Greg Laurie - God's Solution to Man's Problem

October 14, 2025 | 27:40

In this message, Pastor Greg Laurie discusses the consequences of not following God's warnings, using humorous anecdotes about warning labels to emphasize the importance of heeding guidance. He delves into the story of Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden, explaining how sin entered the world and impacted humanity. Through biblical passages and personal reflections, Pastor Laurie highlights the need for confession, restoration, and reliance on God's power to overcome sin. Ultimately, he points to Jesus as the ultimate solution for sin and offers hope and redemption to all who seek it.

#Temptation #Lust #Flesh #Mind #Thinking #Pride #Satan #Enemy #Attitude #Heart #Anger #Bitterness #Devil

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - God's Solution to Man's Problem | October 14, 2025

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Greg laurie: before there was a solar system, before there was a
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Planet called earth, before there was a garden called eden,
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Before there was a couple named adam and eve, a decision was
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Made in the councils of eternity that god would send his own son,
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That god would walk among us as a man and live a perfect life
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And die a perfect death and rise again from the dead.
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This was the plan.
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♪ this is the day, the day when life begins. ♪
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♪ this is the day, the day when life begins. ♪♪
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Greg: have you ever noticed on certain products there's
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A warning label warning you to not do a certain thing?
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I came across what could best be described as wacky
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Warning labels.
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They're real, but maybe they've gone a little bit too far.
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As an example, this is a real warning label on a baby
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Stroller, "warning: remove child before folding."
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That means somewhere someone folded the stroller with the
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Baby inside still.
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A warning on a brass fishing lure with a three pronged hook
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On the end, "harmful if swallowed."
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I think that's true of the fish.
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I hope a human didn't swallow it.
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A flushable toilet brush warns, "not to be used for
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Personal hygiene."
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Ugh, gross.
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A can of self-defense pepper spray warns users, "may
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Irritate eyes."
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That was kind of the plan.
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If i'm gonna spray someone, i hope it irritates their eyes.
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On a chainsaw, this is a real warning on a chainsaw, "warning:
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Do not hold the wrong end of a chainsaw."
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That's good advice.
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Warning on a hair dryer, "do not use while sleeping."
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How do you use a hairdryer while you're sleeping?
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Well, someone apparently has done it.
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And one more--well, actually, two more.
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"warning: this superman costume does not enable you to fly."
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Oh, great.
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So someone thought they could just jump off the roof because
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They were wearing that costume.
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Here's another one, it says, "warning: never try to catch a
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Falling knife."
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Yeah, that's a good idea.
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You drop a knife, let it hit the ground.
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"well, i'll catch it."
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No, don't, don't.
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And then one final one, and i should have heeded this one
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Because i didn't listen to this warning, warning on a household
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Iron, "never iron clothes while they're being worn."
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I have ironed clothes while wearing them.
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Has anybody else done this?
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Raise your hand if you have.
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So, you know, you get everything ironed and then you look in the
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Mirror and there's one little wrinkle.
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"oh, i'll just iron it."
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Well, i--what i did was even worse because i have a heavy
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Duty steam iron.
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I mean, this is a next level steam iron.
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It has a base, a reservoir water, it's nuclear
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Powered, okay?
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So, when you fire a burst of steam, it's like, poof!
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Like that.
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So, i'm aware--two people just woke up, i noticed, when i
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Did that--
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So, i'm wearing this shirt and i thought, oh, it's a wrinkle.
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I'll just blast it with steam, but i pulled it away from my
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Skin, i'd be okay.
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And i gave it a blast of steam and i screamed like a
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Little girl.
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Later that night i had my shirt off, don't try to visualize that
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Place, and my wife looked at me with this red welt.
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She said, "what happened to you?"
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I said, "don't ask."
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Okay, so that's good advice.
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Well, you know, there's warning labels, if you will, in the
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Bible as well, things that god tells us not to do and instead
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Things that we should do in their place.
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Let me give an example.
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Someone says, "happy is the man or woman who does not walk in
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The counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of sinners, or
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Sit in the seat of the scornful."
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Those are things you should not do, "but his or her delight is
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In the word of the lord, and in it, do they meditate day
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And night."
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So, don't do these things.
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Instead, do these things.
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Well, we're gonna look here now at the very familiar story of
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Our first parents sinning against god because they didn't
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Listen to the warning label.
