What Are You Going to Do With Your Life?

This is Amy Thomas from the masculine journey podcast where we discover what it means to be a wholehearted man your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network. What are you going to do in your life is a great question anything wrote a book by this title is name is JD Greer in this might be one of my favorite of Jaeger's books he's written a bunch. He's a present so that was division.

He's a pastor of father husband. He loves Jesus and I've known this guy for too long the day. What if you come up with now was going on this thing that can we solicit now is where our relationship began. I was kind of the same church a little bit older than me and your dad hired me to cut grass your house and real I would when I was like my studio doing that so we go back a long time. I was label you. Take care the house and that was me. There was a nursery in Salem Baptist Church working that you know it was nobly zoned as I try to take care of you.

So wasn't pulling out what is the Mafia here me for a while and then I can rest lately it well you know what all it all worked out now. Do you still remember the little people would always mean that you know just a little guys like us to get his interviews is awesome in so doing in his need to see that you still love Jesus after all these years and you wrote this book to really ignite backup. Why did you write this book in any lease you go further back.

Who is JD Greer people listening, watching this on our YouTube channel and wherever their listing podcast. Who is JD Greer answer that question. So I'm a follower of Jesus, which is why we both originate from and and started to go into law and then God call me in the ministry going through a vision of 2.2 billion people in a number or the name of Jesus and then everything my life started look different just if eternity is real and the gospel is true, then just that has to rearrange the priorities that we have in life. I was at a place called into full-time ministry and understand them and everybody is called to leverage their life. The great commission and as a pastor now been a pastor for right around 20 years. I just see it very disturbed at the amount of people wasting their lives to come to the end of their life and have achieved you know I'm either going to have no national nest egg and maybe a second home or whatever it is that you put in your bucket for the American dream and they're going to go into eternity. Having fully wasted the time the guy gave them incidents, what will the Bernhardt was on the book minutes. I will a lot of college students. A good orchard so there's some questions in there for people at that stage of life to ask like hey are you leveraging your life are the things really matter but there's also your questions for people that are for example headed into retirement you what what was happening that will have you use the next two decades of what likely could be the freest and most impactful time of your life when you have the most offer. How are you leveraging that for eternity. What you doing with your life.

This is this is real basic friends ground level – reading to my daughter last night talking about Clara that story unbelievable and but I really like how your life you're going to the Bible Belt grown up an interview could have been had a nice career whatever God calls or wanted different things as is. A lot of folks that serve in your church that you know that are right there marketplace and ensure them in huge. I and yet you that you had to break the news. Your parents mom and dad.

I know you have this thought this illustrative legal career profile in out there for me but God call me to something kind of crazy.

You had experience overseas work that you went to places and you met people I mean what's it like to tell someone about Jesus who's never heard his name before it's never date a stuffed guy you know I month I came up at those for the book or not, but it bit you know the one with impacting Christmases that I ever had was one of the loneliest because I was by myself in Southeast Asia right known to be a missionary and all the things that we know as we get ready to do the Christmas season. All the things that you feel like make life worth living here, which is materialism just the blessings that come with money immediately close to family and friends and I love all those things but I had none of that in Southeast Asia on this particular Christmas and I went with some Muslim friends of mine for after the day that the middle party and I was able to tell them about about Jesus and I'm rethinking as lonely as can a sad and homesick as I was like this really is the point of of living to introduce to somebody to that, to the good news about Jesus Christ.

I know not everybody has a personality where your interest and on top of tabletops are you not Billy Graham but everybody. God has enabled you to do something that impacts eternity and more that you asked why wrote it on. I want to call you but don't waste your life yet because of the book I read 20 years ago but yes all five fingers back to a message that he preached.

When I was just graduated college. It was in. It was called passion years 2000 and he just this story about two women in their 80s who got killed in this carrack overseas, and how everybody in the community center. Life is always what were they doing over there in that dangerous part of the world and he does have his moment.

