Greg Laurie - The Importance of God's Word in the Believer's Life (09/25/2017)
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Pastor Greg Laurie shares from Psalm 19 how God's Word is essential for spiritual growth, describing it as perfect, transforming, and sweeter than honey. He urges believers to read, study, love, and obey Scripture daily to build a lasting faith and bear fruit that endures.
The Importance of God's Word in the Believer's Life
Let's grab our Bible now and turn to Psalm 19. Psalm 19. And the title of my message is The Importance of God's Word in the Believer's Life. And this is a part of a series that we are calling What Every Growing Christian Needs to Know. Psalm 19. Let's pray together.
Father we are glad to be here in this place and to open Your Word and to hear from You. Now we pray that You will speak to our hearts. We want to grow Lord. We don't want to live in the past. We in some ways don't even want to live in the present. We want to keep moving forward. As Paul said, forgetting the things that are behind and pressing forward to the things that are before. I press toward the mark of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Lord we want to keep progressing. Keep growing. Keep changing. So we commit this time of Bible study to You now in Jesus' name. Amen.
Hey before we start we are trying to figure this air conditioning system out too. So how many of you think it is too warm? Raise your hand. It feels a little warm to me. Okay. So we are cooling it down right now. How many of you think it is too cold? There is always yes it is okay. I know that you are always there. You know here is just kind of a word of advice to you that get cold in church. This area up here is always going to be the coldest area. Why? Because we might have some air conditioning vents here. So if you like to stay warmer you know sit toward the back. And if you want to cool down come on up toward the front. But we are getting this all sorted out and we will get it eventually figured out. Okay.
So Psalm 19. The importance of God's Word in the believer's life. I heard a story about a father talking with his daughter and her five year old friend Kristen about birthdays. And it turns out that the father of the little girl and her friend Kristen both had birthdays in the same month. His birthday was March 27th. Her birthday was March 20th. And he said, you know what Kristen? Our birthdays are only three days apart. And she looked at him and said, yeah but you grew much faster than I did.
You know why is it that some people seem to grow more spiritually than others? Is it just the luck of the draw? Is it just a random thing? Do we have anything to say about it? Or how about this? Why is it that some move forward and accomplish great things for God's glory? And then others just fall away from the faith? Do we have anything to say about that? Is there anything that we can do to ensure that we will have a faith that will last for a lifetime?
Why Some Christians Grow While Others Fall Away
You know sometimes people will say something along the lines of, well I tried Christianity and it didn't work for me. But this is a ridiculous statement. Because we are not talking about a product. We are talking about the creator of the universe that will work in any life that is truly dedicated to Him. It really comes down to this. Do you want to grow spiritually? So I pose that question to you right now. Do you want to grow spiritually? Yes? I assume so. That is why you are here at church.
Alright. So there are things that we can do to help that take place. There are certain disciplines in the Christian life that must be in play for spiritual growth to happen. I know we don't like the word discipline. I know we don't like the idea of doing something even if we are not in the mood to do it. But there are disciplines that must be in play. In other words you don't outgrow these things. You don't come to a certain point in your life spiritually where you say, I no longer need to do that thing.
For instance, you are never going to come to a point in life where you are going to say, Yeah. You know I am not really into eating anymore. I used to be into the whole eating thing with the best of them. Three times a day. Sometimes even some snacks. But I have given up eating. I just don't eat food. Well you are going to be dead very soon. Okay. Or I am kind of over the whole breathing thing. I think it is overrated really. No. You need to breathe. You need to eat. You need to drink. And so forth.
And in the same way in the spiritual life you can't say, Well I don't really read the Bible as much as I used to. I have kind of moved beyond that. Or you know I don't really think I need to pray like I did when I was a young Christian. Or well I used to be very involved in the church but I have sort of pulled back a little bit. No. No. If you want to be a growing Christian, if you want to be a Christian that is progressing you need to constantly be in the Word of God. You need to have a strong prayer life. And you need to be a vital functioning part of the church.
You neglect these things I am telling you it is only a matter of time until you are going to start spiritually unraveling. You see growing spiritually is a combination of doing the right thing and not doing the wrong thing. Let's say you wanted to get into shape physically. Well it is probably a combination of exercise, working out in some capacity and eating the right foods and not eating the wrong foods. In other words if you go to the gym and eat fried food all day long maybe one is going to work against the other. So have these things work together in your life.
Run from Sin and Pursue God's Word
There are certain things we must stay away from and certain things that must be embraced. We are told over in 2 Timothy 2: Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Pursue righteous living faith and love and peace with those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Run from the things that pull you down. Run toward the things that will build you up.
One little chapter of the Bible that puts it together beautifully is Psalm 1. It says, Blessed or happy is the man or the woman who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly or stands in the way of sinners or sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law or the word of the Lord and in it does he meditate day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that will bring forth fruit in his season. His leaves shall not wither and whatsoever he does shall prosper. Blessed or happy is that man.
Now did you notice that the happy man, the spiritually blessed person avoids certain things. He doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of the scornful. But instead his delight, his delight is in the word of the Lord. And in it he meditates day and night. And if this man or this woman does this what happens? They will be like a tree planted by the rivers and they will bring forth lasting fruit. And this is what Jesus wants from us. Lasting fruit.
So that brings me to point number one. And this is really the topic we are going to explore. And here it is. If you want to be a growing Christian you must read, study, and love the Word of God. Let me say that again. If you are taking notes you might want to write it down. If you want to be a growing Christian you must read, study, and love the Word of God. A fruitful believer will always be a lover of God's Word.
Psalm 119:159. See how I love your commandments, the psalmist writes. Lord give my life, give back my life because of your unfailing love. All your words are true. I love your commandments.
Why Reading the Bible Matters So Much
Number two. You need to read the Bible as if your life depended on it because it does. You need to read the Bible as if your life depended upon it because it does. Jesus in the conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount said in Matthew 7, whoever hears these words of mine and does them or puts them into practice is like a wise man who builds his house on the rock and the rain comes and the streams rise and the winds blow and they beat against the house but it does not fall because its foundation is on the rock.
Who is that person? The one who hears the Word and does it. Now Jesus says, whoever hears my Word and does not do it, here is what He is like. He is like a foolish man who builds his house on the sand and the rain came down and the streams rose and it fell with a great crash.
One is like a guy building a beautiful home on a firm foundation. And the other guy is like a person building sandcastles. You know sometimes they have these sandcastle contests. And people come in and do these amazing elaborate sandcastle structures. And I just look at those and think, man they are going to be gone so quickly. I mean I think it is the role of every small boy to destroy every sandcastle ever made.
I watch my grandkids play and the girls are so careful to build their little sandcastles and dig their little tunnels. And they have got their little turrets and their shells. And it is so adorable. And then my grandson Christopher just comes over. He just can't wait to stomp it out. That is what it is like to hear God's Word and not apply it in your life. You are like building on sand.
Using Scripture to Fight Doubt and Temptation
So here is why this is important. Because one of the things a young believer is going to face is doubt. Not that you don't face it as an older Christian because you do. But when you are a young Christian that is one of the first things you get hit with. Right? Doubt. Oh, do you really think you are saved? The devil will whisper in your ear. Do you really think you are a Christian? There is no way. And this is one of the devil's oldest ploys going back to the Garden of Eden when he went to Adam and Eve and said, Did God really say what you thought He said?
So He will do that with the younger Christian. That is why they need to know the Word of God and understand that their salvation is written down. It is recorded in God's book of life and it is explained to them in this book the Word of God.
You know it is interesting that the Bible compares the Bible to a sword. It calls it the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Remember that when Jesus was in the wilderness being tested by the devil, with every temptation, Jesus responded with the Scripture that He had memorized and now was quoting.
The devil came to Christ after he had fasted for forty days and forty nights and said, Hey, you must be pretty hungry. Why don't you take that rock down there and turn it into a piece of bread? And what does Jesus say? It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. It is like He defended Himself with a sword.
I have got a sword right here that is sort of a replica of a Roman sword. This is what the Bible is compared to. I hope I don't drop this and hurt somebody. So you know you use the sword to defend yourself. Right? So the devil comes to Jesus and he says, Why don't you jump off the pinnacle of the temple? And Jesus again comes back with the Word of God. It is written. You shall not test the Lord your God. Like that. Satan comes back again. Oh, well why don't you fall down and worship Me right now? Jesus says, It is written. You shall worship the Lord God. In Him only shall you serve. It is a sword. Use it.
A lot of us keep our swords sheathed. And we keep our Bibles closed. We need to understand the importance of knowing God's Word. And putting it back in the sheath. So you don't injure yourself later.
I heard a story about a young man named Billy Sunday. And he became a Christian. And an older Christian said to him, Billy, there are three simple rules that if you practice these no one will ever write the word backslider after your name. Three simple rules, Billy. Number one, take 15 minutes every day to let God talk to you. Take 15 minutes every day talking to God. And take 15 minutes every day to tell others about Him. If you do these three things no one will ever say you are a backslider.
I thought that is pretty good advice. 15 minutes each day to let God talk to you. 15 minutes every day to talk to God. And 15 minutes every day talking to somebody else about God or telling others about Him.
How God Speaks Through His Word Today
Let's focus on the first one. And that is 15 minutes every day to let God talk to you. Does God still speak to us today? Answer, yes. Does He speak audibly to us today? I would say generally no. But yet He does still speak. How does God primarily speak to us today? Through the Word of God. That is why you need to open it. Because if you don't open it you are not going to hear from Him.
I heard about a man who took his wife to see the doctor. He was sitting in the waiting room. Suddenly the doctor comes bursting out saying, does anybody have a screwdriver? Someone gives him one. He runs back in the room. The guy is thinking, what on earth? A screwdriver? A few more moments pass by and the doctor bursts out and says, does anyone have a pair of pliers? Someone gives him pliers and he runs back in the room.
This man is getting nervous now. His wife is in there. And the doctor bursts out a third time and says, does anyone have a hammer? The man says, doctor stop right now. What is wrong with my wife? The doctor said, I don't know. I am trying to get my medical bag opened. See so the whole idea here is if we don't open this book we are not going to hear from God. Open the Word of God.
Now most of us believe God's Word is true. I read that 58% of Americans believe the Bible is inspired and inerrant. That is pretty amazing. 56%. But only 19% read it on a regular basis. I will explain that. Oh yes. I believe the Bible is God's Word. I believe God's Word is given to us from heaven. Do you read it? No. But still it is nice to know this. If I really believe that should I not be opening it on a regular basis.
Because really when you get down to it and start reading God's Word it is the most amazing book ever given to the planet earth. It is actually not one book but 66 books written over a 1,500 year span. Its words were written by 40 authors from every walk of life. Kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, and scholars. Yet all of the authors directed by the Holy Spirit write about one main thing. That is God's redemption of mankind. It is all inspired. It is all breathed by God Himself.
And so when the Bible tells us to do something I should do it. When the Bible warns me about something I should heed the warning. When the Bible tells me not to do something it is for my own good.
The Warnings and Power of Scripture
Have you ever noticed that there are warning labels on practically everything these days? And really strange warning labels. I have read some and I have thought are you kidding me? Because usually when there is a warning label on something that means that someone somewhere did the thing they are warning you not to do.
So I came upon a collection of warning labels. I am not making any of these up. These aren't jokes. These are all real. Real warning labels. On a cardboard windshield sunshade. Warning. Do not drive with sun shield in place. So someone did that for sure. How about this one in a hair dryer. Warning. Do not use while sleeping. How do you do that exactly?
On an electric rotary drill. Warning. This product not intended for use as a dental drill. That is just scary. On a bathroom heater. Warning. This product is not to be used in bathrooms. But it is a bathroom heater. I like this one. This is true. On a manual for a microwave. Warning. Not intended for drying pets. Has someone really done this?
There is probably an urban myth. It could be true. That someone supposedly dried off their dog, as the story is told, in a microwave and the dog exploded. I am not sure this happened. But who would do that in their right mind? Yeah. Just draft the old poodle now. Set it at four minutes. And poof. Yeah. It is just not a good idea. Don't do that.
How about this one? Warning. On a box of rat poison. Warning. This has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice. I was kind of hoping it would kill them quicker than that. Because it is rat poison. Right. And this one makes no sense at all. On a shipment of hammers. Warning. Harmful if swallowed. It is probably the guy that used the drill. Now I will swallow a hammer. That will do me some good.
Here is one that really is scary. In a child sized Superman costume. Warning. Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly. I am going to go up on the top of the roof and try it out. There are crazy people out there. So they put these warning labels on these products. And you wonder about these people that try to dry their hair when they are asleep. Or microwave their pets. Or try to fly because they have a Superman costume. They should take heed to the warnings. And God's Word gives us warnings to help us.
2 Timothy 3:16 says, All Scripture is inspired by God. And it is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.
Over in Hebrews 4:12 it says, For the Word of God is alive and it is powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest knife cutting into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Maybe that is one of the reasons we don't want to read the Bible. Because we don't want to discover something about ourself that needs to be changed or repented of. But that is why we dig into the Word of God.
Martin Luther once said, "The Bible is alive. It speaks to me. It has feet. It runs after me." And it is alive. Have you ever been in a situation where you opened up this Scripture and it just jumped out and spoke to your situation exactly. Or maybe sitting in church and there was a message being given and it was as though that preacher knew all about your life and was speaking directly to you.
I have had people actually accuse me of this. I have had husbands come to me saying, My wife has been talking to you about me hasn't she? And I say, No sir. No. But you described a situation. That is my situation. I appreciate it if you wouldn't talk about me in church. Sir, I don't even know what you are talking about. But you know I believe that the Lord will speak to us when we open His Word. Gathered together in church. Sometimes it is on the radio. Sometimes it is in written form. But God will honor and bless His Word.
What Psalm 19 Reveals About the Bible
But here is the thing. If you want to know if you are a healthy Christian, here is how. You will be a hungry Christian. A hungry Christian is a healthy Christian. A healthy Christian is a hungry Christian. They are hungry for the Word of God. 1 Peter 2 says, Like newborn babies crave pure spiritual milk. And by this you will grow up in your salvation.
So if you are not feeling well you go to a doctor. What is the first thing he does? He says, How is your appetite? And if your appetite is good then that is a sign that you are in good health. That is why I know I am healthy right now. Because I am typically hungry. As I usually am.
And you know it is a funny thing how you are not feeling well. And you don't know why. And you think, Oh maybe I am getting sick. And I am feeling light headed. And I am irritable. And someone might ask, When is the last time you ate? Oh right. I forgot to eat. This is not a personal statement. I have never forgotten to eat. But I have met people that they forgot to eat. I can't even wrap my mind around that thought. I forgot to eat. Okay.
And you will feel almost as though you are sick what a difference a meal will make. A lot of times when a child is small, a little baby, they start crying. It is usually a few things. Number one, they are hungry. Number two, they need their diaper changed. Or number three, they need a nap. And when I am irritable my wife is, no I will go there but found it is a similar thing. Not the diaper. We are not there yet. But hopefully never. But you see we have to hunger for God's Word.
Now I want to look at Psalm 19 right now because it tells us a lot about God's Word. And how important it is. So let's read starting in verse 7. The law of the Lord, it is perfect. Converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord, they are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold. Yes, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is your servant warned. And in keeping of them there is great reward.
You notice sort of the poetic quality of those words. Keep in mind that most of the Psalms were originally set to music. It is like reading lyrics to a song. And so there is a certain Cadence to it and that helps us to memorize it. And we see this very clearly here in Psalm 19 as it speaks of the law of the Lord.
Now we could just as easily take the word law out and insert the word word. The word of the Lord. Or we could just as easily say the Bible. This is a description of God's Word. So what do we learn here in Psalm 19 about the Bible?
Number one. The Bible is perfect. The Bible is perfect. The phrase the law of the Lord is a Hebrew term used to define Scripture. And it is saying God's Word is perfect. Now that is in direct contrast to the flawed imperfect reasoning of humanity.
We are living in a time where culture is changing before our very eyes. And this is especially prevalent here in the United States. A country that was originally established on firm Judeo-Christian principles and how we are getting further and further away from those. And we are redefining everything including the family itself. And so as Christians we are trying to figure it out and where do we land and what do we believe.
Here is what you do. You build your foundation on the Word of God. That is your foundation. Not changing culture. Not shifting opinions. Because these things come and go. Culture comes and goes. Social mores change over time. I mean look at how dated some things are. They seem so fresh and new at one point. Now they are so dated. How about those pictures in the yearbooks. Do they try to intentionally make you look bad in a yearbook photo? It seems that way.
And maybe you go back and look at your old high school photos if you are that old. And some of you are thinking, why did I wear a mullet? You know. What was the fascination with that hairstyle? Or what was I thinking? But nowadays even the newspaper is dated because we have access to instant news. You know you can get a text on your phone telling you here is the newest headline. Here is the newest development. We get news in real time. Things are constantly changing.
But even though we have instant information here is what you need to know. God's Word never changes. But having said that God's Word is always relevant to your needs. God's Word is as fresh as the morning dew. God's Word is always relevant to what you are going through. As the psalmist said, your mercies are new every morning.
So I don't need to add to God's Word or take away from God's Word. Actually this word that is used here for perfect, the law of the Lord is perfect, it could be translated whole, complete, and sufficient. God's Word is sufficient. Everything you need to know about God is found in this book. Everything you need to know about life is found in this book. Everything you need to know about the afterlife is found in this book.
Why God's Word Is Sufficient and Trustworthy
Why do I say that? Because people seem to always be looking for some new spiritual truth or revelation. How someone comes along and says, you know, I died and went to heaven. And I wrote a book about it. Now there's a movie out about it. And we'll go, oh, let's go see that. I believe that. I don't feel that way. I look at these things with great skepticism.
And I think, well, okay, you say this happened and I can't say it didn't happen. But I'm going to take everything you say and I'm going to compare it to the Word of God. Because everything I need to know about heaven is in the Bible. Sometimes people go ahead and clap for that. That's a good thing to clap for. I know you want to. This guy did here so I think you do too. All right.
Also there will be someone that will say, I have a word from the Lord. I am a prophet of the Lord. And I have this revelation from God. You better listen to what I am saying. You have never heard this before. But this is the great warning. And then it isn't true. There was all this excitement about so-called blood moons that people have been talking about. Oh, the blood moons. And now the blood moons are coming. And this is the time of the Lord's return. Look, I didn't believe that because I felt that was something someone was imposing on Scripture. Oh, and look, it didn't happen. Because nobody knows the day or the hour when Christ will come back again.
So when someone says they've cracked the code or deciphered it and figured it out according to a blood moon or this or that or whatever, I am just not all that interested. Listen to this. If it is new, it is not true. If it is true, it is not new. Everything I need to know about God is in the Bible. Just read the Bible. You will find it. It is perfect. And with all the new archaeological discoveries, it is never contradicted. Even a discovery as recent as the Dead Sea Scrolls only confirmed what we already knew. Even though the manuscripts are older than many of the manuscripts we had at that moment, they were all confirmed. It was the same truth. God's Word is perfect. You can depend on it. You can trust it.
Number two. The Word of God transforms us. No other book transforms you. There are some books that may educate you or illuminate you or entertain you. But no book transforms you except the Word of God. Verse 7 of Psalm 19, the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul that testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The word there for converting can be translated it revives, it restores, and it transforms. God's Word will revive you. God's Word will restore you. God's Word will transform you.
Now if you are not interested in being transformed then don't read the Bible. The Bible is a book for those that have a sense of desperation about where they are in life. It is for people who don't have the purpose in life that they wish they had. It is for people that wish they could change but they don't know how. It is for people who are victims of their circumstances or are struggling with pain or are challenged by relationships. This is the book that God has given to them.
Now if all of your relationships are perfect and all of your questions are answered and you never struggle well I guess you don't need the Bible. And I also think you are in a state of denial. Because the Bible is for everyone and everyone needs to do what it says. The Bible is for people who don't have the answers.
But it is not just enough to read the Bible. It is not just enough to study the Bible. Listen to this one. You must obey the Bible. You must do what it says. James 1:22 says, remember it is a message to obey not just listen to. If you don't obey you are fooling yourself. You just listen and don't obey. It is like a person looking at themself in a mirror and they do nothing to improve their appearance. They just walk away and forget what they look like.
But if you keep looking steadily into God's Word that Word will set you free. And if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard God will bless you for doing it. So it would be like walking up to the mirror and checking yourself before you go out for the day. And you think, I look fine. You walk out and pick that girl up to take her out to a nice dinner. And you don't understand why she doesn't seem to be enjoying it. Well you had a big giant stain in the middle of your shirt. You saw it in the mirror but you thought, that looks good to me. And out she went. See there was that little warning. But you didn't need to heed it.
So I look in the Word of God and it reveals something to me about myself. Something that needs to change. And I should pay attention to it. It is like a warning label. It is all there in Scripture. And that is why you need to memorize the Word of God.
How many of you have memorized portions of Scripture? Raise your hand up. Okay. That is not all of you. You guys need to start doing that. Because here is why. When you have God's Word hidden in your heart and you face certain situations, it will be there for you to draw upon.
You say, yo, Greg, I just, I can't remember anything. I don't even remember where I parked my car. I forget everything. I can't memorize information. You know, that is really not true now, is it? Because our minds are filled with so much trivia. We remember commercial jingles. We remember lyrics to songs. You say you can't memorize a Scripture. You can't read through the Bible. But some of you girls have read the entire Twilight series. Or all the Hunger Games books. Oh, I have read those. All of them. Oh, all the Harry Potter books. And they read all this stuff. They can quote lines from Star Wars or whatever. But man, ask them to remember a Bible verse. What is your favorite Bible verse? I don't know. That is kind of a personal question. Is that your way of saying you don't have a favorite Bible verse because you don't know a single Bible verse? I don't know. You need to know the Word of God.
I have so much junk stored in my brain. I don't even consciously remember memorizing it. But it is there. Really weird stuff. I know lyrics to songs. I don't know why I know them. Why do I know all the lyrics to the theme song to the Flintstones? Who cares? I know them. I know them. I know all the words to, and this really dates me, to the Beverly Hillbillies. Any of you remember that show? Yeah. I know them. Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed. Poor mountaineer. Barely kept and sadly fed. Then one day he was looking for some food. And up from the ground came a bubbling crude. Gold. That is. Black gold. Texas tea. First thing you know, Jed. Why do I know that? I don't want to know that. I don't want to say Flintstones are the Flintstones of the modern Stone Age family from the town of Bedrock. They are a case right out of history. Let's go with the family down the street through the courtesy of Fred's two feet. When you are with the Flintstones, you will have a yabba-dabba-doo time. A dabba-doo time. You will have a gay old time. That meant something different in those days. That means now. I don't know about Fred and Barney. I am not sure. But here is the point. Did I sit down and go, now I am going to memorize it? No. But it is in there. By exposure to it. So as you do the same with God's Word. Commit Scripture to memory. That is an excellent thing to do.
Wisdom, Joy, and Protection from God's Word
Number three. The Word of God gives us incredible wisdom. It gives us incredible wisdom. Look at verse 7. The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple. Making wise the simple. The Hebrew word translated simple comes from a root word that means an open door. So what this is saying is some people's mind is like an open door. Everything comes in and everything goes out. They don't know what to keep in. They don't know what to keep out. Sometimes they don't know what to say either. You know the inside thoughts, outside thoughts. And you blurt out something. It is like, excuse me. Do you have a filter there somewhere? That is not what you should say.
And in the same way they just sort of let information in. They let it pass through. They tend to be gullible. They tend to be naive. They tend to be open to everything and closed to nothing. And they think that is a wonderful thing. I am so open minded to just everything. That is what the Bible is saying. God wants to help you with that. Because that is not good.
You see you need to develop a biblical world view. And a lot of people don't have this. Even people in churches sometimes don't have a biblical world view. We need to think biblically. Not merely emotionally. Not even intellectually alone. We need to think in the way that the Bible tells us to think. And run things through the grid of Scripture.
Because sometimes people will come to some weird ideas. And they will say they are Christians. But they will say, well you know I am a Christian. I love the Lord. But I don't believe. My God would never tell someone that it is wrong to have sex before marriage. My God would never judge a person for, insert weird idea here. My God, I love how it always starts my God. Well maybe He is your God. But He is not the God. You don't just take God and sort of form Him into your image and whatever your opinion is or whatever is politically correct that is quote, your God. No. I look for Him in Scripture where He reveals Himself.
Someone once asked me the question, what do you do if you come to a verse in the Bible you don't agree with? I said, you change your opinion because you are wrong. Does that surprise you? Well I don't know if I really agree with this verse right here. Well too bad. Because this is the Word of God. And this is perfect. And this is timeless. And this is from heaven. So you need to change your opinion to adapt to what this book teaches. Not try to adapt this book to what you feel or what culture says. Because the Word of God is perfect. God says in Romans 9:20, Who are you, a mere human being, to criticize God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who made it, Why have you made me this way? It shows the absurdity of it.
So to sum up what we have learned. God's Word is perfect. It transforms us and it makes us wise. What else do we need to know? Number four. The Word of God is right. The Word of God is right. Psalm 19 verse 8. The statutes of the Lord are right. Rejoicing the heart. It is the right path. It is the truth from heaven. That is why we study it. That is why we memorize it.
And you know a good thing when you are reading God's Word is to ask yourself a few questions. This might help you in Bible study. As you are reading through. Ask yourself the question, is there any sin here that the Bible speaks of that I should avoid? Or how about this, is there any promise here for me to claim? Or is there any victory to gain? Or is there a blessing here for me to enjoy?
You know you read it not just like a history book. The Bible is a history book. And an accurate one I might add. But it is not merely a history book. It is God's living Word. So I am going to learn things historically. But at the same time God is going to speak to me through it. So I am looking for His voice as I read it.
Number five. Keeping the Word of God makes you happy. Keeping the Word of God makes you happy. Look at verse 8 Psalm 19. The statutes of the Lord are right. Rejoicing the heart. That could just be as easily translated making you happy. Rejoice is just an interchangeable word as is blessed with the word happy. Jesus says in Luke 11:28, happy are those that hear the Word of God and keep it. It is a happy thing.
You know I think sometimes, oh man it is such a drag. I can't do this and I can't do that. No. It is a happy thing to be in the Word of God. You know we have a rabbit at home that belongs to our grandkids named Fuzzy the rabbit. And so Fuzzy lives in a cage. I know that is so tragic. But you know what? Fuzzy likes his cage. And when Fuzzy is taken out of his cage and is manhandled a bit by the grandkids at times. Not so much now. More before. He is so happy to get back in the cage.
And the other day I am backing my cart and there sits Fuzzy. The cage door is open. And he is sitting like on a little blanket kind of perched up. Like just help me. You know. Fuzzy what are you doing? He didn't run from me. If he wanted to be free he would have been long gone probably eaten by a crow too I might add. But no. Fuzzy is waiting. I walk over. I pick him up. And I take him to the cage. He leaps in the cage. Thank you for getting me in the cage.
Now this analogy breaks down at a certain point. But follow me. For Fuzzy the bars of the cage are not like a prison keeping him in. The bars of the cage are walls of protection keeping predators out. So I can come to the Bible and say, Oh the Bible says I can't do this. I can't do that. The Bible is so unfair. God is so mean. Or I can say, Hey maybe God told me this because He loves me and He is trying to keep me out of trouble. So when He says don't lie there is a reason. When He says don't steal there is a reason. When He says don't commit adultery there is a reason. When He says don't have sex before marriage there is a reason. You see. He is trying to protect you from harm. From destruction. And He is trying to keep you close to Him. And if you keep His Word the Word of God will make you a happy person.
So you have got to stay in the Word of God if you want to be spiritually successful.
The Personal Proof That the Bible Is True
Let me conclude with one last point. The Bible is true because it gave me the experience it promised. Now look. I could go on and make a case for why we can trust the Bible. I could point to the confirmation of archaeology. I could show you how the Bible and science actually go together and they don't contradict each other as people would suggest. I could certainly talk at great length about how the Bible is the one book that dares to predict the future many times with 100% accuracy. That is all a good thing to say when proving the validity of Scripture.
But here is something I will just say personally. I know God's Word is true because it gave me the experience it promised. Haven't you found that to be true? See the Bible said that I could pray about things. The Bible said if I would pray according to the will of God that God would answer my prayers. I knew nothing about prayer. But I started putting that to the test and I started praying and I saw God answer my prayers. Didn't you see Him do the same for you?
The Bible promised that God would never give me more that I could handle. And the Bible promises that God would cause all things to work together for good to those that love Him. I put these truths to the test and I found them to be true. Haven't you? The Bible promised that if I would turn from my sin and put my faith in Jesus Christ He would give me a peace that passes all human understanding. I did that. And I have experienced that. And I continue to experience that. Don't you?
See I know it is true because I have experienced it. And you can know it as well. Here is something else the Bible says. It said if I would be in Christ. If I would put my faith in Jesus I would be an altogether different kind of person. The old things would pass away and everything would become fresh and new. I found this to be true as well.
And in closing some of you that have joined us here maybe you have never taken these truths of Scripture and put them to the test. You want to find out if the Bible is true? Just try it out. And here is what the Bible says. It says that God loved you so much He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross in your place. And the Bible says if we will turn from our sin and put our faith in Christ He will forgive us of all of our sin and He will change us.
The Bible promises if I will put my faith in Jesus I can have the hope and assurance that I will go to heaven when I die. You want to have that assurance? You can have it tonight. In a few moments after we are done here we are going to have a communion service. And this is where we are going to take the bread and the cup and we are going to receive these elements together because they symbolize the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
But this thing that we are about to do is really for Christians only. Because only a follower of Jesus should receive the elements of communion. Why? Because they represent what He did for us at the cross. In fact the Bible says if you don't believe in Jesus Christ and you receive these elements you can actually eat and drink judgment to yourself. That is why the Bible says when we come to this communion table we should examine ourselves to see where we are at.
So before we receive communion together I want to extend an invitation for some of you who have joined us to believe in Jesus and be forgiven of your sin. So you can be a part of this communion service but even more than that. So you can be a part of the family of God. And so you can have the purpose and meaning you have been searching for in life. And most importantly so you can go to heaven when you die.
So in a moment we are going to pray. And if you have never asked Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sin here is an opportunity to do it. So you think about what you are going to do? Because He died. He Rose. He is alive. He is here. He stands at the door of your life and He knocks and says if you will hear His voice and open the door He will come in. If you would like Him to come into your life you can do it right now as we pray.
Let's all bow our heads. Father, I pray for any here and others that have joined us who may not yet know You. Help them to come to You now and receive Your forgiveness. Help them to experience what Your Word promises. Help them to be transformed. We commit them to You.
Now while our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed and we are praying together maybe you would like Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sin. Maybe you would like to know that when you die you will go to heaven. Maybe you would like to experience this personal peace that we have talked about. If so, if you want Jesus to come into your life. If you want Him to forgive you of your sin. If you want to go to heaven when you die. Would you just lift your hand up right now and let me pray for you wherever you are. Just lift your hand before I can see it. God bless you. Lift your hand up high please. God bless you. Anybody else there in the back? God bless you as well. God bless you over there in the corner. Yes, I see you. Anybody else? You want Christ to come into your life tonight. You want to be forgiven of your sin. Raise your hand up. I'll pray for you. God bless you. Anybody else? Raise your hand now. God bless you. Anybody else? If you haven't raised your hand yet, lift it now. Let me pray for you. You want this peace we've talked about. You want Jesus in your life. Raise your hand up. God bless you.
When our heads are still bowed, maybe some of you would say, you know, I've fallen away from the Lord. There was a time when I walked closely with Him, but I've sort of pushed Him out of my life. I want to come back to Jesus tonight. Pray for me. I want to return to the Lord. If that's your desire, if you want to come back to Jesus tonight, raise your hand up. Let me pray for you. God bless you. Anybody else? God bless.
I'll tell you what. All of you that have raised your hand, stand to your feet right now. We're going to pray together. We're going to all pray right now. All of you that raised your hand, stand to your feet. Even if you did not raise your hand, but you want to make this commitment or recommitment to Jesus. Stand up. God bless you that are standing. Others are standing. You won't be the only one. Stand to your feet. Anybody else? God bless you. Stand up. We're going to pray together. You want to make this commitment or recommitment to follow Christ. Stand to your feet. I'm going to lead you in a prayer. One final moment. Anybody else? Stand now. We'll pray together. God bless you that are standing.
Okay, as I pray this prayer, I want you to pray it out loud after me. Again, as I pray, pray this out loud after me right where you stand. Pray this with me if you would. Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, but I know You're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and Rose again from the dead. Thank You for dying on the cross for me. I turn from my sin now, and I choose to follow You from this moment forward. Thank You for loving me, and accepting me, and forgiving me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.