Count Me In - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, to find out how to know God personally go to know God.org K NOW know God.org you would you do me a favor sure this message was someone who needs to hear it when many go to ensure they're looking for some kind of take away Pastor Greg Laurie says maybe were called to do the option to serve others serving fellow believers is not only important for those we serve more. This is how to get the most out of church stop thinking like a consumer start thinking like a Neuner when you bless others. You will be blessed yourself and have a good patient note give me this when we're older you grow out of the least we change the word we sample we shop patronize order, but we still want the vanity beginning from acts to pastor Greg Laurie helps us see how to break the pattern and focus on the needs of others and how we might be able to meet part of being a humble, self-sacrificing member of the body of Christ. Alright so remember we bombed up the church of the first century with the acronym well WELL they were worshiping church there were an evangelistic church.

They were learning church.

They were a loving church we already pointed this out, but will review quickly. Number one, they were a worshiping church and what we gather together as we just did and we worship the Lord something happens right. You can't get this anywhere else.

There's nothing out there like it when Christians come together and worship Jesus promises when two or more are gathered together in his name.

He's there in the midst of the Scripture tells us that the Lord inhabits the praises of his people and we should worship it. We feel like it or not.

Hebrews 1315 says we offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lives, giving thanks to his name.

So even if you don't want to worship you should worship because God is good and God deserves our worship now. Point number two. They were a learning church. This is a very important one verse 42. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayers. But the trend in America is not in studying the Bible. However, most Americans own Bible. 93% of Americans own at least one Bible affect the average American household has four Bibles to Bob, as you have in your house. I have a lot because I obviously never throw them away right so you beat one up and you go to another one, but they're not reading their Bible the center for Bible engagement recently did a study and here's what they came up with. I find this very interesting. Listen to this. If you are not reading your Bible four times or more a week you will make no significant choices or changes any different from someone who does not read the Bible at all. Then repeat that again if you're not reading your Bible four or more times a week you will make no significant choices or changes any different than someone who does not read the Bible. However, if you read your Bible more than four times a week, that's a question delightedly how many of you read your Bible more than four times a week rigid.

You guys are awesome.

Okay, so now consider that this is a study that was done. If you read your Bible more than four times a week.

Your propensity for pornography goes down 61% your propensity for substance abuse goes down 57%.

Your propensity for gambling goes down 74% even obesity goes down 20%. So you will lose weight, read your Bible to see you see the impact being in the word have. Jesus said if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples. The church of the first century with the Bible studying church so I'm going to read the Bible.

That is an absolute I'm in a do this before I do anything else, but don't have time to check social media are emails or text or anything else is one thing I want to do is read the Bible, so this is something that we must discipline ourselves to do and some churches today. They're getting away from biblical exposition away from teaching, preaching, some churches focus primarily on worship and the message is almost more like a pep talk, almost like cheerleading and yes it shorted to short message. All we like the church because the sermons are short, here's my fear sermon this create Christian acts okay. I want you guys to know your Bible. This is very important because Jesus said we are to worship him in spirit and in truth it's possible to worship in truth with no spirit, no cash and no emotion dead orthodoxy. It's possible to worship in spirit without truth a lot of emotion without understanding what the Scripture says here and harvest. We offer theology without apology.

We want you to know the word of God. So this brings us to .3. This was a loving church. They were learning church. There were worshiping church. They were a loving church. Verse 42. They continued steadfastly in fellowship spirit filled believers like to meet with other believers, as we learn more from the word of God.

We want to spend time with others who also love the word of God and by the way, the Lord loves it when we gather together and talk about The church is not just a place to come and hear a message about God. It's a place to talk to each other about God. That's what fellowship is Malachi 316 says those that fear the Lord talk with each other in the Lord listen and her. That phrase listened and heard means to prickly year to bend down so as not to miss a single word. You know, I've never been in a room and maybe someone mentioned your name and somehow you just pick it up right so that's how God is all we get together and we talked about the Lord. Lord Cerda bends down and eavesdrop our conversation, he loves to hear us talk about listen when you're walking with God you want to be with God's people, let me turn that around. When you're not walking with God as you want to.

You probably won't want to be with God's people is much the stronger your vertical fellowship is the stronger your horizontal fellowship will be so these folks in the early church understood that and they also understood the importance of serving the Lord. And this is what I really want to drill down on this. We close this message is how wonderful it is to serve God. Okay, so you can serve.

Listen God has given to you, a spiritual gift or spiritual gifts. And the thing with gifts that are given you by God is they need to be used first Corinthians 12 seven says we have all been given a spiritual gift for the benefit of everybody that over in Romans 12 five it says we been many, are one body of Christ.

Every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to also lead us use them.

These gifts and I'm not talking about talents.

Now I'm talking about spiritual gifts to come to you as a Christian, are not given on the basis of merit because you deserve them. None of us deserve any of these gifts. They are well a God just graciously bestows them upon. So we say well how do I discover my spirit to get. Here's my answer. Just go out and serve the Lord.

Volunteer literally for everything I did little post on this on.

