Can God Really Use Me?

God uses the broken. You didn't blow it. You're not out. God doesn't put you up on a shelf.

He wants to use you. He pulls you out and says, here, do what I have for you to do. Some of you are like, you don't. You don't know what I've been through. You have no clue.

And maybe I don't. Peter was insecure. He was unlikely. He was a broken disciple. And you know, I don't know what he went through.

I don't know what you went through. But I know God used him. There's a story. David Wilkerson, probably one of my favorite people of this age. He passed away a few years ago.

But he started Times Square Church. And some of you that grew up in the 60s and 70s probably, you know, witnessed some of the crusades and the evangelism even in the 80s of Nicky Cruz. And Nicky Cruz is still a very, very popular evangelist today. Amazing man of God. Anointed by God.

Nicky was a very unlikely candidate. He's very broken. He was a Puerto Rican boy. Father and mother were terrible to him. They were very abusive.

In fact, he shared the story. His father would lock him naked in a pen with pigeons. And the pigeons would peck him for hours. And he would cry and cry and cry and cry. And his mother beat him until she couldn't beat him anymore.

They said he had the devil in him. Just the life that he was raised in. So they sent him away to New York because they just obviously didn't want to have anything to do with him or didn't feel like they could raise him or whatever they did. Obviously, if you have parents like that, there wasn't a lot of care and love there to be with his brother. He quickly ran away from his brother, lived in the streets and joined a gang.

And within months became a warlord of one of the most famous gangs in New York City during that time period. He said this, I was so full of hurt, neglect, and anger. I wanted everybody to feel like I did. And he was mean. He can't even say even in his testimonies whether he killed people or not.

But I can say it for him. He probably killed people. Things happened. Very, very, very dangerous journey he took it on. And he met this man named David Wilkerson on the street one day and he told him that Jesus loved him.

And there's actually an old movie if you want to go back and watch it. The black and white movie is kind of fun, you know, just to watch. It kind of represents what happened. But David would say Jesus loved him and he would slap him. He would spit on him.

He'd say, get out of here. And David pursued him. I tell you what, bold man of God. Actually followed him into his home one time. And one time, he was so angry with him.

Nicky was so angry with him. He told him, I'm going to kill you. You come back here, I'm going to kill you. And he said this, you can cut me into a thousand pieces and every piece will still love you. And he said that just hit his heart.

And he shares his testimony. He goes on talking about how he was falling on his knees or they were running from one of his events or whatever. And David was like, where's Nicky? Where's Nicky? He was following him into his place.

And he just followed him in there. And Nicky's like, get out, get out. And then he watched his friend like fall on his knees and say, you know what? I'm surrendering my life to Christ. I can't do this anymore.

There's something going on here. I'm giving my life. He's like, what's going on? What's wrong with you? This guy's a phony.

He's a fake. He's this and that. And all he could look. And when he looked at David, all he could see is Christ. And he's like, Christ loves you.

Jesus loves you. Jesus loves you. And he falls on the ground. And he says, there was just this overwhelming sense. I'm not quoting him.

I'm just paraphrasing. This overwhelming sense of love that was pouring on him. And all he wanted to do was hate. But the love was just overcoming the hate. And he gave his life that day.

And Nicky was one of the head leaders of Teen Challenge. Most of you probably have heard or been a part of Teen Challenge at some point in your life. Or even if you're not a church person, you've heard of Teen Challenge or drug abuse ministry to recover people from alcohol, drug, and street gang, all that kind of stuff. And he was a part of that. And he has an evangelism network.

Nicky Cruz Ministries that reaches thousands and thousands and thousands of people to Christ because of this nothing little gang member. In fact, he tells a story how he led his mother and father to Christ later on. And they, I mean, just an amazing story. So God loves the insecure. God loves the unlikely.

And God loves the broken. So I ask you in closing, what does God want to do through you? Well, can I say it like this? And this is in your notes. You won't know until you go.

You won't know until you go. Well, you know, I'll go when I know, Lord. You know, that's what we usually say, Lord. I want to see something. I want to, but you will not know until you go.

You have to step out to find out. You got to step out to find out. What I love about the Lord, he calls us to little things and then entrusts us with bigger things. And when I started this church, I'm going to tell you guys, it was very doubtful that I would ever, ever start it. Gene, you were there.

You're laughing because, you know, sometimes in those meetings, he probably was like, there's three people here. You know, what are we going to do here? But God calls us to little, little tasks. He called me. He says, I want you to step out, Leon.

Just start this. We were in that house. We were meeting every week and we didn't have all the resources that we were told we needed to have. I'm going to be honest with you. I felt very insecure.

I felt unloved in some ways because it, I was, I was, I was left. I was promised something to help us get started and that, and the promise was reneged. So I, I had this, this hurt in me. And then I felt like, oh, nobody believes in me, but the Lord believed in me. And he said, Leon, I want you to do this.

