R516 The Benefits of God’s Grace

Many people talk about benefits, but today Dr. Don Wilton's message is called the benefits of God's grace had to first Thessalonians adjustable with Dr. Wilson but know that were available for you connecting right now ITW all online.org fabulous online sign up for the daily devotional it's actually freedom@tewonline.org.org.great invite you to turn in your Bibles this morning to first Thessalonians chapter 1 now just a couple of weeks ago I had a man ask me a question I had no idea I was going to be in first Thessalonians, but I was talking to him about the Lord and he doesn't know the Lord and he said this to me.

He said to me, Foster Winton, if I give my life to Jesus Christ what's in it for me, folks, that's an earthly cheeky question to ask of God is because we know that we should never asked God what he's going to do for we should also God, what can we do for you but you know something that I discovered that God wants us to on Skype?

So I made on script for you today just in case you're afraid to do so I maybe say Lord I'm given my heart to you, what benefit is. They for me what I get out of this.

What you do for me. Now I know they're the things that we will know about and they are very important. He gives me eternal life. He forgives me for my sin gives me hope that there are so many but caring first Thessalonians. The apostle Paul puts his finger on some most wonderful dynamics. Remember now that he's talking to the church at Thessalonica and these Thessalonian Christians. The gathered they were not only going through a lot of trials and tribulations they were to be tasted. I mean they were going to have a very difficult time and so what is doing yet he's putting the house firmly positioned on a solid rock.

You know it's like people come up to us and I say to us. Listen, I want to encourage you to do something I want you to save your money to the because in 50 years from now you going to really be glad you saved and you know we go through life and we don't say. And then we get to 40 years down the road and recite you not only I had saved what little I had back then and taken care of myself, I wouldn't be in the predicament I'm in now perhaps will God is saying the Stasi sign listen, I want you to know something I want you to know that because you given your heart to Jesus Christ. I'm going to make available to you. I'm told benefits untold benefits like if I go to an automobile dealer and I say to him, I'd like this motorcar over here and he says well all right you like it motorcar nice.

I love that motorcar and I say to Melissa I want some added benefits put on their II want you to add this and I want you to add that in every time I say it I get catching just a few more dollars you earn a few you telling me that those kinds of wheels cost another $5000 will leave those all have leather seats and I want this Sharon. I want that way up there and we going we put all the added benefits and eventually we say that's what I'm buying a brand-new motorcar and it's fully loaded. It's the absolute best. It is fully loaded. I don't even have to think I just push about God tells us that our lives that have been in reach by his grace have been overwhelmed by so many benefits that we could never begin to add them up and you know what God allows us to invoke to bring these benefits into play when we need them.

Well it's read about it. First Thessalonians chapter 1 and I'm going to begin at verse four. For we know, brothers and sisters, loved by God that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake, you became imitators of us and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In spite of severe persecution and suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit, and so you became a model to all believers in Macedonia and the Kia the Lord's message rang out from you met a wonderful phrase. The Lord's message rang out it reverberated.

It ricocheted off you not only in Macedonia and the Kia your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us.

They tell how you turned to God from idols in order to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead same Jesus rescues us from becoming raw by the Lord, drive his word upon our hearts last week in the first three verses we talked about the fruit of God's grace and now kind of building additional stones onto that foundation shifts gear and I believe he talks about the benefits of God's grace what all the benefits and how do I benefit from God's grace. Well, let's look at the number one benefit from God's grace because I am chosen. I want you to focusing on that word because we all chosen.

That's an incredible support to think is right there in verse four. For we know that we know, brothers loved by God that he has chosen you, you know, it's like our relationship with our children. It's a most wonderful thing when we become part of the family, you know, we go through all the ups and downs of life, in sickness and in health, and more lives kinds of things and sometimes we disappoint our parents and we let people down and in the midst of all that our moms and our dads and our grandparents. I listened Donald daughter I want you to know that yes maybe you've laid us down and maybe maybe you've lit your family down or maybe you've lit yourself down, but I want you to know that there is one thing that is not strange and it's simply this, that we have chosen you. You are our son or daughter. We have chosen you and we love you and there is one thing that you can know that you know that you know that you know that you can always come back home that there is always a welcome outside the door.

There is always a bid for you to sleep in is always a place for you to lay your head down, this is your home because we was in you and you belong to us. I would husbands and wives either.

Not too long ago I was counseling with a couple that were having problems in their marriage and we had a great discussion together. Of the many many weeks together, and eventually I looked at them and I looked at him and I sent him my friend. Do you remember so many years ago that you chose this young lady to be your wife and do you remember so many years ago that you chose this young man to be your husband. You might've vowed before God, because you chose one another and you believe that God spoke to you I want you to renew your vow of choice. What an unbelievable thing. Regions 14. The Bible says he chose us in him.

It's an amazing thing to think that God has chosen us he's handpicked us.

He's not any handcrafted us and selected us but I tell you something, folks. When you and I find ourselves in the most difficult of circumstances, to be reminded that one of the greatest benefits that we could ever imagine is that God has chosen us, but there's a second benefit.

