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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).
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June 24, 2018
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Contents:
1) "And Be Ye Thankful" (Bill Crews)
2) If Only (Frank Himmel)
3) News & Notes
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-1-
"And Be Ye Thankful"
Bill Crews
The heading of this article is taken from the closing words of
Colossians 3:15; it is an appropriate exhortation for every
accountable individual. Gratitude is required of every person;
ingratitude is deplorable and inexcusable. And why should we be
thankful? Because God has given to each of us “life, and breath,
and all things” and because “in him we live, and move, and
have our being” (Acts 17:24, 25, 28). To put it another way,
“And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good
and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your
hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). In both of these
passages the apostle Paul was addressing pagans (at Athens and at
Lystra). As Christians we have far more reasons than these to be
thankful.
A failure on man’s part to be thankful is sin. This is one of the
sins charged against the pagan Gentiles in Romans 1:21 (“they
glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks”). This is one
of the sins to be expected among men in the last days (“lovers of
self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy” — 2 Tim. 3:2). Being unthankful
goes hand in hand with being selfish and arrogant. Gratitude must be
taught and learned; we are not born with it. We must be
thankful, express our thanks, and demonstrate
that we are thankful TO GOD. From the cradle to the
grave, as long as we have our minds about us we should be thankful
to God. We should also be thankful to other human beings to whom we
are indebted.
Many of the Psalms bring out the importance of and the need for
being thankful to God. “That I may make the voice of
thanksgiving to be heard, and tell of thy wondrous works” (David
in Ps. 26:7). The 50th Psalm is attributed to Asaph. Read verses
7-15; the reader is called upon to be mindful of the sovereignty of
God, to be grateful for his blessings, to realize that God owns
everything, to offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. “I
will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with
thanksgiving” (David in Ps. 69:30). “Let us come before
his presence with thanksgiving” (Ps. 95:2). “And let them
sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works
with singing” (Ps. 107:22). Read Psalm 100; verse 4 says:
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts
with praise: give thanks unto him, and bless his name.”
Among the sacrifices offered by the Israelites under the law of
Moses were voluntary sacrifices of animals — part of which the
worshipers ate in feasts — that were called “peace-offerings” and
“thank-offerings,” the latter of which were designed to help
them to be thankful to God for their blessings and to express their
thanks unto Him. See Psalm 50:14; 107:22; 116:17; Amos 4:5; and
Leviticus 7:11-13. In Nehemiah 12 certain Israelites were by
Nehemiah divided into two great companies that marched along the new
wall that had been built around Jerusalem at the dedication of that
wall; as they marched they gave thanks unto God.
In the New Testament a number of examples are commended for the
benefit of the reader. Christ is never depicted as partaking of food
(which at times He provided for others (the feeding of the 5,000;
the feeding of the 4,000; and the feeding of the seven disciples)
without giving thanks unto the Father for it. It is usually
expressed as “blessed” (cf. our “say the blessing”), and “blessed”
and “gave thanks” are used interchangeably. Notice that in
Matthew 26:26 Jesus “took bread, and blessed, and brake it,”
but in Matthew 26:27 He “took a cup, and gave thanks.” (“Eulogy”
and “eucharist” are English words taken from the Greek words.) We
are to give thanks for our food also (1 Tim. 4:3-5).
Paul is a great example to us. In Acts 27:35 he gave thanks to God
for his food in the presence of others to encourage them to eat. In
Acts 28:15 he gave thanks to God for the brethren who came out of
Rome to meet him at The Market of Appius (43 miles from Rome) and at
the Three Taverns (33 miles from Rome) when he was being taken to
Rome as a prisoner. Over and over in his epistles he wrote, “I
thank God (or “my God”),” “I give thanks,”
“we give thanks to God” or “thanks be unto God” (Rom.
1:8; 7:25; 1 Cor. 1:4, 14; 14:18; 15:57; 2 Cor. 2:14; 8:16; 9:15;
Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2:13; 2 Thess. 1:3;
2:13 — in the last two, “we are bound to give thanks unto God
for you”; 1 Tim. 1 :12 — he thanked “Christ Jesus our
Lord”; 2 Tim. 1:3). He frequently gave thanks to God for the
brethren to whom he wrote — in many of the preceding passages. In 1
Thessalonians 3:9 he said, “For what thanksgiving can we render
again unto God for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your
sakes before God.” How beautiful!
Heavenly beings are presented as examples to us. All the angels, the
twenty-four elders, the four living creatures are depicted as giving
thanks unto God (Rev. 4:9), as falling down before the throne of God
on their faces, worshiping God, and giving thanks unto God (Rev. 7:
11-12).
And what does the New Testament say about our thanksgiving? We are
to “be thankful” (Col. 3:15 —here, especially for the peace
of Christ that is to rule in our hearts, and to which we were called
in the one body, the church). We are to “give thanks” (Eph.
5:20 — “always, for all things”; 1 Thess. 5:18 — “in
every thing give thanks.” “And whatsoever ye do, in word
or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17).
Our prayers unto God must include thanksgiving. “Continuing
stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving”
(Col. 4:2). “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
unto God” (Col. 4:6). Giving of thanks is set in contrast with
various sins of the tongue. “But fornication, and all
uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you,
as becometh saints; nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or
jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks”
(Eph. 5:3-4). The lesson? Rather than misusing our tongues
by uttering sinful things, let us give more time to the giving of
thanks.
In conclusion, “As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and established in
your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving”
(Col. 2:6-7).
-- Via the Roadridge Reader, Volume 33, Issue 11, Pages 2-3
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-2-
If Only
Frank Himmel
If only my boss wouldn't be so rude and domineering, I would be more
cooperative at work. "Servants, be submissive to your masters with
all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to
those who are unreasonable" (1 Pet. 2:18).
If only my husband weren't so lazy and self-centered, if only he
would learn to control his temper better, I would live with him.
"...wives, be submissive to your husbands so that even if any of
them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word as
they observe your chaste and respectful behavior" (1 Pet. 3:1-2).
If only the brethren were friendlier and that preacher not so dry, I
would go to church more often. "...let us consider how to stimulate
one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another..."
(Heb. 10:24-25).
If only I had more income and less bills, I would give a lot more.
"...in the churches of Macedonia...in a great ordeal of affliction
their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the
wealth of their liberality" (2 Cor. 8:1-2).
If only my family would be more supportive, I would become a
Christian. "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy
of Me... (Mt. 10:37).
Do you notice that what God expects of us, He expects regardless of
our particular circumstances? Instead of excusing ourselves due to
adverse conditions, let us commit ourselves to our Creator and
Benefactor. If only we would be like Jesus, who said, "...I do not
seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" (Jn. 5:30). He
not only said it, He lived it — even to the point of death.
-- Via The Beacon, May 27, 2018
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-3-
News & Notes
We extend our condolences to the family and friends of Betsy
Wallace Reister and Ian Reister (33), the mother and
the youngest son of Robert Reister. Their recent passing was
within three days apart. Rob had also lost his daughter Jessie
(34) in April 2013.
Our sympathies also go out to all the loved ones of Kenneth
Evans (the youngest brother of Cheryl Crews) of Baldwyn,
Mississippi, who passed away June 15 at only 55 years of age.
Jordyn Mackey (Cheryl Corbitt’s 4-year-old grandson) had a
series of seizures early Thursday morning. He was taken to the
ER, tested, and received seizure medication. The CT scan and
EKG looked good. He also saw his pediatrician and will be having an
MRI this week. As of yesterday morning, there had been no more
convulsions; and he was even more energetic than he had been prior
to the seizures.
Shirley Davis reports that her legs are healing, but
slowly. Both the swelling and cellulitis have improved, but not
completely. She still has pain in her shoulder and in both
legs. When the cellulitis is gone, she is to call her doctor
for an appointment. She also expressed for the congregation, “Tell
everyone, I love them.”
Let us also remember in prayer Bentley O’Berry (who had a
seizure), Bennie Medlock (who has an aortic aneurysm),
Charles Crosby (healing from a knee implant), Michael
Crawford (heart trouble), Ginger Head (spot on lung),
Elizabeth Young Harden (has a baby due July 4), and Marie
Maymoldi (who is also expecting).
Others to also pray for: Jim Lively, Deborah Medlock, Pat
& A.J. Joyner, Rex & Frankie Hadley, Tommy Lindsey, Rhyan
Thomas, Hannah Laughlin, Misty Thornton, Belinda Medlock, Michelle
Rittenhouse, and Mary Vandevander.
WordPress version of this week's bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2018/06/24/the-gospel-observer-june-24-2018/
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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, living
for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb.
10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 a.m.
(Bible class); 10 a.m. & 5 p.m. (worship)
Tuesday: 2 p.m.
(Ladies' Bible class)
Wednesday: 7
p.m. (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom
Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com (Gospel
Observer website with pictures in WordPress)
http://thomastedwards.com/go
(Older version of Gospel Observer website without
pictures, but back to March 1990)
http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermons)