God Orchestrates and Recruits

Jesus didn’t say, “Go and pray.” He didn’t say, “Go and read your Bible.” No . . . Jesus said, “Go and tell.” It’s not hard to do when you’re cultivating a deep relationship with Him. God not only orchestrates our lives, He recruits those He wants us to share our faith with. Learn more from Barry and his special guest Pastor Jack Hibbs about telling others about Jesus without fear. Because when you have faith, you just naturally want to share it! 

Host Barry Meguiar is a car guy and businessman who hosted the popular TV show, Car Crazy, on Discovery Networks for 18 years. He loves cars, but he loves Jesus even more! Learn more about Barry at IgniteAmerica.com.

Get your copy of Barry’s book Ignite Your Life: Defeat Fear with Effortless Faith at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and other online booksellers.

Meet Barry's guest - Jack Hibbs is the senior and founding pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, based in Southern California, the Founder & President of Real Life ministry, and a nationally syndicated TV & Radio host. Read more about Jack at JackHibbs.com.

Learn more about:

• A Christian’s greatest work that Jesus makes clear
• Jack’s experience preaching in front of Lenin’s tomb
• The importance of praying without ceasing
• King David’s prayer in Psalm 90
• Barry’s interaction with a Detroit taxi driver

Get resources to help ignite your faith and move everyone, every day closer to Jesus at  IgniteAmerica.com — including the Ignite ePrayer app (available on the App Store and Google Play), Faith Sharing Stories, One Minute Inspirations, SeekingGod.org and more. Sign up to receive emails that will deliver practical faith-sharing tips and powerful inspiration. 

Transcript

Barry Meguiar  00:03

Welcome back to this episode of Ignite, I have the famous the one and only Jack Hibbs by faster in California. And my dear friend, and, you know, if you have a, if you have a church is not igniting you and getting you involved, that it's tickling your ears with three point, make you feel good messages, you go out laughing and whatever. That's not real life. This is this the world is I mean, there's a different world today. And if your VAs here has not helped you understand that and what he should be doing today, you need somebody like Jack Hibbs. Thank you very. He's annoying my my dear friend, but he's my pastor. Because, you know, I've said unto great preaching all my life. I've never had an executor in my life that's just speaks the truth fearlessly. I mean, you know, I mean, and you have fun doing it, but you're just free and you're just having fun. And you turn the whole world of evil and darkness nearly into this amazing opportunity we have? 

Jack Hibbs  01:05

Well, I think that's really clear from the gospel. You see, first of all, our prototype, our leader, and that is Jesus walking through a sinful world, right, came into a sinful world, walked right through it, he avoided nothing, walked right through it. And while he was walking through it illuminated every spot that he passed through, and you think about that he not only raised the dead, you know, that's the fantastic part. Everybody wants to see the miraculous part. But Jesus said, because I go to the Father, the works that I've done, you're going to do greater works. And a lot of people fail to recognize that, as important as it is, you know, to pray for the sick. Of course, we will do that and to pray for those to be raised up, of course, we will do that. But Jesus made it very clear that the greatest work that we can do, is what Barry McGuire is so skilled at doing. And frankly, every Christian should be in that is in their opportunity in their moment that God provides is to share the Lord Jesus Christ in that arena. Not one of us can say, well, if I had your platform, Barry, I would tell people, no, the truth is because Barry tells people about Jesus God's given him a platform. You want to make sure you have in the right order.

Barry Meguiar  02:15

Exactly. Yeah, I had a guy come to the dinner last night we had we had 120 people for dinner last night, few friends over for dinner to hear Jack. And this one guy came up to me and he's a powerful salesman, I mean, Mega Millions. I mean, he was just, he said, Barry, you have the personality. See, not everybody has that personality. I say wow. You do not know me. I was an introvert. I was an introvert. I was folks I hid behind my wife Karen's never known stranger. I would literally walk behind her. And when she warmed up the group I would appear and enter into the conversation. That's how Wow, fairing sharing my faith took me out of that because I will feel so compelled I needed there you go to do that, you know, and that's key. But but then you recognize a hidden thing, go to the world, all you have a certain type of personality are going to roil you who've been trained. Going through it all you have had it memorize scripture, you know, go into the world. And you know, there's no point is just go a trained nurse. He doesn't say go and pray. That's right. He doesn't say go and read your Bible. He says go and tell. That's for all of us. Yeah, there's none of us get out of it.

Jack Hibbs  03:29

Exactly. Right. There's key things in Scripture that let's just call them the fundamentals that are in place. Okay. So what's to always be in place is that you are a person of prayer. So you pray you just what does that mean? That means that you have an open door, open link, constant, upload, download, have conversation with God, we make it so difficult that we rule ourselves right into the factor that's wrong. The other thing is, is to be ingesting the Bible. And so this is why we as a church are so committed to verse by verse Bible teaching why there's a reason for this bury, is if people get the word in them, that's that's all I need to do is be faithful to the Word of God. If I give it, it's gonna get inside of them. And then once it's inside of them, I walk away. Because he goes to work, he takes the word, and to coin a perfect phrase, he ignites the word in them. So like Jeremiah, Jeremiah said, I tried to keep my mouth shut, but I couldn't do it. God's word burn within me and I had to speak. And we really believe that strongly. We've seen that in our own lives personally. And we've seen it happen at church, and that is those who are open to the word, take it in, and it begins to simmer. Eventually, the lid on that pot begins to boil over. And when that boiling over takes place, you're going to have a tug on your heart, at the grocery store. Tell that person about my love, or tell that stranger? Yeah, can you pray for them?

Barry Meguiar  04:58

We call it a nudge and you're with the nudge. You know what the nudge is? How often do you say Oh, I should? I should stop. But I don't have I don't have time. Oh, that person's hurting at home I, I should really call. I don't know why I gotta say, you know, you don't have to know what you're gonna say, right? Forget all that stuff about memorization and preparation. The Bible says don't do that. Don't even prepare who taught horses? I'll give you the words the horse fair give you the word to say when you need it. And when you have that happen, that's intimacy with God. Yeah, I don't think you could have any other ways. God just use me to witness that Percy use I pedal car wax, usually to change in life. I mean, does it get any better? My gracious!

Jack Hibbs  05:45

We uuhm, for years we have been personally in international mission stations where churches were being planted preaching on the streets. Barry, one of the greatest highlights of my life was right after I remember when Reagan said Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall. And you remember Bill Bright, Bill Bright picked up the phone and he called Chuck Smith had coverage chapel Costa Mesa and he said, Look, I've been to Russia. And formal Christianity is not going to work among the young people. It's just not going to work. They're not interested in the formalities to the future of Russia. The home is reaching the young people. So Calvary Chapel, you guys go to church and flip flops. And in your casual. Chuck, how soon can you get churches into Russia? And within a matter of months, we were not only in Russia, but I'll never forget it. One of my first times ever there. Maybe it was the very next day. I stood on top of a Knutson, a Knutson plastic milk cart with a crowd of people that came with us and preach the gospel in front of Lenin's tomb, oh my goodness, literally. Behind me was Lenin laying dead, that the entire Soviet Empire was built upon the ideology of that, that basically he preached God is dead on God, basically. And so we preach the gospel. And what happened was our group myself included Lisa, my wife, we literally forgot who we were we we were working 1012 hour day sharing Christ. You forget everything about your life, you forget your name, so to speak, right? You forget that you've got kids back home, you are so consumed on what God wants to be doing that. If somebody No I mean this in a joking way, but maybe not. We were so pumped high on sharing Jesus, that if somebody would have walked by from the world and said, Hey, you want some? You want some drugs? You want some drink? You want a high, we would have laughed, we would have left? Are you kidding? Get out of my face, you have no idea what you're talking about. Because what we've been doing, sharing Christ is so it's so possessing it possesses you.

