The Excuses of a World Changer: Moses and the Burning Bush

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, to find out how to know God personally go to know God.org K NOW know God.org it would you do me a favor sure this message was someone who needs to hear it. We were serving the Lord have discovered a secret. If you want to be a happy person you give me versus happiness doesn't come so much for what we perceive by what we give away today. Pastor Greg will report show part of God's plan to enjoy life in my own way by going to avoid my life serving God you want your love for the glory of God. You will show your life and is easy to metal tell you all the things we like to have emergent weed here wants to add one more thing that lives but today is a new beginning.

Pastor Greg Laurie points out, what we get won't satisfy as much as what we view as part of God's plan for our lives to pursue generosity and shall sacrifice, but we have to resist the lures that pushes the other way. Today will consider the example of a world changer named Moses as we seek to live with God on my here's the problem with temptation. So doggone tempting you know the devil is really good at what he does. He knows how to package his wares. He knows how to make bad things look good and actually how to make good things look bad when temptation comes man you know it it strong, and you feel the pressure. Maybe that's why writer Oscar Wilde once said I can resist anything but temptation.

But here's the good news God, according to first Corinthians 1013 will never let us be tempted above our capacity to resist but what with the temptation to make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear hello I don't know about you but I know for me if I even take a little taste that for the problem begins and by that I mean let's use dessert as an example of temptation and they even will think can I tempt you with the dessert. 20 though you were to and I always say no, no dessert.

My wife will say what you have said no, don't do it. She did this the other night what you have.

Don't ask what they have and then she said will just have one by then.

I said that's what Eve said Adam okay so they bring the dessert with the five forts and all that. If I don't have a taste of it. It's a nonissue. But the moment I tasted party over. I've engaged you know how that goes. So we've all been tempted not just by dessert but by serious things like sinful things that might be a temptation to be lustful temptation to be prideful temptation to be hateful, but whatever it is, what a great thing it is when we pass the test or by that I mean we say no to it and honestly when you're saying no, it's not easy as it all I really want to know not going to do it but then the blessing comes because James tells us. Blessed is the man who endures temptation for when he is tried to receive the crown of life that were blessed to be interchanged with the word happy happy is the man or the woman that says no to temptation. If you want to be a world changer, you need to learn how to say yes to God and how to say no to the devil and how to refuse certain things. That's a real account. Now the life of Moses world changer. This is part two on Moses will get a look at what he said no to know before we pick up where we left off.

Let's remember that the Pharaoh had given the edict that all of the Jewish baby boys were to be put to death and the parents of Moses, of course, love their little boy and they wanted him to live. So they built a little oak form in the way it was a basket covered in picture waterproof, but sort of like Moses arc if you will put it there on the Nile River and give it a little push and it was just kind of floating down the river came right in front of the area where the Pharaoh's daughter would visit. She was a princess of Egypt and almost as if on cue, little Moses the beautiful baby gave out a cry, the daughter of the Pharaoh went and looked out at Psalm fell in love with them. Her maternal instincts kicked in. She decided she wanted to keep this little one is her own son. And we know also that Miriam the older sister of Moses was nearby and she said hey you probably need someone to nurse a little baby and I know a mother that is nursing.

She could do it for you in the Pharaoh's daughter agreed that someone was the mother of Moses. So she got to spend three precious months with a little baby but then she had to release him, and he grows up in the court of the Pharaoh.

He grows up really is a potential successor to Pharaoh and that's what we picked the story up in Hebrews chapter 11, it was by faith. Verse 24 Moses when he grew up refused to be treated as a son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to suffer the oppression of God's people and set up the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah and all the treasures of Egypt and he was looking ahead to the great war, that God would give interesting phrase better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah would not yet come yet. Then to own the treasures of Egypt and then this such an accurate description of what was going on for Moses.

The world was his oyster.

He could have anything you want.

He had affluence and influence. The most beautiful clothing.

The best meals that finest education and if you played his cards right, you might've been the most important man on the face of the year but underneath that beautiful apparel be part of it. You in this fellow Hebrews were suffering under the cruel taskmasters of Egypt and that he cared for his fellow Jews in for him.

He could not stay in this place that he was. He had to leave the palace and verse 24 by faith when he grew up he refused to be treated as a set of Pharaoh's daughter. He grew up are that expression a lot when I was growing up, teachers would say it to me. Other people would say Greg Laurie, will you just grow up because I was always a prankster.

