Tag Archives: Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – “You Shall Not Covet”

May 14, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

THINK before You Speak

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” — Exodus 20:17

A Roman Catholic priest who had heard the confessions of 2,000 people said that he had heard every kind of sin and iniquity confessed—even murder—with one exception. He had never heard anyone confess to committing the sin of covetousness.

I think that is because we don’t really know what coveting is. Yet we do it all the time.

What does it mean to covet? Coveting is wanting something that never will be yours, should never be yours, and, in fact, belongs to someone else. The literal definition of the word means to set your heart on something. A better translation would be “to pant after something”—sort of like a predator pursuing its prey.

The apostle Paul said that of all the commandments, this was the one he struggled with the most. Why? Because all the other commandments involve external actions—”You shall not commit adultery” . . . “You shall not kill” . . . “You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain.”

But then there is “You shall not covet.” That is more difficult to figure out. It is internal. It is wanting something that belongs to someone else and deciding you are going to get it, no matter what.

We read in Colossians 3:5, “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

It is not a sin to admire something. It is not a sin to want to be successful in business or to make a good living. But if you become obsessed with it and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it, when that is the most important thing in life to you, that can become coveting and idolatry.

Greg Laurie – THINK before You Speak

May 13, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” —Exodus 20:16

The ninth commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” can be a little harder to keep than the others. We are not to lie. There are bald-faced lies, of course. (I resent that term, by the way.). But there are times when you don’t want to tell the truth because you know it will hurt someone.

In fact, when a survey was done in which people were asked their reasons for lying, the number one explanation given was the fear of offending someone.

Maybe you were invited to someone’s home for a meal, and it was awful. After the meal, you felt completely nauseated. Then the person who prepared it asked, “How did you like the meal?”

“Well, I have never seen those particular ingredients put together in such a way!”

You didn’t want to say what is true, so maybe you said something else.

We tell these little white lies, so called, every day. When someone calls your house and you don’t want to talk, you tell your spouse or child or roommate, “I’m not home.” Or you say, “I love your outfit” when you don’t. Or, “The check is in the mail” when it isn’t. Or, “I was just getting ready to call you” when you weren’t. Or, “I forgot” when you didn’t.

Gossip is another way we can lie. Gossip topples governments, wrecks marriages, ruins careers, destroys reputations, causes nightmares, spawns suspicions, and generates grief. Even speaking the very word makes a hissing sound like a serpent.

Apply the THINK principle before you repeat something: Is it truthful? Is it helpful? Is it inspiring? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

THINK before you speak. And if it doesn’t pass this test, then don’t say it.

Greg Laurie – Bring Your Flowers Now!

May 11, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

My granddaughter Stella loves to pick flowers. She will come to me and, with a smile of her beautiful face, say, “These are for you, Papa!” It always warms my heart.

There is a story in the Bible of a woman named Mary who understood what Jesus meant when He said He was going to die. Though it somehow did not seem to penetrate the minds of His own hand-picked disciples who had spent their every waking hour with Him for three years, Mary understood.

One night, Jesus and His friends were gathered at the house of Simon in Bethany. She listened as the Lord quietly spoke to the audience gathered. But with intuition inherent in women, she saw and heard something else. She saw the lines etching His face, and read aright the problems reflected in His eyes. An inner sense told her that the disciples were wrong in expecting a kingdom. The Master meant what He had said, and said what He meant: He was literally going to Jerusalem to be crucified.

She could not grasp something so terrible, but accepted it because He said it. She had to do something. She would not wait to give some floral tribute at His funeral. She would bring her flowers now! She would give the very best she possibly could!

So Mary took some very expensive perfume that was probably a family heirloom and poured it on the head of Jesus. Some were angry at her and criticized her for such a waste, as the street value of such a perfume was around $25,000. But in Mary’s mind, nothing was too good for Jesus, and she wanted to show her love to Him.

Jesus was impressed and even commended her for it. He said “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Matthew 26:13). Nothing is ever wasted if it is given with a right heart for God’s glory.