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That brings me to point number one, the theme of this message
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Is what happens when we don't follow the warnings.
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So, the lord placed adam and eve in the garden of eden.
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It was literally paradise.
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They could eat of any tree.
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I mean, imagine, god said, "this is all yours to enjoy.
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You can eat of all of the fruit of the trees of the garden and
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Behold the beauty i placed in it.
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One restriction.
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But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, don't eat from
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That tree."
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Scene two, adam and eve standing at the tree of the knowledge of
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Good and evil.
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The one place god told them to stay away from, that's where
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They were.
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Already, they're setting themselves up for trouble.
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They were in the wrong place and then they heard the wrong voice
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And then they did the wrong thing.
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So, here they are standing by that tree and, of course, the
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Devil comes and he tempts them.
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And we see what happens when you don't listen to the warning.
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Genesis 3:6 says, "when the woman saw that the tree was good
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For food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes and
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Desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.
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And he gave to--she gave to her husband with her, and he ate."
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That brings me to point number two, every temptation in life
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Fits into three categories.
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It's identified for us in 1 john 2:15 to 16.
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It says, "love not the world, neither the things that are in
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The world.
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For all that is in the world--the lust of the eyes, the
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Lust of the flesh, the pride of life--is not of the father but
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Of the world."
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The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life.
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Every temptation is in one of those categories.
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First, there's the lust of the flesh, things that feel good.
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We read in genesis 3:16, "when the woman saw the tree was good
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For food," it feels good.
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The lusts of the flesh would include temptations that are
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Physical in nature, whatever appeals to you, you're drawn to
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That thing.
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It's the pleasures of life.
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Now, you can have legitimate pleasures in life as
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A christian.
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The bible even says, "in his presence there are pleasures
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Forevermore," but they are good pleasures, godly
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Pleasures, satisfied.
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But then there are ungodly pleasures, sinful things that we
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Might pursue.
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The bible even warned, "she that lives her pleasure is dead while
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She is living."
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Okay, so that's the lust of the flesh.
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Then there's the lust of the eyes, things that look good.
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We read in genesis 3, "eve saw that it was pleasant to
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The eyes."
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Most temptation comes through your mind first.
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You are the air traffic controller of your mind.
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You decide what thoughts are gonna be there and what thoughts
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Are going to be rejected, but you'll find that most sins that
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People engage in, they think about first, they contemplate it
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First, they fantasize about it first, right?
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And so, this is why we have to guard our thoughts and be
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Careful about what we expose ourselves to.
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David fell into sexual sin when he was on his balcony, looking
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Around, and he saw the beautiful bathsheba bathing herself.
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Now, he couldn't have seen the first thing, but it's that
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Second look that gets you into trouble, or maybe the super long
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First look, depending.
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And that is why job says, "i've made a covenant with my eyes
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That i will not look on a woman lustfully," so the lust of
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The eyes.
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And finally, there's a pride of life, things that make you feel
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And look good.
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The devil says to them, "go ahead and eat of this fruit.
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It's desirable to make one wise and you'll be as a god," he says
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To adam and eve, "knowing good and evil."
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No, it's not wrong to want to look good.
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You know, it's fine to want to give some attention to the way
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You appear.
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In fact, some of you should give more attention to that and i'm
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Looking at you right now.
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No, i'm not actually, i'm not, but i'm thinking about it.
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No, i'm not.
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But then there are people that are obsessed with that.
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That's all they think about.
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You know just by visiting their instagram page, right?
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So, here's the thing.
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We have to find the balance in all of these things.
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The pride of life is an obsession with self, wanting to
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Appear more important than we are.
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This is what got lucifer, once a high ranking angel, ejected from
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His former position in heaven.
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And then he became satan, or the devil.
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He wanted to be worshiped.
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So, these are the things we should stay away from.
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The world with its allure is the external foe, the flesh with its
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Evil desires is the internal foe, and satan with his
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Enticements is the infernal foe.
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My next point, because of adam's sin we all suffer.
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Because of adam's sin we all suffer, but let me make
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This point.
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If you were in the garden, you would have done the same thing,
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And so would i, so it's easy to blame them but this is just
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Human nature, all right?
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But we're all affected by this decision he made.
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Romans 5:12 says, "when adam sinned, sin entered the world
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And adam's sin brought death and death spread to everyone, for
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Everyone has sin."
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Death, illness, disability, age, all a result of the fall.
