The Excuses of a World Changer: How God Used Reluctant Moses

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere. No guide checkout virtue our website for Christian women go to harvest.org/virtue will go to go to Gibson Jones of abilities and resources to use for his quarry with so many of us are not doing it. Were we not do that we call excuses number reasons the gifts God gave us deliberately on purpose. Pastor Greg Laurie says we need to put that divine equipment to work for his kingdom no reason why you can't be used of God only have lain excuses if no action. Some people can say other people to do public speaking is not random summer caregivers. Others are organizers. The Lord gives us tools waivers to use them today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie helps us see how these gifts and abilities are part of God's plan and every ability can be used except those we don't make available learning from the example set by Moses our Bible and turned to Exodus chapter 3 the title of my message is the excuses of a world changer look at Exodus chapter 3 starting 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 was a blazing fire in the bush. Moses was amazed because the bus was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up.

Moses said to himself.

Amazing. Why is and this was burning up.

I need to go over and see this.

And then the Lord what he saw. He had caught the attention of Moses called to him from the bus 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 God is going to now call Moses to lead those people out of their bondage understand Moses he's an old dude now. He's 80 years old. Just watching the sheep. All of a sudden there's a push this weird bus that's on fire but it's 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 go do this you done that before. But no, it's just bullish that Berntson what you think the Lord chose the 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.

Listen to what God says to Moses in Exodus 3 I am the God of your father on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that we hear that it sounds very impressive. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Right away, let's think about it for a moment, because in the world changer series we've seen the flaws of everyone. The God used these people are not in the Carol solid faith because they were great people there in the careless all afraid because they had faith and a great God. This hall of faith in Hebrews 11. This will a lot of interesting characters always serious problems. Abraham, the father of faith, flaws and lapses of faith and lied on multiple occasions.

Jacob oh, he was legendary for his deception and manipulation. Isaac favored one son over another and didn't really listen to the Lord. So really when God says to Moses, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob what he is saying is I am the God of flawed people.

I am the God of people that make mistakes. Really what the Lord is saying this I am the God of second chance and why would he say that the Moses because Moses needed the second chance because he killed a man and he had spent 40 years thinking he probably never do anything for the Lord with the Lord same buddy I'm recommissioning you so Park the Winnebago. Let's get busy. We've got work to do and were going to go and deliver a nation from the power of Egypt because I'm aware of all that my people are going to the Lord says that he has heard many has seen the affliction that the people are facing Moses I'm calling you to leave them out now what Moses should've done was fall in this space and say thank you Lord for a second chance.

I'm ready to go one Moses does instead is offer up a bunch of excuses as to why he can serve the Lord bring this up because we all know were supposed to serve the Lord well know that God is a plan for each of us will know that God is given us gifts and talents and abilities and resources to use for his glory. But so often many of us are not doing it and where we not doing that we offer up excuses number reasons. There's no good reason to not serve the Lord, but excuses. As we look at the excuses of Moses. You might find yourself in one of them. This is why call the message. The excuses of a world changer excuse number one, Exodus 311 I don't deserve to be used by God. He says hello mind to appear before Pharaoh. Moses asked God how can you expect me to lead the Israelites out of Egypt I and on the way. Moses had a point. I mean, would you pick Moses of your God. When the pick some young guy, Moses had a lot of baggage. You made a lot of mistakes and in a way was sort of a has-been of failure, even in embarrassment why you skim you somebody there were no guards is our Moses seven Whipper this morning.

The shape for a long time and he is ready to rumble.

This is my man know it seems as though God goes out of his way to pick the most unexpected people. God wants to reach the nation of Nineveh, so the Lord calls Jonah listen Jonah was a racist is it what you mean.

He hated and in the minds he wanted God to kill the Ninevites God said you're the perfect guy to go preach that the Ninevites I don't want to go, yeah, whatever. Let's go in a great revival broke out, then God wanted a courageous man to lead Israel out of the bondage of the Midianites are enemies we chooses Gideon, who happens to be hiding from his enemy.

When the angel appears to hiding behind a wall further thrashing the week in an angel appears and says hey Gideon you mighty men of courage Lord is with you soon.

Gideon what you mean. While me, you will, that doesn't make any sense. If there's anything Jenny was not at that moment. It was a mighty man of courage, listen to this God doesn't see you for what you are. He sees you for what you can become. He sees potential. It is said that the great master artist Michelangelo was looking at a big slab of marble and he said I want to liberate an angel from that marble see the great artist Michelangelo could just get a slate of stone and see what would come from it and God looks at you and says I know what you can be you don't know it yet, but I know I know what I can make you into you'll be a mighty man of God you will be a mighty woman of God don't care for younger older you think you're qualified.

