The Choices of a World Changer - I

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. If you would like to know how you can become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org that's harvest.org. One negative influence are you having are you ungodly influence or the ungodly are you building others. Were you one of those we would each of us rubs off after Grigori shares we need to make sure we influence others in a godly way when I'm around a Christian. I expect someone who professes to be a follower of Christ. I am hoping that there is a way they live in is try to besides telemark we know some conversations will be 10 discouraging.

Here's a question. Is there anyone who tries to avoid your call out today on a new beginning after Grigori helps us consider the way others respond to every encounter.

We have also to God. The office good insight coming your way lower in our world series or will you be looking at Gossage is of Scripture today. Hebrews chapter 11 and Genesis 13 someone asked me recently what was the best decision you've ever made in your life by the wall using number one accepting Jesus Christ write me no question about that. That's number one number two Mary, my wife Kathy. That's number two right up there no doubt number three not wearing the toupee that was custom-made for me this is through yesterday I someone made me a toupee. Why US well I didn't request it but my friend Dennis that Eugenia was watching right now he Dennis has gone talk to him this morning he had a toupee may and he goes right, you need to get one of these toupee's are really amazing and I'm doing that this is voice. Lee says body, the guy who makes him as a Christian I can't wear toupee nobody get one made for you you'll do it for free. Sure enough, this guy makes me a toupee. As far as debate go. It wasn't the worst I've ever seen was about it all and I felt very self-conscious wearing it because on the inside of the toupee and said made for Pastor Greg Laurie Bennett said, praise the Lord I may; like really. So one time I you know we are trying to wear this thing okay so I wore we went to Costco and that with the wind was blowing really hard that night it was lifting off the back of my head just above feel when you're here is flipping up in the back while so and I just envision nothing flying off and landing in someone's lap made for Pastor Greg Laurie is a good decision to not wear them. There's a lot of bad business decisions that have been made. I read about an opportunity that came to the Mars candy company, a member the film ET ET phone home member that movie of the little alien will see like to eat candy. Remember, so Steven Spielberg who directed ET went to the Mars candy company and said would you like to have your candy M&Ms featured NET. They said no we don't want that. They didn't think the film would do well so Spielberg went over to Reese's pieces and sales of their candy went up 65% the same month.

The film was released. That decision read about an executive at Decca records. I was given an opportunity to audition a new band you listen to me was none breath. He said guitar groups are on their way out will capital records to come up in the first year they sold $38 million for the records and since then they've sold 65 million records, you probably heard of in there called the Beatles that was a bad decision. Guitar groups are on their way out. I bet that guy was on his way out after he made that decision. Another bad decision was when the Trojans accepted the gift from the Greeks the Greek army were trying to get into the impenetrable city of Troy to no avail.

So they came up with a plan they would build a large wooden horse known as the Trojan horse, and they put some soldiers in there and they came up to the folks of Detroit said we have a camp for you and they accepted the gift. Strangely enough, and brought it into the city and then the Greek army acted as though they were retreating, so the people are trapping them in the streets or something. They're gone and they left. This is great gift. Thank you.

People of Greece to buy and then of course there were soldiers inside of the Trojan horse of came out open the doors.

What the Greek army and in the city fell, but one of the worst decisions ever happened to a group known as the Donner party ever heard of them. These were pioneers back in April 1846, 90 pioneers and 20 covered wagons made the journey from Chicago to California. Not an easy journey, but something that was doable. Many were on their way to our state. Back in those days. This is before the California gold rush broke out and brothers Jacob and George Donner were leading the party so they began their journey on the California trail that was the way most people came to California, but they met some random person who told them there was a shortcut which states, which resulted in them ending up many of them freezing to death. 40/87, died in many of the survivors actually turn to cannibalism. So beware of wooden horses shortcut in toupee. Okay world of the phase 3 C's of life challenges, choices and consequences. Again, challenges, choices and consequences those challenges may come as an opportunity or a temptation.

The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross, in which bridge to burn because choices are important as we will see in the story before us. Here we have side-by-side to believers, Abraham and Lot 1 Abraham most of the time made the right choices in life and the other lot made a series of wrong choices that he lived to regret.

Which just goes to show that your choices do matter and God will show you the choice to make, but it still up to you to act in that choice. Back when I was in school I hated pop quizzes because I was never prepared. I never did my homework. I was not a good student. I have a granddaughter, Allie, who loves school. It's her first year in school.

Her sister was off for the day she goes to a different school and so we were babysitting them and I said Allie you can take the day off from school today and be with her sister and she said no I want to go to school. I look at her and I got are you related to me. How did this happen. I was so impressed, but she loves to go to school and I never liked those pop quizzes I like those open book test where you could actually find the answers from God effectively gives an open book test to all of us and he says over in Deuteronomy 3019 I've said before you life and death, blessings and curses.

Now choose life, that you and your children may live.

I love that got the key here is your choice of life or death, blessings or curses.

By the way, the right answer is. Choose lot. I'm giving you the answer, but we still cast the deciding vote by what we do and it's so true God says choose life for you and your listen.

Children may live because your choices affect not only you but your children and potentially your grandchildren and your great grandchildren. Ungodly decisions can impact the family for generations, godly decisions can impact the family for generations as well. So now let's look at the world changer who made the right choices. Let's go to Hebrews 11 verse eight we come back to Abraham by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he would receive as an inheritance and he went out, not knowing where he was going by faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

There, Abraham is uniquely introduced to us in Scripture is the friend of God and one day God said to his friend Abraham that he wanted him to follow him leave his life of paganism and worship of false gods and leave his family and pack his bags and go that's what I want you and your wife Sarah to go to this land. You don't even know where the land is all reveal that to you later.

I want to go and Abraham obeyed sort of. He did leave that was a big step.

He did leave his family. That was a bigger step put he took one family member along with them and that was lot lot was his nephew Lot had a detrimental effect on his just how did Bob bring jungle down. Pastor Greg will answer that in just a moment. Stay with us for many missionaries write or call us to share how Pastor Greg solutions are 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 and influence because he now is I'm not ashamed of the gospel or 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, libraries, 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, and harvest orgy were being introduced to Abraham and his nephew lot today. Pastor Greg is presenting a message called the choices of a world changer must continue.

We all know certain people that build us up when were around them spiritually and we all know people that sort of drag us down over around them spiritually know if you go out for dinner with certain people. You come away feeling closer to the Lord built up in your faith other people to cut it pull you down. I think of all the people I've had the opportunity to meet and get to know I've been able to meet a lot of wonderful godly men and women that it pressed me deeply, but I know other people who are Christians by the way were always ticked off about something you know they're always mad at someone, they remind me of Don Quixote tilting that windmills you know they always have to have an adversary or a nemesis in that I get really weary of that. Okay when it's always this person's doing that. They're always upset about something, some people pull you down and have you been with them you're not looking forward to being with them again in other people when they build you up and you feel closer to the Lord lot was one of those guys that was dragging Abraham down. Second Timothy 222 says run from anything that stimulates youthful laws follow anything that makes you want to do what's right. Listen pursue faith and love and peace and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with your heart. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts and here's my question for you. What kind of influence are you having on people. Are you will godly influence or an ungodly influence are you building others up or are you one of those people that drags them down. Now let's reverse it. What kind of influencer people have been on you, are you more like Abraham, the friend of God or lot. The compromise or are you a world changer is a gospel for or is the world changing. You know, having said that this does not mean we should not have relationships with nonbeliever because Paul writes in first Corinthians 5. Nine. When I wrote to you before I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin, but I wasn't talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin. For those who are greedy or are swindlers or idol worshipers.

You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. What I meant to say was, you should not associate listen with anyone who claims to be a Christian, yet indulges in sexual sin or is greedy or worship titles or is abuse of her as a drunkard or a swindler don't even eat with such people listen.

I expect nonbelievers to behave like nonbelievers so I'm not shocked when I'm working out at the gym and some guy talk to me and uses when you have some profanity help people when you're two more Christlike because he's not a Christian, yet so I want to establish dialogue. I want to engage him. I want to ultimately reach him. I don't expect him to exhibit the behavior of a follower of Jesus, but when I'm around a Christian. I expect more when I'm around someone who professes to be a follower of Christ.

I am hoping that they're going to reflect that in the way that they live.

So here is the dynamic in the story were about to consider lot was not a nonbeliever log was a believer, albeit a compromising one, and that is why Abraham told him to separate from Genesis 12 one God said to Abraham, get out your country and from your family and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. But again, as I told you, you brought lot along now, in the absence of his father is lot left his father he probably looked Abraham as a father figure and dad to Abraham's credit that was something in this great patriarch that lot so admired any wanted to be around this godly man well this godly man Abraham to good de jure shouldn't have taken.

Remember onset of continuing on in his journey to the land God was leading them to take a detour down the eject that because the famine came in the land then and he said to his beautiful wife Sarah pay it when you see the Egyptians, tell them you're my sister because of the finding your my wife will kill me and take you in the Pharaoh Sarah. Sure enough, the Egyptians come along spot the gorgeous Sarah and Abraham goes with those lies. Sarah strangely goes along with it, and then a series of plagues come on the house of Pharaoh any rebukes Abraham and says get on here take your family and leave my country and this is where the conflict between Abraham a lot now begin to develop and I were going to go back to Genesis 13, I had to turn there as well. So flip over to Genesis 13 to read verses 1 to 13 by the way I'm reading from the new living translation. So Abraham left Egypt. It says Abram, but I'll say Abraham because his name was later changed. Abraham left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and law and all they own. Abraham was very rich in livestock silver and gold from the negative.

They continue traveling by stages, toward Bethel and they pitch their tents between Bethel and AI where they had camped before.

At the same place or Abraham and built the altar and worshiped the Lord again lot who was traveling with Abraham had become very wealthy with lots of sheep and goats. Herds of cattle and many tens but the land could not support both Abraham and Lot with all the flocks and herds living so close together so disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abraham and Lot at that time, Canaanites and parasites were living on the land. Finally, Abraham said the lot. Let's allow this conflict to come among us or our herdsmen. After all were close relatives. The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want and will separate. If you want to go to the left I'll take the land on the right. If you prefer the limb on the right. Now go to the left you this lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan River in the direction of Zoar.

The whole area was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. So live to the land that reminded him of Egypt. That's before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah lot shows rinse all the whole Jordan Valley to the east of then and he went there with this flocks in the servants and parted company with this uncle Abraham. So Abraham settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot distance to a place near sauna and settle among the cities of the plain, but the people of the area were extremely wicked, continually sinned against the Lord. There are, I so here's the operative statement for the moment you make your choices and then your choices make you secured Abraham a lot. They've acquired quite well. They become very prosperous. There's nothing wrong with prospering because of you work hard and you invest your money. You say you tie you one of the Lord you live a life of integrity, it's very likely that you're going to do well in life financially.

Some may be better than others, but God is going to bless you as you want a biblical principle, so it should not come as a shock that God would bless someone lot prospered and Abraham prospered.

But the reaction to it was different UC Abraham had possession, but possessions have a lot just comes down to the person. Some people may have a lot in not be all that attached to it. The understanding came from the Lord. The understanding to be taken back from the Lord. So their touch is light but others men. They do everything they pinch every penny they hoard their like Gollum in the Lord of the rings right got that ring don't you dare try to pry it from their finger, are all about that stop and I was lot to the reality between Abraham. A lot was not caused by the land of the famine of their wealth, or even their herdsmen. The heart of every problem is the problem of the heart and Lockhart was in this world is evidence by where he ended up living Abraham was content with his lot, but lot wanted a lot more lot wanted stop Abraham wanted God what you want.

See if you seek God first, if you seek him in his kingdom versus what is Jesus promised all these things shall be added unto you.

But if you're all about getting that stuff and getting a head and being successful in on you go then then your going to lose twice, you will get the Lord very likely will get the stuff you want even if you get the stuff you want, you probably won't be satisfied with the schedule still want more stuff and this is the problem of lot he wanted to have all this world offers but he still wanted friendship with God and the Bible warns in James four for you adulterers, don't you realize friendship with the world makes you an enemy with God. I say that again. The badger raid to enjoy this world. You can be a friend of God. So make a decision you want to be God's remedy want to be the world's friend our lives today. Based on what were seeing in the lives of Abraham and Lot Pastor Greg Laurie with his message called the choices of a world changer as part of his world changer series here on a new beginning.

And if you missed any part of today's insight you can hear this presentation again online@harvest.org just look for that title. The choices of the world changer or for a copy on CD.

Call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300 and then we're happy to have some special guests joining us in the studio today.

Pastor Greg and I are joined by a pastor. Greg's wife Kathy Kathy glad you're joining us it's good to be here and pastor Greg want you introduce her other two guests I'm speaking with our special guests, Chante and Jeff felt Hahn and they've written a very important book that I want to put in your hand in the title of it is thriving in love and money. There's a statement very early on in the book and I find this very interesting because you would look at this and think all this is a book about money and it is in in another way, it isn't because a statement is made, here's the truth about everything will be covering. We have conflict around money. It's not about the money. So Chante wanted to explain that statement actually in this research because this is based on this three-year research project to try to dig out like how do you have a great relationship around money right and for me, and this had been a big deal in our marriage and that's the really the one sentence summary at the reasonable that this is such a big issue in so many jazz exactly or having tension about money. It's not about the money. Turns out it's about how many makes you feel makes your spouse feel there is almost as like expectations and beliefs about how money should work or insecurities or worries or hobbies other feelings that are running into the surface and we don't even know they're there. But that's really what's coming out when ever there is those tensions are fighting or like me — we didn't fight about it. We just cannot didn't talk about it because we liberated it to me and we could if we could have titled it if it was the book about our life, we could of said coping with money arriving around 11 anything but thrive so folksy or listening to Chante and Jeff felt Hahn in the written a book called thriving in love and money it's about money, it's about those things that you deal with, but it's all about relationships.

It's about trust. It's about communication. It's about life and this is something that you need to have in your hand and we want to send it to you.

Listen for no charge.

I will send you this, but for whatever you send.

I would encourage you to be generous in ordering your copy because will use those resources to invest in the kingdom of God. But we will rush you your own copy of thriving in love and money, subtitled five-game changing insight about your relationship your money and yourself and us right into such welcome news for any family were money is should point of tension take advantage of the five practical principles spelled out in thriving in love and money and will send it to thank you for your donation of any size.

We just want you to have this resource and will put your donation to work helping more people through a new beginning each day. You can write a set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300 – 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 well next time more on the choices of the world changer as pastor Greg continues this message contrasting Abraham's pathway launch next time, new beginning possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org