A Second Chance for a World Changer: God Is on the Search

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 auto search right now for someone to use a man, a woman board is looking for someone to raise her hand as. I'm assuming we may fear were not qualified to remind him to leave our comfort. Pastor Greg Maurice's God can use you got saved wants to be used by me. We raise her hand and say I do holds her hand down because God use you will let him use it in imaginatively decided to stay at his family's dairy farm. Instead of listening to the call of God were of no decided he wasn't really in the mood boat what's keeping you for making yourself today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie brings good inspiration from a series called changers examining the lives of those in the Bible who brought God's influence to the culture in which they live. Learning how we can say about you but I not raised in the church, which means I never really knew about God, who loved me and cared about me and had a plan for my life. I I've heard it here and there but never seem to penetrate my youthful mind until one day in 1970 heard the gospel articulated in a way that I understood and I believe in Jesus Christ, so he suggested think that God in heaven cared about me and love me and I do plan for my life was mind blowing.

But then I heard that God wanted to use me.

Not only that, I heard that God had commanded me to go to all my world and preach the gospel so is about 102-month-old Christian. I went out looking for someone to share my faith with lentils of the story before and you know it already, probably, but in case you don't, I found a middle-aged lady sitting on the beach. I walked up to her cold. I hadn't even memorized the contents of the booklet I read to her. But much to my shock and the light when I was done.

She said yes. She wanted to believe in Jesus and we prayed there. You know she had asked me one even remotely typical question I would've collapsed like a house of cards but she did. She was responsive and and I was excited and then I said to the Lord. Hey, this is great Lord, I want to be used by you even more.

In order to find out God takes prayers like that seriously.

So I bow myself out and about sharing my faith more and more engaging people with the gospel and I love that. But like most people I had a fear of public speaking, and I think you've heard it said that whatever studies are done, the number one fear most people is public speaking. Sometimes even before death, which I've always found insane, but were all nervous about the idea of speaking to a group of people. I remember when I was a nonbeliever hanging out at the beach in the Corona Delmar there called big Corona that there was some guy who would come down on Saturdays, dressed head to toe in black, complete with a black cat. He was some kind of preacher or is it about Bible. He would stand out in the blazing sun until everyone to repent of their sins and turn to Jesus. The member is a young kid I had here then really cool surfer wave the whole deal.

I'm standing there my board shorts and T-shirt looking at this guy and I'm thinking, and if there's one thing I never want to be that guy. Okay, now fast-forward many years of a brand-new Christian. I'm ensuring my faith. I told you the story of when I first spoke publicly. It was actually at that same beach, not far from where I saw that crazy preacher dressed in black and I was standing before a bunch of people that were up on the clips.

There is little Corona beach after I'd share the gospel with some girls in that except the Lord and I baptize them of the Lord spoke to me and said preach what could have been the most terrifying moment of my life was one of the most exciting and exhilarating and I realized that God wanted to use me.

But here's the thing. God wants to use all of us.

And here's my challenge for you. It's time to leave our comfort zones and say God all do whatever you want me to do all say whatever you want me to say I'll go wherever you want me to go for you. I think it's time for us to take it to the next level in our Christian life. As I mentioned on my last message. One of the marks of spiritual growth is. You see, you need to grow a lot more spiritual.

In other words, if you think you bring some plateau in your where you need to be and you don't need to go anymore. You are not growing at all.

But if you recognize her so much more to learn so much more growth the need to take place in your life.

That's a good sign and another good sign of a growing Christian is it dissatisfaction with where you are at the moment.

By that, I simply mean that you want things to change in your life and you want to be used by God.

So back in this world changers series were talking about men and women that change their world and all of us need to be praying about how God can use us to change our world because every Christian is called to serve God is not just for preachers or missionaries or evangelists or others. Every Christian is called to serve God I love this passage.

Romans 12 starting of resorts is just as our bodies that many parts, each one is a special function so it is with Christ's body were all parts of this one body and each of us has a different work to do and since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others because it concludes each of us is been given the ability by God to do certain things well is a mark of spiritual maturity.

When you come to church and say Lord use me. There is a mark of spiritual immaturity. I said I want everybody here at church to serve me a mark of spiritual maturity is consistency in church attendance. A mark of spiritual immaturity is a lack of consistency in church attendance. It's what I'm saying, Lord, I don't want to just be ministered to. I want to minister and I'm telling you.

God is looking for people to use right now. In that capacity.

