How to Be a World Changer: Let Our Light Shine

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God don't want to hear from you.

Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's Greg harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment world changers of an active not a passive thing today. Pastor Greg Laurie points out how we can let our light shine and change the world and he explains to Dave Ray is an essential ingredient.

Faith is given to us to use just read what to develop and the more you use your faith, the more the you will have.

If you neglect your faith a lot. If you use your faith grows use it or lose it and you without the chocolate chip.

Can you imagine fried chicken whole chicken.

Some ingredients are prerequisites to beginning Pastor Greg Laurie points out, our job is to influence the world around us see today.

God calls us to change the world. But there's a must have ingredient in all without spinning our Bibles was what you see when you look in the mirror if you're like me you don't always like what you see, especially if it's a magnifying mirror.

It's been said mirrors don't lie looking for you. They don't laugh either." Right well I want to talk to you about how God looks at you. How the Lord sees you.

When I look at myself I see weakness. God sees potential I see what I am God sees what I can be. I see the past God sees the future maybe I see a lump of clay. God sees a beautiful sculpture. I see a blank canvas. God sees of van Gogh. I see a lump of coal. God sees a sparkling diamond I see of vacillating, unsure Simon God sees apostle Peter you see here I see you persecuting Saul of Tarsus and God sees mighty men of God, named Paul, so maybe we think of ourselves as zeros but the truth is God can make us into heroes.

Hebrews Chapter 11 is basically the hero's hall of faith, it's a collection of a very interesting group of men and women that went out and change their world they were ordinary people just like you and me, but they did extraordinary things they they face adverse circumstances like we do, but they rose above their circumstances and change their world.

It was said of the first century church. They turned their world upside down. By the way, that was not meant as a compliment.

I think in many cases for some Christians the world is turning us upside down and set up us turning our world upside down. So I want you to discover how you can be a world changer. The operative word in Hebrews 11 is that these were men and women of faith, it's not because they were great people that there were included in the hero's hall of faith, it's because they had faith in a great God anything about some of the people that made the cut Gideon was a frightened farmer when the angel of the Lord called him to be a mighty warrior to deliver Israel. Moses he was a fugitive from justice when the Lord called him at the burning bush and we think of so many others who were called and were such flawed individuals think about Abraham. We think of him as the father of faith but yet we know that he lied about his wife twice quite a lot of faith in his part of my dad's son Isaac did the same thing Sarah. She makes it into the hero Saul of faith, yet she laugh at the promise of God.

Then she denied it already alluded to Moses he lost his temper. He killed a man. David makes it into the hero Saul of faith, but he committed adultery, and then he tried to cover it up and effectively committed murder.

Sampson also made it in Hebrews 11 and he was very a moral lesson. These winners didn't always collect metals. Sometimes they collected scars but not one mention is made of their failures in Hebrews 11. I find that interesting.

So here's what we learned from that his God was seeing them for what they would become not just what they were. Maybe you've messed up in life. Maybe you feel like your story is over. That's not true. God can change her story, God can change the narrative the trajectory that your life is taken and if we learn nothing else from Hebrews 11 we see that that God can use flawed people. So let's read Hebrews 11 verse one and get a definition of the operative word in all of their lives, which is faith.

Hebrews 11 one says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Working to discover now 10 principles about how you can be a world changer. So if you're taking notes here is point number one world changers have an active not a passive faith say that again, for emphasis world changers have an active not a passive faith. Listen, the more you use your faith, the stronger it grows after admit it's been a while since I've been to a gym, but about when I was going to the gym. I remember this one guy. He'd worked on key he had a sculpted physique. You know just bolting biceps and abs and everything was going right with this guy but for some reason I don't know why he had the skinniest little legs you've ever seen. It was like this massive upper body and like chicken will fix that.

I don't know what he thought will legs no matter I will work on my legs and and that's how it can be with some of en suite. We worked out in some areas but we don't work out another's. So here's the thing you need to understand faith is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it becomes. But some of us treat our faith like fragile leg, oats, and they don't don't drop it.

It's like when I go to the market. If I have three bags of groceries and their filled with canned things and you know, vegetables, and bread. If I drop one of those bags I'm telling you Murphy's Law guarantees that I'll always drop the bad, and has the eggs in it right so eggs are fragile.

We think faith is fragile, but it is not fragile. Faith is given to us to use just threats to flex to develop and the more you use your faith, the more faith you will have. If you neglect your faith, it will atrophy. If you use your faith, it will go stronger.

Listen to this use it or lose it. Jude 120 says as you see their friends, build yourself up in your most holy faith by praying of the Holy Spirit stained in the center of God's love keeping your arms open ready for the mercy of our master Jesus Christ.

Notice the emphasis there is on faith doing things. Faith is praying. Faith is staying.