I think Instagram and one person said I found a will, my spiritual gift was not being the children's ministry because they volunteer to VBS or something so that's good. That's a process of elimination, that's okay.

Not everybody is called to work with children. Not everyone is called out to work in another area, so I need the best thing to do is just volunteer were ever you can. Wherever there is a need and you'll know in time. If that is a gift that God has called you to use and so that's something you need to pray about serving with fellow believers is not only important for those we serve. Listen, it's important to us. It's important to us. This is how to get the most out of church stop thinking like a consumer and start thinking like a commune or tear consumer comes and says it's all about me get my food to my table on time. Do what I want you to do a commune or comes to say it's all about us and more importantly it's all about him. Let's fellowship together. How can I be a blessing to someone else today, not just how can I be blessed today. But here's the key when you bless others. You will be blessed yourself, but if you don't bless others. If you become self absorbed and it's all about you and only about you, you will find yourself a very unhappy Christian Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment. Hearing about Mr. supine Christ because of Pastor Greg's ministry soon. Like the story Pastor Greg years ago I had a spiritual awakening, listening to on the radio announcer latching on YouTube. Clear teaching.

I came to understand the gospel and put me in Christ instead of religion.

I left the Amish religion can be happier as a believer knowing I have that piece inside the assurance of salvation blessings to you and your family from Ohio were so grateful to hear of the change lives through Pastor Greg's online presence in this radio program. If you have a story to tell about how these studies touch your life.

I hope you'll contact us today. You can email Pastor at greg@harvest.org again, that's great@harvest.org will. Today we are learning the right way to conduct ourselves as productive members of the body of Christ, Pastor Greg is presenting his message called count me in a permanent copy is available@harvest.org. This brings me to my fourth point they were in evangelistic church.

Verse 47 the Lord added to the church daily those that were being say, this is the natural outgrowth of being students of Scripture worshiping the Lord fellow shipping with other believers, but look at this the best majority of us are not bringing folks to church would listen. How can the Lord be adding to the church daily those who are being say were not bringing people to church right so there are many reasons we should share our faith number one. This should be the only reason God has commanded us to write the great commission going to all the world and preach the gospel so you're commanded by God to do number two it changes the lives and destinies of those who believe it's one of the few things we can do in this life that has eternal ramifications and I'm sure when we get to heaven we will wish we had done more when we were on this earth.

Have you ever seen that film Schindler's list from years ago. It's a true story of Oscar Schindler, a German businessman who had some Jewish people working form. He saw the Nazis were persecuting the Jews and so we hired more more Jewish folks to work in his factory. But his objective was to save them from the Nazis. In fact, he spent the rest of his life doing that he basically put all of his money into it. For the most part, and he ended up saving over a thousand Jewish people and the descendents of them who call themselves Schindler's Jews are many today because of their children and the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

There's a scene in the film were Schindler played by Liam Neeson is speaking with his accountant Itzhak Stern and he says I could have got more out, I could've got more Stern says Oscar there are 1100 people who are alive because of you. Schindler says I could've gotten one more person and I didn't and I think it's interesting. I wonder if we would ever look back in our life, and says should've shared my faith more. I should have told more people I could've gotten one more person. Here's another thing God changes us when we seek to reach others because there's a joy and happiness in telling others about Jesus. Someone 26 says those who sow in tears read with joyful singing so he that goes back and forth weeping, carrying his bag of seed for planting will come back with a shout of joy listen. God does not hold you accountable for how many people come to Christ through your testimony or sharing conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit. I've never converted a single person that I never will. And if I had to be one.

Sorry convert but my job is to sow the seed, my job is to live the life.

My job is to look for opportunities to engage people in evangelistic conversations and the results are up to God and then the result is you going to all the world and make disciples make disciples. You take that newly minted believer under your wing and help them to grow in their faith in you get them acclimated in the church. Is it well I don't have time to do that I'm busy well. Discipleship is not adding some of your calendar.

It's including someone in your calendar. Let me say that is a quote from Fred my name grant. Discipleship is not adding some of your calendar.

It's including someone in your calendar.

What a younger believer and he they need to see what it looks like to be a Christian. Paul said follow me as I follow Christ. So they need to watch you, they need to see our Christian treats her spouse. They need to see how Christian lives of their single, they need to see what kind of movies are Christian goes to how they need to see our Christian drives of unit they need to see it modeled them in someone that knows more than they know, and I suggest you you may know quite a bit more than you think you know you have a lot to offer more than you realize. And as you give that out to others. It's going to be a great blessing to you coming back to the importance of Bible reading back to that survey. I found this really interesting.

Listen to this. If you read your Bible at least four days a week you will have a listen to hundred and 28% greater chance of sharing your faith see the connection. So a person that will discipline themselves to read the Bible four times or more a week as a statistical chance 228% greater to share their faith. You also have a 231% chance of discipling others of you read your Bible more than four times a week. Listen to this you of a 407% chance of memorizing Scripture for scriptural touches a week and change your life. See how it's all interconnected.here's the bottom line if you only study Scripture and worship without evangelism, you will stagnate if you only of evangelizing give out without study and worship you will burn out.

