Wall Builders | Unified

Everybody you're listening to a new beginning, which is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. If this program is impacted you, I love to hear from you. So just send an email to me at greg@harvest.org again it's greg@harvest.org you can learn more about becoming harvest partner by going to harvest.org. We live in the information a digitally pastor Greg Laurie is concerned at how it's affecting us were more connected than we've ever been in human history and at the same time. For more disconnected. So we need to put the phone down and talk together frayed together and work together because were all part of the body of Christ are all part of the family of God are all part of the church and in one accord. No, they were unified they were in agreement they were in harmony. They were are we today Greg Laurie addresses beginning looking at a fine example of teamwork recounted wars in the book of Nehemiah. They had a great great opposition they dedicated their great effort. Great job know we were just a bunch of crazy kid when this church started we really had no idea what we were doing, but we love the Lord and we wanted to see what God would do.

We were in the middle of what was the last great American spiritual awakening called the Jesus movement is around 1972. One of the epicenters of this movement was down in Costa Mesa at Calvary Chapel with Pastor Chuck Smith. So some folks in Riverside over at All Saints Episcopal Church went down to Calvary said could you send up someone up here to preach and we want to have some Jesus movement in the inland Empire and so group of pastors at church there went in. I was just hanging around the office. Sort of an intern which means that you work but you don't get paid okay so I just hung around and I would take whatever they didn't want to do so. For a while know nobody else want to drive to Riverside. They said Greg what you do it and I did it and I kept at it and it began to grow and pretty soon I could see this little Bible study of young people was turning into a church that I hardly felt qualified to be a pastor of a church.

I became a Christian when I was 17 I started preaching when I was 19 and I started pastoring effectively at 20 or 21 and so I'm big and there's no way I can be the pastor I look for someone else to take this role. No one would. And so I just accepted the fact this was what the Lord had for me and we outgrew that church we moved over to a Baptist Church that is now our Sunday school, a building I and we outgrew that building part of the balcony and then there was this big giant decomposed granite.

Were you guys at harvest Riverside are sitting in right now and we took the biggest step of faith.

Ever we build a building back then. It cost us $1 million, not $1 million is a lot of money, but back then it was really a lot of money like a lot and we took this huge step of faith way outside of our comfort zone that I remember people said this isn't going to work. It's not going to succeed and as we put those walls up there was opposition. I think you know I'm going with this right because were talking about building walls in the book of Nehemiah and so here's a take away truth from it. Don't listen to your critics listen to God and do what the Lord leads you to do the book of Nehemiah will learn a little bit about that in the message today. How to do what God has called us to do because when you put up walls, you're going to face opposition when Nehemiah went about the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He faced severe opposition sold here now is Nehemiah get this battle plan together.

We see three vital principles in play here.

If you're taking notes here they are. Investigation cooperation and determination investigation. First he checked out the problem. Okay, here's how big the city is, here's what it's going to take. Here's how many people, need to get the job done. Okay, I've investigated it now cooperation.

Let's put the team together. Let's get the right people in the right places and tell them what their job is finally determination were not going to be deterred.

Defeat is not an option. That brings me to my next point we need to find our place in the work that God is doing. Let's read a few verses Nehemiah 3 this is a little bit like the credits at the end of the film, you know, unless you were in the film you don't care but the rolling in these matter to God. They should matter to us first one then Elias shipped the high priest and the other pre-started to rebuild the sheep gate. They dedicated it set up its doors building the wall as far as the Tower of the hundred which they dedicated the tower of Hunter now two people from the town of Jericho work next to them beyond the most sucker son of Emre that this gate was built by the sons of Vanessa and then delete the been set up its doors installed, its bolts and bars in Miramonte, son of Uriah and grandson of Haggai was repaired the next section of wall beside them were Ms. Shula, son of Beare Kia and grandson of Mischa because Isabel and exotic of Bohne. The phrase next to him and after him are mentioned 28 times in the chapter. What is that mean they work together.

The same is true of the church that we want to get something done. We do it together. One person put it this way, quote coming together is a beginning keeping together is progress thinking together is unity working together is success."

You see this phrase used over and over next to him after him. Everyone had a role to play in short, they were communicating. You know it's a funny thing with all this technology we have the day were more connected than we've ever been in human history and at the same time were more disconnected than any other time as well. I read the other day. The millennial's would rather text someone then talk to them brother to China will get you the fish attached to a Moji motif promoting right and so sometimes what we we don't talk to each other at all that this is create a lot of stress in our culture.