I was always getting into trouble.

I wore diapers until I was 30, never sure that before that was a joke by the wife just want to sit fearlessly, but the ideas you know I wasn't growing up as quickly as people wanted me to some people need to grow up now.

This of course is talking about Moses just getting older, but it's also about maturing. We need to grow up spiritually.

One of the indications of spiritual growth is only start thinking about others more than ourselves. Moses just thought of himself and say hey man I live in the life of the King. I wanted to stay right here but no others were suffering any thoughts I've got to do something to alleviate their suffering. So that brings out the point number one. He refused. A lot of things were to be refuse number one. He refused a position of power in each. He reviews the position of power in Egypt, offering commentary in the life of Moses young Stephen said in acts 722 Moses was educated in the learning of the Egyptian but see God don't want him to be Moses, the Egyptian scholar are Moses, the Egyptian statement statesman, rather, God wanted him to be Moses, the man of God, by the way, that's what the Lord wants from each of us as well. Number two Moses reviews the pleasures of Egypt, the pleasures of Egypt up for him to stay in his place of power would've been sinful. Now God is used other men and women in the corridors of power to influence leaders. Of course we know Daniel was taken along with the other Israelites in the captivity of Babylon, but he had great influence in King Nebuchadnezzar that goblin played a role in the conversion of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Some people know that Nebuchadnezzar the king became a believer. Daniel also influence various bell shots are tube adults as our did not listen that we know Joseph a great influence on the Pharaoh minister because of her influence in the palace was able to save your entire nation.

So the point of this is is that we have to ask ourselves, Lord, what do you want me to be. He might put you in a corridor power he might have you laboring in relative obscurity, but wherever you are.

You need to use your influence for his glory and ask yourself the question, my going to enjoy life in my own way or am I going to employee my life serving God and others be civil but are you going to enjoy your life or employer life LME clarify something if you employer life for the glory of God. You will enjoy your life like never before because serving the Lord is the most joyful thing you can do my right talking about. It's true. The Bible says in his presence there is fullness of joy and in his right hand there are pleasures forevermore. See, we who are serving the Lord have discovered a secret and Jesus said to us very clearly.

He said it is more blessed to give that it is to receive in another way you could translate. Blessed is happy. If you want to be a happy person be a giving person. If you want to be an unhappy person be a selfish person. If you want to be a happy person be a generous person.

If you want to be a miserable person be a stingy person being generous with everything God gives. Be generous with your time.

Be generous with your money.

Be generous with whatever is at your disposal. But if you're always hoarding and thinking about others can cater to you. You're not in the will enjoy this in a moment of startling encounter Moses she's a burning bush and has a conversation with God himself.

That's coming up in just a moment.

It's reassuring to hear what the listener has been impacted by the ministry of Pastor Greg my story with pastor Greg goes back 25 years to a conference at the LA Coliseum and Greg was speaking I said through most of it but at the very end of that conference. I made a commitment to live the Christian life during that time the hunger began to come into my heart to study the word began to be very convicted/some of the things that I have been doing music I was listening to the league I was watching the way I used my language. All those things began to change, but yet I was still in a very difficult situation I was in my mid-30s living in Southern California and I was at the corner of Oso Parkway and the 405 and pastor Grace had a message around lunchtime. I found his radio station.

I was listening to him as he had a message about the battle between the flesh and spirit, and that is exactly what I needed is that time and so that's two events in a row. Pastor Greg came into my life and that message that I heard the radio really encouraged me and help me to understand. I was going to be in a battle that Christ had the victories and so here I am 25 years later my wife that involved in church just want to say pastor Grace for being faithful. Blessings to you and your ministry. We hear from.

It's not only a blessing also confirms that the program is touching. You can leave a message and 1-866-871-1144. Once again, 866-7111 44 today. Pastor Greg is helping us follow the example of Moses as he presents his engaging series called world changers.

Let's continue.

What motivated Moses answer yet a heavenly perspective, yet a heavenly perspective. Look at Hebrews 11 verse 26 he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give.

He wasn't even sure what it was but he knew better. Things were to come. He kept looking I had. But then he went and made a big mess of things the right idea, but he's certainly what about it the wrong way.

