Join us as we explore the essence of pure religion, as defined in James and echoed throughout the Bible. Delve into the challenges of worship that’s true and pure, in contrast to mere lip service. This episode also touches upon the significance of embracing a pattern of faith that stands in accordance with God’s Word, and how we can anchor our declarations in Scripture. With practical applications and real-world examples, this episode is a thoughtful exploration of living a faithful and scripturally grounded life.
Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. Oh, the words of the psalmist, which will provide for our study today from the International Gospel Hour. Let’s declare, friends.
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Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour.
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Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour. Let’s begin.
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Well, thank you to our J. Webb always for his great words. And greetings to all of you. Thank you for joining me today for our studies from International Gospel Hour. We’ve been on the air since 1934. And the reason? Because we love the gospel of Jesus Christ and we’re thankful for the interest of all of our listeners. And I tell you what I want to do for you. Everything that we offer here from International Gospel Hour is free. You’ll notice if you listen to us, we’ll never ask for your money. But we love to share free material with you. Today we have a special book to give away. We’ve offered it before. And we offer it once again, a book by Dave Miller of Apologetic Express. And the book is titled, Does God Exist? Would you love to have a free copy of that book? Here’s all you have to do. Call us toll free at 855-444-6988. And leave us your name and address and just say, exist. That’s all you have to do. We’ll know what you’re talking about. Again, toll free at 855-444-6988. Leave your name and address and just say, exist. Now, you can also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave the same information. Name, address, and type EXIST in the message box, and we’ll send that book to you right away. Again, it is free, as is everything that we offer here from International Gospel Hour Radio and Television. Once again, to receive the free book, Does God Exist?, Call us toll free at 855-444-6988. Leave us your name, address, and say, exist. That’s all you have to do. 855-444-6988. Or our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave the same information, name, address, and just type exist in the message box. From Psalm 66 and verse 16, Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what he has done from my soul. We began the broadcast with that scripture from the Psalms, and now let’s consider a couple of things from this wonderful text of Psalm 66, 16. First, the invitation. It is to those who fear God. Oh, we think of Abraham who feared God in his faithfulness and obedience in offering Isaac from Genesis 22 and verse 12. And we note Abraham’s reverence and respect resulted in obedience and how God blessed him. What great faith! Let’s consider Exodus 18 verse 21, the good reputation among the faithful men that Moses would consider helping him address the problems of the people, that they be men that feared God. Let’s go to Joshua 24 and verse 14 and Joshua’s declaration to Israel. Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods which your father served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt and serve you the Lord. You fear the Lord, you serve the Lord. What about Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 13 when Solomon said, Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. We are to be individuals that perfect holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7 and verse 1. We do so by casting away filthiness. We serve God with a reverence and a godly fear. Hebrews 12 and verse 28. Now, let’s notice second that the psalmist had an aim for the gathering. He was to declare what God had done for his soul. We see that in the New Testament when Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem in Acts 15 and verse 4, it states that they were received of the church and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. The same was done to the elders at Ephesus in Acts 20 and verse 27 when Paul says, For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. The same was done to the church at Corinth in remembrance of the gospel they had received and had obeyed. And Paul once again delivered the gospel unto them in 1 Corinthians 15, 1-4. Here is our question for consideration. Can we declare what God has done for our souls? Well, friends, we should. 1 Peter 3 and verse 15 tells the Christian, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and let us always be ready to give an answer to every man that asks us of the reason of the hope that is within us with meekness and fear. Let’s think about declaring what God has done today. We’ll be back in about 30 seconds.
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Hello, friends. The Previous Shows tab is available at our website, internationalgospelhour.com, and also available on several podcast platforms. Maybe we are on your favorite podcast site. Just search for International Gospel Hour and you can find previous broadcasts. They’re always there 24-7 for you to listen or even to download, either at our website or your favorite podcast site. Check it out today.
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Can you declare what you believe because it’s commended of God? So ask this, friends. Can God declare what you believe? And we’re not looking at what man thinks. You know, in Galatians 6 and verse 3, For if anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. And in 2 Corinthians 10 and verse 18, For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. Can we declare what we believe? Can we declare our religion? Because God can declare it. Paul’s recommendation was quite simple in Acts 20 and verse 32. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. So may our approach be the same as Paul’s approach. Friends, can God declare what we believe? Can we declare what we believe because it is commended of God? Let’s build on this. Second, can you declare what you believe because it is according to the pattern of God? Ask this. Can the Bible, God’s Word, declare what you believe? If God can declare it, the Bible can declare it. And God granted unto man what he wants men to know. In the days of old, in Exodus 25 and verse 40, who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle for, see, says he, that you make all things according to the pattern showed to you in the mount. Pattern that with Hebrews 8 and verse 5 as well. What about in the days of the New Testament in James 1, 25? But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed. In 2 Timothy 1 and verse 13, hold fast the form of sound words which you have heard of me in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. Friends, we need to declare. Can we declare what we believe because it’s according to the Word of God? In other words, the Bible will declare what we are to declare. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect or mature, complete, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. So, friends, we need to allow God’s Word to declare what we believe. And when we do that, we are declaring what God has done for us. Friends, I want to pause and go back for about another 30 seconds. Our J-Web has an online Bible course that you just might be interested in. So I’m going to pause and hear once again our J-Web.
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Maybe you’d like an online study of the Bible. The World Bible School has a free online Bible study available. Just go to worldbibleschool.org and register. That’s worldbibleschool.org. And get this, a study helper is provided for your lessons. That’s the free online study at worldbibleschool.org. Sign up today. Tell them the International Gospel Hour sent you.
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You know, James 1, 26 and 27 says, If any man among you seems to be religious and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Quite obviously, friends, pure religion is religion in action. It’s faithfulness to others and faithfulness to God. In Matthew 15, verses 8 and 9, This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Friend, my faithfulness to God requires me to also worship him according to spirit and in truth. John 4, verse 24. So can I declare what I believe because it is pure and in accordance with the word of God? Friends, we ask the question as we began. Declaring what God has done. Can we declare what God has done for us? We want to make certain that we are doing that very thing. That what we declare what God has done for us is because God has. has indeed declared that, and we can back that up with Scripture, according to the pattern. And to take the Bible, and when we declare what God has done for us, we can point a book, chapter, and verse, and carefully reason, or defend of the hope that is within us with meekness and fear. 1 Peter 3 verse 15 We want to make certain that we are declaring what God has declared in our lives. It begins with us, and then we can tell others. We hope that this study today has prompted you to think on these matters, friends. And when you declare what God has done, Can you declare it from God’s word? Can we declare it because it’s true and pure in what we do? May we always be students of the word of God and abide therein. I’m so grateful you’ve joined me today for this study and thankful and hope that you will join me together or join me again at another time as we study together. I’ll get it out there. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
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God be with you till we meet again.
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Thank you for listening to our broadcast today, and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God’s Word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.org.
Join us as we explore the essence of pure religion, as defined in James and echoed throughout the Bible. Delve into the challenges of worship that’s true and pure, in contrast to mere lip service. This episode also touches upon the significance of embracing a pattern of faith that stands in accordance with God’s Word, and how we can anchor our declarations in Scripture. With practical applications and real-world examples, this episode is a thoughtful exploration of living a faithful and scripturally grounded life.
