On the Outside Looking In

Everybody Greg Laurie here.

You're listening to the Greg Laurie podcast and my objective is to deliver hopefully compelling practical insights and faith culture and current events. From a biblical perspective to find out more about our ministry. Just go to our website harvest.org so thanks for joining me for this podcast.

Grab your Bibles and turn to two passages Exodus chapter 20 in Joshua chapter 14 if you're one of those fancy Bibles like this one here with ribbons.

You can put a ribbon in Joshua 14, but were going to start with Exodus 20 so some years ago I was back in New York City with my wife around Christmas time with another couple that were over there with us as well. So the girls went shopping at Macy's department store and it was raining like crazy and they didn't want to get wet and I very valiantly said, I'll go get you a cab and I went out the horrible rain and finally a Stop size and hang on here one second.

So I opened the back door the cab up and I gestured to the girls and come on come on and the girls are in high heels so the walking like this fast. You know, come on come upon and while I'm waiting for them to come. Some guy started to step in the my I failed and he said Joe Holland, this is my In the sky. He I don't know how to put it delicately lit me the bird. I mean like within 3 inches of my face. I don't want to you know redo it again, but you get the idea right in front of me. I was so mad I shove this guy said that's my job as guy walk is a psycho so the girls got in my other friend got in. We shut the door would drive enough. I was feeling really good about myself.

I showed that guy and then the adrenaline wore off, and I realize how insane that was what I had just done and ironically I was in New York City to preach to the will of the sky shows up at the meeting. I'm preaching to see that's a guy that showed me what I was trying to steal his Basically I lost my temper and you know it there's a lot of that going on right now heard about a man that was really stressed out because of the coronavirus so we went to his doctor, he said.I am so stressed out because of COBIT. 19. I keep losing my temper for no good reason. The doctor said one that you tell me about it and the patient said I just did your stupid fall at sea just short fuse right. Our people are angry about a lot of things. Start with mass all man. There are militant non-mouse squares out there and if you dare to ask him to wear a mouse to walk into a store or whatever it is they freak out. I read in the paper the other day about a man that was asked to wear a mask in Starbucks, the Brisas said sir would you put a mask on and this guy punched the bull reset and broke his jaw, no more caffeine for that man affects he needs an herbal latte or maybe a from Pacino.

But then there are people that are militant if you don't wear Matthew you must wear a mask and everybody's getting a little too overworked about these things and then there's politics. Oh my goodness, by the way, did you know a presidential election is coming so everybody's in their political corner and we come out fighting and we come out debating and it just seems to get more intense if you take over 19 and combined it with the economy along with the politics of the day that creates almost a perfect storm of anger for a lot of folks. According to psychologist Joshua Morgan Steen, the country is now dealing with three disasters superimposed on top of one another.

The pandemic, the economic fallout the civil unrest.

He says certainly a common way of responding is anger, so we get that we know people lose their temper. We know people are uptight to win the second.

Are you a Christian if you're a Christian, you should be different than that we should not be caught up in all of this anger that is being expressed by so many people.

The Bible says a person who loses his temper is a full Proverbs 2911 Scripture tells us as followers of Christ. When a love others and were to be at peace. In fact, Jesus said in John 1336. By this shall all men know you are my disciples, that you of love one for another.

Listen to this. When Christians love one another. It's a powerful witness to a lost world. Let me add when Christians are fighting with one another.

It's a poor witness to a lost world. All I know we feel justified in unloading both barrels and giving someone a piece of our mine. But if you give too many pieces of your mind away, you won't have any left for yourself. We justify this anger because we know this we say were in the right on this subject will keep find little to say for the thinkable point.

You're right, you don't have to screen at someone you don't have to turn it into a major conflict and we may rationalize this pricing were more spiritual than them. And we need to set them right. But if you're really a spiritual person. If you're really a godly person. You'll be a humble person and you'll be a loving person, not someone who was filled with anger and rage.

We as believers should be showing love and forgiveness.

And if we don't listen to this.

