The Ups & Downs & Ups of a World Changer: Why We Need Spiritual Momentum

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by some special friends of this ministry. Pastor Greg wanted to see a special word of thanks to the harvest partners who make this ministry possible next time your online check out Pastor Greg's personal blog@blog.greglaurie.com is your life should not be the Christian life should be in prison 01 of the Lord so good. Stop today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie helps us find consistency and fervency in our faith and helps us export it should be about worship you out of the to be a world change in the growth it takes consistent forward momentum progress in our walk with God and yet we see a number of our spiritual forefathers today on the new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie shows us the ups and downs of the life of David is known for two stories is great victory over Goliath is grateful today states and chart a course for consistency were to just today second Samuel 11 in Psalm 32 second Samuel 11 in Psalm 32 of the title of the message is the and down and up all the world changer the character with a 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. David was just an ordinary shepherd boy but world changers are faithful in the little things. So God gives them bigger thing. What was David's responsibility. Watching this democracy thing about this your David got on the field tending your flock. Your call. Then you meet the prophet Samuel pours oil on your head. He says you're the next king of Israel go back to your blog to see no crown was given to him. No struts chariot was Secret Service protection was waiting. Just everything back to normal so the watch to see that he was a good Shepherd. But I'll tell you what any predator comes along the predators going down fast, David would take it out. He was very adept with that sling and that stone and he would kill errors in liens 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 he shows up at his brother Stephen and Eli have his older brother still ticked off that he was not going to coexist all have 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, including King Saul. David says I'll take him on you and what army old me in the Lord because I'm looking at that giant in the light of God. I'm not looking at God in the light of that giant David pick up that stone he got it sling around and he got the momentum and let it fly that get the time 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 say behind in Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, David got out of bed after taking a nap and went for a stroll on 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 David. There David was around 50 at this point he had been rolling Israel for 20 years. He had gone from victory to victory. He had distinguished himself in so many ways man 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 disease. The beautiful Bathsheba bathing herself. By the way, when the Bible says something that a man was strong that a woman was beautiful. The Bible does not exaggerate. This means that Bathsheba was incredibly attractive. Actually, the word used for her here.

Beautiful translated beautiful from the Hebrew word Bay beetle Fox Ito probably never heard that Hebrew word Bay beetle Fox Ito. She was a baby was a fox to me at all that up okay. I think she was a babe. I think he was a fox with there's nowhere the beetle Fox which you can use that name.

The name your child if you want your dog in lecture you know what Nema That that's good punishment for so he could never boy to the first book I mean, there it is okay walking around chicken bag filled with laws there is a beautiful Bathsheba. It's usually not the first look to get this in the trouble. It's a second look right now talking about looking right. David's first book was probably a really long one drinking it in home I oh, okay.

No luck. He should adjust Lord. I wish I hadn't seen her she is beautiful, but just give me strength right now and I want to go read a new Psalm or something.

I take a cold shower and stop looking in that direction.

Maybe put a wall up there.

I don't know what nobody immediately acts on it was 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 to give the serving credit, he knew exactly what was going on with David. 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 very and you are married, so forget about it. Yeah whatever bring her up there right now gave the order and now he's in a mess of the situation, but okay. Don't do it. He doesn't robot number one he goes for in no of course Bathsheba lets them know that she's pregnant robot number two. I forgot repent.

Maybe tell Uriah what you've done.

Confess to Bathsheba, maybe the kingdom you know, but he didn't do that, you can call me you know the press corps of Israel say I didn't have sex without woman that's wrong. So I got confused looking.

He wasn't coming clean incentive to say no I Lord I send them, sorry know he is an idea I know what I'll do, I'll bring Uriah back from the battle to go spend the night with his wife and you'll think it's his kid, not mine. So you give your to bring Uriah back.

Uriah comes back he said to his home, but he's such a courageous guy he can't bear the thought of having this wonderful luxury of being with his wife when his fellow soldiers are still in the front lines of the battle sleeps outside of the South night everything so great. I have some do-gooder to get some strong sends him home. Still, Uriah will not sleep with his wife another roadblock. But David won't give up.

He says to his general send the charge against the enemy and have everyone fall back and leave Uriah by himself which happens in Uriah is killed in battle. The word comes back to rise day okay I'm in a very Bathsheba. No one will ever know the Lord knew the Bible tells us that our sin will find this out and we read here that this thing that he had done this please the Lord.

Second Samuel 11 document David is messing up so bad. Your same way that he's a world changer. This is horrible I know that he input you know. Here's why he was still a man after God's heart. Despite this, here's why. Because he was miserable and he did repent should have done it sooner, but he did repent see a person really a sentimental woman of God will live in sin without guilt and they won't repent a person was really a matter woman of God will live in killed when their sending and they will eventually get right with God that Sue David was he was still the man hard sure what happened after David and what does that mean for us today. Pastor Greg answers that she comes back to his message just a moment, 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 taking with you and be ministered to every weekend. Join us for Harvest at Home@harvest.org Willis Pastor Greg continues his message now the ups and downs and ups of the world changer will pick up the story just after David's fall sinning with Bathsheba, so it's time for us to come back. We see this rise this fall. Now the comeback of the world changer.

Go to Psalm 32 I had to turn there as well. Psalm 32 and he wrote this in the aftermath of being confronted by God and he says oh what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord is cleared of sin, whose lives are in complete honesty what I refuse to confess my sin. I was weak and miserable and rolled all day long, day and night. Your candid discipline was heavy on me by strength of the operated like water in the summer heat sale. By the way, the word sailor means pause and think about it, so this first song, it would be like an instrumental break in the point of the state law or the musical interlude was to contemplate what I just been said so David saying think about this pond read. This is how miserable I was say law. Finally, I confess my sins.

The Lord I stop trying to hide them. I said to myself I'll confess my rebellion to the Lord and you for gave me and all my guilt is gone. Psalm 32 describes the futility and misery of sin is on. Confess, for 12 months. David fought the conviction of the Holy Spirit was not experiencing God's presence as he had before. Was he still in a relationship with God, yes.

Was he in fellowship with God.

No when your child disobeys you disappoints you. Are they still your child. Yes, they are, are they in a good relationship with you at the moment.

Probably not. And that's where David was that, but when he was confronted, he repented and you know it's interesting how the Lord dispatches a prophet. This time it's a prophet Nathan and the Lord waited until David was ready to come clean. So Nathan wants an appointment. He gets one immediately. That's what happens when you're a prophet shows up as is.

Sorry haven't story to tell you some going on of the kingdom need to be aware of. Okay, speak on. All right, there's this guy is very poor is one little baby lamb.

He loves the Lamb the Lamb eats off his plate. Heat heat. It sits at the table is like a family pet. He loves this lamb like a daughter anywhere there's this other guy is really rich is a bunch of sheep a bunch of cattle so this other guy gets a friend coming to town to visit him who wants to have dinner and so instead of displaying one of his many she he kills the guys lamb was one little baby lamb want to be the norm and that would do that. David's blood is beginning to boil the ripping his throne and he says he should restore four times what he's taken and he should be put to death.

Kind of overkill means that dad Nathan points his finger in David's face and says you are the man you would a man you know Manman I just described you that the knee would have your like the guys what the many sheep and the many cattle and you took Uriah's wife, then you want them killed. So now David is sending these committed adultery in these effectively committed murder. But then I love what happens there. It says that David repented of his sin.

Okay, so the prophet said the sword will never depart from your house God forgave David but he still face repercussions for us and so know that said my going to rob a bank this afternoon. You read about in your twitter feed Pastor Greg Rob's bank. I will be preaching the next Sunday stuff I repent of my sin. Will God forgive me, yes, but I'm going to jail and probably to prison.

All right, so if you want, and you commit a sin. I'm not going to rob a bank, a promise but if you going to commit a sin you say God forgive me. He will forgive you. You will be restored to a median fellowship with him again, but you can still face some of the repercussions of your sin in David's case, he thought, played out in the lives of his children, his sons and daughters behave badly. They rebelled against them, and they did some of the very things that he himself did so, he lost a lot of moral authority there but having said that, he was forgiven by God, and he made his way into the messianic line.

He got himself in the Christmas story okay let's test your Bible knowledge. Where was Jesus born very good dumping and why was Jesus born about him because that's where David lived in Christ was from the root and offspring of David, to see both through Mary and Joseph saw our Lord was born there empathetically again because this is the hometown of David. So David in the most exclusive genealogy in human history. I guess wealth made it into that genealogy. Bathsheba, what did she get in there. Well, that's called the grace of God is that I get my sin forgiven God's grace was extended to me. I didn't deserve it.

You didn't deserve it, but the Lord gave it to us freely, and for that we say, Lord, thank you for an amazing thing. So God give second chances. Yet David felt he felt big when he came back and he came back strong. That's what we want to do.

We want to admit our sin to God to here's the problem we have ups and downs in our life. I called this message the ups and the downs of the ops of a world changer, the Christian life should not be up and down the Christian life should be in and out.

I know some of the guys are thinking in a notebook or no partner. It should be in and out not up and you made some great sins are up on the Lord so good next day. I know there's a God and I don't Have a great serving on the status. Come on, stop.

It's not up and down it in and out using we meet in and out in for worship out for service. Jesus said in John 10. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. The come in and go out and find pasture. So were written for worship.

Here we are today getting refueled were getting bad were getting perspective were worshiping were serving were giving that's coming in now.

We go out. Listen, the holiest moment of this church service is when you walk out those doors go out into that world to be a world changer. The only way you're going to be a world changer is if your world is changed first, and I would have their some of you here today who don't even have a relationship with God. Yet I mention that statement by Jesus Ray said I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be safe but said there's only one way into our relationship with God. There's only one road that leads to heaven, and that is the road through Jesus Christ because he said I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes to the father but by me. Will that seems so narrow. Yeah, it's narrow. It's a narrow road that leads to life, and you know what few there are that find that Jesus said but listen the reason Jesus is the only way that the father is Jesus was God walking among us, and he was the only one qualified to die for us on the cross and that's what he did. He died in our place and took all of our sins upon himself and that's why today I don't have to stand here facing the consequences of my sin because Jesus died for me and he died for you and he rose again from the dead and these with us here right now and he's ready to come in your life if you like David to live in sin.

David could have ended in sin, but he came to the Lord and came back to the Lord. I should say in his case, but you can be forgiven of your sin than the Bible says if you will confess your sin. God is faithful and just to forgive you your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Listen to this God cannot forgive the sin that we will not confess to you what to say.

Lord, I'm sorry, David had the same sorry God, and you had to say Jesus come into my life and will do that for you today and you can leave here today knowing your life is right with God, and there might be some of you that have been flirting with the sin we been talking about sexual sin might be something else but whatever it is you need to get right with God. You need to repent.

I encourage you to do that today as well. Let's pray father, thank you for your word to us now help us respond and I prefer any that are here or are watching the do not know you in a personal way. Lord I pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their sin and bring them to yourself now in Jesus name I pray, Pastor Greg, Lori, and if you'd like to do that if you like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord. Pastor Greg will help you do that in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes entity, or any part of the study.

Again, you can listen online@harvest.org if you want you can download MP3 for later, or order a CD to be sent right to your home again go to harvest.org or call us at 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24 seven again at 1-800-821-3300. The title of the message is the ups and downs and ups of the world changer then pastoring over you. Everybody I'm in studio with our special guest Sally Lloyd Jones and my wife Kathy and were talking about an incredible resource that were offering this month called the Jesus storybook Bible Christmas collection it's a collection of stories on some reflections for the Advent season. Now you may be aware of the Jesus story, but Bible if you want your to have a copy. It's amazing. Now she is taken that approach, working with the same artist Jago and was some special interactive features, including the voice of the amazing actor David Touchet. Everything was ready.

The moment God had been 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 in addition to that there are some songs some Christmas songs included in Sally. What songs did you include as a part of this project in and why did you choose those in particular we chose some favorite Carolus that everyone would know am NME checksum specially because that would be an interesting fact behind them. That would add to the devotional aspect of singing the song so I'm going to get them away because I think people will really enjoy. I really enjoyed finding these facts out, but that really well. Then Carol send them I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus.

Not one that should have these favorite son, Paul now sings it drives us all crazy. Yeah, now you know better than that.

I know that I like that and I like that 19 so if you want to find out. With these mysterious songs are that Sally Lloyd Jones is selected, then you need to order your copy of the Jesus storybook Bible Christmas collection. This is very special and if you were to go and purchases online at a place like Amazon are in the store. Pete quite a bit of money for it because of the fact it's hard cover it's beautifully a glossy paper amazing illustrations, interactive features, etc. but were offering it to you this month for your gift of any size. Yeah, that's right. We want you to have this resource for the holidays and we really appreciate your support that helps. These studies continue to come your way. As Pastor Gregor said recently, we see more than 100,000 professions of faith this year and were so thankful for listener support that helped make that possible. And if you can help us continue to reach out by making a donation right now will thank you with the Jesus storybook Bible Christmas collection writers at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime day or night at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org Prof. Greg. No doubt somebody listening. They realize they need the kind of personal relationship with Jesus you were talking about today and they need to take that next step. What would you say to that individual I would say the time to take in this right now. Don't hesitate, don't say I'll do it another time. The Bible says today is the day of salvation.

And if you would like to ask Christ to come in your life as your Savior and your Lord I would ask you to stop what you're doing and pray with me and as you pray this prayer after me. This is a prayer of asking Christ to come into your life to pray this with me now, Lord, I ask you to forgive me of my sin. I know that I've broken your commandments and I'm sorry for.

I think you for sending Jesus to die on the cross of my place now, Lord, come in the my life be my Savior be my Lord, fill me with your spirit and help me to follow you from this day forward. Thank you for coming in. Thank you for forgiving me in Jesus name I pray, amen know if you just pray that prayer you may have felt something wonderful happened. Then again, you may have felt nothing, but I want you to know on the authority of God's word. If you meant that prayer from your heart. God has forgiven you free promises. If we confess our sin is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now please let us send you some free materials that will encourage you in your spiritual growth.

I would like to send you our new believers growth packet to help you get started as a Christian, just get in touch and let us know you prayed along with Pastor Greg today. You can call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300 or write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or go online to harvest.org and click on know God ever wonder how long your life will last.

Pastor Greg says, your life will last exactly as long as God landed from the very beginning.

More on that Pastor Greg continues his world changer series next time you beginning possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org