The Word Of God Blesses Us Part 1

This is not like an encyclopedia, you read it, not so much to learn to find your life change. James tells us to receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your soul today to do just that. They with the Moody Church in Chicago this morning with Dr. Sir we are teaching helps us make a cross line tell us where were headed today as we turn to the book of James Dave, one of the reasons we know for sure that the Bible is the word of God is because it tells us the truth about ourselves. That's why James talks about the word of God being like a mirror, and many people look in the mirror and they run away. Others look in the mirror and then they bring about changes in response to what they are seeing.

But the word of God is powerful.

It gives us a measuring line, but how do we get that word of God into the lives of children. While today's the last day, we are making a very special resource available to you. It's entitled awesome Bible verses. Every kid should know and what they mean. 20 or 30 different topics written at the level of a child so that the child can understand them. Issues such as God, creation, the Bible, forgiveness, justification, obedience, conscience, temptation all the way down the line for a gift of any amount. This book can be yours and I need to tell you that today's the last day, we are making this resource available. Ask for awesome Bible verses. Every kid should know. Go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Let me begin today with a question. Have you ever been deceived.

I'm sure we've all experienced that and the reason is because we believe a lie so let me follow up with another question.

Have you ever deceived yourself. Have you ever believe your own lies lies that you perhaps want to believe about yourself or about your situation and you've talked yourself into it or you may not even know that what you have come to believe is a lie. Deception over going to plunge right into the Scriptures. Would you take your Bible and turn please to James chapter 1 James chapter 1 and as always it is so important that we see the text because I want you to understand the text and the sequence of the text. James chapter 1 and I'm going to pick it up directly in verse 22 it says this but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your selves. While there is deceiving yourselves.

Greek scholars tell us that the word that is use their hearers is a word that could be used for auditors. Don't be an auditor. Now you know what an auditor is an auditor is somebody who comes into class doesn't want to take any exams doesn't write the term papers, and if he audits all of his classes. He won't graduate, but he's there just in case there's something very interesting for him to learn.

But there's no follow-through. I used to teach. I didn't like auditors you know that where they are well as long as it's interesting I'll come and hear you, but I don't have to come to class. I can skip because I'm Justin auditor. The problem with auditors and are the ones who confuse knowing and believing, and they are often times deceived because they think to themselves. I've heard the lecture. I've heard the class. Somehow they think in their minds.

Therefore, they had done it if you want to, and unbelievably chilling story in the New Testament about deception.

It is the words of Jesus. Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in my name, Lord, have we not done many miracles and I will say to them.

I never knew you depart from the workers of iniquity. Keep in mind that these people actually thought that the door of heaven would swing open for them, but they discovered that didn't because at the end of the day they were ones who heard the word but didn't understand didn't really believe and didn't follow through. They were auditors what your Bibles are open to James chapter 1 because what were going to do in the next few moments is to give you instruction on how to make sure that you benefit from the word of God and this message applies to listening to a sermon that of course is very important to me to emphasize that, but it also applies to those of you who are listening to the Scriptures.

Many of you are listening here for the first time may not know that here at the church. We are committed to listening to the New Testament in 40 days or reading it and and you're involved in that and what you want to do is to make sure that you won't just be an auditor deceiving yourself about 35 years ago I read a sermon by the great 19th century preachers Charles Haddon Spurgeon and them whenever I think of that text. I think it is outline and I'm using his outline and I didn't have to check his sermon to see what the outline was. I remembered it because it is so easy to remember so logical to remember that I believe for those of you will still be alive in 35 years time that somebody should say now what was that outline that Pastor Luther used that he took from Spurgeon on this passage and you'll know it just like that you believe that 35 years from now, I think so. I think that there may be some skeptics present but God will overcome that skepticism.

Are you ready for it. It's this simple and easy to remember. Spurgeon says that this passage of Scripture teaches us what to do before a sermon or a Bible reading what to do during a sermon and what to do after a sermon easy to remember and it's all in the text. Thanks for joining us on this journey. First of all, Spurgeon says that the text helps us to understand what we should do before a sermon now I'm actually in verse 21 therefore, put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness.

Wow, that's quite a statement. We don't even like the word filthy and get James here is talking about issues in our life. Sinful issues of unconquered sin that he refers to as filthy now as some of those sins. Of course, may be in the preceding verse know this brothers, let every one of us be quick to hear and slow to speak, slow to wrath.

The fact is that many of us are quick to speak because we want to hear the sound of our own boys furthermore were having a conversation with someone and we are not slow to hear because we don't care what their story is all that matters is our story.

James had now become interested in other people story.

Be swift to hear Solow to speak because you know that what comes out of your mouth is representing the king of kings who redeemed you so you don't want to be flippant in the sense that you just say the first thing that comes into your head. But you are slow to speak and you're very slow to anger now.

That of course would be included under the word filthy or excess of wickedness. The two terms that James uses their but of course many other things are there as well.

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you is there filthiness in your life or is there as our translation says rampant out of control wickedness. James says lay it aside. Weed the garden for you get to the word of God because it if you and I come to the Scriptures and we have all of these issues and all of these sins that we not confess before God and all of these issues and our relationship with other people when we come to listen to a message or to hear the word of God will discover.

It'll be something like water on a marble slab. It will not affect us.

That's why you find that there are people who memorize Scripture and and they go to Bible camp and they learn all the verses and then they turn away from God because what they are is auditors. Now let's talk very very bluntly and clearly. I believe that in many families in remember Rebecca and I used to have small children and many families, the most unholy hour of the whole week is preparation to go to church Sunday morning and that true anybody identify with that know the kids they don't eat breakfast.

They want to sleep in because it Sunday morning father is out in the car, honking the horn because he knows he's late mother is upset because she's saying well. Father didn't help much and therefore you know well he can take his breakfast with him. They say of the kids and everybody comes then is difficult to park and then you come in. Listen on a Richter scale of 1 to 10 in terms of unholiness that our might be a number eight at least.

How do you circumvent that well first of all you get started earlier in the morning and I know all that to but the least thing that you and I should do is when we come into this sanctuary. What we should do is spend a few moments hopefully you get here early. Listen. Those of you who are here early I just say a word of encouragement to you. I believe that in heaven.

Your crown is going to be so heavy that your head will be tilted which also says something about the latecomers. But we can slide over that this sanctuary is not a place for you to meet with your friends before the service to do that out in the hallway when you come into this place. What you should do is to say God I had a difficult morning I had a difficult week and I know it's going to be that last week with all of its difficulties was much better than the one I'm going to have so Lord, would you just quiet my soul help me to confess and deal with issues that are standing here is a barrier because soon we're going to be singing praises to God. Soon were going to be asked to listen to your holy word and I am here to meet you and I'm preparing my heart.

James says you don't want to be an auditor lay aside all filthiness. All excess of wickedness.

Some translations say excess of malice, lay it aside and then during a sermon. So first of all, you want to remember this outline before a sermon cleansing during a sermon. Humility receive with meekness the engrafted word that is able to save your souls meekness means humility. What you do is you, and you say Lord speak to me. I want to learn. I'm not here to oppose you.it's very dangerous business to oppose God and the Bible says God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. I for one do not want to be in opposition with God because I know who's going to win is going to lose. So James says come in and do it with submission. Are you willing to listen to God's word to delete here what he has to say to you today. You know that it's so important to do this. Let me give you an example, and an illustration as to how you and I should listen to the word of God, whether preached. Listen to or read. Let us suppose that you had a very very wealthy and some of you say on what I'm talking about the same person and then once casually when you're over there.

She happens to say that she's remembered you in her will. She hasn't said anything beyond that, you know, the rich relatives often make bad friends but they can make wonderful answers and so you know now that the attorney has called a meeting at her will is going to be read and your presence care whether or not he was well-dressed, you wouldn't care whether not his outline was as clear as the one I'm giving you today, you wouldn't care about anything when you're doing is you're listening for your name that's what you're listening for did she leave me some money or did she leave me a debt what did she do when you come to hear the word of God. You are listening for your name you're coming and you're saying, oh God, what do you have to say to me today. My soul is thirsty, my need is great and I need to hear your voice. Vance Hebner was a country preacher who had all kinds of witticisms to rolloff in a sermon know you say things you know most church services began at 11 o'clock sharp.

In the end, 12 o'clock, they'll say things like that but also remember something else that he said is that I've never yet had a sermon where I didn't get anything they said I had some mighty close calls. We've all had a close call. I'm sure I have preached my share of forgettable messages we had close calls as God would have it, this morning I was in the church early as I always am on Sunday and I was looking through some of the mail that arrived and it was a letter from somebody who said that in our church. The preaching he's talking about his church.

He said the preaching is about 2% milk.

The 2% time now folks, no matter how bad the sermon may be, no matter how imperfect it may be.

Listen for your name. I quoted I quoted Charles Haddon Spurgeon using his outline today and you know he he was once walking through the snow we got to this little church and the preacher wasn't there. The preacher couldn't get to church on Sunday, so there was a layman who stood up and said that look on to me all the ends of the earth and be saved.

Spurgeon the age of 17, sitting in the back of that little church heard that and was converted was one of the greatest preachers. This world is ever seen. Besides, Jesus and Paul. You never know when you hear God's word so so James says all right now. Remember 35 years from now I want you to remember this outline before a sermon cleansing during a sermon. Humility after a sermon will obviously the word that you're expecting me to say and I will say is obedience. But let's look at the text okay verse 22 but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like, but the one who looks into the perfect law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer not being a hero who forgets but a doer who acts, he is going to be blessed in what he is doing.

James is like a man looking in the mirror. Now I need to tell you that in Greek. There are two different words for man. There's one word for man, which means mankind. It could include women is not the word that James is using here. He's using a word that can only be translated mail. He has a man now whenever you approach the gender issue you begin to get a little nervous.

I mean after all were living in a day and age where he can even build a snowman anymore. It has to be a snow person that asked but I'm going to skate across this really fast now. Just tell me honestly one on one who is it that spends more time in front of the mirror, the male species or the female species and is there any debate about that.

I don't think so. I don't think so. You see, James knows that it's not like a woman to look in the mirror and then go her way, and forget what she was like, man will bill look at the mirror, though maybe use a little bit of mouthwash throw on some cologne. And hey there fine and they forget about all the rest. James is that's way auditors do it to see what they do is they look at the log there there on the Sunday they listen to a sermon and then they go their way and they forget about it and and they don't apply it in the they forget the truth of it.

My friend let me have a candid word for you and with you. Let me ask you this question how do we get the word of God into the lives of children my wife throughout the years, always said that the children know the stories but they don't know doctrine so she's written a book entitled some Bible verses. Every kid should know written at the level of a child. Perhaps, ages 6 to 12. Each of these topics has an illustration that the children will understand what a wonderful opportunity for us to communicate the word of God in the lives of children. Now I need to tell you that today's the last day, we are making this resource available to you.

So for a gift of any amount. It can be yours. Here is what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 now because I believe that this book is so important for your children and grandchildren. I'm going to be giving you that contact info again go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 time now for another chance for you to ask Pastor lutes or a question about the Bible or the Christian life. John listens to running to win in South Carolina and has this question, I'm wondering about something I read in your books on your eternal reward, and how you can be sure that you will spend eternity with God. You speak of rewards in these books but I'm confused as to how I can tell the difference between the false convert of Matthew chapter 7 and the disobedient fleshly believer in first Corinthians chapter 3.

I worry because I fear two of my brothers are not saved they have no fruit or signs of repentance despite calling out to God when they were young, my conclusion is that they are not saved and that's why I pray for them daily. Maybe they are the ones who will lose all the rewards at the judgment and not inherit the kingdom of God but will enter. What do you think well my friend, my first thought is simply this, I cannot see into the heart of your brothers and neither can you. If you're asking me the question.

Are they simply carnal Christians who will eventually show up in heaven or are they those who perhaps believed on Christ as a child, not understanding what they were doing trusting him as Savior, as children sometimes do without really understanding the gospel and therefore they are really not saved. I cannot answer that question. You know the Bible says that the wheat and the tears grow together and it's my understanding that tears which are really weeds. There are those kinds of tears that look like wheat and so you and I cannot tell the difference. You know when you think of your brothers, you're saying that there's no fruit in their lives. I would say that quite probably, they have never really believed on Jesus.

Now that doesn't mean the children can't be saved but I've known in my own past in dealing with families that often times children call out to God because they may be in desperation they may be in trouble. They may even hear the gospel and they do it because others are doing at their all kinds of circumstances or because their parents want them to pray this prayer and that's why always tell children that if you are converted when you were young good but if you doubt your conversion now. Now is the time when you have better understanding to make sure that you receive Christ as Savior. So I say to you today my brother.

It is what it is and you and I don't know what it is. Keep praying for your brothers based on your question.

I'd say keep praying for their salvation that only God knows some helpful counsel for John from Dr. Erwin looks or thank you Dr. Luzerne if you'd like to hear your question answered. Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor Luzerne or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us at the running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614.

Next time I'm running to win more on the blessing we receive when we are doers of the word, and not just hearers of the word. This is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored move teacher