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If adam and eve had not sinned, we would never get sick.
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If adam and eve never sinned, we would never die.
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If adam and eve never sinned, i would have hair.
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You see, it's all connected.
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We all share in this.
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Now, let's see what happens after sin is entered the world.
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Go to genesis chapter 4, starting in verse 1.
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I'm reading from the new living translation.
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"now adam knew his wife eve and she became pregnant.
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And when she gave birth to cain, she said, 'with the lord's help,
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I produced a man!'
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Later, she gave birth to his brother and named him abel.
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When they grew up, abel became a shepherd, while cain cultivated
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The ground.
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When it was time for harvest, cain presented some of his crops
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As a gift to the lord.
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Abel also brought a gift--the best portions of the firstborn
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Lambs from the flock.
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The lord accepted abel and his gift, but he did not accept cain
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And his gift.
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This made cain very angry and he looked dejected.
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'why are you so angry?' the lord asked cain.
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'why do you look so dejected?'"
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Then the lord gives this ominous warning.
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'you will be accepted if you do what is right.
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But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out, because
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Sin is crouching at your door, eager to control you.
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But you must subdue it and be its master.'"
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Okay, we'll stop there.
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The book of genesis can be divided into three sections.
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Chapters 1 and 2, generation; chapters 3 to 11, de-generation;
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Chapters 12 to 50, regeneration.
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In chapter 3, we saw the beginning of man.
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In chapter 4, we read of his progress and results as he sins
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Against god.
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Bottom line, mankind wrecks everything he touches because
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We're sinful by nature.
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If history tells us anything, it tells us this.
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Man is not basically good, man is basically bad.
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Bad to the bone, sinful to the core.
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History is a space in which cain's acts ultimately became
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Thrown nuclear weapons.
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We just take new technology and find ways to use it to make
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Things even worse.
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And it's not the way it began.
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I mean, here's adam and eve, they're having their first child
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And they'd never seen a pregnancy before and much less
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A birth.
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I was talking to a pastor friend of mine a while ago and he told
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Me about his daughter's wedding and he wanted to say something
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Very profound because he was performing the ceremony.
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So, there she is, standing with her groom, and he looks at her
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And he says, "i was there when you were conceived," and he
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Meant to say, "i was there when you were born," okay?
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So, it's--i mean, he was there when she was--but still, it's
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Just not what you want to hear on your wedding day from
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Your dad.
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But that's the way that went.
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Well, adam and eve were present for both conception and birth.
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Now, you wonder if adam's thinking, "what's happening to
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My beautiful wife?
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Eve, putting a little bit of weight on all of a sudden.
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Have you found, like, a high carb tree out there or
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Something or?
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Why are you knitting those little socks?
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What's going on here?"
00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:22.368
Well, she was gonna have a baby and she had her first child,
00:13:22.368 --> 00:13:25.404
Cain, and then followed by abel.
00:13:25.404 --> 00:13:29.241
And they both brought their offering one day and god
00:13:29.241 --> 00:13:32.545
Accepted the offering of abel and he rejected the offer of
00:13:32.545 --> 00:13:36.348
Cain, bringing me to point number five.
00:13:36.348 --> 00:13:37.983
Being exposed to truth does not guarantee you will follow it.
00:13:37.983 --> 00:13:42.855
Cain and abel were both raised in the same home.
00:13:42.855 --> 00:13:46.458
They both saw the same things, but one walked with god and one
00:13:46.458 --> 00:13:51.897
Did not walk with god.
00:13:51.897 --> 00:13:53.265
One was a true worshiper and the other was not a true worshiper.
00:13:53.265 --> 00:13:57.970
One was accepted, the other rejected.
00:13:57.970 --> 00:14:01.707
And this reminds us there's a right and wrong way to
00:14:01.707 --> 00:14:04.176
Approach god.
00:14:04.176 --> 00:14:05.511
And it comes down to this: the why, or the motive.
00:14:05.511 --> 00:14:09.615
Because as far as god is concerned, motive is everything.
00:14:09.615 --> 00:14:13.385
One day, we, as christians, will stand before the judgment seat
00:14:13.385 --> 00:14:18.557
Of christ.
00:14:18.557 --> 00:14:20.059
This is not a judgment about whether or not you get
00:14:20.059 --> 00:14:22.628
To heaven.
00:14:22.628 --> 00:14:23.996
In fact, it's a judgment in heaven where rewards are given
00:14:23.996 --> 00:14:26.832
Out for faithful service.
