:38.887 --> 00:24:40.722
  • Question, have you asked jesus christ to come and
  • 00:24:40.722 --> 00:24:43.592
  • Live inside of you?
  • 00:24:43.592 --> 00:24:44.926
  • You might say, "well, i think so.
  • 00:24:44.926 --> 00:24:46.361
  • I'm not sure."
  • 00:24:46.361 --> 00:24:47.696
  • Hey, if someone moved into your house in the middle of
  • 00:24:47.696 --> 00:24:49.197
  • The night, do you think you would be aware of it?
  • 00:24:49.197 --> 00:24:52.033
  • I'm sure you would.
  • 00:24:52.033 --> 00:24:53.468
  • And in the same way, if christ has come to live inside of you,
  • 00:24:53.468 --> 00:24:56.638
  • You will know.
  • 00:24:56.638 --> 00:24:58.039
  • And if you don't know, maybe he has not come in, yet.
  • 00:24:58.039 --> 00:25:01.476
  • He's just a prayer away.
  • 00:25:01.476 --> 00:25:03.144
  • All you need to do is say,
  • 00:25:03.144 --> 00:25:05.213
  • "jesus, i want this relationship with you.
  • 00:25:05.213 --> 00:25:07.449
  • I want you to forgive me of my sin.
  • 00:25:07.449 --> 00:25:09.818
  • I want to go to heaven when i die."
  • 00:25:09.818 --> 00:25:12.053
  • Would you like to do that?
  • 00:25:12.053 --> 00:25:13.688
  • Would you like christ to come into your life?
  • 00:25:13.688 --> 00:25:15.223
  • If so, why don't you just pray this simple prayer with me?
  • 00:25:15.223 --> 00:25:18.760
  • You can pray it out loud, or you can pray it in the quietness
  • 00:25:18.760 --> 00:25:22.197
  • Of your heart.
  • 00:25:22.197 --> 00:25:23.598
  • But this is a prayer where you're asking jesus christ to be
  • 00:25:23.598 --> 00:25:26.368
  • Your savior and lord.
  • 00:25:26.368 --> 00:25:28.003
  • Pray this with me now.
  • 00:25:28.003 --> 00:25:29.504
  • "lord jesus, i know that i'm a sinner,
  • 00:25:29.504 --> 00:25:32.674
  • But i know that you're the savior,
  • 00:25:32.674 --> 00:25:35.277
  • Who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead.
  • 00:25:35.277 --> 00:25:39.781
  • Now come into my life.
  • 00:25:39.781 --> 00:25:42.284
  • I choose to follow you from this moment forward.
  • 00:25:42.284 --> 00:25:45.954
  • Thank you for hearing this prayer and answering
  • 00:25:45.954 --> 00:25:48.924
  • This prayer.
  • 00:25:48.924 --> 00:25:50.258
  • In jesus's name, amen."
  • 00:25:50.258 --> 00:25:52.827
  • Did you just pray that prayer with me?
  • 00:25:52.827 --> 00:25:54.930
  • If so, i want you to know, on the authority of scripture,
  • 00:25:54.930 --> 00:25:58.166
  • That christ himself has come to live inside of you.
  • 00:25:58.166 --> 00:26:01.570
  • And i would love to send to you, at no charge,
  • 00:26:01.570 --> 00:26:03.838
  • The "new believer's bible."
  • 00:26:03.838 --> 00:26:05.907
  • It's a very friendly translation of the new testament you'll find
  • 00:26:05.907 --> 00:26:09.244
  • Very understanding, and it's filled with hundreds of notes
  • 00:26:09.244 --> 00:26:13.114
  • That i wrote that will encourage you in this commitment you've
  • 00:26:13.114 --> 00:26:16.217
  • Just made to follow jesus.
  • 00:26:16.217 --> 00:26:18.687
  • And let me be the first to say to you,
  • 00:26:18.687 --> 00:26:20.255
  • Congratulations and welcome to the family of god.
  • 00:26:20.255 --> 00:26:26.628
  • Greg: greg laurie here.
  • 00:26:30.165 --> 00:26:31.499
  • You know, there is a very special group of people
  • 00:26:31.499 --> 00:26:34.502
  • I want to introduce you to.
  • 00:26:34.502 --> 00:26:36.404
  • They are a group of people who are passionate about the gospel
  • 00:26:36.404 --> 00:26:40.041
  • Of jesus christ being proclaimed in this nation and beyond.
  • 00:26:40.041 --> 00:26:44.012
  • In fact, these people made this tv program
  • 00:26:44.012 --> 00:26:47.649
  • That you're watching possible.
  • 00:26:47.649 --> 00:26:49.484
  • They also make possible our radio program, our harvest
  • 00:26:49.484 --> 00:26:52.721
  • Crusades, our evangelistic movies like "jesus revolution,"
  • 00:26:52.721 --> 00:26:56.758
  • And so much more.
  • 00:26:56.758 --> 00:26:58.193
  • Without them, harvest ministries could not even exist,
  • 00:26:58.193 --> 00:27:01.763
  • So who are these amazing people?
  • 00:27:01.763 --> 00:27:04.132
  • We call them harvest partners.
  • 00:27:04.132 --> 00:27:06.368
  • They are people who have chosen to give monthly to harvest to
  • 00:27:06.368 --> 00:27:09.638
  • Keep the gospel moving forward.
  • 00:27:09.638 --> 00:27:12.273
  • Jesus said, "the harvest is plentiful,
  • 00:27:12.273 --> 00:27:14.876
  • But the laborers are few.
  • 00:27:14.876 --> 00:27:16.478
  • Therefore, pray the lord of the harvest to send out
  • 00:27:16.478 --> 00:27:19.381
  • Laborers into his harvest."
  • 00:27:19.381 --> 00:27:21.516
  • Will you become a harvest partner and help us fulfill the
  • 00:27:21.516 --> 00:27:25.387
  • Great commission in our lifetime?
  • 00:27:25.387 --> 00:27:27.656
  • Let's do this together.
  • 00:27:27.656 --> 00:27:27.656