We benefit from God's grace.

According to this passage because we are under conviction on your site foster that is weird what is conviction have to do with the benefit I want you to think about this for a moment with me. In verse five God's word says because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction in one of the greatest benefits that you and I have in knowing Jesus Christ is that God puts us under conviction that I want you to think for a moment what it would be like if you had no conviction you gonna say to me. Wait a minute, foster conviction about what kind of conviction does God give to me what you going to John's Gospel and John's Gospel teaches us that the Holy Spirit has come in order to convict us of three things you remember what they are, convict us number one of sin all say that sin number two righteousness or say righteousness number three judgment. Also, I judgment folks. I want you to all say this behind me God's spirit convicts me of sin, of righteousness, judgment, click say that together God's spirit convicts me righteousness, judgment, and I want you to just imagine the moment that you had no conviction about those three things. If you have no conviction about certain you know what would happen to you, you would become a victim of sin folks. You can look over the world today and you going to see people who have reject Jesus Christ do not have the benefit of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, and so they say well I don't care. You know that's one of the most unfortunate phrases that we have cultivated an American you know that you know when you go up to someone and you say would you like some more and I say to you, I don't care. You know that there's a world out there today just doesn't care when there are burglaries, folks, have you ever been burglarized.

You ever had someone come in your home and take everything that you owe and in turn the place upside down. You know why they do that I don't care what about physical abuse you can't talk to someone who's been molested or physically abused, and you gonna talk to the perpetrator of that deed if that person does not know Jesus Christ they will literally look you in the eye and I will say well I'm sorry that I hurt you, but basically I don't care what's yours is mine and what's mine is yours. It's all there for the taking.

I don't care I don't care about people in another world. I don't care about taking Christmas boxes to little children. Brother cell. I don't care about giving to others.

I don't care about soup kitchens.

Listen as long as I've got enough of my love.

I don't care. I'm going to go to lap.

No conviction.

I don't care if I'm a model.

I don't care if I cheat on my wife or my husband. I don't care if I let my children down. I don't care. I cheat on my income tax. Okay if I use foul language. I don't care about mastering the name of God conviction God says listen.

One of the most wonderful things about knowing Jesus Christ is that we benefit because we are under conviction under conviction, but thank God for conviction. I think God I don't always like it but I think the Lord for what it's not just conviction from sin. That's conviction concerning righteousness and just think about that. You know what God sees. God says listen when you come to know me. I only deliver you from sin back in the mold you to live in righteousness. God is not only convicting us about what to do God's convicting us about what we do.

That's righteousness. Righteousness is the antithesis of the opposite of sin.

God says wait a minute. It's not just one thing to be convicted of oxen I need not do that.

It displeases God.

But God says I want you to be convicted about what you do need to do. That's my standard of righteousness.

Well, if you have no conviction.

Folks guess what happens you don't care how you live, you got no standard upon which to base your life you got on the map to follow. You got no God directions you will note the principles upon which to stand you up no means to follow that all godly rooms that are according to God's standards.

You going to just do whatever you want to do because you have no conviction. You have no conviction of sin, you have no conviction of righteousness, and you have no conviction about God's judgment. We got to read about that it's right there in the in the last verse that I read diversity in the Bible says Jesus rescues us from raw listen to me.

Folks there are people in the world today who have no conviction whatsoever about the judgment of God. Our people have no conviction about its outcome is come on man followed. Listen we need to be politically incorrect in the sling.

We need to sit around the table after midnight with a group of well-known people and we need to just go off at things of righteousness and judgment all you come on, you don't really mean that God is going to judge anybody.

Do you and besides that you contradicting yourself. You tell me God's gonna love now you tell me he's a got a job. I mean what what you want now put it on the typing for me and I'll become sarcastic and they will they will start to? There's no conviction, folks.

You see the conviction that is in my heart tells me that Jesus Christ is the righteous judge and he has already judged my sin upon the cross.

That's why Paul said there is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in union with Christ Jesus my sin has already been judged by Jesus Christ.

I am convicted about that glorious time. Forgive the interruption will be back with the rest of Dr. Wilton's message just a moment, but he wants me to remind you we are here for you on our website@twonline.org would love to pray with you and pray for you if you haven't signed up for the daily devotion you could do so right now on our website tewonline.org he could even call for a physical copy at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-WORD 9673 now back today's great teaching Dr. Don Wilton a great benefit to think that I can go through life as a believer under conviction parents moms and dads. Can you imagine what would happen to your sons and daughters. If I had no conviction about certain righteousness and judgment do not happen when I get to Furman University.

I don't care. Imagine what happens when I get to Clemson or South Carolina. I don't care.

Can you imagine if our sons and does grew up and began to date and you went to them and you said to them, listen, my daughter, listen, my son, this person is not a believer. This person doesn't believe in the Lord. GRI don't care. Can you imagine living a life without any conviction. If we had no conviction frame we would go the same way the world is going we would be lost and helpless and hopeless. God says hold on a minute, you've chosen your under conviction. Number three benefit will copy I love this one, where copycats member when you are a little while, and you be playing games in the backyard is a copycat copycat. You've all done that on a look at me like that you hold on your copycat do not.

The Bible calls the Bible calls it and imitates all and imitates doing something the same way somebody else is doing it.

I show you something really wonderful. He gets a great benefit of the Lord. Verse six the Bible says was you became imitators of us and all the Lord says one of the greatest benefits that I have as a believer is that I am invited to in courage to and I'm convicted of my need to be a copycat of the life of Jesus Christ.

God allows me to dictate his life so that others might receive a blessing.

I become a copycat guy with me just turned a few pages back to Ephesians turned back there with me very quickly.

Ephesians chapter 5 Ephesians chapter 5 in verse one. Listen to this Ephesians 5 in verse one says this to the Ephesian Christians. He says be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Now watch what happens from this point if you and I do not have the benefit of God's grace, my friends, we are able to copy Gone we are unable to be imitators of the what happens when we do not give a title copycat. God is what happens. But among you. They must not even be is it a hint of sexual immorality.

I wonder if there's been any sexual immorality amongst anybody worshiping today.

Listen to what he says any kind of impurity or greed. Because these are improper for God's people are not copycats of God is. This is not the imitation of God, nor should there be obscenity. One of his anymore any young person here today. This week you used obscene language what God is trying foul language, even tight, foolish talk you not foolish talk is gossip. One of anybody's been on the phone gossiping this week hands on or cannot undo that I any gossip. Anybody have you brought anybody up to speed on somebody else's problems folks listen, wait, we giggle at these things and they are amusing but they very serious when it comes to the word of God. They are extremely serious.

I wonder if you are somebody who always talks about other people.

You are a gossiper.

You've always got little and little bits of information to share about other people. That's not imitating Jesus Christ and so he goes on he gets down to verse 15 he says be very carefully and how you live, not as the unwise, but the wife, how do we do this we do it by appropriating the benefit of God. We become copycats, not before. He says we benefit from God's grace because we are capitalists we all capitalists.

I look out with me in verse seven. Bible says and so you became a model to all believers. Now we were talking about science and we were in a science classroom.

Right now we would know that a scientific or a chemical catalyst is that which promotes a chemical reaction without changing it so catalyst is something that promotes change in others without being directly affected itself puts it in a different way. He says listen. One of the greatest benefits you have of God's grace is that you become a model.

I looked at that bothered me.

I could just see myself walking down the runway modeling that's already had in mind your folks. And besides, I wouldn't look walking down the runway modeling some outfit I want do that. But what he's talking about Jack, he is saying to us that ultimate benefit of God's grace is the fact that I become an example for others to be able to follow what he says.

And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and the Kia and the result was that the that the message of the Lord Jesus Christ just rang out from you the benefit of God's grace is that God lets me become a model folks nobody's more aware of that. The main nobodies more aware of that than you. I go and sit in a restaurant not tell you what I've many times I've sit then and I put another mouthful in my mouth and I suddenly realize that I'm being watched, you know what I'm talking about folks being a model God gives us a wonderful opportunity.

God says listen, I'm going to give to you the benefits of my grace. What am I gonna do. I'm going to remind you constantly throughout your life that you very specially chosen you, not just hand designed and handcrafted and made in the image of God, but I have chosen you to be my son and my daughter I want you to know your under conviction. It means that you are going to constantly have this constant reminder about staying and being where you need to be. I'm going to allow you to be a copycat. You know, do it in your own strength is if you follow your own what you gonna fall flat on your face but if you copycat plea. If you imitate me you going to be something that you cannot be yourself you going to be able to draw from the Lord. He takes up early says I'm going to allow you to be a catalyst I'm going to let you be the reason why other people change, I'm derelict to be a person of influence.

An example and then he says listen, there's another benefit to we benefit from God's grace because we are changed. People verse seven he says, for they themselves report verse not a big problem they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the true and living God. They were changed. People what's the benefit of God's grace. I'm trying on different different. You are right, according to a certain set of criteria you write different person different on the campus of Furman University you different Georgia Tech unit different in Columbia on campus different at Anderson College in North Greenville you God in the web module at Ohio State University and Burns in Spain morning Springs is the benefit of the grace of God. Different change.is all about change, helping us become like Jesus.

You been listening to Dr. Don Wilton is been preaching and teaching on the benefits of God's grace, but coming up next Dr. Wilton stepping in the studio, not to teach or preach but just to open his heart to your heart. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now.

Dear God, I know that Arneson and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today, I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news.

You just gave your life to Christ re-dedicating your life, perhaps for a long time. We have wonderful free resources for you to give us a call at 866-899-WORD@866-899-9673 or connect with the skateboard keyboard on her website@dewonline.org TW online.org a great place to discover wonderful resources like this The Encouraging Word prices will start at $6.06 dollars. Visit us online.

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