So we need this activity in our life to grow spiritually because the more you give, the more Jesus will give back to you.

Luke 638 Jesus says given you will receive your gift will return to you and fall press down, shaken together, and make room for more running over important your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back so the more you give the more you receive back from the Lord. So this is what we need to commit ourselves to do is try to lead people to Christ and tried to disciple people that have come to Christ.

I'm telling you it will change your whole church experience absolutely will change for the better, because instead of just being someone who's watching almost like a spectator, you become a participator you start developing your great glory, pointing out the importance of digging into God's word regularly and assuring the great hope we have in Jesus Christ and in a moment. Pastor Greg has a final comment to share with us from today's message here on a new beginning now a permanent copy of today's practical messages available. It's called count me in, and would be glad to send it your way. Just call us at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org again the title, count me in your festering some people have considered themselves Christians for a long time, but they wrestled with reading the Bible in a way that they really understand. I can remember being a new Christian and getting lost in all that begat send an hour or getting lost in Leviticus all of the details about the Levitical priesthood.

Yes, but the Bible is meant to be understood in more than that meant to be applied in our lives, and your new resource really helps people get there from here. Yes, that's true. You know what I'm talking to a new believer, and I'm encouraging them to read the Bible. I always encourage them to start with the Gospel of John unites it was certainly Starwood Genesis so they could and many do. But like you said you get to the book of Leviticus and you're trying to figure out what's going on will basically you, among other things that have the teaching of Scripture on animal sacrifices and and things that really were pointing to the fulfillment that would come through Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is concealed in the Old Testament and these revealed in the New Testament, and so when you start with Jenna since it's all the word of God. But if you're a new believer, I think it's better to start with the gospel of John in particular. And I think the gospel is the best one because it was written really as John himself said that you might believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, so I would encourage a new believer to start with the gospel of John read through to the end of the New Testament and then go back to Genesis and read through the Old Testament though understand how it all sort of pieces together. Well, I know it's perplexing for new believers because they've never read the Bible before and it it isn't always the easiest book to understand if you don't know what's happening and that's why it's helpful to have someone sort of guide you a little bit and point to the certain Scriptures and so I've done that in this brand-new research that were offering called the new believers Bible that don't let that title mislead you.

It's not only for new believers. It's really for all believers, but it's especially good for some of it's brand-new in the faith that help them to build a good spiritual foundation, but basically what I do is as you open it up. It is filled with what we call tracks and these are tracks that you go there looking through a rhino begins with the section on how to know God, so there's a presentation of the gospel and then we have new believers reading track things that they need to know more about leisure reading truck and forgiveness, honesty and integrity have encouraged during trials, your marriage, parenting, job performance of choices you make in life so much more. And then there's another reading truck the teaching to what we call the cornerstones of the Christian life. The foundational things you need to know about is a follower of Jesus Christ and much much more. The great stories of the Bible passages from the Bible you need to memorize. It's just chalk full of powerful truth and it's in a very easy to understand way. Also, this is the new living translation, which is very readable, much more in everyday English, then maybe the King James version is, or even the new King James version, though I have a great affection for both of those. This is a great translation for a new believer.

This is a great resource for any believer and we want to offer it to all of our friends the listeners out there. It's just, well, hot off the presses. It's called the new believers Bible not just the New Testament.

This is the whole Bible and were offering that the folks right now for their gift of any size and we want to encourage those who respond to give as much as you can because when you give, you enable us to reach more people with the message of the gospel with the teaching of the word of God and wait, there's one other thing I would advocate those commercials, but wait there's more could you say that like in a Commercial Way, Dave. But wait there and wait there's more. All perfected so much better when you okay since it one more time. But wait there's more. Yes friends. There is more. It's a start to follow companion resource that comes along with the new believers Bible. This is a course that you can go through that will help you even more. And it's filled with a lot of great to think of this is a spiritual life hack something that's getting help you dig deeper and grow stronger in your walk with Christ.

So get your copy of the new believers Bible and the start to follow course. That's right.

We are eager to send both of these resources your way as soon as possible were sending them to say thank you for your investment in these daily studies essays for investing in the work of evangelism through our harvest Crusades the next one coming up just weeks from now in Boise Idaho with your investment. We want to thank you with pastor Greg just released. Or maybe I should say, we released an expanded new believers Bible you can write a set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org when I signed pastor Greg launches a compelling series in the book of Esther will learn that maybe where where we are for such a time as this starts next time. But before we go.

Here's pastor Greg once again Jesus said the harvest is great, but the laborers are few right. I guess they have the problem back then to what he said to pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest would raise up laborers in the harvest that's going to pray about right now so let's let's all pray our father, you've called us to be in the church Lord we want to find our spiritual gifts. We want to use our spiritual guess we want to bring glory to your name and begin Lord on a new level to serve you like never before. So were praying that you will touch our heart and help us to take this next and we ask this now. Jesus and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor great free daily email devotions and harvest.org