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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - The Excuses Of A World Changer

January 19, 2025 | S25:E16

Greg Laurie - The Excuses Of A World Changer
Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#GregLaurie #Faith #Blessing #Religion #PromisesofGod #Hatred #WordofGod #Endurance #Pride #inActive #Wilderness #Temptation #HarvestwithPastorGregLaurie #James1:12

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - The Excuses Of A World Changer | January 19, 2025
  • ...
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  • Greg laurie: you know, i think a lot of times we're afraid if
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  • We engage a non-believer with the gospel that they'll ask
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  • Us a hard question we don't have the answer to.
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  • I don't have all the answers, so what?
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  • Just get out there and share your faith.
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  • If you don't have an answer, go back and study more and you'll
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  • Have more answers next time for sure.
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, ♪
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  • ♪ the day when life begins. ♪♪
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  • Greg: temptation--here's the problem with temptation:
  • 00:00:46.002 --> 00:00:49.639
  • It's so doggone tempting.
  • 00:00:49.639 --> 00:00:53.910
  • You know, the devil is really good at what he does,
  • 00:00:53.910 --> 00:00:56.846
  • He knows how to package his wares.
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  • He knows how to make bad things look good and actually, how to
  • 00:00:58.982 --> 00:01:02.285
  • Make good things look bad.
  • 00:01:02.285 --> 00:01:04.487
  • And when temptation comes, man, you know it, and it's strong,
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  • And you feel the pressure.
  • 00:01:08.458 --> 00:01:10.527
  • Maybe that's why writer oscar wilde once said, "i can resist
  • 00:01:10.527 --> 00:01:14.697
  • Anything but temptation."
  • 00:01:14.697 --> 00:01:17.267
  • But here's the good news, god, according to 1 corinthians
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  • 10:13: "will never let us be tempted above our capacity to
  • 00:01:20.603 --> 00:01:24.974
  • Resist, but will with the temptation make a way of escape,
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  • That you may be able to bear it."
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  • Now look, i don't know about you, but i know for me, if i
  • 00:01:29.679 --> 00:01:33.616
  • Even take a little taste, that's where the problem begins.
  • 00:01:33.616 --> 00:01:37.320
  • And by that i mean, let's use dessert as an example of
  • 00:01:37.320 --> 00:01:40.557
  • Temptation, and they even will say, "can i tempt you with
  • 00:01:40.557 --> 00:01:44.427
  • A dessert?"
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  • It's funny they'll use the word "tempt," and i always say, "no,
  • 00:01:45.795 --> 00:01:48.898
  • No dessert," my wife will say, "well, what do you have?"
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  • I say, "no, don't do it," she did this the other night, "what
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  • Do you have?"
  • 00:01:55.071 --> 00:01:56.439
  • Don't ask what they have, and then she said, "we'll just have
  • 00:01:56.439 --> 00:01:59.509
  • One bite," and then i said, "that's what eve said to
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  • Adam," okay?
  • 00:02:02.478 --> 00:02:05.114
  • So they bring the dessert with the five forks and all that.
  • 00:02:05.114 --> 00:02:08.618
  • If i don't have a taste of it, it's a non-issue, but the moment
  • 00:02:08.618 --> 00:02:11.454
  • I taste it, party over, i'm engaged, you know how that goes.
  • 00:02:11.454 --> 00:02:15.925
  • So we've all been tempted, not just by dessert but by serious
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  • Things, by sinful things.
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  • It might be a temptation to be lustful, a temptation to be
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  • Prideful, a temptation to be hateful, but whatever it is,
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  • What a great thing it is when we pass the test, and by that i
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  • Mean, we say no to it.
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  • And honestly, when you're saying no, it's not easy, is it?
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  • Oh, i really want to, but no, i'm not gonna do it, but then
  • 00:02:39.182 --> 00:02:43.186
  • The blessing comes, because james tells us: "blessed is the
  • 00:02:43.186 --> 00:02:46.789
  • Man who endures temptation; for when he is tried, he'll receive
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  • The crown of life."
  • 00:02:50.126 --> 00:02:51.494
  • And that word "blessed" could be interchanged with the word
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  • "happy," happy is the man or the woman that says no
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  • To temptation.
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  • If you wanna be a world changer, you need to learn how to say yes
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  • To god and how to say no to the devil, and how to refuse
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  • Certain things.
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  • And that's what we're gonna look at now, the life of moses,
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  • Hebrews chapter 11.
  • 00:03:13.416 --> 00:03:15.418
  • "it was by faith," verse 24, "that moses, when he grew up,
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  • Refused to be treated as the son of pharaoh's daughter.
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  • He chose to suffer the oppression of god's people
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  • Instead of the fleeting pleasures of sin.
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  • He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the
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  • Messiah than own the treasures of egypt, and he was looking
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  • Ahead to the great reward that god would give him."
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  • Interesting phrase, "better to suffer for the sake of the
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  • Messiah," who had not yet come yet, "than to own the treasures
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  • Of egypt," and that is such an accurate description of what was
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  • Going on.
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  • For moses, the world was his oyster, he could have anything
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  • He wanted.
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  • He had affluence and influence, the most beautiful clothing, the
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  • Best meals, the finest education, and if he had played
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  • His cards right, he might have been the most important man on
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  • The face of the earth.
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  • But underneath that beautiful apparel, beat the heart of
  • 00:04:10.373 --> 00:04:15.478
  • A jew, and his fellow hebrews were suffering under the cruel
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  • Taskmasters of egypt.
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  • And he cared for his fellow jews and for him, he could not stay
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  • In this place that he was, he had to leave the palace.
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  • And verse 24: "by faith, when he grew up, he refused to be
  • 00:04:29.859 --> 00:04:33.830
  • Treated as the son of pharaoh's daughter."
