WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.560 --> 00:00:05.960 This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the audio broadcast ministry 2 00:00:05.960 --> 00:00:09.880 of Pastor Rick Warren. Today we continue with a series 3 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:14.160 called forty Days in the Word. In these messages, Pastor 4 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:19.000 Rickshaw's practical Bible study tools that will reignite your passion 5 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:23.199 for God's Word and revolutionize your life as you grow 6 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:27.839 closer to Jesus. First, we're excited to let you know 7 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:31.920 that very generous friends of Daily Hope have stepped forward 8 00:00:32.119 --> 00:00:36.479 with a special fifty thousand dollars matching grant that means 9 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:39.679 any gift you give to help Daily Hope share God's 10 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:44.119 Word with people everywhere will be double. So contact us 11 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:47.920 right away, go to Pastorick dot com or text the 12 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:52.520 word Daily to eight hundred, six hundred five thousand and four. 13 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:56.759 Right now, here's Pastor Rick Warren with the final part 14 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:00.000 of a message called building My Life on the Bible. 15 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:06.200 Many times the Bible is compared to a mirror. In scripture, 16 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.040 the Bible compares itself to mirror. What's the purpose of 17 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:14.799 a mirror? The purpose of a mirror is to evaluate ourselves, 18 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:18.040 and the Bible helps us do that. It's the mirror 19 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:22.120 of God's Word that helps us evaluate ourselves. Every one 20 00:01:22.200 --> 00:01:26.239 of you did it sometime today when you got up 21 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:30.760 this morning, at some point, most likely before you walked 22 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:34.000 out the door, you paused and looked at a mirror 23 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:39.959 to assess the damage from last night, and then you 24 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:43.040 evaluated what needed to be changed before you walked out 25 00:01:43.079 --> 00:01:45.719 that door. You may have run a brush or combed 26 00:01:45.719 --> 00:01:47.079 through your hair, or he said I. 27 00:01:47.159 --> 00:01:47.640 Have time to do that. 28 00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:50.560 I'm going to put on a ball cap, or you 29 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:53.560 washed your face, or maybe you took the time to 30 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:56.680 put on some makeup. By the way, did you know 31 00:01:56.760 --> 00:02:00.680 that the first Queen Elizabeth during you know, shakee Sphere time, 32 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:04.599 that as she got older that she lost her beauty. 33 00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:07.760 She had all of the mirrors removed from Buckingham Palace 34 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:11.680 because she did not want to see the fact that 35 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:15.400 she was growing older. Now, there are two ways to 36 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:19.560 look at a mirror. There's you can glance at a mirror, 37 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:22.199 or you can gaze at a mirror. Glance at a mirror. 38 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:26.199 Is anybody remember happy days that show happy days? Remember 39 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:29.919 Phonsie'd he'd walk past a mirror and he'd stop and 40 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:30.560 he let me go. 41 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:34.479 Hey, he didn't need to do anything because he was 42 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:35.360 pure perfection. 43 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:38.000 He didn't have to, you know, Koma's there or anything. 44 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:41.599 He would, he would glance. Now, you don't want to 45 00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:44.479 do that with this mirror. You can't just glance at 46 00:02:44.520 --> 00:02:48.080 the word of God. That's a quick you know, I'm rushed. Lord, 47 00:02:48.120 --> 00:02:50.080 I've got two minutes. I'm gonna look at it real 48 00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:50.960 quick and then leave. 49 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:51.400 No. 50 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:54.439 Glancing at the mirror of God's word isn't going to 51 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:58.199 help you change. You've got to gaze at it. You 52 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:01.520 got to gaze intently. You look at the details. And 53 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:03.879 God wants us not the glance at his words, but 54 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:08.319 to gaze at his word, to look intently. Number three, 55 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:10.879 the third way to build your life on the Bible 56 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:14.840 is I build my life on the Bible. I research it. 57 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:20.199 I research it with my hands and my mouth. Now 58 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:22.800 I'll need to explain this to you. I research the 59 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:26.280 Word of God with my hands and my mouth. This 60 00:03:26.439 --> 00:03:31.039 is Bible study. Researching is Bible study. Is there a 61 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:36.000 difference between Bible reading and Bible study. Yes, Reading the 62 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:38.639 Bible is reading the Bible. Studying the Bible is studying 63 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:42.120 the Bible. It's not study unless you have a pen 64 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:45.759 or a pencil and you're writing it down in fact, 65 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:49.360 there are two components of study, writing it down and 66 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:50.360 talking about it. 67 00:03:50.280 --> 00:03:51.159 With somebody else. 68 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:56.240 That's turns reading into study. When I write something down 69 00:03:57.000 --> 00:03:59.840 and I talk about somebody else, now I am studying. 