Barry Meguiar  08:03

It really is, you know, this thing of praying without ceasing. I I can remember, you know, I've been at this for a few years, right? Getting married about to be very 59 years and we've been sharing our faith together all these years. But I remember back in the early years are a married syncing Premiere CC. I can hardly remember to pray every day. In fact, sometimes I go a week without prayer. Yeah, that is that's impossible. Yeah, you know, a few months ago hit me I'm praying without ceasing all the time. And this is what happens folks, I walk into a room I've been doing this for a long time I just didn't realize that's actually what I'm doing when I walk into a room now I'm I'm not I'm not warped I'm not a Jesus freak where it's just like get away from the guy can't stand that guy. I mean, I you know, I love the sports we have we have all these patients you know we have all these fun things. But always be ready. Always be ready. And when I walk into a room I am I'm I'm literally praying God, who do you want me to talk to? Who do you want me to talk to you this prayer and sometimes I'll see somebody across the room and I think that okay, God if that's who you want me to talk to you I know you work it out. And also I mean all sudden, they I turn around and nearly are Hey, I've been wanting to talk to you about something I was like, Okay God.

Jack Hibbs  09:24

And look at the boldness that gives you see a lot of people listen, in fact, if you what we'd love to encourage all of you about is to actually pray that prayer Lord Good morning God I know you're gonna want to do stuff today if you want to use me I'm ready. And because I'm not the smartest Einstein spiritually speaking, I need your nudge nudge so when you nudge me, let me know it and so I want that divine appointment so

Barry Meguiar  09:50

And then respond to and respond to it bond do it you just know it but respond to it. 

Jack Hibbs  09:55

Exactly. 

Barry Meguiar  09:56

That when you pull back 

Jack Hibbs  09:57

No, it's 

Barry Meguiar  09:58

Oh, you're letting God down

Jack Hibbs  10:00

Listen, it's Well, I think, I think what's worse than letting God down Believe it or not, because I don't think God, I don't. I don't think we can ever disappoint God, I think he already knows how messed up we are. I think we wind up ripping ourselves off. He sets up a divine appointment, he gives you the nudge. And like you said, Oh, should I should look the moment you find yourself debating yourself? Should I go tell that person about God? Or should I go pray with that person? Or, or should I do this that or other in Jesus name at the guy at the end of the freeway off ramp? Whatever his motive is, just do it in Jesus name. If you find yourself debating should I do? Should I do good or not? Do good. Do the good. Don't debate it. Do the good thing. And let God deal with the outcome.

Barry Meguiar  10:49

Oh my Yeah, so my. And I wonder how many times I miss it. Oh, me too. Because God not only orchestrates our lives, he recruits their lives, he he brings us together. I got a million stories. I've told all the podcasts. I won't waste our time now. But it's amazing how you bring us together. And I wonder, do I miss it? Yeah. And I'm looking through God's eyes. And I think he's looking at one. Oh, Evey. Right? Right. Yeah. Hard. I worked to put you together. And you just blew me off. And that's why I'm so excited when it works. Yeah. And I feel good spine. I look, if I see Jesus spyzie You did it very. You heard me I usually I spoke through you did it well done. And the joy of the Lord is my strength when I think I just made God happy.

Jack Hibbs  11:38

Yep. You know what, Barry? This question. And comment comes out of my bubble reading this morning. I was reading Rebecca last night and the gathering mentioned Psalm 90. So I started reading today, Psalm 9091 92. And then it dawned on me this morning, where a man might be listening to us right now and say, Well, my wife's the evangelist are my wife smart. Oh, yeah. My wife prays my wife, this, my wife that, hey, you know what, we need to stop even thinking like that and realize this, that we need to be men of biblical masculinity. Okay, not the way the world defines masculinity the way God does it. And there's no greater example outside of Jesus, in my opinion, then, then King David, David was obviously a man's man, a man of war. In fact, so much more that God said, your, your hands have been so bloody in battle that you can't build me a house, your son will do it. He's got more of a softer touch. But David was a man of war. He was a man of God, a man of prayer. And here I am reading in the Psalms. How he is praying Lord made my heart sensitive to what you want to do and what you're saying. And this is a man speaking. So we can't any longer, especially as pastors, we cannot hide behind some facade. And maybe what, pop out on Sunday and then then go back in and wait till next Sunday. No, no, no, no. I think we're living in an age that the good stuff we need to focus on. And there's good stuff happening like the young generation today. They can see right through falsehood, no matter what they're into. Yeah. They love authenticity. Yes, they do. Yes. And so we need to respond to that and capitalize on it isn't there's nobody more authentic than Jesus. And so if we were to show a world that is what's what's the deal, fearful, suicidal, panic stricken? Absolutely not knowing what to do next. If a man shows up in their world, that is saying, hey, you know what, let's go do this. Let's go do this and see what happens. They might wind up having a completely different perspective and say, You know what, you mean, I can live I can live Bible life for real?

Barry Meguiar  13:57

Yeah, they've ever seen it. They don't even know it exists. Zach didn't even know it exists. Exactly. 80% of Americans are unchurched living in fear. And they're looking statistics they they're looking for God. Yeah, they know this is not natural. What's going on? There looking. We've been sharing here and I've been Sheriff phase for 50 years on a daily basis. It's never been easier. Now. It's 1,000%. Every single person is open. You just can't tell them they're going to hell do you know you're going to help do or do you go to church or you do or you say I mean, you can't be doing this love them? He says, no, no, no, you're my disciple by your love. You just love on people. And they never get mad at you when you tell them Do you know God loves you? Yep. Unless and until rejected. I can't know he can't let Yeah, he loves you know, I got a taxi one time. A guy in Detroit and it's gonna take a short it's cold outside. It's underage, but I'll give me Bucha I don't want to tip. What I don't want to tip yelled at me. Just short man scruffy. We're one of the few non Muslim taxi drivers in Detroit rare. That's exactly where and I said, Excuse me, why don't you want to? I'm a bad person.

Jack Hibbs  15:07

Oh my goodness,

Barry Meguiar  15:08

I don't want to tip. He's yelling at me. So every time, every time anything goes wrong, Karen, I'd say God, what are you up to? You're up to something. You You can use this here we go million stories. And this time I said, you know, God loves you. I've been doing this lot settlements. Do you know God loves you know, right? I said, No, no, God loves you know. I said, Sir, excuse me, but I'm student in the Bible. I'm a Christian. And I can tell you, God loves you. That's islands. I mean, he'd never heard that. I said, you know, it gets even better. Do you know he loves you? As much as he's ever loved? Anybody ever? 

Jack Hibbs  15:51

Yep.

Barry Meguiar  15:57

I see, you know, it gets even better than that. It gets even better. Do you know he loves you as much as He loves His own Son, Jesus Christ.

Jack Hibbs  16:05

Not a word sinking. And

Barry Meguiar  16:07

By now we're at the convention center, Coco, I get out and snowing puts the window down the salt in the winter. He's looking at me. I said, Sir, God, I just want you to know God put me in your taxi right now. That's right. Because he wants you to know that he loves you. And He wants you to spend eternity with Him. You just, you just you know. And then I give a big tip. I said, Have a great day. God bless you. Here, sorry. You know, it's a team sport. I didn't get saved, I might have done it. I may have started committing suicide. He might be a preacher. I don't know exactly. But I know God use me we have these moments. When bad things happen. You have the flat tire, you have the flight that doesn't work, you're on the wrong floor, whatever it is, look around, you're in the middle of God doing something when you recognize that it changes your entire life and where you live. And it's always true. It's not just a mindset, it actually happens.