In Ezekiel 22 God says I look for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the lab I searched for someone interesting phrase I search for someone. God says to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't destroy the land but I found none, searching right now God is searching this room for someone to use a man a woman a boy or a girl is looking for someone that sort of raise her hand and say, here I am. Send me when I'm with my grandkids off. Always have them raise her hands. Once he got right.

I pop other hands will all go up okay the will go. God save the ones to be used by me. We raise your hand and say I do pop up. I do father we hold your hand down because God will use you if you will let him use you now you might say will Greg get out.

You have your supercool pulpit here that you stand behind it lights up and I don't have a pulpit like that will listen actually doable pulpit.

It doesn't have to be a box like this in a pulpit as a platform a pulpit's opportunity. A pulpit is your sphere of influence.

No matter where you are if you flip burgers man you have a pulpit.

If you wash dishes you have a pulpit. If you're a business executive doable pulpit. If you're in some other field doable pulpit, a musician, whatever it is I received a letter from a schoolteacher the other day in a public school. My view and I love what he wrote. Here's what he said in the letter.

Dear Pastor Greg, I'm a high school teacher and a pretty tough area is a public school teacher.

I have to find creative ways of witnessing the students and sharing the love of Jesus with them because Jesus is a very foreign concept to many of the students here so I decided to give the student some extra credit assignment over the weekend. They had to watch the harvest Crusade or go to the Crusade in person. I love this guy. You can imagine public school teacher telling the kids for extra credit. Go to a harvest Crusade, so he said they had to do a one page right up on it. What they saw and experienced will he says I'm very happy to report that a few of the students gave their lives to Jesus, and several were just asking me questions which is an awesome opportunity. He writes to plant more seeds. The Crusade got many of the students thinking about things they had never heard about in their homes. My prayer is that those who saw the Crusade and Abbott made the decision will make a final decision no matter what. I'll keep in contact with those kids and continued to be a witness to them, and God bless us God and God bless every one of you that sees opportunities around you, you know, sometimes he will say I want to go serve the Lord.

I feel called to the ministry. Okay opportunities are everywhere.

Jesus said, lift up your eyes. The fields are white on the harvest, but the laborers are few.

Now I know some of you are thinking, oh please Greg you know I'm not like you I I'm not outgoing I don't have the gift of gab, and besides, I've made too many mistakes. I want to tell you what you're saying. Those are excuses all the what is an excuse.

One definition I like is an excuse is a lie dressed up for dinner. That's all it is an excuse is a fancy law you know when someone ask you to do some you don't want to do you make an excuse, and people often will offer up excuses why they can't be used by God.

But if we learn anything from this series in Hebrews 11 that I'm calling the heroes Hall of Fame world changers.

We learned that these were super flawed people. They were far from perfect. In fact, they failed often the folks that we read about here in Hebrews 11 are not there because they were great people. They are there because they had faith in a great God, I may consider some of the world changers.

We looked at here in Hebrews 11 and other places of the Bible as well. Member Abraham. We learned all about him. The father of faith will we know that he lie twice about Sarah being his wife because well the amount of faith lacked faith. His son Isaac did the same thing Sarah his wife left at God's promise in the deny that she laugh Jacob lied and also can I know I got drunk. Samson was a very immoral man.

Gideon was afraid Rahab was a prostitute. Jeremiah and Timothy were too young. David had an affair and was a murderer Elijah at one point was suicidal. Jonah ran from God.

Job went bankrupt. John the Baptist ate Bob and Peter denied Christ, the disciples fell asleep while praying the Samaritan woman was divorce more than once Timothy had an ulcer, and Lazarus was dead. So what's your excuse. I think people messed up. But God came to them.

Second chances and that's why I've called this message a second chance for a world changer. You see, maybe you need a second chance, maybe you have a lapse of faith, you're like that lady in the commercial I've fallen and I can't get up right when you can get up and you can have a second chance and God can use you made you feel like your story is over because of a mistake you've made her a sin you committed. Listen get up and run again. Your story is not over.Hebrews 11 is all about. In just a moment. Pastor Greg introduces us to the spiritual forefather will be studying today.

The Bible called him a man of God more about just moment so many listeners have commented on the encouragement they receive these daily messages God's word ministers to them and it often gets them through some of their darkest hours.

I frequently listen to Pastor Greg on Christian radio in my area. He was extremely helpful in my husband of 43 years.

Suddenly and unexpectedly went to the Lord in January of this year he was retired and I had just retired in May, we had transferred retirement years. However, God's plans were quite the opposite. Needless to say I felt like my life was written down from under me while listening to Pastor Greg Wednesday. He spoke of the promise of hope after the loss of a loved one course speaking about the loss of his son. I am still in the grieving process back his message helped me find hope and centerpiece. I continue to move forward through this trial. God is so kind. Every time I cry out for comfort and strength. He puts the right message or person in my path to thank you for all you do these daily studies ministered to you and your family.

If so, would you let us know you can tell your story by calling 1866-871-1144 866-871-1144. Will Pastor Greg is bringing us some good news today from a series world changers wishing God give second chances. It's evident in the lives of those he used. To change the world know what is the key to these folks that change the world one were fake.

The key is faith.

Hebrews 11 startup of these words really a definition of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, its the evidence of things not seen. Member reminded you that faith needs to be used. Faith is like a muscle. If you neglected it will atrophy it has to be in constant use comes out of this.

Use it or lose it. So now will get a look at a man who really put faith in the action.

Our next world changer on the list is a name you know well I'm talking about Moses, God put his hand on Moses when he was a little baby. I love his story. It's almost like a fairytale but it's 100% true. We all know how God providentially protected the little baby Moses in his little waterproof basket floating down the Nile River. Ultimately, he could have become the next pharaoh of Egypt, but when he could have zig T. Zach and the courts. We know that Moses had his problems and Moses made his mistakes and will look at a few of those in the moment, but let's just get the big picture of who this guy was limited to sum it up this way.

Moses was a man of God. I did say was a perfect man because no one else. No woman is either though they often think so. No, Moses is described in the Bible is the man of God. What a great description. That's Deuteronomy 33.

One minute of nothing else was said about you as some of you just say you know what that is, a man of God that is a woman of God I can't think of a higher compliment of flawed man. Yes, a man of God.

Also, yes, let's dig into our Scripture. Now go to Hebrews 11 by faith Moses when he was born was hidden three months by his parents because they thought he was a beautiful child and they were not afraid of the king's command by faith Moses when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.

He has seen the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt really look forward to a robe or stop now just sort of little backdrop. Historically, things were really hard for the Jewish people at this time all you remember the way the Jews got into Egypt goes back to Joseph Amber, his brother Solomon, the slavery in he spent time in prison. There, because he could interpret the Pharaoh's dream, he became the second most powerful man in the kingdom in charge of the food supply well to Pharaoh.

Joseph was a hero, so the Pharaoh said to Joseph E come and live here and bring your family with you and so all of Joseph's brothers in this extended family moved to Egypt now. Time passes and his families grown larger and now we have a lot of Jewish people living in Egypt but I Pharaoh who favored Joseph is now dyed and pass from the scene and another Pharaoh is in his place in the Bible says this Pharaoh of Egypt did not know Joseph. He did not care about the Jewish people. In fact, he despised the Jewish people. He thought there were too many of them. In fact, this prayer was so wicked he wanted to eradicate the Jewish people.

So I gave a command to the midwives who were involved in delivering the babies if it's a Jewish baby boy kill it. I don't want any more boys born into this culture, Pharaoh was sort of a precursor to Adolf Hitler and with his own version of a final solution.

Okay enter a Hebrew couple and ran joke about now Amram was the father joke about was the mother and she gave birth to a baby boy and there was something special about Moses from the start. The Bible actually tells us he was beautiful. Now when the Bible says someone was beautiful or will build toward taller whatever distinction it brings out it seen it for a reason. Now I know that we all think our babies are beautiful but you know they actually are. We don't usually say it but you know you see a baby every now and then you you know the girl out of it, but then you see babies that are beautiful and your and then just become more beautiful or more canned salmon and I was Moses. We have a couple in our church.

Mike and Crystal are they just had their first baby. Mike is involved in our children's ministry of Harvester and County. I was looking at their baby last night. This baby is so gorgeous. Her beautiful eyes and perfect little face and just giggling and laughing and smiling until I came along and the baby started crying, but that's okay I'm not that sensitive. No but seriously, that is one beautiful baby and I thought of Moses what he wanted. Most of look like as a little baby. In fact, over and asked seven. Stephen adds a little commentary and he says he was exceedingly fair and it's interesting because afraid since Stephen uses doesn't just mean that Moses was an attractive baby physically, but the word that he uses implies that there was a special mission for him or a purpose from God to know that God shows you before you chose him. It was the great preacher Spurgeon once said it's a good thing God chose me before I chose him because if he would've waited he would've changed his mind know what the truth is, he chose you before you were born.

He shows you when you were still in your mother's womb, and he chose you even before that is, they will what up I was born out of wedlock when you were still chosen by God that I found out later in my life that I was conceived out of wedlock and the guy I thought was my father for years actually was not and that sort of a discombobulated thing to hear. I have to say, but then I was reminded know God chose me and God always knew that I would commonly had a plan for my life. Just as he is a plan for your life love with the psalmist writes in someone 39 you saw me before I was born every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid up over a single day and has how precious are your thoughts toward me, Lord. There innumerable now that should lay to rest any idea as to when life begins right.

Life begins at conception. Every little baby has a right to live and God has a plan for their life all about. David said your thoughts toward me are innumerable that could freak you out a little of you think God's thoughts are negative, but in fact there the opposite because God says in Jeremiah 2911. I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a whole together. Pharaoh wanted to kill all the Jewish baby boys. But God had a plan, especially for little Moses and maybe you were not expected to live in a sometimes little one space childhood diseases or through life. You have a close brush with that and that somehow you survived that you wonder why God is preserving you and he is a work for you to do your great glory with insights on how God wants to use us, sometimes even sparing lives to do so and there's more to come from. This message called the second chance for a world changer you're on a new beginning.

Pastor Greg has an important way to close today study so stay tuned. And as you listen today if you had any interruptions. You can go back and hear what you missed by going to harvest.org or listen conveniently through a harvest mobile app again. The title of the study is the second chance for a world changer and you can also get a permanent copy of the study on CD by calling 1-800-821-3300. We are here to take your call 24 seven. Again, dial 1-800-821-3300 and then we want to make available a new book by Jeff and Chante Feldstein called thriving in love and money. Jeff and Chante. It is your typical book about money. It's not a budget planner saving strategy. Your general money management. Pastor Greg instead of that what you've discovered together about money, giving, budgeting, etc. is the LeBlanc care.

We well the big Pixar is that we found in this this blows my mind and it was not a pastor's minds.

The greatest obstacle to all of the budgeting to the financial freedom everything that a pastor wants his people to be in his church to be generous to be tithing to meet me know. Saving more than they stand in getting added that the greatest obstacle to all and found it easy, isn't that you don't know how to budget. Although you may not write may help the greatest obstacle is the in ability of a husband and wife to sit down at the kitchen table and talk about many so this is a communication issue is the meaning of this year and so that's answer your question, is it really is about the ability to understand all that it's not about the many staff will what is an amount that was what the research project wise and that's the essentially came down into what are those things and we ratified us five categories that really really make a difference. Is this breakthrough crazy really surprisingly simple saying that like blows open the doors to this incredible opportunity for many to be an opportunity, not for conflict but for connection, which is huge for a lot of people right now, especially right now we need God. So I'm speaking with Chante and Jeff L. Hahn and they've written a book called thriving in love and money.

Subtitle five game changing insights about your relationship your money and yourself. And as you can see we are talking about money, but in some ways we aren't were talking about communication. Talking about relationship were talking about understanding one another, listening to one another and much more.

But it's all interwoven in topics of finances and other areas as well. 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 ever tried and we have a copy reserved for you just get in touch and ask for where sending it for just a short time longer to say thank you for your donation that helps us continue to bring Pastor Greg's teaching your way. Each day we need your help to make that a reality.

So thanks for contacting us today.

Be sure to ask for this new book thriving in love and money you can write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We are here to take your call 24 hours a day seven days a week just 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org. What next time more insight from the example of Moses as Pastor Greg continues his series cold world changers you're on a new beginning. But before we go. Pastor Greg has an important word to close today's program everybody a few thoughts about the selection that's coming up. As you all know on November 3, working to elect the president of the United States.

Your vote matters. Listen, every Christian should register and vote. I cannot emphasize that enough. It's our responsibility. It is our duty, but it is also our privilege and we really have no right to criticize what's going on in our nation if we don't even take the time to vote for a candidate.

I'm not going to tell you to vote for. But I'll give you some ideas when I cast my vote. I can tell you there's some things that factor into it I could talk about a lot of things but let me just pick two out a particular other candidate that will receive my vote will be one that is pro-life. I would never vote for a candidate that would support the aborting of unborn children number two on the vote for a candidate that stands with and supports the nation Israel. God promises a blessing to the people the blessings God's people.

So those are couple of things to think about is you go to the voting people in your content, but vote biblically and do vote and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor greats free daily email, devotions@harvest.org