A New Beginning for a World Changer: Putting the Past Behind

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, you want to hear from you. Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's Greg harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment. Have you ever wish you could start all over again will in a way you can because second Corinthians 517 says if any man be in Christ he is a new creation behold all things fresh and new. It's a spiritual recent coming up today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie explains how we can have a clean slate to be crippled by your past anymore.

Good behind you, you too can have a new beginning in the things we've done, we may wish we had some kind of regret that you sketch where we can turn things upside down and give it a shake and see those regrets disappear today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out, the Lord will allow us to leave the past behind. When we come to him will give us the clean slate. We long our lesson today comes from a study of how Moses like God's chosen people into the promised or back in a world changers series.

The title of the about six today is a new beginning for a world changer. How many people here would like to have a new beginning. I think we all feel that from time to time got for this is a message I talked about that you get it turned into passages Hebrews 11 Exodus 12 yard for me it's always a great thing to start something fresh give of the first day of spring. I love that I love it when with our watches are constantly spring forward.

You know I hate it when we fall back because all of a sudden it's like dark at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, you know, you lose all that sunlight.

It's like getting up only part of a day when we spring forward. I like the way everything looks after it rains. Even people with dirty cars get a car wash on that day or if you're an artist I like to sit down with a clean sheet of paper. I just met a professional cartoonist Souza Christian then and we were visiting for a while and we have two pieces of paper in the electrical bed would've drawn back and forth. It was so fun.

You know when you're an artist you love to do that.

A blank sheet of paper and also what's great is a second chance after you have failed and I would also add the end of a great trial where you can have a fresh start review beginning. That's all we find before is here in Exodus chapter 12 Moses the world changer was about to change the world for the Visit of Egypt, the nation Israel.

He was going to lead them to a new beginning and a new land in the way he did this all was by faith, and that is the theme of Hebrews 11. It's great men and women of God who had courage and took risks, and change the world around them and they all did it by faith. And so we read about Moses in Hebrews 11 verse 25 it was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and the sprinkled blood on the doorpost so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn son but to see before. This is going to happen. Moses himself needed a new beginning because he had crossed and burn. But God gave him a second chance at the burning bush. You know the story he killed the Egyptian he went into exile for 40 years. The Lord spoke to him and recommissioned him to service again and came to Moses and ultimately to the Jews, a new beginning comes out of this when you've been changed.

You want to see others be changed as well. Let me turn that around.

You don't want to see others changed how much, if you really been changed.

Jesus said this in Luke 747, to whom much is forgiven that one loves the much more.

I mean we can wrap our minds around what God has done for us and how much he has forgiven us. He's taken all that sin and removed it from our lives and because of that we should have an eagerness and excitement and a passion to tell others what God is done for us in Jesus also said over in Luke 1248 from everyone who is been given much, much will be demanded from the one who is been entrusted with much, much more will be asked to realize the great privileges that you have right now is you sit there and hear this message. First of all, you live in the United States of America.

A free country. That's why so many people want to come to our nation that we have freedom there that many other nations do not have and then add to that were in the church were the Lord is honored were led and worshiped by these gifted people that love the Lord and we hear the word of God on a regular basis and we see people coming to Christ and so we look at all this and it's a privilege and to whom much is given much is required to God is given this to us and with this knowledge with these privileges come responsibilities while the Jewish people. They were living the slaves under the Pharaoh. Now, through Moses, the answer to their prayers had finally come.

The problem was, Pharaoh was not cooperating instead of releasing the Jews. He dug in his heels and said in Exodus 52 was the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go. I don't know the Lord nor will I let Israel go. Oh yeah you got your God: God and all take God on well careful now what you wish for because if you get in a fight with God. Juvenile lose.

Just know that you're fighting with the Lord you're going to lose if you're running from the Lord you're going to lose as it has been said your arms are too short to box with God your member old Jacob that we looked at in this series got into a wrestling match with an angel who quite possibly was Jesus himself, and he lost the Lord maybe humors us from time to time, like when I used to wrestle with my sons and Diane Ross with my grandchildren. I let them when I'm humoring them they think they're really winning but they aren't. So you think your prevailing blessing God will bring that wrestling match till close and this is what was going to happen to Pharaoh. Careful what you wish for you might get it told the story before of a couple that were celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary and it also happened to be there. 65th birthday. So a genie appeared to story and offered to HOS the whites of all genie I love my husband so much, but I've always wanted to go to a beautiful island in the South see my wish genie, as I would be with my husband thought all white sand beach looking out the waters. There they were of the well this thing works so he thinks about it for a moment looks over the 65-year-old wife says genie my wishes I had a wife that was 30 years younger than me proof he was 90 years old some careful things can backfire.

How many of you heard that joke before Adrienne, if you like to read it again raise her hand. How many of you want me to use that joke again in the future. How many of you want me to use it in the same message. This message is it again really. I'll try that skin aware so God came to Pharaoh chance after chance to release the Jews no plagues no judgments is that Moses is told her to let my people go.

Pharaoh rejected that. So the Lord brought judgments 10 plagues in total upon Egypt. They included lights and flies and bugs and spiders and frogs inhale and it just got worse and worse in the Bible says Pharaoh's heart got harder Pharaoh's heart got harder.

Finally it says in the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart. Which of you recall means the Lord strengthen Pharaoh in the decision. He had already made another Pharaoh knows he's outgunned or plagued, so he tries to get Moses to compromise. He tries to deceive Moses.

This is all right Moses going at it and go worship the Lord just don't go very far. Moses is no. We got to go three days journey. All right, all right, go worship the Lord your God, but just leave your children. Moses is going on leave and her kids are coming with. That's all right, all right, go worship the Lord your God. Just leave your animals a Moses is listen.

Got a hook shall be left behind, you get nothing in immediate break with the Pharaoh. Just like we need to make a clean break with the devil ever going to follow Jesus Christ. But the Pharaoh still was resisting so the Lord's going to bring one severe judgment on him the death of the firstborn. Now this might seem harsh, cruel, and even extreme on the part of God, but for all practical purposes, the Pharaoh decided his own fate. Also, you might ask what Moses worn Pharaoh that he would be treated the same way he treated the Jews.

If not he would read what he so God said annexed to this for 22. Status of the Pharaoh thus says the Lord Israel is my son so I say to you, let my son go, that he may serve me, but if you refuse to let him go and eat. I will kill your son, your firstborn dog is very direct with this is my son, you let my son go or could you let my son go that I'm I'm coming after your son, so he was deciding his own faith.

He was gonna get a taste of his own medicine. Jesus said, with what measure or judgment you judge, you will be judged in the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. So Pharaoh drowned the Jewish baby boys and God was going to drown Pharaoh's army. So a lot of times these things that we try to inflict on others come right back on us. The Bible tells a story of a wicked man named Haman. He hatched a plot they have the Jewish race exterminated an unwitting in Arctic Xerxes went along with this plan and Arctic Xerxes is married. Of course, to Queen Esther, who was a Jew, she ended up pleading for the Jewish people and they were spare, but Haman had gallows bill to hang Mordecai's enemy, the uncle of Queen Esther, and as it turns out Haman hung on his own gallows careful, the trap you set for another. Maybe the trap that brings you down. The thing that Pharaoh was doing to the Jews now would come right back on him.

Intentions are reaching the breaking, Moses and Pharaoh more from Pastor Greg study 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 year to a promised conference at the LA Coliseum and Greg was speaking I slept 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 has been doing music I was listening to the league I was washing the way I see my language, although 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 more of Oso Parkway and the 405 and Pastor Grace had a message around lunchtime. I found his radio station. As I was listening to him as he had a message about the battle between the flesh and the 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, but the Christ victories. And so, here I am 25 years later my wife that involved in church just want to thank Pastor Grace for being faithful. Blessings to you and your ministry. We hear from. It's not only a blessing.

It also confirms that the program is touching. You can leave a message at 1-866-871-1144. Once again, 866-7111 44 Pastor Greg is explain God is about to render one more judgment on Pharaoh and his pastor Greg picks up the study. We see God had a plan to protect the Jews from that consequence. Now God gives instruction for the celebration of the first Passover. The Lord said, go three days journey of the land you have Passover and here's what it's all about Exodus 12 starting in verse one, while the Israelites are still in the land of Egypt, the Lord give the following instructions to Moses and Aaron. From now on. Lord says this month will be the first month of the year for you.

I know so the whole community of Israel that on the 10th day of this month. Each family must choose all land a young goat for a sacrifice. One animal for each household. The family is too small to eat a whole animal.

Let them share with another family in the neighborhood, divide the animal.

According to the size of each family and how much they can eat the animal you select must be a one-year-old male, either a cheaper ago and noted that. There so they were to offer to the Lord.