00:14:26.832 --> 00:14:28.834
And the bible says god will test every man's work to see what
00:14:28.834 --> 00:14:32.905
Sort it is.
00:14:32.905 --> 00:14:34.273
In other words, the why of what you did.
00:14:34.273 --> 00:14:37.977
So you think, "well, if i have a beautiful voice and in worship i
00:14:37.977 --> 00:14:41.480
Sing louder than everyone, that will be pleasing to god."
00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:44.483
Maybe and maybe not.
00:14:44.483 --> 00:14:46.151
Because if your heart's in the wrong place, it's not pleasing
00:14:46.151 --> 00:14:48.754
To god at all.
00:14:48.754 --> 00:14:50.122
And that person that's always off pitch may be more pleasing
00:14:50.122 --> 00:14:53.592
To the lord than the person with the beautiful voice.
00:14:53.592 --> 00:14:55.794
Or, when we receive an offering and one person gives a lot of
00:14:55.794 --> 00:14:58.731
Money and another person doesn't give as much, god will be
00:14:58.731 --> 00:15:02.801
Impressed by the motive of why the person did what they did.
00:15:02.801 --> 00:15:06.272
God looks on the heart, bringing me to my next point.
00:15:06.272 --> 00:15:09.375
The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.
00:15:09.375 --> 00:15:12.611
It's all about the heart, the why of why we do things.
00:15:12.611 --> 00:15:16.415
And so, in the book of isaiah it says, god's speaking, "these
00:15:16.415 --> 00:15:20.185
People draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are
00:15:20.185 --> 00:15:23.555
Far from me."
00:15:23.555 --> 00:15:24.924
See, abel was a true worshiper.
00:15:24.924 --> 00:15:27.259
His heart was in the right place.
00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:28.894
Cain was not.
00:15:28.894 --> 00:15:30.262
And we're given an insight as to what really happened in hebrews
00:15:30.262 --> 00:15:33.032
11 when it says, "by faith abel offered to god a more excellent
00:15:33.032 --> 00:15:37.636
Sacrifice than cain."
00:15:37.636 --> 00:15:39.238
Well, cain was ticked off, angry that god did not accept
00:15:39.238 --> 00:15:43.008
His sacrifice.
00:15:43.008 --> 00:15:44.610
In fact, and the word that is used for anger here in verse 5
00:15:44.610 --> 00:15:47.212
Means he burned with anger, causing the lord to even say,
00:15:47.212 --> 00:15:51.617
"hey, buddy calm down a little bit, you know, why are you
00:15:51.617 --> 00:15:54.653
So angry?
00:15:54.653 --> 00:15:56.021
Why do you look so dejected?"
00:15:56.021 --> 00:15:57.723
The fact is, cain's true colors are beginning to show.
00:15:57.723 --> 00:16:02.094
The lord is saying, "you need to not go this way because this is
00:16:02.094 --> 00:16:05.230
Not gonna end well for you."
00:16:05.230 --> 00:16:07.166
Bringing me to point number seven, god wanted confession
00:16:07.166 --> 00:16:10.436
Because that's the only way to forgiveness.
00:16:10.436 --> 00:16:13.205
"well, why are you doing what you're doing?
00:16:13.205 --> 00:16:15.307
You don't want to do this," and cain should have said, "you're
00:16:15.307 --> 00:16:17.643
Right, i'm overreacting.
00:16:17.643 --> 00:16:19.244
I'm sorry, lord.
00:16:19.244 --> 00:16:20.612
I repent," but he's just angry and he's justifying his
00:16:20.612 --> 00:16:24.316
Own anger.
00:16:24.316 --> 00:16:25.651
It's a weird thing about anger, isn't it?
00:16:25.651 --> 00:16:27.319
How you can feel so right about it until the adrenaline
00:16:27.319 --> 00:16:30.923
Wears off.
00:16:30.923 --> 00:16:32.257
Like when you're driving and someone does some crazy
00:16:32.257 --> 00:16:35.894
Thing, right?
00:16:35.894 --> 00:16:38.864
They offer a hand gesture in your direction and you just are
00:16:38.864 --> 00:16:43.702
So filled with rage or they cut you off or they, you know, roll
00:16:43.702 --> 00:16:48.540
Their window down and yell something, you know, and then
00:16:48.540 --> 00:16:51.543
You do something you regret later and you need to just
00:16:51.543 --> 00:16:55.714
Calm down.