I read that this generation alive today is the most stressed-out generation in American history. College students have the anxiety level of psychiatric patients and world war two.

Okay, so we need to put the phones down and talk together and pray together and work together because were all part of the body of Christ were all part of the family of God were all part of the church and listen to this God is given to every Christian gifts from the spirit company.

If you know what your spiritual gift or gifts are razor jalapeno with their key how many of you don't know what your spiritual gifts are how many of you have no clue what I'm even talking about right now cancer that here's some gifts that God has given. These are gifts sent from heaven to us spiritual gifts. These are not necessarily talents we have natural abilities and talents that were born with. These are gifts that are supernaturally given to us from God and� Found over in Romans 12 I'm reading now from the new living translation verse six. In God's grace God has given us different gifts to do certain things well. So God is giving you the ability to prophesy to prophesy means that God gives me a supernatural word from heaven for someone else. If he's giving you that ability speak out with as much faith as the Lord is giving you. If your gift is serving others serve them well.

If you're a teacher teach them well. If your gift is encouraging others will be encouraging evidence giving then give generously if God is giving you leadership ability, then take that responsibility seriously and if you have a gift for showing kindness doing gladly. There is a spiritual gift of encouraging others.

I know people with this gift. Some I think may believe there's a spiritual gift of discouraging others that gift does not exist. Why believe the Lord is giving me the spiritual gift of criticism know that's not a gift thought a gift of all. So we want to be encouraging.

We want to find those gives that God has given.

So what this means is when we come together we do things as a family friend sinful we worship. Worship is something we should do corporately. Everyone should worship when I say worship. I mean engage any don't stand there with your hands in your pockets turn at your shoes. Don't be looking at your Instagram account or talking with a neighbor be worshiping the Lord singing out. The Lord is able Greg. I don't have a good voice but that doesn't stop a lot of people I know that besides the Bible says make a joyful noise in the Lord's over just the noise that's good. It's okay. The Bible says because your lovingkindness is better than life. I'll lift up my hands onto your name was the last time you lifted your hands up to the Lord, will I don't feel like it. Who cares if you feel like it. It's an active surrender know a lot of times when we just do what we should do the emotions will catch up. But if you wait for everything to be prompted by how you feel are your emotion then you will do a lot of things Job worship the Lord after he heard the worst news imaginable. The death of his children, but see that is what is called a sacrifice appraisal we worship we should all sing, listen, when we give we should all get one and offering is received, we should all participate also might do it electronically. Actually that's out.

My wife and I do it to great way very efficient, but to bring something because I can Corinthians 97 says each one of you must give as he is decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. So, some would say well you know I could give cheerfully, so I won't give it all you kinda miss the point. This verse is not talking about if you should give its talking about how much you should give. And if you're not cheerful about your giving.

Ask God to change your heart because it's a blessing to give to the work of the Lord everyone should give something sunken give more. Some can give less but everyone should participate. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment, you know, there's nothing lying here in the word of God worshiping the Lord together.

I will encourage you to join us for something we call Harvest at Home every Saturday and Sunday harvest out or join Christians literally from around the world as we worship and we study the word of God together. So join us for Harvest at Home and harvest will today. Pastor Greg is talking about the gifts God gives us and how they help us function together as members of one body. The body of Christ is part of today's message called wall builders remember when I was a military school as a kid which I hated, by the way we wore uniforms at school.

I lived on base. That's what we called it in a barracks with other kids and we had mandatory Chapel every Sunday. I remember that they would give us money to given the offering and they gave me $0.10 that that they gave us every Sunday we had a little place to buy candy. There called the canteen and I remember I figured out this thing where I could buy five pieces of grape licorice and five pixie sticks Riverwood Pixie six. Are they still make pixie sticks this the other day. A lot of you seem to know a lot about nominate how people bring pixie sticks to me. You know be a thank you and that nothing is. I bet you know I like Krispy Kreme donuts so someone gave me a gift certificate. The other day think you are your $50 a Krispy Kreme donuts it's like thank you but if I use that I will be so obese I so I use it for my granddaughter's birthday party.

I hope that was okay and hook up all the kids was sugary donuts from Krispy Kreme but anyway so I figured I get I could stretch my budget. If I'd been up the top of the grape licorice important great pixie sticks and I even thought as a little kid. One day I'm in the market. This is going to be my career. While anyway I buy $0.10 given to me for the offering and I thought I could use is for pixie sticks and grape licorice and I kept it in a ball of eye candy and a member. I kinda got sick to my stomach and I felt guilty because even as a little kid knowing nothing about Jesus knowing nothing about the Bible.