He said that's not a waste to use the last moments in your 80s to serve Jesus is that they want to waste any bread this story from reader's digest of this couple that had saved retired early and were able to, you know like like by vacation home and got a go around the world to collect seashells and these like the American dream is what a waste that you can spend the last 15 years your life before you meet King Jesus collecting seashells and do nothing and you got people out there who think a lot of like that of an were us us old people. Now is your right mind would not, but with what we say to these kids and I got to got I got 14 Jeff reported right now and we we save them.

You know, we ask this question. Were going to college that question alone think about. That's assuming right. That's assuming anyone we asked him were you planning churches will know are you letting us go to Cambodia worth less than 1% personnel. Planters's work in the underground church in China. When we asked that question register soon go off and get education can annoy to death by the question. But my question which is been placated to like this book is challenging the language and the reason my daughters like Grover real is real you go serve Jesus by radical Muslims, a campfire going overseas today signify repairs and was a math. They were well but right here what you like JD Greer so yeah, I think we actually do have college generation right now is apparently caused driven generation, even ones were Christians on ISO survey – talk about how you yes, she was 20 years ago. The main thing the one of life.

It's money now because I will make a difference.

As you know this responsibility and all that stuff if the gospel is true that all the classes that you can give your life to why wooden because of people coming to Jesus be the greatest of all this is so one of the challenges that we what we said in our church is. The question is no longer if you called the questions on where and how right because if you followed you the moment you begin to follow Jesus. He said follow me and I'll make you a fisherman, which means which means that one when you accepted Jesus, you accepted the call to be using the great commission. So we say we tell them what it means to follow Jesus is to take whatever you're good at, which I didn't make you so to be a singer, writer and speaker, but maybe that is something architecture education in a film the blank wall made you good at doing well for the glory of God but also do it somewhere strategic for the mission of God of all the factors that go into where you pursue your career for the follower of Jesus. Why would the kingdom of God and the largest of these factors, what why is getting a job and going to college only about the part of the country want to live in on where to make the most money is fine but but but why not also have where can I be a part of something strategic I was doing okay and this is detailed in this book. What are you going to do in your life which is a lot better question someone then why are you going to college life growing up in college and what you get in college and you come home for the weekend all your parents friends say what your life like I figured out you next challenge young people to go for a couple years and serve Jesus and asked him for that is foundational basic, but I will read the back of his book, God has a plan to make your life count for eternity.

Stop wasting in this book Hebert considers Jesus radical call to give your life way to the greatest cause of all to view your life from the perspective of eternity.

It's time to put your yes on the table and let God put on the map love that no JD you sent me this he said to Shirley with it.

I misplaced a sharpie.

I don't know where it is I you got his that's not things work you love cats and experience are some red sharpie marker walls somewhere, but to do what is right and this is everything about challenge people to take just the right words what you think like summarizes that okay hello every go about doing regular put here ready.

I reach the nations like that and right as you live true love it now is an essay with audio content video content language radio just, you know, is it too general so I don't want to tell my moms preach the gospel not be forgotten. Well, so I did it. I was introduced to do this because he said to do it in the letter within a read the book the book really if you convict me know what to do of a play-by-play with you writing this text of the segregated in order to break down each chapter. I would read the chapter title to give a quick busy sense.

Love it and it is enough to leave you one more enough to challenge our listeners. The title says it all is man loves Jesus he preaches God's word. He's a pastor of the sonic church right and you guys are network of churches, have you sent out so some churches multi-answers in the triangle under smoking so younger we have planted a total of about 390 churches. About 60 of those are the United States, they don't have the names of the church. They had names like Mercy Hill Greensboro Mr. Charlotte, others look like that is 62 cities announces item assisting others will use God put on your heart is not erect bigger buildings and dissident but to send people out in like there's this big grand the big fat you know, bodacious goal. You guys have thousands of thousand churches, which means a thousand disciple making plants but is dissent is to send people out whole, it would you talk about here is God called you to follow me and I'll make you fishers of men right so wise less than 90% of Christians are immature in her faith as a question for you.

