Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - How Do We Know The Bible Is True? | June 26, 2025
- Greg laurie: the bible made certain promises to me and,
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- By nature, i've always been a skeptical person.
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- I don't know about you.
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- I'm not the first to believe something because someone else
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- Says it's true.
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- I wanna know for myself.
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- And so when i heard all these promises available to me if i
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- Became a christian, i thought, eh, i don't really know.
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- And even if it were true for other people, i'm not sure it
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- Would be true for me personally.
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- But i was proven wrong.
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- Christ did everything he promised he would do for me.
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- ♪ this is the day, ♪
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- ♪ the day when life begins ♪
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- ♪ this is the day, ♪
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- ♪ the day when life begins ♪♪
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- Greg: quick question: how many of you go to the gym or a health
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- Club or you work out on a regular basis?
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- Raise your hand up, you work out.
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- Okay, you're a pretty fit bunch.
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- That's pretty impressive.
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- You know, interesting people show up in gyms, don't they?
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- There's the headphone guy.
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- That's the guy who's oblivious to the grunts and odd noises
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- He's making as he's doing his reps.
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- That's the guy that drops the weight on the ground and doesn't
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- Even know how loud it is.
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- Then, there's the guy who dominates certain places.
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- Like, they're on the bench and they won't get off the bench and
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- You're waiting.
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- And then there's the perspirator.
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- The person that sweats on everything, but they don't wipe
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- The equipment down after they get up.
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- I saw one guy in a treadmill and he was running and there were
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- Literally puddles of perspiration next to
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- The treadmill.
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- No one wanted to use it after that.
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- And then there are the people that just go to the gym and
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- Stand around and talk.
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- They may even go four times a week and they wonder, why don't
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- I lose weight?
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- Why am i not getting in better shape?
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- That's because you stand around and talk.
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- I read that 67% of those that buy gym memberships never
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- Use them.
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- 67%.
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- And by the way, i also found this out.
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- Most people join gyms, actually, in march and april.
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- I would have thought it was a january, new year's resolution.
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- It's march and april because they want to get their bodies
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- Swimsuit ready, right?
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- So my objective in the gym is just to remain mobile and
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- Functional so i can get up and sit down and walk across the
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- Room and that sort of thing.
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- And there's a saying, "no pain, no gain," and i think there's
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- Some truth to it.
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- And the christian life can be that way too.
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- The bible compares the christian life to various forms
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- Of discipline.
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- We are to be disciplined like a farmer who patiently sows his
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- Crops and waits for them to grow.
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- We are to be like soldiers that endure hardship.
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- In fact, paul wrote to timothy, "endure hardship as a follower
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- Of jesus christ."
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- And we don't like that word "discipline."
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- You know, we're looking for the shortcut, the hack, the faster
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- Way to get something done.
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- But some things just take commitment and
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- Regular discipline.
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- Just as physical discipline is necessary for bodily fitness,
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- Spiritual discipline is essential for spiritual growth.
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- The bible tells us in the book of philippians to "work out our
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- Own salvation with fear and trembling."
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- Now, that verse doesn't say work for your salvation, because
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- Salvation is a gift from god to us.
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- The bible says it's not by works of righteousness that we have
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- Done, but according to his mercy he has saved us.
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- "by grace you've been saved through faith, not of works,
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- Lest any man should boast."
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- But yet, we're told to work out our own salvation.
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- And the idea of that is carry it to the goal and complete.
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- Sort of the idea of going into a mine and getting that silver out
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- Of the mine.
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- So, working it out in your life.
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- And then it goes on to say, "for it is god who works in you both
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- To will and do of his good pleasure."
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- So you need to constantly be moving forward, constantly
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- Applying yourself.
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- It's been said the christian life is like a grease pole.
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- You're either climbing, or you're slipping.
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- So we need these disciplines in our life.
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- And listen to this.
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- You never outgrow these spiritual disciplines, starting
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- With having a prayer life, learning to spend time with the
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- Lord, listen to the lord, call out to the lord.
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- And then, there's the importance of being involved in church.
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- Not going sporadically or occasionally or when it occurs
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- To you, but having a discipline.
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- "we're going to church now."
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- The bible tells us to not forsake the assembling of
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- Ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but to exhort
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- One another, or encourage one another, or correct one another,
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- Both are definitions of exhort, daily.
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- And it's something we all should be doing.
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- And being active in our church.
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- So when we're here and we're worshiping, worship.
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- Don't just stand there like a statue, you know.
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- That's why we put the lyrics on the screen.
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- Engage.
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- And when opportunities come to serve, volunteer and say,
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- "i'll do that."
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- And when the opportunity comes to give, invest in the work that
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- God is doing.
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- And that brings me to another very important discipline that i
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- Wanna focus on in this message, and that is the discipline of
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- Consistent bible study.
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- It's so very important.
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- Listen to this.
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- Success or failure in the christian life depends on how
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- Much of the word of god you get into your life on a daily basis
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- And how obedient you are to it.
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- Let me say that again.
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- Success or failure in the christian life depends on how
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- Much of god's word you get into your life on a regular basis and
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- How obedient you are to it.
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- And we're told in scripture how important that is.
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- The sermon on the mount, you've all heard of that.
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- At the conclusion, jesus said this, "everyone who hears these
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- Words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who
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- Built his house on the rock.
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- And the rain came down and the streams rose and the winds blew
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- And beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had
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- Its foundation on the rock."
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- Then he went on to say, "but whoever hears these sayings of
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- Mine that does not put them into practice, he's like a foolish
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- Man who built his house on the sand.
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- And the rain came down on the streams rose and it fell with a
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- Great crash."
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- What is your life built on?
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- Build it on a relationship with christ and build it on the word
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- Of god because the storms are gonna come and the streams are
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- Gonna rise and the fires are gonna rage.
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- But if you're built on god's word, you will stand strong.
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- Don't build your life on your fickle emotions.
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- Don't build your life and the opinions of other people, or
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- What is culturally popular.
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- Here's what the bible says of itself, psalm 19, verse 7.
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- "the law of the lord," or we could just as easily say the
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- Word of god, "is perfect, converting the soul; the
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- Testimony of the lord is sure, making wise this simple."
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- This phrase "converts the soul" means it revives, it restores,
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- It transforms, and it refreshes.
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- That's what study of the word of god will do for you.
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- I can think of times in my life when i've been overwhelmed with
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- Grief or worry, and how the right passage just helped me and
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- Refreshed me and refocused me and encouraged me.
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- And that's why we need to be familiar with god's word.
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- One of the things that a young believer is going to face
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- Is doubt.
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- Don't forget in the first temptation in the garden of
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- Eden, satan came to adam and eve and said, "did god really say
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- What you thought you heard him say?"
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- Immediately trying to instill doubt into their minds.
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- And that is why we need to know the word of god.
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- Remember, when jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness
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- For 40 days, every time a temptation came his way, he
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- Responded by saying, "it is written, it is written,
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- It is written."
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- "why don't you turn that stone into a piece of bread?"
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- Jesus says, "no, because it is written, 'man shall not live by
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- Bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth
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- Of god.'"
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- And we need to learn to do that as well.
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- We need to open the word of god and love the word of god.
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- A growing believer will delight in the study of scripture.
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- Okay, so let's go to psalm 19.
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- So we will read the phrase "the law of the lord" a few times.
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- You could just as easily substitute "the bible" or "the
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- Word of god" in the place of "the law of the lord."
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- Psalm 19, verse 7, "the law," or the word, "of the lord is
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- Perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the lord is
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- Sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the lord are
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- Right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the lord is pure,
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- Enlightening the eyes; the fear of the lord is clean, enduring
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- Forever; the judgments of the lord are true and
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- Righteous altogether.
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- More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
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- Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
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- Moreover by them is your servant warned, and in keeping them
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- There is great reward."
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- Point number one, if you're taking notes, the word of god
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- Is perfect.
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- The word of god is perfect.
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- That's what the scripture says.
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- This is in direct contrast to the flawed, imperfect reasoning
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- Of humanity.
- 00:10:26.869 --> 00:10:28.371
- Culture changes, but the bible never does.
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- So you stand on god's word.
- 00:10:32.274 --> 00:10:35.277
- Things become dated so quickly.
- 00:10:35.277 --> 00:10:37.213
- "oh, i got the brand new iphone," or, "i got the brand
- 00:10:37.213 --> 00:10:40.783
- New android phone."
- 00:10:40.783 --> 00:10:42.118
- Who cares?
- 00:10:42.118 --> 00:10:43.452
- But anyway.
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- Now, they make some cool stuff.
- 00:10:44.820 --> 00:10:47.456
- No, sort of.
- 00:10:47.456 --> 00:10:48.791
- But anyway, "oh, i got the new this, i got the new that.
- 00:10:48.791 --> 00:10:52.128
- Oh, here comes the new model.
- 00:10:52.128 --> 00:10:53.596
- Oh, you have the old model.
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- This is the new model."
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- How about yearbook photos?
- 00:10:56.432 --> 00:10:57.967
- Does anyone ever look good in their yearbook photo?
- 00:10:57.967 --> 00:11:01.137
- It's almost like they capture us at the most awkward moment of
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- Our life.
- 00:11:04.640 --> 00:11:06.008
- And then these photographers, they always pose you in a
- 00:11:06.008 --> 00:11:08.878
- Strange way where your head sort of turned or something odd, and
- 00:11:08.878 --> 00:11:12.815
- You look at it and everybody cringes, it's so dated.
- 00:11:12.815 --> 00:11:16.485
- But the bible isn't dated.
- 00:11:16.485 --> 00:11:17.853
- The bible is always relevant.
- 00:11:17.853 --> 00:11:20.222
- The word of god is perfect.
- 00:11:20.222 --> 00:11:21.557
- It means it's whole, it's complete, and it's sufficient.
- 00:11:21.557 --> 00:11:25.628
- You don't need to add to it.
- 00:11:25.628 --> 00:11:27.163
- You certainly don't need to take away from it.
- 00:11:27.163 --> 00:11:29.999
- 2 timothy 3:16 says, "all scripture is given
- 00:11:29.999 --> 00:11:34.370
- By inspiration of god."
- 00:11:34.370 --> 00:11:36.472
- Another translation of that would be, "all scripture is
- 00:11:36.472 --> 00:11:40.209
- Breathed by god."
- 00:11:40.209 --> 00:11:42.278
- There's no mistakes, there's no contradictions.
- 00:11:42.278 --> 00:11:45.815
- The word of god is perfect.
- 00:11:45.815 --> 00:11:47.750
- Everything you need to know about god is in the bible.
- 00:11:47.750 --> 00:11:51.821
- Everything you need to know about life, in effect, is also
- 00:11:51.821 --> 00:11:55.257
- In the bible.
- 00:11:55.257 --> 00:11:56.592
- And maybe that's why the bible remains the best-selling book of
- 00:11:56.592 --> 00:11:59.495
- All time.
- 00:11:59.495 --> 00:12:00.830
- Every hour in america, more than 2000 copies of the bible
- 00:12:00.830 --> 00:12:05.534
- Are sold.
- 00:12:05.534 --> 00:12:06.902
- Every year in america more than 20 million copies of the bible
- 00:12:06.902 --> 00:12:11.140
- Are sold.
- 00:12:11.140 --> 00:12:12.508
- Five billion copies of the bible have been sold and they continue
- 00:12:12.508 --> 00:12:17.513
- To sell.
- 00:12:17.513 --> 00:12:18.881
- It is god's word to each of us.
- 00:12:18.881 --> 00:12:21.050
- Now, this is an amazing book.
- 00:12:21.050 --> 00:12:23.753
- It's actually not one singular book.
- 00:12:23.753 --> 00:12:26.222
- In some ways, it's a collection of 66 books written over a 1500
- 00:12:26.222 --> 00:12:32.995
- Year period of time by 40 authors from so many different
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- Walks of life.
- 00:12:39.835 --> 00:12:41.203
- Kings, presidents--excuse me, peasants.
- 00:12:41.203 --> 00:12:43.739
- No presidents.
- 00:12:43.739 --> 00:12:45.074
- What am i saying?
- 00:12:45.074 --> 00:12:47.076
- Kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen,
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- And scholars.
- 00:12:52.848 --> 00:12:54.383
- Yet, all of these authors inspired by god write about one
- 00:12:54.383 --> 00:12:58.487
- Consistent theme, which is god's redemption of mankind.
- 00:12:58.487 --> 00:13:03.893
- Every one of these men was directed by the lord to write
- 00:13:03.893 --> 00:13:07.363
- These words because 1 peter 1:20 says, "it was the holy spirit
- 00:13:07.363 --> 00:13:12.168
- Who moved the prophets to speak from god."
- 00:13:12.168 --> 00:13:14.670
- But back to my initial question.
- 00:13:14.670 --> 00:13:17.072
- How can we know the bible is the word of god?
- 00:13:17.072 --> 00:13:20.810
- A few thoughts about that.
- 00:13:20.810 --> 00:13:22.778
- First, i would say the bible is confirmed by archaeology.
- 00:13:22.778 --> 00:13:27.583
- The bible is confirmed by archaeology.
- 00:13:27.583 --> 00:13:30.019
- In fact, archaeology has been called the bible's best friend.
- 00:13:30.019 --> 00:13:34.890
- From the discovery of the cyrus cylinder in 1870 to the pool of
- 00:13:34.890 --> 00:13:39.562
- Siloam in 2004, archaeology has confirmed again and again the
- 00:13:39.562 --> 00:13:44.767
- Bible was right all along.
- 00:13:44.767 --> 00:13:47.269
- For instance, there were critics who would say, "you know,
- 00:13:47.269 --> 00:13:49.572
- There's no person named pontius pilate.
- 00:13:49.572 --> 00:13:52.341
- We can't find any historical evidence for that," though he
- 00:13:52.341 --> 00:13:55.411
- Plays prominently in the gospel accounts, especially in
- 00:13:55.411 --> 00:13:58.848
- The story of the crucifixion of jesus.
- 00:13:58.848 --> 00:14:01.650
- Well, once again, archaeology reveals in 1961 they find
- 00:14:01.650 --> 00:14:06.789
- A stone dating back to ad 30 with the words "pontius pilate"
- 00:14:06.789 --> 00:14:12.494
- On it and he's identified as a prefect of rome.
- 00:14:12.494 --> 00:14:14.830
- That's me leaning on the stone and i was arrested for doing
- 00:14:14.830 --> 00:14:18.100
- That, by the way.
- 00:14:18.100 --> 00:14:19.435
- Now, that's a reproduction of the stone.
- 00:14:19.435 --> 00:14:21.270
- The real stone is in a museum.
- 00:14:21.270 --> 00:14:23.539
- But that's the pilate stone, so called.
- 00:14:23.539 --> 00:14:26.475
- So once again, archaeology proves the bible was right
- 00:14:26.475 --> 00:14:29.311
- All along.
- 00:14:29.311 --> 00:14:30.679
- Critics would say, "you know, we think david is a
- 00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:33.015
- Fictitious character.
- 00:14:33.015 --> 00:14:34.550
- There's no historical evidence for david."
- 00:14:34.550 --> 00:14:37.453
- But then archaeology, once again, reveals a special stone
- 00:14:37.453 --> 00:14:43.325
- Dating back to the 9th century bearing the name of david saying
- 00:14:43.325 --> 00:14:47.096
- "house of david."
- 00:14:47.096 --> 00:14:49.031
- There's much more i could say, but archaeology confirms
- 00:14:49.031 --> 00:14:52.067
- The bible.
- 00:14:52.067 --> 00:14:53.402
- I know the bible is true because it's confirmed by science.
- 00:14:53.402 --> 00:14:58.073
- People think that science and the bible contradict each other.
- 00:14:58.073 --> 00:15:01.911
- Many have scoffed at the bible, saying it's so unscientific.
- 00:15:01.911 --> 00:15:05.547
- Did you know there was a time when our great astronomers
- 00:15:05.547 --> 00:15:08.784
- Thought you could count the stars?
- 00:15:08.784 --> 00:15:10.819
- They did their very best and determined that there are
- 00:15:10.819 --> 00:15:13.722
- 850 stars.
- 00:15:13.722 --> 00:15:15.791
- One, two, three, four, five.
- 00:15:15.791 --> 00:15:19.061
- And then, with a little more sophistication, they expanded
- 00:15:19.061 --> 00:15:21.830
- That number to 1500.
- 00:15:21.830 --> 00:15:24.533
- But then in the 17th century galileo took out his telescope
- 00:15:24.533 --> 00:15:31.206
- And said, "i think the number is much higher than we
- 00:15:31.206 --> 00:15:33.842
- Previously thought."
- 00:15:33.842 --> 00:15:35.177
- Well, actually the bible dealt with this, and if you'd just
- 00:15:35.177 --> 00:15:37.880
- Read it, you would notice the bible says of the stars that god
- 00:15:37.880 --> 00:15:42.284
- Stretched forth the heavens into a limitless expanse that can
- 00:15:42.284 --> 00:15:46.422
- Never be measured and filled it with stars which are numerous as
- 00:15:46.422 --> 00:15:49.725
- The sand upon the seashore.
- 00:15:49.725 --> 00:15:52.061
- In other words, god is saying, "they're innumerable, you can't
- 00:15:52.061 --> 00:15:55.864
- Count them all."
- 00:15:55.864 --> 00:15:57.232
- And it's been proven that we can't assess the number of
- 00:15:57.232 --> 00:15:59.969
- The stars.
- 00:15:59.969 --> 00:16:01.337
- The numbers range from 200 billion stars to 70 sextillion.
- 00:16:01.337 --> 00:16:07.943
- I said sex and stars.
- 00:16:07.943 --> 00:16:09.678
- It's all there.
- 00:16:09.678 --> 00:16:11.814
- You can't count them.
- 00:16:11.814 --> 00:16:13.549
- Go down to the beach and pick up the sand and let it slip through
- 00:16:13.549 --> 00:16:16.819
- Your fingers.
- 00:16:16.819 --> 00:16:18.153
- That's how many stars there are and limitless galaxies.
- 00:16:18.153 --> 00:16:21.790
- Bible told us that all along.
- 00:16:21.790 --> 00:16:24.226
- The bible has so much to say about so many things.
- 00:16:24.226 --> 00:16:28.664
- But most importantly, the bible tells us know--how to know god.
- 00:16:28.664 --> 00:16:32.534
- Here's another thought.
- 00:16:32.534 --> 00:16:34.069
- I know the bible is true because it gave to me the experience
- 00:16:34.069 --> 00:16:39.408
- It promised.
- 00:16:39.408 --> 00:16:40.876
- Now, maybe that's not important to you, but it's important
- 00:16:40.876 --> 00:16:43.946
- To me.
- 00:16:43.946 --> 00:16:45.314
- The bible made certain promises to me and, by nature, i've
- 00:16:45.314 --> 00:16:48.384
- Always been a skeptical person.
- 00:16:48.384 --> 00:16:50.452
- I don't know about you.
- 00:16:50.452 --> 00:16:52.054
- I'm not the first to believe something because someone else
- 00:16:52.054 --> 00:16:55.124
- Says it's true.
- 00:16:55.124 --> 00:16:56.492
- I wanna know for myself.
- 00:16:56.492 --> 00:16:58.260
- And so when i heard all these promises available to me if i
- 00:16:58.260 --> 00:17:02.264
- Became a christian, i thought, eh, i don't really know.
- 00:17:02.264 --> 00:17:05.768
- And even if it were true for other people, i'm not sure it
- 00:17:05.768 --> 00:17:09.271
- Would be true for me personally.
- 00:17:09.271 --> 00:17:12.841
- But i was proven wrong.
- 00:17:12.841 --> 00:17:14.543
- Christ did everything he promised he would do for me.
- 00:17:14.543 --> 00:17:19.481
- For instance, god says that he would forgive my sins, and i
- 00:17:19.481 --> 00:17:23.052
- Asked him to forgive me, and he did.
- 00:17:23.052 --> 00:17:25.754
- "if we will confess our sin," 1 john 1:9 says, "he's faithful
- 00:17:25.754 --> 00:17:29.458
- And just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from
- 00:17:29.458 --> 00:17:31.960
- All unrighteousness."
- 00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:33.328
- So when i go and visit a place for the first time, i'll ask
- 00:17:33.328 --> 00:17:37.232
- Someone, maybe they pick me up at the airport, "hey, where's a
- 00:17:37.232 --> 00:17:39.401
- Good place to eat?"
- 00:17:39.401 --> 00:17:40.736
- "oh, this is the best place to eat."
- 00:17:40.736 --> 00:17:42.604
- And now i'm gonna say this, i am now going to determine if this
- 00:17:42.604 --> 00:17:46.208
- Person's opinion on food can be trusted.
- 00:17:46.208 --> 00:17:49.411
- And i'll go to that restaurant and it's some of the worst food
- 00:17:49.411 --> 00:17:51.713
- I've ever had.
- 00:17:51.713 --> 00:17:53.148
- But i'll give them one more chance.
- 00:17:53.148 --> 00:17:55.250
- "you gotta go to this other place.
- 00:17:55.250 --> 00:17:56.652
- It's the second best place," and it's worse than the first place.
- 00:17:56.652 --> 00:17:59.855
- So now they go into my category of "people i don't listen to for
- 00:17:59.855 --> 00:18:04.159
- Food recommendations."
- 00:18:04.159 --> 00:18:06.628
- Then there are other people that make a recommendation, "this is
- 00:18:06.628 --> 00:18:09.965
- Amazing," and it is amazing.
- 00:18:09.965 --> 00:18:12.367
- I was over in maui recently and our campus pastor lucho said, "i
- 00:18:12.367 --> 00:18:18.040
- Know of a great bakery.
- 00:18:18.040 --> 00:18:19.408
- You're gonna love it."
- 00:18:19.408 --> 00:18:20.742
- And i told him upfront, "i'm gonna put you in a category
- 00:18:20.742 --> 00:18:22.377
- Right now, lucho, so i hope it's good."
- 00:18:22.377 --> 00:18:25.247
- And i have to say, it was a great choice, so i can trust him
- 00:18:25.247 --> 00:18:28.684
- Now for food.
- 00:18:28.684 --> 00:18:30.052
- That's good to know, right?
- 00:18:30.052 --> 00:18:31.820
- But god makes promises.
- 00:18:31.820 --> 00:18:33.155
- Can they be trusted?
- 00:18:33.155 --> 00:18:34.890
- Will they happen for me?
- 00:18:34.890 --> 00:18:37.192
- That sense of guilt was removed from me.
- 00:18:37.192 --> 00:18:39.995
- The bible said if i came to jesus christ, i would become a
- 00:18:39.995 --> 00:18:43.165
- Different person, and that has happened to me.
- 00:18:43.165 --> 00:18:46.135
- Now, i'm still a work in progress, but i found it to
- 00:18:46.135 --> 00:18:50.072
- Be true.
- 00:18:50.072 --> 00:18:51.440
- Haven't you?
- 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.774
- The bible--haven't you?
- 00:18:52.774 --> 00:18:54.209
- Hello?
- 00:18:54.209 --> 00:18:55.544
- Thank you.
- 00:18:55.544 --> 00:18:56.912
- Well, maybe it hasn't worked for you guys.
- 00:18:56.912 --> 00:19:00.682
- The bible promised that if i would not worry about anything,
- 00:19:00.682 --> 00:19:05.220
- But i would pray about everything, that god would give
- 00:19:05.220 --> 00:19:07.489
- Me a peace that passes all human understanding.
- 00:19:07.489 --> 00:19:10.459
- I found that to be true.
- 00:19:10.459 --> 00:19:12.461
- The bible told me if i would pray about things, god could
- 00:19:12.461 --> 00:19:15.130
- Change circumstances, and i've seen that as well.
- 00:19:15.130 --> 00:19:19.635
- I've seen so many things that god promised come true in
- 00:19:19.635 --> 00:19:22.905
- My life.
- 00:19:22.905 --> 00:19:24.273
- I believe in the bible because it gave me the experience
- 00:19:24.273 --> 00:19:26.942
- Of promise.
- 00:19:26.942 --> 00:19:28.277
- That's not the only reason i believe in it.
- 00:19:28.277 --> 00:19:29.611
- It's just one of many.
- 00:19:29.611 --> 00:19:30.979
- I believe in the bible because it's the one book that dares to
- 00:19:30.979 --> 00:19:34.183
- Predict the future with 100% accuracy.
- 00:19:34.183 --> 00:19:39.922
- And that's an amazing thing.
- 00:19:39.922 --> 00:19:41.924
- There are many specific prophecies the bible has made.
- 00:19:41.924 --> 00:19:45.794
- Many of them have already been fulfilled, so we can look back
- 00:19:45.794 --> 00:19:49.064
- With 2020 hindsight and see how accurate scripture is.
- 00:19:49.064 --> 00:19:53.569
- I'm not talking about the mayan calendar or the so-called
- 00:19:53.569 --> 00:19:58.207
- Prophecies of nostradamus.
- 00:19:58.207 --> 00:20:00.943
- I'm talking about bold prophecies and i can talk all
- 00:20:00.943 --> 00:20:03.745
- Day about this.
- 00:20:03.745 --> 00:20:05.080
- But the bible said the jewish people will be scattered to the
- 00:20:05.080 --> 00:20:08.350
- Four corners of the earth.
- 00:20:08.350 --> 00:20:09.952
- They'll be re-gathered in their land and they'll become a
- 00:20:09.952 --> 00:20:12.921
- Nation again.
- 00:20:12.921 --> 00:20:14.356
- And after this happens, they'll be surrounded by enemies intent
- 00:20:14.356 --> 00:20:17.993
- On their destruction.
- 00:20:17.993 --> 00:20:19.361
- All this is spoken of in scripture and it's happening
- 00:20:19.361 --> 00:20:22.264
- Before our very eyes as we sit here right now.
- 00:20:22.264 --> 00:20:26.535
- This is the amazing thing about the bible.
- 00:20:26.535 --> 00:20:29.204
- But the bible is a book that not--must not just be read, it
- 00:20:29.204 --> 00:20:33.642
- Must be obeyed.
- 00:20:33.642 --> 00:20:36.144
- James 1:22 says, "remember, it's a message to obey, not just
- 00:20:36.144 --> 00:20:41.116
- Listen to."
- 00:20:41.116 --> 00:20:42.484
- And if you don't obey, you're only fooling yourself.
- 00:20:42.484 --> 00:20:45.254
- You're like someone that goes and looks in the mirror and then
- 00:20:45.254 --> 00:20:48.724
- Forgets what they saw and walks away.
- 00:20:48.724 --> 00:20:51.126
- But if you keep looking steadily into that mirror, god's word, it
- 00:20:51.126 --> 00:20:56.498
- Will set you free.
- 00:20:56.498 --> 00:20:57.833
- And if you do what it says and don't forget what you've heard,
- 00:20:57.833 --> 00:21:00.702
- God will bless you for doing it.
- 00:21:00.702 --> 00:21:02.971
- Have you ever looked in the mirror and seen something that
- 00:21:02.971 --> 00:21:05.107
- Alarmed you?
- 00:21:05.107 --> 00:21:06.742
- When you get older, it just seems like it always alarms
- 00:21:06.742 --> 00:21:09.144
- You somewhat.
- 00:21:09.144 --> 00:21:11.246
- But, you know, you look at--whoa, that's been on my face
- 00:21:11.246 --> 00:21:14.082
- All day long?
- 00:21:14.082 --> 00:21:15.450
- No wonder people were laughing at me and taking photos of me
- 00:21:15.450 --> 00:21:18.420
- With their phones.
- 00:21:18.420 --> 00:21:20.022
- So maybe you make a correction.
- 00:21:20.022 --> 00:21:22.024
- Try a magnifying mirror.
- 00:21:22.024 --> 00:21:24.192
- Oh, those are alarming.
- 00:21:24.192 --> 00:21:27.229
- But i look at the scripture and it shows me who god is, it shows
- 00:21:27.229 --> 00:21:31.099
- Me who i should be, so i should obey what it says.
- 00:21:31.099 --> 00:21:35.671
- And then, the bible should be treasured as well.
- 00:21:35.671 --> 00:21:39.308
- Psalm 119:11 says, "your word have i treasured in my heart,
- 00:21:39.308 --> 00:21:44.146
- That i might not sin against you."
- 00:21:44.146 --> 00:21:47.616
- Treasure it and memorize it.
- 00:21:47.616 --> 00:21:51.887
- Now, some people say, "i can't remember things.
- 00:21:51.887 --> 00:21:54.423
- I can't memorize things."
- 00:21:54.423 --> 00:21:55.791
- Oh, give me a break.
- 00:21:55.791 --> 00:21:57.125
- Of course you can.
- 00:21:57.125 --> 00:21:58.493
- I have all kinds of useless trivia in my brain and i never
- 00:21:58.493 --> 00:22:02.898
- Remember trying to memorize, but there it is.
- 00:22:02.898 --> 00:22:06.435
- Annoying jingles, "1-877-kars4kids."
- 00:22:06.435 --> 00:22:13.308
- You ever seen that commercial?
- 00:22:13.308 --> 00:22:15.143
- But it's worse for me.
- 00:22:15.143 --> 00:22:16.912
- I remember commercials from the '50s.
- 00:22:16.912 --> 00:22:19.715
- "stanley, stanley, stanley chevrolet, two blocks off the
- 00:22:19.715 --> 00:22:23.685
- Santa ana freeway--" why do i know that?
- 00:22:23.685 --> 00:22:27.589
- "flintstones, meet the flintstones they're the modern
- 00:22:27.589 --> 00:22:30.559
- Stone-age family."
- 00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:31.927
- I don't remember memorizing that.
- 00:22:31.927 --> 00:22:34.262
- "from the town of bedrock--" "come and listen to a
- 00:22:34.262 --> 00:22:37.399
- Story about a man named jed, a poor--" now, some of you who are
- 00:22:37.399 --> 00:22:40.569
- Younger say, "i don't know what's happening right now."
- 00:22:40.569 --> 00:22:45.540
- I don't either.
- 00:22:45.540 --> 00:22:47.576
- I'm just telling you i have things that have been in my
- 00:22:47.576 --> 00:22:50.212
- Brain for many, many years.
- 00:22:50.212 --> 00:22:53.014
- But even better than that, i have passages that have stayed
- 00:22:53.014 --> 00:22:56.051
- In my brain that comfort me.
- 00:22:56.051 --> 00:22:58.854
- Because when you're facing a crisis, thinking about
- 00:22:58.854 --> 00:23:03.358
- That story about the man named jed isn't gonna help you.
- 00:23:03.358 --> 00:23:07.329
- But the bible will.
- 00:23:07.329 --> 00:23:09.030
- That's why you need to commit it to memory.
- 00:23:09.030 --> 00:23:11.867
- The word of god gives incredible wisdom, point number six.
- 00:23:11.867 --> 00:23:15.604
- Verse 7, "the testimony of the lord is sure, making wise
- 00:23:15.604 --> 00:23:19.007
- The simple."
- 00:23:19.007 --> 00:23:20.575
- This word "simple" comes from a root word that speaks of an open
- 00:23:20.575 --> 00:23:24.446
- Door, it speaks of a person with a mind like an open door.
- 00:23:24.446 --> 00:23:28.483
- Everything comes in, everything goes out.
- 00:23:28.483 --> 00:23:31.920
- They're open to everything, they're closed to nothing.
- 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:35.257
- And that's how some people are.
- 00:23:35.257 --> 00:23:37.125
- Just whatever the culture says, "oh, that's what i believe now,"
- 00:23:37.125 --> 00:23:40.896
- Instead of thinking biblically.
- 00:23:40.896 --> 00:23:42.664
- And that's why we're doing this little series on hot
- 00:23:42.664 --> 00:23:45.367
- Button issues.
- 00:23:45.367 --> 00:23:47.269
- And, you know, if i believe what the bible says, things start
- 00:23:47.269 --> 00:23:49.805
- Making sense.
- 00:23:49.805 --> 00:23:51.173
- If i believe that man is intrinsically good and the
- 00:23:51.173 --> 00:23:54.042
- Reason he does bad things is because of his environment, and
- 00:23:54.042 --> 00:23:57.512
- If we can change his own environment we can change the
- 00:23:57.512 --> 00:24:00.649
- Man, i'm gonna be very disappointed by what i see
- 00:24:00.649 --> 00:24:03.852
- In life.
- 00:24:03.852 --> 00:24:05.220
- But if i believe what the bible says, that man is basically a
- 00:24:05.220 --> 00:24:07.856
- Sinner who has broken god's commandments and only christ can
- 00:24:07.856 --> 00:24:11.793
- Change him in the heart, i'll see things a lot differently.
- 00:24:11.793 --> 00:24:16.932
- Some will say, "yeah, but what if you come to a passage in the
- 00:24:16.932 --> 00:24:19.935
- Bible you don't agree with?"
- 00:24:19.935 --> 00:24:23.905
- Okay, simple answer: change your opinion because you're wrong and
- 00:24:23.905 --> 00:24:27.142
- God is right.
- 00:24:27.142 --> 00:24:28.477
- How about that?
- 00:24:28.477 --> 00:24:29.845
- "well, i don't agree."
- 00:24:29.845 --> 00:24:31.313
- Who cares? who cares?
- 00:24:31.313 --> 00:24:37.953
- Who are you to critique god?
- 00:24:37.953 --> 00:24:41.156
- Who are you to critique scripture?
- 00:24:41.156 --> 00:24:44.793
- Romans tells us in chapter 9, "who are you, a mere human
- 00:24:44.793 --> 00:24:49.030
- Being, to criticize god?
- 00:24:49.030 --> 00:24:50.532
- Should the thing that was created say to the one who
- 00:24:50.532 --> 00:24:54.803
- Created it, 'why did you make me like this?'"
- 00:24:54.803 --> 00:24:57.372
- So the word of god is perfect, it transforms us, it makes
- 00:24:57.372 --> 00:25:00.775
- Us wise.
- 00:25:00.775 --> 00:25:02.143
- What else do we know?
- 00:25:02.143 --> 00:25:03.478
- The word of god is something that will make you happy.
- 00:25:03.478 --> 00:25:07.983
- Psalm 19, verse 8, "the statutes of the lord are right, rejoicing
- 00:25:07.983 --> 00:25:12.787
- The heart."
- 00:25:12.787 --> 00:25:14.155
- Rejoicing the heart.
- 00:25:14.155 --> 00:25:15.490
- It will bring you happiness in life.
- 00:25:15.490 --> 00:25:18.927
- The bible says, psalm 1, "happy is the man that doesn't walk in
- 00:25:18.927 --> 00:25:23.532
- The council being ungodly, or stand in the way of sinners."
- 00:25:23.532 --> 00:25:26.268
- Listen, you can be happy without sin.
- 00:25:26.268 --> 00:25:29.471
- You can be happy without having sex outside of marriage.
- 00:25:29.471 --> 00:25:34.209
- You can be happy without drugs or alcohol.
- 00:25:34.209 --> 00:25:37.245
- You can be happy without selfishness.
- 00:25:37.245 --> 00:25:41.182
- Happiness comes from a relationship with god.
- 00:25:41.182 --> 00:25:44.252
- Greg: have you watched the news lately?
- 00:25:46.922 --> 00:25:48.323
- It seems like the world is coming apart.
- 00:25:48.323 --> 00:25:51.293
- War in the middle east, instability all around us.
- 00:25:51.293 --> 00:25:55.163
- And, i'm telling you right now, the bible predicted these things
- 00:25:55.163 --> 00:25:58.533
- Would happen in the last days.
- 00:25:58.533 --> 00:26:00.435
- But here's what you need to remember.
- 00:26:00.435 --> 00:26:02.203
- Jesus said, "when you see these things begin to happen, look up,
- 00:26:02.203 --> 00:26:06.608
- For your redemption is drawing near."
- 00:26:06.608 --> 00:26:08.610
- He didn't say, "freak out."
- 00:26:08.610 --> 00:26:10.045
- He said, "look up."
- 00:26:10.045 --> 00:26:12.447
- I want you to know that i've read the last page of the bible,
- 00:26:12.447 --> 00:26:15.450
- And we win in the end.
- 00:26:15.450 --> 00:26:17.185
- We need hope in this crazy, hopeless world, in this world
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- Of chaos and confusion.
- 00:26:21.122 --> 00:26:22.891
- Jesus christ has everything you're looking for
- 00:26:22.891 --> 00:26:26.628
- In a relationship with him.
- 00:26:26.628 --> 00:26:29.030
- I encourage you to call out to the lord and ask him
- 00:26:29.030 --> 00:26:33.101
- To come into your life.
- 00:26:33.101 --> 00:26:34.769
- Let me send you, at no charge, a bible to help you get started
- 00:26:34.769 --> 00:26:39.841
- In your new relationship with christ.
- 00:26:39.841 --> 00:26:44.212
- Greg: greg laurie here.
- 00:26:47.749 --> 00:26:49.117
- You know, at harvest ministries we're committing to reaching
- 00:26:49.117 --> 00:26:51.519
- Unexpected people in unexpected places with an
- 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:54.923
- Unexpected message.
- 00:26:54.923 --> 00:26:56.558
- And thanks to your financial support, we've been able to
- 00:26:56.558 --> 00:27:00.962
- Touch people all over the world with the hope of jesus christ.
- 00:27:00.962 --> 00:27:05.433
- Your gifts today not only help us reach millions across the
- 00:27:05.433 --> 00:27:09.204
- Country through this television program, they also help us to
- 00:27:09.204 --> 00:27:13.408
- Bring hope to people in their biggest need.
- 00:27:13.408 --> 00:27:16.678
- So i'm asking you today to continue to support this
- 00:27:16.678 --> 00:27:19.681
- Ministry so we can do everything possible
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- To fulfill the great commission.
- 00:27:22.951 --> 00:27:25.053
- Let's do this together, and let me say in advance,
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- Thank you and god bless you.
- 00:27:28.390 --> 00:27:28.390