That’s a good thing to remember about people you love—people who have impacted you as a Christian. Don’t wait until their funeral to say it. Say it now.

Go to them, or write them a letter or an e-mail or even a text and tell them what they mean to you—your husband, wife, child, friend, a spiritual leader—because you never know when you will have your last conversation with them.

So bring your flowers now, not later.

Greg Laurie – A Widespread Problem

May 10, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.—Ephesians 4:28

Stealing is such a widespread problem in our culture today. And among those who know stealing is wrong, it is interesting why they think it is wrong. A study was done among those who stole or thought about stealing, and the question was asked, “Why don’t you steal?” The number one reason given was, “I might get caught.” Number two was, “The other person might try to get even.” And reason number three? “I might not need the item.”

How about this reason? God says it is a sin.

Here’s what the Bible has to say about stealing: “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).

“Steal no longer.” It’s a no-brainer. Don’t steal. If you have stolen, stop. If you took something from someone, give it back. Don’t just confess your sin of stealing and then keep what you took. Give it back. It’s called making restitution.

“Rather let him labor, working with his hands. . . .” Do something useful. God wants you to go out and be responsible and work for a living. The Bible says that whoever doesn’t work shouldn’t eat (see 2 Thessalonians 3:10). News flash: The world doesn’t owe you a living. The government doesn’t owe you a living. Be responsible and work if you can.

“That he may have something to give to him who has need . . .” Share what you have so that you may share with those who are in need. When you work hard and save your money, you are able to help others.

“You shall not steal”—it’s one of the Ten Commandments. Don’t take things that don’t belong to you.

Greg Laurie – Not That Bad?

May 9, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“You must not commit adultery.” —Exodus 20:14

Can you imagine what our culture would be like if we obeyed the single commandment, “You shall not commit adultery”? Can you imagine how different our world would be? How many divorces would have been avoided? How many families would still be together? How many fathers would be home to raise their children?

Most social ills can be traced to the breakdown of the family and specifically to the absence of the father in the home. And often marriages fall apart because of the sin of adultery. What is adultery? It is sex with someone besides your spouse.

God has established marriage for there to be fulfillment and a oneness between a man and a woman. Sex is not some toy that we play with to satisfy our desires. The Bible says, “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery” (Hebrews 13:4).

Yet this sin is committed so often. Some will say, “Come on, it is not that bad! It was just a one-night stand. We were just having a little fun! As long as it is between two consenting adults, why is it wrong?” Because when a man and a woman come together sexually, a oneness takes place—even when someone comes together with a prostitute.

We are told in 1 Corinthians 6:15–16, “Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, ‘The two are united into one.’ ”

Adultery hurts you. And it hurts others as well.

Greg Laurie – What about Hate?

May 8, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. —Ephesians 4:31–32

“You shall not murder.” If ever there was one of the Ten Commandments that was ignored, it was this one. This commandment forbids the taking of another human life for no justifiable reason. Yet we live in a violent world. Our culture is awash in violence and killing. Two million people a year become violent crime statistics in the United States.

You might be feeling okay about yourself because at least, to your knowledge, you have never murdered anyone. But Jesus took this command a step further in the Sermon on the Mount:

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.” (Matthew 5:21–22)

Jesus was talking about a person who has anger and hatred toward another person. He was saying, “I am not just telling you it is wrong to murder; I am saying it is wrong to hate.”

Is there anyone you hate? If a certain person were to walk into a room where you happened to be, would your blood pressure go up? Honestly, do you wish that person were dead? Then you need to repent because that is a sin.

Sometimes we will say of someone, “I would never kill them.” But we will assassinate their character. The Bible tells us, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior” (Ephesians 4:31).

We as believers are not to hate. Rather, we are to love our enemies.

Greg Laurie – Knowledge and Responsibility

May 7, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” —Acts 5:29

There is a movement afoot in our country to redefine marriage and family. Media and modern culture are pushing for same-sex marriage. The normalization of homosexuality is also gaining momentum, illustrated by television programs such as Modern Family and The New Normal.