  • 00:04:33.830 --> 00:04:35.732
  • "he grew up," i heard that expression a lot when i was
  • 00:04:35.732 --> 00:04:39.769
  • Growing up, teachers would say it to me, other people would
  • 00:04:39.769 --> 00:04:43.406
  • Say, "greg laurie, will you just grow up!"
  • 00:04:43.406 --> 00:04:46.809
  • Because i was always a prankster, i was always getting
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  • Into trouble.
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  • I wore diapers until i was 30, never shared that before.
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  • That was a joke, by the way, just wanted to see if you're
  • 00:04:54.884 --> 00:04:57.687
  • Listening, but the idea is, you know, i wasn't growing up as
  • 00:04:57.687 --> 00:05:01.391
  • Quickly as people wanted me to, and some people need to grow up.
  • 00:05:01.391 --> 00:05:05.027
  • Now, this, of course, is talking about moses just getting older,
  • 00:05:05.027 --> 00:05:09.465
  • But it's also about maturing, we need to grow up spiritually, and
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  • One of the indications of spiritual growth is when we
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  • Start thinking about others more than ourselves.
  • 00:05:18.674 --> 00:05:21.944
  • If moses just thought of himself, he'd say, hey man,
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  • I--i'm living the life of a king, i'm gonna just stay
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  • Right here.
  • 00:05:27.817 --> 00:05:29.185
  • But no, others were suffering, and he thought, i've got to do
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  • Something to alleviate their suffering.
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  • So that brings us to point number one: he refused a lot
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  • Of things.
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  • What did he refuse?
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  • Number 1: he refused a position of power in egypt, he refused
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  • A position of power in egypt.
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  • Offering commentary in the life of moses, young stephen said in
  • 00:05:50.506 --> 00:05:54.243
  • Acts 7:22: "moses was educated in the learning of the
  • 00:05:54.243 --> 00:05:58.748
  • Egyptians," but see, god did not want him to be moses, the
  • 00:05:58.748 --> 00:06:03.686
  • Egyptian scholar, or moses, the egyptian statement--statesman,
  • 00:06:03.686 --> 00:06:08.558
  • Rather, god wanted him to be moses, the man of god, and by
  • 00:06:08.558 --> 00:06:13.362
  • The way, that's what the lord wants from each of us as well.
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  • Number 2: moses refused the pleasures of egypt, the
  • 00:06:16.332 --> 00:06:20.336
  • Pleasures of egypt, for him to stay in this place of power
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  • Would have been sinful.
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  • Now, god has used other men and women in the quarters of power
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  • To influence leaders.
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  • Of course, we know daniel was taken along with the other
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  • Israelites into captivity of babylon, but he had great
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  • Influence on king nebuchadnezzar.
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  • In fact, babylon played a role in the conversion of king
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  • Nebuchadnezzar, some people don't know that nebuchadnezzar
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  • The king became a believer.
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  • Daniel also influenced darius, belshazzar too but belshazzar
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  • Did not listen.
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  • Then we know joseph had great influence on the pharaoh and
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  • Esther because of her influence with the king, excuse me, in the
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  • Palace, was able to save her entire nation.
  • 00:07:04.380 --> 00:07:08.050
  • So the point of this is, is that we have to ask ourselves, "lord
  • 00:07:08.050 --> 00:07:12.522
  • Where do you want me to be?"
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  • He might put you in a corridor of power.
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  • He might have you laboring in relative obscurity but wherever
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  • You are, you need to use your influence for his glory and ask
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  • Yourself the question, "am i gonna enjoy life in my own way,
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  • Or am i going to employ my life serving god and others?"
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  • Let me simplify it.
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  • Are you going to enjoy your life or employ your life?
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  • Now let me clarify something.
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  • If you employ your life for the glory of god, you will enjoy
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  • Your life like never before.
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  • Because serving the lord is the most joyful thing you can do.
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  • Am i right?
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  • Do you know what i'm talking about?
  • 00:07:51.527 --> 00:07:52.929
  • It's true.
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  • The bible says in his presence there is fullness of joy and
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  • In his right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
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  • See, we who are serving the lord have discovered a secret
  • 00:08:02.505 --> 00:08:06.275
  • And jesus said it to us very clearly.
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  • He said it is more blessed to give than it is to receive.
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  • And another way you could translate blessed is happy.
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  • If you want to be a happy person, be a giving person.
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  • If you want to be an unhappy person, be a selfish person.
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  • If you want to be a happy person, be a generous person.
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  • If you want to be a miserable person, be a stingy person.
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  • Be generous with everything god gives you.
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  • Be generous with your time.
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  • Be generous with your money.
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  • Be generous with whatever is at your disposal.
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  • But if you're always hoarding and thinking about others
  • 00:08:42.778 --> 00:08:45.381
  • Can cater to you,
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  • You're not gonna enjoy this happiness.
  • 00:08:47.049 --> 00:08:49.051
  • What motivated moses?
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  • Answer: he had a heavenly perspective, he had
  • 00:08:50.886 --> 00:08:54.523
  • A heavenly perspective.
  • 00:08:54.523 --> 00:08:56.092
  • Look at hebrews 11, verse 26: "he was looking ahead to the
  • 00:08:56.092 --> 00:09:00.229
  • Great reward that god would give him."
  • 00:09:00.229 --> 00:09:03.332
  • He wasn't even sure what it was, but he knew better things were
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  • To come.
  • 00:09:07.703 --> 00:09:09.071
  • He kept looking ahead, but then he went and made a big mess
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  • Of things.
  • 00:09:12.108 --> 00:09:13.476
  • He had the right idea, but he certainly went about it in the
  • 00:09:13.476 --> 00:09:15.978
  • Wrong way, you know the story, he saw an egyptian slave driver
  • 00:09:15.978 --> 00:09:21.350
  • Mistreating a jew, so moses looked to the right, he looked
  • 00:09:21.350 --> 00:09:25.154
  • To the left, and he killed the egyptian.
