Wasted Potential of a World Changer: Why We Need to Finish Well

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 KNOW know God.org he would you do me a favor sure this message was someone who needs to hear it anymore. The start of the day would you do this on this virtual state.

You will be when you go read the sidebar story will spirit coming up to pastor Greg Moore reported out it's never too late to do what's right. It's never too late to fully surrender or show this out enough to just know what is wrong or even to be used by God on unique finish this race. She reversible a Lincoln lost a number of elections nomination job want to lose money sweetheart, but eventually became perhaps her most memorable present in the Bible is replete with failures became successful today on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie shows this is not how you start the you finish that matter. Pastor Greg continues his series called Rob our Bible to Judges chapter 60 the title of my messages. The wasted potential of a world changer regarding what an amazing beginning but not a great Andy and in fact I have to admit I'm even a little surprising made it into the heroes, all of faith of Hebrews 11 the Google images mentioned among other names.

Sampson just included a lesson we decide our story will and spiritual.

You don't decide the day of your death any more than you decided the day of your birth. You don't decide how you will die or where you will die, but you do decide this virtual state. You will be in when you.we don't know when that they will come single God decides that no actually, you decide that God want to close to him. God want you in friendship and fellowship and intimacy with them, but that's my choice to have that relationship with the Lord, are not. They have the relationship with the Lord and here Sampson who had a great beginning.

I mean, he had super human qualities physically there was none stronger in God's spirit came upon Sampson to make a stand in a very dark time in the history of Israel similar to Gideons time.

Everyone was doing what was right on the road on in the Bible also says in judges that the word of the Lord was scarce in those days, so Sampson was dedicated to the Lord and the God wanted him to take the bow of an Nazirite, among other things, that meant that you would never drink alcohol and secondly that you would grow your Hera, but no sooner does he get started. When he starts doing the wrong thing. The double size them up down this Achilles' heel and came up with a hack. I know how to get this guy and he designed special instrument to bring Sampson down and her name was Delilah. By the way the word Delilah means delicate so this beautiful delicate feminine probably petite girl comes up to Sampson and he's attracted to her and this proved to be his undoing. So let's look at the story, no Judges 16 starting in verse four of the way meeting from the new living translation afterward. It happened that he loved a woman of the Valley of sora, whose name was Delilah, the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her entice him and find out where his great strength lies and by what means we may overpower them so we can bind him to afflict him and everyone of us will give you 1100 pieces of silver. So Delilah said to Sampson. Please tell me where your great strength lies in with what you may be bound to afflict you, Sampson said if they buy me with seven fresh bowstrings not yet tried all become weak like any other man so the lords of the Philistines brought up for the seven fresh bowstrings and their lying in wait and staying with her in the room and she said on the Philistines, or upon your Sampson penny broke the bowstrings is a strand of yard breaks when it touches fire so the secret of his strength was not no.

There, but she would not give up. She kept tormenting them. She kept nagging him and now she goes in for the kill. Go back to Judges 16 verse 15 then Delilah pouted, how can you say you love me when you won't confide in me. You made fun of me three times out. You still haven't told me what makes you so strong, so day after day she nagged him until he couldn't stand it any longer. Finally Sampson told her his secret by hair has never been cut to confess, I was dedicated to God as an Nazirite from birth of my head were shaved my strength would leave me that I would become weak as anyone else. Delilah realized he finally told her the truth so she sent for the Philistine leaders come back one more time he's told me everything so the Philistine leaders return and brought the money with them and she lulled Sampson to sleep with this head in her lap and she called to Amanda shave off his ear making his capture certain in his strength left then cigarette out Sampson the postseason come to capture you and he will come about all do as I have a foreign sick myself free, but he didn't realize the Lord had left underling that works. He didn't realize the Lord had left so the Philistines captured him and jogs out his eyes and they took him to Giza where he was bound with bronze chains and made to grind grain in the prison. There, while what a sad story.

If Sampson were running a race he would've just fallen and fallen hard it would appear he would never get up again with what Delilah system in verse 15 if you love me you'll do this lesson that this any person who would ask you to compromise your principles as a believer to prove your love does not really love you okay so some guy says to you girls, if you love me you'll go all the way with me in love you. He's a dog. Hey, if you love me alive for me. If you love me you'll cover for me and win a second. Don't ask me to compromise my principles to prove my love fact of the matter is that I love you. I'll tell you the truth, because the Bible says open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. I think we completely misunderstand.

Love sometimes and we confuse lust for love and wisdom amazing to me is he's comfortable enough with Delilah to fall asleep in her lap. Talk about sleeping with the enemy and then this sad statement.

Verse 20 he didn't realize the Lord had left him see this is what happens to people when they get caught up in sin, they think everyone's against them. No one understands them.

Everyone's judging them. You don't get it.

I'm different know you're not different. Were all the same were all vulnerable world capable of doing crazy stuff we have to know that about ourselves and you can come under the sway influence in intoxicating effects of sin.

If you're not careful. And that's what was happening now to Sampson.

He thought he would shake himself free as he had done on other times.

And that reminds us of something, send blinds you find you and it grind you to the Philistines took Sampson jumpstart a size done with bronze chains and he was grinding grain in the prison. Send blinds you find you and write you first sin blinds you you do irrational things for men course you to observe walking away from their wives love them, their children to grow some stupid fling for the women abandoning their families to go find themselves. You know, crazy stuff and blind you to the truth. It seems so appealing at first but then you know you find yourself trapped number two. Sin finds you, what does that mean the Bible says your sin will find you.

I know you're getting away with it right now but it's going to catch up with you sooner or later you know there's an euphoric like excitement the first time you cross a line with that person. After their first sexual encounter after you visit that first the illicit website or after you steal that object as it got away with it was fun. Sin can be fun tempted right the Bible speaks of the pleasures of sin for a season for a season. For a time there's a little bit of a rush, but now here comes the repercussions like a ton of bricks crashing down on you and that's what we don't think about how I'm having fun.

They lie the light to me man. It's fun and not lying to its fun and then it kills you. So if your dumb without go for it, but I think we would like to ignore the other problem never get caught. No one will ever know will never face the repercussions of sin blinds you then sin finds you and then sin grind you then there's the repercussion of sin, broken families, betrayed trust damage witness and reputation devastated children with deep wounds that they may carry for the rest of their lives.

Hey who cares about that. What about your needs. Right.

That's what will say that's what sin is wrong.

Morning about sin and some of Pastor Greg's most heartfelt counsel is straightahead, so stay tuned. Everybody Greg Laurie here in 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 ticket with you and be ministered to every weekend.

Join us for Harvest at Home@harvest.org now.

Pastor Greg continues his look at the downfall of the great strongman Sampson in his message called wasted potential of a world changer God gave Sampson a second chance by the way, verse 22 of Judges 16 is a life verse for all bald men.

However, the hair of his head began to grow again after he had been shaven. I haven't read this verse I hold the Bible to my have a say Lord loaded be even now in the year. Bald servant Greg. Let me begin to grow sir began to grow again. A love that she Sampson was learning he he was learning the hard way. So here is down grinding the week you know the mill going around in circles is either gone. Can't see anything chair shape of certain grow back, so one day the Philistines or have a big trunk and feast to worship the false god Dagon. By the way Dagon was half fish and half man, sort of a merman silver mermaid was a merman and her legs were so bad. Let's worship Dagon yeah some Philistine had the stupidest idea and all of Philistines history. Let's bring up that Sampson drive for entertainment. You know you have never the sprinkler so they bring up Sampson to heirs's not looking around again see a thing. The little boy next almost servant kidney says son would you show me with the foundational pillars of this temple are in the little boy said share, and he walks over to Hannah one Tillery puts a hand on the other nieces, Lord, give me strength to do this one less time and he pushes and the pillars come apart in the floor above collapses and thousands of Philistines were partying away worshiping a false God follow their deaths and the ends up killing more Philistines in the end that he had killed in his entire career.

If you will.

So in a way it was a victory, but of course the sad part is he died with the Philistines. Remember, God said he would begin to deliver Israel. Unfortunately, he didn't finish the job he started yet a great beginning.

Not a great ending, but God did give him a second chance. So let's learn the lesson of Sampson is not enough to just notice right or even to be used by God for a time you need to finish this race. Let me say this. Maybe some of you is that why it's too late for me.

I've made so many mistakes in I'm in this mess. The family and I know the same bad things that my mom and dad that I'm gonna do and then my kids are going to do and there's no way to break the cycle of said I'm telling you, Jesus can change her story he could change her story that I've a great illustration for that because I've a letter that I received recently from a listener.

Her name is Lisa. The little bit long but stay with me. I think you'll agree with me that this is an amazing story. Lisa right. Let me tell you how your ministry has changed my life. I grew up in an alcoholic home. My parents were alcoholics. My father was abusive to my mother. I was the second child of four.

I had an older sister and younger sister and younger brother. And we were brought up as Catholics, but I never knew anything about salvation or having a relationship with Jesus Christ when I was nine years old, my mother, father and younger sister were in an alcohol-related car accident in March 1987, my father and younger sister passed away.

My mother was in critical condition for several months. I just like going to the hospital to visit her having to see all the tubes and wires and bandages. I barely recognized her. My mother recovered after the doctor said she would walk again.

Unfortunately, after her recovery.

She continued with her drinking and binge, not caring for the three children.

Her three children that remained alive, I believe because of the hurt, pain and difficult life.

We had my older sister then committed suicide at the age of 22 this story is just going from bad to worse. This hurt me very much.

Lisa writes I felt hurt alone like no one care. I would think. Why was I created to endure all this pain and hurt to be left alone.

I often have thoughts of suicide. My brother was being cared for by my uncle and his family and my mom continued her drinking and I pretty much grew up on my own I finish school, but I got pregnant at a young age and then in 1997. My mom was driving drunk and she killed a woman. She was charged with vehicular homicide was sent to prison.

While it's is going down. God loves to interrupt stories like this, but it was during this time that she was incarcerated she began to listen to Christian radio and you are one of the one she would listen to.

She listened and listened until one night she cried out to God and surrendered her life to Jesus, praise God.

She's now a born-again Christian. She's been serving the Lord faithfully in the Lord is in great things in her life that she fasted and prayed for my salvation for five years and in 2003 I gave my life to the Lord. I remember my mother saying she would listen to on the radio every day if she had heard the message and gotten saved. I don't think I would be say thank you for your faithfulness to God and listen to what she says. I lost two sisters, but the Lord is given me many sisters in Christ.

I'm thankful for what Jesus has done for me on the cross. God bless you and harvest ministry is not a great start to start the people talk about generational curses as a curse on your family and there's no way to break the curse nonsense. There's no generational curses when Jesus died on the cross.

All curses all sin was broken. When you put your faith in Christ you're free from I don't need to go over my story you know what my mom was an alcoholic. My mom was rated it were seven times if statistics went their natural direction I would've been divorced multiple times by now I'd probably be a drunk and slurring my words. I would be a pretrial toy that got interrupted my story and he turned my mess into a message and he did the same for Lisa and he can do the same for you and I don't care what trouble you've got yourself into several Greg. I've been the worst decisions in the worst decisions on top of that. Okay right to own it admitted as God to help cry out to God. Just like Lisa's mom did cry out to God, the Lord will hear you. The Lord will answer your prayer and God will change your story. Let me go back to one point been a close, we read that Sampson did not know the Lord had left. He did not know the Lord is left see in the Old Testament and the old covenant with God would speak to a person.

It was different than how it is in the new covenant in our relationship with God in the Old Testament the spirit of God might come upon a person, God might speak to a person, but in this case, the Lord left Sampson but the good news is when you're a Christian, Jesus says I will never ever leave you or forsake you. God will never leave you ever God will never leave you no matter what you have done. But listen to this. You can leave him, God will leave you but you can leave him.

I sometimes talk to my wife, if you ever leave me. I'm going with you so you know it's hard to leave someone if they go with right so God will abandon you. But you can abandon God and maybe you've done that you know you raised in the church or you made a commitment to Christ in you got involved in some messed up thing in an affair or some you're involved in drugs or what you come back the stuff you never thought you go back to again you're dealing with addiction issues and substance abuse issues or other things. You know those are so many crazy things we can get ourselves into everything.

I think I know how to get out of this. You need to call out to the Lord. I love what Jesus says of the church of Ephesus. He says you've left your first love seated left God and leave them but they left him. He says you left your first love. But remember from where you will fall and repent and do the first works quickly, so the 3R's are getting right with God. Remember, repent, repeat number one. Remember, remember, it was better before your life was better before when you're walking closely with Jesus.

Remember that as a point of reference number two repent. That means paying a U-turn. Admit your sin. Don't blame others for it.

Stop rationalizing it admitted repentance. God says if you repent you will be cleansed and then thirdly repeat go back and do the things you used to do remember when used to start each day reading the Bible. Remember when used to have a prayer life. Remember when you are actively involved in the church do that again.

But here's the thing, you can come back to him today and some of you may need to do that. But there are some hear that have never put their faith in Jesus and maybe you're reaping the consequences of bad decisions right now.

Maybe that's why you're a church family. Glad you're here and you're welcome here and we want to help you. Maybe you don't have a crisis in your life but you just become very aware of the fact that you're a sinner separated from God and you need your sins forgiven because you want to go to heaven when you die Jesus to die on the cross and rose again from the dead stands at the door of your life in the Knox and says if you hear his voice and open the door will come in. I like to give you an opportunity to believe in Jesus.

Let's all bow our heads for prayer father I pray for any that are here with us any that are listening or watching wherever they are, speak to their hearts now and help them to see their need for you and help them to come to you.

We would important word of prayer today here on a new beginning. And if you like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord. Pastor Greg will help you do that in just a moment. So stay with us and if you weren't able to hear every word of today's message. You can hear it again online. Just go to harvest.org look for the title wasted potential of a world changer or listen by way of our harvest mobile app and for CD copy, just call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300 and then we want to mention a resource for highlighting right now the Jesus storybook Bible, a Christmas collection by author Sally Lloyd Jones, Pastor Grace what Kathy is with us today Kathy you're a mother and a grandmother and you know years ago you read stories to your two boys and more recently you've read stories to your five grandkids.

So when a certain resource gets the Kathy Lori seal of approval. It's worth mentioning and and you want to highlight such a book today don't oh, don't get me started on Sally Lloyd Jones said her butt and I discovered Sally's Jesus storybook Bible gully so many years ago. It has become a favorite in our home and it tries minister to my heart so many times and I think that if I could say this, she is my favorite children's author.

I love everything she writes I and I think it's just brilliant house. She has created a resource for families at this time because he believes that this whole season of connate we need to pour into our children.

Parents need to take that incredible privilege and responsibility in informing their kids.

It's been difficult to this because a lot of children's ministries see church has been shut down, nor was the opportunity to take hold of that responsibility ourselves. His mom's grandmother's grandfathers that we would take on this and Kennedy just say that although Sally is writing with a child in mind and they choose that she is able to articulate our damages profound they are. They are deep. They are rich and that in the story of Jesus coming into the world to fix his broken creation is so appropriate right now because we look at things all around us, and there is such heartbreaking things had been taken and things had been lost that we held onto you and rethinking. Is there a way forward that we see that so beautifully played out in the story of redemption that God decision taken by surprise. He knew exactly what we would be facing and he is shown us in his word and if he can take the brokenness of creation, restore and redeem it on to the work of his son, Jesus, and coming into this world. He can do that for us in our individual lives as well. That's right.

So if you want to bring that comforting message 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 sis Jay read to you Scriptures. Mary and Joseph have to take a trip to Bethlehem the town of King David was from when they reached the little town they found every room was full and free.

That was taken is called the Jesus storybook Bible, a Christmas collection. 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 then 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. That's right, we have a copy here waiting for you. Get in touch right away so we can get it on its way and thank you for your generosity and investing some of these daily programs can continue touching lives. You can write a set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We are here to take your call around-the-clock, seven days a week. Again, dial 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org then the pastor Greg just before we go. Would you mind praying with the person listening who wants to make a change today in a relationship with the Lord. I'd be happy to Dave you know is you been listening to this today.

Maybe you've heard another voice. By that I mean, you heard me say a few things, but you heard God's voice speak to you deep in the recesses of your heart and it suddenly dawned in you. This is what I need order stated more accurately.

This is who I need I need Jesus. And I want Jesus, but maybe you don't know how to make that connection. Let me help you pray this after me right now if you want Jesus Christ to comedy your life Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sin and I need your forgiveness right now. Would you come in to my heart, my life as Savior, as God as friend. I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for calling me and accepting me and for giving me an Jesus name I pray, amen. I know there was a relatively short prayer. Maybe you felt something as you prayed it. Maybe you felt nothing, that doesn't really matter because God's word 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. It doesn't say so. You may think you have it or you may hope you have it of gods in a good mood. No that you can know it and I want you to know if you pray that prayer and minute Jesus Christ, the son of God has come into your life. So congratulations, you're now a Christian now continue to follow the Lord Yen to help you as you do that would like to send you some resource materials we call our new believers growth packet it will answer many of the questions you might have and get you started in your new relationship with the Lord to contact us and ask for will send it free of charge. Again, it's the new believers growth packet available when you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or our phone number is 1-800-821-3300. We are here around-the-clock, seven days a week to take your phone call that's 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org and click on know God when next I pastor Greg continues his inspiring series called world changers and helps us consider the life of King David is a message called the ups and downs and world change that's next time on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org