00:16:55.714 --> 00:16:57.049
That was cain.
00:16:57.049 --> 00:16:58.417
He was just losing it.
00:16:58.417 --> 00:16:59.752
And god gives him this interesting warning in verse 7.
00:16:59.752 --> 00:17:01.520
"listen, you'll be accepted if you do what is right.
00:17:01.520 --> 00:17:03.956
But if you refuse to do what's right, watch out!
00:17:03.956 --> 00:17:07.092
Sin is crouching at your door, eager to control you.
00:17:07.092 --> 00:17:11.663
But you must subdue it and be its master."
00:17:11.663 --> 00:17:13.899
The lord's saying, "cain, you're flirting with disaster.
00:17:13.899 --> 00:17:18.604
Sin is like a crouching beast, poised and ready to strike and
00:17:18.604 --> 00:17:23.742
Ruin your life if you don't get control of it."
00:17:23.742 --> 00:17:27.346
Greg: what should you do if you see a christian brother or a
00:17:31.250 --> 00:17:34.386
Sister overtaken in some sin, you know, if they mess up,
00:17:34.386 --> 00:17:38.457
If they fall?
00:17:38.457 --> 00:17:39.825
Well, you should go and try to help them.
00:17:39.825 --> 00:17:42.327
You should go and try to restore them.
00:17:42.327 --> 00:17:44.463
Not everybody likes it when you tell them they're not doing
00:17:44.463 --> 00:17:48.000
Well spiritually.
00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:49.368
They'll say things like, "hey man, don't judge my journey."
00:17:49.368 --> 00:17:52.871
Come on, come up with something better than that.
00:17:52.871 --> 00:17:55.107
But you're really trying to help them.
00:17:55.107 --> 00:17:56.542
If someone has stumbled and fallen into sin, you wanna help
00:17:56.542 --> 00:17:59.711
Them get up.
00:17:59.711 --> 00:18:01.046
I mean, it would just be like if someone fell into a pit.
00:18:01.046 --> 00:18:02.981
Hopefully you're gonna try to pull them out of the pit.
00:18:02.981 --> 00:18:05.184
Now, judging by how some people treat others who have fallen
00:18:05.184 --> 00:18:10.089
Into sin, you would think the bible says, "if you see a
00:18:10.089 --> 00:18:13.559
Brother or a sister who has overtaken in sin, you who are
00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:16.728
Spiritual should kick him when they're down and tell as many
00:18:16.728 --> 00:18:20.165
People about it as possible.
00:18:20.165 --> 00:18:21.800
Make sure you post something on social media, too."
00:18:21.800 --> 00:18:24.503
No, here's what the bible actually says.
00:18:24.503 --> 00:18:27.106
"if a brother or a sister is overtaken in sin, you who are
00:18:27.106 --> 00:18:31.543
Spiritual should seek to restore such a person in a spirit of
00:18:31.543 --> 00:18:36.048
Meekness, lest you yourself also be tempted."
00:18:36.048 --> 00:18:38.717
Allow me to paraphrase that.
00:18:38.717 --> 00:18:41.220
Restore them because it could be you someday.
00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:44.323
We all have the capacity to fall and fall big, so when we see
00:18:44.323 --> 00:18:48.627
Someone that's down, the objective is not to destroy
00:18:48.627 --> 00:18:51.630
Them, it is to restore them, to help them.
00:18:51.630 --> 00:18:55.634
Tell them the truth would help them get back up on their feet.
00:18:55.634 --> 00:18:59.571
Have you fallen into sin?
00:18:59.571 --> 00:19:01.840
Have you seen that commercial on television of the old lady who
00:19:01.840 --> 00:19:04.843
Says, "i've fallen and i can't get up"?
00:19:04.843 --> 00:19:07.146
Well, maybe you've fallen and you can't get up.
00:19:07.146 --> 00:19:09.748
You need someone to help you out.
00:19:09.748 --> 00:19:11.116
Jesus is there to lift you up and forgive you and give you
00:19:11.116 --> 00:19:15.487
A second chance.
00:19:15.487 --> 00:19:17.422
And if you know someone who's stumbled and fallen, help them
00:19:17.422 --> 00:19:20.492
To get back up again.
00:19:20.492 --> 00:19:22.027
We serve a god of second chances.
