Essentials: 10 Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible

Notes: Essentials: 10 Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible

JEFF LASSEIGNE

Pastor Jeff will be covering the topic of Essentials and explaining "Why We Can Trust The Bible.”

June 26, 2014

Pastor Jeff says we are talking about the subject of trust. Why can we trust the bible?

The average American home has 4 Bibles in them. Just 13% of the people polled said they read their Bible daily.

The Bible is intended to be our daily bread, not an occasional cookie.

50% of Christians do not believe that the Bible is completely accurate.

If we don’t believe the Bible is completely accurate then how can we trust it at all.

The word inerrancy means “freedom from error and untruths.”

Pastor Jeff wants to give us 10 reasons of why we can trust the Bible.

1. Self-Claims
1. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2. Proverbs 30:5 (NIV) “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
3. To reject the truth of Scripture is to reject God Himself.
2. Manuscripts
1. We do not possess any of the originals. We do have many hand written copies.
1. Scrolls and parchment weren’t made to last.
2. There are more than 24,000 copies or pieces of copies of manuscripts
3. There is far more manuscripts about the Bible than anything else.
4. The Dead Sea Scrolls were 1900 years old. No contradictions were found in those scrolls.
3. Fulfilled Prophecy
1. 27% of the Bible is prophecy!
1. Prophecy is history written in advance.
1. About 1000 prophetic passages in the Bible, about 500 have already been fulfilled.
2. Fulfilled prophecy is one of the strongest reasons why we can trust the Bible!
4. The Resurrection
1. The Old Testament spoke of it several times.
1. 1 Corinthians 15:6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 
5. Archaeology
1. A famous archaeologist that was not a Christian stated, It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever contradicted a biblical reference. 
2. Psalm 119:89 Your word, Lord, is eternal it stands firm in the heavens.
6. Israel
1. From the days of Pharaoh to the days of Hitler, the people of Israel have been persecuted and killed for the past 4500 years.
1. They have miraculously survived.
2. The fact they are back in their lands in the last days is a super sign.
7. The Indestructible Book
1. For centuries people have tried to destroy and discredit the word of the Bible.
8. Unity
1. The Bible was written over a period of over 1500 years. 
2. People from different continents
3. Written in 3 different languages.
9. The Message of the Bible
1. Basically the message is Grace
1. The remedy of all of our faults is God
10. Changed Lives
1. We are proof that the Bible is true.
1. It has changed our lives and all of us over the centuries is proof.

People have died for their faith all the way since the beginning.

The Good, the Bad, and the Godly

Notes: The Good, the Bad, and the Godly

March 27, 2014 

Pastor Jeff Lasseigne

Harvest OC 

Tonight's text: 3 John

It has been said that the church wouldn't have any problems if it wasn't for all the people.

3 John 1:1-8 NKJV

[1] The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: [2] Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. [3] For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. [4] I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. [5] Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, [6] who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, [7] because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. [8] We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

1. The Good

Gaius the diligent- John calls him beloved and in the the truth.

Many are doing well spiritually but very poorly physically. It is better to have this then the opposite.

The spiritual is more important, but physical health is important and should be prayed for.

The word "truth" is used four times in the first four verses. Gaius is describe this way.

He walks in truth and walk in genuine works

James 2:26 NKJV

[26] For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

3 John 1:6 NKJV

[6] who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well,

Gaius operated in a God like manner.

Matthew 10:39-42 NKJV

[39] He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. [40] "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. [41] He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. [42] And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

2. The Bad

Diotrephes: the Dictator

3 John 1:9-11 NKJV

[9] I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. [10] Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. [11] Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

In the church we are either part of the problem or part of the progress.

Learning from a bad example:

1. Don't seek to promote yourself.

Don't be the big shot, that makes you struggle with pride.

Mark 10:38 NKJV

[38] But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

2. Don't resist authority.

You can't get away from it.

Spureon said - A man who will not do well in his present place because he wants to be higher, then his current place is already too high.

3. Don't put others down, to build yourself up.

Winston Churchill - We are masters of the unspoken words but slaves of the ones that we let slip out

4. Don't be vindictive.

Making people guilty by association.

Don't be upset by others success.

Root, pray, help one another. Diotrephes did not do these things.

He was kicking people out of the church for being hospitable. 3 John 1:10 NKJV

[10] Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

5. Don't get yourself on God's list. Proverbs 6

A list of things from Proverbs that God does not like. Pride, a lying tongue, a heart that devises wicked plans, be swift into running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, he who sells discord among the brethren.

Speaking of Bobby Jones, he would not give up his integrity. Told the story of when he lost the US Open because he gave himself a stroke for touching the ball even though no one saw it.

3 John 1:11 NKJV

[11] Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

3. The Godly

Demetrius: The Dependable

3 John 1:12 NKJV

[12] Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.

1. Be part of the progress, and not part of the problem.

2. Truth and love must wok together.

3. We share in the rewards of those we help.

4. Always lean on prayer.

5. Use your spiritual gifts.

"True repentance is seldom late, and late repentance is seldom true."

Romans 10:9-10 NKJV

[9] that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

How God Sees Things

Notes: How God Sees Things

July 7. 2013 Pastor Jeff Lasseigne 

How God Sees Things

Harvest OC

2 Peter 3:1-15 (NKJV)

Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), [2] that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, [3] knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, [4] and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." [5] For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, [6] by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. [7] But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. [8] But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. [11] Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, [12] looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? [13] Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. [14] Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; [15] and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation-as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

Point one: How God sees the past verses 2 to 7

1 out of 25 verses speaks of a second coming in the New Testament.

Some people fall for everything, and stand for nothing!

Scoffers willfully reject the Word.

2 Peter 2:5 (NKJV)

and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

Genesis 2:5 (NKJV)

before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground;

Point 2: How God sees the present. Verses 8 and 9

Psalm 90:4 (NKJV)

For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night.

God is not slow he is lovingly patient.

2 Peter 3:10 (NKJV)

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night

Point 3: how God sees the future.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 (NKJV)

For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

Point 4: how God sees our response.

Verses 11 to 15