It's All How You Look at Things: How God Intervenes

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 it would you do me a favor sure this message was someone who needs to hear the whirring cannot coexist together with worry walk so so we want to live for said trust. Do not worry, worry, you do not trust.

There are so many opportunities especially here in 2020. Pastor Greg Laurie says we have at least as many opportunities to trust God. So let's see great faith for time range. The end of your rope when you get to the end of yourself. You get to the beginning of God and the Bible is replete with accounts of God stepping into the right place right time the right reason. Beginning Pastor Greg Laurie shows us how God specializes in putting in his faithfulness on display case in .1 of my stories in the Bible is a story of David and Goliath, that such perfect story. We love to tell it to our children. But listen, it's not a fairytale.

It really happened.

Of course it's a story of a young boy that was not appreciated by his father and his name was David and he was sent on an errant.

His brothers had gone to war and his father wanted him to take some food to his brothers basically was bread and cheese so effectively. David was making a pizza delivery right or a quesadilla if you will he bring bread and cheese to his brothers and as he arrives in the camp of the Israelites, he hears the voice of a giant oversized man down the valley of the law. Just bellowing out. Send someone to come and fight me.

That man's name was Goliath 956 inches of solid muscle. Everyone was terrified of this giant of a man no one was willing to go and buy them until David showed up. And of course he went and faced off with Goliath known interesting thing about that story is Goliath wasn't just hanging around down in the valley. Sin send someone the Bybee he was coming up into the camp of the Israelites. He was right up in their business taunting them right there.

Hey, man, let's fight that's all giants are you give them an inch and will take a mile is a Greg what are you talking about what giants I'm talking about giant problems. I'm talking about giant challenges. I'm talking about giant addictions. I'm talking about when you're facing right now.

Maybe as you're listening to me you are facing a gigantic problem. I have some good news for you right now God is bigger than your giant God is bigger then your problem so the key is if you understand and see God as you are to you will see your problems for what they are. Listen if you have a big God, you are small problems and if you have big problems. Do you have a small God. No, I'm not in any way saying, your problem may not be gigantic as it could be, but I just think God is bigger than what you're facing so few of the big God. In other words, if you see God in his power and his glory and his ability to help you.

You're going to see your problem with the right perspective. But if your problem looms so large that you can't even see how God could get you out of it than the problem is your problem is bigger than your God and you need to change the way that you look at things. That is why the title of this message is it's all how you look at things now were in the series that were calling water Firestone and it's a series on the life of Moses and were back in the book of numbers. Now don't let that concern you, because maybe, like you, you didn't do well in school and the subject of math oh no I hate numbers it it's really not about numbers that's it's actually a record of the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel, and now they come to the very brink of the promise land there poised to enter in. So they send in 12 spots. 12 spies to check things out to see what was ahead of them and that's where we pick the story up here and numbers chapter 13 I'm in a read from verse 25 and by the way I'm reading from the new living translation.

After exploring the land for 40 days.

The men of the spies return to Moses and Aaron and the people of Israel. Educated in the wilderness (they reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken back from the length of these guys came back with a cluster of grapes that work gigantic.

It took two of them to carry the grapes back. Imagine how big the peaches.

What a bit about the watermelon sales gigantic so they bring back that's an incredibly large fruits verse 27. This was our report to Moses.

We arrive in the land you send this to see and it is indeed a magnificent country, a land flowing with milk and honey, and hear some of the fruit is proof, but the people living there are powerful and the cities are fortified and very large… Diverse 30 of numbers 13 but Caleb tried to encourage the people as they stood before Moses. He said let's go at once to take the land. We will certainly conquer it all, but the other men would explore the land with the mansard we can go against them there stronger than we are. So they spread discouraging reports about the land among the Israelites, the land we explored will swallow up any who go there all the people were huge. We even saw giants the descendents of Annick and we felt like grasshoppers next to them and that's what we look like to them and all the people started to weep aloud and they cried all night and the voices rose in the great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron. They wailed. We wish we had died in Egypt or even here in the wilderness man this is incredible so 12 spies go in 10 of them give a discouraging report to give an encouraging report at all comes down to how you see things how you look at things.

