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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Heaven on Earth | May 2, 2025
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- Greg laurie: hi, i'm greg laurie, and i'm so glad
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- You've joined us, because god's word is full of promises,
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- It's alive, it's powerful, and it can change your life.
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- So, let's get started.
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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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- ♪♪♪
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- Greg: ever since i've been a little kid, i've been really
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- Into all things disney.
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- And when i say disney, i want you to think of vintage disney,
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- Early disney.
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- I, as a kid, like many of my generation, were raised watching
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- "the mickey mouse club," and that was a big deal.
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- Then later, it was "the wonderful world of disney,"
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- Changed later to "the wonderful world of color."
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- That's when color television was coming into existence.
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- That how old i am, folks.
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- I remember when we didn't have color tv.
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- So, one day, walt himself announced that he was opening up
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- A new place for everyone to visit called disneyland,
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- And he kept his promise.
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- And in 1955, when i was two years old, disneyland opened.
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- And i remember the excitement i had when i went there
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- For the first time.
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- But, you know, disney himself, walt disney had a vision.
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- And when he was a little boy, he used to love to go to a place
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- Called electric park.
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- And there was a carousel there, and he began to plot out in his
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- Mind an amusement park that he would build one day.
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- He was trying to, i think, in his own mind, bring a little
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- Heaven on earth.
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- I read a book a while ago on the life of disney, and the author,
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- Pat williams, said this--and i quote, "i know that walt felt
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- A longing for heaven.
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- He had that longing when he was a boy in kansas city, peering
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- Through the fence at electric park, wanting what he could not
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- Have, because he didn't have a dime in his pocket.
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- I believe it was that longing for heaven that drove walt to
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- Build a perfect place where children could ride
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- Merry-go-rounds and always catch the brass ring, a place where
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- Yesterday and tomorrow are always within walking distance,
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- A place where anyone can be perfectly happy,
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- If only for a day.
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- In walt's mind," writes pat williams, "heaven is a beautiful
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- Park, all shiny and clean, filled with wonderful things to
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- See and do, with a castle rising over it all and a train that
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- Goes around it," end quote.
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- Beautifully written.
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- I think walt disney, like all of us, had eternity in his heart.
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- The bible tells us that god puts us inside of each us where we
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- Long for something more, long for a place
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- We've never been to before.
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- And i believe that longing is actually for heaven itself.
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- We're homesick for heaven.
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- And things happen in life that seem so wrong and so unfair.
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- Tragedy may strike, and life on earth often disappoints, but i
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- Think you begin to realize that when you put your faith in
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- Christ, is you were made for another world.
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- And that's exactly what we're looking at here
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- In revelation 21.
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- We're looking at another world that is our future, and it's
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- Even better than disneyland.
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- We're looking at the moment when heaven comes to earth.
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- Heaven is mentioned 532 times in the bible, and more than 10% of
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- Those mentioned are right here in the book of revelation.
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- John speaks about heaven 55 times.
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- So, let's see what he has to say, revelation 21.
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- I'm going to read verses 1 through 6.
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- I'm reading from the new king james version.
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- John writes, "and i saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the
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- First heaven and the first earth had passed away;
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- And there was no more sea.
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- And i john saw the holy city, new jerusalem, coming down out
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- Of heaven from god, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
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- And i heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'behold, the
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- Tabernacle of god is with men, and he will dwell with them, and
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- They shall be his people.
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- And god himself will be with them and be their god.'"
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- I love this verse, verse 4 of revelation 21.
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- "'and god will wipe away every tear from their eye; there'll be
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- No more death, nor sorrow, nor crying and no more pain, for the
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- Former things have passed away.'
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- Then he that sat on the throne said,
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- 'behold, i make all things new.'
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- And he said to me, 'write, for these words
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- Are true and faithful.'
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- Then he said to me, 'it is done!
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- I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.
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- I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely
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- To him who thirsts."
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- We'll stop there.
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- Aren't those beautiful words?
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- I love how it begins.
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- "behold, i make all things new."
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- God loves new things.
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- He wants to make new people.
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- So, all things are new.
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- No more terminal diseases, no more hospitals, no more
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- Wheelchairs, no more funerals, no more suffering, no more
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- Separations, no more accidents, no more courts or prisons, no
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- More divorces or breakdowns or breakups, no suicide, no rape,
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- No missing children, no drug problems, no heart attacks,
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- No cancer, no alzheimer's, no famine or disaster.
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- God is making all things new.
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- I want you to notice one of the first things that happens here.
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- In verse 1 is there's no more ocean, no more sea.