I will make you into that so got to say Moses I've called you to be this man number two Moses is all I don't have all the answers.

Exodus 3 Moses protested up I go to the people and tell them the God of your ancestors, and said maybe you they won't believe me. The last which God is talking about a what is his name Bella what I tell them God says we just tell them I am who I am, just say the I am has sent me to you. Funny thing, Moses says go on my God says I am that I am some talking about yourself some thinking about yourself. You just tell them I am has sent you Moses it's not about you it's about me nothing. A lot of times were afraid if we engage a nonbeliever with the gospel. At the last is a hard question.

We don't have the answer to why and have all the answers. So what is get out there and share your faith. You don't an answer. Go back and study more and you'll have more answers. For sure, but don't let that stop you from telling others about Jesus. What I don't know if I can prove the existence of God. My job is not to prove the existence of God. My job is to proclaim the good news of the gospel is able. What if they don't believe in the Bible, can I still quoted are you kidding God says in his word that it's alive and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, if they believe it or not it is what it is and so that would be like, you know, talking to someone you're the sword this it was like I don't believe your swords real leukemia, like I think your sword is like just an imagination on your let me use my sword on your promote there going to believe the swords real one. I give him a good poke with it. Why don't believe in the Bible. I don't think it's inspired by God.

You really interesting.

Here's what the Bible said the need to share with them in the power of God's word will penetrate their heart cuts is my word will not return to me void it will prosper in the place race ended years ago when I was starting to see evangelism was the mid 30s. She's I was I totally said I was in my mid-30s I got along funny as I see 90s, but I was in my mid-30s and you know if anything. When I was in my 30s I thought it was really old, really old now my 30s when I talked to young people's own sold them in my 30s visit. Please stop.

You're not old yet. Okay.

Trust me, you'll know what I'm talking about later. Right why I've been getting sold in butter you have this opportunity opened up to preach the gospel in arenas and stadiums in such an I was a little overwhelmed by it. We were visiting with Ruth Graham. We got to know very well.

She was Billy's wife.

She's in heaven now and we are often asked to speak of the Billy Graham training center at the Cove, which is very close to the home of the grahams and Billy was usually not there because he was somewhere in the world doing a crusade, but Ruth was always home and she would always come out to the Bible studies and take notes is amazing. Like why would you take notes when I'm speaking I mean she was such a wonderful lady and would spend a lot of timing out with her.

She was fun-loving, quick to laugh very knowledgeable of Scripture, full of wisdom and when this at all Ruth I'm so intimidated I you are doing these Crusades and all the stuff but I don't feel like I'm really ready for that I need to really brush up on my apologetic. She said Greg don't worry about that you just proclaim the gospel that would Billy always did nothing. You need to do and I said yes ma'am and she was right. And you know as the years have passed and my evangelistic preaching. I've actually gotten simpler by intention. Come by that I mean is I've tried to make the message so understandable, not assuming that my listener has a clue as to what I'm actually talking about not assuming people know biblical terminology because nowadays most don't and so you have to make it very understandable. So if they rejected let it be because they don't like the message you want to believe it, as opposed to because they don't understand.

In a moment. We'll see how God got Moses attention through spectacular miracle right in front of him.

That's next. As the study continues.

We love hearing from listeners from every background and much younger guy things on her thinking great insights from an 11-year-old.

Do you have a story that you like to share with pastoring. If so, would you take a moment to write a letter, email you can email him at great@harvest.org that's great@harvest.org today. Pastor Greg is continuing his world changers series as we consider the calling God placed on Moses life, but how he was reluctant to respond.

So Moses continues on with this plethora of excuses I just wanted to use the word plethora in the sentence excuse number think that people won't believe me, that's an exit this for the people will believe me. Exodus 4 verse one Moses protested again they won't believe me they will do what I tell them the just in the Lord never appeared. You Lord says what you have there in your hand Moses as well as shepherd's staff throw it to the ground the Lord said so Moses threw it to the ground and it became a snake. Moses was terrified and he turned and ran away. This is funny to me. I just read the snake probably of cobra. The Lord said, take hold of the snake and he reached out and grabbed it into became a shepherd stop again.

Exodus 4 pipe perform the sign in the believe you.

The Lord told him the realize that the Lord, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has appeared to you know this is crazy because first of all, you never grab a snake by the tail, because altering a bite you I told you that before got to scrap the snake. Why the snake was a symbol of Egypt, in particular the cobra. You can look at the not the car the snake. You can look at the antiquities of Egypt today and see that cobra there symbolizing the arrow in particular and the nation of Egypt. So here's what God is saying. I more powerful than the snake. I more powerful than Egypt. I more powerful than Pharaoh, so pick it up modern vernacular might be take the tiger by the tail. Don't be intimidated. Face your fears and say the Lord is greater than all of my fear that Moses did.