  • 00:09:25.154 --> 00:09:27.957
  • Then he hid him in the sand, which is never a good place to
  • 00:09:27.957 --> 00:09:30.760
  • Hide a body because the wind blows and soon everyone knows
  • 00:09:30.760 --> 00:09:34.964
  • What happened, and pharaoh found out and said, i'm gonna have
  • 00:09:34.964 --> 00:09:38.167
  • Moses executed, so moses headed for the hills and he decided,
  • 00:09:38.167 --> 00:09:43.739
  • Well, that's it, i've blown my chances, i'll just live a life
  • 00:09:43.739 --> 00:09:47.443
  • In obscurity now.
  • 00:09:47.443 --> 00:09:49.345
  • And he found a family that took him in, he married one of the
  • 00:09:49.345 --> 00:09:52.181
  • Daughters and he became a shepherd.
  • 00:09:52.181 --> 00:09:54.583
  • And by the way, back in those days, in the estimation of the
  • 00:09:54.583 --> 00:09:57.486
  • Egyptians, to be a shepherd was the lowliest job you could have,
  • 00:09:57.486 --> 00:10:01.357
  • So he went from the prince in the palace to a common laboring
  • 00:10:01.357 --> 00:10:06.328
  • Shepherd, probably had an early retirement thought, well, that's
  • 00:10:06.328 --> 00:10:09.865
  • It for me, but he wasn't quite prepared for what was about to
  • 00:10:09.865 --> 00:10:15.871
  • Happen because he was gonna encounter a bush that did not
  • 00:10:15.871 --> 00:10:19.442
  • Stop burning and he was gonna come face to face with the god
  • 00:10:19.442 --> 00:10:23.079
  • Of second chances.
  • 00:10:23.079 --> 00:10:25.081
  • Look at exodus chapter 3, starting in verse 1: "one day
  • 00:10:25.081 --> 00:10:30.986
  • Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, jethro, the
  • 00:10:30.986 --> 00:10:34.290
  • Priest of midian.
  • 00:10:34.290 --> 00:10:35.658
  • He went deep into the wilderness near sinai, the mountain of god.
  • 00:10:35.658 --> 00:10:39.428
  • Suddenly the angel of the lord appeared to him as a blazing
  • 00:10:39.428 --> 00:10:42.231
  • Fire in a bush.
  • 00:10:42.231 --> 00:10:43.766
  • Moses was amazed because the bush was engulfed in flames but
  • 00:10:43.766 --> 00:10:47.903
  • It didn't burn up.
  • 00:10:47.903 --> 00:10:49.371
  • Moses said to himself, 'amazing.
  • 00:10:49.371 --> 00:10:51.974
  • Why isn't this bush burning up?
  • 00:10:51.974 --> 00:10:53.943
  • I need to go over and see this.'
  • 00:10:53.943 --> 00:10:55.878
  • And then the lord, when he saw he had caught the attention of
  • 00:10:55.878 --> 00:10:59.248
  • Moses, called to him from the bush, 'moses!
  • 00:10:59.248 --> 00:11:03.419
  • Moses!'
  • 00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:04.954
  • 'here am i,' moses replied.
  • 00:11:04.954 --> 00:11:07.022
  • God said, 'don't come any closer.
  • 00:11:07.022 --> 00:11:08.958
  • Take off your sandals, for you're standing on
  • 00:11:08.958 --> 00:11:11.927
  • Holy ground.'"
  • 00:11:11.927 --> 00:11:13.262
  • We'll stop there.
  • 00:11:13.262 --> 00:11:14.630
  • So god proceeds to tell moses that he is aware of the
  • 00:11:14.630 --> 00:11:18.968
  • Suffering of the jewish people and that god is going to now
  • 00:11:18.968 --> 00:11:23.172
  • Call moses to lead those people out of their bondage.
  • 00:11:23.172 --> 00:11:27.443
  • Understand, moses, well, he's an old dude now, he's 80 years old.
  • 00:11:27.443 --> 00:11:33.849
  • He spent 40 years in the court of pharaoh, now 40 years in the
  • 00:11:33.849 --> 00:11:38.187
  • Wilderness, he is well into retirement, you know, he says,
  • 00:11:38.187 --> 00:11:41.824
  • Hey man, i worked hard, now i'm gonna kick back.
  • 00:11:41.824 --> 00:11:44.393
  • I meet people that retired, "yeah, i'm retired, yeah, just
  • 00:11:44.393 --> 00:11:47.663
  • Worked to take the old pension," "what are you gonna do?"
  • 00:11:47.663 --> 00:11:50.666
  • "golf," "what else?"
  • 00:11:50.666 --> 00:11:52.635
  • "fish," "what else?"
  • 00:11:52.635 --> 00:11:54.603
  • "sleep," "what else?"
  • 00:11:54.603 --> 00:11:57.439
  • "fish," "what else?"
  • 00:11:57.439 --> 00:12:00.109
  • "try to golf and fish simultaneously maybe."
  • 00:12:00.109 --> 00:12:03.979
  • Get out of your la-z-boy and get busy for the kingdom of god,
  • 00:12:03.979 --> 00:12:08.450
  • God still has a plan for your life.
  • 00:12:08.450 --> 00:12:11.487
  • Don't tell me you're too old to serve the lord, moses was 80.
  • 00:12:13.322 --> 00:12:17.293
  • Don't tell me you're too young to serve the lord, jeremiah was
  • 00:12:17.293 --> 00:12:20.563
  • But a teenager.
  • 00:12:20.563 --> 00:12:22.298
  • My point to you is god wants to use all of us at every stage of
  • 00:12:22.298 --> 00:12:26.969
  • Our life.
  • 00:12:26.969 --> 00:12:28.337
  • Listen to what god says to moses, exodus 3: "i am the god
  • 00:12:28.337 --> 00:12:31.407
  • Of your father, i'm the god of abraham, isaac, and jacob."
