The Precious Word of God

SPEAKER 02 : 0:00

How precious are the things of God. Precious. Oh, that’s a special word for special things and blessings. So today, let’s talk about the precious word of God. That’s coming up from the International Gospel Hour. Please stay with us.

SPEAKER 01 : 0:18

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 02 : 0:45

Well, greetings and hello, everyone. Great having you with us once again for our studies from the International Gospel Hour. We’re also appreciative of our Jay Webb, and Jay’s going to tell you a couple of things coming up that’s absolutely free that we offer from International Gospel Hour. As a matter of fact, friends, everything that we offer for you to study, for you to read, for you to pursue your study of the Word of God is absolutely free from our broadcast. You will not hear us ask for your money. We are just thankful for your time and your interest in the things of God. Now, as long-time listeners know, and if you’re relatively new to our broadcast, thank you for choosing to be with us. But we here at International Gospel Hour love to embrace Bible lessons of days gone by that are still pertinent, effective, and most importantly, and overall, biblical. Now, we will do so again today with the use of what we have called and what we call long-time sheet lessons. Now, if you’re not familiar with that term, sheet lessons are sermons that were painted or printed on a large bed sheet, and then the preacher would hang them up on a wire at the pulpit and could turn and preach his sermon, and people could see the lesson. It’s akin today to what we would call PowerPoint sermons on the screen. Well, here’s something special of this broadcast. The lesson we’re going to talk about today, the precious word of God. You can see the picture of that sheet lesson on our social media. On Facebook, go to International Gospel Hour. On Instagram, go to International Gospel Hour. And on X, formerly known as Twitter, you can go to H-O-U-R underscore gospel, and you can see today’s lesson. So you may want to go over there and find it, come back and listen to our broadcast, whatever will work for you. But our lesson today, the precious Word of God, you know, the word precious seems to be used in many ways for many things, and sometimes we use that word in a flippant way, if you’ll allow me to say that. And let’s think on that today as we talk about the precious Word of God. Now, the word precious would obviously apply to God’s Word. But as we reach back for a lesson from the past… Let me pause and allow us to share with you something as relevant in your studies today, which brings us to our free special publication offer from our friends at Apologetic Express. Here is our J-Web with the details of how you can receive Discovery.

SPEAKER 01 : 3:46

Our special free publication today is called Discovery, Scripture and Science for Kids. For over 20 years, our friends at ApologeticsPress.org have made this great resource possible to help our children in dealing with such teachings as evolution, dinosaurs, creation, and a variety of biblical subjects written on a child’s level. We at International Gospel Hour have been blessed with a very limited number of these, and you can get your free copy today by calling toll-free at 855-444-6988. Leave your name and address and just say, Discovery. That’s it. Again, that’s 855-444-6988. Leave your name and address and just say, Discovery. You can also send your request through our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave us your name and address and put reason in the message box. We will send you a copy. Again, we only have a very limited number, so reach out to us now.

SPEAKER 02 : 4:52

let’s begin our study today of the precious word of god of interest is first samuel three and verse one that says now the boy samuel ministered to the lord before eli and the word of the lord was rare in those days there was no widespread revelation now did you catch that The word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no widespread revelation. The word of the Lord was rare, unique. Well, friends, is that really the case today? You know, the word precious, as mentioned earlier, sometimes it’s used in a flippant manner or it’s overworked. I mean, we talk about how precious an automobile might be, how precious is a dress. But you know, the Bible uses the word precious with care. It signifies a value. It shows a cost that is very dear. It shows tremendous value. How about 1 Peter 1, verse 19? But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, You see, it takes the precious blood to redeem us. It shows that value, how it is so costly. What about 2 Peter 1, beginning with verse 4? “…by which have been given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” It’s as Peter is saying to the Christian, you have precious promises of which you can partake, of which you can have a part better than anything you’ll ever find. It’s valuable. It has a dear cost. You know, the Word of God was indeed precious. When we think of that text and how the Word of the Lord was rare, God had not spoken in a while. And today we have God’s Word everywhere. Well, maybe we don’t see it as precious to us, but it still is. You know, if we lived in dark ages where we did not have access to it, it may mean more. Well, friends, stop and let’s think about it. God’s Word is precious now. And I find that where there is so much availability, people can download the Bible for free on their phones, on their iPads, wherever it might be. God’s Word can be found, and it’s not expensive, but it is so valuable. Not expensive to us as far as the money we would spend, but if we did, the return is tremendous regardless of what we spend. You know, we’re like the days of Amos in Amos 8 and verse 11, when God said, I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread nor a thirst of water, but of the hearing the words of the Lord. Friends, the word of God is food, and there are millions who are starving spiritually. And how we find countries moving further away from God. And isn’t it amazing, the further they move away from God, the blessings began to decrease. We need to consider the precious Word of God. It is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4 and verse 12. And friends, how beautiful God’s Word is. Within it, the power of the gospel and the righteousness of God is revealed. Romans 1, 16 and 17. Well, let’s think a little further of why God’s Word is precious. Well, because of what it has done. God’s Word framed the worlds therein. Hebrews 11, verse 3. And how God said throughout the book of Genesis, chapter 1, God said nine times, God said, God said, and it was done. God’s Word led His prophets. It led Noah. It led Moses. And today God speaks to us through His Son, Hebrews 1 and verse 1. God’s Word spoken to us through His Son to where Jesus said, here’s a bonus text of John 12, 48. He that rejects me and receives not my words has one that will judge him. The word that I have spoken, the same will judge him in the last day. Friends, we need to know the word of God. That precious word gives us life. In Philippians 2 in verse 16, it is a word of which we can hold fast or we can depend, we can rely upon it. When we seek God’s Word for our answers, God will provide us those answers. And in John 6 and verse 63, Jesus said, It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. Friends, the precious Word of God. Indeed it is. We want to encourage your study of the Bible, the Word of God. We want to encourage you to grow in your study. We’re thankful that you join us here on our broadcast of International Gospel Hour, and we would like to encourage study outside the times that you’ll listen to us. I’m going to pause and defer to our J-Web, who will share with you a special online study of the Bible. And then I’m going to come back and give you another Bible study option that’s available by mail. Here is our J-Web.

SPEAKER 01 : 10:41

How about an online study of the Bible? That’s right. The World Bible School has a free online Bible study available. Just go to worldbibleschool.org and register. A study helper will assist you in answering questions and provide feedback for your lessons. That’s the free online study at worldbibleschool.org. Sign up today. Tell them the International Gospel Hour has sent you.

SPEAKER 02 : 11:08

So friends, the online Bible study through Our Friends at World Bible School is right there for you. So feel free to sign up. It’s free. Now, also realizing there are many who maybe do not have Internet access, then how about this? We have a special study that’s called God and Man. And we are thankful to the Good Brethren in Beaufort, Georgia for this material. And we will send it to you absolutely free. Now all you have to do, easiest thing to do, call us at 855-444-6988. And leave us your name and address and just say God and Man. That’s all you have to do. Just call us at 855-444-6988. Leave us your name and address and just say, God and man. And we will send that study to you as soon as possible. So today on our broadcast, we’ve talked about the precious Word of God. We’ve made available this lesson to you on social media. We are going to send you a free publication of Discovery, if you’d like. You have an online study and a study coming by mail. We hope we have provided much for your study. And we’re going to continue our studies here with you at another time. Thanks for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.

SPEAKER 01 : 12:27

God be with you. 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.

SPEAKER 02 : 12:50

with you till we meet again.