What I Would Tell My Younger Self: From Pain to Gain

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Coming up Greg Laurie pointed out whatever trials your pain can be a tool in the hands of God to make you into the person he wants you to be discovering your pain can be effectively J what you have gone through was not designed to destroy you develop some of it now what we may still point. The point is we eat vegetables, Greg Laurie help realize the changing perspective is good evidence today.

We can brace curing process title of this special message is what I would tell my younger self, what would I say to a young Greg as an older Greg, what advice would I give myself what things what I tell young Greg to avoid what things what I tell young Greg to do well. There's the obvious answers.

I would tell young Greg brush her teeth every day boy as you do not want to have to spend as much time at the Dennis is older. Greg has, of course, I would tell younger Greg wear sunscreen. I was a blonde kid out at the beach a lot. I don't think I hardly ever were sunscreen and I've had more than one trip to the dermatologist.

I'd certainly give that advice maybe I would say to a young Greg. You know when Star Wars comes up all those figures are in the original packaging. Don't open those save those because you will be able to sell those for a lot of money later. Think that's true of original Barbie dolls and their packaging. I just read the other day that an original copy of the legend of Zelda video game sold for This $411,000 so I guess I would say young Greg go find a few copies of the legend of Zelda because OB work after Milliken when they don't take it out. Of the original packaging of these are silly things, things that don't matter all that much, but I want to talk about things that really do matter what I would say to a younger me and in effect what I'm saying to young people right now. Let me give you a little bit of advice maybe you don't have a mom and a dad that are doing this for your grandfather. Let me be your dad for a few minutes or your grandfather and say things to you that you need said to you as a younger person. This first one may be surprising, but I want to start with this.

Whatever you're going through. It's going to be okay. Whatever you're going through.

It's going to be okay.

I know when you're young and you're experiencing things for the first time life can seem kind of scary. You're wondering about what you're going to do with your life where you're going to go who you're going to marry what career path you're going to choose and then maybe something bad happens to you, have a huge setback you break up with your boyfriend or your girlfriend, and it almost seems like your world is just ended.

Listen, it's going to be okay. You're going to get through this.I look at photos of my younger self. By the way, I just rediscovered these really old photos of me as a little boy.

I believe they were taken when I was living in New Jersey I was around six or seven years old. I look at this little guy and knowing now what I know now I know that little guys going to go through a lot of suffering his mother would effectively abandon him. He would never have a father growing up. You would be passed around from aunts and uncles. He would spend considerable period of time in military school. Life would not make sense to him. Sometimes he would be up all my wondering when his mother was going to come home and she wouldn't come home and you have to get himself ready for school in and take a lot of responsibility on as a little kid. But here's what I would say God has his hand on you. God is going to watch over you I mention I was passed around to family members and I did spend a bit of time with my grandparents and that was probably one of the most stable times in my life because they function as parent. They were parents from another century they were there were quite old.

When I was living with them and they believed in old-fashioned values, but fortunately they believed in old-fashioned food to starting with fried chicken.

By the way, we had fried chicken. We didn't just go to the market to buy chicken like normal people. My grandfather would kill a live chicken, cut it set off I members a little kid watching them do it one time he took the chicken he put it on a tree stop.

He took out the hatchet for the ax I should say Thomas comes he had had the bodies running around spurting out blood and as I recall it started running toward me and I'm thinking, how does the chicken body know what ago I felt like the little chicken head laying there with a go straight. You're right you're right whatever traumatized me. I still break on the cold sweat when I go by Chick-fil-A, not really, but fresh chicken, mashed potatoes, made from scratch, black-eyed peas, so many incredible things she would make every night, but her crowning achievement was her biscuit. This was a biscuit unlike any other I've had any place so it was good. It was stable I met we would sit in the front room of my grandparents house. They each had sort of a La-Z-Boy type chair and I'd sit in a little stool in the middle and I met we watched Billy Graham and how was I didn't know was a little boy that I would one day meet him and actually become friends with him. My grandparents had a little painting of the face of Jesus over the furnace. It was a floor furnace and I remember I would look at that picture of Jesus for hours thinking about you. There was something about him that that interested me.

How was I didn't know that I would come into a relationship with him and he would change my life forever.

So despite the hardship I went through as a little boy I was able to react to it in a different way because at the age of 17 I put my faith in Jesus Christ.

Listen to this. You don't decide what can you will be dealt in life.

Some of you are in a stable home with mom and dad raising you in a wonderful way. Some of you are from a broken home. In fact, probably more of you are from a broken home, and you are facing an uncertain future. You don't get to pick what hand is dealt to you in life but you decide how you will react to it. And here's the thing you discover in time, no matter how bad your upbringing is or bad the experiences are that you go through your pain can be effectively turned to gain God to take your setbacks and turn them into set up your tests can become a testimony because what you have gone through was not designed to destroy you but to develop. You to develop you so you'll be a different person and I been able to take the pain of my past and use it as a tool to help people who are going through similar pain of the apostle Paul speaks about comforting with the comfort that we ourselves have been comforted with Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment were delighted when we hear stories of people whose lives have changed because a pastor breaks teaching from God's word pastor Greg go to church as a kid at age 16 I stopped attending because I was convinced I was going to Hell no matter what I did, 1993 I was invited to a free concert by some very close friends. I asked what kind of music I was told rock contemporary country agreed to go was not given all the details. A few hours later they told me there would be a message. When asked what kind of message. I was told pastor Greg Laurie gives a message at that point I realized it had to do with church and I immediately told him I didn't want to go but I want us and I went by I know God was whacking me upside the head and so I figured I get a free concert. My wife would get the church stuff, so I agreed to go. I really enjoyed the music soon as you start giving the message I got very uncomfortable and asked my friends and we can leave. They told me not until this is over my palm started sweating and I just knew that my friends and spoken to you because it seemed like you were talking just to me. Your message was about not harden your heart, and after you finished, you gave the altar call I asked my friends again if we could leave them and they said not until it's over.

Then you repeated the altar call a friend from work who was sitting right behind me later told me, when you repeated the altar call the third time she said, Lord, what about Frank and when she was done praying she said I jumped right up and ran down the stairs to the field.

I remember asking myself what I was doing there young counselor approached me and began praying for me and I started crying like a baby as I accepted Jesus into my heart story doesn't end there. Over time I started to fall back into some of my old ways. I knew deep down inside that I shouldn't be doing those things.

There was no excuse. Then just this year, when I heard that you were doing another harvest Crusade in Southern California. I knew I needed to attend again. My wife and I have both talked and we made reservations to fly from Alabama to attend October 3, 2021 SoCal Crusade once again. Your message spoke directly to me and I recommitted my life to Jesus. Thank you Pastor Greg for never wavering from the word of God through these many years since God is touching lives today.

If you feel this life-changing ministry can continue making your intonation online@harvest.org that's harvest.org pastor Greg is getting very personal. Today letting us in on those things, she would tell his younger self, good wisdom coming our way today I read just the other day that the majority of GNC has high levels of anxiety and stress only say something to my younger viewers right now. I know it's harder for you than it was for us when we were growing up. I know older people say things like, you know what I was a child.

It was so much harder know it's hard for you got a one of the reasons it's harder, as many of you are coming from broken homes. Another reason it's harder is because everything is been escalated in my damn I get beat up at school in your day. You might get shot in school. Other drugs are much more serious and much harder. And of course you have social media that amplifies everything and is change things dramatically. I also read that generation Z are afraid of the future and one third of this generation struggle with suicidal thought my talking to somebody right now who is contemplated suicide.

Maybe you've even attempted to take your own life. I want you to know something I want to know that you are loved. I want you to know that you are wanting. I want you to know your love by more people than you could ever imagine.

And I also want you to know that God has a special plan for your life. You matter. We need you don't contemplate ending your life. I just watch a documentary film called roadrunner. It's about the life of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain Bourdain first kind of broke out with his book that he wrote called kitchen confidential. Then he started working in television and had a very successful show on CNN called parts unknown. That took him around the world meeting all kinds of people tracing the most exotic foods in sort of a life that many people would only dream of. It's almost like this film roadrunner was designed to show why suicide is the worst possible solution because he interviewed many people that really care about Anthony Bourdain and how much they missed him and how much they loved him and how devastated and in some cases traumatize they were by him taking his own life. Bourdain actually had a scene film where he's the psychiatrist and the other having the discussion together into the psychiatrist he says I would like to be happier.

I would like to be calmer. I like to be able to relax.

I like to be able to look out the window and thinks life is good and the psychiatrist replies, will you don't do that you can look out the window and say life is good. Bourdain replies no I can and then the psychiatrist says to them you need to start thinking do you want to change anything and Anthony Bourdain responds.

I think it's too late for that. Listen, it's never too late to change. I don't know what trajectory your life is going in right now I don't know what bad decisions. Maybe you've made at this moment but it's never too late to change. It is not just changing the way you feel you need to change the way you think Christ can change the course of your life. Listen, just as surely as there is a God in heaven who loves you.

There is a devil that's headed the hell who hate you and Jesus summed up the contrast when he said in John 10 that the speaking of Satan comes only to steal, kill and destroy. What a contrast Jesus said but I have come that you might have life and that more abundantly. So there's your choice life in a relationship with God – outside of her relationship with God.

