A Word to the Generations Following

Time ever.

There are seven named generations battle I live in America, seven distinctive generations alive in America that has never happened in the history of our nation. So right now and 2020 we are experiencing the most unique time in American history seven generations in God is something to say to all of them would welcome you to this Monday edition of Destin for victory with pastor Paul Sheppard was human nature for every generation to blame the one before you label them responsible for similar social and political issues.

Even our personal issues today pastor Paul has word of encouragement, especially for the three youngest generations but he also has something to share, to all of you were 40 and over because you very likely have younger people in your sphere of influence. As always you can listen to or download a podcast version on demand@pastorpaul.net is modified or wherever you get your podcasts now this pastor Paul.

Today's Destin for victory message award to the generations following.

For the first time ever. There are seven named generations that are alive in America.

Seven distinctive generations alive in America that has never happened in the history of our nation. So right now and 2020 we are experiencing the most unique time in American history seven named seven distinctive generations. Let me walk you through them real quick. The first and oldest generation are called by social researchers and social scientists. The greatest generation. The greatest generation. Most of them are no longer with us, but there are some still belonging to the greatest generation. These are people who were born in 1927 or younger 1927 or earlier.

I should say the oldest person in that generation is, of course, the oldest American citizen and as of today, that person is a woman named Hester Ford. She just two weeks ago couple weeks ago she just celebrated her 115 birthday hundred and 15 years old. She is the oldest citizen in our country.

The oldest member of the greatest generation.

But again, those are the people who remain among us who were born in 1927 or earlier. Second generation is called the silent generation. The silent generation my mom as part of that generation goals are the people who were born between 1928 and 1945, 1928 and 1945. Those folks are referred to by social researchers and social scientists as the silent generation.

The third generation is the one I'm part of some of you are part of his well we are referred to as the baby boom generation. We just called the baby boomers or the boomers typically we are the people were born between 1946 and 1964 and so we are the baby boom generation.

If you don't know we were called the baby boom generation because we're the ones who were born after the soldiers came back from World War II and they came back, eager to have fellowship with their spouses and and so they came back and enjoyed themselves and I'm I'm trying to speak in tongues y'all gotta go with me and so they came back in and now really enjoyed the review. 19 and also that that resulted in a significant baby boom and a whole lot of full were born in no second half of the 40s and in the 50s, 50s, baby, and even those in the early 60s up to 64 are all part of the generation known as baby boomers. The fourth generation in America today is Gen X. As I mentioned earlier, Generation X goals of the people born between 1965 and 1980, 1965 and 1980 and so Gen X is a substantial generation. At first it looked like it was going be a small generation, but they picked up and they became quite a substantial generation as well. The fifth generation in America today is generation Y otherwise known as millennial's generation Y or millennial's are people who were born in 1981 through 1996. If you were born in 81 through 96. You are according to social researchers at you are a millennial or general Y and those young folks are called millennial's there nicknamed millennial's because they were the last generation completed generation before the onset or the dawn of the 21st century. Thus there referred to as the millennial's there.

The last generation that was born in total before the turn-of-the-century, and so those are the folks born from 81 to 96. Generation number six is generation Z generations Z. These are the young people born from 1997 to the year 2015 97 through the year 2015. They are quite a substantial quite a lively, quite an engaged generation. If you been watching much of of what has happened in the streets in and in protesting and in all of that so much of that has been led by those Z generation. These young folk don't sit around when they see something that they believe is worth getting behind. They have a real tendency to be quite proactive generation Z and then there is the last generation that is still developing. So there are six full generations that I just named in the seventh generation is still developing. It's not closed yet because it didn't start officially according to the social researchers until 2016 but there referred to as generation alpha alpha you know when you get to see not to do but go back to a and so they are generation alpha and these are the kids born from 2016 to today and in the days to come.

My first grandchild is here and he is part of the alpha generation, and I look forward to seeing that generation fully develop in the years to come. While this message is primarily going to be aimed at generations. Why Z an hour for those of the three I'm shooting for in this message I want to especially talk to why the and alpha. I want the older folks to stick with me and the listen and stay attentive. Why, because we all have wives these in our lives in our sphere of influence. If you don't have them. You will have them as your relatives have babies and they make these new alphas and all you but I have plenty of opportunity to impact a generation Y. The millennial generation Z and generation alpha, so please don't leave me by myself. Help me by listening to this taking notes and make sure that you help get the word out to these young folks here is why I'm bringing this message because God loves young people. Bottom line is the church needs to understand while God has always blessed those of us who have walked with him, who are now baby boomers Gen X baby boomers silent generation, and even the remaining of greatest generation folk many of us have known God and walked with God for a while but don't get it twisted. We don't have a Special Pl. in God's heart, that young people do not have will be right back with more of today's destined for victory message from Pastor Paul Sheppard, senior pastor, destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California listen to the broadcast on demand@pastorpaul.net that's Pastor Paul.net to find a host of great resources and online store and stay with us after today's message from Pastor Paul joins me in the studio. The first semester. Today's message award to the generations following. Once again Pastor Paul Sheppard. The fact of the matter is, God loves all generations. He always has loved all generation. The Bible says that he is the God of all generations, and I'm preaching this because I want young people especially on this day when our church is celebrating youth and young adults day and we are seeing our student ministries director promoted to youth and young adults pastor, I want us to know in no uncertain terms that God is into young people, so we want to be in the young people just like God is. We want to support them and we want to make sure that we give them every opportunity to succeed and to do all that God wants them to do with all that said, I want to remind you of the importance of a single statement Paul makes in first Timothy chapter 4 verse 12 first Timothy chapter 4 verse 12 and here is what the apostle Paul says that no one despise your use but be an example to the believers, in word and conduct in love in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Let me say it again. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers, in word and conduct in love in spirit, in faith, in purity. I want to just make a couple of very simple points for you young people, and I want this to settle into your hearts. I pray that this message will be one that you hear and remind yourself of for years to come.

In fact, one of these days when I'm no longer on the scene.

I hope this message will be seen by various video forms or audio forms.

I wanted to be heard because I want young people to know God is into you and therefore we all you very sound very practical, very clear preaching and we owe you our full support. Now I just want to make a couple points. Here's the first one. Haters gonna hate but give them no legitimate reasons to disregard you. That's the first point I want to make from this passage haters gonna hate to say that no man despise your you now when he says don't let it happen. He knows full well he's talking to his spiritual son Timothy.

He knows full well there some Coca-Cola despise his you so why would you tell the young preacher like Timothy don't let anybody despise your you what he is saying is haters going to hate but don't give him a reason to hate. That's the point. Haters don't hate.

He is not saying thereby go Timothy Paul knows better than that. He's a spiritual father and not everybody love Paul. Paul was stolen. Paul was left with dad Paul had all kind of things that he and the other apostles had to go through but he said Timothy despite the fact that some folks are going like you to go to resent you for your message or what you're attempting to do. He said don't let him despise your you by making sure you give them no reason to dismiss you give them no reason to disregard you give them no reason to ignore you and I want to say that the 21st century young people. I want to say that to you. Generation Y members. You generations the members and you alphas I want you all to let no one despise your you because while the haters are going to hate God wants to bless you to live such a life that they don't have any legitimate reason to be able to speak negatively about you now be real clear head of the but you gotta learn that Taylor Swift years ago, which is of course where I got that term from years ago Taylor Swift. I know someone trying to preach but she sure had a message that I could easily insert into this message.

She said don't hate hate hate hate hate and then she went on the say say get all shaken off. That's what you all gotta learn to do why that's what you gotta learn the new Z that's what you got a lot to do out all shaken all when people come for you go put you down and impact you don't let that negativity you and and this throughout your flow haters that's what they do.

They they will hate you for different reasons. Some folks will hate you because they are envious of you. Something will hate you because you have what they wish they had. And so they will handle you some people when they are envious that on Friday get up to where you are, so they try to pull you down is the crab mentality on the go. Let you get tired of me. So I'm going to reach up and pull you down and young folk. I want to let you know some people don't try to pull you down to go dry. Do it now while you're in you at your current age to try to do it in the years to come when you're finally move up into middle-aged will still be something trying the crap trying to pull you down and when you get up in the senior years there be some folks still trying to pull you down. When I first preached about generations back in 96.

