A New Beginning

Greg Laurie: I'd rather be in a storm with Jesus than anywhere else without him. Maybe you're in a storm, maybe you're in a fire. You are not alone. Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you even to the end of the age."

Guest (Male): From the Old Testament story of three young men thrown into a fiery furnace, today Pastor Greg Laurie brings us good encouragement for the troubles we may face. I would rather be in a fiery furnace with Jesus than anywhere else without him, wouldn't you?

Greg Laurie: Have you ever looked up into the starry sky on a clear night? You're awestruck at the vastness of outer space. If that weren't awesome enough, God created the heavens and the earth with just the power of his word. Do you think he might be able to handle the problem on your mind right now? Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie brings us good encouragement about trusting God to get us through. We'll learn to follow a great example from scripture.

Grab your Bibles and turn to Daniel chapter 3 and James chapter 1. The title of my message is Staying Cool When Things Get Hot. When I was a little boy, I lived for a time with my grandparents and I used to have those little green army men. You may remember them. They came in a bag, a whole bunch of them, and I loved to set them on fire. Am I the only one?

We had this floor furnace there in my grandparents' house, and I would put the little green army guys on the grate of the furnace and they would melt, and then the plastic would drip down. My grandparents did not appreciate this at all. Interestingly, there was a portrait of Jesus over the furnace. If a portrait could roll its eyes, I could just see Jesus going, "Seriously, like what are you doing?"

I want to talk to you about another furnace, a big furnace. A furnace that three men were thrown into and their names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Jesus did not look away, and in fact, Jesus showed up and walked with them through this fiery trial they found themselves in. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were taken captive along with their friend Daniel by Babylon, but they were very intelligent, outstanding young men.

The king handpicked them to be a part of his cabinet, if you will. They were in the court where they influenced the king. They were among his counselors, which meant that they lived in the literal lap of luxury. They lived in the palace of the most powerful man in all of the world, and they would sit at the king's table and eat the king's food. For some reason, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego made a principled stand that they would not eat the food from the king's table.

The Bible doesn't tell us why. I think it's probably because the food may have been offered to false gods or idols. They said, "We're not going to eat the food." The guy who was in charge said, "Hey, you've got to eat this food or I'll get in trouble." They said, "Don't worry. We'll be fine. We'll eat our own little diet and we'll be as healthy as everyone else." Sure enough, they were.

I only bring that up because they made a stand in a relatively small area of their life which supported them when they had to make the bigger stand later in life. If you compromise in the little things now, you're going to compromise in the bigger things later. Boy, they were really challenged when they had to decide what to do when the king commanded them to worship this false god.

Let's read about it in Daniel 3, verse 14. Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue that I've set up? I'll give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments, all will be well. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. What god will be able to rescue you from my power then?"

Verse 16: "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we're thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue that you have set up.'"

The king is really angry. Look at Daniel 3, verse 19. "Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. His face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So when he had tied them up and thrown them into the furnace fully clothed, because his anger, he demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames leaped out and killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in."

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. Then suddenly, as he was watching, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisors, "Didn't we throw three men into the furnace?" "Yes," they said. "We did, your Majesty." "Look!" Nebuchadnezzar shouted. "I see four men unbound walking around in the fire and they aren't even hurt by the flames. And the fourth is like the Son of God."

Wow, that's a good one. Don't tell me the Bible is boring. If ever there was a Christophany, this is one of them. Christ himself walking with them through the fire. Jesus is walking with you through your fire. I would rather be in a fiery furnace with Jesus than anywhere else without him, wouldn't you?

The disciples were out on the storm-tossed Sea of Galilee and they began to panic. Suddenly they saw Jesus coming toward them and he said, "Don't be afraid. It's me." I'd rather be in a storm with Jesus than anywhere else without him. Maybe you're in a storm, maybe you're in a fire. You are not alone. Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you even to the end of the age."

In Hebrews, he gave us that beautiful statement: "I will never leave you or forsake you. Therefore, I will not fear what man will do to me." In the original language, he was emphatic and he said, "I will not, no never, no never leave you or forsake you." He walked with them through their fire and he's walking with you through yours as well.

That brings us to James 1 because we wonder why do I have to go through these trials? Why do I have to have these difficulties? James 1, verse 2: "When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don't treat them as intruders but friends. Realize they have come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. So let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed and you'll find you've become men of mature character, men of integrity, with no weak spots."

I love that translation. Staying cool when things get hot. How can we even do that? Why do we go through trials? Trials are like going to the gym. How many of you go to the gym? Raise your hand. More of you should go, especially you, sir. I know I should go more. I don't like to go to the gym. Some do. "I had a great workout today!" I've never had a great workout. The greatest part of my workout is when it's over.

Having said that, I'm always glad I did it because I understand that doing that helps me in the long term. I think the problem with the gym for some people is they get really out of shape. Well, they're in a shape, they're just in the wrong shape. They're in the shape of a pear and they didn't want to be known as the Lord's pear, but that's what they've become.

So they go to the gym and they overdo it. They try to lift too much weight and then the next day they can't even lift their arms up. They probably should do lower weights, higher reps, and just stick with it. But here's what you need to understand: you break muscle down in order to build muscle up. It takes time. There's not immediate results.

Trials break us down. Trials are like God's gym. It breaks us down in order to ultimately build us up. God has not given us his blessings and his gifts to just admire or to put in a trophy case. He gives them to us to use. If you don't use it, you'll lose it and your muscles will begin to atrophy and you don't want that to happen.

Jesus said, "Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together, running over. In the same measure you give, it will be given back to you." Trials take our faith from the realm of theory to reality, and it develops in us a spiritual toughness. Actually, in James 1:3, he says, "Knowing the testing of your faith produces patience."

Interesting word, patience. That's King James. Not the best translation, frankly. It comes from a root word, hupomone, which means endurance. Another translation, heroic endurance or steadfastness, or even another translates it fortitude. You get stronger as a result. So you'll have the strength to stand because you're going to be challenged and you're going to be asked to bow at some altar. The Bible tells us specifically to keep yourselves from idols.

Guest (Male): Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. We love to hear stories of how lives have been changed through the teaching of God's word, like this one. "Hi, Pastor Greg. I live in Kansas and one of these days my hubby and I want to travel to come see you in person. Your messages have been such a blessing in our lives, helping me heal as I dealt with anxiety and deep depression. Listening to you preach God's word helped me get through the battle and now I feel renewed and free. God bless you, Pastor Greg."

Do you have a story to share with Pastor Greg? If so, would you let him know? Send him an email to greg@harvest.org. That's greg@harvest.org. Well, we're glad you're along today for Pastor Greg's message called Staying Cool When Things Get Hot.

Greg Laurie: Let me shift gears and land this plane. One day there's going to come another world leader on the scene. Not Nebuchadnezzar, but this world leader is called the Antichrist, the beast, the wicked one. He'll be charismatic, he'll be intelligent, he'll be persuasive, and he'll initially emerge on the scene as a peacemaker. But he'll ultimately turn out to be the ultimate troublemaker.

No one will be able to buy or sell without the Antichrist's mark. You won't be able to do commerce without this mark. A lot of people try to speculate as to who the Antichrist is, and I just want to tell you you're not going to know because before the Antichrist can be revealed, Christ is going to call his church home to heaven.

The Bible never tells you to be looking for Antichrist, but it does repeatedly tell you to be looking for Jesus Christ. God promises to keep us out of the tribulation period. You see Greg, I've heard a different version of this. Okay, that version is wrong. I'm telling you the truth. Listen to what I'm saying. You can laugh. That was meant to be kind of funny. But I'm actually serious. If I didn't think my version was right, I wouldn't share it with you, would I?

Here's what I believe the Bible teaches. Revelation 3:10: "Because you've kept my command to persevere," Jesus says, "I'll keep you from the hour of trial which will come upon the whole world to test those that dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly." He's talking about the time of tribulation. Remember how Nebuchadnezzar heated the furnace up seven times hotter? The tribulation period lasts seven years.

God has not appointed us to wrath, the Bible says, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He's going to deliver us before this time. We'll meet the Lord in the air. Then Antichrist will be revealed. But the word persevere is used. "If you will persevere," Jesus says, "I'll keep you from that hour." This is the same word used by James, that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. The main thing is Christ is coming quickly.

A closing thought, and when a preacher says that it could be another hour, but it's not going to be. Nebuchadnezzar saw God work. God interpreted his dream and he gave credit to God for doing so, but then he went crazy. Literally, he went crazy after his idol was erected. God dealt with him harshly. He lost his mind and had complete insanity overtake him. Then he came to his senses and he turned to the Lord, and had one of the most dramatic conversions in all of the Old Testament and told everyone in his kingdom he was a believer in the Lord God of Israel.

That was amazing. But it took him some time. He was fighting with God. Don't fight with God. You're not going to win. Why would you fight with God anyway? His plan for you is better than your plan for yourself. That's a description of many people right now. They're making their way in. It was a description of me at the ripe old age of 17.

I came to Christ through the process of elimination. I looked at the life of my mother, the life of alcoholism, and I said I don't want that life. I looked at my own life, stupid decisions I made, partying, using drugs. I didn't want my life anymore. What did that leave? Well, then there were the Christians. I don't want that life for sure.

