The World Changer Who was Out of This World, Part 1 - I

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You want to give her a little yard when we walk with the Lord. Pastor Greg Laurie point shall we not only need to be in agreement with even further. We need to look toward the way we think the walking with God. We want God to walk with God will hear all this is not about you. This is about God with God is giving sink with you. Did you know that you and your GPS to get out of sync for a moment think through their really you more often than you think within it precinct automatically.

It can give you directions if you're not where you're supposed to.

Greg Laurie hope to stay in sync with God being where we need to be saying we need to let him lead the way, right quick question.

How many of you like Ron raised her hand up you like to run.

How many of you don't like to run while you okay you are my people on the same page as you I don't like running those funny when I was in high school life I ran track and file sort of enjoyed it.

I was good at short distance running. But as I got older I began the link you let some love. So I sort of traded in running for walking. I do like to walk, and if you like to walk was very adept but it's good you it's it's great to walk in and offer my wife and I will walk together and she will love you know so say to me. Let let's just run to the end of the block closing. No, I don't want to. I like the walking joke just run to the end of the block and I don't like to do because it's a trip because then I get to them a bunch of thick skull.

One more block.

She's trying to get a little more active video and then they will go in the walking, I'm good to go want to go me some of my girlfriends are going to go for a walk. I will not see her for three days okay girls, take walks. It's different than when guys take walks. I said, wouldn't you just call it what it is when you go out with girls walking that's not a walk at the talk it's a talk that's really what it is but you know that's a good thing. In many ways the girls love the communicate I've made this amazing discovery girls seem to like to talk in general more than men do you have using that as well and it may be because men are brain-damaged and I bring that up because I member Dr. Dobson was here in he pointed out that when were very young of the female brain is flooded with estrogen in certain moment in certain moment. The male brain is flooded with testosterone.

He said that testosterone actually damages and kills brain cells so that will there you have it that estrogen members got all those things firing and we men were brain-damaged right okay but I think you girls have a right in many ways without talk, because when the Bible speaks of walking with God. That's exactly what it should be. It's a top it's all about communication with out walking with someone through life. You're basically saying that you're there with them for the. The rough patches in the great times the highs and the lows the ups and downs of their to love them, understand them, and so what we say.

Walking with God. It's essentially the same, but even more talk about a man now. He was up world changer and his name was Ina and he walked all the way to have even walk with God will see in a moment, and he was not because God took him. It's sort of like they would take walks every day and one day the Lord in effect said hey buddy were closer to my house today that we are yours whether to just come home with me. But he's an amazing character that made it into what we call the hall of faith Hebrews chapter 11. So if someone makes it into that place.

We want to be careful attention because in it was a world changer, you know, John Mayor has a song called waiting on the world. The change will join you in a way for a long time buddy because this world is not going to change this argument change unless you get out there and do something to change.

So that's what were talking about on this theme of world changers who made their way into the great Hall of faith. And really, what was their secret is it because they were great people know they actually were.

There were very ordinary people, but they serve a great God, how they do it. They did it with faith great faith great God orders faith. It's a confidence assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.

It's the evidence of things we cannot yet see. Faith sees what could be Oswald Chambers, best known for is devotional my utmost for his highest wrote these words and I quote. Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future as present in the invisible, as seen" I remember we also discovered faith does things of faith that does not produce works is a faith that doesn't work.

Faith is not given to admire if not given the port a little display case and show your friends.

Faith is like a muscle. It needs to be used. In fact, the more you use it the stronger it becomes, the less you use it the weaker it becomes. If you neglect it altogether. It will atrophy faith does things. Faith takes actions listen. Faith takes risks faith leaves its comfort zones to do things for the Lord number three we discovered faith can make the difference between something happening and not happening.

Remember, we discover that Jesus did no miracles in his hometown of Nazareth because of their unbelief. So when we step out in faith God will work, but if we don't step on a faithful ruling that much is going to happen. God works to people applying faith, but faith is not just running a race which is only the theme of Hebrews 11 and 12. But faith is also walking the walk. It's walking the walk in Hebrews 1038 says the just shall live by faith. If living by faith, listen feelings come and go, you cannot attach your Christian experience to how you're feeling emotionally in the moment. You must learn how to walk by faith and I discovered the secret of the successful Christian life. Are you ready for its living in walking by faith each and every day. Again, the secret of the successful Christian life. It's walking and living by faith each and every day.

As one person put it, its long obedience in the same direction. It's consistency.

It's staying with it. That's the kind of person that's going to change the world. That brings us to unit the man who walk with God and then the walking home with God. You want to talk about long obedience in the same direction. Listen to this. Here the longest walk possible. I mean my wife takes long walks with a girlfriend. He walked with God for 300 years see people live longer.

Back in those days the affects of sin are not fully kicked in, so three centuries of walking with God. Interestingly, when we come to unit, there's not a lot in the Bible about one of the passages is right here in Hebrews 11. Let's read it together. It says, by faith unit was taken from this life, so he did not experience death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. Another definitive series of verses about eunuch about over. In Genesis 521 to 24.

You can turn their want to, but I'll just quote from them its Xena club 65 years and begot Methuselah every become a fizzling unit walk with God. 300 years and had sons and daughters so all the days of eunuch were 365 years eunuch walk with God it was not for God took no when dating a walk with God will long time ago but I might add. It was one of the darkest times in human history. In fact it was so dark it was so evil.

It was so wicked that God actually said. I'm sorry that I even made man in the first place. And God was about to bring judgment on planet Earth through the great flood.

So Munich was living in the time before the great flood, so in a way he was the last days believer in his last days were before the flood, just like were last days believers but were waiting for the fire. The judgment of God doubled, but even more waiting for the return of Christ for us to catch us up in the air to meet the Lord in the air as well.

But here's the reason I bring this up because Jesus said, as it was in the days of Noah, so also will be when the Son of Man comes back. So he was saying these are parallel universes there similar times, and if unit was able to live a godly life at a time like this.

You can live a godly life wherever you are right now. One thing we learned from Ina is the same spiritual resources that he had are here for us today. We can live godly lives in an ungodly world is able.

Greg you don't know my world. You don't know my family.

You don't know what it's like to live in my neighborhood. You don't know what my workplace is like on my campus is like no maybe I don't.

But you know what I don't care how messed up it is how evil it is.

You can live a godly life in an ungodly world unit proves it unit walked with God.

I notice it doesn't think eunuch sprinted with God.

You know, some Christians have sort of the burst of energy and great passion for the Lord and then the collapse of the heat or they walk away altogether, which makes us wonder if they were ever Christians to begin with. No unit walked with God to want implies making progress. You're getting somewhere. As a kid. The hundred and 50 year mark.

You can probably see he was making some progress. See here's the thing you need to know spiritual growth does not happen overnight. It takes time and this picture of walking is often used in Scripture were read over in first John 17. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. Romans 1313 says let us walk properly or appropriately, as in the day don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness or sexual promiscuity and immoral living or in quarreling, jealousy going to sing your Christian act like a Christian walk like a Christian behave as a Christian. So don't engage in drunkenness don't engage in immorality and notice it also says Warren quarreling and jealousy in a way my pride ourselves in the will. I don't get drunk and I'm not a moral but you quarrel and are you a jealous person. See, those are mentioned as sins as well. Over in first John 26 it says he that says he abides in him ought to want to see walk. Galatians 5 says walk in the spirit in you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh, so walk with God was walking with God like being part of a band music band. Pastor Greg addresses that in just a moment as his message continues hearing about listeners find Jesus because of the Ministry of harvest is so encouraging Pastor Greg for your ministry. I came to Christ because of that decision. I dedicated everything to God.

Today I had extreme honor of praying with my 13-year-old son accepted Christ for himself. What a big day. Give glory and praise the Lord.

Pastor Greg, I pray you are blessed because Christ using you to save me know my son is saying.

I couldn't be more blessed if you have a story to tell of how these studies have touched your life for that of a family member.

I hope you'll contact us today. Call our special number 1866-871-1144 866-871-1144 were learning how to walk with God today following the example of Teaneck and Pastor Greg continues his message now what does it mean specifically practically to walk with God. There's a verse that I think really opens the subject up beautifully. It's Amos 33 versus kid to walk together unless they are agreed. It means walking together as a single unit to the ideal walking with God is getting in sync with God. We could compare to writing a tandem bicycle government. One of those before you know one person's on the front. Once on the back. Let's say that I was out for a ride with my wife and she's pedaling away in the front and I'm on the bat hitting the brakes and I mean helpful. No, we have to work together.

We have to find a rhythm.

That's what it means to walk with God. We could compare it to music. I don't know about you but wherever I go I hear the music. I don't just mean audibly but I noticed music. I notice what song is playing them in the elevator still there playing this on my work is why you even listening to it. I just notice it if I'm in a restaurant and someone gets up and starts singing I noticed them and there's another thing I notice is when people go off pitch. I know pitch and even when I'm not listening.

I'll say this one up at Suwanee and not one objection telling you, man.

That dog howling. We both know this right now and you know so when you see people singing together one's outfits again affect the whole group. I travel around the country and around the world of hurt a lot of worship team.

I've heard some really good ones and I've heard some really bad ones and sometimes what happens is you know maybe the lead singer or the key worship leader is off pitch and then the other people try to harmonize with the person and their off pitch and it just sort of a mess of music you know soldiers do we need to understand God's always on pitch in a Florida band God to lead singer to ease easily or backup vocals. Okay a Florida band God as lead guitar more of them were drums were based.

One of the lead guitars.

I bring this up because you know what we think of walking with God. We want God to walk with us, God is ever going God that still God you're walking with God.

God sets the pace you stay in sync with him you harmonize with him. You're in a support role. You're not in the dominant role. This is not about you. This is about God, to walk with God means to people walking together as a single unit and understanding that when you do this your Christian life is going to start firing on all cylinders. You know, Jesus told us directly.

Scripture tells us I should say that he that says he abides in him ought to walk as he walked really abiding in walking are interchangeable metaphors and other different ones. Movement one is staying put. Abiding this sort of like planting the tree but the concept is a safe staying in fellowship Jesus as if you're walking with me. You should abide in me, and then Jesus said in John 15. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask whatever you want and it will be done on the you see when I'm in sync with God I'll start praying according to his will all be in harmony with him will start seeing a lot more of my prayers answered in the affirmative. Number two can want to walk together, unless they be agreed.

Amos 33 again to be translated unless they've made an appointment February been late for an appointment.

How many of you are chronically late, raise your hand seemed like people never know their laypeople. How many of you tend to be on time or early razor yet you know this is the problem with laypeople.

They don't know their laypeople. I'm here today to call you out is how to know if your layperson you text. I'm five minutes away and you're sitting on your couch in your sweats to your layperson. Here's how to know your layperson your friends tell you to get there at 8:00 AM and everyone else get there at 830 because they know you'll be late. Here's how to know if your layperson when you occasionally show up on time someone says what are you doing here now I know you of all your reasons why your late but it would, it becomes a pattern when you're always late when you become the layperson that 15 to 30 minutes late. Can I just be blunt with you. It's kind of rude because people are waiting and especially if you're coming to eat with me. I'm not happy because I'm hungry. All right, I'm waiting, but my wife will let me eat you get there.

Okay I want Kathy.

Let's order an appetizer know Greg that's true. Just wait, Kathy. There 15 minutes late. Let me just eat all you did all they won't even know was how remove all ever known a great way that's rude.

20 minutes got them so hungry I'm hungry yeah Greg just wait that when you come I hate you know I don't hate just be glad that I did meet you, but it is kind of wrote to me late.

I have a friend Bob Shank you know him many of you do together saying I like it.

Early is on time on time is late in late is never acceptable. You know, and sometimes will meet Bob and his wife Sherry for dinner and he so punctual and also because I want to be late. Don't be late. I hate it when I walk in the authority seated in fact, let's go early and will get there and then I'll say all your late and any still there. I would get there an hour later, know this guy is so punctual. Okay, it's one thing to be late for an appointment with a friend.

That's another thing to be late for Europe ointment with God. Do you have an appointment with God can two walk together, unless they have agreed, or literally have an appointment. God's made an appointment with you.

You say I didn't see that on my calendar. What's there every day you need to make time for the Lord. For me personally I find mornings the best time and I get up.

I'll admit I have coffee first okay because I would be in my right mind unjustly. I have coffee I do that before, and don't hold it against me then I will read my devotions and you don't commit the deed to the Lord in this is something that we should make time reasonable. Greg, I'm so busy and I've I think you do have to update my Facebook page and abducted my twitter page at the check Instagram look for a pokey man these around here somewhere and you know on the yeah okay I know you like to do those things, I kind of like them to buy. You make time for what's important. Don't tell me you don't have time, you need to make time keep your appointment with God Pastor Greg Laurie message today called the world changer who was out of this world part one and he is more to share.

As this study continues.

Next time you're on a new beginning and is a final comment to share with us before we leave today as well.

If you like an instant replay of today study go to harvest.org again. Just look for that title. The world changer who was out of this world part one or for CD copy. You can call us anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 pastor Greg your pastor and author and evangelist Bible teacher right. You're the CEO of a large organization Europe public speaker radio host familiar face on TV. And of course a husband and father and grandfather. Which of those roles is the biggest surprise to you, you know, if I just if I just read that list to 17-year-old Greg Laurie which one would've made them say no way yeah well it's a good question, I would probably say being a pastor because I was such a poor student, I was always goofing around in class. One teacher wrote the summer report card and I don't know why but this is ingrained in my memory. I didn't memorize it per se but yet I remember it, they said.

Greg spends far too much time looking out the window and daydreaming and drawing cartoons. He's never going to amount to anything. Thank you for those encouraging words teacher from my past but I mean that was sort of the trajectory that I was on, but then of course I came to believe in Jesus and everything changed for me and I began to read the Bible and and as I begin to follow the Lord.

It came as a surprise to me that God was calling me to be a pastor and the teacher and an evangelist which means you have to study you have to prepare. You have to know what you're talking about soap but the ideas this God seems to go out of his way to choose. Very ordinary people to do extraordinary things and I think the reason God does. This is so he will get the credit and the glory, if you want to look at a bunch of ordinary people that change the world go no further than Hebrews chapter 11, it's often called the hall of faith instead of the Hall of Fame because it's these great men and women of God that change the world of people like Noah. People like eating that people like David and and in this interesting account of their lives. None of their mistakes are recorded only what they did as an act of faith that the real principle that Kenna percolates through Hebrews 11 is by faith, by faith. They did this by faith Noah built an ark by faith in aquatic with God. So the idea is if they did it. You can do it and so I've written a new book brand-new hot off the press and is called world changers.

So I've taken the storage room. He was 11. I've shown how God worked in these very ordinary flawed people and did amazing things to them because they put their faith into action. Look, we all of faith, it's up to us to decide what we do with it.

Faith, like a muscle. It gets larger through use in an application and it and if you don't use your faith, then your you're going to atrophy. It will go nowhere.

So it's kind of a user or lose it concept so I'm encouraging people who will read this book to take the faith that God has given them and do things they've never thought they would do before you know faith seems invisible things. Faith is willing to take that step or is Hebrews 11 one to find that faith is the substance of things hoped for. It's the evidence of things not seen. So this is going to be in encouraging book. It's a motivating book and it's a book that will show you how God can use you to change your world. So instead of being changed by the world.

You can be a world changer at such great encouragement and we all need this kind of insight I get is called world changers and will be glad to send this brand-new book your way to thank you for your investment and touching lives one example, we recently saw this on social media is that I was a US Marine getting ready to deploy to the Gulf War. I was a 20-year-old worldly young man searching for what happens when you die, I received Christ at a harvest Crusade in 1990. That would've been a very first one and a change my life forever God gave me peace that passes all understanding, and I knew I was coming home I married my beautiful fiancée and now in full-time ministry and have been blessed with five amazing children. God used pastor Greg and the harvest Crusade to change my life forever you know someone invested so that kind of ministry was possible. Back in 1990, would you consider investing so we can change lives here in 2020. There's never been a time when people needed hope more than right now so send your donation today and be sure to ask for pastor Greg's book world changers you can write a set a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime of the day or night at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org next time more for pastor Greg study of the life of the man who walked with God all the way into heaven, be sure to join us. But before we go pastor Greg has one final illustration from today study years ago I was in Hawaii scuba diving. Now I'm a certified scuba diver ever told you that before, but I rarely dive so I'm very rusty. When I get in the water, but normally when I do dive I dive at about 2030 feet, and that this was a really deep dive, at least for me it was 100 feet, the island of Molokai and I'll be honest with you when I got all the equipment on the mass that the snorkelers got the regulator you got the tanks you've got the inflatable vest called the BC vest got the weight felt the fins, etc. when I got the surface of the water I Kelly had a weird little anxiety attack. I didn't want to go down but then I remembered I already paid for this and I don't sit on the boat eating everyone sandwiches no no mock me cruelly afterwards. So I said you to do this.

Greg and so I went down and I was a little anxious a little bit nervous and a friend of mine told me later you were breathing so mature just bubbles coming bubbles. Everybody else some bubbles are and I get to the bottom 100 feet down. By the way when you're 100 feet.

Then you get to shoot to the surface or your lungs will explode, expand. So you have to be very careful on the hundred feet down.

I look at my air gauge. It's almost empty. I look around for the instructor. He rolls his eyes. I could see him roll his eyes, even behind the mask singing. What an idiot. K he gestures come over.

I swim over any points to the back of his stinkiest two tanks we all have one is an octopus, not a literal octopus, but they call it that. It's an extra regulator on the shorter hose. He gestures like go breathe off my regulators. I'm good to go now. But here's the problem wherever he goes. I gotta go and not only that my hoses really short so did you little shallow strokes like this, so he goes down and the shipment is Kenna hovering above him and then he goes up on little fellas very humiliating. But I'll tell you what I can just go do my own thing I've done sale by no, it says regulator.

I had to stay in sync with the instructor. That's all we need to stay in and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org