As I mentioned early on I was 39 when I preach that message and Gen X was the youngest young people of full generation. At that time. Now when I'm preaching I'm in my 60s and there are more experiences I've had, even since 96 and I couldn't say it them but I can say it now in my 60s folk still coming for me but you just got to learn to ignore them because in many cases, the fact that people are coming to you is an indication that you're doing something well you're doing something right.

Doing something that gets their attention and so is gonna hate hate hate hate hate. But don't just shake it off whenever you do, don't let him see you sweat. No let him are getting in your head because God is up to something in the lives of young people believing for a fresh revival in America. What I'm praying for is a fresh revival in America.

I wanted to hit especially young America.

That's what I'm asking the Lord to do and I'm going to pray more and more fervently about that month after month. I want to see God hit Americo with a short enough revival.

I don't want to miss us old people because God knows we need the power of God that I wanted to especially impact young America. I want to see God do an exciting thing. See, I remember being a child was born in the 50s. I remember the Jesus movement of the 60s. I remember when God was moving mightily among young people in the latter 60s it was called the Jesus movement at the same time that our nation was dealing with the Vietnam War. At the same time our nation was dealing with all kinds of stuff. God hit young full, that would get saved, and roles. It was a specially house out here out west, but it impacted young people all around the country, but especially both in Southern California and in Northern California you have the Jesus movement right at the same time hippies were doing their thing and have been freelove celebrations and all that's the doing the same time, God started saving young people that will get saved I hippies somebody hippies will get enslaved and common in the traditional churches that were really prepared for them didn't necessarily want them because they weren't looking the way church folk they thought tersely, look, but these are but didn't say and where the church would be open to them.

They were opening up and finding Jesus in a powerful way.

The reason why you have such a strong movement known as Calvary Chapel of America is because Chuck Smith and others like him to please young people in and began to disciple them and teach them the word of God and as a result of that ministry and his faithfulness. Chuck is going on to be with the Lord. But as a result of his faithfulness.

You have Greg Laurie and you have so many others I Michael start naming names so many others are changing the world because of the powerful move of God among young people will want to believe.

For that again and I want to urge the saints. Let's pray for revival.

Let's ask God to move again.

Lord, you did it before you would again because America needs you and American youth need you and so I want you to join me in helping to bring that to pass as a result of our prayer. So the first point young people's hate is gonna hate. Don't let them get you off your game shaken off because God has a plan for your life. Thanks so much for being here for today's message award to the generations following. But as promised, Pastor Paul joins me know from a studio in California.

We but also concerned.

I know your heart pastors been heavy as you watch the church divide over political and racial social issues. But as followers of Jesus Christ. How should we respond in front of the watching world will when I'm eager to see the church sees this moment and maximize it for the kingdom of God when I see that what I mean is I think we've got to get back to what Jesus called us to do and to be. He said that we are the light of the world and that tells me that when the church sees darkness rather than decrying it. We need to make sure we're turning on the light and I think we're spending a little too much time decrying the evils and the things in the culture that we don't like.

I get it. We don't like living in a sinful environment. We don't like ungodly decision-making and all of that sort of thing. I get it when I call to decry the darkness we are called to turn on the light. So I think we've really got to get down to the business of saying, Lord, help me to let my light shine during the pandemic.

I preached a series and I let it with the thought of get your shine on. That's just a colloquial way to say it you member that yes yes sir and I think we gotta get our shine on because that's what were called to do so yeah it is like Charles Dickens classic book this is the best of times.

It's the worst of times, but we can seize this moment and make sure that the light of Jesus Christ and the light of the gospel is proclaimed throughout the world. Reminds me of something you said in a recent letter is easy to look out the world and curse the darkness got get better turning on the light. Thanks so much Pastor for those words of encouragement, of course, one of the ways we turn on the light is to follow the purpose God is given all of us to go and make disciples this month. As you requested with your generous donation will send you Pastor Paul's booklet. Your purpose is calling again that your purpose is calling our gift to you this month by request for your generous gift suggestion for victory, simply call 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 would love to hear from you again.

The address Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. Let me say older generations for the years you have remaining to influence young people are so and don't ask him to do what you are unwilling to do your self as next time in Pastor Paul Shepard's message award to the generations following until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory