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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - Israel And The End Times

January 5, 2025 | S25:E4

Greg Laurie - Israel And The End Times
Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#GregLaurie #Israel #Bible #Religion #Judgement #Prophecy #inActive #EndTimes #ReturnofChrist #SecondComing #HarvestwithPastorGregLaurie #Eschatology

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Israel And The End Times | January 5, 2025
  • ...
  • 00:00:00.633 --> 00:00:01.347
  • Greg laurie: why should we, as christians, care in particular
  • 00:00:06.286 --> 00:00:09.923
  • About israel and about the jewish people?
  • 00:00:10.056 --> 00:00:13.226
  • Greg: because there are some-- there's a name for it,
  • 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:16.496
  • Replacement theology.
  • 00:00:16.629 --> 00:00:18.131
  • They would say, "well, israel is not a fulfillment of bible
  • 00:00:18.231 --> 00:00:19.232
  • Prophecy, and that only happens when the messiah comes."
  • 00:00:20.700 --> 00:00:24.838
  • And they would say that we should not be that concerned
  • 00:00:24.838 --> 00:00:28.341
  • About that part of the world.
  • 00:00:28.341 --> 00:00:30.076
  • And what would you say in response to that?
  • 00:00:30.076 --> 00:00:32.745
  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, the day when life begins. ♪♪
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  • Greg: i heard about a guy who was stranded on a desert island.
  • 00:00:55.068 --> 00:00:58.605
  • He was finally rescued.
  • 00:00:58.605 --> 00:01:00.206
  • And they found that this man had built three buildings.
  • 00:01:00.206 --> 00:01:03.977
  • And they asked him, "what are these three buildings?"
  • 00:01:03.977 --> 00:01:06.412
  • He says, "well, the first building, that's my house.
  • 00:01:06.412 --> 00:01:09.682
  • The second building, that's my church."
  • 00:01:09.682 --> 00:01:12.585
  • "really? and what's the third building?"
  • 00:01:12.585 --> 00:01:14.888
  • He said, "well, that's a church i used to go to."
  • 00:01:14.888 --> 00:01:18.691
  • Come on, it's funnier than that, isn't it?
  • 00:01:18.691 --> 00:01:22.028
  • So, you know, even if you're all by yourself,
  • 00:01:22.028 --> 00:01:24.197
  • You'll find something to disagree with, right?
  • 00:01:24.197 --> 00:01:26.933
  • We're talking about hot-button issues, controversial
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  • Issues, in the light of what the bible says.
  • 00:01:30.737 --> 00:01:34.140
  • And i don't know that there's any more controversial issue out
  • 00:01:34.140 --> 00:01:37.277
  • There than the topic of what is called eschatology.
  • 00:01:37.277 --> 00:01:42.115
  • That just means the study of end-times events or
  • 00:01:42.115 --> 00:01:46.419
  • Bible prophecy.
  • 00:01:46.419 --> 00:01:48.321
  • People have disagreements as to what event is gonna happen when.
  • 00:01:48.321 --> 00:01:52.959
  • People have disagreements about the nation israel or the
  • 00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:56.596
  • Jewish people.
  • 00:01:56.596 --> 00:01:57.931
  • So i want to look at all of that through the lens of what the
  • 00:01:57.931 --> 00:02:01.668
  • Bible has to say.
  • 00:02:01.668 --> 00:02:03.436
  • I can tell you back in the '70s when the jesus movement was
  • 00:02:03.436 --> 00:02:07.540
  • Happening, we talked about this all the time.
  • 00:02:07.540 --> 00:02:10.543
  • In fact, the number one selling book of the entire decade of the
  • 00:02:10.543 --> 00:02:14.247
  • '70s was titled, "the late great planet earth," and it was a book
  • 00:02:14.247 --> 00:02:19.285
  • About the end times written by hal lindsey.
  • 00:02:19.285 --> 00:02:22.121
  • I would say that belief that christ could come in our
  • 00:02:22.121 --> 00:02:25.858
  • Lifetime contributed to the revival-like atmosphere.
  • 00:02:25.858 --> 00:02:31.564
  • But when you bring this topic up,
  • 00:02:31.564 --> 00:02:33.199
  • Some recoil, they say, "oh no, here we go.
  • 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:35.735
  • Here come the end-times charts and the
  • 00:02:35.735 --> 00:02:37.937
  • Conspiracy theories," right?
  • 00:02:37.937 --> 00:02:40.206
  • And it can be that way and it can be exaggerated and it can be
  • 00:02:40.206 --> 00:02:45.545
  • Extreme, or we can look at it in a balanced way.
  • 00:02:45.545 --> 00:02:49.882
  • Some don't want to talk about end-times events because there's
  • 00:02:49.882 --> 00:02:53.953
  • Disagreement or because maybe they find it scary.
  • 00:02:53.953 --> 00:02:57.123
  • But listen to this: bible prophecy is not given to
  • 00:02:57.123 --> 00:03:00.860
  • Scare us.
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  • It's given to prepare us.
  • 00:03:02.228 --> 00:03:04.597
  • So we need to know about these things.
  • 00:03:04.597 --> 00:03:07.967
  • Why?
  • 00:03:07.967 --> 00:03:09.302
  • Let me give you a number of reasons.
  • 00:03:09.302 --> 00:03:10.670
  • Number one, if you're taking notes: the bible talks about the
  • 00:03:10.670 --> 00:03:14.107
  • Return of jesus a lot.
  • 00:03:14.107 --> 00:03:17.176
  • And by the way, when i'm done with this message, which will be
  • 00:03:17.176 --> 00:03:19.712
  • A little shorter, i'm gonna interview my friend
  • 00:03:19.712 --> 00:03:22.315
  • Joel rosenberg.
  • 00:03:22.315 --> 00:03:23.683
  • And joel is a geopolitical expert.
  • 00:03:23.683 --> 00:03:26.586
  • He lives in israel.
  • 00:03:26.586 --> 00:03:28.488
  • He has dual citizenship as both an israeli and american citizen
  • 00:03:28.488 --> 00:03:32.859
  • And is a bona fide expert on the topic.
  • 00:03:32.859 --> 00:03:36.763
  • So we'll discuss this in greater depth.
  • 00:03:36.763 --> 00:03:38.965
  • But jesus--the bible in general talks about this a lot.
  • 00:03:38.965 --> 00:03:44.203
  • Jesus said in john 14, "let not your heart be troubled, neither
  • 00:03:44.203 --> 00:03:48.374
  • Let it be afraid: you believe in god, believe also in me.
  • 00:03:48.374 --> 00:03:52.078
  • In my father's house are many mansions: if it were not so,
  • 00:03:52.078 --> 00:03:55.248
  • I would have told you.
  • 00:03:55.248 --> 00:03:56.616
  • If i go, i will come again, and receive you unto myself; that
  • 00:03:56.616 --> 00:04:02.121
  • Where i am, you may be also."
  • 00:04:02.121 --> 00:04:05.825
  • Twenty-five percent of the bible is prophetic.
  • 00:04:05.825 --> 00:04:10.263
  • So it's not like it's a side note.
  • 00:04:10.263 --> 00:04:12.465
  • It's front and center.
  • 00:04:12.465 --> 00:04:14.334
  • You might say the bible oozes with the return of christ.
  • 00:04:14.334 --> 00:04:19.172
  • The new testament contains over 300 references to the return
  • 00:04:19.172 --> 00:04:23.509
  • Of christ.
  • 00:04:23.509 --> 00:04:24.844
  • That's one out of every 13 verses.
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  • Do you get the idea that god is trying to tell us something?
  • 00:04:27.647 --> 00:04:31.017
  • So we should not talk about what god talks about so much.
  • 00:04:31.017 --> 00:04:35.421
  • It's the very opposite.
  • 00:04:35.421 --> 00:04:36.789
  • We should discuss it because the bible wants us to think about
  • 00:04:36.789 --> 00:04:40.593
  • These things.
  • 00:04:40.593 --> 00:04:41.961
  • So, number one: the bible talks about the return of christ
  • 00:04:41.961 --> 00:04:46.099
  • A lot.
  • 00:04:46.099 --> 00:04:47.433
  • Number two: understanding bible prophecy brings hope in
  • 00:04:47.433 --> 00:04:51.671
  • A hopeless world.
  • 00:04:51.671 --> 00:04:53.473
  • Understanding bible prophecy brings hope in a hopeless world.
  • 00:04:53.473 --> 00:04:58.544
  • Titus 2:13 says, "while we wait for the blessed hope, the
  • 00:04:58.544 --> 00:05:03.182
  • Appearing of the glory of god and of our great god and savior,
  • 00:05:03.182 --> 00:05:07.120
  • Jesus christ."
  • 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:08.454
  • It's a blessed hope.
  • 00:05:08.454 --> 00:05:10.256
  • The word "blessed" can also be translated "happy."
  • 00:05:10.256 --> 00:05:13.159
  • So we might call it a happy hope.
  • 00:05:13.159 --> 00:05:15.962
  • It's a happy hope to know that christ could come back
  • 00:05:15.962 --> 00:05:18.664
  • At any moment because
  • 00:05:18.664 --> 00:05:20.366
  • If you watch the news all the time, you're gonna get down.
  • 00:05:20.366 --> 00:05:25.872
  • I was talking with someone the other day, and they said, "we
  • 00:05:25.872 --> 00:05:28.674
  • Watch the news a lot, and it keeps me up at night."
  • 00:05:28.674 --> 00:05:32.011
  • It shouldn't be keeping you up at night.
  • 00:05:32.011 --> 00:05:35.314
  • In fact, you should be looking up.
  • 00:05:35.314 --> 00:05:37.483
  • Jesus said, "when you see these things begin to happen, look up,
  • 00:05:37.483 --> 00:05:41.154
  • For your redemption is drawing near."
  • 00:05:41.154 --> 00:05:44.891
  • Number three: understanding bible prophecy unravels the
  • 00:05:44.891 --> 00:05:50.329
  • Mystery of history.
  • 00:05:50.329 --> 00:05:52.598
  • Understanding bible prophecy unravels the mystery of history.
  • 00:05:52.598 --> 00:05:57.837
  • We wonder, "why is there so much evil in the world?
  • 00:05:57.837 --> 00:06:01.674
  • Why does god allow all of these horrible things to happen?"
  • 00:06:01.674 --> 00:06:05.344
  • Even the believers in the book of revelation chapter 6 are
  • 00:06:05.344 --> 00:06:09.749
  • Saying in heaven, "how long, o lord, holy and true, until you
  • 00:06:09.749 --> 00:06:14.487
  • Judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth?"
  • 00:06:14.487 --> 00:06:18.391
  • They're saying, "lord, when are you gonna do something
  • 00:06:18.391 --> 00:06:20.893
  • About it?"
  • 00:06:20.893 --> 00:06:22.228
  • The bible tells us that judgment is coming.
  • 00:06:22.228 --> 00:06:24.797
  • The bible tells us that one day, satan himself will be judged,
  • 00:06:24.797 --> 00:06:28.768
  • And jesus will return and make every wrong right.
  • 00:06:28.768 --> 00:06:32.905
  • So the bible unlocks the mystery of history, and bible prophecy
  • 00:06:32.905 --> 00:06:38.478
  • Does that in particular.
  • 00:06:38.478 --> 00:06:39.846
  • Here's another one: understanding bible prophecy
  • 00:06:39.846 --> 00:06:42.815
  • Brings a specific blessing to us.
  • 00:06:42.815 --> 00:06:46.652
  • The book of revelation is the only book of 66 that comes with
  • 00:06:46.652 --> 00:06:51.591
  • A built-in blessing attached.
  • 00:06:51.591 --> 00:06:55.228
  • And it says this in revelation 1:3, "blessed," or happy, "is
  • 00:06:55.228 --> 00:06:59.332
  • The one who reads and hears and keeps the word written in this
  • 00:06:59.332 --> 00:07:04.403
  • Book, for the time is near."
  • 00:07:04.403 --> 00:07:06.272
  • Built-in blessing.
  • 00:07:06.272 --> 00:07:07.773
  • So when you study and keep the words of revelation, you'll be
  • 00:07:07.773 --> 00:07:11.644
  • Blessed, or you'll be happy.
  • 00:07:11.644 --> 00:07:13.379
  • And i think what's true of revelation is principally true
  • 00:07:13.379 --> 00:07:16.482
  • Of the study of prophecy in the bible in general.
  • 00:07:16.482 --> 00:07:21.053
  • One last thing: the key to understanding bible prophecy is
  • 00:07:21.053 --> 00:07:25.525
  • Israel and the jewish people.
  • 00:07:25.525 --> 00:07:28.928
  • And that's one of the most controversial topics of all:
  • 00:07:28.928 --> 00:07:32.865
  • Israel and the jewish people.
  • 00:07:32.865 --> 00:07:35.968
  • When the jews formed their nation on may 14, 1948, a
  • 00:07:35.968 --> 00:07:40.606
  • Modern-day miracle occurred, and more specifically, a prophecy
  • 00:07:40.606 --> 00:07:46.212
  • Was fulfilled, and the prophetic time clock began to tick.
  • 00:07:46.212 --> 00:07:51.317
  • It wasn't just a sign.
  • 00:07:51.317 --> 00:07:53.452
  • It was a super sign.
  • 00:07:53.452 --> 00:07:55.621
  • Why?
  • 00:07:55.621 --> 00:07:56.956
  • Because it was all predicted by the jewish prophets, like
  • 00:07:56.956 --> 00:08:01.027
  • Ezekiel in chapter 37, where he talks about a valley of dry
  • 00:08:01.027 --> 00:08:05.831
  • Bones, a graveyard effectively.
  • 00:08:05.831 --> 00:08:07.934
  • And all of a sudden, all these bones start coming together, and
  • 00:08:07.934 --> 00:08:11.337
  • Then flesh is put on these bones, and they come alive.
  • 00:08:11.337 --> 00:08:14.674
  • And this is a symbol, he says, of the nation israel.
  • 00:08:14.674 --> 00:08:17.944
  • They'll be dead, they'll be gone, and they'll come to life
  • 00:08:17.944 --> 00:08:20.846
  • Again in their land in the last days, and we saw that happen
  • 00:08:20.846 --> 00:08:25.051
  • Before our very eyes.
  • 00:08:25.051 --> 00:08:27.987
  • And god gave the land of israel to the jewish people.
  • 00:08:27.987 --> 00:08:32.825
  • To the jewish people, god said in deuteronomy 1:8, "look, i'm
  • 00:08:32.825 --> 00:08:36.796
  • Giving all this land to you!
  • 00:08:36.796 --> 00:08:39.198
  • And so go in and occupy it, for it is in this land the lord
  • 00:08:39.198 --> 00:08:42.802
  • Swore to give to your ancestors that you have that is given to
  • 00:08:42.802 --> 00:08:47.006
  • Abraham, isaac, jacob, and all their descendants."
  • 00:08:47.006 --> 00:08:50.109
  • And i bring this up because people will say, "well, you
  • 00:08:50.109 --> 00:08:52.812
  • Know, the israelis are occupiers.
  • 00:08:52.812 --> 00:08:56.682
  • They've taken land that belonged to someone else."
  • 00:08:56.682 --> 00:08:58.851
  • Excuse me, the jews are indigenous to this region.
  • 00:08:58.851 --> 00:09:03.589
  • This is their land that god gave to them, and more to the point
  • 00:09:03.589 --> 00:09:07.193
  • They haven't even occupied all the land that god did give them.
  • 00:09:07.193 --> 00:09:10.896
  • So they are not the occupiers or the colonizers, as some like
  • 00:09:10.896 --> 00:09:15.701
  • To say.
  • 00:09:15.701 --> 00:09:17.069
  • And listen to this one last thing: god is not done with the
  • 00:09:17.069 --> 00:09:19.505
  • Jewish people.
  • 00:09:19.505 --> 00:09:20.840
  • I want you to look at romans 11:25.
  • 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:23.109
  • "i want you to understand," writes paul, "the mystery, dear
  • 00:09:23.109 --> 00:09:27.213
  • Brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud
  • 00:09:27.213 --> 00:09:30.850
  • About yourselves.
  • 00:09:30.850 --> 00:09:32.184
  • Blindness in part has happened to israel, but that will last
  • 00:09:32.184 --> 00:09:35.621
  • Only until the full number of the gentiles have come
  • 00:09:35.621 --> 00:09:39.558
  • To christ."
  • 00:09:39.558 --> 00:09:41.093
  • God is not done with the jewish people.
  • 00:09:41.093 --> 00:09:43.796
  • They're gonna see a great outpouring of the holy spirit on
  • 00:09:43.796 --> 00:09:47.099
  • Their people in general and even on the nation israel.
  • 00:09:47.099 --> 00:09:51.537
  • There is a spiritual blindness among many jews today.
  • 00:09:51.537 --> 00:09:55.341
  • And by that, i mean they are not really open to embracing jesus
  • 00:09:55.341 --> 00:10:01.080
  • As the messiah.
  • 00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:02.548
  • But that's beginning to change.
  • 00:10:02.548 --> 00:10:05.918
  • The last time i interviewed my guest joel rosenberg, he told me
  • 00:10:05.918 --> 00:10:09.388
  • There were 15,000 messianic jews in israel, which is actually
  • 00:10:09.388 --> 00:10:13.459
  • Quite a few.
  • 00:10:13.459 --> 00:10:14.827
  • But he just told me now there's 30,000, so it's doubled.
  • 00:10:14.827 --> 00:10:18.264
  • And he estimates there are 1 million messianic jews.
  • 00:10:18.264 --> 00:10:21.434
  • A messianic jew is a jew who's put their faith in jesus as
  • 00:10:21.434 --> 00:10:25.504
  • The messiah.
  • 00:10:25.504 --> 00:10:26.839
  • He believes there is now a million messianic jews around
  • 00:10:26.839 --> 00:10:30.810
  • The world.
  • 00:10:30.810 --> 00:10:32.178
  • So god is at work, and i wanna explore that more together.
  • 00:10:32.178 --> 00:10:35.514
  • So now we're gonna welcome joel rosenberg.
  • 00:10:35.514 --> 00:10:38.651
  • He's a "new york times" best-selling author, and he has
  • 00:10:38.651 --> 00:10:44.323
  • A television program called "the rosenberg report" and also has
  • 00:10:44.323 --> 00:10:49.662
  • A new site, "all israel news," another one called
  • 00:10:49.662 --> 00:10:53.365
  • "all arab news."
  • 00:10:53.365 --> 00:10:54.734
  • So joel, i tell you what, he's the guy i talked to when i want
  • 00:10:54.734 --> 00:10:59.772
  • To get information about that part of the world.
  • 00:10:59.772 --> 00:11:02.842
  • So let's give a warm harvest welcome to joel as he comes.
  • 00:11:02.842 --> 00:11:06.579
  • Joel rosenberg: thank you.
  • 00:11:06.579 --> 00:11:08.848
  • Hello, sir, how are ya?
  • 00:11:08.848 --> 00:11:10.716
  • Good to see you.
  • 00:11:10.716 --> 00:11:13.018
  • Greg: so, joel, let's start off with why should we as christians
  • 00:11:13.018 --> 00:11:17.189
  • Care in particular about israel and about the jewish people?
  • 00:11:17.189 --> 00:11:22.061
  • Because there are some--there's a name for it,
  • 00:11:22.061 --> 00:11:25.331
  • Replacement theology.
  • 00:11:25.331 --> 00:11:26.966
  • They would say, "well, israel is not a fulfillment of bible
  • 00:11:26.966 --> 00:11:29.535
  • Prophecy, and that only happens when the messiah comes."
  • 00:11:29.535 --> 00:11:33.672
  • And they would say that we should not be that concerned
  • 00:11:33.672 --> 00:11:37.209
  • About that part of the world.
