10 Things Every Pastor Should Teach His Young People
Sermon Title: 10 Things Every Pastor Should Teach His Young People
Proverbs 12:15 ESV
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Hebrews 13:7 “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”
1. Always keep Jesus Christ first in your life. Colossians 1:18 says that Christ came, “that in everything he might be preeminent” To live an abundant Christian life you first must have Christ first in all areas. Remember God is not so much interested in your perfection but your direction.
2. Always know that the Bible is God’s Holy Word and as such has complete authority over everything that we do. There isn’t one book you will ever read more important than the Bible. The Bible is not only God’s love letter to us but it is also His roadmap for a life of happiness and success.
A. Memorize the Word of God-Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
B. Value the Word of God Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
C. Let the Word of God Guide you-Psalm 119: 105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
3. The next thing I want you to know is something that God gave me a long time ago. That no matter where I am in life, no matter what other people around me are doing, that God will hold me accountable for my actions and attitude so I should, “never let my circumstances dictate my obedience to Christ.”
4. It is very important that our best friends are committed Christians. I Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." It is very important that our best friends are committed Christians because they will be the ones that will hold us accountable when we want to stray, and all of us will stray if we don’t surround ourselves with Christian friends.
5. Always Be Faith in a local Church. It is always through the local church that God primarily does His work in this world so wherever God places you, join a local church and use talents and spiritual gifts that God has given you to help you grow and be a blessing to others.
6. Never, ever live in fear of failing. It is in our failings that we learn to appreciate our successes. Failing is not a character defect and it is not a sin (unless we fail because we didn’t honor God in whatever we were trying to do or because we didn’t give it all we got). 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but one of power, love, and self-discipline.”
7. Have an attitude of gratitude. To do that, you must first recognize that it is a Holy God who blesses us through His grace and mercy with all the things we have. Because of our sinfulness, we deserve His immediate punishment but the mere fact that we draw our next breath is evidences of His grace and mercy. James 1:17 says “every good and perfect gifts comes down from the Father.” There may be times in your life where you have plenty and there may be times in your life were you are struggling and not have very much but I strongly encourage you to “be content in all things,” and live your life with an attitude of thankfulness.
8. Always be a teacher and always be teachable. None of us knows everything so we can be taught wonderful life lessons by anyone if we will pay attention.
9. Be careful with your money. The Bible speaks often of money and if you will follow the Biblical precepts of how to use your money, life will go a lot smoother. The two things that I would like you to do is save as much as you can and secondly make sure you honor God with your tithe.
10. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding but in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverb 3: 5-6. Memorize this verse and use it for your life’s creed.