He picked it up because he was being commissioned by God and we have been commissioned as well by the Lord to represent Christ.

What pagan culture. Moses was called to the pagan culture of Egypt were called with the pagan culture of the United States of America and to the world and when I see pagan. I don't mean that in a mean way. I mean it in the descriptive way when I use the word pagan I'm talking about people that believe in anything and everything but the right thing. There was a time when maybe because of our Judeo-Christian foundation. There was a stronger belief in God and higher church attendance with those they serve far behind us. I don't think most Americans have even heard the gospel proclaimed accurately. That's why I feel a burden to bring the gospel to the United States because we want to reach people that don't know the Lord were all commissioned to do this on Moses as being commissioned as well. At this point God was telling him to go look at excuse number four was assessed. I'm not a good speaker. Verse 10 oh Lord I'm clumsy with words. I'm not a good speaker.

Listen to this God is not looking for good speakers is looking for obedient servants. You don't have to be a good speaker.

You just need to be someone who obeys God shall give you the words because God is more interested in character than charisma missing and look I I'm not a good speaker. I don't think I but I have a great message. I'm confident in my message and that's where proclaim it and you have that same message. We all need to get it by the way by that because I'm assuming you're affirming that I'm not a good speaker, so thanks for that. So seriously you know you but it's true. Okay, last excuse number five. I'm not qualified I'm not qualified.

Verse 13. Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else you will send. That's a fancy way of saying get someone else to do it here I am Lord said him, not me. And then he actually suggests his brother Aaron. You know here in my brawl. He is a good second half man.

He has the gift of Use similar to that one parent I want you like to do it. III have a speech impediment. I stumble over my words that I stutter I I I I just I just did, just not the guy. Yeah, that's what I want you. You have no reason why you can't be used of God, you only have lame excuses and ultimately Moses agreed in did with the Lord called him to do. Let me say one last thing is we bring this message to a close as Moses went out to proclaim this message of delivering the Israelites from Egypt the Pharaoh was resistant. So know this when you decide to do God's will the devil not going to help you. Okay good I will uphold you with everything he has will talk about that next time. But let me shift gears to one final point about excuse not only are there excuses we offer as to why we can be used by God, but there excuses offered as to why we will not become a Christian, you know you talk to people about their need for Jesus to say. While I don't believe in that. You see why some general the bottle full of contradictions. When someone says that to me if I have a Bible I love this bullet unsay well I have a Bible right here show me one. Nine times out of 10, maybe 99 times out of 100, they don't know any contradictions, because they've never read the Bible to just say that to make you go away and if perchance they know of the legend contradiction there usually answered pretty easily and little say well you know I don't want to become a Christian because well the church is holy, hypocrites. My word to them or to you that your issue is. Come on and join us is always room for one more, that's a joke. Okay, don't take me seriously by the enemy.

I'm not excusing hypocrisy. I wish we were better representatives of Christ. But having said that, that is an excuse really the others hypocrites in the church.

So what that doesn't change what Christ said that doesn't change what he promises will I have a lot of questions you might say of questions just so many questions I have questions about questions and even a few more questions. I understand that I did to.

But I will say this to you if you will come to Jesus with all your questions. I guarantee most of them will be answered in short order. Maybe not every single one. There might be a few. You'll have to say for heaven but for the most part.

Once that sin in your heart is removed because you believed in Jesus. So many of those questions will be answered is really what you're wanting to know us why my here in this earth.

What's the meaning of my life.

Here's the answer you're here in this earth to know God and you'll find meaning in your life when you come to Jesus Christ who died on the cross for you.

2000 years ago and shed his blood for the sins you committed and rose again from the dead, and will forgive you right now if you've never done that.

I like to give you an opportunity to believe in Jesus as we close now and prayer. If you're not sure that you go to heaven when you die if you're not certain that your right with God. If you want to get rid of your guilt.

If you want to have a second chance in life. This is your moment respond as we pray. Now let's all bow our heads father, thank you for your word to us.

Thank you for loving us so much he sent Jesus to this earth to die on the cross in our place. The rise again from the dead. We pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince every person here and every person listening of their need for Christ help them now a Greg Lord important word of prayer. And if you like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord today.

Pastor Greg will come back in just a moment to help you do that before we conclude today here on the new beginning. If you didn't hear every word of Pastor Greg steady over the last few minutes you can catch up by listening again online@harvest.org, or by way of our harvest mobile app just look for the title. The excuses of a world changer for CD copy. You can call 1-800-821-3300.