00:19:22.027 --> 00:19:25.297
Greg: bringing me to my next point, the devil is always
00:19:29.168 --> 00:19:31.670
Looking for trouble.
00:19:31.670 --> 00:19:34.239
He's looking for a life to ruin.
00:19:34.239 --> 00:19:37.075
Jesus said of satan in john 10:10, "the thief comes only to
00:19:37.075 --> 00:19:41.480
Steal, kill, and destroy."
00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:44.416
So, we have to keep our guard up and be alert to this fact.
00:19:44.416 --> 00:19:48.387
Let me ask you, are you filled with anger for someone
00:19:48.387 --> 00:19:51.190
Right now?
00:19:51.190 --> 00:19:52.558
"well, greg, they hurt me."
00:19:52.558 --> 00:19:53.892
Okay.
00:19:53.892 --> 00:19:55.260
Maybe it's your parents, maybe it's your children, maybe it's a
00:19:55.260 --> 00:20:00.165
Neighbor, maybe it's a friend, maybe it's someone else.
00:20:00.165 --> 00:20:03.368
But if that anger is controlling your life, the person that's
00:20:03.368 --> 00:20:06.772
Being hurt is you, not them.
00:20:06.772 --> 00:20:09.141
It's eating you up inside.
00:20:09.141 --> 00:20:11.443
And the bible actually says, "don't let the sun go down on
00:20:11.443 --> 00:20:15.180
Your wrath, because when you do, you give the devil a foothold."
00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:19.251
Bringing me to my next point: sin is crouching at our
00:20:19.251 --> 00:20:21.920
Doors, too.
00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.422
He's ready to strike.
00:20:23.422 --> 00:20:25.424
He's looking for vulnerability.
00:20:25.424 --> 00:20:27.459
So, we want to be careful and protect our homes from the power
00:20:27.459 --> 00:20:31.029
Of the devil.
00:20:31.029 --> 00:20:32.364
Starting with this simple fact: i can't do this on my own.
00:20:32.364 --> 00:20:35.100
I need to pray and ask god to help me.
00:20:35.100 --> 00:20:38.737
And i want to say a word to fathers and mothers out there.
00:20:38.737 --> 00:20:42.207
You need to protect your home in every way.
00:20:42.207 --> 00:20:44.843
I know you may have alarm systems and you put all your
00:20:44.843 --> 00:20:47.980
Locks on and you've got everything right, and that's
00:20:47.980 --> 00:20:50.215
Fantastic, but also remember to have spiritual protection.
00:20:50.215 --> 00:20:54.987
Have a time where you get together with your family and
00:20:54.987 --> 00:20:57.356
Have a meal together and get rid of the devices.
00:20:57.356 --> 00:21:01.426
No phones, no tablets, no tv playing in the background.
00:21:01.426 --> 00:21:05.631
Let's just talk to each other.
00:21:05.631 --> 00:21:07.332
Let's pray together.
00:21:07.332 --> 00:21:09.034
Let's read the bible together.
00:21:09.034 --> 00:21:11.103
And men, i wanna say a word to you.
00:21:11.103 --> 00:21:12.671
You should be taking the initiative and leading in
00:21:12.671 --> 00:21:15.107
This area.
00:21:15.107 --> 00:21:16.475
Men need to be the spiritual leaders in their home, right?
00:21:16.475 --> 00:21:24.182
You can do this.
00:21:24.182 --> 00:21:25.651
You must do this.
00:21:25.651 --> 00:21:27.653
So, sin has now entered the world and cain acts on this envy
00:21:27.653 --> 00:21:32.057
And this anger, and you all know the story: he killed his
00:21:32.057 --> 00:21:35.227
Brother abel.
00:21:35.227 --> 00:21:36.762
Horrible thing.
00:21:36.762 --> 00:21:38.363
But god had a solution for cain's sin and all our sin, and
00:21:38.363 --> 00:21:42.234
That takes us back to genesis chapter 3 because the lord
00:21:42.234 --> 00:21:46.805
Promised he was gonna send a deliverer.
00:21:46.805 --> 00:21:49.975
After eve and adam ate of the forbidden fruit, the lord made
00:21:49.975 --> 00:21:55.013
This profound statement and this is the first messianic passage
00:21:55.013 --> 00:21:59.651
In the bible.