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- All the surfers are like, "whoa, dude, what's up?"
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- Hey, what god gives you in the place of the ocean will be so
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- Much better, you won't miss it.
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- It's worth noting that two-thirds
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- Of the earth's surface is covered in water.
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- Thus only a small percentage of the planet earth
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- Is inhabitable.
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- And god's going to remove these barriers
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- That separate us right now.
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- Think about this, all people who have trusted christ
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- Will come together.
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- Have you ever gotten together for a family reunion
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- And seen members of your family you haven't seen for so long
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- And you wish it could go on forever?
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- Or gathered with old friend that maybe you haven't seen
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- For awhile and you're having such a good time.
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- Imagine this, heaven is a great reunion.
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- Where everyone will be reunited at one time
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- And one place.
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- All those who have died in faith over the centuries.
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- All of us together.
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- Eve will be there, sarah will be there,
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- So will ruth, david, noah, and jonah,
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- Peter, james, and john.
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- I think abraham lincoln will be there, c.h. spurgeon.
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- Oh look, it's dr. martin luther king over there.
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- Oh look, it's d.l. moody, it's billy graham.
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- C.s. lewis will be there.
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- Just think of the people that will be gathered together.
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- What conversations we'll have. what times we'll have together.
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- And for many of us, best of all, we'll be reunited
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- With loved ones that have preceded us to heaven.
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- And also, we see in this new earth, we're going to
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- Have a new city.
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- Look at verse 2.
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- "i john saw the holy city, new jerusalem, coming down from
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- Heaven from god, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
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- Notice that word "prepared."
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- Jesus said, "i go to prepare a place for you.
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- And if i go and prepare a place for you, i will come again and
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- Receive you unto myself, that where i am, you may be also."
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- So, heaven and the new earth are prepared places for prepared
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- People, and we have the new jerusalem.
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- You know, jerusalem plays a key role in the history of humanity.
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- The city of jerusalem plays a part in our past, in our
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- Present, and in our future.
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- Jerusalem is the nerve center of the world, geographically.
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- Jerusalem is the salvation center of the world,
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- Spiritually.
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- And jerusalem is a storm center of the world, prophetically.
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- Think about this.
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- Jerusalem is a city of the past.
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- This is the city that was ruled by king david.
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- This is a city where the first and second temple were built.
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- And it was outside the walls of this city of jerusalem
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- That our lord was crucified.
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- And it's also where he rose again from the dead.
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- But jerusalem is also the city of the present.
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- When the jewish people returned to their homeland after the
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- Horrors of the holocaust and established themselves as a
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- Nation again, the prophetic clock started ticking because
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- Nothing like this had ever happened.
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- On may 14, 1948, a prophecy was fulfilled.
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- Listen to this.
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- No nation has ever been able to maintain its national identity
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- 300 to 500 years after being removed from its homeland--that
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- Is, with the exception of israel.
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- Jerusalem always has been and always will be the eternal
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- Capital of israel.
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- Jerusalem is described in the bible as an intoxicating drink,
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- A heavy stone, and a burden for the world.
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- Zechariah 12 says, god speaking, "i'll make jerusalem and judah
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- Like an intoxicating drink to all who are nearby,
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- Who send their armies to besiege jerusalem.
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- I'll make jerusalem a heavy stone and a burden
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- For the world."
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- But jerusalem is not just a city of the past.
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- It's a city of the future.
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- Here, world history, as we know it, will come to a completion.
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- Nor far from jerusalem, the battle of armageddon
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- Will take place.
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- And it is at the east gate of the city of jerusalem, a gate
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- You can see right now on the wall, that the bible says
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- Messiah will enter through.
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- When christ comes back again, his foot will touch down
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- On the mount of olives.
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- Remember, that's also the place where he ascended.
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- It will split in two, and messiah will walk
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- Through the east gate.
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- But now we're talking about the new jerusalem that will come
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- Down from heaven.
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- In this heavenly city, there's no crime, there's no corruption,
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- There's no urban decay.
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- We're living in a curse-free world, and we're busy, as we're
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- About our father's business.
- 00:11:07.289 --> 00:11:09.592
- Notice revelation 22:3 says, "his servants will serve him."
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- I think sometimes people think we just lay around in heaven on
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- Clouds and sleep, and that might be appealing to someone
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- I'm talking to, but i like to be active.
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- I like to do things, and we'll be busy doing creative things,
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- Things that honor god, things that will bring great joy
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- And fulfillment to us.
- 00:11:31.614 --> 00:11:33.282
- And now here is one of the great promises of the bible.
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- Look at revelation 21, verse 4.
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- "and god will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and
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- There'll be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, and no more
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- Pain, for the former things have passed away."
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- You know, we may think that when we become a christian,
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- We'll then live a trouble-free life.
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- We'll never suffer, we'll never get sick.
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- Our loved ones that are close to us will never die.
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- Oh, no, these things may happen to us.
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- Being a christian does not mean you will never weep.
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- It may mean you'll weep more because your heart
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- Has been made tender.
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- In ezekiel, god says, "i'll remove a heart of stone
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- And give them a heart of flesh."
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- Greg: greg laurie here.
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- You know, at harvest ministries we're committing to reaching
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- Unexpected people in unexpected places with an
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- 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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- 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.
- 00:12:58.834 --> 00:13:00.202
- Greg: i mentioned earlier my mom being married and divorced
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- Seven times, so i developed these defense mechanisms
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- Where i was walled off.
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- I was always moving, so i never could establish long-lasting
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- Relationships and friendships with people.
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- I was always the new kid in class, according to the whims of
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- Where my mom wanted to go next.
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- And in my home, love was not expressed.
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- I can't remember a single time in my life where my mom simply
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- Said, "i love you," or "i'm proud of you."
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- So, being a walled-off person, it was hard for me to give love,
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- And it was hard for me to accept love.
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- And but that's all gonna change for all of us.
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- You know, sometimes we bottle things up deep inside.
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- But here's what we need to do.
- 00:13:47.883 --> 00:13:49.485
- Instead of bottling things up, we need to open our heart to god
- 00:13:49.485 --> 00:13:53.222
- And let him put these troubles in his bottle.
- 00:13:53.222 --> 00:13:58.160
- You say, "i don't know what you're talking about."
- 00:13:58.160 --> 00:13:59.962
- Well, psalm 56:8 says, "you keep track of all my sorrows.
- 00:13:59.962 --> 00:14:04.466
- You've collected all my tears in your bottle, have recorded
- 00:14:04.466 --> 00:14:08.971
- Each one in your book."
- 00:14:08.971 --> 00:14:11.173
- God keeps your tears in a bottle, so he can wipe them
- 00:14:11.173 --> 00:14:14.677
- Away one day.
- 00:14:14.677 --> 00:14:17.212
- Because one day, all pain will be gone, all sorrow will end.
- 00:14:17.212 --> 00:14:21.684
- Everything will be changed.
- 00:14:21.684 --> 00:14:23.452
- But you don't have to wait for heaven for things to change.
- 00:14:23.452 --> 00:14:25.988
- That can happen right here, right now, because 2 corinthians
- 00:14:25.988 --> 00:14:29.792
- 5:17 says, "if anyone be in christ, he is a new creation.
- 00:14:29.792 --> 00:14:34.730
- Old things have passed away.
- 00:14:34.730 --> 00:14:36.799
- All things become new."
- 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:38.634
- I love the phillips translation of that same verse, which says,
- 00:14:38.634 --> 00:14:42.137
- "if a man is in christ, he becomes a new person altogether.
- 00:14:42.137 --> 00:14:45.941
- The past is finished and gone, and everything
- 00:14:45.941 --> 00:14:49.511
- Has become fresh and new."
- 00:14:49.511 --> 00:14:52.781
- Think about that.
- 00:14:52.781 --> 00:14:54.249
- Do you need a fresh start?
- 00:14:54.249 --> 00:14:55.918
- Do you need to begin again?
- 00:14:55.918 --> 00:14:58.220
- Have you done things you wish you had not done, said things
- 00:14:58.220 --> 00:15:01.056
- You wish you had not said?
- 00:15:01.056 --> 00:15:02.691
- And you say, "well, now, i guess i just have to face
- 00:15:02.691 --> 00:15:05.027
- The consequences of all my bad decisions."
- 00:15:05.027 --> 00:15:07.896
- Well, there may be some truth to you having to face up to what
- 00:15:07.896 --> 00:15:10.132
- You've done, but i want you to also know that there is a god in
- 00:15:10.132 --> 00:15:14.837
- Heaven who loves you and will forgive you of all of your sin.
- 00:15:14.837 --> 00:15:18.774
- And not only will he forgive you of your sin,
- 00:15:18.774 --> 00:15:21.143
- He will forget your sin.
- 00:15:21.143 --> 00:15:24.380
- Psalm 103, verse 12 says, god speaking, "as far as the east is
- 00:15:24.380 --> 00:15:28.851
- From the west is as far as i will put your transgressions
- 00:15:28.851 --> 00:15:32.855
- From me."
