Faith 101

Everybody Greg Laurie here. You're listening to the Grigori podcast and my objective is to deliver hopefully compelling practical insights and faith culture and current events.

From a biblical perspective to find out more about our ministry is go to our website harvest.org so thanks for joining me for this podcast. Everybody I'm Greg Laurie and I have a message for you that is titled faith 101 so grab your Bible and turned to two passages with me if you would ask chapter 2 and Psalm 19 or two friends that ran into each other on the street. They hadn't seen each other for a while, so the one guy said to his buddy menu look very sad, like you're on the verge of tears. What's wrong in the said guide said well as it turns out I had an uncle die recently and he loved me.

$40,000 is rented wallets. That's pretty amazing the guises you don't understand. Two weeks ago my cousin died.

We never even knew and they let me $85,000 free and clear. His buddy said Ben that's a lot of money, you should be very happy because is no way then I had a distant anti-and she let me have $1 million.

This friend said I'm a little confused as to why you're sad. And then this friend said well this week. Nothing get it. He was missing the point. And I think a lot of times as Christians, we miss the point and by that I mean we don't stop and think about all that God has done for us.

Do you realize how much God is done for you if you put your faith in Jesus.

The Bible says he's justified us, not the big word.

We may not understand it, it means that God has taken your sin and he is removed it and he has forgotten that any of place. The righteousness of Christ into your spiritual bank account, so to speak, which means that now you stand right before God, and it also means that God sees you as a new person in him all things passed away. All things become new. Your sin is forgiven. Your eternal future is secure, and sometimes I think we forget about that soap in the light of the fact. Should we not want to grow spiritually. You know the Bible says we love him because he first loved us.

But BSs question why is it that some people to seem to grow more spiritually than other people do.

You might be surprised by my answer. It's really up to the individual you decide if you're going to grow spiritually.

You decide. If you're not going to grow spiritually. Jesus gave us the parable that we sometimes call the parable of the sower.

I think you could also call it the parable of the soils.

It's a story about a sower that went out to so see back in those days they just took seed and randomly through it to the wind and it landed where it landed. So Jesus said some seed fell on ground that was embedded with rods and that shot up quickly and had no root and withered in the sun. Some seed fell among thorns and the thorns choked out the seat, some seed fell on the roadside and the birds came and ate it and some seed found receptive soil and took root and became fruitful so he said basically, this is how we react to the word of God. You know you share the gospel.

Some people in there like the seed that one of the roadside of the birds come and get it. You tell them about Jesus doesn't penetrate their heart or their mind they rejected outright.

You know the birds.

They hang out at places like McDonald's or in the upper current before a private hits the ground. They swooped down to get it or this Eagles. By the way, I heats Eagles there.

The worst bird of all time. But anyway, this Eagles will steal your lunch.

They'll steal your children if you allow them they'll steal your dogs, even if those little yuppie dogs. But here's the thing. The birds come and take it away. Some people hear the word of God. It doesn't impact them. But then Jesus talked about see that was sewn on ground filled with thorns, or weeds.

He said these are they that hear the word of God, but the cares of this life show get out. Then there are those that shoot up quickly in the sun, but because they have not rooted in the soil, they wither quickly. These are people that hear the word of God.

Maybe they profess to be believers never burst of excitement. Then they fall away, but then he said the seed on the receptive soil. These are they that hear the word of God and receive it. Listen you determine if you're going to be receptive soil. You determine if you're going to grow spiritually and I bring this up because some people will say something along the lines up well I tried the whole Christianity thing and it didn't work for me. Give me a break. Jesus Christ will change any person that comes to him if it didn't work for you that's not on Jesus.

Sorry friend that's on you. That would be like somebody say oh yeah I tried the whole eating thing you know any three meals a day, even snacks in between but but I'm over that. I'm not in the eating anymore.

Well, if you're not in the eating anymore.

You will be in the living either. You need to eat to live, and so if you did not grow spiritually is because you did not apply yourself.

Listen, God is giving you everything you need to grow as a Christian were told in first Peter 13 his divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him was called us for his own glory and goodness.

If you want to grow spiritually, you will grow spiritually in the book of Philippians chapter 2 verse 12 it says work out your own salvation with fear and trembling doesn't say work for your own salvation that says work out your own salvation. The means live it out play it out. It's the idea of going into a mind of finding the gold that is in their God's giving you everything you need. You need to work it out.

You don't work for your salvation but you do work out your salvation is St. John and St. Paul once said we can work it out.

Actually that's John Lennon, a Paul McCartney of the Beatles. That was a joke. Forget it okay to listen to this. You need to take what God is giving you, and let it develop in your life commentator from years ago Alexander McLaren made the statement quote he that has the Holy Spirit in his heart and the Scripture in his hands is all he needs when repeated that he that has the Holy Spirit in his heart in this Scripture in his hands has all he needs so here we are.

Faith 101. It's a crash course on the things that matter in the Christian life.

Things that you never outgrow things you never move beyond disciplines we must taint, maintain, from the beginning to the end of our life as a follower of Jesus on this planet. Here's principal number one if you're taking notes and I hope you are 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 want to be a growing Christian you must read, study and love the word of God. Joshua 18 says this the book of the law, which is a reference really to Scripture, shall not depart from your mouth. You shall meditate in it day and night and observe to do all that is written in it.

Then you will have your way prosperous, and you will have good success. A growing believer will be a lover of God's word and someone 19 and says oh how I love your word Lord, your words are true, but sometimes we lose sight of the basics. It was July 1961 and 38 members of the Green Bay Packers football team were gathered together for the first day of training camp. The previous season had been devastated because they loss of the Philadelphia Eagles and so coach Vince Lombardi stood before the team and he produced this, he held up a football and he said gentlemen, this is a football. Obviously Bill knew it was a football on the past month. There goes why was he saying that he was saying. It starts here and from that moment on Vince Lombardi took these professional players to the basics of the game of football.

He treated them as though they were blank slates and never heard these things before he taught them the things they needed to know things like blocking and tackling passing and catching and all the other basics, and six months later the Green Bay Packers beat the New York Giants 37 to 0 and one, the NFL championship.

Okay, so that can happen to us as Christians, we can find ourselves being defeated, we can find ourselves losing instead of gaining ground. We find ourselves falling back in the old sins that we thought were a part of our past.

That's because we blog site of the basics so let's go back to the very beginning. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a Bible. This is a Bible and everything you need to know about God is found in the pages of the Bible. If you want to know God, you need to open read study and apply what is taught in the Bible. Listen to this success or failure in the Christian life is determined by how much of the word of God you get into your life on a regular basis and how obedient you are to it earlier we read the passage in Joshua we talked about meditating on the word of God now will we use the word meditation. Don't think of Eastern meditation and Eastern meditation one empties their mind, but in biblical meditation one fills their minds with the word of God. The edge of meditating is shooing something over thinking it over, pondering it over and over sometime someone will say I read 10 chapters of the Bible today. That's great. What were they about. I have no idea what I read 10 chapters note listen is not enough to just read you need to comprehend what it is saying we need to be hungry for the word of God to your food on her know about you but but I am a person who eats three meals a day and I usually want breakfast around 530 to 6. I get up pretty early, then I have lunch around 11 then I have dinner around five when I see around. I mean pretty much at five at 11 and at 530 this six and I it's like clockwork every single day know my wife and contrast will not eat breakfast and she won't even be aware it's lunchtime. Elsa Kathy.

It's almost 1 cents. It is unlike I've been thinking about lunch for like an hour.

I've been thinking about lunch since 10 o'clock and she is like a maze of lunchtime just happened.

I don't think that way.

My stomach reminds me, I think if you're hungry, it's a sign that your healthy right so in the same way. I hope the spiritual person will be a hungry spiritual person will be a person that longs for and loves word of God. First Peter 32 says like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk that you may grow up in your salvation. I know y'all think I hate cats reported total joy eats Eagles to stand by that statement. I really don't hate cats. I just don't love them. But there are acceptance there's a cat. My neighborhood's name is Hopkins. It's a cool cat. He goes from house to house everybody feeds them. So this morning I got up, and Hopkins is walking around in our housing. My wife Kathy says Craig give Hopkins some milk so I go over and I pull out a little bowl and I pour some milk into the bowl and I said it down in front Hopkins. He took like two licks and then walked off probably to get food from some other neighbor to get it when I just poured all the milk in a ball for you and that's all some of us are yeah we we desire the sincere milk of the word, but a couple licks and were growing up we go will finish the serving dig in deeper continue in the word of God, and I don't know about you but when I don't eat I get angry and know I get irritable, but I find that a meal can change everything. Just one good meal and take a child. For instance, when the little baby is crying is usually two reasons. Number one there hungry number two. Maybe they need a nap. By the way, a phone that works for me to. I'm hungry. Or maybe I need a nap but is the same is true of God's word. It says over in Jeremiah 1516 when your words came Lord I ate them and they were my joy. They were my cards delight.

See, it's all I love your word and I consume your word.

I would rent something Christopher and he's really into reptiles and so I bought Jim and a Noley loser down.

Sometimes these lizards are called chameleons because they change color but actually they're not technically chameleons at another creature altogether, but the end Noley is a great little pet and I gave him one and I he had it for a couple of weeks and then he decided he would just let the end Noley go other raised in captivity and so these little lizards really don't know the way around out there how to take care of themselves and so what happened was the end Noley disappeared and in his dad, Jonathan, my son, that will never see that a Noley again but three weeks weeks later he was in his garage and and there was what looked like the dead a Noley. He was looking skeletal just laying on the ground. Jonathan thought all know that poor lizard and he went to pick it up and inserted job. So this thing was still alive. So Jonathan up the cage gave him a couple of crickets spray them with water in the sun. Noley came back to life and now he's doing very well, but my point of this is if you're feeling down and listless spiritually eat some crickets know seriously, you need the word of God. That's why you're feeling lethargic.

That's for your why you're feeling down. That's why your life is been flooded with fear and anxiety because you forgotten what the Bible says and that's why you need to spend time in the word of God each and every day Martin Luther made the statement about the Bible and I quote the Bible is alive. It speaks to me it is feet and runs after me and that's what God wants to happen in your life as you open the work it will speak to your heart.

As I mentioned, this is a new series that were doing called faith 101 a crash course on the basics of the Christian life things and sometimes we lose sight of no one. We started our church almost 50 years ago I started by teaching the word of God affect this is my original Bible. My first Bible that I bought like a whole pages missing. I didn't rip it out.

It just came out. In fact, a number of pages in her lose sight written in the columns. You can see in and so this is a Bible event for many many years but I started our church bike teaching through the Bible and were still doing that today because we know how important the word of God is in the lives of people and we found in our church on the principles of acts chapter 2 versus 42 to 47. So I'd like you to read those with me if you would right now.

By the way, prefer to read them. This happened on the heels of the birth of the church. This is what happened after the day of Pentecost when the church was born. The Holy Spirit was poured out on unbelievers. The Bible tells us, and now this is what the church did in the aftermath of that and this is what the church should be doing today to stay strong spiritually asked to 42. Those that gladly received his word were baptized and that the 3000 souls were added to them and they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and the breaking of bread and in doctrine and fellowship, and prayers now dropped under verse 46 so continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily those that were being saved.

So I've summed this up in an acronym, W. E. L. L. W-4.

They were a worshiping church E they were and evangelizing church.

L. Number one, they were a learning church and L.

Number two, they were a loving church all deal with those other principles. Later let me just focus on this one.

They were a learning church.

Verse 42. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and press this phrase continued steadfastly speaks of passion and speaks to people that were really engaged.

You know we need anointed preaching today for sure but I think we also need anointed listening, giving your attention with intention paying attention.

Jesus would often say he that has ears to hear, M here if we were to update that my goal along these lines, listen up.

Pay attention to what I am saying to you right now. Don't just watch what were doing here at Harvest at Home, possibly pay attention because were sharing with you the word of God.

So if you want to be a growing Christian number one you must read love study memorized the word of God. Principle number two if you want to be a growing Christian, you need to read the Bible as if your life depended on it because it does. Again, you need to read the Bible as if your life depended upon it because it does years ago Kathy and I were back in Florida speaking and we flew back to LA so we got on the plane and you know how they go to the safety protocols in case of an emergency landing.

There's a seat cushion under your seats in the here's your little whistle that you blow what's never gave me a lot of comfort in the here is the exit doors look at gesture like that here in the here okay so I didn't really pay attention. I was reading the magazine.

I think it's of the flight took off were about 45 minutes up LAX. By the way, probably the worst airport on earth were 45 minutes out of LAX and suddenly the voice of the pilot comes on the intercom and I couldn't believe what he was saying. He said ladies and gentlemen were going to have to make an emergency landing and the flight attendants are going to come back and growth of the safety drill again. Trust me, this time I listened as it turned out our landing gear wasn't working, but thankfully everything worked in the end we landed safely, but the point was when they went over the protocols again where our cushion was even a little whistle and certainly were the exit doors work.

I was listening why my life depended on it.

When we hear the word of God listened as though your life depends upon the because it does your spiritual life.

Jesus in his conclusion to the sermon on the Mount made the statement in Matthew 724 whoever hears these sayings of mine will be a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Then Jesus went on to say, the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because he had it's had its foundation on the rock.

And then Jesus said really bringing an application overhears these sayings of mine does not put them in the practice there like a foolish man who built his house on the sand in the rain came down in the streams rose and fell with a great crash, but whoever hears these sayings of mine will be like a wise man to build itself on the rock so I determine what man I'm going to be what woman you're going to be because in every live.

Trust me, the rain will come down in the streams will rise that one of the things that happens to a new believer. Is there hip without remember Adam and Eve in the garden after the Lord to place them in this paradise. The devil comes to them and says did God really say what you thought you heard him say. Is it really true. You can't eat of this tree if you want to when he lied to them and when you're in new believer, you sometimes her kid without while. What if this is not true. What if this is all made up.

What if I just psych myself into it.

So what you do.

Went down ship to listen to this.

You believe your beliefs and you doubt your doubts you come back to the word of God. Take Jesus as the example you remembered Christ was in the wilderness being tested by the devil for 40 days and 40 nights, the devil came to him showed a Moroccan said take this walk and turn it into a piece of bread and of course Jesus was hungry because you been fasting and Jesus said it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God then Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and he said all of this I will give you if you will worship me again Christ comes back with it is written, you shall worship the Lord God only, and am only shall you serve. Then Satan takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the top of the temple since why don't you throw yourself down from here and then the devil called the Bible, for it is written, says the devil he will give his angels charge over you, by the way, the devil only quoted part of the Bible.

And then Jesus comes back with the Scripture and contacts, and says it is written, you shall not tempt the Lord your God. Think of this way were in a spiritual battle and you fight a spiritual battle with spiritual weapons, I've got a replica of a Roman sword right here, pull it out of its sheath and so think of this now in spiritual battle.

Think of this as your Bible. Basically the sword in the Bible are one and the same.

The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. So the devil comes with the temptation he knew come back with the sword. It is written, so the devil whispers in your ear. Not really a Christian God is in forgiven you, you're not going to have it in you come back and you say it is written these things, we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life through you use the sword of the Spirit use the word of God. Memorize the word of God will help you in times of trial that will help you in times of temptation. The Bible says thy word have I said in my heart that I might not sin against you know the word of God.

Years ago, a young man named Billy Sunday received Jesus Christ. He went to an older Christian and ask for some advice on how to grow spiritually in this older gentleman said to the young Billy Sunday.

He said William there are three simple rules. I hope that you will practice and if you do, no one will ever write the word backslider after your name, number one take 15 minutes each day to let God talk to you take 15 minutes every day to talk to God then spent 15 minutes every day talking to others about God, advice 15 minutes to let God speak to you 15 minutes to talk to God through prayer 15 minutes to tell others about God. How does God speak to us. He speaks to us primarily through the word of God. So a successful Christian will be a Bible studying Christian and a feeling Christian will be one that does not open the word of God and this is a problem. A lot of people are not opening their Bibles today instead were looking at social media.

For instance, every day, 66% of evangelical believers are looking at Facebook, 39% are looking at YouTube and 32% are opening their Bible.

Houston, we have a problem we gotta open the book up in here with the book has to say. I remember the first time I started to read the Bible, he could not believe that I'd finally found the user's manual of life.

I could not believe that these words were so relevant to what I was facing as a 17-year-old kid and now what I'm facing is a 67-year-old kid. I found the word of God is relevant for every phase of my life and you will find the same. The Bible is the most amazing book ever written. It's literally God's message to you now technically speaking, is not one book.

It's actually 66 books written over a 1500 year span of the words of Scripture were written by 40 authors from every walk of life, ranging from kings the peasants to philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, and scholars. Yet all of the authors of the Bible right about one thing, which is God's redemption of mankind, and every one of these individuals that wrote Scripture were inspired by God. Second Peter 120 says understand that no prophecy in Scripture came from the prophets themselves because they wanted to prophesy.

It was from the Holy Spirit who move these prophets to speak for God.

Point number three the word of God is perfect, and completely trustworthy.

The word of God is perfect, and completely trustworthy know that when you open this book up. Psalm 19 verse seven says the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, and when that phrase, the law of the Lord is use it's interchangeable with the word of the Lord God's word is perfect and never goes out of style.

Never look at your book, maybe your your book from high school, then you're always amazed at what our hairstyles were what a strange hairstyles come and go.

You know what, what were we thinking when we are all wearing mullets and by the way I see the mullets are coming back again. I saw a guy the other day, young kid at some hipster coffee shop with the mullets and I have to say it looked as bad as they used to look back when we had him so I don't know.

We should bring that back with the point is, things come and go, trends come and go musical styles come and go so many things come and go but the word of God is always the same and Jesus Christ is always the same yesterday today and forever. To me it's amazing that even though the newspaper is outdated in a day or so. The word of God is always fresh and relevant to what facing the Bible says his mercies are new every morning.

Listen to this. The Bible says in second Timothy three all Scripture is inspired by God, or literally read the by God. That means that the Bible is God's infallible word. The original autographs.

That is the first copies are without air, there are no mistakes in the Bible. It's perfect, you can trust it. Even with the recent archaeological discovery like the Dead Sea Scrolls.

It only confirms what the Bible has said all along.

Point number four the word of God transforms us the word of God transforms us.

So if you want to be a growing Christian, you need to spend time in the word of God wife because it will trends form you going back to Psalm 19.

Again, it says the word of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. This phrase, it is user for converting means reviving, restoring and transforming solicit when you read God's word.

Your robot when you read God's word you're restored. When you read God's word you're transformed.

No listen, if you want to be transformed. If you don't want to be restored.

Don't read the Bible. The Bible is for people that have a sense of desperation about where they are in life is for people who don't know the purpose of life and they want to know what the purpose should be. The Bible is for people who are not really sure where they came from and they're not really sure where they are going.

The Bibles are people that want to change the Bible is for people that wish they could control their passions for people that don't want to be mere victims of circumstances for people that wish it was not so much pain in life. The Bible is for people who want relationships with others that will be better. That's who it's for know if you have it all worked out that I guess you don't need the Bible of course are also delusional because all of us need the word of God. This is the user's manual that you been looking for.

As it has been said, be ideally basic instructions before leaving earth. So read what this word has to say.

Let me say one thing.

In conclusion, let me tell you know what the Bible says about your soul.

First of all you been made in the image of God. You're not an a member of the animal kingdom you're a human being made by God himself, and you are loved by God himself and God longs for a relationship and friendship with you. But here's what the Bible also says you and I are separated from God by our sin.

The Bible says all of sin and fallen short of the glory of God and to sin means to cross a line to break a commandment and those signals the word sin also means to fall short of a goal which is perfection. Jesus said be perfect, as your father in heaven is perfect will is perfect not mean that you only one perfect person that ever walked this planet the same as Jesus, we all fall short. We've all broken God's commandments.

We've all sin.

But the Bible also tells us what the solution is Jesus himself said in John 316 for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have ever lasting life. The Bible tells us, Christ died for our sins. The apostle Paul said in Scripture.

He loved me and gave himself for me. Listen, Jesus died for you because he loves you and he wants to forgive you and he wants to enter into a relationship with you is able. Greg how to set up, you need to admit you're a sinner now make excuses for your set not blame other people for your sins.

Own it, admit it and ask God to forgive you and he will right here right now. Let me close with a series of questions would you like your sins to be forgiven.

Would you like a fresh start in life.

Would you like that big hole in your heart filled would you like to know with confidence that you will go to heaven when you die. If so, you need to ask Christ to come and live inside of you being a Christian is not becoming a religious person. I don't want to be a religious person. I've never been a religious person. This has nothing to do with religion says everything to do with relationship with you and God.

Would you like to have that Jesus is ready to come into your life is ready to forgive you of your sin. Jesus says I I stand at the door and I knocked and if you hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in. That's right here in the Bible. Would you like him to commit only you can open the door of your heart, so to speak is integrate how does one do that through prayer, Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved if you were drowning and you saw lifeguard any one of them to rescue you.

You have to cry out for help right if you want God to save you from your sin if you want God to give you hope and purpose in life, you need to call out to him if you can do that right here right now through prayer the moment I'm a lead you in the simplest of prayers.

A personal symbol that a child could pray it and many do pray with us that he have prayed with us over the past months that we been with you here at Harvest at Home but you can be an adult and pray this prayer doesn't matter what your rages. It's a simple prayer we are saying Jesus come in the my life. If you would like your sin forgiven, if you'd like to know that you will go to heaven when you die if you would like your guild taken away. Or maybe you fallen away from the Lord like to come back to him. I want you to stop whatever you're doing and pray with me right now. Listen God Almighty will hear your prayer and he will answer your prayer but you must call out to him on the pray is simple prayer I would ask you if you want Christ to come of your life to pray this prayer even after me, as I pray it. You pray this is a prayer we are asking Christ to come in the your life so you can find the meaning and purpose of life.

So if you want Jesus in your life right now. Pray this prayer with me if you would just pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner but I know that you are the Savior who died on the cross for my sin rose again from the dead. Jesus come into my life now I choose to follow you from this moment forward.

Thank you for hearing this prayer in Jesus name I pray, amen.

Everybody Greg Laurie here. Thanks for listening to our podcast and the learn more about harvest ministries. Please subscribe and consider supporting this show.

Just go to harvest.org and by the way, if you want to find out how to come into a personal relationship with God. Go to know God.org that's key NOW GLD.org