00:21:59.651 --> 00:22:00.986
By messianic, i mean the first verse in the bible that spoke of
00:22:00.986 --> 00:22:05.991
Jesus's coming.
00:22:05.991 --> 00:22:07.359
Genesis 3:14 to 15.
00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:10.195
Let's look at it together.
00:22:10.195 --> 00:22:11.630
After adam and eve have sinned, "the lord said to the serpent,
00:22:11.630 --> 00:22:14.933
'because you've done this, you're cursed more than all
00:22:14.933 --> 00:22:17.302
Cattle, more than every beast of the field; on your belly you
00:22:17.302 --> 00:22:20.739
Shall go, and eat dust all the days of your life.
00:22:20.739 --> 00:22:23.241
And i will put enmity between you and the woman, between your
00:22:23.241 --> 00:22:26.812
Seed and her seed; he will bruise your head, and you
00:22:26.812 --> 00:22:30.148
Will bru--he--and you shall bruise his heel.'"
00:22:30.148 --> 00:22:32.584
That's the one.
00:22:32.584 --> 00:22:33.952
"he will bruise your head and you will bruise his heel."
00:22:33.952 --> 00:22:38.190
So, this is the messiah.
00:22:38.190 --> 00:22:39.591
So, here's what god is saying.
00:22:39.591 --> 00:22:40.959
"devil, i'm now putting you on notice.
00:22:40.959 --> 00:22:44.062
There is coming one who's gonna crush your head, but you'll
00:22:44.062 --> 00:22:47.766
Bruise his heel."
00:22:47.766 --> 00:22:49.201
And sure enough, satan struck out at jesus.
00:22:49.201 --> 00:22:52.404
He thought he had the ultimate plan.
00:22:52.404 --> 00:22:54.773
"i'll infiltrate their ranks," lucifer thought, "i'll get one
00:22:54.773 --> 00:22:58.677
Of jesus's very disciples to betray him," and he did, judas
00:22:58.677 --> 00:23:02.948
Iscariot, who betrayed our lord for 30 pieces of silver.
00:23:02.948 --> 00:23:06.785
"i'll make sure jesus is killed and murdered in cold blood on a
00:23:06.785 --> 00:23:11.390
Roman cross and that'll be the end of it."
00:23:11.390 --> 00:23:13.392
No, that was the fulfillment of it because jesus came to die on
00:23:13.392 --> 00:23:18.764
The cross and he said so repeatedly.
00:23:18.764 --> 00:23:21.600
In fact, the bible says of jesus, "he was the lamb slain
00:23:21.600 --> 00:23:25.270
From the foundation of the earth."
00:23:25.270 --> 00:23:28.540
What this means is, before there was a solar system, before there
00:23:28.540 --> 00:23:32.477
Was a planet called earth, before there was a garden called
00:23:32.477 --> 00:23:35.881
Eden, before there was a couple named adam and eve, a decision
00:23:35.881 --> 00:23:39.751
Was made in the councils of eternity that god would send his
00:23:39.751 --> 00:23:43.388
Own son, that god would walk among us as a man and live a
00:23:43.388 --> 00:23:47.125
Perfect life and die a perfect death and rise again from
00:23:47.125 --> 00:23:50.562
The dead.
00:23:50.562 --> 00:23:51.930
This was the plan and the devil didn't know it.
00:23:51.930 --> 00:23:55.066
And actually, in his weird way helped to bring the plan about.
00:23:55.066 --> 00:23:59.070
It blew up in his face.
00:23:59.070 --> 00:24:01.640
As we close now, let me ask you this:
00:24:01.640 --> 00:24:04.309
Has sin been bringing havoc into your life?
00:24:04.309 --> 00:24:08.814
Is there some sin or some vice that has gotten the control
00:24:08.814 --> 00:24:12.184
Of you?
00:24:12.184 --> 00:24:13.518
Remember what god said to cain?
00:24:13.518 --> 00:24:15.086
"you better master it or it's gonna master you."
00:24:15.086 --> 00:24:19.591
And the same is true for all of us.
00:24:19.591 --> 00:24:21.326
Now, i cannot master sin in my own power.
00:24:21.326 --> 00:24:24.229
I cannot overcome in--my sin in my own strength, but through the
00:24:24.229 --> 00:24:27.899
Power of god i can do it because greater is he that is in me than
00:24:27.899 --> 00:24:31.870
He that is in the world, all right?