70 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:03.159 That's why we believe in small groups, why we have 71 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:05.680 over five thousand small groups here at Saddleback, because the 72 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:09.240 way you study the Bible best is actually in a group. 73 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:13.599 And you you listen, and you write, and you read 74 00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:16.560 and you talk, and you use your hands and you 75 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:20.199 use your mouth to study the Word of God. Now 76 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:23.959 look at these two verses John chapter five, Verse thirty nine. 77 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:28.959 Jesus says this, you search the scripture circle the word search. 78 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:33.079 He's talking about Bible study here, he's talking about research. 79 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:38.639 You research the scriptures. You search the scriptures because you 80 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:41.680 believe they will give you eternal life. And the scriptures 81 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:44.600 point to me. And we're going to show you how 82 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:47.199 you can see Jesus all through the Old Testament, not 83 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:50.319 just in the New Testament. You search the scriptures. That's 84 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:54.160 researching with my hands in mouth. And that's Chapter seventeen. 85 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:57.399 Luke talks about a group of people in a city 86 00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:02.519 called Berea. Berea was a little city in Greece, and 87 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:07.800 he says the people of Berea were more open minded 88 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:12.759 than those in Thesalonaika. Fessalonaka was another city in Greece. 89 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:16.319 He said, those Bereans, they were more open minded the 90 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:19.120 people who lived in the city of Theessalonaika, and they 91 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:25.279 listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the scripture circle 92 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:30.120 that word again, searched. They searched the scriptures. That's studying it, 93 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:34.519 not just reading it day after day to check up 94 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:38.439 on Paul and Silas to see if they were really 95 00:05:38.759 --> 00:05:43.399 teaching the truth. And see, these guys are searching the scripture. 96 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:47.279 They're reading, and not just reading, they're studying, they're writing 97 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:49.199 it down, they're talking, they're having a small group discussion. 98 00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:51.600 That's what's going on here. These people are listening to 99 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.319 Paul preach and then they're going over and they're having 100 00:05:53.319 --> 00:05:55.720 a small group discussion about it, which is what we 101 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:58.680 do in our small groups. The third way is I 102 00:05:58.759 --> 00:06:01.560 researched with my hands and mouth. Now, the fourth way 103 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:05.480 to build my life on the Bible is I review 104 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:11.040 and remember with my mind. I review it and I 105 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:14.399 remember it with my mind. I review the word of God, 106 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:19.920 and I remember the word of God with my mind now. 107 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:23.000 The Bible says this in verse twenty five James, Chapter one. 108 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:27.319 The man who looks intently, that's reading into the perfect 109 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:29.839 Law and continues. 110 00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:29.720 To do this. 111 00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:36.680 That's reviewing, not forgetting what he's heard. That's remembering. He 112 00:06:37.160 --> 00:06:40.800 will be blessed in what he does. If you're going 113 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:42.319 to be blessed in what you do, you got to 114 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:45.639 learn how to review and remember with your mind. Now 115 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:49.959 review you continually do this. You're pondering, you're thinking about 116 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:53.920 it over and over, and you're remembering, not forgetting. I 117 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:55.439 want everybody to look up here for just a minute. 118 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:58.240 If you're serious. 119 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:04.000 About being spiritually strong and mature, you don't want to 120 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:06.040 be a spiritual baby anymore. You don't want to be 121 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:07.959 a spiritual whimp. You don't want to still be on 122 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:11.560 the bottle ten years from now. You want to be 123 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:14.240 a godly man. You want to be a godly woman. 124 00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:18.600 You want to be spiritually and emotionally strong. The single 125 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:23.040 greatest habit you can develop is the habit of memorizing 126 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:26.439 some scripture by hiding the word in your heart, by 127 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:30.040 putting it in your mind. Why Because when you need 128 00:07:30.040 --> 00:07:34.920 the Bible. It's never around when you're tempted. You don't 129 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:39.199 have a Bible open or by your side, when you're witnessing, 130 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:42.560 when you're under stress, when you need comfort, when you 131 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:44.920 have a crisis, there's not a Bible around. You need 132 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:46.720 to have it in your mind so you can remember 133 00:07:46.759 --> 00:07:50.759 it and review it. Right then, now you say, oh, Rick, 134 00:07:50.839 --> 00:07:54.439 I can't I have a terrible memory. I can't remember anything. 135 00:07:54.839 --> 00:08:01.120 You remember what's important to you. 136 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:04.279 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Rick will be 137 00:08:04.360 --> 00:08:07.199 back in just a moment with the rest of today's lesson. 138 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:10.360 If you've missed any part of today's teaching, you can 139 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:16.519 listen online anytime at Pastorick dot com. That's pastorick dot com. 140 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:20.360 Pastor Rick says, the Bible isn't meant to just inform us, 141 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:24.639 It's meant to transform us. That's why it's so important 142 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:28.120 to study God's word. Maybe you've never studied the Bible 143 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:30.879 and you don't even know where to start, or maybe 144 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:33.799 you read the Bible every day, but you're not getting 145 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:35.919 all God has for you out of the time you 146 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:39.440 spend with him. That's why Pastor Rick created a very 147 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:43.080 special Bible study called forty Days in the Word. This 148 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:46.799 life changing resource will ignite your passion for God's Word 149 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:51.080 and revolutionize your relationship with Jesus. The forty Days in 150 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:54.440 the Word Study Kid includes six video sessions on DVD 151 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:57.720 and a two hundred and six page, two color workbook. 152 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:01.279 In the workbook, you'll find six easy to learn methods 153 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:04.879 for reading and meditating on Scripture. These are the very 154 00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:08.679 methods faster Rick uses in his own personal daily quiet time. 155 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:12.799 You'll also find interactive journaling pages and Bible verse guards 156 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:16.840 with the twenty Bible versus every believer should memorize. There's 157 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:19.879 even a special section called how can we know the 158 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:23.200 Bible came from God? And a guide for choosing which 159 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:26.480 translation of the Bible is right for you. Will send 160 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:28.440 you a copy of the Forty Days in the Word 161 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:31.279 Study Kid to say thanks for your gift to help 162 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:36.240 more people learn, love and live God's Word through Daily Hope. 163 00:09:36.519 --> 00:09:38.679 By the way, right now, when you give a gift 164 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:41.279 to Daily Hope to help take the Hope of Jesus 165 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:44.399 to a hurting world, generous friends of Daily Hope are 166 00:09:44.440 --> 00:09:47.679 going to match your gift up to fifty thousand dollars. 167 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:51.039 But you only have till midnight on June thirtieth. To 168 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:54.200 make your gift go twice as far. Go to Fastererrik 169 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:57.720 dot com or call eight hundred six hundred five zero 170 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:00.919 zero four and as a special thinking you will send 171 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:04.080 you the forty days in the word Bible Steady kit. Again, 172 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:07.320 that's Pastor Rick dot com or call eight hundred and 173 00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:09.559 six hundred five zero zero four. 174 00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:18.879 Now back to more from God's Word with Pastor Rick Warren. 175 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:25.039 You remember what's important to you. You remember the phone 176 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:28.559 numbers that important to you. You remember the dates that 177 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:31.720 are important to you. Somebody said I can't remember anything, 178 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:34.480 but you can quote me songs from the nineteen sixties. 179 00:10:36.279 --> 00:10:40.399 Are you know baseball statistics on your favorite player or 180 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:45.120 you know stock quotes? You remember what's important now. Memory 181 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:47.240 is a skill that you can get good at, and 182 00:10:47.240 --> 00:10:49.960 we're going to teach you some simple ways to improve 183 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:50.600 your memory. 184 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:52.000 Memory is like. 185 00:10:51.960 --> 00:10:54.399 A muscle, and you can actually get better at it. 186 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:57.000 You may have a terrible memory, but you can improve 187 00:10:57.039 --> 00:11:01.879 your memory. And actually memorizing scripture will cause your brain 188 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:05.960 to have a stronger memory in other areas. I guarantee it. 189 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:09.159 Study after study has shown this that if you will 190 00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:12.399 learn to memorize scripture. It actually develops your memory. You'll 191 00:11:12.440 --> 00:11:16.440 have a better memory in other areas too. During forty 192 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:18.720 days in the word, we're going to memorize one simple 193 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:22.039 verse a week on the weekend together, so that you 194 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:25.200 know these because when you need them, then God can 195 00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:27.960 call them to mind. Now, you can't review it unless 196 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:31.200 you remember it. In other words, if I get in 197 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:34.480 bed at night, I can think about it because I've 198 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:37.840 remembered that verse. If I'm driving to an appointment, I 199 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:39.039 can think of it because. 200 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:39.919 I remember that verse. 201 00:11:40.440 --> 00:11:43.279 But if I haven't memorized any verse, then I can't 202 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:48.879 remember and review it. Now, in the Bible, there's a 203 00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:52.559 word for what we're talking about here. The skill of 204 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:59.200 remembering and reviewing is called write this down meditation. That's 205 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:05.080 all meditation is. Meditation is simply remembering and reviewing the 206 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:09.360 scripture in your mind. That's all it means. This word 207 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:12.879 is so misunderstood. Many people don't understand meditation. 208 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:14.440 They're scared of it. They think it's like. 209 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:20.440 Some whewoo, you know, and like it's some new age thing. 210 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:21.759 No no, no, no no. 211 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:25.080 In fact, even some well meaning Christians have said we 212 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:28.440 shouldn't meditate well, they're talking about the time where you 213 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:30.960 sit in a lotus position and put your mind in 214 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:36.279 neutral and contemplate the lent in your navel and go ummm, well, no, 215 00:12:36.440 --> 00:12:38.080 that's not going to get you where you want to go. 216 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:42.480 But if you learn to remember and review the Bible, 217 00:12:42.759 --> 00:12:44.399 then you can do it anywhere. 218 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:47.399 Now you know why this is so important. Let me 219 00:12:47.440 --> 00:12:47.840 show you. 220 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.879 Look at this verse on your outline, Joshua, Chapter one, 221 00:12:53.159 --> 00:12:56.840 verse eight. Do not let this book of the law, 222 00:12:56.879 --> 00:13:00.639 that's the Bible, God's law, God's word. Let this book 223 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:04.399 of the law depart from your mouth. That means meditate. 224 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:08.519 That means talk about it all the time. Meditate on it? 225 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:12.679 How often day and night? Now circle the word meditate, 226 00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:16.519 God tells you. God commands you to meditate on the 227 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:19.440 Bible day and night. In other words, when you're eating, 228 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:21.960 when you're sleeping, when you're drinking, when you're playing, when 229 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:22.559 you're running. 230 00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:25.000 So that here's the benefit. 231 00:13:25.639 --> 00:13:28.159 You will be careful to do everything written in it. 232 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:39.000 Then you will be underline these prosperous and successful. Now, friends, 233 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:44.919 the only promise of prosperity and success in the Bible 234 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:51.159 is this verse. And God says, if you do what 235 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:54.000 I tell you to do in this verse, you will 236 00:13:54.039 --> 00:13:58.840 be prosperous. You will be successful. I didn't say that. 237 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:04.000 God said it. You will be prosperous and successful. And 238 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:07.639 what does he say? If you meditate on my word 239 00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:11.600 day and night, In other words, you remember it and 240 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:15.360 you review it. If you remember it and review it, 241 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:20.279 you will be successful in all you do. Now, there's 242 00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:22.360 one more way that I build my life on the Bible. 243 00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:26.200 I receive it with my ears. I read it with 244 00:14:26.279 --> 00:14:29.559 my eyes. I research it with my hands. I write 245 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:32.399 down notes and mouth I talk about it. I review 246 00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:34.679 and remember it with my mind. And the fifth way 247 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:39.600 is I respond to it with my actions. And that's 248 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:41.960 the fifth thing that James tells us to do with 249 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:48.879 the Bible. I respond to it with my actions. James, 250 00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:52.279 Chapter one, verse twenty two. Do not merely listen to 251 00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:58.320 the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says, 252 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:02.240 turn it into action. And he says, don't deceive yourself. 253 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:05.080 How do we deceive ourselves? We think, if we've heard something, 254 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:05.759 we've got it. 255 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:05.919 No. 256 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:08.039 I could talk to you about how to be a 257 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:10.480 good father, but if you don't do it, it doesn't help. 258 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:13.159 You're just deceiving yourself. I could talk to you about 259 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:16.799 how to build a balanced budget based on sciritual principles. 260 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:19.320 But if you don't do it, you're just deceiving yourself. 261 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:22.080 You don't really know it. You see, you only believe 262 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:26.519 the parts of the Bible you actually do. I only 263 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:29.639 believe the part of the Bible I actually do. 264 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:33.320 We are to be doers of the word. That's why. 265 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:34.919 I don't know if you've ever noticed or not, but 266 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:38.000 in the message outlines I give you every weekend here 267 00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:43.879 at Saddleback Church, every point, almost every time, not all 268 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:46.639 the time, but almost every point has a verb in it. 269 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:51.720 Why because we are to be doers of the word, 270 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:55.200 not hearers only. And in a lot of times we 271 00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:57.720 hear message after message after message. We just hear it, 272 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:00.960 but there's nothing to do about it. There's nothing to 273 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:04.360 do about it. So every week I give you something 274 00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:07.600 to do about what we have just looked at, and 275 00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:10.960 I put the points with verbs. Why don't merely listen 276 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.639 to the word so deceive yourselves? 277 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:14.240 Do what it says. 278 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.679 Now, let's go back to that story that I started with, 279 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:21.840 where Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 280 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:22.360 twenty four. 281 00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:23.200 Look at this verse. 282 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:28.679 Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them 283 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:31.960 into practice. Underlying that puts them into practice in the words, 284 00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:35.360 you're a doer of the word. You're an applier of 285 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:38.279 the word. You respond to it. Everyone who hears these 286 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:40.240 words and puts them into practice is like a wise 287 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:43.799 man who built his house on the rock, and the 288 00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:46.080 rains came down, and the streams rose, and the winds 289 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:47.440 blew and beat against the house. 290 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:52.879 But it did not fall because it had its foundation 291 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:54.720 on the rock. 292 00:16:55.960 --> 00:17:00.200 But but everybody who hears these words of mine come 293 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:01.600 to church, you listen to them, but you. 294 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:04.960 Don't put him into practice. It's like a foolish. 295 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:09.039 Man who built his house on sand, and the rains 296 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:10.960 came down, and the streams rose, and the winds blew 297 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:13.880 and beat against that house, and it fell with a 298 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:15.359 great crash. 299 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:19.039 I don't want that to happen to you. And I'll 300 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:19.599 say it again. 301 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:22.359 We don't know the storms that are going to come 302 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:26.200 into your life or into our nation, but I do 303 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:29.759 know this, you'll crumble if you don't have a solid 304 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:33.000 foundation for your life. And the solid foundation for your 305 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:35.480 life is not the opinions of others. It's not what's 306 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:39.599 popular on TV. It's not prevailing culture because that changes, 307 00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:43.119 like shifting sands. You must build your life on the 308 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.640 unchanging word. And when you build your life on truth, 309 00:17:46.839 --> 00:17:49.079 if it was true one thousand years ago, it'll be 310 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:52.119 true a thousand years from today, because truth does not change. 311 00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:56.799 It's a rock, and you need a rock to build 312 00:17:56.839 --> 00:17:57.119 your life. 313 00:17:57.480 --> 00:17:59.599 If your life is not built on the rock, I'll 314 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:00.400 tell you how you. 315 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:02.880 Know you have stress. 316 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:07.400 You're stressed out because the sands are shifting and the 317 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:10.559 house is tilting, and you feel stressed and worried and 318 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:13.720 anxious about that because your house isn't solid and steady, 319 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:18.440 because it's not built on something that doesn't change. Now, 320 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:21.559 let me give you a simple tool to remember. These 321 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:24.839 five ways to get God's word into your life. Many 322 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:28.079 years ago, a guy named Dawson Trautman, who founded the Navigators, 323 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:30.799 came up with a thing called the hand illustration of 324 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:33.799 five ways to get a grip on the Word. I 325 00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:36.839 want to adapt that this morning. Let's make each of 326 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:40.119 you the fingers of your hand represent one of the 327 00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:42.799 ways to get God's word of your life. Your little 328 00:18:42.839 --> 00:18:46.160 finger will be hearing it. I receive it with my ears. 329 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:51.119 I read it with my eyes, I research it with 330 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:56.160 my mouth and my hands. I review and remember it 331 00:18:56.200 --> 00:19:00.480 with my mind, and I respond to it with my actions. Now, 332 00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:04.039 let's say this is your Bible. If all you do, 333 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:07.200 if all your Bible intake is is simply hearing it, 334 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:09.519 you don't ever get any Bible in your life except 335 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:11.720 when you come to church. Then you're holding on to 336 00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:16.279 the Bible with your pinky. That's all the grip you've got. 337 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:18.440 And you know what, Satan can come along and before 338 00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:20.319 you get to the parking lot, bam, he stole it 339 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:22.759 out of your life because you've forgotten ninety five percent of. 340 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:23.920 It, of what you hear. 341 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:26.519 If all you do is hear the word of God, 342 00:19:26.599 --> 00:19:29.559 you have no grip on the truth. You're not built 343 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:32.200 on the rock. Let's say if you're going to say, well, 344 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:35.200 I don't just come to church and hear the Bible, 345 00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:38.039 I read it every day. Well that's better. It's a 346 00:19:38.039 --> 00:19:41.160 little bit better grip. But still just hearing and reading 347 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:43.039 it is not enough. It can be pulled out of 348 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:47.759 your hand quite easily. But if I hear the word 349 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:51.799 of God and I remember it, and I read the 350 00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:55.119 word of God, and I research. I study the Word 351 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:57.759 of God with some friends in a small group, and 352 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:01.359 I review the Word to God and remember it. I 353 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:05.680 meditate on it, and I respond to it. I've got 354 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:09.559 a grip. Nobody's taking this out of my hand. Nobody's 355 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:10.599 pulling the truth out. 356 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:10.839 Of my hand. 357 00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:13.559 And I am solid and i am secure, and I 358 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:20.039 am not stressed because I'm built on the rock. That's 359 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:23.880 my goal for you in the next forty days. Let's 360 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:27.079 bow our heads. I want to ask you to pray 361 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:30.480 a simple prayer and follow me in it. Right now, 362 00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:34.319 Dear God, I want to build my life on the rock, 363 00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:40.359 not on sand. I want a solid foundation of truth. 364 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.079 I want to build my life on the Bible. So 365 00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:49.160 I commit the next forty days to learning how to 366 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:53.839 do these things. I want to receive your word with 367 00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:55.960 my ears. I want to hear God speak to me. 368 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:01.519 I want to read your word word with my eyes. 369 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:05.119 And I want to become a regular habit of Bible reading. 370 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:10.039 I want to learn to remember and review your word 371 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:15.000 throughout my day so that when I'm starting to get upset, 372 00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:18.079 you can bring that verse to mind. And I want 373 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:20.759 to respond to your word and do what it says. 374 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:24.440 If you've never invited Jesus Christ into your life, say 375 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:27.279 Jesus Christ, I ask you to come into my life 376 00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:29.559 and make me what you want me to be. 377 00:21:31.160 --> 00:21:31.880 Save me. 378 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:35.960 I don't understand it all, but I know I need you. 379 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:38.680 I know I've done wrong things and I ask you 380 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:41.359 to forgive me, and I want to turn from those things. 381 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:46.400 I want to go your way, not my way, and 382 00:21:46.440 --> 00:21:48.680 I want to learn to love you and trust you. 383 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:53.039 And by faith, I ask you to accept me into 384 00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:53.680 your family. 385 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:57.240 In your name, I pray Amen. 386 00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:07.759 Hi everybody, this is Rick and I hope you enjoyed 387 00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:11.160 today's broadcast. You know, if you just prayed that prayer 388 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:15.200 for the very first time, or you just recommitted your 389 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:17.799 life to Jesus again today, would you let me know 390 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:21.559 about it. There's something real about sharing your commitment. So 391 00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:24.680 write me Rick at pastor Rick dot com and say, Rick, 392 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:28.039 I prayed that prayer of commitment. I gave my life 393 00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:30.839 to Christ. And I'll send you some material that will 394 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:33.720 help you on your journey with Jesus. And I'll also 395 00:22:33.880 --> 00:22:42.680 pray for you. God bless you. This is Pastor Rick's 396 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:46.000 daily hope. If you've missed any part of this message, 397 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:48.519 or if you'd like to find out more about Pastor 398 00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:53.119 Rick Warren in this ministry, just visit Pastorick dot com 399 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:57.079 where you can listen online anytime. That's Pastor Rick with 400 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:00.000 two rs in the Middle dot com and be sure 401 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:02.480