What I Would Tell My Younger Self: The Importance of Discipleship

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Or do we need to do this thing today on a new beginning after Grigori points out how discipleship is part of God's plan professing insight and wisdom from believers to younger believers.

Your younger believer believer, you can learn from your Russia auto mechanic. Chances are, you serve some sort of apprenticeship you learn the trade from someone a few years the Lord has a similar plan for how believers national folder to younger today on the new beginning after Grigori shares the kinds of precepts that we should be passing on.

If you missed the first 14 precepts in this thoughtful message you replay up harvest.org if you have a Bible with second Timothy chapter 4 in the title of this special message is what I would tell my younger self advice I would give to anyone young people, but older people as well. I would say young Greg tell others about Jesus and the disciple. This is called the great commission Jesus ago do all the world and preach the gospel to make disciples of all nations teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you, baptizing them in the name of the father son of the Holy Spirit.

Hello, I am with you, even to the end of the age. Jesus is saying he will be with the person who does this in a special way. It means that we look for opportunities to initiate conversations about Christ. To the best of our ability. We seek to lead people to the Lord and then we disciple them is that what is that even meet me to take a Monday your wing and help them get up on their feet spiritually is why discipling the new believer is important for the new believer, as well as for the old believer, the owner believer stabilizes the younger believer in the younger believer energizes the older believer so you know when you will be going to church, or 10, 15, 20 years. I don't know what you do after the service. Maybe you start critiquing things that you see what she was wearing well mentioned you believe how loud the music was that sermon seemed a little too long, you know, if you kinda gripe and complain me but let's say you ever been to believer with you, they just accepted Christ two weeks ago that there in that bloom of first love. I guarantee you're not going to be critiquing the sermon or critiquing the church because the new believer will think you know the pastor said this and I've never heard that before and so you find yourself elaborating on it. You understand how that's helping you as well as it's helping them with the a lot of us don't do this you know what I'm sharing the truth for hoarding the truth, we just think about ourselves, but a true Markham's road to maturity is only got our eyes off of ourselves and start thinking of others. But then there's the joy of sharing because Jesus said it's more blessed to give then it is to receive share your faith, seek to disciple others. Here's another one, spend time with older godly people sometimes when you're young is winning run young people.

I member when I was a brand-new Christian I was 17 I knew a lot of people my own age, but I went out of my way to find older people to hang around know why I thought one of these other young people and I don't think they know much more than I know. So I met people that were older like Pastor Chuck Smith, his wife, Katie Smith and associate pastor there at the church he Pastor John reachable the pastor domain. I spent time talking to them you know why I didn't have a dad growing up I didn't have a mom growing up I needed an older person to help me figure life out to give me some life packs.

If you will. And they did that they spent time with me. I didn't just listen to them speak, I had meals with them in good fun things with them and got to see what a Christian looks like up close and personal, especially in older more mature believer a little bit later in my life.

It became friends of the great British preacher Alan Redpath wrote a lot of amazing commentaries and of course I became friends with Billy and Ruth Graham being with these godly people impacted me buying godly people.

You can be was so pure and older believer find a younger believer, you can bring under your wing. If you're a younger believer find an older believer, you can learn from Paul says to Timothy teach these Jews to other trustworthy people will be able to pass them on to others she were in a race as Christians and this raises a beginning, middle and end. I expect that I'm toward the end of my race and certainly not at the beginning of it and this is a relay race my job in this phrase is not to hold onto the baton forever. I have to hand it on to the next runner to carry it forward.

We need to do this, saying, and we need to share these truths if you're older with younger people. God told Moses to teach these truths to his children when they sit down when they lie down when they walk. When they get up in the go to bed.

In other words just integrate this truth and the life of other people throughout life in general. Listen to this worldview for young people is formed between the ages of 18 months and the age of 13.

Those in those critical years apart truth and of the life of a younger person find a younger person and do that and if you're younger person get someone to help you with that. Here's my final points, which is simply this, don't give too many points when you're saying what an older you would say do what younger you last point is this finish your race well I mentioned were in a race race of life pulses. Many people are in the race run that you may when we all want to run when we all are running for the gold. You know we want to do the best we can with the life that God has given us.

There will come a moment when we have our last meal, and we give our last statement and then were done we breathe. Our last breath. Hopefully we can say, along with the apostle Paul in this of course is found in second Timothy four I fought the good fight, I kept the faith. I finish the course. Henceforth there is laid before me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give to me, and that day and not to me only, but to all who love his appearing. You don't know when the end of your race will come my sense race ended at 33 and we used to race on the beach. By the way Kim and I he was a great runner Christopher but somehow I could beat him for many years, even though he was good runner. He was a long-distance runner. I was a sprinter so I would challenge him to a race. I would always have the race favor me I would pick the rock up the beach all safe, let's race of the rock markets that go well. I would favor me because I'm a sprinter and I would always be when they were walking along the beach.

I said, let's race of the rock you ready and off we go. If you not only beat me you really be and I think that he is gone to heaven performing he beat me in the ranks they will have a long ways to run this race and live this life. Maybe I'll get right with God when I'm in my 80s or 90s. No, your race may be coming to an end more quickly than you plan for. So always be able to say I fought the good fight, I kept the faith. I finish the course run this race. Well 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 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. I agreed to go but 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 best 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 palms 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 were sinful God is touching lives today. If you feel this life-changing ministry can continue making your intonation online@harvest.org that's harvest.org will today.