I understood that $0.10 was God's money that was given to me and I joke God's money. Listen your income that's given to you by God. What we do is we give straight 10% to the Lord. Then we pray about what offerings to give on top of that, I'm not saying this to both. I'm disobeying God. That's all I'll tell you what he's blessed us in a bless you.

If you do the same.

We should all worship and we should all get everyone has a role to play. But listen to this. Not everyone worked on the walls of Jerusalem with BMI look in Nehemiah 35 minutes to them were the technical lights made repairs, but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of the Lords of the technical lights did the job, but their nobles, those in authority over them didn't do it. Some people want to share in the victory, but not in the battle now 3000 years later we know who did the work and who did not, but they'll always be slackers. There's two kinds of people that come to church there are participators and spectators. I wonder which one you are today.

Let me identify them. Participators come and engage in worship. They listen carefully to the message they given the offering. They serve faithfully. They find and use their spiritual gifts, spectators they come expecting everyone to wait on them.

Sometimes they come late. Sometimes they leave early, you say well how do I know which one I am. If you have been irritated by what I've said for the last eight minutes you're a spectator. What I just said bothered you got on your skin a little bit. You're a spectator. If you been challenged by it and give out of the men to it.

You're a participator you decide if you're a servant or a slacker. So we have to find our place and get in there and do the job God is called us to do because we are one of those two there's another way to put it. Are you a wall builder or a wall breaker. Are you a faith maker or are you have faith breaker see either your building a wall of our you're neglecting your part of the wall either your serving the Lord walking with the Lord or you aren't in it comes down to us as individuals is a part of the church now and contrast of those guys who were slackers. Here's a guy who really did his job well.

Look at Nehemiah 320. Next to him. But Ruth, the son of Xobni. I zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of a lion's share of the high priest zealously, even just to his work he did zealously.

That could be translated to burn or glow. He didn't with passion.

So which one are you are you like Baroque. Are you like one of the nobles, do you serve or do you expect to be served or are you a servant or are you a slacker or a list pull the camera back down from the story of always being rebuilt. Look at the bigger picture because you're talking about Nehemiah lived in the lap of luxury, who had a made in the shade dream job walked away from all of that influence in luxury and comfort to go and work hard supper with his people to get the job done. But before he did that he saw the situation in Jerusalem and he wept over it. Who does that remind us of Jesus, who was in the glory of heaven at the father's right can left heaven and came to this earth and was born as a helpless little baby in a manger in Bethlehem and there he walked in our shoes, and he lived our life any breeds are Aaron knew what it was like to face the challenges of humanity. But then he went to the cross and died for our sins and rose again from the dead and wanted Jesus to before he died outside of the walls of Jerusalem.

He wept for Jerusalem.

Just like Nehemiah. He wept and he said oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you, that kill the prophets how often I would've gathered you together as a hen gathers her chicks. That's interesting. Normally in Scripture, God is presented in a male form of father in heaven, but in this particular instance, he uses a maternal term I would gather you together as I hand the mother again gathers her chicks.

Now you all know how much a mother loves her children and if you try to come between a mom and her children that may be your last day on this earth right because of the protective nature of a mom that maternal instinct and God is saying that's how I feel toward you. I like it. Again, wanting to gather her chicks but you would listen to me, but he went through with it. He died for our sins on the cross. Despite the jeering crowd. Despite the mockery in the opposition.

He died there because he knew there was no other way we could be made right with God in the same Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead is with this here right now and he wants to come in the airline using what I don't know him great. This I my first time at church and I really know what you're talking about the stuff about being in the body of Christ and Gibson giving a worship and yeah you know what this is called a family. You walked in on a family discussion ever do that when your kid go over your friends house whole families were on the table were having the family discussion. I'm outta here. Listen to this. This is a flawed family.

Often the dysfunctional family.

But this is God's forever family and it's the best family going and God want you and the family is integrators weird people in the church. I know that did it ever occur to you that you're one of the weird people in the church.

I know I am but we like to put the funding dysfunctional okay so here's what it comes down to the only way you can become part of the family of God is by becoming a son or daughter of God. How does that happen. The Bible says, for as many as received him, he gave them the power to become children of God.

How do you come into the family. Jesus said you must be born again. Just as you were born physically. You must then be born spiritually by asking Christ to come into your life. And then you're in the family, a full-fledged family member in good standing.

