The Ups & Downs & Ups of a World Changer: How God Uses Imperfect People

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God check out virtue our website for Christian women go to harvest.org/virtue you will know the Lord would you a lot to say about how you will read what you will look for God uses ordinary world no matter what you and your passion for your bridge and bring glory to God confusion. God is looking for talented people looking for available people God could do extraordinary things very very people people just like you ridiculously tell. Maybe they play a musical with paint fiber decorated profession, or they can hit a baseball into the next ship and us were spectacularly new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out just who God is looking for because where we can God, the Lord loves to do ridiculously remarkable things to remember. This series is based Hebrews chapter 11, which is a record of world changers great men and women of faith that impacted their culture ordinary people, people just like snow the character within the lookout of this message will everyone knew his story and it's interesting because in Hebrews 11. Very little is said about affect his name is mentioned but everyone knew the story of this man.

I'm talking about King David King David in battle he was fearless and wisdom. He ruled his kingdom without care. So it's not surprising to find him in the Carrows Hall of Fame because he really was a world changer but David was like the perfectly balanced man okay. He was masculine. He was tough as nails. He was a warrior. He was a poet. He was a musician.

He had a tender heart toward God.

He was really the greatest king in the history of the nation of Israel, and he also found himself in the messianic line of Jesus Christ.

Listen to this God himself said of David. He's a man after my own heart. Oh my, that's quite a compliment to have the Lord himself said that's an interesting expression, I might see a guy chowing down on a burger and I'll say to my wife. Now that's a man after my own heart annoy me when I say that I mean that that's what I like to do that, guys like me. So the Lord is saying David he's a man after my own heart incredible event when our Lord walked this earth, he identified himself as Jesus the son of David, he could've just as easily said Jesus the son of the descendent of Abraham, or the son of Noah, or the son of Adam, but no Christ identified himself as the son of David, because that was limited. She connected back to David. Having said all these nice things about him after also say David was far from a perfect man, far from perfect. Back to names come to mind when you think of David. It's David and Goliath and David and yeah you know, we all know one was his greatest victory. The other is greatest defeat and that sort of sums his life. So let's look now at the ups and the downs of the ups of a world changer looks look at the rise of David.

He was the least expected man of the most unexpected man I should say to ascend to the throne of Israel. But here's what happened. God chose a guiding King Saul. Maybe I should say the people chose. He was the People's choice, they, like Saul, Saul, had a chiseled face.

He had great height. He stood taller than everybody else.

He was sort of charismatic and any look like he would be a good king. At first, but it wasn't long until he was filled with pride. It was blatantly disobeying God. The Lord warned the men Saul Disobeying upon the Lord that you're done, to replace you. So the Lord directed the prophet Samuel to go to the city of Bethlehem because they're in this little city was a man named Jesse that had some sons and the Lord said to Samuel, one of his sons as the next king of Israel. I'll tell you who when you get there so Samuel shows up and down. Everybody turns out that they didn't have Internet or television. This is a big thing all profits in town so they're all there watching him and and there is Jesse with this seven incredible sons the magnificent seven right there so Samuel figure 1 of these boys and he looks at each one of the Lord said it's not him. It's not him without him and then finally Samuel stops in front of Eli have the tallest of the sons of Jesse who probably reminded him of Saul. Samuel, this is surely one of the Lord to stop judging according to outward appearance. I look on the heart. He's not the one. So I presume looking at all of the son Samuel says the Lord is a chosen any of these sons given the other sons yeah this is Jesse one another, but he's a little weird. He hangs out on the field he watches his little flock.

Is she he's a musician that explains a lot.

He sings songs about God will bring them in here the profit the Manso incomes. David reddish hair color. Probably freckles on his face full of vim and vigor. I don't you know what vim and vigor are but I'm sure you got it. And the Lord says that's my boy and so right there on the spot. Samuel pours oil and David said, symbolizing this is the next king of Israel.

The people watching probably thought that Samuel was going senile.

Are you kidding me here. I'm not Eli after one of the other side of your choosing. David of all people, but it shows that God sees things differently than we do. That brings me to my first point about being a world changer God uses ordinary people to change the world contrast. David was Saul.

Saul was loved by his parents, stable home, David was forgotten and ignored by his parents. He was the polar opposite of Saul. Saul stood head and shoulders above everybody else. David was just an ordinary Shepherd but chosen by God. What you think God seems to go out of his way to choose well most unqualified people to very simple answer so he'll get the glory to God is looking for talented people are gifted people are handsome people in the same.

He will use those people that I'm saying. God is looking for available people, and God can do a lot with a little and God can do extraordinary things through very ordinary people.

People just like so that was David and why does the Lord do it this way. First Corinthians 126 is the answer and says remember brothers and sisters. Very few of your wives in the world sized God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame. Those that think they are wise. Listen, you have nothing to say about what family you were born into.

You have nothing to say about the circumstances you're facing right now. You have nothing to say about the hand you have been dealt in life, but you have a lot to say about how you will react and what you will live for to you can control your circumstances. I've tried that doesn't work, but I can control my reaction to the circumstances, I'm the one who decides of all honor God broke all be angry with God. I'm the one to decide the ball be better or better. David said you know what my family doesn't care much about me. My dad won't even acknowledge me, but I'm in honor God that brings me to point number two world changers are focus on what really matters in life world changers are focus on what really matters in life for a real insight into who David was just read the Psalms understand Psalms were songs. Okay, something David is a singer-songwriter right you know walk around with his guitar. Monica Bob Dylan style. Whatever whatever in the person you want to insert there that you would think is a good singer-songwriter and he wrote songs about God. In fact, he would he would express his love for God, some 34 aces all bless the Lord at all times. His praise will continually be in my mouth and he was focused. He wrote in Psalm 57. My heart is fixed. Oh God, my heart is fixed, which meant that he had fixed his heart on God or he knew where he was going. He knew what was most important. He put the Lord first in this life.

You remember that film that was out in the 90s called city Slickers. Anybody remember the film a Billy Crystal was in it he played a character a name mensch who is looking for meaning and purpose in his life having some friction in this marriage, so he goes to a dude ranch and he's herding cattle and their why he's doing that he needs a living, breathing, cowboy named Curly very effectively played by Jack Palance, and you know Curly's as tough as nails and they're out writing one day in and Curly's up there and is horse you know in this cowboy hat on and Billy Crystal's on the smaller horse a little baseball Bonded and Curly turns to Billy's character and he says you want to know what the secret of life is an Billy's character looks at us and then Curly does this, he says it's just one thing just one thing to Billy's character says one thing, what's the one thing and then Curly says that's what you have to find out what other Curly was on the something was any.

It is just one thing and David knew what that one thing was that he wrote about it in Psalm 27 for he said one thing provide desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. He had that one thing going and he knew what really mattered in life. In a moment.

We'll see this world changer name the had moments of triumph and moments of defeat what we can learn from the ups and downs of David, just a moment. We hear from so many people find Christ through the studies some tough times faster. Greg 32 years ago I lost a great job which included many material things I was following my own plan and not God's will and I ended up in jail after being released. I became a trucker and if now recommitted my life to Christ through your ministry. Thank you Pastor Greg for your teachings since my recommitment I been able to leave my son and other children to Christ. I now believe that the things that happened in my earlier life and brought me closer to God's will is better than mine. I will lift my hands. I think the Lord every day for his word and for your teachings. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me were so happy.

These daily studies are touching and changing lives. And if your life is been changed. Would you tell us your story: 1-866-871-1144. That's 866-871-1144 reconsidering the example of the world changer name David today as Pastor Greg brings us a message with an interesting title the ups and downs and ups of the world changer was continue. Point number three world changers are faithful in the little things. So God gives them bigger things world changers are faithful and little things.

So God gives them big thing get what was David's responsibility watching this flock to see everything about this your David got on the field tending your flaw.

Your call.

Then you meet the prophet Samuel, the poor soil on your head. He says you're the next king of Israel.

Now your brother say to even more than they did before me this go back to your blog to see no crown was given to him no stretch chariot was Secret Service protection was waiting.

Just everything back to normal so the watch to see that he was a good Shepherd. I guess it watch as she that's where a lot of the Psalms would come from us or watching them one day. Just thinking about how dependent they were on him how he needed to take them to the strings to get them to drink, he thought, you know what the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul he anoints my head with only thinking about these things.

Watching the sheep and I'll tell you what any creditor comes along that predators going down fast, David would take it out.

He was very adept with that sling and that stone and he would kill bears and lions and he was faithful someone as dad says son I want to go visit your brothers are out there in the military on the front lines facing up of the Philistines. The father says take some bread and cheese to your brother so effectively. David is making a pizza delivery notice pizza it's bread and cheese very artfully done, I might add, doing little pepperoni. It's even better, but really he's delivering pizza so he shows up at his brother say Evan and Eli have his older brother still ticked off that he was not going to coexist call you left your little flock of sheep to come see with the big boys are doing they would look around when who's that guy down there and there down in the valley of the law was as oversize men. 96 inches of solid muscle covered in body armor with a massive sword asking for someone to come by again saying come find me and if I lose will serve you. But if you lose, you will serve us and everyone was terrified, including David's brother Eli up including King Saul. David says I'll take him on you and what army old me in the Lord is on looking at that giant in the light of God. I'm not looking at God in the light of that giant David picked up that stone he got it sling around and he got the momentum and let it fly that ship the giant in the forget and Goliath came crashing to the ground. That was the rise of David. Now the fall of David second Samuel 11. The following spring the time of the year when kings go to war.

David said job in the Israelite army to destroy the ammonites and in the process they laid siege to the city of Rob.

David stayed behind in Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, David got out of bed after taking a nap and went for a stroll in the roof of his followers.

He looked over that city and he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was and he was told she's Bathsheba, the daughter of Eli and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.

Then David said for her when she came to the palace. He slept with her. Then she returned home and will Bathsheba discovered she was pregnant. She sent a message to inform Dave. There David was around 50 at this point given ruling Israel for 20 years. He had gone from victory to victory. He had distinguished himself in so many ways men of God, skilled musician gifted poet writing Psalms appraise a wise and compassionate ruler and a man of great courage. He was on an absolute role and that's when the devil hit he know this when things are going really well, that usually when the devil hit see when you're going to crisis your dependent upon God. But here's the problem when there is no illness when there are no unpaid bills when there is not a crisis. Your facing sometimes were not hanging to the Lord as tightly as we were before securing a hardship and you think this is bad. Maybe this is one of the best times of your life because you've never been closer to Christ.

Think about a sewing David was facing a giant he was trusting in the Lord when David was running through Saul who was hunting them down like a wild dog he was calling out to God when he was anointed as the king and ascended to the throne. He prayed for God's help, but 20 years of gone by that things have gone well and David's got a kick and back and taking sort of a spiritual vacation from God which never works so the devil get them. What will the devil hit us what we are the most vulnerable. Let me point out David it sets himself up for this particular attack because second Samuel five tells us in direct disobedience to God.

David took concubines after he became king of you're young and you don't know what that is.

Ask your parents later and in Deuteronomy 17 the king was told never do this. Never take concubines. Why, because the Lord said, because your heart will turn away. That's what was happening. The David his heart was slowly but surely turning away from God skill outside of that one thing. Now it was too many things to most of those were the wrong things and he was being consumed by loss. Listen God gave you a sexual desire.

He created sex. I think we know this right and he wants to bless sex and he will bless it in the safety of a marriage relationship is in the Scripture even says drink water from your own well and be satisfied with the wife of your youth of the husband of your youth. Be faithful to your partner live in a monogamous relationship. The Lord will bless what David was pulling his mind with lust and so when you do that, it's just going to get worse. Listen, you don't feed lust. You starve it and David had been feeding this lust with all these concubines and one thing was leading to another. So one warm spring night when the soldiers went to war, David went to bed.

He was in bed when he should have been a battle he was staying up late, sleeping in and being physically and spiritually lazy and now the attack comes, he sees the beautiful Bathsheba bathing herself. Who is that woman to one of the servants comes up first think she's Bathsheba, the daughter of Eli M. The wife of Uriah the Hittite menu. Can you give the serving credit, he knew exactly what was going on with David. You know it.

Here's an interesting thing to consider, sometimes other people have a better sense of what were doing the we have see this sermon you, David. He knew David was a womanizer and he knew what David saw, excuse me, sire as she is the wife of Uriah the Hittite.

In other words, she's married and you're married. So forget about it. Yeah whatever bring her up there right now gave the order God was putting a roadblock in David's life to not send in God puts robots up in our life.

Have you ever notice when you try to do something wrong that doesn't make it easy for you.

He makes it hard. That's why they get so ridiculous when someone says I just fell into adultery really just like that skillet tripping over a rock. Looks or I am an adult 800. This happened how did they end up in the bed of another person.

How did this happen. Did you just fall into the hotel room or wherever, why me, give me a break didn't fall in anything you plan it you plodded forward and you executed it and then you will like the cover it up over and over again. You don't just fall into it, you gotta jump through a lot of hoops to end up in the situation.

David pointing out what led to David's grateful, but thankfully the story didn't end there. And there's more to come in this message. Called the ups and downs and ups of a world changer, but if you like a permanent copy of the full message presented today here on a new beginning you can do that@harvest.org you can download the full MP3 or ask for the CD when you call us at 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 hour phone number so call right now.

1-800-821-3300 Prof. Greg I was thinking the other day about power steering you know what a marvelous invention it is you know you can change the direction of a 2 ton car with just a one finger turn of the steering wheel get on us what Christmas is coming when the mega-billion-dollar retail industry is poised to steer our kids toward the latest toy your gizmo and we might need a little power steering to turn them back toward Christ if you might have a suggestion for us today but I just happen to have a really good suggestion. I called the Jesus story book Bible Christmas collection of stories, songs and reflections for the Advent season written by our good friend Sally Lloyd Jones. This is absolutely delightful. Sally is a prolific writer and is especially effective in communicating with the little ones and she has done it again in this amazing new project which actually has some interactive features so it kind of addresses that need for gadgetry a little bit because not only do you have her text as she tells the Christmas story in a way that only she does.

It's is so simple and profound and at times you smile and in its just very effectively written, but there are interactive moments or you compress a little button and you hear the voice of the tremendous actor David Sue Shea and I pronouncing his name correctly, Sally. Yes, you absolutely yeah and he plays Kathy what is the rhyme here with my wife Kathy and Sally. I went to see inspector and he pronounces name to kill plan out yet who pocketed up pirate LL Ro and that is a great actor and he has faith in Christ and he lends his impressive voice to this projects up here so it's a beautifully illustrated piece of work I illustrations by Jago and he's worked on. He also did the illustration for the Jesus story book Bible did he not yes absolutely right so beautifully illustrated written so perfectly and then that you push the button and you hear this voice say the following outputs the button right now. Everything was ready the moment.

Gotta be waiting for was here last.

God was coming to help his people, just as he promised in the beginning but how would he come what would he be like, what would he do that is the voice of renowned Dr. David Sue Shea, one of the interactive features in this new resource were making available called the Jesus story book Bible Christmas collection by Sally Lloyd Jones and would like to send this your way for your kids, your grandkids really any child you know who needs a touch of wonder and needs to know God cares for them this Christmas season will send it to say thank you for your generous donation to help keep these daily studies coming your way around the station to contact us today at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call around-the-clock 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org 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 be ministered to every weekend. Join us for Harvest at Home@harvest.org when next I pastor Greg comes back with more insights from the life of King David from the series called world changers will come back to join us next time you're 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 and harvest.org