Pastor Greg is passing along advice to those younger in the face and really to all of us and he recalls getting some counsel from his mentor Pastor Chuck Smith asking this question, Chuck. What would an older Chuck say to a younger Chuck, what advice would you give yourself and Chuck's response was simply hold the course was unsure what that meant. Is that what you mean hold the course you like were in the race of life, you need just hang in there and keep running. He said that's it. Hold the course. That's what he did. By the way he held the course into his mid 80s before the Lord: home I say to you, season saints you that have been walking with the Lord for some time.

Hold your course keep running this race because you never know the race will in.

I was with Alice Cooper a little earlier this week and of course you probably know who Alice Cooper is he's a famous rock star. One moment he was the most famous and successful rock star in all of the world is name.

He was given was Vincent Fortier and as a young man he got into a little rock band. They were called the spiders and they later changed her name to Alice Cooper and and of course he was known for suspected: and for almost be like a dark figure but in reality a lot of it was an act, but in time Vincent Fournier started churning into the character Alice Cooper almost like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde started becoming this character in he was drinking. He became an alcoholic and then he became a drug addict, but here's the amazing thing you may not know about Alice Cooper is he's a son of a pastor and he was running from God.

He described himself to me in an interview I did with him is the prodigal running from God. Anyone so far that people but he'll never get right with God. This guy is so evil he told me there were destroying copies of his record on the 700 club, but God wasn't done with Vincent. He wasn't done with Alice and he got a hold of him. Alice was actually overdosing on cocaine. He had a rock of cocaine.

The size of a softball and I he was hallucinating and he looked in the mayor and he saw what looked like blood coming out of his eyes and he cried out to God and he took the rock on cocaine and flushed it down the toilet. God heard his prayer and turn them around these men walking with the Lord clean and sober for many years now really addicting these things, they have today is an addiction to golf clubs to get out the course. I think that's a acceptable interdiction, so to speak, but the point is Alice speaks out about his faith in Jesus Christ right now reminding this that no one is beyond the reach of God. I've talked a lot about younger people, let me talk to someone who was a little older, if you made some bad decisions maybe have done some things and you would say it's too late for me it's never too late for you.

God can turn your life around.

God can forgive you of your sin.

God can refresh you and replenish you and revive you but you must turn to him. Let me do an invitation of a different kind right now, and invitation. The prodigal sons and daughters out there who like Alice Cooper have been running from God. But listen, God is not forgot about you. God loves you and God will accept you and forgive you talk about the prodigal son, you remember that story in the Bible. A boy runs away from his father, ruins his life loses everything that he has, comes back and she returning to his father in Jesus who told the story the father when he some of the distant Randy him through his arms around and rejoice and said this is my son who is dead is alive again. He was lost is found, you wonder, how would God treat me if I returned again. He would forgive you Abraham Lincoln after the end of the Civil War was asked how they should treat the rebellious Southerners and he said treat them as if they had never left the ideas God will treat you as if you have never left.

You'll forgive you because on the cross, Jesus took your sin 2000 years ago he paid it in full.

It wasn't a partial payment. It was a complete payment and that's why he uttered the words, it is finished. It is completed. It's done you just need to come and say God forgive me, are your prodigal son or daughter. Have you been running from God.

Maybe it's time to return to ship.

I want to praise simple prayer. If you would like to recommit your life to Jesus Christ you can do it right here right now. Let's pray pray these words Lord Jesus. I've been a prodigal. I know it's right but I been running from you, but I'm so thankful you love me and you'll forgive me Lord, I returned to you. Now I recommit my life to you. Now I choose to follow you from this moment forward.

Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering Jesus name I asked him to Greg Lord important prayer today and we hope to get in touch and let us know about the decision you made today whether you're coming to the Lord for the first time, or coming back to the Lord. Let us know how God has spoken to you and would like to send you some follow-up resources to help you build a strong foundation of faith as you go forward would like to send you our new believers growth packet. It's free of charge, and it will help you as you take your next steps. Just ask for it is your right a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or when you call 1-800-821-3300 and you can reach us any time around the clock that's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click know God.

If you missed any part of pastor Greg's extended length message called what I would tell my younger self. You can get a replay@harvest.org in the presentation. He offered 17 guidelines for Christian growth and we've covered them all over the last four programs, so be sure to hear what you missed@harvest.org pastor Greg's 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 iPhone are 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 way you can come to them is through Cinema of through film through dramatizing something and selling a true story, but in a way that can next to them culturally and I can't think of anyone is done a better job of this than 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 and 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 company to show us that one. That kind person cannot see him as he is born again, humane conversion from Gentile to Jewish returned.

That 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 spring, he cannot enter the kingdom of God: fresh/that which is born of this meeting is spit is what must be reborn, so would you send this to you for your gift of any size whatever you send it help us 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 it 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, 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 one that 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 encouraging you to join us as we give her what we call Harvest at Home. It's worse in the message of the word of God. You can watch it with your family and your front room. You can watch it on the go on your tablet on your phone or your computer. Take it with you. Take the word of God with you. Join us Harvest at Home harvest, you know, people often wonder if there's more to life next time Pastor Greg assures us. Yes, there is will learn about the blessings of getting on the highway to heaven join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher Greg for my harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God learn how to become harvest partner sign up for daily devotions and find resources to help you grow in your faith harvest.org