Explore the profound themes of grace and gratitude as we delve into how God’s divine interventions shape our lives. What does it mean to truly understand God’s grace and embrace it with a heart full of gratitude? This episode offers a deep exploration, sharing insights on how we can find peace and guidance through scripture, even during our most challenging times.
Listen, dear friends, God’s grace, God’s forgiveness, ah, that will get our attention. It has mine, and it gives the peace of mind needed, and friends, it will you as well. So today, we’re going to talk grace and gratitude from the International Gospel Hour. Stay tuned.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. We’re so glad you’ve decided to listen to our program today. In a world of challenges, we need God’s Word to help us face those challenges. Thank you for joining us in this period of Bible study with our speaker, Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. So let’s listen today. Here’s Jeff.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, greetings to all of you. Thank you for staying with us today for our study of grace and gratitude from the International Gospel Hour. We’re also appreciative and we always like to pause and thank our Jay Webb for his kind words. Hey, I tell you, coming up, Jay’s got a couple of things that he’s going to tell you about that we’d like to send you. And let’s just say you might want to make a list because I’m about to offer something free myself. This week, courtesy of our friends at ApologeticsPress.org, we want to send you a free copy of the book, Why People Suffer, by Dave Miller. If you’re suffering, you’re struggling, we hope it will be of help to you. Now, all you have to do to receive that free book is to call us toll free at 855-444-6988. Leave us your name, address, and just say, suffer. That’s all you have to do. You can also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and just type SUFFER in the message box. Now, you can go ahead and do that now, but let me suggest this. Why don’t you wait until you hear from our J-Web. He has a free booklet he wants to share with you, as well as the option of taking our Bible study course by mail. We’ve got a lot today. It’s free. And we want to spend time studying about giving and gratitude. You know, within times of suffering, how thankful we are for the God of all comfort, according to 2 Corinthians 1, verses 3 and 4. The Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Now, not only the God of all comfort, but as we think about it, He’s the greatest of all givers. The giving of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, is the greatest act of love unto us. John 3, verse 16. Acts 17, 25 reminds us that He is the giver of life. And according to Acts 14 and verse 17, he mentions of the fruitful seasons people have. Well, rather, the food and gladness. I’ll get it right. God is the giver of providential blessings. You know, when you think about the giving of God, it’s wonderful, it’s marvelous. And so many gifts granted by God. And among them, His Word, His grace, His forgiveness. And I’d like for us to consider those things today and how grateful one should be for these things that God grants to the world. Now, before our study, I want you to know that we are thankful and we’re grateful for you, our listeners. And we will never ask for funds from our listeners. We prefer to give unto you, just like we offered the free book by Dave Miller, Why People Suffer. Well, now we’d like to give unto you another special study booklet. And here is our J-Web to tell you how you can receive that booklet.
SPEAKER 02 :
Our popular free booklet, Something is Wrong, But the Bible is Right, is available once again. There is just too much confusion in the religious world, and this brief, concise study reminds us that the Bible is always right. Call us toll free at 855-444-6988. And leave your name and address and just say Bible Tract. That’s it. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave us the same information. Name, address and type Bible Tract in the message box. You’ll receive it very soon from your friends at International Gospel Hour.
SPEAKER 01 :
the giving of God, grateful for His grace that teaches us. In Titus 2, 11 and 12, the Bible says, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. Now notice, God’s grace teaches us to deny one way of living and to live another way. He instructs us what to deny and how we should live. How thankful we are for His grace! Because Romans 6.23 says, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now that’s a gift that one has to accept. For without it there is no hope. How grateful we are for His grace. And the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. We think about the Bible teaches us to have faith in Christ, to repent of our sins, to confess our faith in Him, to be baptized into Jesus Christ, our Lord, in order to be saved and to walk faithful for Him. So the giving of God, we are grateful, thankful for His grace that teaches us. Number two, how about with the giving of God, we’re grateful for His word of truth that saves us. The word that saves. From James chapter 1 verse 21. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness. And receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls. You see, that’s what he said moments ago. What was said from Titus 2.11 and 12. Lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness. Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. Receive with meekness the implanted word. We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. The implanted word, the teaching of the scriptures, is able to save our souls. And the beauty, it keeps one saved. James 1.25, let’s stay in that text. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. Somebody says, oh, wait a minute now, doer of the work, you’re teaching work salvation. Friends, I’m teaching what James says. Don’t be a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. And when we go into James 2, he talks about how our faith is expressed by the works, the action, the things that we do. Works are not what a man does to be saved. Works are what a saved man does. He learns that through the Word of God. The Word of God that saves us. It’s a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Psalm 119, 105. It is the source of faith and obedience. Romans 10 and verse 17. For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It’s the source of our salvation, as we noted in James 1.21 and also 1 Peter 1.22. So let’s be a doer and not just a hearer of the word. Remember, Jesus spoke of the foolish man and the wise man that built his house upon the rock and the foolish man that built his house upon the sand. The difference, one heard and did, one heard and did not do. Friends, we want to know God’s will. Earlier, we said we would send you the free book by Dave Miller, Why People Suffer. Also, the free booklet, Something is Wrong but the Bible is Right. Can I give you one more that you can also throw in and ask? How about our home Bible study course by mail? We’re grateful for the grace that teaches us, His word of truth that saves us. Let us offer to you a free gift of study. Once again, our J-Web.
SPEAKER 02 :
Our well-received Bible study course by mail is available to everyone absolutely free. Would you like to try it? Thank you. At your own pace, you can study the Bible in your own home. Again, it’s free. Give it a try. And it’s from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.
SPEAKER 01 :
And now, friends, the giving of God. How about grateful for His forgiveness that is needed? Ephesians 1, 7, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. And in Ephesians 2, 8 and 9, he told the church, By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast. The grace of God that teaches us, the grace of God that is a gift of God. And so I want to see, okay, these very Ephesian brethren were saved by grace through faith. Let me learn a little bit about their salvation. Well, I understand from Ephesians 1 and verse 13 that they had heard the gospel and believed in the gospel. When I go to Acts 20 and verse 21, I find that they were individuals who repented of their sins and confessed, Acts 19 and verse 8. Or rather, verse 18. And you know, friends, they were baptized, Acts 19 and verse 5. And when you study Acts 19, 1 through 5, they had been baptized by the baptism of John the Baptist. But that was not the baptism they were commanded to be baptized. They had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. But then, the Bible says, when they heard that they were to follow Christ, the one through whom John proclaimed, the Bible says they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. What a wonderful thought! And they continued walking faithfully, Ephesians 2 and verse 10, the workmanship created in Christ Jesus. When you think about the day of Pentecost and in Acts chapter 2, they were obedient the same way. When they heard the gospel preached that day, they believed, repented of their sins as they were commanded, confessed Christ, and were baptized. Now why would I not want to receive forgiveness from God? and for us to be grateful for the giving of God for His forgiveness. You see, His grace teaches us, His word of truth instructs and saves us, and the forgiveness that we need. Why would we not want to receive such gifts? The gift is there. It is ours. His grace and our gratitude when we obey Him, how grateful we are for His giving, Let us express our gratitude and thankfulness by obeying the Lord Jesus Christ. Now today we shared with you some study materials that we hope will be of help. So again, if you’d like the book by Dave Miller, Why People Suffer, the booklet Something is Wrong with the Bible is Right, and to receive our free Bible course by mail, it’s all free. It’ll come to you one last time. 855-444-6988, and let us know you want to receive that. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. We’ll study together at another time. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you for listening today. May this study prompt your search of God’s Word for His will in your life. To assist you in your study or to listen to our other programs, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. To God be the glory.