First there was the majority report from the 10 spies you see their problem was they did not seek God for what he is the only solve problems, listen God promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. God promised he would give them the land, but they ignored what his word said and put their eyes on circumstances on obstacles on challenges on giants and ultimately on feet. That's because they had a small God and thus they had big problems but then there's a minority report says basically Joshua and Caleb. They saw the same obstacles they saw the same challenges, but they also saw opportunities and great victories and they would go into the land so here's what it comes down to. It's all how you look at things you we all face problems we all face obstacles we all face challenges that we all face giants but can you see them in the light of who God is. Don't look at God in the light of your problem. Look at your problem in the light of God. Again, he's bigger than what you're facing that you're taking notes is point number one.

The problem here is they focus their attention on the obstacles rather than their objective. Let me say that again they focus their attention on the obstacles rather than their objective. A number 13.

28 they saw the people were powerful and the towns were fortified and the people were very large listen. Obstacles are frightening things when you take your eyes off of the objective. When you get your attention on the obstacle rather than the objective here will always a clips your faith. Point number two when you allow fear to grip you. Everything is affected when you allow fear to grip you. Everything is affected look at numbers 14 numbers to the voices rose in the great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron think we wish we had died in Egypt, even here in the wilderness and now you let us die out here. We would rather return to Egypt.

What return to Egypt. These people have lost perspective. Have you ever been so discouraged you wanted to die. That's literally how they felt, because they were allowing their fear to overwhelm them. Listen to this faith and worry cannot coexist together when faith walks and worry walks out when worry steps in faith walks out they don't get along. You know some people that don't get along, fueled by folks over to your house so I can about this person and this person because he always get into an argument. Well that's how faith and worry. Are they they cancel each other out. So we want faith in our life, not worry. It's been said, when you trust you. Do not worry. And when you worry you do not trust and so these people are facing difficulty, but every Christian will listen. The Christian life is not a cakewalk. It's a conflict the Christian life is not a playground it's a battle ground so let's face the obstacles with great faith that are before us, Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here inviting 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 taken with you and the minister to every weekend.

Join us for Harvest at Home@harvest.org Pastor Greg is bringing some observations from Scripture, as we learn how to adopt God's perspective on our obstacles in life.

The message is called. It's all how you look at things. Point number three. God does not want you to run from your giants.

He wants you to attack them again. God is I want you to run from your giants.

He wants you to attack them.

Caleb and Joshua. They of the minority report reminded the people in numbers 14 nine don't rebel against the Lord and don't be afraid of the people of the land there hapless prayed he was. They have no protection, but the Lord is with us.

Don't be afraid of them.

So let's come back to our giants in life. Let's take that giant of addiction.

Let's say you have a problem with pornography.

Let's say you have a problem with drinking. Okay, recognize you have a problem, bring it out in the open and the light of day. Make yourself accountable to someone and realize that you cannot do this in your own strength call on God and pray for his power and listen to this attached your giant back to the story of David and Goliath, so there's Goliath and Valley of the law.

David goes down the medium armed with basically a sling and a stone he puts the stone in the sling and he says to the John you come to me with sword and spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, and then listen to this. David runs toward Goliath whipping that sling around getting the momentum. He was quite good with that. You know, and he let that stone fly and like a missile went right into the forget of Goliath and Goliath collapsed forward and then what happened. David went over to Goliath took on his sword and cut off his head. By the way, Goliath was they had a big head because he was a big dude 9'6" David Scott to set up the primer was like.

It would probably more like you to go while still he holds it up pretty gross. Greg why are you giving us these details people.

This is in the Bible.

The Bible gives these details so what's the point don't just face your giants defeat your giants and when I say defeated. I mean cut off their head is that I am annoyed that what you're talking about. Don't leave any backup plan to go back and do that thing again take alcohol take the booze pour it down the toilet. Don't just put it in the back covered so you can go to it later if you have drugs get about your life. Yet pornography get it out if you have to cut off Internet service or whatever jetted out, make yourself accountable to someone that could look over your shoulder and see what you're looking to know your passwords, perhaps, but deal with these things deal with your giants.