If they made it a felony to share the gospel. America go to jail. So request know if they made it a felony to to give your time, your church's money as I heard less than 10% of Christians give 10%. So maybe not maybe would go to jail for that to you as always answer countries and similars alike. If God last next week. God answered all the prayers you prayed this week and just want also to guess: can Congress probably knew people would be in the kingdom of God in our prayers so so so so so that's kind of the user ugly cruise over those are bad thing but but to go on the positive side try to challenge people to motivate when you're trying to to and if you do I listen to on a regular bridge you're trying to challenge us to be all we can be for the kingdom. They were like you were wasting so much time writing is so what is it what motivate he will share the gospel and what is it for money was 800 bucks River shares the gospel. Most people, tell me and ominously.

Well I should be doing that anyway right or what he shares more with me will you know realistically so offered hundred dollars in the race is not been so in the in the in the purest sense, what motivates may share the gospel impossible would say this is a proper understanding of the gospel right because how how can you help you have an understanding that heaven and hell are real and that Jesus Christ died to make salvation available to all who believe and receive it and not be doing everything you can to get the gospel to those who have heard that was my crane until store the book. It was my crisis moment studying the book of Romans is.

I realize once it was set in on me that's there really was one way of salvation. According to Scripture, in that it had to be preached to my mouth. I had read like things are employed in the one is I wanted to nine the doctrines of the use categories.

But I want to become become a liberal answer. Usual part of the Bible, but I knew I had enough intellectual honesty. At that point to know that once you start down that hole.

That rabbit trail that there's no coming back is what you set yourself up as the judge of God's word, then there's nothing that can teach you accept a room hard enough to give you the second option was to deny these truths to doubt to deny him just to say likewise can ignore a number 10 like it doesn't really matter and and just kind of delude myself with the trappings of the third option was to said Lord here. My send me and by God's grace. He let me do that in college is something to try to get people to do ever since these give things to tell you is a lot still really intimidated by this because likewise or no and often work with instructions in this chapter is that God's greatest works always happened very simple. Obedience is the person who opens their mouth and just a moment, God puts in the heart and just as you pray for you serve.

And something in God and uses simple activities like story about a little girl, but the shyest girl in your fishing club and she gets up and invites you to the people to come to the right right so she just took that step know This is JD Greer and Stu Epperson. This is true.this is what were showcasing today what are you going to do in your life. This is the great Christmas present a great a great graduation give us all undergraduates as perfect stockings on stockings is you get some people and it's an apologetic church is not just when you let Romans once the stuff not come down here so I read the title of the chapters, JD, or just do something on your great and you give me a one sentence description and will roll through and I will say goodbye to everybody and make sure you don't how to get this thing I chapter 1. Don't waste your life way adults live for things that don't matter and live your life with eternity in view.

Okay chapter 2 kick your bucket list. Avoid the popular concept of Yolo. You only live once and instead go. Guess you actually live forever in support of the concept that I can do all the stuff for I died because the best version of everything the on earth is in heaven and instead focus on the one thing that you can do in heaven and that is bring people to Jesus.

Okay chapter 3.

The myth of calling the myth of calling is that a few of us are called into ministry through a special mystical moment like the Damascus road when in actuality the truth is, when you accepted Jesus he gave you a part played his kingdom and he anointed you for that purpose.

I love it okay chapter 4 greater than John wanted Jesus is most mysterious is promises was that for the believer who was leased in his kingdom with me the least talented is the least about the Bible that the worst personality still have greater potential in ministry than even John the Baptist, who in Jesus.

He was the greatest preacher ever to live, and it shows you that simple obedience is what the Holy Spirit uses to do extraordinary things. Okay five.

The law of the harvest. Yet the law of the harvest is that you can only reap what you sow and that in order to see whatever it with your career with each of money. The only way that God can multiply for the purpose of his kingdom is for you to lay it down and sacrifice and speed to let him do whatever he wants. Okay. One thing you lack chapter 6.

One thing you lack is the big obstacle people have in actually selling out Jesus is that they're just scared to put it in his hands like the rich young ruler, we have to say there's no restrictions that I am putting on where you want to leave me at all okay chapter 7 audience of one audience of one means that most of us are to be sabotaged involving Jesus because whether it's her parents weathers her friends were the boss we hear more about what they say do what Jesus says we gotta switch that on his audience is going to work any or all three chapters but very concise and very very on Anspach spot on chapter 8.

Do people really need to hear about Jesus to get to heaven, so that's probably the most troubling intellectual apologetic questions people get the cookies in the bottom shelf and just lay out the book of Romans.

Why Paul says only one might be saved with the only people to preach the gospel and what is that mean for your life again in my favorite chapter I read the system of the hotel last night and she loved it was chapter 9 worth at work that is looking ahead, as people do in the Bible to see what it's going to be like when you go into eternity in the back in your life that you live the way that was was worth it a waste of life is a life that ends when your time on earth is not in a worthy life is that worth it is when you say I leverage what I have for eternity live fate is living under way now that we need eternity you'll be glad you did okay JD here has a sharpie. I have a blank book is all but what is he right on that. When I write on their I know you wrote the book on what was pulled back count Nicholas von Zinzendorf you better do that is great as a place where we he lost a movement with the phrase said preach the gospel by the forgotten, and I thought, there's no better way that the forgotten life had preach the gospel die and be forgotten. JD Greer and including this is a letter from Ada Ryan Johnson which I read this morning to nifty men in us on Facebook out loud as were closing about the disciples to preach the gospel right know they letter what happened in the election, whether guy got elected or not would have the city where they got ambushed right up. They kept preaching the gospel and so that's the common thing the gospel going out. So no matter what happens, ready preach the gospel.

So this guy wanted take it one to marry a young lady you have only dollars 3.3 daughters and a son. I have four daughters and a son-in-law and grandson that is so, I guess.

Anyway, but this is what he said. This letter is only readable quick nap to look at you wrap up, and if we run broadcast will included in the pocket is described just off you hear a lot more amazing things. There is got ATVs got channels and everything it got digitigrade accounts of knowledge and unity in the runaways is the same place right.

It is at bookstores everywhere else the online Amazon so he wrote this letter your dad letter from a young man: your daughter want to marry her.

He says this I have. I have not asked whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring to see her no more in this world. Whether you can consent to her departure to either land and are subjected to hardships and sufferings of the missionary life whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India to every kind of wanted to stress the degradation is all persecution and perhaps to a violent death. You can set all this for the sake of him who left his heavenly home and died for her and for you, for the sake of perishing immortal souls for the sake of design and the glory of God. Can you consider all this in hope of soon reading your daughter in the world of glory with a crown of righteousness brightened by the acclamation of praise, which shall resound to her savior from the lost tumor say through her means from eternal will despair would you give your daughter and dad said yes yes now also like to know what they meant was that since Dave on this letter and course got used Ada Ryan Johnson in a powerful way. In India, and this woman with him to to really make a difference and it ended in a make a difference in our life is a journal, generally of the day Mrs. Journal even with all that the persecution is on Burma and Yama was not down 700,000 Baptist named Chris is Baptist because one man to the gospel of the place and never was his life. Okay, so the book is what are you going to do with her life and I wrote my thing on top their watches on are you to change will see a visual and will probably put on Facebook to I put reach the nations with truth this book. Thank you JD for challenging me and mentor disciple me and having a liberal vision a… More worldly but maybe God's heart for the patient is not the world. Yes, and to be on mission with God for the world so so young people and old people.

This I don't see retire in the Bible. Let's go reach souls and others to point to close this challenge everyone out there. Of the 2.5 are more or less brilliant people on the planet who have never heard about Jesus Christ. There still out there were challenge you to imagine meeting somebody in eternity hundred years have you been there. Is there because of your sacrifice over time. You have eternity you can learn to know them and to love them and they're going to be closer to you that even your own family is right now how grateful do you think you will be in eternity that you did what it took to be able to get the gospel to them. I think you'll say at the end, whatever that was worth meet JD a JD here.com and share this with all undergraduates, all your friends, your family, young and old, and let's reach souls for Jesus, while we still have to thank me yet make you this is the Truth Network