  • 00:11:37.209 --> 00:11:38.911
  • And what would you say in response to that?
  • 00:11:38.911 --> 00:11:41.981
  • Joel: well, of course, i disagree with that, and we
  • 00:11:41.981 --> 00:11:44.383
  • Could talk--
  • 00:11:44.383 --> 00:11:45.718
  • Greg: so do i. joel: thank you.
  • 00:11:45.718 --> 00:11:47.086
  • We could talk about why and-- but--and i'm happy to go there
  • 00:11:47.086 --> 00:11:51.290
  • If you want.
  • 00:11:51.290 --> 00:11:52.658
  • But i will say even if somebody here or watching or listening
  • 00:11:52.658 --> 00:11:56.128
  • Feels that way, i would say, okay, set aside our disagreement
  • 00:11:56.128 --> 00:11:59.698
  • On whether current israel has anything to do with
  • 00:11:59.698 --> 00:12:01.901
  • Bible prophecy.
  • 00:12:01.901 --> 00:12:03.235
  • Just think about the great commission.
  • 00:12:03.235 --> 00:12:05.638
  • How are you gonna minister to a nation--a people that you think
  • 00:12:05.638 --> 00:12:09.875
  • God has nothing to do with anymore?
  • 00:12:09.875 --> 00:12:11.977
  • That's impossible.
  • 00:12:11.977 --> 00:12:13.345
  • I mean, to do it effectively.
  • 00:12:13.345 --> 00:12:15.114
  • If god abandoned the jews and replaced them with a church at
  • 00:12:15.114 --> 00:12:19.084
  • The cross because most of my team didn't get it, right?
  • 00:12:19.084 --> 00:12:22.121
  • John 1, "he," the messiah, "came to his own," the jewish people,
  • 00:12:22.121 --> 00:12:25.457
  • The nation of israel, "and his own received him not.
  • 00:12:25.457 --> 00:12:29.128
  • But as many as did receive him," gentiles like you and you, "to
  • 00:12:29.128 --> 00:12:34.233
  • Them--to you he gave the right to become the children of god."
  • 00:12:34.233 --> 00:12:37.203
  • But if--but our team did fail mostly to get it during the time
  • 00:12:37.203 --> 00:12:42.107
  • Of the gospel, but if god abandoned us then, if he cut us
  • 00:12:42.107 --> 00:12:46.111
  • Off then, how did paul come to faith in jesus christ after
  • 00:12:46.111 --> 00:12:51.083
  • The cross?
  • 00:12:51.083 --> 00:12:52.451
  • Why did--how did god use him to reach so many jews and gentiles?
  • 00:12:52.451 --> 00:12:55.821
  • No, god obviously is--right in the scriptures--you don't have
  • 00:12:55.821 --> 00:12:59.058
  • To go until later.
  • 00:12:59.058 --> 00:13:00.392
  • Right in the scriptures, we can see god is not done with
  • 00:13:00.392 --> 00:13:02.494
  • The jews.
  • 00:13:02.494 --> 00:13:03.863
  • And then go read in romans 11:9, 10, and 11, and so forth.
  • 00:13:03.863 --> 00:13:06.398
  • These are--but i would appeal to my friends who think that way
  • 00:13:06.398 --> 00:13:11.737
  • And say, okay, just in terms of jewish evangelism, just your
  • 00:13:11.737 --> 00:13:15.074
  • Heart and compassion, there's a nation that's grieving.
  • 00:13:15.074 --> 00:13:18.310
  • Now, it's not only us, right?
  • 00:13:18.310 --> 00:13:19.778
  • The palestinians are grieving.
  • 00:13:19.778 --> 00:13:21.714
  • The lebanese are grieving.
  • 00:13:21.714 --> 00:13:24.450
  • And i think we are in the most dangerous moment of the war in
  • 00:13:24.450 --> 00:13:28.153
  • The past year.
  • 00:13:28.153 --> 00:13:29.488
  • I believe it's very possible that in the next few hours or
  • 00:13:29.488 --> 00:13:31.724
  • Days, israel will launch the biggest military attack on the
  • 00:13:31.724 --> 00:13:37.196
  • Iranian regime and its nuclear facilities and oil refining
  • 00:13:37.196 --> 00:13:41.000
  • Facilities in history.
  • 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:43.035
  • And that might end quickly and well for us, or it could lead to
  • 00:13:43.035 --> 00:13:47.506
  • An apocalyptic war that makes the last year in gaza seem like
  • 00:13:47.506 --> 00:13:52.011
  • A sideshow.
  • 00:13:52.011 --> 00:13:53.345
  • That's--so if you're trying to show compassion and you think of
  • 00:13:53.345 --> 00:13:56.015
  • Isaiah 40, "comfort my people," how can isaiah say that
  • 00:13:56.015 --> 00:14:00.486
  • Prophetically if, "oh, well, no, god's done with us."
  • 00:14:00.486 --> 00:14:02.588
  • Well, how is that comforting if he's done with it?
  • 00:14:02.588 --> 00:14:04.924
  • He's not done with us.
  • 00:14:04.924 --> 00:14:06.292
  • And as you mentioned, now almost a--maybe a little bit over
  • 00:14:06.292 --> 00:14:09.561
  • A million jews have come to faith in jesus.
  • 00:14:09.561 --> 00:14:11.497
  • Starting when?
  • 00:14:11.497 --> 00:14:13.365
  • Starting in the jesus revolution.
  • 00:14:13.365 --> 00:14:14.934
  • That's when my father, who was raised orthodox jewish in
  • 00:14:14.934 --> 00:14:18.037
  • Brooklyn--his family escaped out of russia.
  • 00:14:18.037 --> 00:14:19.605
  • That's when he came to faith.
  • 00:14:19.605 --> 00:14:20.940
  • When he came to faith in 1973, he thought he was the first jew
  • 00:14:20.940 --> 00:14:24.076
  • Since the apostle paul, greg, that believed this.
  • 00:14:24.076 --> 00:14:26.912
  • He'd never heard of a jew that believed in jesus.
  • 00:14:26.912 --> 00:14:28.881
  • He never met one.
  • 00:14:28.881 --> 00:14:30.716
  • And in 1973, we think there were fewer than 2,000 jews on the
  • 00:14:30.716 --> 00:14:34.553
  • Planet who believed in jesus as the messiah.
  • 00:14:34.553 --> 00:14:37.389
  • Now there are over a million out of a population of about 15 or
  • 00:14:37.389 --> 00:14:41.527
  • 16 million jews.
  • 00:14:41.527 --> 00:14:42.861
  • So, in terms of sheer numbers and percentages, this is the
  • 00:14:42.861 --> 00:14:46.532
  • Greatest moment and era of jews coming to faith in jesus and
  • 00:14:46.532 --> 00:14:50.970
  • Many, many millions more listening than in all of
  • 00:14:50.970 --> 00:14:53.706
  • Human history.
  • 00:14:53.706 --> 00:14:55.908
  • It's exciting.
  • 00:14:55.908 --> 00:14:57.276
  • Greg: yes.
  • 00:14:57.276 --> 00:14:58.610
  • Joel: it's exciting.
  • 00:14:58.610 --> 00:14:59.979
  • Greg: so you talk about a potentially
  • 00:14:59.979 --> 00:15:01.313
  • Apocalyptic situation.
  • 00:15:01.313 --> 00:15:02.681
  • So it's interesting, we have ezekiel 37 that talks about the
  • 00:15:02.681 --> 00:15:07.086
  • Regathering of the jews to their homeland, which has happened.
  • 00:15:07.086 --> 00:15:10.389
  • Then we have ezekiel 38, we read about a large force from the
  • 00:15:10.389 --> 00:15:14.226
  • North of israel, identified as magog, marching on her.
  • 00:15:14.226 --> 00:15:19.365
  • Israel seems to be isolated at this moment.
  • 00:15:19.365 --> 00:15:22.968
  • And one of the allies of magog is called persia, which changed
  • 00:15:22.968 --> 00:15:28.240
  • Their name to iran in 1935.
  • 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:31.143
  • And so--and we see the aggression of iran
  • 00:15:31.143 --> 00:15:34.113
  • Toward israel.
  • 00:15:34.113 --> 00:15:35.447
  • And they have a hatred for america as well.
  • 00:15:35.447 --> 00:15:37.483
  • We mustn't miss that.
  • 00:15:37.483 --> 00:15:39.318
  • And for some inexplicable reason, we've been funding them
  • 00:15:39.318 --> 00:15:43.122
  • With billions of dollars, and we know that some of that money, no
  • 00:15:43.122 --> 00:15:46.558
  • Doubt, has gone to the funding of these proxy terrorist
  • 00:15:46.558 --> 00:15:50.262
  • Organizations like hezbollah or hamas or the houthis.
  • 00:15:50.262 --> 00:15:54.199
  • And so this is--
  • 00:15:54.199 --> 00:15:56.001
  • Joel: you have to--if you got a terrorist organization with an h
  • 00:15:56.001 --> 00:15:58.404
  • In front of your name, you're gonna get a lot of money.
  • 00:15:58.404 --> 00:16:01.407
  • Hezbollah, houthis, hamas.
  • 00:16:01.407 --> 00:16:03.375
  • That seems to be the way it's done.
  • 00:16:03.375 --> 00:16:04.743
  • Greg: it appears that way. right.
  • 00:16:04.743 --> 00:16:07.413
  • So could any of these events-- like, let's say israel decides
  • 00:16:07.413 --> 00:16:12.017
  • To hit iran and take out their nuclear reactor kit or oil
  • 00:16:12.017 --> 00:16:16.321
  • Reserves or producing mechanisms.
  • 00:16:16.321 --> 00:16:19.892
  • This could maybe lead to a scenario like that or it
  • 00:16:19.892 --> 00:16:24.196
  • May not.
  • 00:16:24.196 --> 00:16:25.564
  • We don't know.
  • 00:16:25.564 --> 00:16:26.899
  • But how do you see this in the big prophetic picture?
  • 00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:28.367
  • Joel: yeah.
  • 00:16:28.367 --> 00:16:29.701
  • So i'm concerned by some teachers who teach bible
  • 00:16:29.701 --> 00:16:32.738
  • Prophecy with a bit of a dash of sensationalism.
  • 00:16:32.738 --> 00:16:37.076
  • I think that's a problem.
  • 00:16:37.076 --> 00:16:38.444
  • I'm really grateful that you don't.
  • 00:16:38.444 --> 00:16:40.212
  • And may your tribe increase.
  • 00:16:40.212 --> 00:16:42.247
  • Many pastors are avoiding it entirely because it's being
  • 00:16:42.247 --> 00:16:46.085
  • Discredited by those who teach it badly.
  • 00:16:46.085 --> 00:16:48.787
  • You know, they all seem like they're in area 51.
  • 00:16:48.787 --> 00:16:53.125
  • They're all from roswell, new mexico, and the websites they
  • 00:16:53.125 --> 00:16:56.361
  • Build are all red and black, filled with fire, every sentence
  • 00:16:56.361 --> 00:16:59.698
  • Is in capital letters with 97 exclamation points after it, and
  • 00:16:59.698 --> 00:17:02.968
  • You're like, "dude, seriously, have some decaf.
  • 00:17:02.968 --> 00:17:04.870
  • It's gonna be okay."
  • 00:17:04.870 --> 00:17:06.705
  • So that doesn't help, right?
  • 00:17:06.705 --> 00:17:08.407
  • But you're an evangelist, and you don't say to yourself, "oh,
  • 00:17:08.407 --> 00:17:11.243
  • I'm not going to preach the gospel because there are
  • 00:17:11.243 --> 00:17:13.946
  • Lunatics preaching false gospels, preaching the
  • 00:17:13.946 --> 00:17:16.682
  • Prosperity gospel," or whatever.
  • 00:17:16.682 --> 00:17:18.550
  • You teach it and preach it with more clarity and conviction.
  • 00:17:18.550 --> 00:17:22.788
  • That's what needs to happen with bible prophecy.
  • 00:17:22.788 --> 00:17:25.557
  • So that's the first thing.
  • 00:17:25.557 --> 00:17:26.892
  • The second thing is that i forgot your actual question, and
  • 00:17:26.892 --> 00:17:30.062
  • So you may--because i got--
  • 00:17:30.062 --> 00:17:32.798
  • Greg: the big prophetic puzzle.
  • 00:17:32.798 --> 00:17:34.133
  • Joel: yeah, the big prophetic picture.
  • 00:17:34.133 --> 00:17:35.501
  • So--all right, so that's good.
  • 00:17:35.501 --> 00:17:36.835
  • Thank you.
  • 00:17:36.835 --> 00:17:39.771
  • I don't think there's enough data to say that we're heading
  • 00:17:39.771 --> 00:17:43.609
  • Into ezekiel 38-39 yet.
  • 00:17:43.609 --> 00:17:46.478
  • Now, october 6 seemed such a quiet day, we felt so peaceful
  • 00:17:46.478 --> 00:17:51.049
  • In israel, that if ezekiel 38-39 starts kicking in and we do have
  • 00:17:51.049 --> 00:17:56.388
  • Enough data, then we'll say, "okay, the six was the day of us
  • 00:17:56.388 --> 00:18:00.459
  • Living securely in the land," that was one of the
  • 00:18:00.459 --> 00:18:02.594
  • Preconditions, "and then god didn't tell us about the
  • 00:18:02.594 --> 00:18:06.031
  • October 7 war."