- 00:15:32.855 --> 00:15:35.057
- You see, change happens when you put your faith in jesus christ.
- 00:15:35.057 --> 00:15:39.528
- If you're a real christian, your focus
- 00:15:39.528 --> 00:15:42.631
- And your values will change.
- 00:15:42.631 --> 00:15:44.867
- Old values, old ideas, plans and desires will be replaced by new
- 00:15:44.867 --> 00:15:50.305
- Things, a new desire to know god and love him, a new desire to
- 00:15:50.305 --> 00:15:56.378
- Study the bible, a new desire to engage with god's people in
- 00:15:56.378 --> 00:16:01.617
- Worship, a new desire to bring glory to your god.
- 00:16:01.617 --> 00:16:05.654
- And yes, a new desire to see god himself.
- 00:16:05.654 --> 00:16:10.459
- So, let me wrap this up.
- 00:16:10.459 --> 00:16:12.394
- How should all of this affect us?
- 00:16:12.394 --> 00:16:14.263
- What should we be doing in the light of the fact that we have
- 00:16:14.263 --> 00:16:18.434
- This great hope of heaven and one day a new earth.
- 00:16:18.434 --> 00:16:23.005
- Here's how it helps us.
- 00:16:23.005 --> 00:16:24.673
- Number one, it helps us to keep perspective during times
- 00:16:24.673 --> 00:16:28.544
- Of trial.
- 00:16:28.544 --> 00:16:30.079
- It helps us keep perspective during times of trial.
- 00:16:30.079 --> 00:16:34.249
- Bottom line, life on earth is full of trial, hardship,
- 00:16:34.249 --> 00:16:38.320
- Sadness, disappointment, and pain.
- 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:41.857
- But according to this and other passages, god is going to make
- 00:16:41.857 --> 00:16:45.194
- Up for the losses of earth.
- 00:16:45.194 --> 00:16:48.397
- No pain is wasted by god.
- 00:16:48.397 --> 00:16:51.767
- Paul says in romans 8:18, "i consider the sufferings of this
- 00:16:51.767 --> 00:16:55.037
- Present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory
- 00:16:55.037 --> 00:16:59.241
- That will be revealed in us.
- 00:16:59.241 --> 00:17:02.010
- See, here's god's big plan for you.
- 00:17:02.010 --> 00:17:05.247
- He wants to make you like jesus.
- 00:17:05.247 --> 00:17:08.150
- Romans 8:28, the verse we all know and quote, "we know that
- 00:17:08.150 --> 00:17:11.553
- All things work together for good, to those that love god
- 00:17:11.553 --> 00:17:14.089
- And that are the called according to his purpose.
- 00:17:14.089 --> 00:17:16.024
- Right?
- 00:17:16.024 --> 00:17:17.359
- Love that verse.
- 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:18.760
- But then the next verse, verse 29 says, "for whom god did
- 00:17:18.760 --> 00:17:20.762
- Foreknow, he also did predestine to be conformed into the image
- 00:17:20.762 --> 00:17:24.533
- Of his own dear son.
- 00:17:24.533 --> 00:17:26.768
- See, we sometimes take romans 8:28 and think it means whatever
- 00:17:26.768 --> 00:17:30.672
- Bad thing happens, god's gonna turn it into a good thing.
- 00:17:30.672 --> 00:17:33.876
- That is not what the verse promises.
- 00:17:33.876 --> 00:17:35.978
- Again, it says, "all things work together for good to those who
- 00:17:35.978 --> 00:17:39.314
- Love god and are the called according to his purpose.
- 00:17:39.314 --> 00:17:42.451
- For whom," let's keep the verse going, "god did foreknow, he
- 00:17:42.451 --> 00:17:45.954
- Predestined to be conformed into the image of his own dear son."
- 00:17:45.954 --> 00:17:50.192
- See, god's plan for you is to make you more like jesus, to
- 00:17:50.192 --> 00:17:54.730
- Make you a chip off the old rock, if you will, and that
- 00:17:54.730 --> 00:17:58.033
- Means hardship.
- 00:17:58.033 --> 00:17:59.635
- That means difficulty, as well as joys and happy things
- 00:17:59.635 --> 00:18:03.505
- Happening to you.
- 00:18:03.505 --> 00:18:05.908
- So no matter what you're going through right now
- 00:18:05.908 --> 00:18:07.709
- Get the big picture.
- 00:18:07.709 --> 00:18:09.845
- God's in control, the word "oops" is not in his vocabulary.
- 00:18:09.845 --> 00:18:14.850
- Would that freak you out if god said oops?