Don't let the double whisper in your ear you should take your life. The Bible says he's a liar is the father of lies. Sometimes people are apprehensive about giving their life to Jesus because they think well it's going to be misery and rules and regulations are contrary that's French for snails with garlic know that's escargot to the contrary, God's plan for you is better than your plans for yourself. God himself says in Jeremiah 2911. I know the thoughts of a think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace out of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Let me just stop right here that's his question.

Would you like to fill that hole inside of your heart. Would you like to have all of your sins forgiven. Would you like to have a fresh start right here right now. Here's what you need to do. You need to realize that God loves you so much. He sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you. 2000 years ago. If you will turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus.

Christ will come in to your life that he could change the course of your life, not to mention their eternal destination from hell to have if you would like Jesus Christ to come in your life if you would like him to forgive you of your sin. Why don't we just stop for a moment, why don't you just pray this prayer with me just pray Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I know you are the Savior and I need you in my life. Forgive me of all of my sin I choose to follow you from this moment forward.

Thank you for hearing this prayer in Jesus name I pray, amen those making a decision for the Lord and as you listen to a new beginning today.

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Again, dial 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words know God in Pastor Greg evangelism is our heartbeat here harvest ministries, it pervades all we do and we making available a great resource that undergirds our evangelism efforts season one of the chosen on DVD yes how can we use this as an evangelism tool, especially with those who just just don't go to church yet. That's a great question because were dealing with the generation now that it has been born with screens they've never normal life without an iPhone or tablet device or or a big screen in front of them somewhere. So this is how many of them process information. Of course, would like them to become more literate Readmore but hey, let's meet people where they are and so that one of the best ways you can come to them is through Cinema of through film through dramatizing something and selling a true story, but in a way that connects to them culturally and I can't think of anyone is done a better job of this and director Dallas Jenkins in this series called the chosen. The chosen is a dramatic depiction of the life and ministry of Jesus, and it's done in a way like I've never seen before. These apostles come the life these Bible stories just jump out at you in a way like you've never seen before and I'm very excited to announce that we are offering season one of the chosen to you this month for your gift of any size. What a great time to sit down to watch these stories with your family. I have to tell you the episode where Jesus encounters Nicodemus is one of the most moving things I've ever seen. In fact, I was speaking with actor Jonathan Rumi, who plays the role of Jesus and told him how powerful his portrayal of Christ was in those scenes of the chosen to show us that one is not that kind of person cannot see the mess he is born again, humane conversion from Gentile to Jewish returned the womb because I will be a problem for me. My mother and she rest in peace instead 20 I say to you, unless one is born of water in the meeting cannot enter the kingdom of God on the fresh/which is going on. This meeting spent that is what must be reborn, so would you send this to you for your gift of any size whatever you send a hope is financially to continue on teaching the word of God preaching the gospel will be greatly appreciated and we will rescue your copy of season one of the chosen so you can sit down with your family and start enjoying it together but it's not just entertainment here could be moved spiritually and is going to make you want to open up your Bible and read the stories is given to us in the gospel so don't delay.

Order your copy of season one of the chosen for your gift of any size. The harvest ministries.

Yes, the perfect time to have a DVD that tells the real story of Jesus.

It would make for good quality time with your kids or grandkids, maybe watch it together on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day as Pastor Greg said will send it to you to thank you for your investment in this ministry and the lives that will be touched in the coming year and does in our culture need a touch from the Lord right about now.

In fact we receive this note, is that I'm 16 years old from the United Kingdom. I've been listening to the new beginning podcast for the past seven years since I was nine so thankful for the content you put online you been a blessing to my friends and family. So thanks for your investment today and will say thanks tangibly with season one of the TV series called the chosen. You can donate securely online@harvest.org or write us at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 ever start your day off wrong, you know, things started badly and just kept going downhill. A lot of it has to do with your focus where your mind is centered as the day starts when I plug into Pastor Greg's daily devotions there free of charge. It's good encouragement to keep your eyes fixed on Christ. You can read each phase devotion or listen to the audio version. Your choice.

Sign up today free of charge@harvest.org everybody Greg Laurie here. You know my uncle Fred Jordan at one of the first Christian TV programs out there. It was called church in the home. I remember watching it as a little boy when I was living with my grandparents only have church in the home for you every weekend is called Harvest at Home. You can find it, harvest.org we have worship in a message of God's word. So join us this weekend for Harvest at Home harvest.will next time. Pastor Greg continues his message called what I would tell my younger self with insight on how we can avoid the scourge of worry and commit to living a life of honesty and integrity join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie everybody thinks her list. Beginning this is a podcast made possible by harvest partners.

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