  • 00:18:06.031 --> 00:18:08.000
  • That's sort of a gap, right?
  • 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:09.434
  • Jesus, when he was announcing his ministry, reading the isaiah
  • 00:18:09.434 --> 00:18:13.505
  • Scroll from isaiah 61 in nazareth, he has to stop halfway
  • 00:18:13.505 --> 00:18:18.043
  • Through a sentence because he said, "the day of god's favor is
  • 00:18:18.043 --> 00:18:20.879
  • Upon us," right?
  • 00:18:20.879 --> 00:18:22.214
  • But he stops.
  • 00:18:22.214 --> 00:18:23.549
  • Why?
  • 00:18:23.549 --> 00:18:24.917
  • Because the day of vengeance comes in the next part of that
  • 00:18:24.917 --> 00:18:26.518
  • Sentence, and we're not at the tribulation yet, so that's
  • 00:18:26.518 --> 00:18:29.054
  • A 2,000-year gap just in the middle of that sentence that
  • 00:18:29.054 --> 00:18:32.157
  • Nobody would have seen coming.
  • 00:18:32.157 --> 00:18:33.592
  • But jesus, of course, did.
  • 00:18:33.592 --> 00:18:34.960
  • So we have to be cautious.
  • 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:36.295
  • We need to be humble when we teach this.
  • 00:18:36.295 --> 00:18:38.330
  • All that to say, i don't think we're there yet.
  • 00:18:38.330 --> 00:18:41.633
  • We are in a birth pang.
  • 00:18:41.633 --> 00:18:44.703
  • Matthew 24, "wars, rumors of wars, kingdom against kingdom,
  • 00:18:44.703 --> 00:18:48.407
  • Nation against nation."
  • 00:18:48.407 --> 00:18:49.741
  • I believe that the invasion of ukraine by russia itself is
  • 00:18:49.741 --> 00:18:54.913
  • A birth pang.
  • 00:18:54.913 --> 00:18:56.248
  • It's the greatest, largest land war in europe since world
  • 00:18:56.248 --> 00:18:59.117
  • War ii.
  • 00:18:59.117 --> 00:19:00.452
  • I believe the 6 million people that died during the covid era--
  • 00:19:00.452 --> 00:19:03.822
  • I think that was part of a contraction.
  • 00:19:03.822 --> 00:19:05.958
  • That was--it was part of the birth pangs.
  • 00:19:05.958 --> 00:19:08.894
  • So birth pangs are contraction, release, contraction, release.
  • 00:19:08.894 --> 00:19:12.431
  • October 6, we would have said, "we're gonna release in israel."
  • 00:19:12.431 --> 00:19:15.367
  • We had made peace with four arab neighbors.
  • 00:19:15.367 --> 00:19:17.736
  • We were about to make peace with the saudis.
  • 00:19:17.736 --> 00:19:19.671
  • We're clearly in a contraction now that has not let up, and
  • 00:19:19.671 --> 00:19:23.375
  • We're a year in, and there's no end in sight.
  • 00:19:23.375 --> 00:19:26.345
  • It could end soon, and if it ends soon and, we get into
  • 00:19:26.345 --> 00:19:29.815
  • Release time, six months from now, greg, a year from now,
  • 00:19:29.815 --> 00:19:33.919
  • Israel may be perceived as the greatest superpower in the
  • 00:19:33.919 --> 00:19:37.489
  • Region because with no-- almost--well, not enough help
  • 00:19:37.489 --> 00:19:40.959
  • In my view from the united states and no help from the
  • 00:19:40.959 --> 00:19:44.263
  • British, who put an arms embargo on us, no help from the french,
  • 00:19:44.263 --> 00:19:47.232
  • Who put an arms embargo on us, the world abandoning us,
  • 00:19:47.232 --> 00:19:50.869
  • Accusing us of genocide.
  • 00:19:50.869 --> 00:19:52.371
  • If israel wins against hamas, which it's already done,
  • 00:19:52.371 --> 00:19:56.408
  • Hezbollah, we've destroyed half of their missile forces and
  • 00:19:56.408 --> 00:20:00.479
  • 4,018 of their top leaders, and if we destroy the top leadership
  • 00:20:00.479 --> 00:20:06.451
  • And the facilities that threaten us in iran, we will all be
  • 00:20:06.451 --> 00:20:09.855
  • Saying, "the saudis are about to make peace.
  • 00:20:09.855 --> 00:20:11.490
  • The indonesians are about to make peace."
  • 00:20:11.490 --> 00:20:13.292
  • This will seem like, "oh, my gosh."
  • 00:20:13.292 --> 00:20:14.693
  • And that would be a setup for ezekiel 38 and 39 afterwards
  • 00:20:14.693 --> 00:20:18.697
  • Because it would be the greatest era of calm, quiet, peace, and
  • 00:20:18.697 --> 00:20:21.667
  • Prosperity in the history of the middle east since david
  • 00:20:21.667 --> 00:20:24.269
  • And solomon.
  • 00:20:24.269 --> 00:20:25.604
  • But if we--if this thing goes sour and russia decides to team
  • 00:20:25.604 --> 00:20:29.007
  • Up with iran and turkey, then that's a different scenario.
  • 00:20:29.007 --> 00:20:32.044
  • We're just--we just don't know that yet.
  • 00:20:32.044 --> 00:20:34.012
  • And so we shouldn't try to jump and draw conclusions
  • 00:20:34.012 --> 00:20:38.750
  • That they're--
  • 00:20:38.750 --> 00:20:40.118
  • Greg: or even want it to happen.
  • 00:20:40.118 --> 00:20:41.453
  • You know, i was talking with some professors from a seminary
  • 00:20:41.453 --> 00:20:44.523
  • At the university of haifa, and i said, "let me clear
  • 00:20:44.523 --> 00:20:47.826
  • Misconception up that you may have about us evangelicals.
  • 00:20:47.826 --> 00:20:51.129
  • I've heard it said that the reason evangelicals support
  • 00:20:51.129 --> 00:20:53.899
  • Israel is because we want armageddon to start."
  • 00:20:53.899 --> 00:20:57.102
  • I said, "nothing could be further from the truth.
  • 00:20:57.102 --> 00:20:59.671
  • We love you.
  • 00:20:59.671 --> 00:21:01.006
  • We want you to be safe and secure.
  • 00:21:01.006 --> 00:21:02.808
  • And, in fact, the bible tells us in psalm 122 to pray for the
  • 00:21:02.808 --> 00:21:06.545
  • Peace of jerusalem.