- 00:18:14.850 --> 00:18:16.985
- What you dropped a planet? what?
- 00:18:16.985 --> 00:18:19.755
- God doesn't say oops, he knows what he's doing.
- 00:18:19.755 --> 00:18:22.324
- He's making you like jesus.
- 00:18:22.324 --> 00:18:24.726
- He's getting you ready for heaven.
- 00:18:24.726 --> 00:18:27.329
- Number 2, believing that we'll go to heaven, and heaven will
- 00:18:27.329 --> 00:18:32.100
- Come to earth one day, well, it should cause us to want
- 00:18:32.100 --> 00:18:35.404
- To live godly lives.
- 00:18:35.404 --> 00:18:37.606
- As i've said before, if in our studies of the book of
- 00:18:37.606 --> 00:18:40.976
- Revelation, it hasn't prompted you or motivated you to want to
- 00:18:40.976 --> 00:18:45.581
- Be more like jesus and walk more closely with him, then i think
- 00:18:45.581 --> 00:18:49.318
- We've missed the point, right?
- 00:18:49.318 --> 00:18:52.688
- I heard a story about two farmers.
- 00:18:52.688 --> 00:18:56.091
- And they went out hunting ducks.
- 00:18:56.091 --> 00:18:58.493
- And one of the farmers had his dog with him, who would retrieve
- 00:18:58.493 --> 00:19:00.929
- The ducks.
- 00:19:00.929 --> 00:19:02.364
- So, they saw a duck fly by.
- 00:19:02.364 --> 00:19:04.833
- The farmer shot the duck, fell from the sky into the lake, and
- 00:19:04.833 --> 00:19:08.503
- His dog ran out to retrieve the duck, and ran across the top of
- 00:19:08.503 --> 00:19:13.375
- The water, got the duck, ran back over again on top of the
- 00:19:13.375 --> 00:19:18.280
- Water, came back to the farmer, and dropped the duck at the
- 00:19:18.280 --> 00:19:21.917
- Farmer's feet.
- 00:19:21.917 --> 00:19:23.485
- The farmer looked at him and said, "i don't think your dog
- 00:19:23.485 --> 00:19:26.655
- Knows how to swim."
- 00:19:26.655 --> 00:19:29.124
- Hey, talk about missing the point.
- 00:19:29.124 --> 00:19:30.826
- The dog walked on the water--not a true story.
- 00:19:30.826 --> 00:19:33.295
- But we often miss the point.
- 00:19:33.295 --> 00:19:35.931
- This should motivate us to live a godly life because, again,
- 00:19:35.931 --> 00:19:39.001
- Scripture says, "he that has this hope purifies himself,
- 00:19:39.001 --> 00:19:42.404
- Even as he is pure."
- 00:19:42.404 --> 00:19:44.106
- And then paul tells us in colossians 1, "since you've been
- 00:19:44.106 --> 00:19:47.009
- Raised with christ, set your mind on things above,
- 00:19:47.009 --> 00:19:51.580
- Where christ is seated at the right hand of god."
- 00:19:51.580 --> 00:19:54.349
- Set your minds on tings above, not on earthly things.
- 00:19:54.349 --> 00:19:58.053
- Set your minds means think heaven.
- 00:19:58.053 --> 00:20:03.025
- So, i know i'm going to heaven.
- 00:20:03.025 --> 00:20:04.960
- Think heavenly thoughts.
- 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:06.928
- Our feet must be on earth, but our minds and our hearts
- 00:20:06.928 --> 00:20:11.800
- Should be in heaven.
- 00:20:11.800 --> 00:20:13.535
- And third and lastly--because i really believe this,
- 00:20:13.535 --> 00:20:16.171
- And i wonder, do you really believe what we've read
- 00:20:16.171 --> 00:20:18.607
- In this message and others.
- 00:20:18.607 --> 00:20:20.542
- Do you really believe the bible is true?
- 00:20:20.542 --> 00:20:23.412
- Do you really believe that there is both a heaven and a hell?
- 00:20:23.412 --> 00:20:28.050
- Do you really believe that we're gonna enter into the afterlife?
- 00:20:28.050 --> 00:20:31.887
- If you do--and i'm sure almost all of you do--some of you
- 00:20:31.887 --> 00:20:36.124
- Don't, probably.
- 00:20:36.124 --> 00:20:37.959
- But if you believe this, shouldn't that motivate you
- 00:20:37.959 --> 00:20:41.496
- To want to take some people with you to heaven?
- 00:20:41.496 --> 00:20:44.232
- I want you to go to heaven.