You know the story. He saw an Egyptian slave driver mistreating that you so Moses looked to the Riley look to the left and he killed the Egyptian then he hit him in the sandwich is never a good place to hide a body because the wind blows, and soon everyone knows what happened and Pharaoh found out and set him, and I have Moses executed, so Moses headed for the hills and he decided well that's it. I blow my chances I'll just live a life in obscurity now, and he found a family that took him in.

He married one of the daughters became a shepherd about the way back in those days in the estimation of the Egyptians to be a shepherd was a lowliest job, you can have. So he went from the Prince and the palace to common laboring shepherd probably had an early retirement that will that's it for me, but he wasn't quite prepared for what was about to happen because he was gonna encounter a bush that did not stop burning and he was going to come face-to-face with the God of second chances. Look at Exodus chapter 3 starting in verse one. One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian went deep into the wilderness near Sinai, the mountain of God. Suddenly, the angel of the Lord appeared to him as a blazing fire in the bush.

Moses was amazed because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up. Moses said to himself. Amazing wires in this course burning up. I need to go over and see this. And then the Lord when he saw he had caught the attention of Moses called to him from the bush, Moses, Moses, Jeremiah, Moses replied, God said don't come any closer.

Take off your sandals for your standing on holy ground stop there. So God proceeds to tell Moses that he is aware of the suffering of the Jewish people and that God is going to not call Moses to lead those people out of their bondage understand Moses he's 80 years old. He spent 40 years in the court of Pharaoh. Now, 40 years in the wilderness. He is well in to retirement without thinking about doing much of anything and he had not heard from the Lord.

Presumably for 40 years. Maybe you feel that way right now. I can remember the last time I heard from God.

The one thing to always check if you don't feel like the Lord is speaking to you is make sure you have no unconfessed sin in your life. Nothing will cut off communication between you and the father in heaven faster than sin.

That is not dealt with. God says in Isaiah 59.

My ear is not heavy that it can hear my hand is not short that it can't save, but your sins have separated you from me so it's a good thing in a regular basis to just say or forgive me of my sent wasn't it's a good thing on a daily basis to say Lord forgive me of my sin in the Lord's prayer.

That's not just an amazing prayer to pray, but as a template for all prayer. Christ taught us to pray, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. It's something we should do on a regular basis and just say Lord forgive me for all sin, known and unknown, but in the May case of Moses, there was no unconfessed sin was tying. He wasn't quite ready. You know the Lord was waiting for him to be prepared.

I don't know why but microwaves seem slow to me now. By the way I'm old enough to remember when we did not have microwaves. Most of you have never lived in that time, you never remember when the first microwave came out. I thought it was the most marvelous things I'd ever see. But now I got put something in four minutes it took are you serious form minutes. What am I going to do for the four minutes he said anyway he waited being and being means you can get her food now right and so Moses took Kenneth spin around will not read being he's ready get is noise ready just watching the sheep.

All of a sudden there's a push this weird bus that's on fire, but it still there. It's not burning up a what is going on.

He walks over to God speaks to him through the bush so know what is happening.

The Lord is recommissioning him. Think about this. It's an ordinary bush doing an extraordinary thing God could have just sent an angel hi, I'm an angel will do this you done that before. But no, it's just bush that Berntson why do you think the Lord shows that Bush will in a way it was almost like a picture of Moses like an old bush start burning. I have a plan for your life. You know, sometimes in life when they're sort of an interruption. It may be an intervention know we have our schedule were going about our day and there's an anorexic why did this happen. Why did I get a flat tire. Why did this other thing, take place. Why is this other thing going on that may be divine intervention. Maybe there's a disappointment in your life you thought you should have done a certain thing, and God said no you said. I'm disappointed know this.

Sometimes disappointment is his appointment for you. When I was a young boy I fell in love with girls a lot.

I was sort of a hopeless romantic member is run 18 years old, a brand-new Christian and I met this girl that I thought was amazing and she was pretty. She was godly. That was important to me that she was pretty and godly and does so. We were talking and I would like to go to dinner with me sometime and she said no, what should a really cool Volkswagen van member.

Those in my car was always breaking down Ida Corvair got a Corvette, Corvair of the cars that Ralph Nader wanted to take off the road.

Maybe for good reason.

There were effectively made out of aluminum foil. I think so one day I got no collision and I literally might front headlights were crisscrossed and I kept driving it. You give a critic of running probably a police officer pulled me over to get that off the road now but so I didn't have a car and I was driving from Orange County to Riverside to come and speak up.

So this really nice girl.

The didn't want to go out to dinner did let me borrow her Volkswagen van God bless her, but then I met Kathy. You see, Kathy was the girl for me this other girl's a wonderful lady.

She was on the one the Lord had chosen for me so maybe God says no you, that's a disappointment.

Yeah, it can be his appointment. The interruption can be intervention and that's what was happening to Moses and I want you to notice something. He's 80 years old. Skin is weathered and tan from the blazing sun. The Lord calls God doesn't just call young people he calls all people at every stage in life. Nothing is sadder that someone was gotten older and is learned nothing. You know what a beautiful young girl turns into a cougar that is not good. When a young man turns into a dirty old man listen to the rule of the if you're past the age of 50. You can no longer shop at forever 21 it stops today. I start carting people when they come in getting them hold you. I'm 40, sorry there's a store down there called 40 and older that you can go to this you cannot shop at forever 21 Paul use money with no but this is the problem when you go through life and you get older and you've learned nothing. But here's what's wonderful as you get older you will learn a few things. One of the few advantages of age. You hopefully learn a few things. But here's the problem with getting older you become more conservative than by that I mean, you're less willing to take chances and risks and you like routine go to the same restaurant every night. You're the same thing you said in the same seat when you go to church you sit in the same place.

I'm looking at some you. By the way, that's okay. We're glad you're here with glad you have a little spot but really it's not appropriate to strike someone of the sit in your seat okay so next time just screwed over. No but seriously we like routine would like to know it's coming when you're young you're willing to take chances when you're young you're willing to take risk you're willing to just go for when you're older, it's a guy going to try to know and Moses was well past retirement age only says amen.

I worked hard numbing a kickback. I mean people to return, tired, worked to build tension when you do golf what else this.

What else sleep. What else dish. What else try to golf and simultaneously get out of your La-Z-Boy and get busy for the kingdom of God. God still is a plan for your life. Pastor Greg Laurie practical look at the lessons we can learn from Moses from a series called world changers Pastor Greg has an important way to close today. Study, so stay tuned now to get a replay of today's insights or to play for someone else. Just go online to harvest.org and look for the title. The excuses of a world changer. You can also listen again by way of our harvest mobile app to order a permanent copy on CD. Call 1-800-821-3300 were here 24 seven to take your call again, dial 1-800-821-3300 and were so pleased to have authors Jeff and Chante felt hard with us in the studio today they've written an excellent book called thriving and love and money.

It looks at how a healthy relationship in a healthy attitude toward money go hand in hand. And if money is creating tension that may be a reflection of tension in the relationship Chante in one part of the book you write this you say. If you have more financial cushion in your life but you do not talk about money, you're more likely to have damaging tensions than if you have less money on hand but could at least talk about. Yes building cushion is important. Talking trumps that because they found that if you build the cushion if that's what you're focusing on is the finances, but you're not focusing on being able to communicate about money be able to come together and talk about it that the relationship is likely to be worse than if you had last cushion he could scanning very interesting. So if you're listening I'm speaking with Jeff and Chante filled Hahn and they've written a great book that you need to have in your hands, called thriving in love and money know this is not just another book on money. This is different. Subtitle five game changing insights about your relationships, your money and yourself, and so were getting them to the hood a little bit here were talking about these important issues because you know with this pandemic. Continuing on. I think were all hoping that maybe would have subsided more by this point and people are under incredible financial stress on the been laid off some of been furloughed a lot of uncertainty in the air, etc. this is a time when it's really important to talk about these issues. Yes money but to talk about our relationships to talk about our marriages and talk about communication in our marriages. So for whatever you send will invested in this ministry and will get you your own copy of this book by Chante and Jeff filled Hahn thriving in love and money. That's right, it's a book that can help transform the atmosphere in your home. Money is such a hot button in so many relationships, especially right now understand you thriving in love and money is available for just a short time longer is our thank you gift to those who can make an investment to help keep these daily studies coming your way.

So get in touch right away and ask for thriving in love and money when you send your investment to a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 hours a day seven days a week at 1-800-821-3300 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org next time here in the new beginning. Pastor Greg has more insights from the life of Moses. 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 of particular the 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. Blessing God's people. So those are couple of things to think about is you go to the voting your content is really an impossible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org