Don't let them conquer you again. Don't look at God, the light of your giant look at your giant in the light of God.

Alright so wrapping this message up what were reading about the book of Numbers has a lot to say to us today were living in the last days, and by the way, I believe were living in the last days.

You see what you mean by that Greg what I mean is I believe Jesus Christ is coming back. I believe the Bible prophecies are being fulfilled before our very eyes. That's all. Another message from home another time, but I think Christ could come back at any moment. So how should we live. The Bible's very specific and over in first Corinthians 10 it says, speaking of the Israelites.

All these things happen to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the time of this age is drawing to a close. So if you think you're standing strong. Be careful because you two could fall into the same sin. All these things happen. As an illustration for us for people were living in the end times.

The apostle Paul is using the wilderness wanderings as an allegory, they were delivered from the bondage of Pharaoh were delivered from the bondage of sin. They wandered around in a self-imposed wilderness for 40 years and we do the same when we take our eyes off the Lord and keep making the same mistakes over and over again. They had a choice to make in you and I have a choice to make as well.

Let's not take what God has done for us for granted. Let's not be looking at our shoulder and wanting to go back to the old life again because the first step to going back is looking back. This is why Jesus said, remember lots wife. Why should I remember lots wife. Well she along with her husband and family were delivered by the angel of the Lord from Sodom and Gomorrah as God was destroying it.

The Lord said to all of them specifically don't look back but of course lots wife looked back and she turned into a pillar of salt.

So Jesus says remember lots wife and Jesus says no men having put his hand of the plow and looking back is fit the kingdom of God to look back. Look forward to look at your obstacles. Look at your opportunities and enclosing look at Jesus. Everything I've said today is for a person who's put their faith in Jesus Christ to see Moses delivered the Israelites from the bondage of Pharaoh and just to died on the cross to deliver you from sin. Jesus Christ, God's own son came down to this earth on a rescue operation 2000 years ago, it died on the cross for all of our sin, and he rose again from the dead and now he stands at the door of our life and nonsense visible hear his voice and open the door will come in. Listen Jesus has the answer to all of your questions.

Jesus can give to you the whole and the certainty of life beyond the grave. Jesus can remove your guilt. Jesus can free you from your addiction. Jesus can change your life, but he will not force his way into your life, you must ask him in.

As I said, Christ said he stands at the door knocks it will hear his voice and open the door will come in. Would you like Jesus to come into your heart. Would you like the big old hole inside of you fill. Would you like your guilt taken away.

Would you like to know that you go to heaven when you die. If so, I want you to pray this prayer with me right now.

It's a simple prayer and if you mean this prayer God will hear it in God will answer it and listen kids. This is for you to you might be four years old five years old, but as you're listening to me you're saying do I have Jesus in my heart. You can pray this prayer with me, kids, but also you are older can pray this prayer as well. Jesus said here she that would come to me. I would in no way reject social say yes to you, but you must reach out to him. Are you ready to do that than pray this prayer with me right now that's all pray pray these words out loud even for Jesus.

I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin rose again from the dead. Now I ask you to come into my life and forgive me and give me the hope of heaven. Thank you for hearing this prayer and answering it in Jesus name I pray that prayer Pastor Greg Laurie with those who wanted to make a change today in the relationship with the Lord. And if you just pray that prayer with pastor Greg and have asked Jesus to be your Savior would like to follow up with you and help you as you begin living the Christian life would like to send you our new believers growth packet to help you as you walk with the Lord each day. It's free of charge.

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By the way the title today study is it's all how you look at things look for that title it harvest.org for a replay of pastor Greg's insight next time as pastor. Greg continues our study of the life of Moses in a serious water Firestone will take a candid look at the angry outburst on the part of the process. Learn some important lesson Moses terrible mistake next time begin and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor greats free daily email, devotions@harvest.org