  • 00:12:31.407 --> 00:12:35.611
  • Now we hear that, it sounds very impressive, abraham, isaac, and
  • 00:12:35.611 --> 00:12:39.381
  • Jacob, right?
  • 00:12:39.381 --> 00:12:40.883
  • But wait, let's think about it for a moment because in the
  • 00:12:40.883 --> 00:12:43.052
  • "world changers" series, we've seen the flaws of everyone that
  • 00:12:43.052 --> 00:12:45.955
  • God used.
  • 00:12:45.955 --> 00:12:47.323
  • These people are not in the heroes hall of faith because
  • 00:12:47.323 --> 00:12:50.192
  • They were great people, they're in the heroes hall of faith
  • 00:12:50.192 --> 00:12:53.229
  • Because they had faith in a great god.
  • 00:12:53.229 --> 00:12:55.831
  • This hall of faith of hebrews 11 is filled with a lot of
  • 00:12:55.831 --> 00:12:59.468
  • Interesting characters, all with serious problems: abraham, the
  • 00:12:59.468 --> 00:13:05.374
  • Father of faith, had flaws and lapses of faith and lied on
  • 00:13:05.374 --> 00:13:09.612
  • Multiple occasions.
  • 00:13:09.612 --> 00:13:11.614
  • Jacob, oh, he was legendary for his deception and manipulation.
  • 00:13:11.614 --> 00:13:17.152
  • Isaac favored one son over another and didn't really listen
  • 00:13:17.152 --> 00:13:20.856
  • To the lord.
  • 00:13:20.856 --> 00:13:22.191
  • So really, when god says to moses, "i am the god of abraham,
  • 00:13:22.191 --> 00:13:25.427
  • Isaac, and jacob," what he is saying is, i am the god of
  • 00:13:25.427 --> 00:13:28.464
  • Flawed people, i am the god of people that make mistakes.
  • 00:13:28.464 --> 00:13:33.035
  • Really what the lord is saying is i am the god of
  • 00:13:33.035 --> 00:13:35.504
  • Second chances.
  • 00:13:35.504 --> 00:13:37.273
  • And why would he say that to moses?
  • 00:13:37.273 --> 00:13:38.941
  • Because moses needed a second chance, because he killed a man
  • 00:13:38.941 --> 00:13:43.312
  • And he had spent 40 years thinking he'd probably never do
  • 00:13:43.312 --> 00:13:46.448
  • Anything for the lord, but the lord is saying, buddy, i'm
  • 00:13:46.448 --> 00:13:48.951
  • Recommissioning you, so park the winnebago and let's get busy,
  • 00:13:48.951 --> 00:13:54.089
  • We've got work to do.
  • 00:13:54.089 --> 00:13:56.158
  • And we're gonna go and deliver a nation from the power of egypt
  • 00:13:56.158 --> 00:14:01.397
  • Because i'm aware of all that my people are going through.
  • 00:14:01.397 --> 00:14:03.933
  • The lord says that he has heard and he has seen the affliction
  • 00:14:03.933 --> 00:14:08.003
  • That the people are facing, and moses, i'm calling you to lead
  • 00:14:08.003 --> 00:14:11.507
  • Them out.
  • 00:14:11.507 --> 00:14:12.875
  • Now, what moses should have done was fall on his face and say,
  • 00:14:12.875 --> 00:14:16.512
  • Thank you, lord, for a second chance, i'm ready to go.
  • 00:14:16.512 --> 00:14:19.515
  • But what moses does instead is offer up a bunch of excuses as
  • 00:14:19.515 --> 00:14:23.319
  • To why he can't serve the lord.
  • 00:14:23.319 --> 00:14:26.055
  • I bring this up because we all know we're supposed to serve the
  • 00:14:26.055 --> 00:14:28.657
  • Lord, we all know that god has a plan for each of us.
  • 00:14:28.657 --> 00:14:32.194
  • We all know that god has given us gifts and talents and
  • 00:14:32.194 --> 00:14:35.297
  • Abilities and resources to use for his glory, but so often,
  • 00:14:35.297 --> 00:14:39.501
  • Many of us are not doing it, and why are we not doing it?
  • 00:14:39.501 --> 00:14:43.005
  • We offer up excuses, never reasons.
  • 00:14:43.005 --> 00:14:47.142
  • There's no good reason to not serve the lord but excuses, as
  • 00:14:47.209 --> 00:14:51.880
  • We look at the excuses of moses, you might find yourself
  • 00:14:51.880 --> 00:14:54.683
  • In one of them.
  • 00:14:54.683 --> 00:14:56.051
  • This is why i called the message
  • 00:14:56.051 --> 00:14:57.753
  • 'the excuses of a world changer.'
  • 00:14:57.753 --> 00:14:59.955
  • Excuse number 1: exodus 3:11, i don't deserve to be used
  • 00:15:00.022 --> 00:15:05.694
  • By god.
  • 00:15:05.694 --> 00:15:07.363
  • He says, "who am i to appear before pharaoh?"
  • 00:15:07.363 --> 00:15:09.865
  • Moses asked god, "how can you expect me to lead the israelites
  • 00:15:09.865 --> 00:15:13.902
  • Out of egypt?"
  • 00:15:13.902 --> 00:15:15.738
  • Now, you know, in a way moses had a point.
  • 00:15:15.738 --> 00:15:17.706
  • I mean, would you have picked moses if you were god, why not
  • 00:15:17.706 --> 00:15:21.143
  • Pick some young guy?
  • 00:15:21.143 --> 00:15:22.911
  • Moses had a lot of baggage, you know, he had made a lot of
  • 00:15:22.911 --> 00:15:26.949
  • Mistakes and in a way, he was sort of a has-been, a failure,
  • 00:15:26.949 --> 00:15:30.619
  • Even an embarrassment, why use him?
  • 00:15:30.619 --> 00:15:33.188
  • Use somebody who'd never--no, god says, i want moses because
  • 00:15:33.188 --> 00:15:36.692
  • I've been whipping this boy into shape for a long time and he is
  • 00:15:36.692 --> 00:15:39.695
  • Ready to rumble, this is my man.
  • 00:15:39.695 --> 00:15:42.865
  • You know, it seems as though god goes out of his way to pick the
  • 00:15:42.865 --> 00:15:46.201
  • Most expect--unexpected people.
  • 00:15:46.201 --> 00:15:47.803
  • God wants to reach the nation of nineveh, so the lord calls
  • 00:15:47.803 --> 00:15:52.374
  • Jonah, listen, jonah was a racist.
  • 00:15:52.374 --> 00:15:56.412
  • You say, what do you mean?
  • 00:15:56.412 --> 00:15:57.780
  • He hated the ninevites, he wanted god to kill
  • 00:15:57.780 --> 00:16:00.883
  • The ninevites.
  • 00:16:00.883 --> 00:16:02.217
  • God said, you're the perfect guy to go preach to the ninevites.
  • 00:16:02.217 --> 00:16:05.854
  • I don't wanna go, yeah, whatever, let's go, and a great
  • 00:16:05.854 --> 00:16:09.358
  • Revival broke out.
  • 00:16:09.358 --> 00:16:11.093
  • And then god wanted a courageous man to lead israel out of the
  • 00:16:11.093 --> 00:16:14.296
  • Bondage of the midianites, their enemies, so he chooses gideon,
  • 00:16:14.296 --> 00:16:19.134
  • Who happens to be hiding from his enemy when the angel appears
  • 00:16:19.134 --> 00:16:22.871
  • To him.
  • 00:16:22.871 --> 00:16:24.239
  • Hiding behind a wall, sort of threshing the wheat, and an
  • 00:16:24.239 --> 00:16:26.642
  • Angel appears and says, "hey gideon, you mighty man of
  • 00:16:26.642 --> 00:16:29.912
  • Courage, the lord is with you," gideon's like, "is there another
  • 00:16:29.912 --> 00:16:33.082
  • Gideon here?
  • 00:16:33.082 --> 00:16:34.583
  • What, you mean moi, me?"
  • 00:16:34.583 --> 00:16:37.653
  • "yeah, you," well, that doesn't make any sense, if there's
  • 00:16:37.653 --> 00:16:41.223
  • Anything gideon was not at that moment, it was a mighty man of
  • 00:16:41.223 --> 00:16:44.226
  • Courage, but listen to this: god doesn't see you for what you
  • 00:16:44.226 --> 00:16:47.830
  • Are, he sees you for what you can become, he sees potential.
  • 00:16:47.830 --> 00:16:53.202
  • It is said that the great master artist michelangelo was looking
  • 00:16:53.202 --> 00:16:56.772
  • At a big slab of marble and he said, "i want to liberate
  • 00:16:56.772 --> 00:17:02.411
  • An angel from that marble."
  • 00:17:02.411 --> 00:17:04.680
  • See, the great artist michelangelo could just look at
  • 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:07.182
  • A slate of stone and see what would come from it, and god
  • 00:17:07.182 --> 00:17:11.120
  • Looks at you and says, i know what you can be.
  • 00:17:11.120 --> 00:17:13.288
  • You don't know it yet, but i know, i know what i can make you
  • 00:17:13.288 --> 00:17:16.325
  • Into, you'll be a mighty man of god, you'll be a mighty woman
  • 00:17:16.325 --> 00:17:20.395
  • Of god.
  • 00:17:20.395 --> 00:17:21.730
  • Don't care if you're young or you're old or you think you're
  • 00:17:21.730 --> 00:17:23.532
  • Qualified, i will make you into that.
  • 00:17:23.532 --> 00:17:25.901
  • So god is saying, moses, i've called you to be this man.
  • 00:17:25.901 --> 00:17:30.939
  • Number 2: moses says, well, i don't have all the answers,
  • 00:17:30.939 --> 00:17:34.009
  • Exodus 3.
  • 00:17:34.009 --> 00:17:36.645
  • So you have to look at that verse 23--or 13, excuse me,
  • 00:17:36.645 --> 00:17:41.016
  • "moses protested, 'if i go to the people and tell them, 'the
  • 00:17:41.016 --> 00:17:43.685
  • God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' they won't believe
  • 00:17:43.685 --> 00:17:47.523
  • Me, they'll ask, 'which god are you talking about, and what is
  • 00:17:47.523 --> 00:17:50.859
  • His name?'
  • 00:17:50.859 --> 00:17:52.194
  • Then what would i tell them?'
  • 00:17:52.194 --> 00:17:53.562
  • God says, 'well, you just tell them, i am who i am.
  • 00:17:53.562 --> 00:17:57.065
  • Just say the i am has sent me to you.'"
  • 00:17:57.065 --> 00:18:00.569
  • Funny thing; moses says, "who am i?"
  • 00:18:00.569 --> 00:18:03.272
  • God says, "i am that i am," stop talking about yourself, stop
  • 00:18:03.272 --> 00:18:08.644
  • Thinking about yourself, you just tell them i am has
  • 00:18:08.644 --> 00:18:11.980
  • Sent you.
  • 00:18:11.980 --> 00:18:13.315
  • Moses, it's not about you, it's about me.
  • 00:18:13.315 --> 00:18:16.518
  • You know, i think a lot of times we're afraid if we engage
  • 00:18:16.518 --> 00:18:18.854
  • A non-believer with the gospel that they'll ask us a hard
  • 00:18:18.854 --> 00:18:22.925
  • Question we don't have the answer to.
  • 00:18:22.925 --> 00:18:24.927
  • I don't have all the answers, so what?
  • 00:18:24.927 --> 00:18:27.329
  • Just get out there and share your faith.