That's a 24 hour phone number 1-800-821-3300 and then we want to speak for a moment with our in studio guests authors Jeff and Chante fell upon.

They've written the new book called thriving and love, and money they discovered that more than 90% of couples have tension over money were just avoid the topic altogether and the book gets to the bottom of the issues and helps them find harmony in the home shutting as you dug deeper into the results of your three year research study. What would you consider the biggest surprise and all the data. The biggest surprise is how much all of us and definitely me in my own heart. How much I am resisting being one in marriage and it's coming out how I handle money. I mean, that was one of the big findings and it hit me because candidly a lot of us have kind of gotten into patterns when when money isn't something you live talking about if you're one of those people who just it's not your thing. It's really easy to kind out of their paycheck doesn't your account on my paycheck is under my account and we don't have to talk about money when when people say well I don't do that.

I I asked them the same question I had to ask myself once I realize this is okay. Maybe you don't.

Maybe you combine everything but ask yourself, do you ever try to pull the Amazon package off the front step before your spouse sees it in me was coming from the same exact place and wanting to just do what I wanted to do that causes some people separate accounts entirely and during this moment. It's important for us to sort of wrestle with that and recognize this is something work called to not be you and me were called me were not called to be you and me were called to be.

We you're listening to Chante and Jeff fell upon.

They've written a book called thriving in love and money and this is our special research this month that we want to put into your hands so that you know that when we offer these resources, it's because we want to help you. We want to encourage you. We want to strengthen you and this is one of the most important that we've ever offered, and I would remind you that I'm offering this to you for your gift of any size whatever you send large or small, will get your copy. But let me encourage you to invest in our ministry because this is a ministry that obviously teaches the word of God. But it's also a ministry that calls people to Christ and every year we see literally thousands of people make a commitment to follow Jesus Christ as will invite them to do so at the end of our program. So if you believe that people need to come to Jesus if you believe people need to hear the word of God, then we would appreciate your investment in our ministry and will get you your copy of this book by Jeff and Chante filled Han thriving in love and money. Yeah that's right it would really be our privilege to send this your way to help bring more connection and contentment to your home.

The Philistines discovered that money is the number one stressor in relationships.

So, help is on the way as soon as you request thriving in love and money subtitled five-game changing insights about your relationship your money and yourself.

Today is our last opportunity to mention it were sending it to thank you for your donation.

It helps touch lives all around the world ever since we read this comment on social media.

Pastor Greg, greetings from Dubai. I have enjoyed your old and new studies online.

I enjoy your teaching so much.

With a little twist of jokes in between. I love it I love it I love it. Give it up. God bless you, your contribution is an investment in helping these studies continue to reach out all around the globe. So get in touch today at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call any time 24 seven, 1-800-821-3300 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org Pastor Greg assembly, listening right now knows that they need to make a change in their relationship with God.

They can do that right now they really can and I think some people might say what what, pray what the why listening to the radio, absolutely because guess what Jesus Christ is with you right where you are right now if you want Jesus Christ to come in your life and forgive you of your sin if you want to invite them into your life. Why don't you pray this prayer after me right now. In fact, I would even encourage you to pray it out loud. Let's pray Lord Jesus, I want you to come into my life and forgive me of my sin.

I think you for dying for me on the cross and then rising again from the dead. I choose to follow you from this moment forward be my Savior be my Lord be my God, and be my friend. Thank you for loving me and calling me and forgiving me in Jesus name I pray, amen. Ellison is you just prayed that prayer maybe you felt something emotional. I've had people write me and tell me of how they prayed with me at the end of our radio broadcasting. Tears came down their cheeks or they felt a great joy to be one of those things happen you are and then again maybe you felt nothing less than irregardless of how you feel right now I want you to know a fact if you prayed that prayer and minute Jesus Christ has come into your life.

Why don't I say that because the Bible says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life that first doesn't say so you can think you have eternal life. For hope of God's in a really good mood.

You may have eternal life notes as you can know it.

And if you just prayed that prayer and minute prices, near life. So let me say to you, welcome to God's family and would like to help you get started in living your new life with the Lord would like to send you some free follow-up materials called our new believers growth packet just get in touch and will send that packet right out to you as I said, it's free of charge and a special thanks to our harvest partners and others who support this ministry for helping us to make these available. Here's her mailing address, a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. You can reach us any time at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click know God 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 the minister to every weekend. Join us for Harvest at Home@harvest.org next time as pastor.

Greg continues his world changers series will get to stand nearby. As Moses has a substantial confrontation with Pharaoh. Ultimately Pharaoh hardened his heart and the nation. Patient price that's next I'm on a new beginning with pastor Greg Moore possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org