I want you to step out. So we found, I said, you know what? I'm just going to take the first step. I'm just going to look for a little place to meet. You must just start doing church.

You got a little yoga studio behind gringos. I was over on the beach and just said, let's just start. We don't even have a slide or, you know, luckily I was a musician, so we did have a little band, you know. Kevin was there. Alex came in a little later and Carl was there.

A little three-piece band, me, Carl, and Kevin. And once in a while, and Peter, too. Peter, I don't want to leave you out, brother. Peter was there. A little three to four-piece band.

Some days it was a two-piece band. And we, and it was around this time of the year, you know, like we started in summer, so that was a stupid idea because, you know, nobody comes to church in the summer, right? So I hope to see you next week, guys, because the summer's starting. Let's have the biggest day next week, right? Let's pack the place out.

What do you want to, you want to prove, prove the devil wrong? Amen. So we just started doing little things, you know, and then God just kind of blesses us as we trust in him and we step out and do more things. And we lost the yoga center in four months and right across the hall was a brewery. Hey, God's given us this opportunity.

It was cheaper. It actually was more feasible and had an entertainment center. Hey, we can have a little church here and watch it grow and let's see what it does. Because I asked every time, let's do this and see what it does. I didn't have any kind of direct, like audible voice from God that said, this is the place.

Go there. You know, it wasn't that. That's not, that's, often he doesn't work that way. Sometimes he does, but he doesn't. It was just, it was just, this makes sense.

Lord, I'm trusting you. Hey, wait a minute, Lord. And sometimes I have to, I have to remind God that this was his idea, not mine. God, this is your idea. Last night I was praying for today.

I said, Lord, this is, this is your idea. I'm doing this for you. This is for your glory and for your honor. And on and on and on, even until today, you know, we're, we're, we're growing and we're, we're stepping out and we're taking baby steps. We're not taking dramatic steps.

We're responsible, but we're taking steps. No, nevertheless. And we're trusting him in faith. I'm trusting him. His word is true.

And I'm here to tell you today, just as he did with Abraham, when he told him to pack up everything and go. And when he told Moses, go and deliver my people. And I'll give you the words to say, or when he told David, go fight that giant. You just have a little slingshot. Go on out.

Right. And when he told Peter, he said, I have forgiven you. You rejected me. I have forgiven you. Now go and do stand up and preach the gospel.

And what did Peter do? And what did Peter do? He went out and preach the gospel. And the greatest movement that ever took place started at that moment when Peter stepped out in boldness. He stepped out on the day of Pentecost and shared God, shared Jesus, shared the good news.

And thousands and thousands and thousands of people were saved that day in the church began. And we are still here today because of these numbskulls, these ordinary people that knew nothing about who they were, but they found someone who led them to know who they were. So I'm asking you today, do you know who you are? Do you know your purpose? Do you know your calling?

Are you stepping out? Are you ready to go? You got to go before you know. You got to step out to find out. Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you, God, for your word.

There are people all over this place that are getting ready to or considering taking a step, Lord. Lord, they've been afraid or they've been insecure. They've been hurt and they don't feel like they can do anything, Lord. And they ask, you know, why have you done all this in my life, Lord Jesus? Why have I gone through this, this, this, and this?

Can you possibly have something for me? Lord, show them that you did. And it's time to step out. Give us the courage to step out. Give us the courage to trust you to do more, to influence a life a day, to influence a life a day, that everybody in this room would influence a life a day, every life that they come in contact with, that they would be an influence, that you would, they would carry Christ, Lord, empower them to do that so that not only they, but the world can experience the joy of knowing you and walking in your glory.

For some people here today with all heads bowed and all eyes closed, some of you have not ever taken that initial step to know Jesus. He says, come to me all who are heavy laden and weary, and I will give you rest. And he says, I come so that you may have life, and life abundantly. There's no death in me. And you've walked in here today, and you've been so broken and so hurt.

You've just been, and maybe even one time you had a relationship with God, but you kind of, you know, you're away from him now, and you're just feeling the pressure of life and the hurt and all that is going on. Today, can I tell you, you can make a decision for him today. You can, you can make, you can confirm that you are a child of God today. Will you do that? Will you do that?

If that's you, I'm not going to embarrass you. I'm just going to ask you to gently lift your hand because I want to pray for you. I see that hand. Anyone else? I see another hand.

Is there any other hand? Give your life to Christ. Surrender to him. Rededicate your life today. Put those hands down.

Let me just pray for you. Let me just pray for you. And just, just pray with me as God will change you. Father, I admit that I don't have it all together. I've failed you so many times, Lord.

But today, I commit my life to you. I rededicate my life to you. I give my life to you. I walk, I surrender my life to the cross of Jesus that you gave your life for my sin. And today, I receive your blood.

I receive the power of your blood. And I walk with you from this day forward. Make me a new creature. Change me from the inside out.