I hope the young lamb or goat and then they were to sacrifice that animal, and they were to take the blood of the animal and put it on their door pulse so imagine a doorway right here they were to take the blood from the lamb of the goat, but the blood on the left side of the blood on the right side, but the blood on the top of the door. What is it remind you of Jesus hanging there on the cross, the crown of thorns pressed on his brow nails driven through his right hand and his left and this is what Passover was pointing to. It was pointing to Jesus Christ and really the Old Testament is pointing to the New Testament. One revelation from Genesis to Revelation. There is not an Old Testament God in the New Testament God. It's one God and all of those Old Testament types and sacrifices all pointed to Jesus who would be the fulfillment of them as a lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world know people often misunderstand the ministry of Christ.

They think he was like you know the original hippie or something. He came to give flowers out get everybody dissing Kumbaya into beautiful teachings, but then something went horribly wrong. No, he came to give yes the greatest teachings ever given.

He came to perform miracles sure, but really the real reason he gave was to die for the sin of the world and be the Lamb of God who would bear our sin and that is why Scripture tells us that he is the Lamb slain from the foundations of the world, which means before there was a solar system before there was a planet called Earth in a garden called Eden in a couple known as Adam and Eve, a decision was made in the councils of eternity that God himself would come the planet earth to be born as a helpless little baby in a manger in Bethlehem, then he would live a perfect life, then he would die as our substitute on the cross and his precious blood would be shed. So what does Passover mean to us. Number one. The Passover is a new beginning. If you're taking notes. The Passover was for them and for us a new beginning, God starts by making this a new beginning for the nation of Israel.

Verse two this month will be the first month of the year for you.

Let me like cussing today were starting the year over again because it hasn't gone so well that God was there were starting the year over right now.

This is a new beginning. This is what it begins for you. Have you ever wish you could start all over again. Maybe in your marriage.

Maybe in your relationship with your children with friends someone you fallen out with will and the way you can because second Corinthians 517 says if any man be in Christ he is a new creation. All things are passed away.

All things become new as the Wii's translation puts it, which is translation from the original Greek. It goes as follows. Anyone who is in Christ is a creation human quality antiquated out of date things which do not belong to the new life in Christ are passed away behold all things are become fresh and new. You don't have to be crippled by your past anymore. You can put it behind you. I love how the Lord to send it starts now.

Doesn't matter what time of the year. It is a can all change because of the blood of the lamb number two, the Lamb, they were to kill was to be the very best was a land that was to be chosen and carefully examined.

According to verse three, with no defects that would still bring us sickly animal bring the finest and strongest why because we should give our very best to God right about an old farmer is very stingy. He was a churchgoer and he said to the preacher. I've just had to calves ornament to give one of them to the Lord. Pastor said what 20s that I decided yet. So we cast one of the calves got very sick and died. The old farmer showed up a day later with the dead calf draped over his arms and he said preacher I have bad news. The Lord's calf just died was dead by his will give this one to God meant that we often do we give our leftovers to God and Jesus Christ showed up at your house today for lunch. Would you give him leftovers. Okay, we got some food here devil's food cake. Probably not appropriate here.

Just eat this old burrito from three days ago note he would make a feast fit for a king. Just like Martha did when Jesus would show up in her all but often in life will give the Lord the leftovers I would call you right right were simple to pray will it's prayer only read the Bible. I did so many things I get to that eventually I'll get my finances so the Lord well I don't know I only have any money left. No, that's where the Bible says bring the firstfruits of your increase.

You do that first put God first in your blush. Jesus said seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you what to leave for drink, which aware put God first in your marriage and you watch how it changes, put God first in your finances in your watch.

Although change put God first in your relationships, put God first in your career, put him first.

Give the best nuts of the Lord said bring your best Greg Laurie good insight today from our study called a new beginning for a world changer there's more to come as this message continues to run a new beginning.

And if you are able to hear all of the inside.

Pastor Greg presented today you can catch up by listening to the program online@harvest.org, or by way of our harvest mobile app again.

The title is a new beginning for world changer and you can arrange to have a CD copy of the message sent your way by calling 1-800-821-3300 were here around the clock to take your call again at 1-800-821-3300 what were pleased to have Sally Lloyd Jones with us today. She's just released her new resource for the holidays called the Jesus storybook Bible, a Christmas collection and we're happy to make that available for listeners today? Sally the Christmas story is obviously so familiar. Maybe we've heard it so many times we stopped hearing it and II. What I love about what you've written here is as I read it I was just carried away with that. It was delightful and and you seem to have a way of coming that things not in the predictable way. One always expects and so when you put this product together in and wrote these words, what was your objective well. I love the idea that really united when it is Christmas begin. If we think it begins on Christmas morning. We've missed this incredible lead up because Christmas begins even before the world was made in God's heart because he knew the long everything and he ate. He went ahead and made it all knowing that even though we would break it. He would send his rescuer to save us and redeem everything and make everything more beautiful for having been so sad, and I think right now when a time when we need to hear that, especially that Christmas isn't just about Christmas Day Christmas is about every day because God can come into the darkest place and bring life and I think you know with the coronavirus were going into our first Christmas with covert, 19 children have been dramatically affected by this many cases not being able to go back to school their whole life is been upended into but you know you can cancel Christmas. I mean, maybe we won't have all of the pressure in the shopping issues and all the things that can kind of clutter Christmas that we've had in the past but maybe in the way will see it with new eyes and get back to the essential message of why Jesus came to this earth in the first place. I think that would be an amazing good coming out of such suffering, because I think this year we will longing so going back to normal, whatever that is that perhaps we don't. Perhaps what we can get back to something more amazing and will come out of this time been changed so that we can just get back to normal week we move on with the terrace view of you know what this life is because what's really happened is we've everything that we relied on is been taken away and I had someone say this funny thing that God sent his soul to my rooms to think about things kind of funny that kind of in my own experience. Very true.

You know I started this time thinking oh I'm just gonna get lots of things down.

I'm going to in a specimen finished that and very soon, Mike. I'm sure many of us realized but that might not be the best use of this time if I just do everything is normal. Want to find none.

None.

Maybe this is an opportunity that if we have the luxury of being able to be well during this time. Perhaps there is an opportunity here and so I have. I had Christmas for children this year is much more amazing than Appa because it will address for is that they have in their hearts enough and was not the message of the angels to the shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night. Fear not cursing again angels often said fear not because I think when angels appeared people were friendly and his angels.

A magnificent being that we need to hear that you're not message, maybe more than ever.

Don't wait. Yeah, I do remember the number may be remember this but I always think it's funny that when you know whenever God shows up with this and Angela something they didn't say hello how are you. So God loves you they always say Tempe freight that's the thing they say maced and it's kind of comforting because it's not surprising to God that we scanned with very scanned. When little sheep we don't know and we Very scared, but he knows he knows that that's to me that's a big comforting message of Christmas Tempe freight that's right. So if you want to bring that comforting message of Christmas. Do not be afraid to your family to your children. We are offering a resource we've never offered before. It's called the Jesus storybook Bible, a Christmas collection beautifully written amazing illustrations and a little button you can push on various pages to hear the voice of actor David since Jay read to you Scriptures. This would be quite expensive if you went out into a store and purchased it. But we are offering it to our listeners for your gift of any size. We ask it is send a generous gift because it helps us continue on to bring this radio broadcast, teach the word of God proclaim the gospel and for your gift of any size will rush to your copy of the Jesus storybook Bible Christmas collection written by our friend Sally Lloyd Jones. Yeah, that's right. And we hope you'll contact us today and thanks so much for your investment in touching lives, especially here is the holidays approach and if the Lord is leading you to support this outreach on a regular basis. Ask about becoming a harvest partner you can write us at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org Pastor Greg comes back with more insights on Passover and how it relates to our walk with the Lord here in the 21st century. Be sure to tune in and before we go.

Here's pastor Greg once again from today's message a new beginning for a world changer ever watch that show on TV called fixer upper. I like that show Chip and Joanne against other Christians.

By the way, you probably knew that and go to these old homes. It seems like most of Martin, Waco, Texas, and that sometimes it's a young couple getting their first house are. It might be a retired couple and they'll go in and look at this old house and given choices.

Which one you want to pick one of the homes and then you know a Joanne.

It was an incredible designer comes up with these amazing plans and and then ships the builder and so they work together and then they do the reveal and they'll take that old home and in front of the Harvard giant photograph of the way their home used to look and then the gun in each side and pull it apart for the great reveal. And there's a new home and you can't believe it's the same place and then they'll show you what they did in the flashback to the way it looked before and it seems like Joanna Gaines is very fond of ship lap. She uses that a lot you know it's a sort of a white family which does look great.

I have to say, but does so it's all think God can do that for your life. There would not stop when it's broken down and it's falling apart to become you rest in Jesus Christ.

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