  • 00:18:27.329 --> 00:18:29.331
  • If you don't have an answer, go back and study more and you'll
  • 00:18:29.331 --> 00:18:31.767
  • Have more answers next time for sure.
  • 00:18:31.767 --> 00:18:34.336
  • But don't let that stop you from telling others about jesus.
  • 00:18:34.336 --> 00:18:37.940
  • Well, i don't know if i can prove the existence of god, my
  • 00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:41.109
  • Job is not to prove the existence of god, my job is to
  • 00:18:41.109 --> 00:18:44.980
  • Proclaim the good news of the gospel.
  • 00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:47.516
  • You say, well, what if they don't believe in the bible,
  • 00:18:47.516 --> 00:18:50.085
  • Can i still quote it?
  • 00:18:50.085 --> 00:18:51.453
  • Are you kidding?
  • 00:18:51.453 --> 00:18:53.622
  • God says of his word, that it's alive and powerful and sharper
  • 00:18:53.622 --> 00:18:57.392
  • Than any two-edged sword; if they believe it or not, it is
  • 00:18:57.392 --> 00:19:00.996
  • What it is.
  • 00:19:00.996 --> 00:19:02.598
  • And so that would be like, you know, talking to someone, you
  • 00:19:02.598 --> 00:19:04.733
  • Have a sword, they say, "well, like i don't believe your
  • 00:19:04.733 --> 00:19:06.568
  • Sword's real, okay, man?
  • 00:19:06.568 --> 00:19:08.470
  • Like, i think your sword is like just an imagination i--"
  • 00:19:08.470 --> 00:19:12.674
  • "oh yeah, let me use my sword on you for a moment," pow, pow!
  • 00:19:12.674 --> 00:19:15.344
  • And now they're gonna believe the sword's real when i give
  • 00:19:15.344 --> 00:19:18.680
  • Them a good poke with it.
  • 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:21.283
  • "well, i don't believe in the bible, i don't think it's
  • 00:19:21.283 --> 00:19:23.118
  • Inspired by god," "yeah, really?
  • 00:19:23.118 --> 00:19:24.886
  • Interesting, here's what the bible says," and you just share
  • 00:19:24.886 --> 00:19:28.156
  • It with them, and the power of god's word will penetrate
  • 00:19:28.156 --> 00:19:31.226
  • Their heart.
  • 00:19:31.226 --> 00:19:32.594
  • God says, "my word will not return to me void, it will
  • 00:19:32.594 --> 00:19:36.164
  • Prosper in the place where i send it."
  • 00:19:36.164 --> 00:19:38.233
  • Years ago, when i was starting crusade evangelism, it was the
  • 00:19:38.233 --> 00:19:43.939
  • Mid-30s--excuse me, i was mis--i totally said that wrong, i was
  • 00:19:43.939 --> 00:19:48.143
  • In my mid-30s, i haven't been doing it that long.
  • 00:19:48.143 --> 00:19:51.947
  • Funny, it was actually mid-'90s, but i was in my mid-30s, and you
  • 00:19:51.947 --> 00:19:57.319
  • Know a funny thing, when i was in my 30s, i thought i was
  • 00:19:57.319 --> 00:20:01.123
  • Really old, i thought, "wow, i'm really old now, i'm in my 30s."
  • 00:20:01.123 --> 00:20:05.394
  • When i talk to young people, they say, "i'm so old, i'm in my
  • 00:20:05.394 --> 00:20:08.063
  • 30s," i say, "please stop, you're not old yet, okay?
  • 00:20:08.063 --> 00:20:10.999
  • Trust me, you'll know what i'm talking about later," right?
  • 00:20:10.999 --> 00:20:13.802
  • Well, anyway, i'd been getting so old and--but you know, this
  • 00:20:13.802 --> 00:20:17.172
  • Opportunity opened up to preach the gospel in arenas and
  • 00:20:17.172 --> 00:20:19.841
  • Stadiums and such, and i was a little overwhelmed by it, and we
  • 00:20:19.841 --> 00:20:23.645
  • Were visiting with ruth graham, who we got to know very well,
  • 00:20:23.645 --> 00:20:26.782
  • She was billy's wife, she's in heaven now.
  • 00:20:26.782 --> 00:20:30.085
  • And we were often asked to speak at the billy graham training
  • 00:20:30.085 --> 00:20:33.322
  • Center at the cove, which is very close to the home of
  • 00:20:33.322 --> 00:20:36.692
  • The grahams.
  • 00:20:36.692 --> 00:20:38.060
  • And billy was usually not there because he was somewhere in the
  • 00:20:38.060 --> 00:20:40.962
  • World doing a crusade, but ruth was always home, and she would
  • 00:20:40.962 --> 00:20:45.233
  • Always come out to the bible studies and take notes.
  • 00:20:45.233 --> 00:20:48.603
  • It's amazing like, why would you take notes when i'm speaking?
  • 00:20:48.603 --> 00:20:51.673
  • I mean, she was such a wonderful lady, and we'd spend a lot of
  • 00:20:51.673 --> 00:20:54.476
  • Time hanging out with her.
  • 00:20:54.476 --> 00:20:55.811
  • She was fun-loving, quick to laugh, very knowledgeable of
  • 00:20:55.811 --> 00:20:59.715
  • Scripture, full of wisdom, and one day i said, "oh ruth, i'm so
  • 00:20:59.715 --> 00:21:03.618
  • Intimidated, i, you know, doing these crusades and all this
  • 00:21:03.618 --> 00:21:06.488
  • Stuff, i don't feel like i'm really ready for it, i need
  • 00:21:06.488 --> 00:21:09.358
  • To really brush up on my apologetics."
  • 00:21:09.358 --> 00:21:11.093
  • She said, "greg, don't worry about that, you just proclaim
  • 00:21:11.093 --> 00:21:14.262
  • The gospel.