We grieve the Holy Spirit. The Bible says don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

Listen, the Holy Spirit is God and the Holy Spirit can be lied to the Holy Spirit can be resisted. The Holy Spirit can be insulted in the Holy Spirit to be green you only grieve someone you love some random stranger comes up to me, insulted me a dozen grieve me at just bugs me one of someone I love says something hurtful to me.

It grieves me so we can grieve the Holy Spirit. If they won't. What what is that even mean the means to make sad or sorrowful. How do we do it. Ephesians 430 gives the answer.

It says don't grieve or bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit, by the way that you live and what would that be. He continues on, get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander as well as all types of evil behavior was in the best, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God through Christ has forgiven you. Be kind to each other and I have no doubt that social media is feeding this frenzy. I think we spend way too much time looking at phones and tablets and following our favorite website that inflames us in speaking of tablets I want to talk about a guy who really lost his temper where this series on the life of Moses were calling out water. Firestone and Moses had quite the temper because when God came to him the 10 Commandments and the descendent from Mount Sinai and saw that Israelites who were left under the charge of Aaron, a dancing naked before a golden calf. He was really ticked off, and Moses took the commandments and smash them on the ground on that's crazy.

I mean I know is Matt. I know there's a place to write. Just a midday indignation, but to smash the commandments hand written by the finger of God on the ground that that's crazy but Moses said that temper. And don't forget that the reason he was in exile in the wilderness is because he lost his temper when he saw an Egyptian slave driver mistreating a Jew. The Bible says he looked to the right.

He looked to the left and he killed the guy. I mean I'm not saying it would be a good idea but punch the guy maybe, but literally he killed the man and then he buried him in the shifting sand and he was sent into exile and God gave to Moses along time out. You know that's what you do with kids today when they're being naughty.

All right time. Now they have to go sit in a room by themselves. The Lord said to Moses, find out go to the wilderness for 40 years. He tended a flock of sheep he was off the grid he was off social media killed his twitter account, Facebook and Instagram.

He didn't even use tick-tock and he just waited. And the Lord recommissioned him that you would've thought this would've been a new and improved Moses free of anger issues, but he goes into the Pharaoh to demand the release of the Israelites and the Pharaoh refuses, and we read that Moses went out in fury. So let's just say Moses had some anger issues.

All right, so let's fast-forward now many years the people of Israel are on the very brink of the promised land. By the way they had been complaining every step of the way they did not believe that God would let them go into this land, it would be too hard. Remember in our last message with the title to how you look at things that was the majority report in the minority report. 12 spies were dispatched none of them were 007. I don't think, but the 10 spies. The majority gave a very discouraging report this at all the people that are in the lender huge and were like grasshoppers in their side will never succeed in the minority report which is made up of Joshua and Caleb said the things are big but shut out the size of these crates.

We brought back. It took two of them to bring the break crates because there were so huge, and they said the Lord will give us a lab at the people believed the majority report instead of the minority report and they just complained and wine and Moses put up with. You know the Bible says that Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth. By the way, understand what meekness it's meekness is not the same as weakness. Let's say that you're a scrawny little dude and you're on the beach building the Sandcastle. The sad thing is, is you're in your 30s, but still there. You are building your sent Joseph and some muscular, aggressive guy comes along and kick sand in your face and you don't respond why because you're weak. You have no options would be getting hit with your little plastic shovel.

Now let's change the scene.

Let's say that you are an expert in mixed martial arts in your building your Sandcastle and that guy comes along and kick sand in your face and you choose to not respond as I because you're weak know it's because your meat because power under constraint. It is controlling your temper. Moses had a temper, but he put up with this.

He was meet the meekest man on the face of the earth, but there comes a point when enough is enough and Moses was fed up. He couldn't take it anymore and he literally just loses because the Israelites seemed to have spiritual amnesia. They seem to be forgetting all that God had done for them over the many years how God provided them food every single day right outside of their tent door and it was called manna of God directed them with the fire by night in a cloud by day how God watched over them how God parted the Red Sea for them, but they forgot sometimes we get discouraged when we forget the faithfulness of God. In the past. My wife keeps a prayer journal and sometimes will see Greg look what I wrote in my prayer journal two years ago. Look at what we were facing and look at how the Lord God is through it and the point of that is it's it's good to reflect back on the faithfulness of God, because when you're going through something in the moment.

You wonder, am I going to get through it. Has God not been faithful to you in the past, the answer is yes, therefore, will he not be faithful to you in the present.

Whatever conflict you're facing right now. The answer again is yes and will he not be faithful to you in the future someone 07. We have a record of all that God did for the nation Israel how he provided for them.

How we protected them and then we read and someone 07 30 10, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works of the children of men. They just keep repeating that refrain. Remember that just give God glory for what he is done because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.

He's been with you in the past. He's here for you in the present in a be with you in the future. Not when I say that that is only for the Christian if you're watching me right now and you don't have Christ living in your life. This is not a promise you can lay hold up but if you ask Christ to come into your life. He will forgive you of your sin and you can have his presence in your life and you can know that you go to heaven when you die and not tell you how to do that just a few moments, but the Israelites had forgotten what God had done so, they were thirsty and they said were thirsty Moses and you know I have you brought us out of the wilderness, so we would just die of thirst in some Moses and Aaron go and pray in the tabernacle. That's a tent that they set up to meet God in by the way it's always a good thing to do when you're stressed, pray when you're frustrated, pray when you're angry. Pray pray that God will give you wisdom.

So there. Pray Lord just help us now, and the Lord gives a clear direction� Moses I want you to go to the rock and I want you to speak to it and water will come out known a number another occasion, God had directed Moses to go to a rock and strike it with the staff, and water came out with this time the Lord said don't strike it. Just speak to the rock and the water will come satisfy the thirst of the people know what Moses was out of the mood to speak to some rock.

He wanted to kick something I've ever been some magic at something that hurt yourself Moses and normally get a whacked out rock. Once like last time when I hit it twice. So he grabs the staff and he goes to Little Rock. Let's see what happened.

Numbers chapter 20 verse 10, he and Aaron some of the people to come and gather at the rock, and he shouted listen, you rebels must we bring you water from this rock. Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, and water gushed out so the entire community and their livestock Frank their bill is a number things went wrong here some big mistake. Should Moses make you're taking no tears point number one Moses was taking personal credit for what God had done. Moses was taking personal credit for what God had done what it is safe, you rebels must we bring you water as we did before. Excuse me Moses you didn't bring water out of a rock before God did that you're taking credit for what the Lord has done and then he walks the walk, not once but twice. Sounds like Moses is beginning to believe his own press. But here's the thing. God wants the glory in your life and listen to this God wants to use you. God wants to speak through you. God wants to use you as an instrument to bring comfort and help to people are in need. I just talked to a lady yesterday and she told me she works in hospice care. So she is with people who are in the brink of eternity and she was talking with the man who was close to death's door and and so she went on and got him a copy of my book Jesus revolution and read it to him and it impacted this man any ended up coming to Christ, and so she told me about all the opportunities she has the minister to people I thought what a wonderful thing this is any she's in a position where she could reach people that I could never reach and you're in a position to reach people that no one else can reach. So God wants to use you and God will usually listen to me if you will dare to pray this prayer you will find the Lord will answer just pray this Lord, use me today. You can even pray right now, Lord, use me today but listen God to answer their prayer sooner than you may expect of God loves to use this but when he uses us. Make sure you give him the glory.

Sometimes people want to give us the glory. The book of acts chapter 14 the story of Paul and Barnabas, who were in the city called Lysistrata, and there were preaching.

There was a man who would been disabled, unable to walk from his birth and Ozzie was listening to Paul preached he could see that this man had faith to be healed. So Paul said to the men stand up and right there.

This men would never walk aboard jumped to his feet and began to walk and leap and he was so excited the people watching. They freaked out.

They said these men are gods and human bodies, and then they started to bring sacrifices to the Paul and Barnabas are like guys. What are you doing and they say to them. In acts 1415 friends, what are you doing this work just human beings like you are, we come to bring you the good news that you should turn from these were the things to the living God so immediately said guys don't give us the credit don't give us the glory that were here to tell you to turn away from putting your faith in people or idols or anything else in some Moses was taking credit for what God had done. Don't touch God's glory.

Point number two Moses disobeyed God. One of the Lord told him to do the Lord said, speak to the rock know another time. The Lord said strike the rock with the stuff you know God will lead us differently in different situations.

Sometimes I'll have us do it one way and another time you'll have us do it another way, Jesus never dealt with any two people in exactly the same way when you see Jesus with Nicodemus, a religious man. He spoke to them in a certain way and said certain things when you see Jesus with the woman at the well, it's quite different when you see Jesus in the home of Zakia's it again.

It's different.

So the Lord will lead you in different ways. Be open to the leading of the Lord, don't be like some robot that does at the same way every time. That's my imitation of a robot arm how your arms. I don't know but like this be open to the leading of the spirits of Lord said, speak to the rock Moses hits a rock, not once but twice. And so that's because of his great anger, and anger, something we need to get under control, especially in marriage. Right you know when I meet young couples that want to get married. The come to me as he opens to Greg what you marry us and I'll say how long have you known each other all we've known each other for a year. All great and then Alaskan's have you ever had an argument and they might say no.

Not once we've never disagreed about anything else I get out of my office right now and go of a good fight because you have to learn how to resolve conflict when you're married and when I say good fight obviously are not referring to anything physical but I'm talking about. Learn how to disagree so often you'll have a disagreement with your spouse often over the subject of finances. By the way, and you live different points of view and it's very important that you listen to what they are saying here them out then respond with your point of view. Have a good exchange but when the voices start rising and the tempers start flaring, then it's going to be completely unproductive. Cliff Barros who is the longtime associate of Billy Graham. He was with them from the very beginning and now Cliff is with the Lord as affiliates but he said this and I love this.

He says there are nine words that we should be willing to say every day to our spouse.

Here they are. I'm sorry.

Please forgive me and I love you that's good is that I'm sorry.

Please forgive me and I love you, and then he said he knew might add these words as well.

It was my all so new of a conflict. Who's going to be the first to resolve it, and I'm sorry. Even the way we say I'm sorry your lame apologies. I'm sorry if you thought I was saying that since all because that was not my intention to if I what I said hurt your feelings because you misunderstood me. That's not an apology.

There's an apology I'm sorry I was wrong.

Please forgive me. I'm telling you whatever tension you're having with your spouse right now if you would just say I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. You'd be amazed at how much good that will do. But here is Moses. Now he's in a range and now the Lord is going to deal pretty harshly with him. Look at numbers 20 verse 12 the Lord said to Moses, because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel you will not lead them into the land I am giving them.

Moses you're not going to take them in pretty heavy duty Moses was on the outside looking in. Years ago when I was a kid. I was really into reptiles. I was a junior her proctologist. I had every can of reptile you can imagine all kinds of snakes and lizards and turtles and I was obsessed with reptiles and so for my birthday. I asked my mother to take me to a place called the alligator farm and it was in one a park right next to Knotts Berry Farm. So I invited a bunch of my friends come for my birthday party at the alligator farm so they all came to tell you reptiles are not always the most lively creatures at lunchtimes. When you look in alligator looks like instead of just laser doesn't do anything unless you put food in front of it. Snakes are often the same way. Same thing with blizzard so we go from cage to cage looking at these giant snake.

These massive amounts of alligators.

Basically all look like there were dead and does so out of this one open area where they had the biggest alligator and right over the fence you could see Knotts Berry Farm in their position. The riser that was going back and forth in all of my friends and I were looking at this writer were all thinking the same thing. Why are we here in the alligator farm looking that dead reptiles we could be on that ride right now we are on the outside looking in. That's always going to be for Moses. He was not going to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Let me explain why God holds leaders to a high standard. This is why the Bible says be not many teachers knowing that we shall receive the greater judgment I take what I do very seriously. I spent hours prepping and studying and I want to give you messages that are theologically correct but also relevant to what you're facing in life and that I figure that my job is not to give you social commentary or political monologues.

You can get that watching the news.

I feel that my job and I feel this is true for any pastor or teacher of the Bible is to give you God's word because I want to reach every person I want everyone I speak to a to come to know God. If they don't know him yet. I want to speak to people of every political background at your conservative if you're independent. If you're liberal I want to tell you what the Bible says I want to reach people of every race.

I want to reach people of every age. My purpose is to call people to Christ and get them grounded in the Scripture by the way, that's called the great commission. What is a great commission. It's going to all the world and preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations teaching them all things that Christ is taught us, baptizing them in the name of the father son and Holy Spirit. So my job if you will my calling as a pastor and evangelist is to proclaim the gospel to you, tell you how to come into a relationship with Jesus and then help you get grounded in the word the Lord wants me to do what he calls me to do and so Moses was not doing what the Lord had called him to do.

You know you can't selectively pick and choose the things in the Bible you want to follow Jesus said you are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you know, we might say well I like this part of the Bible in the southern part of the Bible, but this one part of Scripture.

I don't know if I agree with that note.

Jesus said that you do whatsoever I command you within safe whatsoever you find easy or whatsoever you personally agree with them. By the way, who are you to offer an opinion on the Bible. This is absolute truth. Well, I'm not so sure.

I believe that, like who cares what you think I have someone is usually someone asked me years ago Craig what you do when you come to a passage in the Bible you don't agree with my response was well then change your opinion because your raw.

The Bible is right and we need to align our thoughts with what the Scripture teaches and so Moses obeyed the Lord in some areas but not in others.

Here's another reason why God told Moses to speak to the rock not to strike it in Scripture. The walk is a picture of God himself. Scripture refers to him as our walk in our salvation second Samuel 2332 says who is God except the Lord but our God who was a solid rock. Jesus said to Peter upon this rock I will build my church that was right after Peter said you are the Christ, the son of the living God. So God is a rock. Jesus is our walk in front conversed with the instead it says they all drink the same spiritual drink and a drink of that spiritual Rock that followed them in the walk was price so the Old Testament this idea of a rock. It's a picture of God. So when Moses struck the rock twice. He was doing something that should not be done.

Listen, Jesus is already been struck once he's already been crucified for you. You don't have to go back and strike him again.

Let me put it another way, you don't have to get born again again and again and again and again. Jesus already died for your sins and rose from the dead.

And if you've asked him to come in your life. He's forgiven you, and you haven't done that yet utterly hot. A few moments so now you need to accept that forgiveness and that was the problem. Moses was violating a very important symbol point number three bad decisions bring bad consequences.

Bad decisions bring bad consequences because of what he did, he was not able now to enter the promised land. Have you ever said or done something you regretted. In fact, right after you said you thought why did I just say that should have never said that or if you did that thing you thought if only I could relive that moment. What would Eve had given for another chance before the tree in the garden of Eden. What would David had have given for another chance to relive that died when he laid lustful eyes on Bathsheba, and unfortunately we can't go back and change the past but I have one more point. God give second chances because I'm talking to somebody right now who is messed up somebody who was cross the line someone who was said or done something their machine go. But here's the good news. God give second chances eat what happened here with Moses is not the whole story and your whole story is not done yet either Moses story is recorded in Hebrews 11 Hebrews 11 is the heroes Hall of Fame.

Great men and women that trusted God and the thing they all had in common was they put their faith into action as you read the account of Moses and for that matter, all of the people in Hebrews 11.

No record is made of their mistakes. All we have is a record of their faith in action. He was 1127 says, by faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger. He persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

By faith he kept the Passover and application of blood. So, the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

When the second of that's not the whole story of Moses was a story of when Moses killed the Egyptian was a story when Moses lost his temper and broke the commandments of God was a story of a Moses hit the rock twice. It's not there. Hebrews 11 it's because he applied the blood. Remember the Passover Lord said to the Israelites. I want you to take the blood of a lamb that you've slain. And I want you apply that blood over the doorpost of your house on the left on the right and on the top and if you think about it makes a perfect cross when I see the blood of the Lord says all Passover so they applied the blood because the blood was applied.

The judgment of God, did not come on their firstborn. So Moses supplied the blood and he was under the blood is. I don't even know what you're talking about with all his blood he stop see Jesus died for your sin, and once you've asked him to forgive you of your sin, you need to accept the fact that you are forgiven.

You don't have to keep going back and reliving your past, over and over again or try to offer some kind of dependence for your sin. He offered everything for your sin he paid for your sin.

He died for your sin and if you've asked him to come in your life. He's forgiven you. The view messed up, he'll forgive you and give you a second chance for strong 19 says that we will confess our sin. These people and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all on righteousness. Listen to this Moses did make it into the promised land. Ultimately Metz in the Greg Oxley wrong the record here says that he was on the outside looking in.

He did not leave the Israelites into the promise and I know that's what that record says that there's another record in the New Testament, remember when Jesus was transfigured, the Bible says that Peter, James and John were there and the Lord just shined like the sun and there were two other people with them.

Do you remember who they were. It was Elijah and Moses. They were in the promised land. In effect, so Moses did ultimately make it in to the promised land. I know he stumbled and fell. I know he messed up, but that was not the end of the story and it's not the end of your story either. Ultimately Moses finished his race. Well, I love the description. The Bible gives of Moses.

He's called Moses, the man of God or greater thing to be said about you. You're the man of God. You're the woman of God. If we were to go and interview your family members and asked him this question is your dad a man of God is your sister a woman of God, what would they say Moses was a man of integrity. Are you, David is described as a man after God's own heart. Go wait wait Moses some dude and David committed adultery, and also in effect murdered a man, how can you see David's amount after God's own heart, and how can you think Moses is a man of God, the same way that I can say I'm a man of God or you're a man or woman of God, because we've applied the blood in our life and we been forgiven by Jesus Christ. Listen, God is not done with you.

Jesus is the rock that was broken for you. He died in the cross for your sin.

He will forgive you.

I know you of this idea, God is out to get you you think God is mad at me correction. God is mad about you. God loves you no matter what you've done. He'll forgive you right now so let me close with this. Are you sure right now that if you were to die, you would go to heaven if not would you like to be sure. Would you like Jesus Christ walked this earth 2000 years ago and he lived our life and he died our death and then he rose again. Would you like Jesus to come and live inside of your heart as your Savior and Lord. Listen, Jesus says behold I stand at the door and I knock it if you hear my voice, and open the door, I will come.

Thousands of people have asked Jesus to come into their life) Harvest at Home were somewhere around the 80,000 mark right now, imagine that 80,000 people have clicked got box on the screen or call the number on the screen indicating their desire to follow Christ and we have sent out thousands and thousands of this new believers Bible and this can happen for you right here right now your story is not over, you can come into a relationship with God is a Greg, you have no idea what I've done. No I don't but I do know what he's done for you. When Christ is done. He's paid the price for your sin. Now it's time to apply the blood go to know what that means. It means that you come to God and say Lord in the center. I'm sorry for my sin but I believe Jesus died on the cross in my place. Now I want him to come and live inside of me and he will in a moment I'm in a prayer prayer that I would like you to pray with me if you want Jesus to come in your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that you will go to heaven when you die, or if you need to make a recommitment to Christ. Just pray this prayer that you can print out loud if you like to just pray with me. Pray these words 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 turned from that sin. Now I apply the blood and I received your forgiveness. Thank you for hearing this prayer in answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray in men everybody Greg Laurie here. Thanks for listening to our podcast and the learn more about harvest ministries.

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Just go to harvest.org and by the way, if you want to find out how to come into a personal relationship with God. Go to know God.org that's key NOW GLD.org