The Temptation of a World Changer - 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 Noble always said designs of those were the greatest threat to his kingdom. Those who were on the main view pressure Pastor Greg Morrison. Satan is always looking for fresh recruitment. A music Greg I get all books on this. I mean I'm not spiritual give you an indication you are spiritual point occasion your double and others like you said even the site you the opposition between the forces of light and dark, like friendly game of basketball to subside and play the game, but in reality this is war but mistakes are eternal. It's truly a matter of life and that today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie continues his provocative series world changers we are examining the life of our spiritual and how we can change our world as they change their I heard a story about a guy loved Krispy Kreme doughnut. How many of you loved Krispy Kreme bill that some of you view hot Krispy Kreme bill raising how many of you have never been before. You've never been to Chrissy good look at go sometime. I think you'll like it. But anyway he worked all by Krispy Kreme every time and it was hard because he was gaining weight and he wanted to lose some. He was on a diet so he made a determination that he would not go the normal route that's Krispy Kreme and that went well for up about a week and 1/2, but then he absentmindedly took the old way to work and there was Krispy Kreme and the sign was lit up now you know what that means right so in the window. If you've never been to Krispy Kreme. This is going to be helpful to you if that sign is lit up in the window. It means are making rest donuts hot glazed donuts. The best ever, and that the most I beaten I think is six that bad.

It sounds like that yeah they're smaller though, they're small if you notice that you don't judge me man is to be jut about people always misquote the but anyway so he you know absentmindedly drove by and the sign was lit up and he thought maybe this is a sign from God. Maybe the Lord wants me to have a Krispy Kreme doughnut with anything. Well, you know, it's always so proud of their expression of the signs lit up, Lord, if there's a parking space right in front all know it's from you in the eighth time around the block when opened up so right and I am that man.

This is okay so that's how temptation works right.

It's like I don't know why always get tempted, but we unnecessarily put ourselves in the way of temptation. That's what I want to talk about today because little give the life of Joseph remember is like to be divided into three sections, start struggle and success start basically birth weight 17, a pampered young man favored by his father over his brothers having this amazing dreams which actually were given to him by God, then struggle that's age 17 to 30 children to be looking out of this message to some degree the struggle he had and then finally success 30 years to death, and so this was a young man who pay some heavy duty temptation and why, because the devil always sets his sights on those who are the greatest threat to his kingdom. So you come here today for Greg.

I can remember the last time I was tempted that actually said something about you doesn't say to me you're a spiritual person that says to me the double looks at you and say why bother when you come here today need for Greg I get tempted all the time and I have these things hit me in my mind and these thoughts and these other things as I mean I'm not spiritual know all contrary best friend for a good idea but not to the contrary, then to be an indication you are spiritual and more to the point that you be an indication you're a threat to the devil and that is why he is setting his sights on you, you might be surprised to know that testing and temptation can have a positive affect in the life of the believer. Well, we think these are horrible things, but God can use them.

It's been said Christians are a lot like teabags you don't know what they're made of. And so you put them in hot water so maybe you're in the hot water of temptation or trial right now will knowledge pick up the story of Joseph. You remember he would, you know strut around maybe in that coat of many colors as King James calls it a beautiful longsleeved tunic. Dad gave to him, effectively saying you don't have to work in the fields, like your brother's son and he would send his son Joseph to check up on the brothers and so one day Joseph was checking up on them and they said all here comes the dreamer we had enough income. Let's kill him while talk about sibling rivalry, but then a group of traveling slave traders happen to be passing by. So they sold their brother for 20 pieces of silver. So Joseph is now a slave. I mean from overnight. He's gone from a comfortable bed to life of uncertainty from security. This shivering in shackles. It horrible. This is where the story picks up Genesis 39 verse one, Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders. He was purchased by Potiphar the Egyptian officer Potiphar was the captain of the guard prepare. You might underline the phrase a come back to the king of Egypt, the Lord was with Joseph underline aperture so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realize that the Lord was with Joseph giving them success in everything that he did this. Please, Potiphar, and soon he may.

Joseph is personal attendant. He put Joseph in charge of his entire household and everything he owned, and from the day Joseph was put in charge of his masters. Also, the property. The Lord began to bless Potiphar for Joseph sake all of his household affairs ran smoothly in his crops and livestock. Flores will Potter forgive Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned Joseph there and worry about a thing except what he was going to eat. Joseph was a very handsome and well-built man in Potiphar's wife soon began to look at him lustfully come and sleep with me. She demanded. There so Joseph world changes over nine but he was get a point in time is dreams were going to come true is dreams brothers would gobble for about there was going to be some tough sledding. First, he was sent to Egypt. Egypt was a godless place, a completely pagan country filled with religious superstition. The Egyptians would worship up to 2000 gods and goddesses. They would worship animals and insects, and they would worship the Nile River and of course they worship the Pharaoh himself. They were also given over to gross immorality and they would build these incredible structures and they would utilize slave labor in their own citizens. So Karen this teaming metropolises city of wickedness, and idolatry, comes Joseph was really lived a sheltered life is only 17 years old is effectively the country boy coming to the big city and he's purchased by amending Potiphar identified in verse one is captain of the guard.

This meant that he was a high ranking Egyptian official. He was head of the military police. We might also call them the Gestapo to kind of illustrate the kind of power you would have.

He was also over the royal bodyguard, which is sort of the Secret Service of the day.

They say he is the chief of the executioner's note other words, everyone he was killed. The order had to be given by Potiphar affect Potter prayers name says it all upon a per come from the Hebrew one batter due to and translates one bad dude know that I made that up. But that's the kind of guy he was a man to be fair with Joseph wasn't intimidated at all. Why verse two the Lord was with Joseph.

Do you know that the Lord is with you to your Christian he's with you. Elijah was able to walk courageously in the court of Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel and speak the words God gave them because the Bible says he would say is the Lord God lives, before whom I stand, Elijah recognize wherever he went. He was standing before God. Joseph understood the same wherever you go. Jesus is there, and Jesus wants to bless you and he blessed Joseph I mean Joseph is a classic example of someone as blessed as Amanda does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or sit in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in God's word and it does he meditate day and night shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, listen his leash on the weather and whatsoever he does show prosper blessed God does want to bring prosperity to the life of the Christian. Here's the problem. There is a segment of people that have what is sometimes called the prosperity gospel, the word faith movement that sometimes called with a particular truth and they've exaggerated it so much that sometimes were afraid to talk about it. The prosperity gospel says you're always going to be healthy. God wants everyone to be wealthy. You only want you to help prosperity. Never any kind of sickness, etc. never any kind of suffering, either.

Well, Joseph prosper, but in the prosperity that also included spending some time in prison. So even in God's prosperity. There could be hardship, but ultimately God wants to bless us and he certainly did with Joseph coming up. Joseph faces perhaps his most challenging past.

It comes in the form of a lovely lady with temptation on her mind that part of the story. Next, Pastor Greg, we have something exciting to mention just tallied up the numbers in this year just since January, we've now seen 100,000 professions of faith to harvest ministers, which is absolutely 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 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 well covered 19 so we went exclusively online with our weekend program that we call harvest is basically a church service that you want 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 being so now as we tallied the members. We've reached the hundred thousand Martin we reach 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 dizzying to God be the glory. Let's just keep going because were passing that number now listen to this 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 to follow Christ. So we join the Angels and rejoice.

We are tracking the life of Joseph today. Many ups and downs and Pastor Greg is showing us how to emulate this young man's character. It's a message called the temptation of a world changer available@harvest.org. Joseph was a model of our Christian should function in the workplace I departed for many was it was are going to work for but Joseph worked with complete integrity in Colossians 322 to 24 I we have these words about how we should do our job. This is from a modern translation. It says don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best work from your heart for your real master for God confident that you get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind that the ultimate master your serving is Christ love this part, the sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover-up bad work.

You would be a good witness be a good worker I mean before anything else that earns you the right to share your faith, but if you go in there and you clock out early and you're not a responsible worker and then you share your faith, people will listen to you, but if you work with integrity.

If you work hard, realizing that your ultimate boss is not the guy or girl who signed your paycheck but it's the Lord, and you do whatever you do, as unto the Lord. It'll change everything around you. By the way, that's when you'll get advanced because when people are employers.

They look for hard-working employees not people that just phone it in God people to give the bare minimum of people to go the extra mile people that maybe have ideas. People that want to do it even more effectively. That's true in work and that's true in ministry as well. Yes Joseph was being tested. Many you're being tested right now you're working somewhere in obscurity. You know you have an entry-level job you're making minimum wage and washing dishes.

Your busing tables your framing houses your flipping burgers. Whatever you're doing, doing for the Lord Jesus himself pulled up in the line and ordered a double double animal style that's got to be the most awesome burger you ever made do. It is though Christ himself was getting eat it and I know if Jesus walked among us.

He would eat a double double animal style. I'm not so sure about the Krispy Kreme but could do it is under the Lord. It'll change the way you see work when you get up in the morning. Is he that's all Joseph sought now he's successful veggie so successful that auditors made him his executive assistant he second in command, but rose looks on your your over the books your over the house. Your over everyone that works for me that all I morning about today is one of my heaven for lunch. So just keep doing what you're doing son because you're doing a great job and sometimes when things are going well. We become more vulnerable. You know when maybe we can always make into me or when were sick or woman having challenges were dependent on God, oh God, we see help me, but that when things are going well and we have a little extra money. Maybe in the bank. I hope this super good or there's food in our ministry or whatever it is we can become complacent and lazy and sloppy and slothful and ultimately susceptible.

That's when temptation will hit and here's what happens now to Joseph after great success. The devil attacks Genesis 39, read with me starting number seven by the whim reading from the new living translation Potter first wife began to look at him lustfully. Come sleep with me.

She said while she was far from subtle, but Joseph refused any total my master trust me with everything in his entire household. No one is more authority than I do these held back nothing from me except you, because you're his wife why kids can't remember your married. How can I do such a wicked thing. It would be a great sin against God that I would underline that verse. A great sin against God.

But she kept putting pressure on Joseph D after D but he refused to sleep with her and he kept out of her way is much as possible. One day however no one else was around. He wanted to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak his coat to many. Come on, sleep with me and Joseph tore himself away but left his cloak in her hand and he ran from her house. There she so ticked off that he rejected her advances, she falsely accuses them of rate shields of the service a little of this man did he try to take advantage of the five got his coat and he flat out here and then when her husband got home she told him. By the way, I think part of her knew his wife was a liar.

I think he knew she was a seductress. I think he knew she was making this all up, but he went along with that you note sort of reminds us of that movie from years ago.

The graduate member that were older woman seduces a young man in you could almost hear Joseph saying why think you're trying to seduce me, Mrs. Potter for Hugh the Simon and Garfunkel song.

I mean wow she was the original cougar she wanted Joseph to be your boy toy and he was very handsome. The Bible says very good looking guy and maybe it was a little bit flattering to have her give so much attention toward him but he resisted her by the way, he's a young guy. He's in his 20s.

He's a bachelor and he is normal. God-given sexual desires and not to mention the fact that he's now been 10 years in Egypt with all those values around him. He could have said hey who would ever know.

Maybe it will help my career. Besides I'm in Egypt so I might as well walk like an Egyptian.

You didn't do that pity. I love verse 10 he kept out of her way, is much as possible in one of the best ways to deal with temptation stay away from it when you can. Now granted, temptation can hit us anywhere right temptation can hit you sitting in church. It's not always that in a moral impure thought it could be about a bigger pot of hatred up out of jealousy or some other thing you're tempted with coming to church or leaving church they can hit you at anytime and anyplace but let's all be honest we know there are places we can go that make us more vulnerable right like the guy with the Krispy Kreme. He knew if he drove by and the sign was lit up. He was going to go in there and we know what were we we know what will fall in the devil is smart. He's been doing this for a while so he wants to hear you happy Christian Khmer. I want to ruin your life. I want to destroy your family think I don't want to just destroy your family. I want to destroy your kids and your grandkids and your great grandkids weren't even born yet because I'm in a mess you up so bad is going to be passed on from generation to generation Iveco like you to become an addict. Become an alcoholic, you know, maybe things go well for my perspective. You kill yourself what you think what Borenstein responded that bouquet. Which way do I go that many of the devil smarted to say hey I know you never do this stuff. I know you would never be unfaithful to your spouse. I know you never lie or steal but just this once. Try this.

Just take a little taste. Just take a test drive. Just try it on. Once just take this thought out for a spin that for the problems begin because it starts with that little thing that becomes a bigger thing. Martin Luther once said, I can't stop a bird from flying over my head but I can stop them from building a nest in my hair. Now my case the burden to bring its own materials because there's just nothing there to work with what you get the idea of what he saying right. I can't stop the bird from flying over about to say hey come on in a ring here and so if the devil knocks on your door don't have a conversation with them. Don't answer the door is leave close the Bible says, resist the devil and he will flee from you. It doesn't say have extended conversations with the devil, nor does it say check out what he's offering. Just so you know, nor does it say, invite them in for tea.

It says resist him and that's what Joseph did. He kept out of her way.

Verse 10 is much as possible. You see, Joseph recognized temptation is not as sin. Rather, it's a call to battle, but this woman.

She was relentless.

She kept putting pressure on him. Verse 10 says, day after day.

But he refused to sleep with her. She just would not give up, but she came back to them over and over again and I'm sure she used every verbal and visual seductive technique she could think up. She did everything to lower him but in spite of her persistence, in spite of his natural desires and tendencies. In spite of the advancement it could have given his career in spite of his own miserable background at home.

He resisted how to do it. Verse nine gives us the answer. He says how can I do this thing and sin against God. He did not want to do this thing that would bring this honor to the Lord so ran as fast says in second Timothy flee youthful lusts.

Pastor Greg Laurie is giving us a guided tour of triumphs and trials of the life of Joseph is a message called the temptation of a world changer there's more to come here on a new beginning.

If you missed any part of Pastor Greg presentation today. You can hear this inside again by going to harvest.org just look for the title, the temptation of a world changer or you can listen by way of our harvest mobile app or to get a CD copy. Call 1-800-821-3300. You can call anytime or on the clock 24 seven, 1-800-821-3300 and then were so glad to have some special guests with us today. In addition to Pastor Greg Dr., Cassie, we have authors Jeff and Chante fell upon who written a new book thriving in love and money.

It's based on in-depth research into the habits and attitudes of hundreds of married couples Jeff and Chante say if money is a problem in a marriage, money is not the problem in the marriage.

The book helps spouses come together instead of isolated or the subject starts with opening the lines of communication.

Cassie, how do couples come together. How do you know we had two separate and one value security and when values you not just those that family memories or you know, creating an atmosphere or a or situation that will get a treasure for years to come that both good things.

How do we highly express our concern to the other without stepping on their tents are staying in a way that's hurtful or a put down yeah I said I think at least for Chante and me, and what we saw on the research was you have to start with yourself and figure out what's going on inside of you in a way that you can say it compassionately and you can say you know I if I understand what you want to accomplish with this and you you maybe say in IEEE you value all of these memories that we can create with the family. This was this was thought through by you. There some some reason that you have for wanting to do this. Can you help me understand what you're feeling inside you know it because it is is much more respectful toward toward our spouse when were asking that. Can you help me understand and then opens the door for you to say can I tell you what it feels like for me when were doing this and I know that sounds like talking solves everything but you know actually get you longways the hair think you Chante and Jennifer being on her show.

In writing this book thriving in love and money and I hope that our listeners will order their own copy because it can really enrich number one your life number two your marriage and help you know how to deal with your finances in a godly way from a biblical perspective. And so we want to send you your own copy for your gift of any size to our ministry here at a new beginning because as you know we love to teach the word of God. This is just an illustration of that were helping you to see how Scripture applies to all areas of your life including your finances and that we also proclaim the gospel and give people an opportunity to believe in Jesus so for whatever you send will invested in this ministry and will get you your own copy of this book by Chante and Jeff L. Hahn thriving in love and money.

And that's right and thanks so much for your investment in this ministry is an investment that changes lives.

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Should 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org Pastor Greg is presenting his series called world changers you're drawing this insight drop them a note. Greg harvest.org and join us again next time as we learn more from the life of Joseph run a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org