On the Outside Looking In: Hope Beyond Our Failures and Regrets

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 of your present or done something fully. I could relive the moment unfortunately jingle about change. But here's the good news Pastor Greg Laurie issues there's hope beyond her regret we can move ahead back behind to keep going back and reliving your past, over and over again must forgive you and give you a second shot you try to wipe it clean. You drive vinegar and baking revolutionary new product from store to get to the cleaners to get it back. Sometimes our lives. Never goes away.

Today is a new beginning.

Greg Laurie takes his reassuring story got to see the Lord. I want to talk about a guy really lost his temper were this series on the life of Moses, recalling the water, Firestone and Moses had quite a temper, and he literally just loses because the Israelites seemed to have spiritual amnesia.

They seem to be forgetting all that God had done for them over the many years how God provided them food every single day right outside of their tent door and it was called manna how God directed them what the fire by night in a cloud by day how God watched over them how God parted the Red Sea for them, but they forgot so they were thirsty and they said were thirsty Moses and you know I have you brought us out of the wilderness, so we would just die of thirst in some Moses and Aaron go and pray in the tabernacle.

That's a tent that they set up to meet God in the Lord gives him a clear direction Lords is Moses. I want you to go to the rock and I want you to speak to it and water will come out now.

On another occasion, God had directed Moses to go to a rock and strike it with the staff, and water came out but this time the Lord said don't strike it. Just speak to the rock and the water will come and satisfy the thirst of the people. Let's see what happened.

Numbers chapter 20 verse 10, he and Aaron some of the people to come and gather at the rock, and he shouted listen, you rebels must we bring you water from this rock. Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out so the entire community and their livestock drank their fill is a number of things that went wrong here. One of the Lord told him to do the Lord said, speak to the rock know another time. The Lord said strike the rock with the stuff you know God will lead us differently in different situations. Sometimes I'll have us do it one way and another time you'll have us do it another way, Jesus never dealt with any two people in exactly the same way when you see Jesus with Nicodemus, the religious man. He spoke to them in a certain way and said certain things when you see Jesus with the woman at the well, it's quite different when you see Jesus in the home of Zakia and again it's different.

So the Lord will lead you in different ways. Be open to the leading of the Lord, don't be like some robot that does at that same way every time.

That's my imitation of a robot be open to the leading of the Spirit filled Lord said to the rock Moses fits a rock, not once but twice. And so that's because of his great anger, and anger is something we need to get under control, especially in marriage. Right you know when I meet young couples that want to get married.

The come to me as it opens her. Greg will you marry us and I'll say how long have you known each other all we've known each other for a year. All great and then Alaskan this. Have you ever had an argument and they might say no. Not once we've never disagreed about anything else I get out of my office right now and go up a good fight because you want to learn how to resolve conflict when you're married and when I see a good fight, I obviously am not referring to anything physical but I'm talking about. Learn how to disagree so often you'll have a disagreement with your spouse often over the subject of finances. By the way, and you live different points of view and it's very important that you listen to what they are saying here them out then respond with your point of view. Have a good exchange but when the voices start rising in the temper start flaring, then it's going to be completely unproductive. Cliff Barros who is the long time associate of Billy Graham. He was with them from the very beginning and now Cliff is with the Lord as billions, but he said this and I love this.

He says there are nine words that we should be willing to say every day to our spouse. Here they are. I'm sorry.

Please forgive me and I love you that's good is that I'm sorry. Please forgive me and I love you, and then he said he knew might add these words as well. It was my all so new of a conflict. Who's going to be the first to resolve it, and I'm sorry. Even the way we say I'm sorry their lame apologies. I'm sorry if you thought I was saying that since all because that was not my intention.

So if I what I said hurt your feelings because you misunderstood me. That's not an apology.

There's an apology I'm sorry I was wrong. Please forgive me. I'm telling you whatever tension you're having with your spouse right now if you would just say I'm sorry.

Please forgive me. I love you. You'd be amazed at how much good that will do.

But here is Moses. Now he's in arrange and now the Lord is going to deal pretty harshly with him. Look at numbers 20 verse 12 the Lord said to Moses, because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel you will not leave them in the land I am giving them.

Moses you're not going to take him in pretty heavy duty Moses was on the outside looking in. Years ago when I was a kid. I was really into reptiles. I was a junior her pathologist. I had every can of reptile you can imagine all kinds of snakes and lizards and turtles and I was obsessed with reptiles and so for my birthday. I asked my mother to take me to a place called the alligator farm and it was in one a park right next to Knotts Berry Farm. So I invited a bunch of my friends come for my birthday party at the alligator farm so they okay to tell you reptiles are not always the most lively creatures one times when you look in alligator looks like. Instead it just lays there, doesn't do anything unless you put food in front of it. Snakes are often the same way. Same thing with blizzard so we go from cage to cage looking at these giant snakes. These massive alligators.

Basically all look like they were dead and that sort out of this one open area where they had the biggest alligator right over the fence you could see Knotts Berry Farm and they position the ride that it was going back and forth in all of my friends and I were looking at this writer were all thinking the same thing. Why are we here in the alligator farm looking at dead reptiles we could be on that ride right now we are on the outside looking in.

That's always going to be for Moses. He was not going to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Let me explain why God holds leaders to a high standard. This is why the Bible says be not many teachers knowing that we shall receive the greater judgment I take what I do very seriously. I spent hours prepping and studying and I want to give you messages that are theologically correct but also relevant to what you're facing in life and I figured that my job is not to give you social commentary or political monologues. You can get that watching the news. I feel that my job and I feel this is true for any pastor or teacher of the Bible is to give you God's word because I want to reach every person I want everyone I speak to a to come to know God.

If they don't know him yet. I want to speak to people of every political background of your conservative if you're independent.

If you're liberal I want to tell you what the Bible says I want to reach people of every race. I want to reach people of every age. My purpose is to call people to Christ and get them grounded in the Scripture by the way, that's called the great commission.

What is a great commission. It's going to all the world and preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations teaching them all things that Christ is taught us, baptizing them in the name of the father son and Holy Spirit. So my job if you will my calling as a pastor and evangelist is to proclaim the gospel to you, tell you how to come into a relationship with Jesus and then help you get grounded in the word of the Lord wants me to do what he calls me to do and so Moses was not doing with the Lord: Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in 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 pastor Greg is offering some practical insights today from an event in the life of Moses by way of his series water fire stone. Let's continue. You know you can't selectively pick and choose the things in the Bible you want to follow Jesus said you are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you know, we might say well I like this part of the Bible in the southern part of the Bible, but this one part of Scripture.

I don't know if I agree with that note. Jesus said if you do whatsoever I command you. We didn't think whatsoever you find easy or whatsoever you personally agree with them. By the way, who are you to offer an opinion on the Bible. This is absolute truth. Well, I'm not so sure.

I believe that, like who cares what you think I have someone asked me years ago, Greg. What you do when you come to a passage in the Bible you don't agree with my response was well then change your opinion because you're wrong. The Bible is right and we need to align our thoughts with what the Scripture teaches and so Moses obeyed the Lord in some areas but not in others. Here's another reason why God told Moses to speak to the rock and not to strike it in Scripture.

The rock is a picture of God himself. Scripture refers to him as our rock and our salvation second Samuel 2332 says who is God except the Lord but our God was a solid rock. Jesus said to Peter upon this rock I will build my church that was right after Peter said you are the Christ, the son of the living God.

So God is a rock. Jesus is our rock and plug in first Corinthians 10 it says they all drink the same spiritual drink and a drink of that spiritual Rock that followed them in the rock was Christ John the Old Testament. This idea of a rocket. The picture of God. So when Moses struck the rock twice. He was doing something that should not be done. Listen, Jesus is already been struck once he's already been crucified for you. You don't have to go back and strike him again. Let me put it another way, you don't have to get born again again and again and again and again. Jesus already died for your sins and rose from the dead. And if you bask and become in your life.

He's forgiven you, and you haven't done that yet utterly hot.

A few moments so now you need to accept that forgiveness and that was the problem.

Moses was violating a very important symbol point number three bad decisions bring bad consequences. Bad decisions bring bad consequences because of what he did, he was not able now to enter the promised land. Have you ever said or done something you regret it. In fact, right after you said you thought why did I just say that should have never said that or if you did that thing you thought if only I could relive that moment. What would Eve had given for another chance before the tree in the garden of Eden. What would David have given for another chance to relive that died when he laid lustful eyes on Bathsheba, Jan Fortson, we can go back and change the past but I have one more point. God give second chances because I'm talking to somebody right now who is messed up somebody who is cross the line someone who was said or done something their machine go.

But here's the good news. God gives second chances see what happened here with Moses is not the whole story and your whole story is not done yet either Moses story is recorded in Hebrews 11 Hebrews 11 is the hero's Hall of Fame. Great men and women that trusted God and the thing they all had in common was they put their faith into action as you read the account of Moses and for that matter, all of the people in Hebrews 11. No record is made of their mistakes. All we have is a record of their faith in action. Hebrews 1127 says, by faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger.

He persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and application of blood. So, the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. Wait a second. That's not the whole story of Moses was a story of when Moses killed the Egyptian words a story when Moses lost his temper and broke the commandments of God wears a story of a Moses get the rock twice.

It's not there.

And the reason it's not there, is given there in Hebrews 11 it's because he applied the blood. Remember the Passover Lord said to the Israelites. I want you to take the blood of a lamb that you've slain. And I want you apply that blood over the doorpost of your house on the left on the right and on the top and if you think about it.

It makes a perfect cross and when I see the blood of the Lord says all Passover so they applied the blood because the blood was applied. The judgment of God the neck, their firstborn, so Moses supplied the blood and he was under the blood is. I don't even know what you're talking about above his blood he stop see Jesus died for your sin, and once you've asked him to forgive you of your sin, you need to accept the fact that you are forgiven. You don't have to keep going back and reliving your past, over and over again or try to offer some codependence for your sin.

He offered everything for your sin he paid for your sin. He died for your sin and if you bust and become in your life. He's forgiven you, leave you messed up, he'll forgive you and give you a second chance burst on 19 says that we will confess our sin. These people and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all on righteousness. Listen to this Moses did make it into the promised land. Ultimately rights in the Greg Oxley around the record here says that he was on the outside looking in. He did not leave the Israelites into the promise that. I know that's what that record says that there's another record in the New Testament, remember when Jesus was transfigured, the Bible says that Peter, James and John were there in the Lord to shine like the sun and there were two other people with them. Do you remember who they were. It was Elijah and Moses. They were in the promised land. In effect, so Moses did ultimately make it in to the promised land. I know he stumbled and fell. I know he messed up, but that was not the end of the story and it's not the end of your story either. Ultimately Moses finished his race. Well, I love the description. The Bible gives of Moses. He's called Moses, the man of God.

What greater thing could be said about you. You're the man of God. You're the woman of God.

If we were to go and interview your family members and asked him this question is your dad a man of God. It is your sister a woman of God, what would they say Moses was a man of integrity.

Are you, David is described as a man after God's own heart, you will wait wait Moses murdered some dude and David committed adultery, and also in effect murdered a minute how can you see David's amount after God's own heart, and how can you think Moses is a man of God, the same way that I can say I'm a man of God or you're a man or woman of God because we've applied the blood in our life and we been forgiven by Jesus Christ. Listen, God is not done with you. Jesus is our rock that was broken for you. He died in the cross for your sin, and he will forgive you. I know you of this idea of God is out to get you you think God is mad at me correction. God is mad about you. God loves you no matter what you've done. He'll forgive you right now so let me close with this.

Are you sure right now that if you were to die, you would go to heaven if not would you like to be sure. Would you like Jesus Christ who walked this earth 2000 years ago and he lived our life and he died our death and then he rose again. Would you like Jesus to come and live inside of your heart as your Savior and Lord. Listen, Jesus says behold I stand at the door and I knock it if you hear my voice, and open the door, I will come and this can happen for you right here right now your story is not over, you can come into our relationship with God is a Greg, you have no idea what I've done. No I don't but I do know what he's done for you.

When Christ is done.

He's paid the price your sin. Now it's time to apply the blood go to know what that means. It means that you come to God and say Lord in the center. I'm sorry for my sin but I believe Jesus died on the cross in my place.

Now I want him to come and live inside of me and he will in a moment I'm in a prayer prayer that I would like you to pray with me if you want Jesus to come in your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that you will go to heaven when you die, or if you need to make a recommitment to Christ.

Just pray this prayer that you can print out loud if you like to just pray with me. Pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead.

I turn from that sin.

Now I apply the blood that I receive your forgiveness figure for hearing this prayer answering this prayer in Jesus name, amen Greg Lori important prayer for those making a change in their relationship with the Lord today. If you just prayed with Pastor Greg and made a decision for Christ would like to offer a resource to help answer your questions about this decision. We call it our new believers growth packet and will send it free of charge upon request. Just try to set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 were here to take your call anytime 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org. If any interruptions came up during today's study. You can hear what you missed by listening again online@harvest.org. The title of today's study is on the outside looking in.

You can also request a CD copy by calling us at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 Pastor Greg every year around Thanksgiving. You point out how important it is to have an attitude of thankfulness and we're thankful both to God and to our listeners for their partnership in making the studies available to write every dollar it takes to bring the studies each day is a dollar donated by someone who said you Pastor Greg come in. I'll help you and Boyle are part. Gratitude is an understatement. Is yes it is ;-) I just want to thank everyone of you that have taken the time to get to this ministry. It just means so much. Not to me only, but to the people you impact because of your generosity. They can hear the word of God, at no charge.

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