With the emphasis on gay marriage and homosexuality in general, you would think a huge percentage of today’s population must be gay. Some advocates say it is as high as 25 percent. Many accept the premise that it is at least 10 percent. But an extensive survey, the largest of its kind, was recently completed by the Gallup polling agency. The survey, which interviewed 120,000 Americans, revealed that 3.4 percent of the U.S. population is gay. That includes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans. Even though it represents a small percentage of the population, it has become a major topic, and it has come right to the doorstep of the church.

People like to portray Christians as gay bashers. But that is not the case at all. We don’t see this as a worse sin, necessarily, than any other sin. I don’t see the Bible distinguishing the sin of homosexuality as the greatest of all sins. In fact the Bible does talk about greater and lesser sins, but it would appear that the worst sin would be to sin against the light.

Let me illustrate. Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, a hardened, pagan, Roman man, “The one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin” (John 19:11). What would be a greater sin than sending Jesus to be executed after he had been scourged, as Pilate had done? A greater sin was committed by the high priest Caiaphas, who should have known better. He is the one who sent Jesus to Pilate. That was the greater sin.

Knowledge brings responsibility. And if the Bible says something is a sin, then it is a sin.

Greg Laurie – God’s Plan for the Family

May 6, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” —Exodus 20:12

It has been said that a family can survive without a nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family. God established the family by bringing a man and a woman together in marriage. Then came children and grandchildren. That is His order.

The Bible tells us, however, that in the last days there will be an attack on the family. One of the signs of the end times will be a lack of respect for one’s parents. We read in 2 Timothy 3, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” (verses 1–2).

We have certainly lost sight of God’s commandment to “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12). Notice the commandment is to honor your father and mother—not honor your father and father, or your mother and mother, or your mother and her live-in lover or partner. We tamper with God’s order at our own peril.

Know this: Satan always hates what God loves. God loves the family. He established the marriage of a man and woman as a physical representation of His love for the church and the church’s love for Him. God effectively says, “You want to know how much I love my people? Look at the way that Christian man loves his wife. You want to know how much My people love Me? Look at the way that Christian woman loves her husband. This is my model. This is my example for all of you to observe.”

Therefore it should come as no surprise that the devil would try to undermine the family.

Greg Laurie –Not All There Is

May 4, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. —James 1:12

Not long ago, I had a conversation with two people after church.

One was in a wheelchair with a severe disability, and the other was speaking at length. I listened to her for a while, and then I turned to the woman in the wheelchair and said, “Well, how are you doing?”

“I am doing fine,” she told me.

But then her friend said that she actually had just had two brain surgeries to remove cancer, and they were successful.

I looked at this young woman with her disability, someone who had just come through such a difficult time, and I thought, “And where is she now?” She is at church.

I think of all of the excuses people come up with as to why they can’t make it to church. They have a cold, or it takes too long to get into the parking lot, and so forth. Yet here was this young woman who, despite her severe disability and recent surgeries, was at church, praising God and saying she is doing fine. I was touched by her example.

So I said to her, “You know, the Bible promises a special blessing and crown to those who have suffered in this life. I admire your faith. You are an inspiration to me.”

James 1:12 says, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him” (NLT). It all will be made up to us in the life to come. Have you lost something to follow Jesus? Whatever losses you may have incurred for following Christ will be more than made up to you.

Make no mistake about it: Our life on earth isn’t all there is. There will be rewards for our faithfulness to God.

Greg Laurie – The Bible’s Most Popular Verse

May 3, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” —Matthew 7:1–2

There was a time when probably the best-known Bible verse would have been John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” It seemed as though everyone either knew this verse or knew a little bit about it.

But that is no longer the favorite verse of most people, especially nonbelievers. In fact, I believe the nonbeliever’s favorite verse is Matthew 7:1. I don’t think they know the actual reference, but they love to quote it: “Judge not, that you be not judged.”

That is usually what they say to a Christian who has the audacity to hold a biblical worldview. If we dare say that something is right or wrong, or if we make an evaluation about something, they will shoot back, “How can you say that? That is so judgmental! That is so narrow-minded! That is so bigoted! Doesn’t the Bible say, ‘Judge not, lest you be judged’?”