  • 00:21:14.262 --> 00:21:15.597
  • That's what billy always did and that's what you need to do," and
  • 00:21:15.597 --> 00:21:17.766
  • I said, "yes, ma'am," and she was right.
  • 00:21:17.766 --> 00:21:20.836
  • And you know, as the years have passed, in my evangelistic
  • 00:21:20.836 --> 00:21:24.005
  • Preaching, i've actually gotten simpler by intention.
  • 00:21:24.005 --> 00:21:28.910
  • And by that i mean, is that i've tried to make the message so
  • 00:21:28.910 --> 00:21:33.115
  • Understandable, not assuming that my listener has a clue as
  • 00:21:33.115 --> 00:21:37.386
  • To what i'm actually talking about, not assuming people know
  • 00:21:37.386 --> 00:21:40.689
  • Biblical terminology because nowadays, most don't.
  • 00:21:40.689 --> 00:21:45.460
  • And so you have to make it very understandable so if they reject
  • 00:21:45.460 --> 00:21:49.364
  • It, let it be because they don't like the message or wanna
  • 00:21:49.364 --> 00:21:52.934
  • Believe it, as opposed to because they don't
  • 00:21:52.934 --> 00:21:55.837
  • Understand it.
  • 00:21:55.837 --> 00:21:57.205
  • So moses continues on with his plethora of excuses.
  • 00:21:57.205 --> 00:22:01.443
  • I just wanted to use the word "plethora" in a sentence.
  • 00:22:01.443 --> 00:22:06.381
  • Excuse number 3: the people won't believe me, that's in
  • 00:22:06.381 --> 00:22:09.851
  • Exodus 4: "the people won't believe me," exodus 4, verse 1:
  • 00:22:09.851 --> 00:22:13.922
  • "moses protested again, 'look, they won't believe me, they
  • 00:22:13.922 --> 00:22:17.325
  • Won't do what i tell them, they'll just say the lord never
  • 00:22:17.325 --> 00:22:19.628
  • Appeared to you.'
  • 00:22:19.628 --> 00:22:20.962
  • The lord says, 'what do you have there in your hand?'
  • 00:22:20.962 --> 00:22:22.497
  • Moses said, 'well, a shepherd's staff.'
  • 00:22:22.497 --> 00:22:24.232
  • 'throw it to the ground,' the lord said.
  • 00:22:24.232 --> 00:22:26.234
  • So moses threw it to the ground, and it became a snake!
  • 00:22:26.234 --> 00:22:29.571
  • Moses was terrified, and he turned and ran away."
  • 00:22:29.571 --> 00:22:32.374
  • This is funny to me, i just--he throws it, ah!
  • 00:22:32.374 --> 00:22:35.343
  • Runs, it's a snake, probably a cobra.
  • 00:22:35.343 --> 00:22:38.246
  • "the lord said, 'take hold of the snake.'
  • 00:22:38.246 --> 00:22:40.715
  • And he reached down and grabbed it, and it became a shepherd's
  • 00:22:40.715 --> 00:22:43.618
  • Staff again."
  • 00:22:43.618 --> 00:22:45.053
  • Exodus 4:5: "perform this sign, and they'll believe you," the
  • 00:22:45.053 --> 00:22:48.156
  • Lord told him, "and they'll realize that the lord, the god
  • 00:22:48.156 --> 00:22:51.059
  • Of their ancestors--the god of abraham, isaac, and jacob has
  • 00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:55.397
  • Appeared to you."
  • 00:22:55.397 --> 00:22:57.065
  • Now, this is crazy because, first of all, you never grab
  • 00:22:57.065 --> 00:23:00.502
  • A snake by the tail because it'll turn around and bite you,
  • 00:23:00.502 --> 00:23:03.738
  • I've told you that before.
  • 00:23:03.738 --> 00:23:05.307
  • God says, "grab the snake," why?
  • 00:23:05.307 --> 00:23:07.609
  • The snake was a symbol of egypt, in particular the cobra.
  • 00:23:07.609 --> 00:23:11.780
  • You can look at the--not the car, the snake, you can look at
  • 00:23:11.780 --> 00:23:15.417
  • The antiquities of egypt today and see that cobra there
  • 00:23:15.417 --> 00:23:19.221
  • Symbolizing the pharaoh, in particular, and the nation
  • 00:23:19.221 --> 00:23:22.924
  • Of egypt.
  • 00:23:22.924 --> 00:23:24.292
  • So here's what god is saying, i'm more powerful than the
  • 00:23:24.292 --> 00:23:27.062
  • Snake, i'm more powerful than egypt.
  • 00:23:27.062 --> 00:23:30.365
  • I'm more powerful than pharaoh, so pick it up.
  • 00:23:30.365 --> 00:23:34.102
  • Our modern vernacular might be take the tiger by the tail,
  • 00:23:34.102 --> 00:23:38.607
  • Don't be intimidated, face your fears and say, the lord is
  • 00:23:38.607 --> 00:23:42.911
  • Greater than all of my fears.
  • 00:23:42.911 --> 00:23:45.046
  • And that's what moses did, he picked it up because he was
  • 00:23:45.046 --> 00:23:48.049
  • Being commissioned by god.
  • 00:23:48.049 --> 00:23:50.418
  • And we have been commissioned as well by the lord to represent
  • 00:23:50.418 --> 00:23:54.823
  • Christ to a pagan culture.
  • 00:23:54.823 --> 00:23:57.158
  • Moses was called to the pagan culture of egypt, we're called
  • 00:23:57.158 --> 00:24:00.662
  • To the pagan culture of the united states of america and to
  • 00:24:00.662 --> 00:24:05.200
  • The world.
  • 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:06.535
  • And when i say pagan, i don't mean that in a mean way, i mean
  • 00:24:06.535 --> 00:24:09.504
  • It in a descriptive way.
