In this enlightening episode of the International Gospel Hour, we delve into the age-old theme ‘He is Able’ through the powerful stories of faith and deliverance found in the Bible. Learn about the unwavering trust of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they faced the fiery furnace, and Daniel’s miraculous survival in the lion’s den. These narratives not only illustrate God’s mighty power but also challenge us to reflect on our own faith journeys. Join us as we explore the biblical principles that demonstrate God’s ability to aid us in overcoming life’s challenges.
A beautiful hymn of days gone by expressed beautiful words about our Almighty God. He is able to deliver thee. And this we affirm, and this is our study today, just ahead from the International Gospel Hour.
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It’s time for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jay Webb, and welcome to our study today as we embrace God’s Word to help us meet the challenges of today. Let’s open our Bibles and open our heart for this time of Bible study with our speaker Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. Here’s Jeff.
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Well, thank you to our J-Web for his kind words, and greetings and hello everyone. It’s great having you with us for our broadcast today, and we appreciate each and every listener of our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. You know, William A. Ogden wrote a number of beautiful hymns, including All Things Are Ready, Jesus the Loving Shepherd, Seeking the Lost, and Where He Leads, I’ll Follow. In 1887, he wrote the words and the music to the song, He Is Able to Deliver Thee. Please listen as I read the words of this powerful and scriptural song. “‘Tis the grandest theme through the ages rung, “‘Tis the grandest theme for a moral tongue, “‘Tis the grandest theme that the world e’er sung, “‘Our God is able to deliver thee.'” “‘Tis the grandest theme in the earth or main, “‘Tis the grandest theme for a mortal strain, “‘Tis the grandest theme, tell the world again, “‘Or again our God is able to deliver thee. “‘Tis the grandest theme, let the tidings roll “‘To the guilty heart, to the sinful soul, “‘Look to God in faith, he will make thee whole, “‘Our God is able to deliver thee.’ “‘And the chorus goes as follows, “‘He is able to deliver thee,’ He is able to deliver thee. Though by sin oppressed, go to him for rest. Our God is able to deliver thee. Now, friends, we cannot be sure at this time what biblical passage inspired William Ogden to write this hymn. It is possible, or could it be, that he appealed to two passages in the book of Daniel. The Chaldeans did not like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They knew the three Hebrew children were faithful in their service to their God. So they devised means of putting these three Hebrews in an extremely difficult position. They appealed to Nebuchadnezzar to make a ruling that everybody would have to worship the golden image he had erected, and if anyone failed to do that he would be thrown into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. The Chaldeans knew the three Hebrew children would not worship the gods of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego responded to Nebuchadnezzar’s threat when they said, If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up. Daniel 3, 15-18 Daniel was such a great man and a great admirer and administrator that he gained tremendous power in Babylon. Some of the Babylonian leaders were jealous of him and wanted to devise a plan that would cause him to lose his exalted position in the land. And the jealous leaders knew they would find no fault in Daniel except in his religious practices. They appealed to Darius to establish a decree that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save that of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. They watched Daniel to see that he violated the decree that Darius had proclaimed. They spied on Daniel and found that he did not observe the decree. Darius had no choice but to throw Daniel into the den of lions. We read from Daniel chapter 6, verse 7, and then we will continue verses 15 through 22. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke unto Daniel and said, Your God, whom you serve continually, he will deliver you. And when Darius came early in the morning to see how Daniel was doing, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel. And the king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me. For as much as before him innocence was found in me, and also before you, O king, I have done no hurt. Again, Daniel 6, verse 7, and verses 15 through 22. We go to the New Testament. For when John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to see what was transpiring. When John saw the Jewish leaders, he said, Bring forth therefore fruits, meat for repentance, and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father. For I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children of Abraham. Matthew 3, 8 and 9. Was John exaggerating the power of the Almighty God? We know that the God who created the universe could, from those stones, raise up children unto Abraham. After all, God made man from the dust of the earth. The Apostle Paul delivered a farewell address to the elders of the Lord’s church at Ephesus. He wanted them to be examples of the members of the body of Christ. He charged them, Therefore, watch and remember that by the space of three years I cease not to warn every one of you day and night with tears.” And 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 them who are sanctified. Acts 20, 31 and 32. God uses his word to enable us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 2 Peter 3, 18. elders or overseers of congregations of the Lord’s church, and all other Christians must be devoted students of the word so that we can be built up in the most holy faith. Every serious Bible student, friends, understands that Christians are going to be tempted. And that has always been the case, is the case today, and always will be. How can we be sure of our ability to overcome those temptations? Paul furnishes the information we need from 1 Corinthians 10, 12 and 13. Wherefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. There is no temptation taking you, but such is as common unto man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it. When you hear someone say, the temptation was so great I simply could not resist it, he is not being completely honest with you. The author of Hebrews assures us of God’s power to keep us safe from harm. From Hebrews 2.18, for in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help them who are tempted. God provides the way of escape. It is our responsibility to find that way and walk in it. At times we may wonder if God really is as powerful as the Bible teaches. Can He really provide the means of escaping temptation? Paul did not specifically have temptation in mind when he wrote to the Ephesians, but what he says applies to temptation. In Ephesians 3, 20 and 21, Now unto him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Again, Ephesians 3, 20 and 21. We deceive ourselves and limit the good that God can do for us when we question His power. The Apostle Paul firmly believed in life after death. He explained his desire to spend eternity with God Almighty. In Philippians 1, 19-25, Paul said, For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor, yet what I shall choose I do not know. For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart to be with Christ, which is far better.” Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you, and having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith. Paul does not express the slightest doubt that God can prepare him for that heavenly city. Again from Philippians, chapter 3, verses 20 and 21. For our conversation, or manner of life, is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Friends, are you noting the passages that remind us? He is able. You see, only God has the power and the desire to give all faithful Christians spiritual bodies so that we may inherit eternal life. As I have already pointed out, Paul instructed the Ephesian elders to study God’s word which was able to build them up and to give them an inheritance among all them who are sanctified, Acts 20-32. He uses very similar language in his instructions to Timothy, his son in the gospel. He commanded Timothy, but continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them, and that from a child you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3, 14 and 15 Since the Bible is inspired word of God, and it is the inspired word of God, it is God who enables us to be wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. The author of Hebrews tells us about the power of God’s word. For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4 and verse 12. Again, friends, how often we are reminded, God is able, and He provides unto us what we need to serve Him. There is a great controversy in the religious world over the possibility of apostasy, or leaving Christ. Our Calvinist friends maintain that once a person is saved, he is always saved. But there is a serious problem with that teaching, friends. It’s simply false. If Christians cannot so sin as to be eternally lost, why did the author of Hebrews warn, Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. Hebrews 3.12 The Greek word translated departing is a word from which we derive our English word apostatize. If Christians cannot apostatize, why does the author of Hebrews say they can? Jude assures us that there is no reason Christians should apostatize. From Jude, verses 24 and 25, Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Paul reminded the Colossians of the blessings they had received as members of the body of Christ. They and he had given thanks unto the Father, who has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sin. Colossians 1, 12 and 14 Now the word able in our topic is a translation of the Greek word rendered power in Romans 1.16 and in many other passages. The Greek word or the Greek verb translated able appears 210 times in the New Testament. The noun appears 120 times. Please notice these examples of both the verb and the noun. Where Paul assured the Roman Christians… For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 8.38-39 The noun is usually translated power. As Paul told the Corinthians, For the preaching of the cross is to them who perish foolishness, but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1.18 The book of Hebrews lays stress on the great salvation. Hebrews 2.3 The Holy Spirit guaranteed that God is able to save all men who come to Him through Jesus Christ. He told the Hebrew Christians, Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7, verse 25. How does God provide salvation for sinful men? Well, the answer to that question is very simple and will occupy the remainder of our time in this brief study. All Bible students understand, or should understand, that man on his own could not initiate salvation. That is the reason the Bible speaks often of the grace of God that brings salvation. Paul said to the Ephesians in Ephesians 2, 8-10, For by grace are you saved through faith, and that, not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. When Paul speaks of the grace of God, he is not inferring or teaching that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone. If he were teaching that doctrine, there would be some serious problems with some of his other writings. It would contradict what he told Titus in Titus 2, 11 and 12. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Again, Titus 2, 11 and 12. The grace of God demands that we deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. And if we have to do that, and we do, then we are not saved by grace alone. Please, listen to what Paul told Titus he ought to preach. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you affirm constantly, that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. Titus 3, verse 8. God saves us when we believe the gospel and obey it, and no book of the Bible makes that any plainer than the gospel according to John. The apostle John wrote, He who believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he who believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him, John 3, 36. Many Calvinists no doubt would like to find faith alone in this passage from John. There is a problem. The second translation of the word believe is an incorrect translation, as almost any other version of the Bible will show. The New American Standard Bible renders verse 36, He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. The New Testament could not be plainer in its teaching on the necessity of faith. Hebrews 11, 6 affirms, But without faith it is impossible to please him. For he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him. Again, Hebrews 11, verse 6. But you cannot find faith alone in the New Testament. If you will examine the records of the conversions and acts of the apostles, you will discover in every case that faith led to obedience. For example, when Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to the Samarians, they believed Philip’s preaching concerning the kingdom in the name of Christ. They were baptized, both men and women, Acts 8, 4 and 5 and verse 12. The faith of the Jews on the day of Pentecost demanded that they repent of their sins and be baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of their sins, Acts 2, 38. But does not the expression for the remission of sins mean their sins were already forgiven and they were being baptized because their sins were forgiven? Let us examine the use of that prepositional phrase in a different context to ascertain its meaning. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, he said, For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26, 28 Friends, I have a question for you to consider. Did Jesus Christ shed His blood in order for us to have the remission of sins, or because we already had the remission of sins? Friends, you should not have any difficulty answering that question, and neither should you have any difficulty understanding the meaning of for the remission of sins in Acts 2.38. The Greek is exactly the same in both instances, and so is the English. When we confess our faith in Christ, repent of our alien sins, and are baptized into Christ for the remission of sins, that is only the beginning of our journey of faith. The New Testament teaches what we must do as children of God. For example, Paul told the Roman Christians, And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12, 1 and 2. Paul concluded his teaching on the resurrection by encouraging the Corinthians. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. That’s 1 Corinthians 15, verse 58. Did the Holy Spirit really mean what He inspired Paul to write to the Romans and to the Corinthians, or were these mere suggestions? I conclude this study with these familiar words from James. 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. James 1 verse 27 We must thank God that He is able to deliver us. Friends, how blessed we are that God indeed delivers us. And through our study today, have we engaged you into thinking about some things that we’ve discussed? Maybe you would like to study these matters a little further. We have a special study we share often here on International Gospel Hour called, And here is our J-Web of how you can receive the special study, God and Man, How to be Saved from Sin.
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An additional Bible study by mail is now available from International Gospel Hour. It’s titled, God and Man, How to be Saved from Sin. This study booklet addresses a number of questions about the salvation from God to man. And friends, like all materials, it’s free. Call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say, God and Man. Or you can go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type God and Man in the message box. another Bible study that is free from IGH, and our friends at godandman.com. That’s god-and-man.com. And, you know, since you can’t see it, let me just spell that out for you. god-and-man.com We’d love to hear from you.
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Friends, our study today of He Is Able is provided from our late Brother Winford Claiborne. Brother Claiborne was our speaker here on International Gospel Hour from 1995 to 2014. And it is our blessing and honor from time to time to share his work with you from a previous broadcast. This broadcast originally was, oh, I’d say probably around 2012 or 2013. And with the material that we have of Brother Claiborne, we’d love to share our past from time to time here in the present. So yes, friends, in the spirit of Abel, from Hebrews 11, verse 4, he being dead still speaks. So friends, as we think about these things and consider our work here at International Gospel Hour, we hope that our studies and the material that we share with you will be profitable. Now, I want to go back to our J-Web as we have some time remaining. And I’d like for you and I to go back with Jay. And I want to share with you a special tool that you can put on your iPhone or your Android. Our International Gospel Hour app, it continues to grow every day. I check the numbers at least monthly. And I’m encouraged of how many people download our app. On a recent Giving Tuesday around holiday time, we gave on social media our app, and we want people to have our app. It’s free all the time. And here is Jay once again to tell you how you can download our app.
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Please download the International Gospel Hour app on your iPhone or Android. A free download awaits you at the App Store or Google Play. Just search International Gospel Hour and download our app free and have access to all our work. It is all there through the IGH app.
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So, friends, we hope that our app will be of help to you. We also hope, once again, that you will receive our free study, God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sin. As Jay mentioned, that book covers a lot of ground. Again, it’s very simple. A phone call of 855-444-6988. And just leave your name and address and just say, God and Man. That’s all you have to do. If you want to send us the information via our website’s contact tab, go to internationalgospelhour.com, click on the contact tab, and just leave us the same information, name and address, and type God and man in the message box. This is a wonderful study, and we’ve been greatly encouraged to hear of the results of individuals who have obeyed the gospel of Christ through the study of this material. It’s easy to do on your own, and we are always available with any questions that you might have. So once again, please download our app on your iPhone or Android, and reach out to us for your free copy of God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sins. We are grateful for each and every listener of the International Gospel Hour. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 118 Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334. We’re under the oversight of the elders of the West Fayetteville Church of Christ in Fayetteville, Tennessee. We will study with you again at another time, and thank you for joining me today here on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. Let us study together at another time. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, as always, keep listening.
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Thank you for listening today to God Be the Glory and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. Feel free to listen to our other programs at our website at internationalgospelhour.com and join us next time. God be with you till we meet again