They're kind of weird. But here was the problem with that narrative: I knew some of the people who had become Christians and actually they weren't weird. They were friends of mine and I'd seen their lives change. I had to process that a little bit. So one day I went to their meeting. You've heard my story many times. They were meeting on the front lawn of my high school campus, Newport Harbor High, and I came across them and I sat down close enough to eavesdrop on their conversation but not close enough where it looked like I was joining up with them.

I heard the gospel for the first time in a way that I understood. Suddenly that portrait of Jesus that hung in my grandparents' house, I was making the connection. That's not just a historical figure, it's a real person. It didn't hurt that the guy who was preaching actually looked like Jesus a little bit. Lonnie Frisbee, who was preaching, long hair, beard, kind of looks like Jesus. I know it's not Jesus, but still.

It got my attention and I listened. I don't remember most of what he said, but I remember one statement where he said, "Jesus said you're for me or you're against me." I looked at the Christians. I said, "Well, I'm not one of them. Does that mean I'm against God?" I don't want to be against God. I've always believed there's a God out there somewhere, and Jesus has always been my God of choice when I'm in trouble.

I've never known I could have any kind of a relationship with him. Then he said, "If you want to accept Jesus into your life, get up and walk forward." Some kids did, and before I knew it, I was up there with them praying. That is the day Christ came into my life. The first part of conversion, the first part of coming to Christ, the Bible says is having your eyes opened. What does that mean?

It means that you suddenly realize, whoa, this is true. This is all true. Now, it's not enough to just have your eyes opened. The next step is turning from darkness to light. I can come to church and say, "You know what, as you were speaking, I realized this is all true. I realize I need this. I realize I need Jesus in my life." That's good, but that doesn't mean you're there. You've got to take the next step.

The next step is I'm going to now believe in Jesus. A lot of people have their eyes opened, so to speak. They give intellectual assent to what we have said, but they don't act on it. Have you made that commitment to Christ yet? Only you can do it. In a moment we're going to pray and I'm going to give you an opportunity to ask Christ to come into your life so you can have your sin forgiven, so you can know that when you die you will go to heaven and you can start discovering his amazing plan for your life.

You think about what you're going to do right now. Let's all pray. Father, I pray that you will speak to the heart of every person in this room. If they do not yet know you, help them to see their need for you and help them to come to you and believe, we pray. Now while our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed and we're praying, maybe you've come here today and you've never asked Jesus Christ to come into your life.

You have a big hole in your heart. You've been trying to fill it with all these things our culture says should make you happy and it hasn't worked, has it? What you're looking for is Christ himself, and he will come and take residence in your heart and forgive you of all of your sin. But you must ask him in. Jesus says, "I stand at the door of your life and I knock, and if you'll hear my voice and open the door, I'll come in."

Do you want Jesus to come into your life? If you want Christ to come into your life today, if you want him to forgive you of your sin, if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven, wherever you are I'm going to ask that you pray this prayer out loud after me and this is where you're asking Jesus Christ to come into your life. The Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. That's what you're doing right now. You're calling on the name of the Lord and he'll hear and answer this prayer. Let's all bow our heads. Pray this out loud after me.

Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner. But I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I turn from my sin now and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my Savior and Lord, as my God and friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer and answering this prayer. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Guest (Male): Hopefully you prayed along with Pastor Greg Laurie just now and entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you did, we'd like to first of all say congratulations. You've just made the best decision of your life. But we'd also like to make available Pastor Greg's New Believers Bible. It'll help you get well-grounded in God's word and build a solid foundation for your relationship with the Lord.

You can request it free of charge when you call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24/7 number, 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org and click "Know God". Then let us say a word of thanks to those who support us financially, those who make it possible for us to bring you these studies each day. We are definitely a listener-supported ministry. It's the generosity of listeners that helps us be here with these programs.

So if you've partnered with us, thank you. And if you have yet to partner with us, I hope you'll get in touch today and let us know that you're standing with us. Even a small investment would help. It's actually an investment in changing lives. Thank you for partnering with us. You can donate securely online at harvest.org or call us at 1-800-821-3300. Again, that's 1-800-821-3300.

Greg Laurie: Hey everybody, you can watch our Sunday services on a special broadcast that we call Harvest at Home. It's streaming on the Harvest Plus platform. So download that app right away, Harvest Plus, and you can enjoy being a part of our extended church family every Sunday.

Guest (Male): Well, next time as Pastor Greg continues his series called Jesus and You, he brings us a look at the price Jesus paid at Calvary in a message called The God Who Feels Your Pain. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie.