The World Changer Who was Out of This World, Part 2 - I

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by some special friends of this ministry. Pastor Greg wanted to see a special word of thanks to the harvest partners who make this ministry possible next time your online check out Pastor Greg's personal blog@blog.greglaurie.com for some pretty simply make sure the one with the argument water once artful swimmer sure Pastor Gregori says there's a higher purpose of improving were right. The objective is not objective is with the soul. The objective is to build a bridge if you want some you must be some sortwhen we talk about point out that we used to think just like them. Then something no one likes to be told they're wrong.

We point out a better way without wearing out our welcome today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie helps us learn from one of the Bible's great faith will see his witness goes through the corridors of time gives inspiration to walk with God back car with a series that were calling world changers and the title of this message is the world changer that was out of this world. Part two no world changers not march lockstep with current culture world changers are people that follow Christ and affect their surroundings more than their surroundings affect them world changers. As I pointed out before our thermostats, not thermometers thermometer tell you what the temperature risk of thermostat controls the temperature a world changer is that kind of a person they think for themselves. World changers are to rubble.

You know people say video.

He's a rubble lady. He drinks in these smokes in any you know they're there, they live a sexually free, like the rubble. That's not a rubble. In today's culture for conformance okay now you tell me. So when a person reads the Bible does what God tells them to do and follow Jesus. That's a rubble and today's culture. That's what a world changer. Is there a real rubble. You don't even have to wear leather jacket either or sunglasses, but you can if you like so world changer. They control the temperature. They set the pace.

They well they change the world in Hebrews 11 is a collection of world changers now some very familiar names make the cut names we would expect to see in a Carrows hall of faith like Noah and Abraham and Jacob and Moses and Gideon and David are some surprising names that make the list as well. Like Rahab the harlot that's Rahab the hooker she got on the list will find out later. Then there's a couple of what I would call somewhat obscure biblical characters that surprisingly make the listener already look good one able, we told you why he's in the hall of faith and were looking know that peanut butter if God chose to put them in the hall of faith that their world changers. We should certainly pay attention no member were learning about unit we've already identified two principles about why he was a world changer principle number one to review the walk with God. Remember we looked at Amos 33 that's it. Can two walk together, unless they be agreed that I pointed out to you that ought to be agreed means to be in harmony with to be in sync with.

So the man of the woman that walks with God is in sync with them. I was walking the other day with two of my grandchildren. They're both quite small and you know I have to slow my based on a little bit because they walk a little bit slower. Finally I just carried one of them because they just couldn't keep up and we had to move and so what were walking with God. You know, we have to understand that God sets the pace, but he's going to meet us.

What were out and walk with us through life. But then I also learned that walking with God needs to keep an appointment because the phrase a lesser Greek to keep an appointment so let's say you and I decide to walk together right so it's going to walk okay when you want to meet. Let's meet at 7 o'clock in the morning. Great when you want to meet. Let's meet at the church. Okay, you show up at the church you text me or are you I'm a Krispy Kreme. What do you really need to walk okay.

Hopefully the sign is lit up yet right beaming the glazed donuts are coming, but my point is I have to be at the place I said I would be out ever going to keep our appointment. God always keeps his appointment with us. We need to keep ours with him. Finally we discovered that walking with God means we pool our resources, so he brings everything he has any puts on the table and I'm supposed to do the same. By the way, that's the deal of the century, number two, we discovered that the unit was well pleasing to God, because Hebrews 11 five says he had this testimony, that he pleased God. So this is something we also desire to do in our life.

Jesus said I always do the things that please the father so we want to live lives that honor and please God. Now we come to .3 about unit and it really connects to .2 number three unit was a witness for God. That's okay to focus on here. He was a witness for God. Hebrews 11 five unit. This testimony that he pleased God.

Yet, this testimony every Christian as a testimony.

Everybody has a story to tell you of a testimony and people are watching you down. Here's a question you have a good or a bad testimony by that I don't mean dramatic around dramatic someone asked me the other day it if a person's testimony is that they never had any major problems in life still valid. In other words, if someone was a drug addict, or of the served time in prison or of faith lives in Victoria five and they came to Christ to say now that a great testimony, but maybe there's someone else who was relatively moral and they tried to play by the rules, but they discovered that they needed God, they realize they were a sinner and they needed a Savior. Listen. Both testimonies are valid because there's a lot of different kinds of people out there in the world.

Not everyone relates to a criminal. Not everyone relates to a former drug addict or alcoholic. Some people might relate to someone who was more moral or maybe even attended church. But here's your testimony in a nutshell you once were lost. And now you're found you were blind, but now you see you one for headed to hell.

Now you're going to heaven. That's your testimony and it's a good one.

So use your testimony as a bridge to share your faith Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased God. One of the greatest compliments that can be paid to a Christian is people will observe you and they will come to you and say I've been watching you and I want to know why you are the way that you are a I noticed your joy have noticed your sense of purpose. I've noticed how hard you work.

I've noticed you're such a nice person. You're an honest person why are you this way, here's the long answer. Will my parents raised me to me that's nice.

Thank you for mentioning your parents but also bulimic. Because of my faith in Jesus Christ.

Member the story of Paul and Silas were thrown into a jail in for preaching the gospel lesson we read it midnight they began to sing praises to God, which I don't think anyone I've ever met jail and the guy who would whip them up before he put them in chains was listening and earthquake came the jail effectively fell apart.

The jailer thought it was going to die even pulled his sword out because he knew if he was found responsible for losing prisoners. He would be executed. So is going to kill himself and Paul stopped him and says don't kill yourself wrong here still mixing the jailer says is Sirs, what must I do to be say see they earn the right to share the gospel with them by the life that they lived in. We can do the same.

And that's when you tell them and share what God has done for you and in it was someone who spoke out for his faith. Jude 1 versus 14 to 15 says this about unit. He lived in the seven generation after Adam and he prophesied about these people. He said listen, the Lord is coming with thousands of his saints to execute judgment on the world will convict every person of the ungodly things they have done and all the insulted ungodly sinners have spoken against him. So he was a fearless proclaimer of God's truth. So, yes, live it just be an example, but please don't say I don't believe that I'm called to be an evangelist.

I'm just trying to be a good example. Good examples don't bring people to Christ. Good examples open the door to articulate your faith so you can bring people to Christ. Good examples are what we need to be. So we will have that opportunity to verbally articulate our faith because first Peter 315 says always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect that are important because this phrase. Given answer is from the Greek word apology we get our English word apologetic from so it's sort of like giving the defense in a court of law.

But when you think of that. Don't think of yourself as a prosecuting attorney. You're a witness. Another words here, not there to prosecute or embarrass or humiliate your listener. Your there to be a witness to them. Notice it says that were to do this with gentleness and respect. I think were some Christians and they share their faith. They just want to win the argument. Yeah, I blew them out of the water expose their lame questions show to what a loser. They are yeah we didn't do anything effectively there because the objective is not to win the argument. The objective is to win the soul. The objective is to build a bridge not burn a bridge if you want to win some you must be winsome.

In other words, being nice, you know, II see some Christians turn their faith and they just seem angry the way that they're doing it to our mechanical or robotic in the way that they do it. Can you just stop that and just be half normal and be friendly and engage a person in a conversation and tell them about Jesus. You never know when opportunities will come at a guide. Bring water to our house.

We get bottled water in so he came into my garage and we have a two rabbits there. They just had bunnies in so there's bunnies. There he saw them in his Jesus, look at all these bunnies and then he's from the water.

He said some old Jesus. He said like Jesus three times something in us is that I was a little irritated. I didn't know that's a good opportunity to talk so I said you know what I heard you talking a lot about Jesus today.

He looked shocked, tired to say Jesus three times. You obviously have a great interest in Jesus.

Don't you know there's always a way to build a bridge of the person and so try that. So we want to give that answer we want to share this truth with humility and kindness not a sludge hammer second Timothy two says the Lord's servants must not quarrel but be kind to everyone, and gently teach those who oppose the truth.

Perhaps God will change their heart and the believe the truth, and the come to their senses tell Mrs. be kind to everyone doing with kindness as you share your faith. Jesus modeled this and if anyone could have been well a know it all. It was Jesus. I mean who knows more than God, but he was so patient with people like the woman at the well, who effectively was arguing with you or like Zach he is. He was ostracized by his entire community and Jesus effectively invited himself over to that excuses house for lunch and so what we want to do is enter into this kind of communication with people and as Paul said become all things to all men pulses in first Corinthians 9 I become a servant of everyone so I can bring them to Christ when it with the Jews I become one of them so I can bring them to Christ. When with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so I can bring them to Christ was the best I try to find common ground with everyone that I might bring them to Christ to Greg says there are two sub because church congregations to get very required unit with AR will explain in just a moment.

Many missionaries write or call us to share how Pastor Greg/Sir helping them minister to people in their own lives. Dear Greg, thank you for all your wonderful teaching. I listen to on the radio in northern New York cast on your messages to all my friends and family put me in an arena of insolence because he knows that I'm not ashamed of the gospel or the name of Jesus Christ.

Your messages have given me great insight on how to speak the truth in such an interesting way that people begin asking questions and how wonderful is our Savior and ordered 20 of your books to place my health care professionals} and also as a source aired in this god bless you. It really is a privilege to bring these studies your way, do you have a story that you'd like to share with Pastor Greg. If so, would you take a moment to minus email him at greg@harvest.org that's great that harvest.org were talking about the privilege of sharing her face today. Considering the example of V-neck and Pastor Greg series world changers. Let's continue. I know I know when I talk about this. You think I want to tell you little secret.

There's two subjects. When I talked about them. It gets real quiet. You want to know what they are evangelism and giving like it is right now what is that why is it when we bring up the subject of sharing our faith or giving of our finances minds in the story of a preacher was talking as congregation Midland is congregations gave constant feedback and he said to the folks charts were just like that crippled man we need to learn how to walk in the people yelled back last walk preacher.

Let us walk in the sit in church. We need to get to the next level and we need to like Elijah on Mount Carmel learn how to run they said let us run preacher let his friend then he said that we need to mount up with wings like eagles, we need to fly. They said preacher let us fly let us fly and then he said, but of the churches can apply that's going to take money got, quiet the people said that were quietly let us walk preacher.

Let us walk this is interesting to me. One of the subjects awkward. I think there awkward because well you were not doing it for me.

I think if you're sharing your faith all the time. I knew her message about evangelism. Your responses will amen and if you're giving people of your finances in your about giving you simple.

Of course I know that that such a blessing. And if there's a discomfort is that because those are two areas of your life that you're struggling with. I mean here's what's so strange and we don't get about giving a particular is God promises to bless us when we do it there such a specific promise about tithing in the Bible in Malachi 310 God says bring all the tithes into the storehouse of the be enough food in my Temple. God says listen if you do that I will open up the windows of heaven import a blessing so great you won't have room enough to take it in. Then God says is and this is amazing to me. He said put me to the test. Just try try me on this thing is able. What does it mean to type. It's not rocket science type means a 10 meet you take your income to give 1/10 of it to the Lord, gross or net who cared whatever to start somewhere. Just notice everything you have a long to God. It doesn't belong to you, and that includes you, but I think send everything well well that's true of something, but this money, this is my nano give God. You know what, I don't really want you know there's a problem we need to get God's money out of our house back into his house so we can get on with what God has called us to do whatever your reason topic of tithing symbols over that's in the Old Testament. I'm a New Testament Christian okay you need to go live in the Old Testament Old Testament you quoted Malachi know that very good New Testament Christian okay how much do you give absolutely nothing is/are not a New Testament Christian Old Testament Christian, you're disobedient. Christian thinkers tithing is where you start. The Bible talks about bringing your tithes and offerings to the Lord affect every New Testament example of giving goes be on with the Old Testament set breads and cheeses that you've heard that it's been said, don't kill but I say to you don't even have hatred toward your brother.

You've heard that it has been said Old Testament.

You shall not commit adultery but I say to you, if you look in a woman with lust in your heart you committed adultery.

So the point is the New Testament never fall short of the standard of the Old Testament. It actually goes beyond it. So really it comes down to this. We start there and we move forward, get studies indicate that 2 to 3% of Christians give of their income regularly to the Lord and get the Bible tells us were supposed to do this a first Corinthians 16 one Paul says on the first day of each week, each one of you should set aside a portion of the money never each one of you and then in second Corinthians 9 Paul says.

Remember, a farmer who plants only a few seeds together small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide how much to give.

For God loves a cheerful giver to my table would apply to give cheerfully than I was going to change your heart because you should give cheerfully because it is a joy and God wants to bless you want to do it and I think one of the reasons that we struggle with this is because the devil attacks us in this area turn of the last little since the goal of our life that we have in given over I think was Martin Luther who said there are three conversions necessary for the Christian, the conversion of the mine, the conversion of the heart and the conversion of the wall at and it hasn't been converted yet were holding it back I were missing out on a blessing so the devil wants to keep us from being blessed in this way, and number two that comes back to evangelism again. He doesn't want us to share. Wife will talk about a direct threat to his kingdom.

You think he wants you to God in me pulling people out of the flames of hell and having them change your eternal address. You'll do everything he can to keep you from sharing your faith writer know about you but I want to redouble my efforts to do with the devil doesn't want me to do so go there, start there, and we know courses that Stella suborned a poll recently came out you were us Christians resume that that they felt they have a responsibility to share their faith with others.

73% said yes but then 52% said they never did what so are you responsible to share your faith automobile 24% .5% said no. We know it's commanded in Scripture.

Courts are supposed to but only half of us do this since that's all Astellas.

90% of us have never let another person to Christ not tell you what you can lead people to Christ. You can do it. It's just that we haven't taken that step. Listen, every Christian should be able to share their faith in three minutes or less by the luxury of time I would call in a few of you and give you an opportunity to leave you feel you could share your faith, you could share the gospel in three minutes or less, raising Kate that's on all of let me tell you can do it.

Let's just say you're on a plane and you found out.

The plane was going down because all the engines were out and you are three minutes to talk to your seatmate of the rest of the occupants on the plane you think you can actually give them the gospel, that period of time.

I guarantee you could do it to just get to the essential message and if we would do the more I believe that we could be leaving more people to Christ because there's great joy in giving. There is great joy in sharing your finances so make a change in those two areas of your life if you need to do next time I bring the topic up. I want to hear you say, let us live preacher. Let us fly.

I don't want any discomfort. Greg Laurie a couple of uncomfortable topics today here on a new beginning, and there's more to come in his message called world changer who was out of this world are to if you miss any part of Pastor Greg's insight today. You can get a replay by going to harvest.org just look for that message title the world changer who was out of this world.

Part two, or to get a permanent copy on CD. Call 1-800-821-3300. You can reach us any time 24 hours a day seven days a week that's 1-800-821-3300 and then were so happy to make available Pastor Greg's new book called world changers.

It picks up where the series leaves off faster going to read something the other day that said when's the last time you did something for the first time I thought you know that that talks about comfort zone. Yeah, we all like to stay in our comfort zones. It's comfortable, sure, but then I've also heard it said that comfort zones are weird dreams go to die while, and you have a new book that shows us how God can do something great through us.

If we step outside of the comfortable.

Yeah that's right you, you know, and I think that when you're younger you're more willing to try new things. You know when you get older you go to the same restaurant you sit in the same booth of possible short of the same thing off the menu. There's routine in time seems to pass very quickly. I read something an article that pointed out the reason.

The time seems to go so quickly is because you don't change your routine go back to your childhood.

It seemed like you were in the fifth grade forever why you're having constant new experiences, so it's very important for us as believers to not live in the past or rest on our laurels but the press on, you know. Hebrews 11 is a record of great men and women of faith they change their world and then immediately following. Hebrews 11 is Hebrews 12 brilliant insight that I have to say and it tells us what in Hebrews 12 to lay aside the way that so easily midsentence and run the race in this set before us. But what is it say before that, it says scene were surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, so the ideas in light of the fact that these great men and women of God who are very ordinary did extraordinary thing in light of the fact that they ran their race. Well, and change the world. Now, you should do the same. As you're running your race following Jesus Christ. So I take these characters from the Bible.

I explore their lives, and I shall have the applied faith and how it made such a dramatic difference in look. The Bible says God is given to every one of us a measure of faith. It's up to us what we do with that faith, I begin to develop and begin a cultivated probably going to neglect it. I liken it to the popularity of SUVs and 4 x 4's right now you know people to get a car the jacket up at mass of wheels and tires on it. It says ready to go four wheeling and they basically drive it from carwash to carwash you know that vehicle was made to do grade 4 wheeling, but they never use it for what it was designed for. And that's all a lot of people are with faith, it's something they talk about but it's not something they use so my word of encouragement in this book is step out as an act of faith do something that you've never done before. Be willing to take a risk for the kingdom of God. These great men and women recorded in Hebrews 11 did that and you can do that to.

So instead of being changed by the world. Why don't you go and change your world and we hope you will take advantage of Pastor Greg's help in that regard by way of this brand-new book called world changers. We are eager to put a copy of this in your hands is our thank you gift for those who can help these daily studies continue with a generous donation.

The amount is between you and the Lord, but please know that your investment helps us change the world.

So send your contribution today to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org everybody Greg Laurie here and finding you to join me every weekend for what we call Harvest at Home. It's a church service. It's a worship service. It's a Bible study and its wherever you wanted to be in your home in your car sitting on a beach walking down the street watching it on your phone wherever you are taking with you and be ministered to every weekend. Join us for Harvest at Home@harvest.org next time or from the example of unit one of the Bible's great world changers hope you'll join us here on the new beginning after Greg Laurie possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org