 If you want, turn your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 16, please. 2 Timothy chapter 3. By way of introduction, if you don't know me, you're probably better off. If you do, it's my chance to say I'm sorry. I'm sure I've said something to make fun of you or something over the years, so I publicly say I'm sorry. But I'll probably do it again. Today's message is called equipping people in Christ. And so for those who don't know, my name is Dustin Harris and I've been the high school minister here at Cavitabucino Valley. February 1st was my 19th anniversary as the high school youth pastor here. So it's pretty cool. I started in September of 1999 and then pastor brought me on staff February 1st, 2000. And so it's been a blessing. And it's such an honor to be with you guys this morning and get into the word. And so, you know, our name for the high school ministry is epic, equipping people in Christ. And so when I was praying about what to teach, I was putting down a bunch of notes and a few weeks ago one of my friends was like, why don't you share your heart about epic? And I was like, why don't you do it? And so here we go. So let's pray. God, I just pray that you would speak to us. Lord, may my words be your words. May you be honored and glorified this morning. May your Holy Spirit come and speak to us. And Lord, may we not just hear, but Lord, as we go, may we apply your word. I want to be drawn to you. And Lord, may you be glorified in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, real quick again, a little bit more about me. I grew up in the city of La Puente. And that was the target. I was a white boy. I didn't grow up in a religious home. I grew up in a high-moral home. My parents are still married, prison of the Lord. Happily. I grew up in a great home. But it wasn't religious. I was raised like, if you want to believe in religion and practice, that's up to you. And when you're old enough to decide, you could. And so two weeks before 10th grade, we moved to Chino. One of the reasons was someone got killed in a drive-by on my street. And so we did. And growing up, most of the people that I was in contact with were Jehovah Witness, Catholic. Not people I knew didn't practice religion, but labeled themselves something of religion, right? Do you know what I'm talking about? Like, oh, we're Catholic. You don't go to church. Yeah, but we're Catholic. You know what I'm saying? Like, it was all titles. And so when I moved to Chino, I started at Don Lugo, and somebody on my water polo team invited me to their youth group. I went. And the first week I went, the youth pastor showed a movie called Fairy to Freedom. If you've heard of it, it's Life Story Pastor Raw. At the end, when he gives an invitation, my youth pastor turned it off and gave an invitation. And I received Christ as my Lord and Savior the very first time I went. Now, I didn't understand what it was I was doing. And so the next couple of Wednesdays, I had gone to the youth group and they gave an invitation and, you know, who wants to come forward, raise their hand and all that stuff. And I did each time for three or four weeks in a row. And I was like, they're like, you know what you're doing? I'm like, I have no idea. And so Wes, one of the high school leaders pulled me aside and told me what I was doing. I said, I meant that the first week. And I just didn't know what it meant. I didn't know biblical terms and different things like that. And so I gave my life to Christ that first week and haven't been the same since. And since then, my family's come to the Lord and before my grandparents passed, I was able to pray with them to accept Christ and many others. And so I've seen God do some amazing things in my family. But one of the things when I was in high school, I didn't read my Bible. I didn't read textbooks. I was usually cheated. The only things I read in high school was usually thraster magazine which was a skateboard magazine and surfing magazines. And I didn't read. I didn't like to read. I finally got a Bible and I thought Bibles were amazing. I was raised to respect the Bible. Matter of fact, all growing up, we had my great-grandma's Bible on our coffee table. But it was so precious to us, you don't touch it. You just keep it clean. You just, it's special. And it was my great-grandma's. It meant everything to our family. So respect it. Leave it alone. But it wasn't until I realized the importance of God's Word and being in it because it transforms our lives. And you know, it's interesting as we grow and as we contemplate life, we have questions like, what would Jesus do? Why is there evil and suffering? Where did we come from? What's going to happen when we die? Does the Bible say about this or that? How should I respond to this? How do I control my thoughts? Is there an example in a Bible about this? How do I live as a married person? How do I live as a single person? What do you believe about God? How are your beliefs formed? Do you sit down and figure it out for yourself? Were you influenced by some person who did not believe in the Bible? What kind of foundation do you have for your faith? Well, I want to tell you, the Bible is here to answer all these questions. If you would, look at verse 16, 2 Timothy chapter 3. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be complete, for every good work. Paul, as he's riding to Timothy, he's reminding him, and he says back in chapter 3, verse 1, he says, I want you to be on guard. Matter of fact, if you would, look there real quick. He says, know this, that in the last days, perilous or dangerous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. It says in verse 5, they will have a form of godliness, but deny its power, and so Paul tells Timothy, from such people, turn away. Turn away. See, during the last days, he says, evil is going to increase, not only is it going to increase, but it's going to become normalized. And so because of that, he says, listen, you have to be aware of these false teachers, because they have a form of godliness, but deny its power. And so what we see in verse 13 of chapter 1, Paul tells Timothy that you need to stand firm and stand fast. You need to hold on and stay focused. And remember the sound words that you've heard from me, Paul says, in faith and love, which are in Christ. And so what Paul does, he goes on, he says, listen, I've been an example to you, Timothy, of how you should live. Look at verse 10 of chapter 3. He says, you've carefully followed my doctrine, a matter of love, a life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, and afflictions. Carefully means this, you followed my life step by step. Matter of fact, in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 1, Paul says this, imitate me just as I also imitate Christ. See, Timothy had traveled with Paul, heard his teachings, served alongside him, watched his life, and took note of his works. He used Paul's life as an example, and Paul said, use my life as an example. But be careful, don't turn away. Don't move in any different direction. And as he used Paul's life as an example, in his Paul's life, he trusted Christ in everything. Timothy, follow this. You know the way you've been taught. Now, I have the privilege to go into a lot of the local schools and do Christian club Bible studies weekly. So this week, just past, I was at three different schools, and every week I get to go to a different school and share the word. And this past week, I was speaking about this. The students asked me to talk about how can we as Christians help other Christians that we know that are choosing to live a worldly life come out of that. It's a pretty awesome conversation, right? That high schoolers are asking that. And so as we begin to talk, this young man says, can I ask you some questions? And so he began to ask me questions. And it's hard because it's just lunchtime. And he's saying, I don't mean to be offensive. And he says, I grew up in the church and I was raised in a Christian home. I went to a Christian school for three years. I took apologetics classes and all these things. I know the Bible. But doesn't the Bible say this and doesn't the Bible say that? And he goes on and I'm answering his questions. And he went on to tell me that though he was raised in the church, he goes, I don't believe in the Bible right now and I don't believe that God exists. And I said, why? And he went on to tell me the reason was that as he struggles with life and different things, his dad told him things and his dad has since... Sorry. Hello? Oh, there we are. Sorry. His dad disowned him. His dad was the one who raised him in the church. But he said this to me. He says, I thought Christians aren't they supposed to be the embodiment of Christ and live like Christ? And he goes, yeah. And he goes, I have nothing but abuse when it comes to Christians. And as a youth minister, my heart just sank and broke. He's a young man. And his view of God, again, he was raised in a church. I don't know which one he didn't say, but he was raised in a church. And he was raised in a Christian home and he says, I've had nothing but abuse. And I've seen nothing healthy of Jesus in the Bible out, lived out of people. And he says, including my parents, and I have to tell you my heart sank. And I was answering questions and it was one of the first times I could see in his face that he's like, wow. Maybe, and I told him, you can't let people rip you off from seeing who Christ is. And he said, but it's hard because all I've seen is in the name of Christ, bad things. And so we exchange the numbers and pray because in the next week or two, we're gonna go to take him to lunch and hopefully answer his questions and help minister to this young man. But the thing is, is this is, Paul says to Timothy, you've seen a good example, not only me, but if you look in chapter one, he says also you were raised in this with your mom and your grandmother. And so you have great examples and so one of the reasons why he wouldn't turn away, why he could stay in the faith is because he knows by who he has learned these things. Look at verse 14, but you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of knowing from who you've learned them from. He says not only that you've learned them from me, Paul would say, but you've also learned them from your mother and your grandmother. And there's something about these people, his mother, his grandmother and Paul that says, I know that God is real. I know that God is real because I've seen Christ lived out in these people. And I wonder if the people around you see Christ lived out. The hope, the hope that's an anchor for our soul, grace, love, mercy, all the things that God has given us. And so here's the thing, we're talking about equipping people in Christ and the whole point of that is the scriptures do just that. Notice it says in verse 16, all scripture is given by inspiration of God. In other words, this is every part, every scripture is God breathe. Paul says that God breathe out of man is holy word. Paul exhorted Timothy, continue things because the Bible comes from God and not from man. It is a God inspired book, breathe out from God himself. The Bible's claim to be holy scripture has been tested and proven through the centuries. See the Bible outlives and outworks without influences all of its critics. Charles Spurgeon says this, if we are left in doubt as to which is inspired and which is not, we are so badly off as if we have no Bible at all. I hold no theory of inspiration except the inspiration of the scriptures as a fact. See the Bible is a collection of 66 writings that were penned by more than 40 authors on three continents over a 1500 year period. Now we know that God's word is not only inspired, but it's prophetic. God told his writers that I will put my word in your mouth. 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 19 through 21 it says this, and so we have the prophetic word confirmed. What you do well to heed is a light that shines in darkness until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts knowing this verse that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation. For prophecy never comes by the will of man, but holy man of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. As a matter of fact, the apostles themselves recognized their writings as inspired and not authoritative. Colossians 4 16 says this, now when the epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of Laodiceans and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. In 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 16 it says this, as also in all his epistles speaking in them of these things in which you are of some things hard to understand which untaught and unstable people twist in their own destruction as they do also the rest of the scriptures. Well as we know that God's word is prophetic God's ability to precisely predict future events in the Bible is one of his own ways of building proof for the Bible right in his own text. It proves that it was authored by someone who not only can see the future but can also shape the future. For example, there are at least 332 distinct Old Testament predictions regarding the Messiah which Jesus fulfilled. His birth in Bethlehem his healing of the sick his death on the cross and so forth. Over and over again the authors of the Bible rightly foretold the future events often times hundreds of years in advance. The Bible is literally filled with hundreds of specific details prophesying about persons, places and events. A professor Peter Stoner in his book has calculated the probability of any one man fulfilling eight of these prophecies. He says in that it would be one in ten of the 17th power. It's been said that that many silver dollars would cover the state of Texas two feet deep. Stoner also went on to say that if you consider 48 of the prophecies the odd becomes one in ten to the 157th power. And yet Jesus fulfilled all of these. We have evidence of the existence of the Bible. And yet what do we do with it? In an article in the Barna Group it says this with over five billion copies sold the Bible remains Earth's most red book. But the world in which we read and engage with the Bible is rapidly changing. The steady rise of skepticism has created a culture atmosphere that is becoming unfriendly to claims of faith. The adoption of self-fulfillment as our culture's ultimate measure of good is reorienting moral authority and explosive growth of digital tools such as Bible apps, daily reading plans, study resources and online communities offer unprecedented access to the scriptures. In other words he's saying we have the scriptures but what do we do with them? See a lot of us believe in the Bible as inspired by God but only in principle because in practice we deny it. We do this by imposing our own meaning on the text. We do this by being more interested in opinions. My question to you this morning is this, to you is the Bible one just a book? Is the Bible an important book or is the Bible the book? It's interesting because in reading some of the statistics and different things about people's beliefs in the Bible it was saying that less than 50% of all people who would read the Bible on a weekly basis believe that it's actually God's inspired word. What are we doing with it? We're reading the Bible but we're not letting it change us. Can you imagine all of us in this room and we had first service earlier and can you imagine all of us living out God's word? How we can impact this community? If we all actually lived out God's word. How we can impact our workplaces, our families, our homes our schools all of us. Not just us but those in our youth ministry right now and others living it out. Not just studying it but applying it. See, Paul was confident of Timothy's commitment to and dependence on the scriptures and was even more confident of God's ability to supply all Timothy's needs through his word. Notice it says in verse 16 that it's given by inspiration of God and it's profitable. He said it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof or correction, for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be complete. First Timothy chapter 4 verse 8 says bodily exercise profits a little but codliness is profitable for all things. Having promise of the love of the life that now is and of that which is to come and so here he declares the purpose of the Bible. It's profitable for us and I just think so often as a youth minister you know one of the things that I do as a youth minister here at the church we do this thing often called face to face. We started this years ago and we stopped it for a little bit we just started picking it back up and what it is is we have a group discussion with the high schoolers that I love this one of my favorite things. The reason why it's one of my favorite things is because this oftentimes I'm always the one teaching and the students don't get a chance to respond. So I ask them questions and we spend that time conversating. For example one of the questions we asked is this we actually spent a three hour discussion on this question I opened with one question and it's getting to be about that time of year anyway so it's a good question parents listen is it okay to take a non-christian to prom why or why not ooh three hours and it opened up with one of the young men going I don't think it's a problem we're just friends it's not like we're going to get married or anything we're like we're just in high school we're just having fun so I go okay girls you spend a lot of money on the dress on your nails and doing your hair and all that stuff is there something inside you that hopes he notices you oh yeah and I'm like well it kind of killed your argument there so I ask the question so what happens if you guys actually start liking each other after prom or during prom and all of a sudden you guys are like liking each other going wow I never thought you were attractive but now that you're dressed up you kind of are and then you start dating and two years later when you want to get married instead of getting married you say I have to break up with you why because you're not a Christian and the Bible says don't be equally yoked and we were just having fun it was just a high school fling and I wasn't supposed to ever give my heart to you so I got to go or do you just marry them because you're in love now interesting huh here's another one we just had this one recently and listen this is all inside the youth group this isn't like at the public school and stuff this is here this is an interesting one for you is it okay to listen to secular music why or why not oh the argument that that came about with that some are like I asked the question how many of you grew up in a Christian home and all you're allowed to do is listen to Christian music and many of them raise their hand and they go now out of those who raise your hand how many you listen to secular music and if you were honest I'm not going to tell you which ones that's between them and the Lord and here's one of the things they say well Justin what do you think and I often tell them this it doesn't matter what I think what does the Bible say when it came to the dating thing what does the Bible say and I always in the conversation with what does the Bible say what does the Bible say and it isn't one of those things and so I mean as a parent maybe some of you were like do as I say not as I do listen if you've ever said that to your kids just make sure you understand you're wrong right we're all okay with that like I'm wrong like that's not how it works right if you can't beat Paul says follow my lead we have to say that too right but here's the thing I ask how close do you want to be to Jesus well you know what the music doesn't bother me it's not like I listen to the words I just like the beat and so normally what I'll do is I'll start singing a song even a secular song or sing a TV tune or something and I said as soon as you catch on follow my lead and so all of a sudden everybody in the room even the Christian kids that grew up in the church and aren't allowed to listen to secular music are singing along and I said so it doesn't affect you at all huh well no we have so much influence coming in how do we stand against those things what are we supposed to do with that well the first thing it says is we should know doctrine doctrine meaning what is right doctrine is his teaching concerning the person and message of Jesus Christ doctrine is our basic foundational beliefs about God man life death in the future one of the things that's important for us is this we need to understand that our belief produces our behavior and we can allow belief to turn into opinion that's one of the biggest things well I don't think God is like this okay where did you get your answer from is it that you just don't want to believe that God is a certain way because of your lifestyle at Don Lugo when I was in high school I had one of our favorite teachers he said this to us students he says I believe in the Bible I just pick and choose what I believe wow would that be great if we could do that but what do you pick and what do you choose what do you throw out what do you keep notice in verse 12 it says all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution not me I don't believe in that verse I'm not going to read that in my promises from God nope so do you believe in the Old Testament you're like I have all these wives man because the Bible says it's okay like it's interesting how we can interpret things according to our own opinion and he says don't do that see scripture prepares us for a life of service you can't want to live a Christian life and never read the Bible matter of fact deal moody says this the Bible will keep you from sin and sin will keep you from the Bible and that's true you ever just feel so guilty because you haven't been walking with God like you know you should and you want to even open up your Bible but you're like I can't I just don't feel worthy and then you finally do and you open up the scriptures to pages that you left left off like Romans chapter 5 where God says God so loved the world that he demonstrated his own love for us that why were we yet sinners Christ died and then you begin to weep because you're reminded of Ephesians chapter 2 that says that you're saved by grace through faith and not of your works and you're reminded of the love of God that he chose you before the foundation in the world that he redeemed you that your identity is found in Christ because of Christ and that's your hope not of your works his work for you that you receive his love not a powerful thing and so when we find our identity and our hope in Christ and we find it in his Word but see false and compromised doctrine will produce spiritually weak people Jesus made this clear when warning against yielding the false teachers in Matthew chapter 7 he says this in verse 15 to 20 beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly they're ravenous wolves you will know them by their fruits do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles even so every good tree bears good fruit but a bad tree bears bad fruit a good tree cannot bear bad fruit nor can a bad tree bear good fruit every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire therefore their fruits you will know listen God gives us a remedy for deception it's this study his Word meditate on it matter of fact in the scriptures it reminds us this in Matthew chapter 28 this is go there for and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that have commanded you and lo and with you always even to the end of the age listen the Lord didn't tell us listen go around and make sure you can get 1500 people to bow their head and close their eyes and say a sinner's prayer and then you can put on your Facebook and your Instagram and I prayed with 30 people today 50 people yesterday and they're all new Christians how do you know they're new Christians how do you know if you're going to start and stop there listen we're missing the most important part teaching them equipping them I remember when I was in Bible college I was talking to my friend Sumo and I asked him sorry he recently passed and but I asked him I said hey I want to be discipled and he's big Hawaiian guy so he punches me we're driving and he reaches over and he punches me goes what you mean you never been disciple and I go you've been discipled and named some friends of all they've been disciple nobody's disciple of me and he's like what at the time we were roommates in college at the time he was my pastor I hope chaplain Ontario at the time when it came to ministry I did everything with him he go on hospital visits I would go with him we surfed all the time together we would do everything together and he started pointing those things out and I didn't realize what discipleship was and wasn't I had been disciple I thought it was him sitting down with a book and me saying do this do that what it was was him living for Christ and saying watch what we do for Christ and it's interesting because now like Josh Collins who's our junior high minister I learned from Sumo so the way I discipled Josh was I had a mountain bike and then I got Josh on a mountain bike and we go up to Claremont and ride our mountain bikes and we'd hang out and then when I guess speak somewhere he'd come with me and then one of the best place I think to disciple is surfing in the water one of the best place to be is in the water right and so we'd surf since then I've hurt my neck and so I don't mountain biking anymore but I gave my bike to Josh and now he takes people mountain biking and he takes people surfing and when he guess speaks people go with him to pass the baton and say live for Christ follow me as I follow Christ because it's not just about being in the word it's about living out the word and it's not about being perfect it's about saying listen even Paul says listen the things I do I wish I wish I didn't do and the things I did I would the things I do I wish I didn't do and the things I didn't do I wish I did he calls himself the chief of all centers and what he says is this watch me get up and watch me press forward watch me run to Jesus the word of God gives us the ability to discern and resist deception Ephesians chapter 4 verse 14 that you should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting he says in 2nd Corinthians 2.17 for we are not as so many peddling the word of God but as of God we speak in the sight of God in Christ he says Timothy you follow what is right teaching but he says also for reproof the word of God is for reproof or what is not right for rebuking see the scriptures are capable of rebuking those who are not obeying its commandments the Bible speaks to us poignantly concerning those things in our lives which are displeasing to God Proverbs chapter 9 verse 8 I don't know about you, I hate being corrected yet at the same time I love it because I want to do what's right I want to honor and please God it hurts it hurts when your sin is brought to the surface and especially when you're being called out but even as a high school minister I've sat with my leaders and I've told them listen if I'm wrong call me out just make sure you respect me and love me and I don't know about you I don't know about you respect me and love me but I love you so I'm going to say the same because I want to be in God's will and I want to do what's right and so if I'm heading down the wrong path or the wrong direction please call me out because if you love me you do that if you don't you won't Ephesians 4.15 says but speaking the truth and love that you may grow up in all things and to him who is the head so not only by the doctrine or reproof but he says in correction what is right what is not right but now how to get right see the scriptures also provide correction they answer the question how can a person who is not doing the will of God correct his life and make it correspond to the will of God see God has revealed himself to man through the scriptures and yet man we have our own conception of God and often times it differs from God's revelation of himself but God wants to lead us and direct us Paul reminded Timothy invest in the scriptures and again it's not just knowing what's wrong but here he's saying I want to show you what's right and how to get right and to walk in truth matter of fact in John chapter 8 it says this in verse 31 up to 32 if you abide in my word and you are my disciples indeed you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free and 2 Timothy 2.15 be diligent to present yourselves approved to God a worker who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth or 3 John chapter 1 verse 4 I have no greater joy than to hear my children walk in truth last Wednesday I had this past Wednesday they just passed actually the last two Wednesdays two Wednesdays ago I had one of my high school leaders teach for me did an amazing job first time teaching Phil's called to be youth minister I was like let's see what he got let's let the Lord speak to you and through you did an amazing job this past Wednesday for the second time I had a high schooler teach and I stole his notes honestly he's one of the best teachers I've ever heard so thoughtful and such an incredible teaching I literally told him I'm like I'm still in your notes and I'm going to teach this study as if it was mine because it was that good I won't no I'll give him credit sitting there taking notes sitting in the high school room watching somebody else at the pulpit I use every week somebody that you've been pouring into teaching and I think teaching better than I could there's no greater joy that this young man they get it they get it this past weekend our junior high went to camp 70 of them I wasn't a Christian in junior high some of you weren't some of you thought you were no in this past Wednesday they all came in and Josh spent that service letting the junior high share what God spoke to them so these students junior highers opened up their journals from camp and began to share what God was speaking to them how they feel called by God and how they feel loved by God and how they felt secured by the scriptures about the hope that they have in Christ and all this stuff and that amazing man that we would just get it that we would understand that God's word tells us that we're loved that we're chosen that we've been redeemed that is grace and love and mercies for all of us but it's not just hearing that it's applying that we have to apply that to our lives the fourth thing that he says that the scriptures are there for instruction and righteousness so not only what's right what's not right how to get right but here the fourth thing how to stay right see the word of God instructs us on how to live in true righteousness see Paul understood this because before his conversion it was all about his outward task right it was all about look at me and look at what I've been taught by and look at all these things that I've done and look at who I am but in the book of Philippians he says all that is rubbish it's trash matter of fact in the book of Philippians he says this in chapter 3 he says verse 13 brother I do not count myself to apprehend it but one thing I do for getting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead I press toward the goal of the prize of the upper call of God in Christ Jesus he has to live for and what he's moving towards so that when we see in chapter 4 here Timothy when he tells Timothy I fought the good fight I finished the race because he didn't only teach Timothy how to live he taught Timothy how to finish well and how to stick to the scriptures and what mattered most well the fifth thing he says this that the man of God may be complete in verse 17 that word complete means mature that we might come into a spiritual maturity again the word complete means the Bible leads me into everything I need the Bible will not only make you wise for salvation it says in verse 15 but make you well equipped for every situation see the book of James tells us this in chapter 1 verse 21 to 25 he says lay aside all filthiness and overflow wickedness and receive with meekness then planted word which is able to save your souls says big doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving yourself for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror for observes himself and goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was but he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forget forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this one will be blessed in what he does again he says listen as a believer you'll be complete as both a hearer and a doer because God is going to help us to be thoroughly equipped for every good work as we look at this one of the things I want to point out to you is that the Bible isn't just about information it's about transformation every builder needs an architect and the Bible is God's blueprint for our lives in Romans chapter 12 it says do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind the Bible transforms us I don't know about you but I know I don't think the same like I used to I'm so thankful for that I look at people differently I look at life differently ever since I gave my life to Christ it's not always easy but it's interesting because when we have such a misunderstanding of God's word we think we're Christians now everything's going to be piece of cake right? I read to you verse 12 where it says all those in Christ will suffer persecution or how about in the gospels when Jesus says hey guys let's get in the boats and go across the storm comes up and everybody's mad at Jesus because he's sleeping in the boat and he wakes up and he says to the storm peace be still he calms the storm but he looks at the guys and he says why are you doubting I told you we're going to the other side why are you doubting my word to you and so often again I read to you statistics that say less than 50% of people who read the Bible weekly believe it as God's actual inspired word God breathed we're not letting it changes because we don't believe it could but we know it could we have to just put our trust in him it's been proven to us that it works one of the reasons I love the Bible so much is it is matter of fact it does tell us we're going to suffer I don't like that but I like the fact that it tells us that we're going to go through hard times so we're not caught off guard I've seen so many people maybe you have to walk away from Christ well God wasn't there when I needed him really because the Bible says he'll never leave nor forsake you yeah but he let me go through this hard time but you're equating the hard time as if God left that's not what the word teaches he says he's with us even in hard times even through trials and yet we walk away because it's easier sometimes not even to care it's easier sometimes just to give up and quit rather than surrender and trust God and trust him for who he is listen the Bible says that we will be thoroughly equipped that phrase thoroughly equipped means to furnish perfectly we're equipped fully and as I mentioned Paul was confident that Timothy's commitment to independence on the scripture and again he was more confident that God's ability to supply all Timothy's needs through his word the Bible says for every good work we're to stand strong and to stay in the word during these last days the word of God in our hearts will keep us from the power of sin the Bible says this in Psalm 119 verse 9 through 11 how can a young man cleanse his ways by taking heed according to your word with my whole heart I have sought you oh let me not wander for any commandments your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you so often we find our identity in different things and we label ourselves different things I don't know about you but I mean I've labeled myself a surfer, a mountain biker this guy, that guy and whatever but we're children of God and if children then heirs and we have a promise and our promise according to scriptures is a hope it's an anchor for our soul it's sure instead fast and it doesn't fade away and it doesn't drift away God's word keeps us from being tossed to and fro God's word keeps us and it keeps us strong and it helps us to go through life each and every day and yet we read it we come weekend and week out and we hear it but my question to you is this is the Bible to you a book is it an important book or is it the book is it everything that you need are you allowing it to change your life are you hearing it reading it, taking it in but are you applying it God wants us to live out His word to trust Him the Bible declares that His word is a lamp into our feet and a light into our path and you might say but God I don't know the way He goes I got you, I'm going to lead you I'm going to light the way but it doesn't seem like this is the way because it's hard, I didn't tell you easy, I just told you I was going to be with you on the way remember in Paul's conversion the Lord told him I'm going to show him all the things he must suffer for my name's sake but I'm going to be with him I'm going to use him I got great plans in store for him and here's the thing I want to finish with this God has great plans for you too see I never if you go back to the days I got saved and all that stuff and you picture me up here now you'd be like if you go back to Bible college days and I had hair down to here and I had these fuchsia corduroy pants I used to like to wear I got from the thrift store and stuff and all these things and I would French braid my hair and wear pipi long stocking like hair and stuff just because I wanted to and I was just this weirdo I still am, that's why I apologize in the beginning but God's word changed my life it's an honor and a privilege to be here with you this morning but I remember telling God I want to be used by you Lord here's my life and when you're willing he's willing you have to just trust his word and so I just want to end by saying for you and I may we pray that God would give us a hunger and thirst for his word a desire to not only read it but apply it and may we live out his word like Paul did with Timothy and show people follow me as I follow Christ and when you fall get up if you see somebody around you fall pick them up let's pray together and let's live for Christ