Wall Builders - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God check out virtue our website for Christian women go to harvest.org/virtue we live in the information digitally. Pastor Greg Laurie is concerned at how it's affecting were more than we ever live human history the same time were more disconnected the phone down and talk together frayed together and work together because all hard drives are all part of the family of God were all part of the church read that the believers were all in one in one accord. No, they were unified red agreement they were in harmony. He are we today Pastor Greg Laurie addresses is beginning looking at a fine example of teamwork recounted portion of the book of Nehemiah. They have a great great opposition they dedicated their great effort. Great God, we were just a bunch of crazy kid when this church started we really had no idea what we were doing what we love the Lord.

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 and 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 it. I would take whatever they didn't want to do so. For a while, notably also want to drive Riverside. They said Greg what you do it that I did it that 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 and back then the cost is $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 good 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 gymnast 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 are 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 priest 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 and be on them was sucker son of Emre that this gate was built by the sons of Vanessa and then delete the being set up its doors installed, its bolts and bars in Miramonte, son of Uriah and grandson of how because repair the next section of wall beside them were Ms. Shula, son of Beare Kia and grandson of Mesha because of Bell and Zajac 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."

Young 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 rather text and will get you the visa text you 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. How many of 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 to answer. I know 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 ever get for showing kindness do it 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 God has given. So what this means is when we come together we do things as a family friend since when we worship.

Worship is something we should do corporately. Everyone should worship when I say worship. I mean engage enemy don't stand 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 great. 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. So was just the noise that's good. It's okay. The Bible says because your lovingkindness is better than life a 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 of praise we worship we should all sing, listen, when we give we should all get one 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 can't give cheerfully, so I won't give it all you kinda miss the point. This verse is not talking about if you should give us 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, everybody Greg Laurie here.

I wanted tell you about a great way to hear God's word and worship with fellow believers, not only around the nation. But around the world. It's called Harvest at Home.

Millions are turning in from all over the planet and tens of thousands of make decisions for Jesus Christ. When I joined, and she just go to our website harvest.more.

We have our weekend services there. Of course, but we also have great industry. There every single day.

Sometimes it's visiting a message from a harvest Crusade another time.

It's a Q&A session were doing. Maybe it's something my wife is doing for the ladies, we even feature Christian films researcher/boy's life story, Steve McQueen, American icon, and hope for hurting hearts with Jeremy can Nick voyage all that a lot more harvest.org human resource for family enrichment and spiritual growth. So join us for Harvest at Home each week, harvest.org 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 of 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 sticks are they still make pixie sticks this other day.

A lot of you seem to know a lot about them nominate how people bring pixie sticks to me. You know be a thank you and that no thanks to the Edmonton Oilers Krispy Kreme donuts so someone gave me a gift certificate. The other day think you are your $50 a Krispy Kreme donuts 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 were sugary donuts from Krispy Kreme but anyway so I figured I get I could stretch my budget if I bit off the top of the grape licorice important great pixie sticks and I even thought as a little kid. One day I'm going to 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 bottle the candy. I member I can. I 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. And I'll tell you what he's blessed us in a bless you.

If you do the same. We should all worship 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 at Nehemiah 35 next to them were the Jekyll lights made repairs, but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of the Lords of the TECO whites 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 of what I just said bothered you got on your skin a little bit. You're a spectator. If you been challenged by it and get 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 now from the story of walls being rebuilt. Look at the bigger picture because are 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 and suffer 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 all Jerusalem Jerusalem you that kill the prophets. 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 your 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'm like a kid wanting to gather her chicks but you would listen to me, but he went through with that he died for our sins on the cross. Despite the cheering 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 them worship it 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 or 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 wants 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 in your life.

And then you're in the family of 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 what 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 that and accept Jesus as your Savior.

Pastor Greg will help you in just a moment for today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes please stay with us. Today's presentation is called wall builders and it's available online@harvest.org or call us at 1-800-821-3300 1-800-821-3300 and our thanks for harvest partners who help us make resources like this available well with Pastor Greg and be a special guest on the program.

Today we have Pastor Greg's wife Kathy and Jay and Catherine Wolf.