Jack Hibbs  17:05

Here this is Barry's podcast, but I want to I want to rat him out. So to speak in love. He practices what he preaches, because I remember some time ago, you picking me up at the airports and we we stopped at some some place for you. And Karen had taken us to lunch somewhere. And they have a routine for real. So he's not just talk, where when the hostess came or when the server came. They have something that they practice. And it's it's basically this Hi, Karen or Rachel or whatever her name was. We were we were praying people, is there something that we can pray for you for? And I'll never forget standing there. I remember this. She said that her dad was pastoring a very small church that was struggling, and that she had just gotten married. And they were trying to figure that out. Yeah, that's right. I remember this because of that moment. And this was some time ago. Barry and Karen, both they do what they're telling you on this on this program. And I've watched it and I say it's awesome.

Barry Meguiar  18:15

We do it. A lot the storage, you know, most of the time. They'll not only have something that they want you to pray about, but there'll be emotional about it. And after you say Thank God, we asked her what if we had not asked her that question migration sake? Is it fun serving the Lord or what?

Jack Hibbs  18:35

I've often said that if Christianity is boring, you're doing it wrong.

Barry Meguiar  18:39

Pastors that are not encouraging their their people to share the faith are robbing their people of joy, of faith. You know, most Christians are living in fear. Now they don't have, they don't have if you're living in fear, you don't have faith. If you don't have faith, you can share your faith. So you're just going through the motions getting beat up by the throne and wondering where God is as opposed to getting off the bench. You know, you sit in the bench and complain, never prayed. You're just a bench setter, right? Yeah. And you start complaining about your own players, referees

Jack Hibbs  19:10

Who complain about the results of the election, but they didn't vote. It's like what do you do?

Barry Meguiar  19:15

Exactly right, exactly. Right. From a pastoral standpoint, why are pastors not sending us i apart from going to your church in one year? I go to a county bar that looks I love the bar, a Barnett family and their continued says share your faith. But why are most pastors not knowing that? Why? Why are they not empowering us? So why did they do that? It's a great commission after all

Jack Hibbs  19:38

I don't know but if where they were they happened, did they were they schooled in a seminary that didn't focus on evangelism? It's possible but I don't like to give them that out. Because if you just read your Bible, I personally believe this. Jesus said in John 16 It's important that I go away because if I don't go away, the Holy Spirit will not come Okay, but if he comes, he says in John 14, he's going to dwell with you. He's going to be inside of you. And then John seven, he announces that, for the believer from your innermost being will gush forth rivers of living water. So when you put those things together, John seven, John 14, John 16, and then he wraps it and puts a bow on top with junk with Acts, chapter one, verse eight, Go into all the world and preach this gospel and make disciples. So here's the deal. Evangelism, preaching the gospel is only one in of what we do as pastors, at least it should be our jobs. As the Bible says, Ephesians four, we are pastor teachers, which means we not only see people born, that's what the evangelist or evangelism brings forth. But after somebody's saved, we are to equip them to do the work of the ministry, who every believer, so what you want to do is ask yourself, do you go to a church that goes beyond the salvation effort? Salvation effort should be happening everywhere. But now what? So somebody said a long time ago, are you have you been a Christian for 40 years with 40 years experience? Or have you been a Christian for 40 years with one year experience? And that's what we see in America today. Because pastors have either shied away or they view evangelism as confrontational, that they're really speaking to what is known as felt needs. Pastor Tell me, what kind of happy thought should I have today or this week, and I'll see you next week to get refueled. But don't call me to get involved in the culture. Don't tell me to share my faith with somebody and bury I'm telling you that if pastors got away from sermon nets, as Charles Spurgeon called them, he said that too many people are preaching sermon that's for Christians. Yeah, we need to get into the Word of God so that it gets into our DNA and outcomes.

Barry Meguiar  21:57

Do you have more time? We're running out of time. Can we do another episode? 

Jack Hibbs  22:01

I'm yours 

Barry Meguiar  22:02

Close out right now. I want to come back and do it. Because there's some other questions. You're right on a very important. Hey folks, join us again for our next episode. Thanks for joining us here Ignite.