Don’t be put off by that. A better translation of this verse would be, “Condemn not, that you be not condemned.” I am not in the position to say who will get into heaven or who will end up in hell. Ultimately that is up to God.

But I am to make judgments in life. Every day, I make judgments. If I am stepping into the street, I look both ways to make sure it is safe. That is a judgment. If I see a dog and decide to pet it, only to change my mind when he suddenly bares his teeth and growls, then that is a judgment.

So I am to make judgments and evaluations as a follower of Jesus Christ. We must make judgments. But we must not condemn.

Greg Laurie – Sending It Ahead

May 2, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” — Matthew 6:18-20

Heaven is the real deal, the eternal dwelling place. Earth is the temporary dwelling place. Heaven is the original, and Earth is the copy. Take the best things you have ever seen or felt on this earth, the best days of your life, whether it was your wedding day or the birth of a child or a special moment with someone you love, and these were simply glimpses of glory, tastes of what is to come.

C. S. Lewis wrote in Letters to Malcom, “The hills and valleys of heaven will be to those you now experience not as a copy is to an original, but as the flower to the root, or the diamond to the coal.”

The Bible tells us that one day as believers, we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, also known as the Bema Seat, where believers will receive rewards for their faithfulness to God. Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9).

And we are also reminded in 1 Corinthians 3:8, “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”

Yes, there is a reward. And this should cause us to want to do everything we can for God’s glory. As I have often said, we can’t take it with us, but we can send it on ahead. Every investment we make of our lives for God’s glory will result in an eternal reward: the giving of our time, the use of our gifts, the investment of our resources. By being faithful to the Lord, we are laying up treasure in heaven for ourselves.

Greg Laurie – If Only . . .

May 1, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” —Matthew 12:39

Have you ever thought, If someone were raised from the dead, I know people would believe? Or, If I could do a miracle for my friends, I know they would believe?

Remember the story of the rich man and the beggar named Lazarus? They both died and went into eternity. The rich man had no place for God, but Lazarus was a believer. At that time before the death and resurrection of Jesus, Hades was divided into a place of comfort and a place of torment. Lazarus went to the place of comfort on the heart and bosom of Abraham. The nonbelieving rich man went to the place of torment.

The rich man called out to Abraham, wanting to go back and warn his family about the horrible place he was in. But Abraham told him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them” (Luke 16:29 NKJV).

But the rich man persisted. He thought if someone were to rise from the dead, they surely would believe.

Here is what Abraham told him: “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead” (verse 31).

Maybe, like the rich man, you think that if only your friends and family could witness a miracle, they would believe.

Jesus said, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:39). Jesus was saying, “You want a sign for a nonbelieving world? Here it is: My death and resurrection from the dead.”

Here is our message to lost humanity: Christ died. He rose. He can forgive you of your sin. That is the message we have to share.

Greg Laurie – Weighed and Wanting

April 30, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone–gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! —Daniel 5:23

The book of Daniel tells the story of a party that God crashed in Babylon. King Belshazzar, the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar, didn’t follow in his grandfather’s footsteps. While Nebuchadnezzar came to believe in the true God of Israel, Belshazzar went out of his way to mock Him.

He invited his nobles to a big banquet, and then he took the special vessels used for the worship of God in the temple at Jerusalem and filled them with wine. The Bible tells us that “while they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone” (Daniel 5:4). As Belshazzar and his guests partied away, here is what happened:

Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him. (verses 5 – 6)

Written on the wall were the words Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin, which meant, “God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end” (verse 26), “You have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up” (verse 27), and “Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians” (verse 28).

Normally when we step onto a scale, we want to weigh less than we actually do. But on God’s scales, we want to weigh more. But God was saying, “Belshazzar, you are a lightweight. You have no substance in your life at all.”

If you were weighed on God’s scales today, what would He find? Would He find a life of substance? Or a life of emptiness?

Greg Laurie – Under His Care

April 29, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord. —Isaiah 54:17

In Mark’s gospel, Jesus made a fascinating statement that some have misunderstood. Speaking of believers, He said, “They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:18). Some, of course, have misunderstood this and have held snake-handling services. But that is not trusting the Lord; it is testing the Lord.

Here is what this statement does mean: If you are a Christian, then you are indestructible until God is done with you. There is a day appointed for your death. And you really have nothing to say about when that day is.

Case in point: Paul the apostle was shipwrecked on an island, and as he was warming himself by the fire, a venomous snake bit him. So he simply picked it up and threw it into the fire. Everyone was waiting for Paul to die, but he didn’t die. Why? His time was not up. But when your time is up, it’s up. And Paul’s day eventually came.

Before that day, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper,” as Isaiah 54:17 says. That means God will keep you and protect you. Even if there is some plot against you, it will not succeed if that is not your time.

So stop worrying about when you will die because you have nothing to say about it. It isn’t up to you. The Bible says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Does that mean you can eat anything you want? I think you should exercise and eat properly. That will improve the quality of your life. But ultimately, the quantity is up to God.

Greg Laurie – Don’t Wait for the Rooster

April 27, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Peter’s denial of Jesus did not happen over a period of seconds or minutes, but over a period of hours. An hour passed from the time the first person said, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean,” to the time Peter denied his Lord for the second time. He had ample opportunity to hightail it out of there, but for some reason he hung around.

His story reminds me that no person is safe from temptation except the one who flees from it. Peter, having been warned by Jesus Himself, should have avoided any place where he could fall. He definitely should have steered clear of all roosters! The Lord had said that before the rooster crowed, he would deny Jesus three times (see Matthew 26:69-75). I would have asked, “Are there any roosters here? Because if there are, I’m leaving!”

But seriously, if someone like Simon Peter could fall, then surely we can, too. First Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Peter hung around people who were dragging him down spiritually. Are you in a similar situation? Have you entered into relationships where people are dragging you down? Maybe it’s a romance. Maybe it’s a close friendship. Are you finding yourself compromising your principles to fit in, or so that you don’t offend anyone? Perhaps you need to reconsider your friendships. Perhaps you need to make some immediate changes. And even if you have made some mistakes, there is still time to commit yourself to the Lord. That time is now. Don’t wait for the rooster to crow.

Greg Laurie – Behind the Scenes

April 26, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” —2 Kings 5:2–3

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Babylon, which meant that he was in close proximity to the king at all times. A cupbearer would drink what the king was about to drink. If it was poisonous, then that was the end of his job—and his life for that matter. But the cupbearer was more than someone who simply tasted what the king drank. He often would become an advisor to the king, someone who influenced him. It was a very prestigious position in the palace. A cupbearer would have lived in affluence and influence.

But Nehemiah, like Esther, was a Jew. He knew that the walls of Jerusalem had been burned down and were lying in rubble, and he couldn’t take it anymore. So he used his position and leveraged it, asking the king to allow him to go and rebuild the walls. He could have lost his life by asking such a thing. But he did what he could by working behind the scenes.

Then there was the obscure Jewish girl who influenced her unbelieving master, Naaman, to seek out Elisha, the prophet of Israel, to find a healing for his leprosy. She was just a girl, effectively a maid, who served Naaman’s wife. Naaman was like a General MacArthur and General Eisenhower all rolled into one. He was a famous military figure. But he had leprosy. So she told Naaman’s wife about Elisha: “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:3). Naaman made the journey to Israel, and indeed he was healed.

This reminds us that God always has his representatives. He always has his people working behind the scenes. Will you make yourself available to Him today?

Greg Laurie – For Just Such a Time

April 25, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” —Esther 4:14

I love the story of Esther because in some ways, it reminds me of a fairy tale, except it is true. Esther was a beautiful Jewish girl who was plucked from obscurity, won a beauty contest, and became the queen of the kingdom. Then there was a wicked man named Haman, who hatched a plot to have all of the Jews put to death. It was Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, who came to her and described the plight of her fellow Jews, saying, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

Esther was the queen who saved a nation. She used her influence with the king, the plot was averted, and the people were saved. Then, in perfect poetic justice, Haman, the guy who hatched the plot, ended up hanging on the very gallows he had erected for others. She was there behind the scenes. Esther could have said, “I don’t want to jeopardize my position. No one will ever find out I am a Jew. I am going to be careful and play it safe.” But instead, she put everything on the line.

Who knows that God has not put you where you are right now for such a time as this? You may be the only Christian in your family or the only believer in your neighborhood. You may be the only follower of Jesus Christ in your workplace or in your classroom. Like Esther, will you stand up for such a time as this? Will you use your influence where you can, when you can?

Greg Laurie – A Bittersweet Message

April 24, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? —2 Corinthians 2:16

Have you ever eaten something that was sweet going down but made you sick later? Let me restate the question: Have you ever eaten eight Krispy Kreme doughnuts in one sitting? I have. I got a little carried away. They were great going down. But less than ten minutes later, I was asking, What have I done?

In Revelation 10, the apostle John asked an angel for a small scroll. When the angel gave him the scroll, he told John, “Yes, take it and eat it. It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!” (verse 9).

John said, “So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach. Then I was told, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings’ ” (verses 10–11).

The message that we believe as Christians is sweet to us, but it is bitter to others. This is God’s Word to us. We eat it like food. Job said, “I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food” (Job 23:12). For Christians to have a Bible study is like a feast. We love it. But for others, it is misery and torment. They don’t like it.

Some hear the gospel and say, “I love that. I believe it. I want Jesus.”

Others say, “Not only do I not like it, I hate it. And I hate you for saying it.”

As believers, we need to take the message of the gospel and give it to as many as we can. Whether they love it or hate it is really up to them.

Greg Laurie – In Their Image

April 23, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“You shall have no other gods before Me.” —Exodus 20:3

Pastor Chuck Smith once told a story about a Papua New Guinea tribe that had a widespread birth defect. Everyone had one leg shorter than the other. Interestingly, the idol they worshipped also had one leg shorter than the other. They had created a god in their own image.

I believe this is the same direction America is going. When people say, “I am spiritual, I am just not religious,” it is code for “I’m making it up as I go.”

People effectively make a god in their own image when they say things like, “My god would never judge a person” and “My god would never condemn two people of the same sex living together in a committed relationship.” But they just made up their own god. And their god, essentially, is them.

What is the first of the Ten Commandments? “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). What is the second commandment? It is related to the first: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” (verse 4). Idol worship is putting anyone or anything in the place of God.

I read an article in USA Today about the fastest growing spiritual group in America, which claims no affiliation with any faith. The article states, “This group, called ‘Nones,’ is now the nation’s second-largest category only to Catholics, and outnumbers the top Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptists. The shift is a significant cultural, religious and even political change.”

It has been said, “When a man stops believing in God he doesn’t then believe in nothing, he believes in anything.”

We can’t edit the Bible. We can’t say, “I like this part of the Bible and not that part.” If we do, then we will end up with a god that is not the God of the Bible.

Greg Laurie – Just a Little Bit Longer

April 22, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” —Revelation 6:10

In Revelation 6, we read about those who were put to death for their faith. They are in heaven, aware of the injustice, aware of the fact there were fellow servants still on earth being mistreated. So they prayed this prayer to the Father: .”O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” (verse 10). In other words, Hey, Lord, this isn’t right. When are You going to correct it?

Here was God’s response to their prayers:

Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them. (verse 11)

God’s timing is not always our timing. The Bible says that “He has made everything beautiful in His time” (see Ecclesiastes 3:11).

It kind of reminds me of taking a trip with small children in the car. You are cruising along, an hour into the trip.

“When are we going to get there?” they ask.

What do you say? “We are almost there. A little bit longer.”

The martyred tribulation saints were asking when they would be avenged. And God was saying, Just a little bit longer.

We say, “Lord, when are You going to come?” He says, Just a little bit longer. “When is judgment going to come?” Just a little bit longer. “When is my prayer going to be answered?” Just a little bit longer. Hang on now. I am in control. I am doing everything according to My perfect will.

Know this: God’s delays are not necessarily His denials. So keep praying.

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