- 00:20:44.232 --> 00:20:46.535
- I want you to know jesus christ.
- 00:20:46.535 --> 00:20:48.904
- I want to help you understand what you need to do to believe
- 00:20:48.904 --> 00:20:52.874
- In jesus christ.
- 00:20:52.874 --> 00:20:54.343
- So, let me close with this appeal to you.
- 00:20:54.343 --> 00:20:58.246
- Someone that's watching, who does not have this confidence
- 00:20:58.246 --> 00:21:01.083
- That they'll go to heaven when they die, someone who is not
- 00:21:01.083 --> 00:21:04.653
- Sure if jesus is living inside of them,
- 00:21:04.653 --> 00:21:08.323
- Here's what you need to do.
- 00:21:08.323 --> 00:21:10.625
- Everything can change for you right now, and god
- 00:21:10.625 --> 00:21:12.561
- Can make all things new.
- 00:21:12.561 --> 00:21:14.663
- You say, "oh, great, it's too late for me.
- 00:21:14.663 --> 00:21:17.733
- I can't change.
- 00:21:17.733 --> 00:21:19.067
- I've tried to change myself, and it hasn't worked.
- 00:21:19.067 --> 00:21:21.470
- You can't change anything.
- 00:21:21.470 --> 00:21:23.839
- It's just the way it is."
- 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:25.173
- No, god can make all things new.
- 00:21:25.173 --> 00:21:27.542
- God can change your story.
- 00:21:27.542 --> 00:21:29.311
- I don't know how old you are.
- 00:21:29.311 --> 00:21:30.812
- I don't know where you are in your life.
- 00:21:30.812 --> 00:21:32.581
- But whatever it is, god can change it,
- 00:21:32.581 --> 00:21:34.950
- Especially the ending.
- 00:21:34.950 --> 00:21:37.986
- I love this verse, revelation 21, verse 6.
- 00:21:37.986 --> 00:21:40.989
- "he said to me, 'it is done.
- 00:21:40.989 --> 00:21:43.024
- I am the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.
- 00:21:43.024 --> 00:21:45.293
- I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely
- 00:21:45.293 --> 00:21:49.131
- To him who thirsts."
- 00:21:49.131 --> 00:21:52.000
- Deep down inside, you're thirsty spiritually.
- 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:56.405
- There was a woman who would go to a well every day at around
- 00:21:56.405 --> 00:22:00.409
- 12 noon and draw water.
- 00:22:00.409 --> 00:22:02.911
- She didn't have any friends.
- 00:22:02.911 --> 00:22:04.613
- She'd been married and divorced five times.
- 00:22:04.613 --> 00:22:06.882
- She was living with some dude at present.
- 00:22:06.882 --> 00:22:09.050
- And who is waiting for her at the well that she frequented?
- 00:22:09.050 --> 00:22:12.554
- It was jesus himself.
- 00:22:12.554 --> 00:22:14.489
- She braced herself for a confrontation,
- 00:22:14.489 --> 00:22:17.459
- Ready for an argument.
- 00:22:17.459 --> 00:22:18.960
- She was even somewhat flippant and sarcastic
- 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:21.329
- When she began to speak to him.
- 00:22:21.329 --> 00:22:23.165
- And i love what jesus said.
- 00:22:23.165 --> 00:22:25.167
- He said, "if you drink of this water, you'll thirst again.
- 00:22:25.167 --> 00:22:28.136
- But if you drink of the water i give,
- 00:22:28.136 --> 00:22:30.338
- You will never thirst again."
- 00:22:30.338 --> 00:22:32.174
- He was using the well that she drew water from
- 00:22:32.174 --> 00:22:35.143
- As a metaphor for life.
- 00:22:35.143 --> 00:22:37.345
- You could write it over so many things in life.
- 00:22:37.345 --> 00:22:39.481
- If you drink of this water, you'll thirst again.
- 00:22:39.481 --> 00:22:42.117
- The well of materialism, if you will.
- 00:22:42.117 --> 00:22:45.053
- If that's where you're going for answers,
- 00:22:45.053 --> 00:22:47.255
- You're always gonna want more.
- 00:22:47.255 --> 00:22:48.924
- You could write it over relationships even.
- 00:22:48.924 --> 00:22:51.827
- If you drink of this water, you'll thirst again.
- 00:22:51.827 --> 00:22:54.863
- You could write it over accomplishments,
- 00:22:54.863 --> 00:22:56.498
- Or success, or fame.
- 00:22:56.498 --> 00:22:58.099
- If you drink of this water, you'll thirst again.
- 00:22:58.099 --> 00:23:01.203
- You could even write it over the well of religion, if you will,
- 00:23:01.203 --> 00:23:04.840
- Religion, and rituals, and other things.
- 00:23:04.840 --> 00:23:07.209
- If you drink of this water, you'll thirst again.
- 00:23:07.209 --> 00:23:09.644
- But if you come to jesus and believe in him, he'll satisfy
- 00:23:09.644 --> 00:23:13.682
- Your deepest spiritual thirst.
- 00:23:13.682 --> 00:23:16.384
- Let me go back to what i said in the beginning.
- 00:23:16.384 --> 00:23:19.321
- We all long for a place we've never been to before.
- 00:23:19.321 --> 00:23:23.158
- I talked about going to disneyland, as a child, and how
- 00:23:23.158 --> 00:23:26.328
- Excited i was to be in the magic kingdom:
- 00:23:26.328 --> 00:23:29.631
- The happiest place on earth.
- 00:23:29.631 --> 00:23:32.267
- Well, this is something that is deep down inside of all of us,
- 00:23:32.267 --> 00:23:35.670
- And an amusement park is not going to satisfy that,
- 00:23:35.670 --> 00:23:38.707
- Especially when you look at the price you pay to get in.
- 00:23:38.707 --> 00:23:41.643
- I think when you're a kid, the happiest moment of going to
- 00:23:41.643 --> 00:23:44.746
- Disneyland is when you walk in.
- 00:23:44.746 --> 00:23:46.348
- But when you're an adult, the happiest moment is when you're
- 00:23:46.348 --> 00:23:48.850
- Leaving, right?
- 00:23:48.850 --> 00:23:50.785
- And then having to figure out how you're going to pay for all
- 00:23:50.785 --> 00:23:52.521
- Of that.
- 00:23:52.521 --> 00:23:53.922
- But that's just an idea to start with.
- 00:23:53.922 --> 00:23:55.690
- We're longing for something more.
- 00:23:55.690 --> 00:23:57.359
- We're longing for heaven, and we're longing for god.
- 00:23:57.359 --> 00:24:00.762
- Nothing this world offers will satisfy you, apart from a
- 00:24:00.762 --> 00:24:04.132
- Relationship with god.
- 00:24:04.132 --> 00:24:06.201
- You can ask him to come and live inside of you and forgive you
- 00:24:06.201 --> 00:24:09.104
- Of all of your sin, right here, right now.
- 00:24:09.104 --> 00:24:15.043
- Greg: maybe god has spoken to your heart
- 00:24:18.947 --> 00:24:21.750
- And you have seen your need for jesus christ.
- 00:24:21.750 --> 00:24:25.387
- Jesus christ is the son of god who came from heaven
- 00:24:25.387 --> 00:24:29.491
- To this earth.
- 00:24:29.491 --> 00:24:30.959
- He was born in a manger.
- 00:24:30.959 --> 00:24:32.527
- He died in a cross.
- 00:24:32.527 --> 00:24:34.629
- He rose again from the dead. why?
- 00:24:34.629 --> 00:24:36.765
- Because he loves you and he wants
- 00:24:36.765 --> 00:24:38.433
- A relationship with you.
- 00:24:38.433 --> 00:24:40.168
- Listen, i'm not talking about religion.
- 00:24:40.168 --> 00:24:42.237
- I don't want to be a religious person.
- 00:24:42.237 --> 00:24:44.139
- I don't think you want to be one either.
- 00:24:44.139 --> 00:24:46.041
- I'm talking about relationship with god.
- 00:24:46.041 --> 00:24:49.511
- Jesus, who died and rose again, stands at the door of your life
- 00:24:49.511 --> 00:24:54.082
- And he knocks, and he says if you'll hear his voice
- 00:24:54.082 --> 00:24:56.785
- And open the door he will come in.
- 00:24:56.785 --> 00:24:59.120
- Question, have you asked jesus christ to come
- 00:24:59.120 --> 00:25:01.856
- And live inside of you?
- 00:25:01.856 --> 00:25:03.458
- You might say, "well, i think so.
- 00:25:03.458 --> 00:25:04.793
- I'm not sure."
- 00:25:04.793 --> 00:25:06.127
- Hey, if someone moved into your house in the middle
- 00:25:06.127 --> 00:25:07.762
- Of the night, do you think you would be aware of it?
- 00:25:07.762 --> 00:25:10.599
- I'm sure you would.
- 00:25:10.599 --> 00:25:12.334
- And in the same way if christ has come to live
- 00:25:12.334 --> 00:25:14.436
- Inside of you you will know, and if you don't know,
- 00:25:14.436 --> 00:25:18.340
- Maybe he has not come in yet.
- 00:25:18.340 --> 00:25:20.108
- He is just a prayer away.
- 00:25:20.108 --> 00:25:21.910
- All you need to do is say,
- 00:25:21.910 --> 00:25:23.445
- "jesus, i want this relationship with you.
- 00:25:23.445 --> 00:25:25.847
- I want you to forgive me of my sin.
- 00:25:25.847 --> 00:25:28.149
- I want to go to heaven when i die."
- 00:25:28.149 --> 00:25:30.418
- Would you like to do that?
- 00:25:30.418 --> 00:25:31.820
- Would you like christ to come into your life?
- 00:25:31.820 --> 00:25:34.289
- If so, why don't you just pray this simple prayer with me?
- 00:25:34.289 --> 00:25:37.392
- You could pray it out loud or you can pray it
- 00:25:37.392 --> 00:25:39.894
- In the quietness of your heart, but this is a prayer
- 00:25:39.894 --> 00:25:42.731
- Where you're asking jesus christ to be your savior and lord.
- 00:25:42.731 --> 00:25:46.267
- Pray this with me now.
- 00:25:46.267 --> 00:25:47.936
- "lord jesus, i know that i'm a sinner,
- 00:25:47.936 --> 00:25:50.672
- But i know that you're the savior who died
- 00:25:50.672 --> 00:25:54.676
- In the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead.
- 00:25:54.676 --> 00:25:57.812
- Now, come into my life.
- 00:25:57.812 --> 00:26:00.248
- I choose to follow you from this moment forward.
- 00:26:00.248 --> 00:26:04.919
- Thank you for hearing this prayer
- 00:26:04.919 --> 00:26:06.921
- And answering this prayer.
- 00:26:06.921 --> 00:26:08.823
- In jesus's name, amen."
- 00:26:08.823 --> 00:26:11.393
- Did you just pray that prayer with me?
- 00:26:11.393 --> 00:26:13.795
- If so, i want you to know in the authority of scripture
- 00:26:13.795 --> 00:26:16.765
- That christ himself has come to live inside of you,
- 00:26:16.765 --> 00:26:20.101
- And i would love to send to you,
- 00:26:20.101 --> 00:26:21.803
- At no charge, something called,
- 00:26:21.803 --> 00:26:23.938
- "the new believer's bible."
- 00:26:23.938 --> 00:26:25.607
- It's a very friendly translation
- 00:26:25.607 --> 00:26:27.442
- Of the new testament,
- 00:26:27.442 --> 00:26:28.777
- You'll find very understandable.
- 00:26:28.777 --> 00:26:30.779
- And it's filled
- 00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:32.113
- With hundreds of notes that i wrote
- 00:26:32.113 --> 00:26:33.682
- That will encourage you
- 00:26:33.682 --> 00:26:35.283
- In this commitment you've just made
- 00:26:35.283 --> 00:26:36.785
- To follow jesus.
- 00:26:36.785 --> 00:26:38.119
- Let me send that to you at no charge.
- 00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:40.722
- And let me be the first to say to you,
- 00:26:40.789 --> 00:26:42.390
- Congratulations
- 00:26:42.390 --> 00:26:44.559
- And welcome to the family of god.
- 00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:46.761
- Greg: greg laurie here.
- 00:26:50.298 --> 00:26:51.666
- You know, at harvest ministries we're committing to reaching
- 00:26:51.666 --> 00:26:54.069
- Unexpected people in unexpected places with an
- 00:26:54.069 --> 00:26:57.472
- Unexpected message.
- 00:26:57.472 --> 00:26:59.507
- And thanks to your financial support,
- 00:26:59.507 --> 00:27:02.610
- Together we've been able to minister to so many people
- 00:27:02.610 --> 00:27:05.613
- Devastated by the fires in lahaina, on the island of maui.
- 00:27:05.613 --> 00:27:09.584
- And also, your support has helped us partner to bring
- 00:27:09.584 --> 00:27:13.088
- Medical help in the ongoing conflict in israel.
- 00:27:13.088 --> 00:27:16.391
- So i'm asking you today to continue to support this
- 00:27:16.391 --> 00:27:19.928
- Ministry so we can do everything possible to fulfill the
- 00:27:19.928 --> 00:27:23.898
- Great commission.
- 00:27:23.898 --> 00:27:25.366
- Let's do this together, and let me say in advance,
- 00:27:25.366 --> 00:27:28.403
- Thank you and god bless you.
- 00:27:28.403 --> 00:27:28.403