  • 00:21:06.545 --> 00:21:08.046
  • So we hope for that and we pray for that."
  • 00:21:08.046 --> 00:21:10.549
  • It's not like we say, "oh, this is--oh, let's--well, let's
  • 00:21:10.549 --> 00:21:12.784
  • Hope it happens."
  • 00:21:12.784 --> 00:21:14.152
  • We don't want it to happen, but it's gonna happen.
  • 00:21:14.152 --> 00:21:16.121
  • It's gonna happen in god's timing.
  • 00:21:16.121 --> 00:21:18.123
  • But in light of the fact that-- look, here's the bottom line:
  • 00:21:18.123 --> 00:21:20.992
  • Christ is coming.
  • 00:21:20.992 --> 00:21:22.327
  • As you said, the labor pains are around us.
  • 00:21:22.327 --> 00:21:25.697
  • They're getting in--as the labor pains get closer together,
  • 00:21:25.697 --> 00:21:28.834
  • That means the birth is coming.
  • 00:21:28.834 --> 00:21:30.535
  • And as we see these events getting closer and closer
  • 00:21:30.535 --> 00:21:33.472
  • Together, what should we be doing as christians in the light
  • 00:21:33.472 --> 00:21:37.075
  • Of the fact that christ could come in our lifetime?
  • 00:21:37.075 --> 00:21:41.213
  • Joel: yeah.
  • 00:21:41.213 --> 00:21:42.547
  • Okay, a few things.
  • 00:21:42.547 --> 00:21:43.915
  • One: i would say that i believe the verse that captures best
  • 00:21:43.915 --> 00:21:46.318
  • Where we're at, aside from matthew 24, is amos 9:9.
  • 00:21:46.318 --> 00:21:49.988
  • This is where god says, "i will shake the house of israel among
  • 00:21:49.988 --> 00:21:53.825
  • The nations."
  • 00:21:53.825 --> 00:21:55.160
  • Satan has sent this horrible attack from every different
  • 00:21:55.160 --> 00:21:58.897
  • Direction against israel.
  • 00:21:58.897 --> 00:22:00.399
  • This isn't that god did it.
  • 00:22:00.399 --> 00:22:01.767
  • It's satan doing it to kill us, to destroy us.
  • 00:22:01.767 --> 00:22:05.804
  • But god is sovereignly letting it happen.
  • 00:22:05.804 --> 00:22:07.572
  • Why is he doing that?
  • 00:22:07.572 --> 00:22:08.907
  • He's doing that so that we will be shaken as a people and as
  • 00:22:08.907 --> 00:22:12.210
  • A region to let go of anyone or anything or any ideology or any
  • 00:22:12.210 --> 00:22:16.915
  • Religion other than faith in jesus for our hope and our peace
  • 00:22:16.915 --> 00:22:21.520
  • And our eternal security.
  • 00:22:21.520 --> 00:22:23.054
  • So god is shaking us because we have not woken up yet as
  • 00:22:23.054 --> 00:22:25.924
  • A people or as a region.
  • 00:22:25.924 --> 00:22:27.526
  • So that's--when you understand amos 9:9, then it begins to make
  • 00:22:27.526 --> 00:22:31.797
  • More sense.
  • 00:22:31.797 --> 00:22:33.165
  • "why is god letting this happen?
  • 00:22:33.165 --> 00:22:34.499
  • Isn't this mean?"
  • 00:22:34.499 --> 00:22:35.867
  • Well, it's not mean, but we, as jews, are sheep that are not
  • 00:22:35.867 --> 00:22:39.404
  • Acknowledging or embracing our shepherd.
  • 00:22:39.404 --> 00:22:41.606
  • Some believe there isn't a shepherd.
  • 00:22:41.606 --> 00:22:43.175
  • Some believe that the shepherd hates us, the shepherd's
  • 00:22:43.175 --> 00:22:46.111
  • Impotent, the shepherd is a moron, or--you know, we have--
  • 00:22:46.111 --> 00:22:48.980
  • Israelis have all kinds of views of god, but they've forgotten
  • 00:22:48.980 --> 00:22:53.618
  • Psalm 23.
  • 00:22:53.618 --> 00:22:54.953
  • The problem is, if you reject the shepherd or you don't want
  • 00:22:54.953 --> 00:22:59.224
  • To listen to him or whatever, you are under the false sense
  • 00:22:59.224 --> 00:23:03.695
  • That the countryside is safe.
  • 00:23:03.695 --> 00:23:06.765
  • But the fact is, one of the reasons we have a shepherd is
  • 00:23:06.765 --> 00:23:09.067
  • Not just to feed us and take care of us, but to protect us
  • 00:23:09.067 --> 00:23:12.237
  • From ravenous wolves.
  • 00:23:12.237 --> 00:23:13.638
  • And there are forces, there are ravenous wolves throughout the
  • 00:23:13.638 --> 00:23:17.209
  • Middle east, throughout the world, that hate jews and want
  • 00:23:17.209 --> 00:23:18.977
  • To destroy us.
  • 00:23:18.977 --> 00:23:20.545
  • I'll say this.
  • 00:23:20.545 --> 00:23:21.880
  • Two last points from--i'm gonna quote from my favorite book of
  • 00:23:21.880 --> 00:23:24.516
  • The bible, which is the book of joel.
  • 00:23:24.516 --> 00:23:26.184
  • So i encourage you to embrace that as your favorite book
  • 00:23:26.184 --> 00:23:30.822
  • As well.
  • 00:23:30.822 --> 00:23:33.058
  • Joel chapter 3, verse 1, "for behold, in those days and at
  • 00:23:33.058 --> 00:23:37.095
  • That time, when i restore the fortunes of judah and jerusalem,
  • 00:23:37.095 --> 00:23:41.933
  • And i will gather all the nations and bring them down to
  • 00:23:41.933 --> 00:23:45.337
  • The valley of jehoshaphat."
  • 00:23:45.337 --> 00:23:46.671
  • Which mean god judges.
  • 00:23:46.671 --> 00:23:48.073
  • "there--then i will--then--" after he rebuilds israel, after
  • 00:23:48.073 --> 00:23:51.910
  • He brings the jews back, then he's gonna bring the nations to
  • 00:23:51.910 --> 00:23:54.446
  • Attack us.
  • 00:23:54.446 --> 00:23:55.780
  • "then i will enter into judgment with them," the nations there,
  • 00:23:55.780 --> 00:23:58.884
  • "on behalf of my people and my inheritance, israel, whom they
  • 00:23:58.884 --> 00:24:02.621
  • Have scattered among the nations; and then they have
  • 00:24:02.621 --> 00:24:04.789
  • Divided up my land."
  • 00:24:04.789 --> 00:24:07.359
  • The nations of the world are responsible for, first, driving
  • 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:11.062
  • Us out of israel, and now that we've regathered, for trying to
  • 00:24:11.062 --> 00:24:14.833
  • Divide up our land and give it to our enemies.
  • 00:24:14.833 --> 00:24:17.302
  • So to wrap that up, i would say the joshua fund, "all israel
  • 00:24:17.302 --> 00:24:21.473
  • News," we talk about four things we want to encourage christians
  • 00:24:21.473 --> 00:24:24.743
  • To understand and do.
  • 00:24:24.743 --> 00:24:26.077
  • Greg: so joel has an organization called the joshua
  • 00:24:26.077 --> 00:24:28.580
  • Fund that he's referring to.
  • 00:24:28.580 --> 00:24:29.915
  • Go ahead.
  • 00:24:29.915 --> 00:24:31.283
  • Joel: yeah, it's a ministry that we started 18 years ago to
  • 00:24:31.283 --> 00:24:33.451
  • Educate and mobilize christians to bless israel and her
  • 00:24:33.451 --> 00:24:36.655
  • Neighbors, palestinians and others, in the name of jesus.
  • 00:24:36.655 --> 00:24:39.658
  • And so we encourage people to do four things: learn, pray, give,
  • 00:24:39.658 --> 00:24:46.565
  • And go.
  • 00:24:46.565 --> 00:24:48.166
  • Part of my role was the educational side of this.
  • 00:24:48.166 --> 00:24:50.402
  • This is why i'm doing this, and i appreciate you inviting,
  • 00:24:50.402 --> 00:24:52.671
  • Especially this weekend.
  • 00:24:52.671 --> 00:24:54.005
  • So--and the more we understand what god is doing, what he wants
  • 00:24:54.005 --> 00:24:57.876
  • To do, what the enemy is doing, it will motivate us to pray and
  • 00:24:57.876 --> 00:25:01.646
  • To pray more specifically.
  • 00:25:01.646 --> 00:25:03.148
  • As we pray more, we will have a heart to want to give our time,
  • 00:25:03.148 --> 00:25:07.185
  • Our talent, and even our treasures to invest in building
  • 00:25:07.185 --> 00:25:10.355
  • The kingdom and fulfilling the great commission in the
  • 00:25:10.355 --> 00:25:13.024
  • Epicenter, in the middle east.
  • 00:25:13.024 --> 00:25:14.659
  • And then go.
  • 00:25:14.659 --> 00:25:16.027
  • Now, often we say, "go to israel."
  • 00:25:16.027 --> 00:25:18.263
  • Now i would say don't go to israel.
  • 00:25:18.263 --> 00:25:20.932
  • But i would say go and preach the gospel to everybody
  • 00:25:20.932 --> 00:25:24.302
  • In creation.
  • 00:25:24.302 --> 00:25:25.637
  • And by strengthening the joshua fund, as just one example, this
  • 00:25:25.637 --> 00:25:28.807
  • Is what we're doing: we're investing in the local
  • 00:25:28.807 --> 00:25:31.209
  • Believers, yes, for humanitarian relief, but also to strengthen
  • 00:25:31.209 --> 00:25:34.679
  • Them so they can preach the word of god and fulfill the
  • 00:25:34.679 --> 00:25:37.115
  • Great commission.
  • 00:25:37.115 --> 00:25:38.750
  • Again, israelis, palestinians, lebanese, syrians, jordanians,
  • 00:25:38.750 --> 00:25:42.454
  • Iraqis, and egyptians.
  • 00:25:42.454 --> 00:25:43.788
  • This is a group of people that don't know christ.
  • 00:25:43.788 --> 00:25:47.559
  • And how are they gonna say yes if they haven't even heard?
  • 00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:51.596
  • And we need to strengthen the local church so that they can
  • 00:25:51.596 --> 00:25:54.666
  • Reach their people and hopefully fulfill the great commission in
  • 00:25:54.666 --> 00:25:58.870
  • Our lifetime.
  • 00:25:58.870 --> 00:26:00.238
  • So as horrible as this year has been, lynn and i and our family
  • 00:26:00.238 --> 00:26:03.208
  • And our team are so grateful to be there because this is why
  • 00:26:03.208 --> 00:26:08.113
  • We're there: to love our neighbors and to love our
  • 00:26:08.113 --> 00:26:10.882
  • Enemies and to help the local believers fulfill the
  • 00:26:10.882 --> 00:26:14.619
  • Great commission.
  • 00:26:14.619 --> 00:26:15.987
  • Greg: well, joel, thank you for all that you do.
  • 00:26:15.987 --> 00:26:17.322
  • You're a bright light everywhere you go.
  • 00:26:17.322 --> 00:26:24.129
  • Greg: hi, i'm greg laurie, i've got some good news for you.
  • 00:26:28.266 --> 00:26:31.002
  • God loves you, and god has a plan for your life.
  • 00:26:31.002 --> 00:26:34.673
  • Here's the problem: we're separated from god by our sin
  • 00:26:34.673 --> 00:26:38.276
  • Because we've all broken his commandments.
  • 00:26:38.276 --> 00:26:41.146
  • But the good news is that 2,000 years ago, god sent
  • 00:26:41.146 --> 00:26:44.683
  • His son, jesus christ, to die on the cross for your sin,
  • 00:26:44.683 --> 00:26:48.620
  • And then to rise again from the dead.
  • 00:26:48.620 --> 00:26:51.389
  • The same jesus who died and rose is alive and ready
  • 00:26:51.389 --> 00:26:54.793
  • To come into your life right now.
  • 00:26:54.793 --> 00:26:57.028
  • Would you like your sin forgiven?
  • 00:26:57.028 --> 00:26:59.097
  • Would you like to know that when you die you will go to heaven?
  • 00:26:59.097 --> 00:27:02.233
  • If so, pray this simple prayer with me right now.
  • 00:27:02.233 --> 00:27:05.570
  • Just say, "lord jesus, i know i'm a sinner, but i believe
  • 00:27:05.570 --> 00:27:09.074
  • You're the savior who died on the cross for my sin.
  • 00:27:09.074 --> 00:27:12.577
  • I turn from my sin now, and i choose to follow you
  • 00:27:12.577 --> 00:27:15.780
  • From this moment forward."
  • 00:27:15.780 --> 00:27:18.183
  • Did you just pray that prayer with me?
  • 00:27:18.183 --> 00:27:20.518
  • If you did, god in heaven has heard you.
  • 00:27:20.518 --> 00:27:23.488
  • And let me be the first to say to you
  • 00:27:23.488 --> 00:27:25.623
  • Congratulations, and welcome to the family of god.
  • 00:27:25.623 --> 00:27:29.461