Authors of the book suffers strong. It chronicles their journey since the near fatal brain stem stroke. Catherine suffered about a dozen years ago, your Pastor Greg, I have an older car with an older navigation system hasn't been updated since the car was new and when I drive in my neighborhood. At one point the road on the map and the road in front of me diverge to know that the builder must change the direction of the road at some point and so as I drive.

It looks like I drive into uncharted territory, and I think about how our lives sometimes feel like we wandered into uncharted territory.

Not the way with mapped out an answer to the subject that we want to discuss today. Yes it's unchartered to us, but it's known to the Lord and the Bible says the steps of a righteous man or woman are ordered by God, and we have a certain trajectory. Our life is following the certain direction.

We hope our life will go.

We may be of a certain dream that we expect God to fulfill and maybe he will and maybe he'll surpass your dreams. The Bible says he's able to do exceedingly above and beyond that which we could ask or think, or then again, the Lord might redefine your dream or change your course. But it's his course I think of Joseph. Although hardship that befell him and when he was in a position to get ultimate payback and his brothers would betray them.

He said to them, you meant it for evil God meant it for good. Deceive many people alive so I just I was the voice of Catherine Wolf who was in affirming what I just said in she knows what she's wooing about because she's written a book along with her husband Jay called suffers strong and do what is that resonate with you Catherine my still, I mean clearly I should be dead. Hey after the stroke. But then I would think that the way many times a story like mine could go down if that person is left feeling no longer qualified honestly at life and to direct claim that basketball first you are, but even to be on you know a person that lives with dignity and a hard story, much less when he is filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit and the broken vessel so yeah I'm just I'm with John is that what you I think one of the most them wonderful things that you guys are doing in providing for the rest of us is you are like arms season guides along the path you are showing us the way through, and I know they 11 years ago when when Christopher died and I didn't feel the same way you describe it in beginning of the chamber.

You said you just felt like the system. This is not the stories like the city and in the story. This is everything come crashing down, and I felt like I had written in chalk on a blackboard.

My dreams of what Christopher's life was like in our grandchildren that he was bringing into this world and and I'll decide not to this giant eraser and he just to swipe the blackboard and I felt at sea. Had it not been for people like yourself and for the word of God and for the saints that have suffered before me. If we open her eyes in the Scriptures like to Joseph and others who have suffered there so many but we tend to just sort of focus on the lights in the transit heights and happy endings in the perfect stories and we overlook fees until were in place and what I love about your book is that you've gone to something that QMS has never been trailing most likely will never go feel that it's been deep and like you said, as treasures and darkness that you've discovered. You are like the season guides that are taking us to this country that is uncharted for ass and many of us feel afraid, and it's wonderful to have you there. Thank you for writing this book. Thank you so much for showing us on how to suffer circus dinner later at some degree, and in some points were going to suffer. They just we live in a fallen world is inevitable and I thank you for being such bright lights uniting lanky catcher you know they say one day you will tell your story of overcoming and it will be someone else's survival guide yet exactly think it's vital that any of us find this narrative of God in our pain and talk about how intelligent and and that'll connect the dots with just two needs to hear it. And so that's been such a humbling part of our journey and it's not also one directional. I mean, when we go out and get to share our story or what we've learned. It reminds us that it is true, it makes us want to live into it even more deeply, so is such a powerful cycle such deep insight from Jay and Catherine Wolf. Authors of the brand-new book were making available called suffers strong. Do you have a copy yet. We want to send 1 Your Way to help you with the challenges you're facing right now. If you're not facing challenges right now.

Praise God. But that's temporary, and especially get prepared for the storm before the storm and will send you suffers strong to thank you for your donation that helps us keep bringing Pastor Greg studies your way. Each day you can write a set a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and then the pastor Greg a moment ago you mentioned our need to come to Christ for forgiveness of sin yeah maybe there's somebody listening his like to do that like to take that step. 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 David some details and let me say God bless you and welcome to the family of God, and those resources Pastor Greg mentioned are all included in something we call our new believers growth packet. It'll help you get started in living your life for the Lord can resend it to you just ask for the new believers growth packet. Our mailing address is a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 1X5 Pastor Greg helps us see how Nehemiah dealt with the opposition-based esteem of wall builders looking some practical insight on dealing with her own detractors as we endeavor to serve the Lord. This next time beginning and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor greats free daily email, devotions@harvest.org