  • 00:24:09.504 --> 00:24:11.840
  • When i use the word "pagan," i'm talking about people that
  • 00:24:11.840 --> 00:24:14.876
  • Believe in anything and everything but the right thing.
  • 00:24:14.876 --> 00:24:19.781
  • Look at excuse number 4: moses says, i'm not a good speaker,
  • 00:24:19.781 --> 00:24:23.752
  • Verse 10: "0 lord, i--i'm clumsy with words, i'm not
  • 00:24:23.752 --> 00:24:27.789
  • A good speaker."
  • 00:24:27.789 --> 00:24:29.624
  • Listen to this: god is not looking for good speakers, he's
  • 00:24:29.624 --> 00:24:33.128
  • Looking for obedient servants.
  • 00:24:33.128 --> 00:24:36.431
  • You don't have to be a good speaker, you just need to be
  • 00:24:36.431 --> 00:24:38.867
  • Someone who obeys god, he'll give you the words, because god
  • 00:24:38.867 --> 00:24:43.071
  • Is more interested in character than charisma, you see.
  • 00:24:43.071 --> 00:24:48.510
  • And look, i--i'm not a good speaker, i don't think i am, but
  • 00:24:48.510 --> 00:24:52.714
  • I have a great message, and i'm confident in my message and
  • 00:24:52.714 --> 00:24:56.851
  • That's why i proclaim it, and you have that same message and
  • 00:24:56.851 --> 00:25:00.388
  • We all need to get it out.
  • 00:25:00.388 --> 00:25:02.290
  • By the way, by that applause, i'm assuming you're affirming
  • 00:25:02.290 --> 00:25:05.393
  • That i'm not a good speaker, so thanks for that.
  • 00:25:05.393 --> 00:25:09.464
  • No, seriously, you know you meant it, but it's true.
  • 00:25:09.464 --> 00:25:14.736
  • Okay, last excuse, number 5: i'm not qualified.
  • 00:25:14.736 --> 00:25:18.974
  • I'm not qualified, verse 13: "lord, please send by the hand
  • 00:25:18.974 --> 00:25:23.178
  • Of whomever else you will send," that's a fancy way of saying get
  • 00:25:23.178 --> 00:25:27.282
  • Someone else to do it, "here i am, lord, send him, not me," and
  • 00:25:27.282 --> 00:25:34.155
  • Then he actually suggests his brother aaron, "you know aaron,
  • 00:25:34.155 --> 00:25:37.425
  • My bro, he is a--this guy can talk, man, he has the gift of
  • 00:25:37.425 --> 00:25:42.831
  • Gab, use him."
  • 00:25:42.831 --> 00:25:44.165
  • Lord says, "i don't want aaron, i want you."
  • 00:25:44.165 --> 00:25:46.835
  • "well, i can't do it, i, i, i have a speech impediment,
  • 00:25:46.835 --> 00:25:49.704
  • I stumble over my words, i, i stutter, i, i, i, i, i, i, i,
  • 00:25:49.704 --> 00:25:53.975
  • I ju--i ju--ju--ju--just not the guy."
  • 00:25:53.975 --> 00:25:56.645
  • "yeah, that's why i want you."
  • 00:25:56.645 --> 00:25:58.780
  • Stop with the excuses, they're not legit.
  • 00:25:58.780 --> 00:26:01.850
  • You have no reason why you can't be used of god, you only have
  • 00:26:01.850 --> 00:26:06.321
  • Lame excuses.
  • 00:26:06.321 --> 00:26:08.957
  • The lord says, "i want you to do is say, 'lord, thank you, i'll
  • 00:26:08.957 --> 00:26:12.494
  • Do it, and i know you will help me to do it.'"
  • 00:26:12.494 --> 00:26:15.930
  • And ultimately, moses agreed and did what the lord called him
  • 00:26:15.930 --> 00:26:20.669
  • To do.
  • 00:26:20.669 --> 00:26:23.204
  • Greg: hi, i'm greg laurie. i've got some good news for you.
  • 00:26:27.342 --> 00:26:29.778
  • God loves you and god has a plan for your life.
  • 00:26:29.778 --> 00:26:33.748
  • Here's the problem: we're separated from god by our sin
  • 00:26:33.748 --> 00:26:37.085
  • Because we've all broken his commandments.
  • 00:26:37.085 --> 00:26:40.255
  • But the good news is, is 2,000 years ago,
  • 00:26:40.255 --> 00:26:43.058
  • God sent his son, jesus christ, to die on the cross for your
  • 00:26:43.058 --> 00:26:46.861
  • Sin, and then to rise again from the dead.
  • 00:26:46.861 --> 00:26:50.098
  • The same jesus who died and rose is alive and ready to
  • 00:26:50.098 --> 00:26:53.768
  • Come into your life right now.
  • 00:26:53.768 --> 00:26:56.371
  • Would you like your sin forgiven?
  • 00:26:56.371 --> 00:26:58.006
  • Would you like to know that when you die you will go to heaven?
  • 00:26:58.006 --> 00:27:01.276
  • If so, pray this simple prayer with me right now.
  • 00:27:01.276 --> 00:27:04.512
  • Just say, "lord jesus, i know i'm a sinner but i believe
  • 00:27:04.512 --> 00:27:08.183
  • You're the savior who died on the cross for my sin.
  • 00:27:08.183 --> 00:27:11.252
  • I turn from my sin now and i choose to follow you
  • 00:27:11.252 --> 00:27:14.856
  • From this moment forward."
  • 00:27:14.856 --> 00:27:17.292
  • Did you just pray that prayer with me?
  • 00:27:17.292 --> 00:27:19.561
  • If you did, god in heaven has heard you.
  • 00:27:19.561 --> 00:27:22.297
  • Let me be the first to say to you congratulations,
  • 00:27:22.297 --> 00:27:25.900
  • And welcome to the family of god.
  • 00:27:25.900 --> 00:27:28.436