The Refreshing Power of the Word of God: The Owners Manual to Life

Eli, listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners for more ways to deepen and challenge your spiritual walk and roll and pastor breaks free online courses sign and harvest.alert the word of God is so many people have Bible shooting on a show. Greg Morris is the Bible belongs in our lab in our heart everything you need to know about why this know the Bible never goes out so many things go with the word of God is always what you're facing in the moment you trust word of God. 5% of people read owners as well. One way to go kitchen, which was the best spin cycle in her clothes washer drying her lettuce and wanted to know why her close return what we have an owners manual for life. The Bible many leave it on the shelf today on the new Lori helps us recognize prescription. This is my last message in our series, or simply calling real fries and I want to talk to you about refreshing power of the word of God, because the reality is, as believers well of those moments when we stumble when we trip up when we make the wrong decision. We think that wrong thought and we need to repent. We need to reboot. We need to be revived and refreshed and that's what were going to be focusing on together was that a growing believer will delight in and love the word of God, you'll love it if some acute dread reading it. Look forward to reading it. Someone describing the happy man says happy is the man that 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 his delight is in the word of the Lord and in does seem meditate day and night. The psalmist said in Psalm 119. How I love your commandments.

Lord to give my life back to me because your unfailing love and your words are true. So this is something we need to understand you have to open up this book.

Heard about a woman that wasn't feeling well so her husband took her to see her doctor and she wanted to his office a little time passed and the doctor comes rushing out and he says, is there anybody here that is a screwdriver someone company, they give it to the doctor because back in the office of this man's wife. It's another moment passes a dog comes out again. It says does anyone have a pair of pliers so would give the doctor a prayer player to goes back in the office. He returns again. Does anyone here have a hammer, so the husband was alarmed and he goes into the doctor's office and says Dr. what are you doing with my wife. The doctor says I haven't even gotten your wife yet.

I just try to get my medical bag open.

See, that's a lot of us are or were wondering why is like going so poorly why my making so many bad decisions. Open up the book.

The doctor needed open his medical bag. You need to open up the word of God. One of the ways a doctor. Speaking of doctors knows that a person is healthy is that they have an appetite will ask you how's your appetite. Healthy appetite is an indication of good health.

A loss of appetite is an indication of something possibly wrong healthy Christians are hungry Christians and they're hungry for the word of God.

First Peter 22 says like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk, that you may grow up spiritually because you know the feeling you have when you haven't eaten a meal if you can set the clock on my stomach. I get up in the morning I'm hungry I'm hungry for lunch at 11 o'clock. I'm ready to eat I'm hungry for dinner at 5 o'clock and when I don't eat I get a little bit cranky.

I think the phrases angry right you're angry but it's really you're just hungry.

You just need to eat something then in the same way you might find yourself irritable and inept Titan anxious and maybe angry, and you, whether what's wrong. Have you have you read Scripture.

Did you open the day with the word of God. Jeremiah 1516 says, when your words came, I ate them they were my joy, my cards delight for I bear your name Lord God Almighty. Now I want to tell you nine things about the Bible you need to know nine things about the Bible and I went to go now to Psalm 19. The bring them to your attention. Bring along with me if you can. I'm reading from the King James version.

Psalm 19 verse seven the law of the Lord now again let me remind you, this could just as easily be translated the word of the Lord, or simply the Bible so I'll see the word of the Lord. The word of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart the commandment of the Lord is pure, and lightning the odds. 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 gay than much fine gold and they're sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is your servant Warren and keeping of them there is great reward. Beautiful.

Now let's start identifying the nine things we need to know about the Bible. If you're taking notes. Point number one the word of God is perfect. The word of God is perfect.

Appraisal love the Lord. The word of the Lord is simply saying it is perfect. There's no flaws in it. Everything you need to know about God is found in the Bible.

Everything you need to know about life is found in the Bible and it never goes out update so many things go out of date. Ever notice how strange most people's photos are in the yearbook.

It seems like we all collectively decide. Let's take a really bad picture for our yearbook and have the weirdest hairstyle of all time.

So, by the way the mullets making a comeback. I would highly recommend against that. Please don't do a yearbook picture in a moment, even if it's popular anyway. These things come and go, hairstyles come and go musical styles come and go with the word of God is always current and it's always relevant love with limitations 323 says that since his mercies are new every morning.

Can't you think of a time when you read a Scripture you read before, but suddenly that passage that you're familiar with jumps off the page because it's completely relevant to what you're facing in the moment. You can trust the word of God is another point, the word of God transforms us the word of God transforms us. Psalm 19 verse seven the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. See, when I read God's word. It transforms the way I think it transforms me in the way that I live. It changes me but here's the thing we must remember, it's not enough to just read the Bible. I must do with the Bible sets. James 122 says remember it's a message to obey not just to listen to.

If you don't obey your only fooling yourself out here. You're like a person is Caesar facing the mayor and does nothing to improve their appearance.

You see yourself walk away you forget what you even look like, but if you keep looking steadfastly into God's perfect law and do is word the law that set you free. You do what it says don't forget what you heard that God will bless you for doing amazing.

You know when you go look in the mirror and it shows you something. Sometimes you see something that others were seeing where you were not aware of it like there's a string of cheese hanging from your left from the omelette. You had the morning. No wonder everyone was kind of smiley that you are looking away.

All they must think I look good today know you teasing from your face in the mirror showed you that so you see something in the mirror, make the necessary corrections so I open the word of God.

Oh yes I read the Bible to be great to get you do with the Bible said the Bible says don't just be hearers of the word, but be doers of the word. Listen, the Bible is God's word to us and it should be treasure as he read in Psalm 19 more to be desired are these things in gold yes and much fine gold someone 1911. The psalmist says your word have I treasured in my heart that I might not sin against you. What is in me to treasure in your heart means to hide or store something so obviously this verse and others are advocating and encouraging Bible memorization. Do you have any Bible verses memorize if not, why not is L Greg it I just can't memorize Scripture old yes you can you of lines from movies that you quote all the time you of lyrics from songs you've memorized.

You have so much information and data in your brain that you committed to memory. Certainly you can make some room for the word of God because none of those things are getting help you in a time of trouble. Lyrics of songs or lines from movies are not to sustain you when you're facing adversity in life, but the word of God will so committed to memory Greg Laurie of the second half of this message moment right after a quick look at the way a new beginning touches the lives of listeners and Christian goals and have not I asked. I wow she that's a great little letter is netted 10 years old. She wants to dicker.

They have and I don't know what I can say about that. But I'll tell you this much. I'm so glad that she's watching and it's getting through to her that she loved the rush of hope. I'm always thrilled when I get a letter from a kid, I have to tell you I have a soft spot in my heart for little ones. I love to engage them because you know you never know. That might so little see them their heart that will break ground later but we love children and were so thankful children are watching our ministry that we put out there online and on radio and if you're a little kid in your listing right now. I'm so thankful you're listening and I know a lot of times you tell me you love the jokes so the jokes are going to keep coming kids and keep listening.

You know, these daily studies connect with people of all ages and connect with people all over the world and is only possible through the partnership of our listeners.

Thank you for your support of a new beginning and you can send a generous year-end gift today by going to harvest.org while we're in Psalm 19. Today, as Pastor Greg presents his final message of the refresh series is a study called the refreshing power of the word of God has another point verse seven, the word of God gives us incredible wisdom, the word of God gives us incredible wisdom, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. This word that is translated simple comes from a root word that speaks of an open door. It's describing a person was a mind like an open door, everything comes in and everything goes up. This person doesn't know what to take in. They don't know what to keep out and so they're naïve. They're open to everything and close to nothing.

These are the kind of people that read weird conspiracy theories online and they attach as much credibility to the weird conspiracy theory is the attached to Scripture, the Bible says they need to immerse himself with Scripture.

So a simple minded person will become a biblically grounded person and develop a biblical world view. This comes from the study of the word of God is to be times in life where you can read passages of Scripture you don't fully understand. I would encourage you to talk to your pastor to talk to someone who is been a Christian longer and they can probably help you, but I Vanessa question what you do when you come to verse in the Bible that you don't agree with.

You probably won't like my answer and change your opinion, you're wrong because the Bible is right you don't adapt the Bible to the way you think you'll hear sometimes people say well you know why God would never judge a person. I believe in a God and you start describing your own God. You can make up your God as you go is only one God is revealed in the Bible that we don't conform that God to us. We conform ourselves to him. I'm almost done. Point number eight the word of God is right, the word of God is right.

Psalm 19 verse eight the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart Hebrew. This means the Bible is set up for us the right path for us to follow.

You don't have to lose your bearings in the fog of human opinion. As you read Scripture you know what's reliable. So as you read the Bible is good. Ask yourself a few questions your universe. You can ask yourself the question is are ready. Sin mentioned here that I should avoid is Ernie promise stated here that I ought to claim. Is there any victory for me to gain his or any blessing mentioned here that I could enjoy the now number nine. My last point, keeping the word of God makes you happy. Keeping the word of God makes you happy. Psalm 19 verse eight the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. Jesus said in Luke 1128 happy are those that hear the word of God and keep it. You want to be a happy person be a person who studies the Bible you want to be a happy person be a person that memorizes the Bible you want to be a happy person be a person who will raise the Bible. Listen, you can have a happy life without sin. If you have a happy life without drugs or alcohol. You have a happy life without sex outside of marriage.

God is not out to ruin your life. He wants you to be fulfilled. The happiness he gives doesn't stop when the party is over. It's a whole different approach to life. It's a change of everything I mentioned earlier that the Bible promises that if I believe in Jesus will become a different person on the inside because old things are passed away and everything becomes fresh and new. The Bible promises that God will lift that weight off of my shoulders of sin. The Bible tells me what the meaning of life is is able. Greg, what is the meaning of life, the meaning of life is to know the God created you. The Bible says God is set eternity in our hearts. What that means is deep down inside we know there's something more deep down inside we we know were made for something more and will really longing for is not some new possession. It's not some new experience even a relationship can fill this void.

What were longing for deep down inside is a relationship with God himself.

Revelation 411 says God created all things for his own pleasure. You know some people spend their whole life chasing happiness is for their whole life trying to find the ultimate pleasure the ultimate experience know you were created to give God pleasure.

When you give God pleasure which means you come into a relationship with him enough friendship with him and you begin to communicate with him and hear from Jim. You will find the pleasure you've been looking for, not from seeking it, but from seeking God himself.

The purpose and meaning of life is to know God to discover his plan for you.

The Bible also tells me how to get to heaven.

Is there any more important question than that, how do I get to heaven I was talking with some of the other day and I asked them if they believe they would go to heaven and their answer was, well, yes I I'm a good person.

I had to break the bad news to them that there may be a good person, relatively speaking, but they're not good enough to get to have because the Bible also tells me I'm separated from God by my sin. I've crossed the line a broken his commandments. I've fallen short of the standards but then Scripture reminds me that I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me on the cross he had nails driven through his hands and feet and blood and dynamite place on the cross of Calvary, and then he rose again from the dead three days later and if I will turn from my sin. The Bible says repent and be converted in times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord you want to be refreshed. Then repent is to repent what is that even mean I don't know if I've even tented yet. Why should I repent.

To repent needs a change of direction. Even walking away from God's time to do a U-turn at Sentry, a military term that means you turn turnaround about-face and walked toward God. Repent and turn from your sin and turn to Jesus Christ you want to go to heaven when you die.

Here's what Jesus says 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. Let me leave you with this, God loves you he loved you so much that he sent his own beloved son to die on the cross in your place, and then Jesus rose from the dead and now stands at the door of your life, and he knocks if you hear his voice and open the door will come in as Jesus said whoever believes in him should not perish but have ever lasting life you want everlasting life you want to go to heaven when you die, you want the burden of your guilt and shame and sin lifted from you. You want a fresh start in life. It can all happen if you'll ask God to forgive you and if you will asked Jesus Christ to come into your life in a moment, forget to pray and I'm going to extend an invitation.

In this prayer for you to believe in Jesus for you to be forgiven of your sin, for you to have from this moment forward, the certainty that shall go to heaven when you die. If you've not asked Jesus to come of your life. Yet, do it now if you need to recommit your life to the Lord, do it now and pray this simple prayer after me is pray this simple prayer if you want Christ to come into your life if you want to go to heaven when you die, pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead.

I turn from my sin.

Now, Lord, and I choose to follow you from this moment forward.

Thank you for hearing this prayer in answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray, amen Greg Laurie closing with an important prayer for those making a decision for the Lord today and if you just pray that prayer was Pastor Greg and you've meant those words. Sincerely, your sins have been forgiven because Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and we want to help you get started.

Living the Christian life would like to send you our new believers] just ask for and will send it to your free of charge requested when you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or when you call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org will hear during this Christmas season. We want to make available a special gift for you. Perhaps you've heard of this. It's the critically acclaimed TV series called the chosen. It's a gripping cinematic portrayal of the life and ministry of Jesus as though you're right there beside the Lord as you walk through life. It's the kind of series that will speak to believers and nonbelievers alike as directed by Dallas Jenkins, the son of left behind author Jerry Jenkins. He's produced over a dozen films for universal Lions gate pure flexion.

Others made using the trailers for the chosen online and Graham Lott said she was moved to tears and to worship as you watch Pastor Gregor said literally millions of people live in getting to know the authentic Jesus. Through this series and we want to send season one of the chosen to you on DVD. Thank you for your investment in the ministry of a new beginning. What a great Christmas gift and your donation helps us reach out with the gospel, but only through this program, but also through Pastor Greg's large-scale evangelistic events at such an important time for that work.

Hearts are hungry, you know even shot several weeks ago at SoCal harvest one person wrote us and said can you believe how many people are here.

We came from Los Angeles and frankly we would've driven across the country to be here, we wouldn't have missed this for the world.

It's such an important time to reach out with the love of Christ and your investment makes that work possible and with your donation right now would like to send you season one of the chosen.

You can donate securely online@harvest.org or write us at a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 and we have operators who can speak with you by phone anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 everybody Greg Laurie here encouraging you to join us as we give her what we call Harvest at Home. It's worse and it's a message of the word of God. You can watch it with your family and your front room where you can watch it on the go on your tablet on your phone or your computer. Take it with you think the word of God with you. Join us Harvest at Home harvest next time Pastor Greg takes us to the book of Daniel, and a heart stopping lesson learned by King Belshazzar. Join us to run a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie had a new beginning as a podcast, made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God if this show has impacted your life. Share your story leverage you on your favorite podcast and help others find help