Faith is keeping faith is active big trend right now is four-wheel-drive vehicles I read recently that half of all vehicles that are sold have four-wheel-drive capacity. That's nice if you live in Montana or Colorado put a lot of these people don't do any four wheeling, but then they'll jack your vehicle love and put huge wheels and tires on it, you know, and when they pull up behind you at the life you're looking at their chassis in your rearview mirror and and maybe you'll talk to one of them is her putting gas in and say wow that that's an amazing vehicle due to a lot of off-road in the city you kidding you know much I spent on this thing, all while you don't off-road it all know I'm on my way to the car wash to just keep it really clean. See, here's a sad thing. You have a vehicle that is designed for four-wheel-drive capacity and you're not using the same is true about God has given us his faith to use, but we don't use it, we neglected we have it in our little display case.

Our faith is all show and no go. But world changers have an active not a passive faith point number two world changers do things with their faith. They do things with their faith. Hebrews 11 we read these words. Abel offered a sacrifice. Noah prepared an ark.

Abraham obeyed Abraham offered up Isaac. You see, they did things with their faith was in the best of faith that has no works with the faith that does not work. James says faith without works is dead, bringing me to point number three. The faith we need is a world changer go stronger through testing. I don't know about you but most of us don't like to be tested doing it's been said Christians are a lot like teabags you don't know what they're made of into you put them in hot water maybe here in the hot water if you will, of temptation right now or the hot water of some kind of testing and your say that this is trying my faith that I don't know but I can get through this event am starting to lose my faith. Listen to this faith that cannot be tested is that faith that cannot be trusted. If you have real faith in God, your faith will grow stronger through adversity and difficulty not weaker were told in James one all kinds of trials and temptations crowding in on you, brothers, don't treat them as intruders but friends realize they've come to test your faith and produce in you a quality of your pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment I want you to know tonight. One thing God loves you and a new pastor Greg Laurie brings us a deeper appreciation for the man and his no matter how you live is here no matter what no matter what language is. God loves you.

You really any always shared the gospel any always emulated Christ and I think we can learn from his example. So I write about that a lot more this book I've written called Billy Graham the man I need is an evangelist in the life of history's greatest event in your copy of the new biography Billy Graham, the man I knew to harvest or will today. Pastor Greg is pointing out how faith is the key to living a life that draws others to Christ.

Let's continue right where we get faith. Point number four. We jutted by reading and understanding the word of God.

Romans 1017 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So right now you are building your faith. That is if you're listening to me pay attention. Are you listening if you are in your thinking about what Scripture says it can strengthen and build your faith, the more I read the Bible, the stronger my faith can become so we want to be looking into the word of God and then point number five.

Listen, this is a big one. Faith can make the difference between something happening and not happen, then repeat that parenthesis faith can make the difference between something happening and not happening.

I we see so many instances in this Scripture. There was one woman that was praying for her daughter and Jesus answered her prayer.

Then he said to her, woman, great is your faith, it will be done as you desire to.

She put her faith into action.

She was persistent with their faith in Jesus granted her request and commended her for her faith, but yet we also read Jesus could do no mighty works in the hometown he lived in of Nazareth because of their unbelief Jesus ago to some cities and miracles would happen. Demons would come out of people. The line would receive their sides in the deaf would hear again. The lepers would be cured but he goes to Nazareth and there like Jesus we remember him when he was knee-high to a grasshopper should be say a locust. Yes, we remember him working out the carpenter shop with Joseph. We knew that kid will so what that kid was God incarnate who was the Messiah, but they didn't appreciate that about Jim and so they doubted him immediately. Well, no miracles were done there. We can stop the work of God in our life by unbelief. Unbelief is the fee and you see in Scripture how God works through people exercising their faith to produce amazing things God could have parted the Red Sea by his own power, he did need Moses to hold up instead Follett was a staff need Moses and the stick. The Lord could've done it, but he said Moses hold up your staff and see the work of the Lord God could have also done many things like bring fire down from heaven on the altar when Elijah was facing off of the profits a bill he didn't need Elijah to call for that fire, but the Lord wants us to exercise our faith. The Lord wants us to be a part of this process, so you need to call out to him Bible tells a story of amending Barta Massey was blind and Jesus was coming through his town and someone said the Barta Miss Jesus is coming, so Barta Miss he says, Jesus son of David, have mercy on me, H don't bother Jesus. So was he do, he gets louder. James son of David mercy on me, Jesus turns like will resist God. You know you read that verse in the Bible that says the squeaky wheel gets the oil that's on a verse in the Bible. But the thing that some validity. Barta Vance was the squeaky wheel Jesus turned on. Okay what you need. I want to be healed of blindness and Jesus healed him. You see faith being used again. That is the definitive principle of Hebrews 11. These people use their faith. Hebrews 11 success without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. Listen what God did in the lives of people years ago.

He can still do in the lives of people today. God wants to do something fresh in our generation. Let me personalize that God wants to work in your life.

He wants to work in your home. He wants to work in your sphere of influence heard about a mom who was really an exciting Bible stories to her little daughter and one night the little girl said mommy.

It seems like God was a lot more exciting back then will you know. Maybe it's because we don't apply faith. These men and women took risks and God bless and let's read a little more about them.

Hebrews 1133 to 35 it says by faith. These people overthrew kingdoms. They ruled with justice.

They received what God had promised them.

They shut the mouths of lions and quench the flames of fire, the escape death by the edge of the sword, their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put a whole armies, the flight women receive their loved ones back from death that brings me to principle number six world changers are indestructible until God is done with them world changers are indestructible until God is done with them. Worrying about when you're going to die.

That is in the hands of God. The Bible says it's appointed under women.

Once diamond comes the judgment is going to happen at the appointed hour. So if you're freaking out about it and stressing about it all the time you're wasting a lot of energy you live as long as God wants you to live. Not a day longer. But then again, your life will not be cut short. If God wanted to go on longer. Your indestructible until God is done with you illustration) Hebrews 11 verse 33 they shut the mouths of lions. Now one biblical character comes to mind when we think of lions. Can you guess who it is it's Daniel.

We all know the story of Daniel in the lion's den. You remember Daniel was a prophet of the Lord and he was serving King Darius who ruled Babylon inside Darius really leaned on Daniel for his counsel. He was a man of integrity, a godly man and these other guys who were advising the King didn't like this guy is getting all the king's attention. We gotta get rid of him and they knew the only way they can get Daniel out of power was to find something connected to his faith because Daniel had this amazing habit. Every day he prayed, so they got the king to unwittingly sign the decree that no one could pray to any God except the king for 40 days and the decree was signed and it was a lot. No more praying and Babylon. Daniel heard about… Interesting. And he went home and open up is Windows like he always did, prayed, he was arrested and he was thrown into a den of lions because he violated the Kings order but I'll tell you what the Bible tells us the king had a sleepless night, despite the comforts of his palace.

Meanwhile, Daniel slept like a baby in a den of hungry lions, you probably said a simple, pure only use your stomach as a fellow in you know Leo on the front. My feet up on you and he went to sleep. He slept like a baby and I just reminds us of the simple fact better to be in a lion's den with God than anywhere else. Without him, and he was better off in a lion's den and the king was in a palace and Daniel said to the king. My God is sent his angel to deliver me so my point is simply that God wasn't done with Daniel yet. And God is not done with you yet.

So you trust him. Greg Laurie presented 10 characteristics of world changers today here on new beginning.

We've completed the first six on the list and will have the rest as this message continues.

Now if you missed any part of what Pastor Greg Broadus today. All is not lost. You can hear what you missed by going online to harvest.org look for the message called how to be a world changer and that is such a joy to announce Pastor Greg's new book called Billy Graham the man I knew it's in evangelists look at the life of the greatest evangelist of all time, and then Pastor Greg you wrote in the book, the two most important moments in a person's life are when they're born and when they realize what they are born for. Yes, over and over we see evidence of wood. Billy was born for.

In the book do you help us sort of discover what we are born for right yes of course because you know God is a plan for each of our lives.

No Billy wanted to be a professional baseball player. That's what he aspired to. But after he accepted Christ at the revival meetings of evangelist Mordechai him a calling came on Billy's life and he was resistant to it. At first he didn't aspire to be a preacher. He was a fun-loving normal young man who, as I said wanted to go play baseball. God put a call in his life and God puts it: everybody's life are not all called to be preachers certainly were not all called to impact the world like Billy Graham did, but we are all called to preach the gospel and we are all called to impact our world. So this book that I've written on the life of Billy called Billy Graham the man that I knew I'd show how the Lord directed him how the Lord called him and I describe in detail the amazing changes that happen in his life and he wanted to go one way of the Lord, let him another way in and how God was in control of his life from beginning to end and how the Lord will do that for you as well. I'm hoping that this book will introduce Billy to a whole new generation, especially of young people that don't really know Billy.

They were racing billing on television all the time. Then everyone in person do it Billy Graham Crusade so I'm doing my best to bring this story in an understandable relatable way to you I show his humor.

I show is humanness. I show some of his vulnerabilities and you only love and appreciate a more after you've read it because he was the same guy in private that he was in public. There were not too Billy Graham's.

He was the real deal.

That's why decided to write a book about Billy Graham because people need to know about this man was called by God to be the greatest evangelist in history. Yeah, his life is worth studying such a great example for all of us at Pastor Greg and his co-author Marshall Terrill have done exhaustive research into Billy's life that research that took them all the way back to the Civil War, so don't miss this opportunity to read this evangelists look at the life of history's greatest evangelist and will send you a copy. Hot off the press to thank you for your investment in making these daily studies possible.

It's only through listener support that we can feature Pastor Greg's teachings each day. So send your gift today to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime again at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and look for Billy Graham, the man I knew everybody. Greg Laurie here personally inviting you to join us for what we call Harvest at Home. It's a Bible study. It's a worship service into church in your home, you're not able to get out your church right now. If so, join us per Harvest at Home people are listening this from around the world listen to this. We have seen thousands of people commitment to follow Christ. Join us this weekend Harvest at Home.oh well, next time more inside almost 10 characteristics of world changers good inspiration and instruction. Next time, when a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor great free daily email, devotions@harvest.org