The World Changer at the End of the World, Part 2 - I

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God check out virtue our website for Christian women go to harvest.org/virtue you have it in your family as your word is a parent is mother, father, any changes to their families and those of the world drive their families today on a new beginning after Greg Laurie bring strong responsibility to reach her most mission field.

Families understand what you as an example, be a good example is family are often the most challenging people when it comes to sharing our faith could be family members all the baggage of the past could be that they think it's a phase were going through, but it's too easy to put it all procrastinate all have a conversation today on a new beginning.

Pastor Greg Laurie points out, we need to share Christ. Now we never know how much time we have ever know how much time, so let me begin with the question how many of you believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again raising all right.

Let's just pretty much everyone.

How many of you believe it's possible that Jesus could come back in your lifetime. Raise your hand, you believe it's possible how many of you actually believe it's possible that Jesus could even come back tonight.

Raise your hand up okay while I agree with you. By the way, you're not alone about I read a really surprising statistic the other day from the Gallup organization that revealed that 66% of the American people believe Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth in the future. That's about 66% of Christians that 66% of Americans and usually when they pull Americans it's under 50% of those that claim to be Christians, and I doubt that number myself but just for the sake of appointment.

A lot of people believe Jesus is coming back, and many of them, not even born again you know you wonder when this event happened. How will it be reported in the press. I think every publication or website without their own spin.

You know, the Wall Street Journal would look at a more from a financial perspective and their headline would probably be Dow Jones plummets as world and it's right Victoria's Secret would say on their catalog, our final sale Sports Illustrated more from his words viewpoint came over USA Today their very brief in their headlines were dead.

Now that USA were dead wired magazine more in the latest technology. The last new thing are Rolling Stone would probably have the headline, the Grateful Dead reunion tour. I don't know some Leica ladies Home Journal they always have articles on weight loss right lose 10 pounds by Judgment Day. With our new Armageddon diets and the Food Network might have something along the lines of cooked goose recipe Jan will harbor its reported this we know Jesus Christ is coming back again. How I know that because Jesus said I will come again, and that's all I need to know but but he said it many times, and the prophets foretold it in the Old Testament, and it's given to many many times in Scripture there over 1500 passages in Scripture that deal with the return of Jesus Christ and sort of looking at the big picture. There is coming a day when Christ will come back and establish his kingdom on the earth but I do not believe that is the next event on the prophetic calendar. My opinion is that the next event on the prophetic calendar will be what is sometimes called the rapture of the church when all true believers are caught up to meet the Lord in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye were removed from the earth and then the Antichrist emerges and that sort of inaugurates the tribulation. That last for seven years. The first 3 1/2 years are going to be a time of prosperity at time of global peace within. At the halfway point of the tribulation. Antichrist shows his true colors shows himself to be the wicked man that he is, Satan never had a son. It Antichrist and by the way, the prefix anti-doesn't just mean against Christ.

It also means instead of Christ, and some because it is a peaceful solution that will bring about me think he is the very Messiah but then the tribulation period is coming to an end and culminates in the battle of Armageddon which is interrupted by the second coming of Jesus Christ. All true believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and then the return again with Christ at the second coming. So what goes up must come down the rapture. He comes for his church and the second coming, he returns with his church in the rapture. He comes before judgment.

In the second coming, he returns with judgment and so Christ is going to come back again. That's the good news. The bad news is, as Bible students we know it's going to get worse before it gets better. But as I pointed out in my message on world changers, the believer knows things the world does not. We know men cannot solve all of his problems. We certainly know politics cannot solve our problems and we also know that God is in control because we have read the last page of the Bible and we know that we win in the end, so that you know today. Everywhere you look there are what we might call signs of the times things that the Bible said would be happening that remind us that the return of Christ is near and actually one of the signs of the end times is people will say were not on the end times. Did you know that because over in second Peter three it says I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires and those that pay whatever the promise that Jesus is coming again for before the time of our ancestors. Everything is remain the same since the world was first created. They deliberately forgot that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water to use the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. So this of course is a reference to the flood of Noah.

And that brings us to our topic, which is the world changer at the end of the world. Noah was the last days believer is a but how is that possible when he was living in his last days he was living in the days before the flood work and have another flood but we are going to have the fire of the judgment of God so he, in effect, was waiting for the flood were waiting for the fire. He was in his last days were in our last days, and here's why say that because Jesus said, as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be when I return again Jesus said Matthew 24 the arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah's, before the great flood. Everyone was carrying on as usual. Having a good time right up to the time that Noah boarded the ark, they knew nothing until the flood swept everything away and the Son of Man's arrival will be just like that two men will be working in the field.

One will be taken one left behind two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken one left behind. So stay awake, be alert.

You have no idea what day your master.

So how should we live. His last days believers will be taking a cue from Noah as we discovered the world changer series. Hebrews 11 seven says, by faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not seen. Move with godly fear and prepared an ark to the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Remember, we learned that Noah had a reverence for God and we talked about reverencing God or fearing God. It just means a respect for God and all of God. I told you good definition of fearing God is a wholesome dread of displeasing him number two if you're taking notes.

Noah walked with God when no one else word that's were told in Genesis 69 Noah walked with God.

Another thing about know is he was a witness for God because second Peter 25 says Noah was a preacher of righteousness, but there was a problem. He was a preacher without any converts at least on the outside, he prayed for 120 years and never had a single person believe just as people mock Christian today. They mocked him back then, thinking crazy old Noah built the big old boat. What's wrong with this guy but he kept on. Here's the thing you need to know our job as I pointed out is to sow the seed of the gospel, God's job is to convert people. I've never converted anyone, and I don't think I ever will. And if I do I feel sorry for them because you don't want me to convert you because I can't heard the story once of one Billy Graham was on an airplane traveling somewhere and some guy was getting drunk. I don't know why they serve alcohol in their points. By the way, that to me is a recipe for disaster.

But this guy got drunk as a skunk in the he heard the famed evangelist was on board is claiming so satire me. Billy Graham is pushing his way forward and in some of trying to keep away from Billy and Billy stood and said hello nice to meet you should really I want to hear convert Billy looks at him and said well you must be one of my converts.

I don't know if you're one of the Lords though and so you know we can convert anyone. But here's an interesting story that I read about a missionary whose name was George. He thought his ministry was a dismal failure. George Smith had been in Africa for only a short time, but when he was driven from the country, leaving behind one single convert, a poor woman he died not long after that wall on his knees praying for Africa so it looked like he failed big time will years later, a group of men stumbled in the place where George Smith had prayed they found a copy of the Scriptures you left behind in Africa and they met the one convert of his ministry, but the result of her conversion and those she influenced and then the people that influenced others from that resulted in a study that revealed 13,000 people tracing their conversion to missionary George Smith see. So it ain't over till it's over or it's not over until the fat lady sings is a Saturn who the fat lady is and I would never point out if I knew she would be very angry with me.

That's just an expression right, but it's not over so you may still, I've never reached anybody well maybe reach more people than you realize. Noah didn't reach his family because Hebrews 11 seven says, by faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen movie with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household.

He reached his kids listen, let me say a word to her mother or a grandmother or grandfather or a father is the only person you ever reach was your own son or daughter or your own grandkids and you made an impact on them.

You don't know how that's going to play out in years to come, long after you're gone in their life and in their children's life. Abraham Lincoln who is regarded as the greatest president of all time by many. One said that quote all I am or ever can be, I owe to my angel mother so we don't know a lot about Abraham Lincoln's mother, but we know about the man who save the union and preserve the union so impact you can have in your family in just a moment, pastor, great contrast Noah's integrity without of lot will see one saw success in their family.

The other saw great failure and despair. More on that in just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here in 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 today we're considering the times in which we live in the critical importance of sharing our faith, especially with our families. Pastor Gray continues his message the world changer at the end of the world part two interesting to contrast Noah with another Old Testament character name lot both lived before a cataclysmic judgment. Noah was waiting for the flood lot was waiting for the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah were he live lot did not reach his family. Like Noah did and lots problem was, he compromised. He he lowered his standards in order to extend his reach. One day when the Angels of the Lord came and said that everybody gotta get outta here with your family, judgments, coming down fast.

He went to his sons-in-law and told him and they laughed in his space. I thought it was some kind of a joke and he basically had to be drug out of the city and that is why Jesus said, remember lots wife. Why should I remember lots wife was she was leaving Sodom and Gomorrah. She was full month to look back and she looked back and by the way the phrase that describes her looking back doesn't just be like look like that know it's more like she look with longing.

She looked with longing.

Have you ever looked at something with longing. Let me restate the question have your rabbinic Krispy Kreme in this sign this letter and the glazed donuts are coming down the conveyor belt.

Yes that's working with longing.

That's how she looked at Sodom and Gomorrah so she turned to a pillar of salt and then lot.

Of course let the city got drunk yet incestuous relations with his daughters is just a mass horrible thing Noah spoken his family moved lot spoken. His family laughed will get it in back are you having in your family. How effective is your word as a parent is a mother of father well world changers draw their families to Christ. With those that are changed by the world drive their families from Christ me say that again world changers draw their families to Christ.

Those who are changed by the world to let me put it another way, those who love the world drive their families from Christ I tell you what one of the worst things you can do is raise your kids in a Christian home and be a full on hypocrite look we we all have moments of inconsistency and even hypocrisy. Everyone must admit that but when you're playing again and you're putting on a show and you're saying you love Jesus and then you're contradicting the pipe pretty much everything you say and do. That is a great way to drive your children from Christ don't do that to your kids understand that there watching you there looking to you as an example, be a good example. Noah was that man now God gives him a very unique commitment in Genesis 6, verse 14 God says to know the building are in Genesis 614 says God speaking to build a large boat from gopher wood and waterproof it with tar inside and out, then construct decks installed throughout its interior makes about 450 feet long, 70 feet wide 45 feet high, leaving 18 inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat put the door on the side and built three decks inside the boat, lower middle and upper know this would require a supreme act of faith because there was no body of water nearby. In fact, to the point it'd never rained on the face of the earth. The earth at this point in the book of Genesis was sort of like a big giant greenhouse was sort of this water canopy over the earth creating this greenhouse effect, but God set of floods coming in so he told Noah to do something that had never been done before. To build the SAARC and one of the greatest practical acts of faith in all of history was when Noah cut down the first gopher wood tree to build the SAARC or as the kids song about it says build it out of gopher barky barking and that's exactly what he did many dismissed the idea of the ark by saying well you know how many species of animals or are there's no way this could happen.

This is a child story. It's a fable it's a fairytale millions and millions of species there's there's no way that even a small portion of them could be put into this one boat. No matter how big it is, but that's not true. Let's think about this for a moment. Again the ark is 450 feet long, 70 feet wide and 45 feet high so the thing is massive. In fact, Wayne ended about 13,000 tons, it would be within the category of large metal oceangoing vessels today and it wasn't until the 1800s that there was a ship built and exceeded the capacity of the ark of Noah. Now granted, the ark was no titanic impunity, when it was certainly more seaworthy. It was a gigantic sealed floating box that was very stable in the water and virtually impossible to capsize.

So the very large animals were surely represented by the young. In other words, when they brought two elephants and they didn't have to be adult elephants and were probably baby elephants from the answers in Genesis ministry can him points out the following 16,000 animals were all that would be needed to preserve the created kinds that God brought into the ark, you didn't need to bring every kind of animal, nor did God commanded only air breathing land dwelling animals and creeping things, and winged animals like Bert, you don't have to bring a whale on board in order to bring up fish on board.

They can swim alongside in the water there natural habitat. You don't need all these species of dogs like we have today. Just parent dogs because now we have all these crazy breeds out there like a lab or doodle.

I've nothing against lever doodles that I was looking up some other breezy of Jacko poodles poodles.

I don't know what a school is at the dog and the spoon. I suppose and then this is I'm not making this up, a German one little German will is a German wire hair and a standard poodle and then there's all those little dogs like the Chihuahua emotional. I would put them in the rat category. By the way, I don't really think their gods and especially if you push a dog in a stroller. I'm just a note to say to you I do know to save you if you push a dog.

How many of you push dogs and slows are just nobody's admitting that but I know there are some of you if you do I just have one word love stop please stop okay so this is doable, and not only is it doable.

It was done. Mr. Greg Laurie pointing out the great task of preparing the ark for its voyage during the great flood we are studying the life of Noah is a part of Pastor Greg series world changers and Pastor Greg comes back in just a moment with an announcement. It's good news.

Stay with us but for a copy of the message called the world changer at the end of the world part to get in touch by calling 1-800-821-3300 were here to take your call 24 seven that's 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org Pastor Greg, it's not hard to see that our current culture lacks for real heroes true. It's amazing the people that are looked up to today amazing and disturbing all at the same time, but you have in a resource full of heroes that we should look up to and in fact we should pattern our very lives after you, absolutely and their lives have been recorded in the pages of Scripture to inspire us Hebrews chapter 11 is been called the hall of faith and I like to call it just the whole of world changers because these are people they changed their world. Enoch and Noah and David and Samson and many others. Daniel, who took bold steps of faith and stood their ground and made all the difference in the world. I use this analogy in the book and I asked the question, are you a thermostat or are you a thermometer you know the thermostat simply tells us what the temperature is and if you're like my home or are we disagreeing about the temperature.

He always thinks it's too cold and I was think it's too warm so were constantly messing with that thermostat. We have one of the sermons that's called a nest because it has a mind of its own which really bugs me so knowing of me. I have Kathy in the stupid nest itself saying this is what I think the picture should be because you said it at this temperature. Three years ago.

I don't know how the brain of an escort but anyway the idea of the thermometer. Is it changes the temperature of a room thermostat just tells you with the temperature risk.

So here's a question are you thermostat or are you a thermometer.

Are you merely being affected by your surroundings or are you affecting your surroundings.

Let me say it another way, are you changing your world. Or is your world changing you. You know the Bible says don't be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. So when we open up God's word, it changes the way that we think and it changes the way that we live in. Then we can go change our culture.

The Bible describes the church of the first century is turning the world upside down.

I'll tell you what this world needs to be turned upside down right now and so many people are so excited and passionate about politics and I think politics have their place, but politics will not change the heart of people.

Only the gospel will and so I think first of all we want to be following Christ that we want to let our light shine and be a world changer instead of having the world change us and shines a bright light in a dark place, so I've written about this quite extensively in this brand-new book called world changers love them to send you a copy for your gift of any size when I say that I mean it.

I mean if you send only a little, you'll get a copy.

Some of you can send a little bit more. We appreciate you giving and we only offer resources that we feel will really help you spiritually, but if you feel prompted by the Lord.

I hope that you will be generous as you order your own copy of world changers and I pray that it will bless you and encourage you to change your world. Yet it's right in your donation helps us change the world as well. So thank you for that investment and we hope you will ask for this brand-new book world changers by Pastor Greg Laurie you can write us at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org when next I Pastor Greg has more insight into the life of Noah. What we can learn from Noah. The world changer next time. But Patrick. Speaking of changing the world.

We've just tallied up the numbers and we have something really exciting to announce it's it's a genuine milestone yeah just this year, just since January, we've now seen 100,000 professions of faith through harvest ministries out 100,000 which is absolutely incredible. Yes, David is incredible and the way it came about is even more incredible because of the beginning of 2020 we went before everybody in our church in our ministry and said we have a goal this year and some of you may remember this. I've seen 100,000 people make a profession of faith. I'll be honest with you, even as I was telling people about it. I had some doubts like I we can really get this number but I thought why not shoot for will see what the Lord does our plan was to reach this number through our Crusades. We had a crusade scheduled in Angel Stadium with another one scheduled at the new stadium there building on Los Angeles and we had the Jesus revolution movie that was going in the production and so we were hoping to all of these means we would reach a number well covered 19 get an art proceeded Angel Stadium was shut down first time in 31 years were not having that there are really crusade same thing shut down Jesus revolution film postponed until they can start filming again.

So we went exclusively online with our weekend program that we call Harvest at Home. It's basically a church service that you watch in your home, but each week I've been inviting people to come to Christ and on one particular Sunday we had 7000 people make a profession of faith. So now as we tallied the numbers.

We've reached the hundred thousand mark not do any of the ways we thought we would reach it. We reached it in an unexpected way. So what that says to me is what we have the right idea, but the Lord had a different way of bringing it about. So we do say hey to God be the glory because God willing, in the future. We still want to do those Crusades, God willing, we still want to do that.

Jesus, revolution, film, and I believe it will be shot probably next year. So what were saying is let's just keep going because were passing that number now working to have a higher number of response and listen to this.

The Bible says there is joy in heaven over one sinner that comes to repentance and we have seen 100,000 people in just months make this profession of faith. The following Christ. So we join the Angels and rejoicing absolutely, and we want to thank our partners help to make this possible, through their generous gift to God for an impossible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org