Because of Jesus, but you must ask him to forgive you and ask him to come in your life that can happen for you right now if you joined us today. You're watching your listening to this and you don't know Jesus Christ in a personal way. You don't have the assurance that you go to heaven when you die but you want this relationship with God.

You want that second chance in life you want to become part of God's family, and pray right now and I'm a no extended invitation for any of you that want to put your faith in Christ.

Let's all bow our heads and everybody praying please father I pray now for all of those that are here, help them to see their need for you help them to come to you. Help them to believe in you. We pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their need for Jesus. Now in Jesus name I pray, amen. If you'd like to do just that except Jesus as your Savior pastor Greg Laurie will help you do so in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes so please stay with us yesterday were making available your new book called Lennon Dylan, Alice and Jesus in your subtitle you call it the spiritual biography of rock 'n' roll.

It's full of stories of rock icons to solve meteoric success. Then, often soon after self-destructed by let's talk to somebody who may be listening to us right now. Maybe a young person who who really, really, really wants to be famous or wealthy, adored by a stadium full of exuberant fans and of so many young people want to be a tick-tock sensation, YouTube influencer, drawing on the insight in this new book what your message to them. So many of these artists of days gone by, that it become iconic didn't have social media in their day, but they had it all. They had massive success global thing you know they had private jets and Bentleys and mention Cindy Johnson, you name it they had it, but they saw that wasn't the answer and I think of stories I read even recently of young influencers, young people who have had great success in social media platforms that have taken their own lives and it just doesn't make any sense to us. But in the way it makes total sense. Because of you think that fame or having more followers are having more people know your name will make you happy you going to be very disappointed when you reach the pinnacle and find it is not the answer. So what I want to say to those folks is, Christ is the answer.

No, God may bless you with success. God may bless you with fame.

God may bless you with other things but don't make that the sole purpose of living. Here's what the apostle Paul said he said the live is Christ. For some people if they were honest they would say to live is possessions.

Their motto would be he who dies with the most toys wins.

I would just add to that he who dies of the most toys wins� Nothing. Another might say for me to live is success well yes you can have success but Jesus said, what is it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul.

Somebody else might say I live for this other thing live for Christ. Put God first.

Jesus said seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

In context he was talking about what you eat or what you drink, or what you wear. God will take care of all of the needs of your life but don't make those things. The focus of your life. May Christ, the focus of your life and if you do you'll find the meaning of life. Yeah, that's good insight and there's a lot more coming your way and pastor Greg brand-new book called Lennon Dylan, Alice and Jesus. So can we send a copy to you. It's our thank you gift for those who can partner with us right now. Your investment helps keep pastor Greg's insights coming your way here on a new beginning, and they help us reach out with the gospel through our large-scale evangelistic outreaches such as Boise harvest just a few weeks ago. So your investment is an investment in change lives.

Contact us today by calling 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and then the pastor Greg, just a moment ago you mentioned our need to come to Christ for forgiveness of sin.

Yes, maybe there's somebody listening like to do that still like to take that step. Okay, maybe you could help them with that right now, I'd be delighted to listen if you would like to accept Jesus Christ into your life right now. By that I mean if you would like your sins are forgiven and have the assurance that you will go to heaven when you die. Would you pray this prayer with me, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I think you for dying on the cross for my sin and rising again from the dead.

I'm sorry for my sin, Lord, and I turn from it now and I put my faith in you to be my Savior, my Lord, my God, my friend.

Thank you for loving me and calling me and accepting me in Jesus name I pray, amen.

Listen if you just pray that prayer in minutes. I want you to know on the authority of God's word that Jesus Christ has just come to take residence in your heart. The Bible says these things we write to the believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. Listen we want to send you some resources that will help you grow spiritually. So here's Davison details and let me say God bless you and welcome to the family of God.

Yet those resources pastor Greg mentioned are all included in something we call our new believers growth packet will help you get started in living your life for the Lord.

So can we send it to you is free of charge. Just ask for the new believers growth packet and you can call us at 1-800-821-3300 were here 24 seven to speak with you again. It's 1-800-821-3300 or go to harvest.org and click the two words know God when next I pastor Greg helps us see how Nehemiah dealt with the opposition faced his team of wall builders will gain some practical insight on dealing with our own detractors is ever to serve the Lord join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Moore and thanks for the beginning Greg Laurie podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for daily devotions and learn how to become a harvest partner harvest.org