00:24:31.870 --> 00:24:34.372
So, take--take whatever issue you're dealing with, whatever
00:24:34.372 --> 00:24:41.613
Sin you're struggling with, whatever vice seems to have a
00:24:41.613 --> 00:24:45.250
Permanent hold in your life, and i wanna tell you something.
00:24:45.250 --> 00:24:47.953
God is bigger than that problem, he's bigger than that sin, he's
00:24:47.953 --> 00:24:51.756
Bigger than that addiction, and you can overcome it through
00:24:51.756 --> 00:24:54.926
Jesus christ, okay?
00:24:54.926 --> 00:24:56.294
But keep something in mind.
00:24:56.294 --> 00:25:00.599
1 corinthians 10:13 says, "there is no temptation taking you but
00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:04.603
Such as is common to man; but god who is faithful, will not
00:25:04.603 --> 00:25:07.973
Allow you to be tempted above your capacity to resist, but
00:25:07.973 --> 00:25:12.744
Will with the temptation make a way of escape, that you may be
00:25:12.744 --> 00:25:15.947
Able to bear it."
00:25:15.947 --> 00:25:17.315
Let me just paraphrase that.
00:25:17.315 --> 00:25:19.551
There's always a way out of every temptation.
00:25:19.551 --> 00:25:21.620
There just is.
00:25:21.620 --> 00:25:22.988
Sometimes it's as simple as the door.
00:25:22.988 --> 00:25:25.991
Sometimes it's as simple as the off button.
00:25:25.991 --> 00:25:28.560
Press it.
00:25:28.560 --> 00:25:30.462
Sometimes it's as simple as terminating the conversation.
00:25:30.462 --> 00:25:34.432
But then, instead of being in places of vulnerability, be in
00:25:34.432 --> 00:25:38.403
Places where you're being built up.
00:25:38.403 --> 00:25:44.509
Greg: hi, i'm greg laurie.
00:25:48.113 --> 00:25:49.447
Years ago, i was in the ocean with my son and we got caught in
00:25:49.447 --> 00:25:52.717
A rip tide.
00:25:52.717 --> 00:25:54.486
Problem is, we were only a few feet from the shore.
00:25:54.486 --> 00:25:57.589
The lifeguard comes to rescue me, i say, "i think i'm okay,"
00:25:57.589 --> 00:26:00.492
And i finally got my feet on firm ground.
00:26:00.492 --> 00:26:03.828
But the problem was, i was too proud to say i needed help.
00:26:03.828 --> 00:26:07.098
That's like us, drowning in sin, drowning in addiction, needing
00:26:07.098 --> 00:26:12.037
The help of god.
00:26:12.037 --> 00:26:13.371
Here's what the bible says:
00:26:13.371 --> 00:26:14.739
"whoever will call upon the name of the lord will be saved."
00:26:14.739 --> 00:26:17.809
Whatever you're facing right now, jesus is ready to come and
00:26:17.809 --> 00:26:22.213
Help you, to save you.
00:26:22.213 --> 00:26:23.715
You can just pray, "lord jesus, save me.
00:26:23.715 --> 00:26:26.051
Forgive me of my sin.
00:26:26.051 --> 00:26:27.619
I need a relationship with you.
00:26:27.619 --> 00:26:29.554
I need hope in my life."
00:26:29.554 --> 00:26:31.323
Pray that prayer.
00:26:31.323 --> 00:26:32.657
He'll hear it and he'll answer it.
00:26:32.657 --> 00:26:35.327
I want to send you a bible, at no charge, to help you get
00:26:35.327 --> 00:26:38.997
Started in a relationship with jesus christ.
00:26:38.997 --> 00:26:44.869
Greg: greg laurie here.
00:26:48.406 --> 00:26:49.774
You know, at harvest ministries we're committing to reaching
00:26:49.774 --> 00:26:52.177
Unexpected people in unexpected places with an
00:26:52.177 --> 00:26:55.580
Unexpected message.
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And thanks to your financial support, we've been able to
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Touch people all over the world with the hope of jesus christ.
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Your gifts today not only help us reach millions across the
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Country through this television program, they also help us to
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Bring hope to people in their biggest need.
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So i'm asking you today to continue to support this
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Ministry so we can do everything possible to fulfill the
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Great commission.
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Let's do this together, and let me say in advance,
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Thank you and god bless you.
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Greg Laurie - God's Solution to Man's Problem

October 14, 2025 | 27:40

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