--------------------
The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
--------------------
December 6, 2009
--------------------
Contents:
1) Walking by Faith (Ken Green)
2) The Proper Perspective (Donnie V. Rader)
3) News & Notes
---------------------
-1-
Walking By Faith
by Ken Green
"For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). We come to Jesus by
faith (Mark 16:16), and the whole journey from conversion to glory is
made by faith as we look at the things that are not seen (2 Cor.
4:18).
Let us consider some aspects of this spiritual life which is comprised
of trusting rather than seeing.
I. Believing that Jesus lived and
walked among men: We, of course, never saw Him. We did not
behold the signs He performed; neither did we hear the gracious words
that He spoke. Jesus said to Thomas, "...because you have seen Me, you
have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have
believed" (John 20:29). We walk by faith, not by sight.
We tend sometimes to consider this a disadvantage. Things would be much
easier, we think, had we lived when God became flesh and walked among
men. Surely all doubts would vanish if we could see Him and hear
Him.
Yet the stubborn fact remains that all who did see and hear Him did not
believe. He was despised and rejected by men. He came unto His
own and His own did not receive Him.
Those who will not accept the gospel account would not believe if they
saw the evidence for themselves.
II. Believing the miracles of the
Bible: When we challenge the alleged miracle workers of modern
times to demonstrate their powers, we are accused of being unbelieving
sign-seekers. But, in fact, we are not unbelievers. We believe in God;
in the Son of God; in the inspiration of the Bible; and we believe
every miracle that is recorded in the Bible. We believe that the sun
stood still over Gibeon; that the dumb ass spoke; that the walls of
Jericho fell; that Jesus healed the sick, lame, and blind, and walked
upon the sea. We believe it all.
What we do not believe is that such power has been given to men today.
We do not have to believe this to believe God. We walk by faith, not by
sight.
III. Believing that our labor in the
Lord is not in vain: We are assured that this is the case (1
Cor. 15:58). "In due season we shall reap if we do not lose
heart" (Gal. 6:7).
Such assurances imply that we need not expect to always see the fruit
of our labor. Others may reap where we have sown. When we are at the
point of crying out: "What good am I doing?!" it may well be that we
have done more good than we know. We must labor by faith, not by
sight. Let us continue to preach the word; teach the Bible
classes; put forth the personal efforts to save the lost, and just
accept God at His word that such will not return unto Him void.
IV. Believing in God's providential
workings: God holds the world in His hands. In Him we live and
move and have our being. All things work together for good for
those who love God and are the called according to His purpose (Romans
8:27). But we often do not see this. An old Puritan proverb says that
God's providence, like Hebrew, can only be read backwards.
When we travel by air, few of us could explain the physical and
aerodynamic laws that enable a hunk of machinery to fly. I certainly
wouldn't want to fly in anything that I had a part in building. I
really don't know how the thing works. And yet I'm reasonably confident
that it will take me to my destination.
A child in a loving home certainly does not comprehend the purpose and
the wisdom of much that is done for him and to him. He does not
understand that denials and discipline are for his good. Yet he trusts
the love, the goodness, and the wisdom of his parents.
How much more is it true that we do not fathom the providences of our
God. Yet we trust Him. We walk by faith, not by sight.
V. Believing in the incorruptible
inheritance: We have never been privileged to ascend on high and
behold the wonders of that city whose builder and maker is God.
We have not peered into that book of life to see our name written
there. Yet we believe the promise of our Lord that He will come again
and that where He is we shall be also (John 14:1-3). We believe that a
rest remains for the people of God.
Like Israel of old in the desert, they had not seen Canaan land. They
had not beheld the beauty of Mount Zion or stood on Jordan's banks, but
they believed. They walked by faith. And we also who are traveling to
the promised land are walking by faith, not by sight.
The day is coming when we shall walk by sight. We believe that our Lord
walked among men; but one day we shall behold Him as He is and we shall
be like Him. We believe the evidences of His power, but we shall one
day know from experience that power that raises the dead. We believe
that our labor is not in vain; but we will one day know the results of
that labor. We believe that all things work together for good; but we
shall one day behold the whole picture. We believe that there shall be
fullness of joy in the presence of God; but one day we shall taste that
joy, and we shall walk by sight.
-- Via Searching the Scriptures, November 1992, Volume 33, Number 11
---------------------
-2-
The Proper Perspective
by Donnie V. Rader
In our service to the Lord we must maintain the proper perspective. If
we do not, we can easily become discouraged or we may become overly
excited and euphoric when we need to be a little more cautious.
Getting a proper perspective means that we take an honest look at the
way things really are and not just see what we want to see. The proper
perspective comes when we see the larger picture. We sometimes become
weary and disgusted because we are only focusing on part of the
picture. Taking a bigger view may give reason to be encouraged and even
quite optimistic.
At times our optimism and enthusiasm overshadows our sense of being
realistic. I believe it was Luther Blackmon that told about the man who
thought he had a good pair of shoes. All they needed were half-soles,
heels and uppers. Besides, the strings were real good. We cannot
afford to ignore real problems. Neither can we allow a few problems to
blind us to the good that is present.
At one time Elijah had lost the proper perspective. He thought there
was no one but himself wanting to do what was right. He said, "I alone
am left." God had to help him get the proper perspective by telling him
that there were yet 7,000 that had not bowed their knees to Baal (1
Kings 19:10,14,18).
There are three things we need to see to get the proper
perspective.
The Progress We Have Made
We need to look back and see where we were and how far we have come.
Have we made any progress? Are things better now than they were? Or,
are we going in the wrong direction? Remember, that progress is in many
instances, slow (Heb. 5:11-12).
Individual Christians need to stop and consider the progress they have
made. Do you know the Bible better now than you did a few years ago?
Are you stronger and more mature (Heb. 6: 1)? Are you able to endure
and overcome things that you could not in the past?
Churches have to do the same. While things may not be as we would like
them to be in the congregation, the question is "Are we making
progress?" Are we moving (even though slowly) in the right direction?
Are we more united, stronger and striving to do things according to the
Bible? Are we trying to deal with problems rather than ignore them?
Don't forget that progress will not always be labeled "progress" by
some.
What Are We Doing Now?
The proper perspective involves seeing what we are presently doing. Are
we striving to do what the Lord says do? Can our concepts, teaching and
practices be justified by the Bible (2 Cor. 4:13)? Is there a stronger
sense of unity than in times past (1 Cor. 1:10)? Are we growing in
knowledge, in maturity and in number? Are we moving in the right
direction rather than in the wrong direction?
We can easily get discouraged when we listen to those who are
discontent. If we focus our attention there, it will give us a limited
picture of the church. We can begin to think that most of the people
care little about doing what is right. It is somewhat like three or
four old frogs in a pond -- they can make enough noise that it sounds
like a hundred. What we need to do is take a look at how many are
wanting to follow the Bible and try their best to live by it (Phil.
1:27). Those people don't make as much "noise," but must be taken into
account to get the proper perspective.
Our Potential And Goals
To get the right view we must see how bright or gloomy the future is.
Is there reason for some optimism as we contemplate the coming days?
What is our potential as individuals? What are you capable of doing?
What kind of growth can you experience? What can you become? It is sad
to see those who waste their time and throw away their potential (Heb.
5:11-12).
What is our potential as a church? What will the church of tomorrow be?
Will the homes and the families that comprise the church be good solid
homes or will the lack of Christianity in the home destroy the
church? What is the potential for future teachers, song leaders
and even elders? Does the future look better and brighter than the
past?
What goals do we have or should we have? Individually, we must set our
sights on being the kind of individuals that the Bible describes (1
Cor. 15:58). When we do, we have also set our sights on heaven (Col.
3:13).
As a local church, we must set our goal to become like the local church
that God approves (Rev. 2-3). That means we must deal with the things
that God does not approve of -- even though such processes are
unpleasant (Rev. 2, 3; 1 Cor. 5 and 2 Thess. 3). We must strive to be
active and carry the gospel to others (1 Tim. 3:15). We must work
toward becoming scripturally organized (Acts 14:23). Churches that are
content with the status quo and just "keeping house" (though sometimes
they really don't do that) just don't have much of a goal to do what is
pleasing to God.
Getting the proper perspective always helps. At times it will paint a
dark picture. But in most cases it will give us some reason for
encouragement.
-- Via Searching the Scriptures, November 1992, Volume 33, Number 11
--------------------
-3-
News & Notes
To those who are Christians, please continue to remember my mother,
Marian Edwards, in your prayers. She is in a nursing home and has
also been receiving hospice care for about the last five weeks.
Let us also be praying for Eloise Craver, one of our elderly members,
who recently fell and broke her hip. She had surgery on it, and
all went well. Because of all the exercise that sister Craver has
kept up with for many years, she was told that she should heal about
twice as fast.
---------------------
The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can
be
lost
(Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet.
2:20-22).
--------------------
CHURCH OF CHRIST
201 Rushing Road (at the Hampton Inn), Denham Springs, Louisiana
70726
Sunday services: 9:15 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 4 PM (worship)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
tedwards1109@gmail.com
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go
Directions:
Take the Denham Springs exit (exit 10) off of I-12. At the end of
the exit ramp, turn north. Go about a stone's throw to Rushing
Road. (You'll see a Starbucks, Circle K, and two other gas
stations; with each on each corner.) Turn left on Rushing Road,
and go less then 0.3 of a mile. Hampton Inn will be on the
right. We assemble in its meeting room, which is very close to
the reception counter.
--------------------