“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” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
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Contents:
1) Pleasing God (Jerry Fite)
2) Jesus and Miracles (Frank Himmel)
3) An Important Key in Solving Marriage Problems (Tom Roberts)
4) Mark 12:28-31 (NASB)
5) Fighting the Good Fight of Faith (video sermon, Tom Edwards)
6) News & Notes
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Pleasing God
Jerry Fite
God created the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that in them is in six days (Exodus 20:11)! Under these four headings, one could spend many lifetimes writing about the numberless stars in the heavens, the variety of fish in the sea, the divergence of living creatures on earth and the complexity of man, whom God created in His own image. The Bible describes the experience in “Nature” as the handiwork of God (Psalm 19:1-2, 139:13-15). The eternal God is so wise and powerful, and so far above us. How could we ever do something so extraordinary that would grab His attention and please Him?
Maybe in the presence of our majestic God, we are thinking of a one-time-memorable-act to attract His attention, when we should be looking at an every-day-something which glorifies God and pleases Him. God reminds us, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah; but the prayer of the upright is His delight” (Proverbs 15:8). The eternal and self-existent “I Am” is pleased with the petition that comes from the upright person. Instead of thinking loftily of pleasing God by doing a great work for Him, we should remind ourselves that our God is pleased when we humbly express our need for Him.
The upright offers up prayers expressing one’s trust in God. “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in Jehovah” (Psalm 4:5). Reverential fear and confident hope connect the heart with the verbal petitions of the righteous, bringing joy to God. “Jehovah taketh pleasure in them that fear Him; in those that hope in His lovingkindness” (Psalm 147:11).
While prayer from the righteous pleases God, the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Him. Isaiah was sent to a people who were shedding innocent blood while offering up sacrifices to be accepted by God. The holy God makes it clear that He wants nothing of this incongruity. “Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:13-14).
God does not only look at the deeds of man, but He sees our heart. “…Jehovah looketh not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance but Jehovah looketh on the heart” (I Samuel 16:7). The outward deeds are the extension of the heart in the inward man. The heart must be upright if God is to be pleased with our sacrifices and prayers. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17).
If the heart is not upright, God will not hear our prayers. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18). The perverse heart issuing the perverse way is an abomination before the eyes of the Lord. “They that are perverse in heart are an abomination to Jehovah…” (Proverbs 11:20).
Getting to the “heart” of the matter, the upright heart is the essential characteristic in our prayers being a delight before God. Even when we sin, we can change inwardly and come before God with a humble contrite heart knowing God will hear and forgive. “Be glad in Jehovah, and rejoice, ye righteous; and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11).
— Via Glad Tidings, Volume XXIX, No. 52, December 29, 2019
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Jesus and Miracles
Frank Himmel
In his first sermon, Peter introduced Jesus as “a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your presence, just as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22). Let’s begin a study of Jesus’ miracles with three observations from this verse.
One, Jesus performed miracles. Too many in our day try to dismiss the accounts of Jesus’ miracles as the exaggerations of over-zealous disciples. No, the New Testament is eyewitness testimony. “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16; cf. 1 John 1:1-3).
Jesus did many different kinds of miracles: various physical effects, such as walking on water; instant healing of numerous afflictions, including severed body parts; casting out demons; and in at least three instances He raised the dead. Unlike His disciples (e.g., Matthew 17:14-21), He never failed anything He attempted. Even His enemies acknowledged His miracles. The thousands gathered on Pentecost were well aware of Jesus’ deeds—“just as you yourselves know.”
Two, Jesus’ miracles manifested divine power. The word miracle is used rather loosely in modern times, often to denote merely outstanding or unusual events; for example, a team making a “miraculous” comeback in a game. Such things are not miracles at all. Genuine miracles require supernatural involvement. In Jesus’ activities, “God performed through Him.”
Peter used three terms: miracles, wonders, and signs.Miracle emphasizes the cause, divine power. It is from the same word as dynamite. Wonder points to the effect on witnesses. Sign states the purpose. Miracles say something. They have implications beyond the event, which brings us to. . .
Three, Jesus’ miracles proved who He was. He was “attested by God.” That means accredited or proved. Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh (John 5:18; 10:30). His miracles verified it. Jesus’ miracles are as critical to His identity as His teaching is.
When John the Baptist wanted to know if Jesus was the Expected One, Jesus pointed to His miracles (Matthew 11:2-6). The Lord told audiences who stumbled over His words, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father” (John 10:37-38). The written record of Jesus’ miracles enables us to believe as surely as those who saw them firsthand (John 20:30-31).
— Via Pathlights, August 29, 2021
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An Important Key in Solving Marriage Problems
Tom Roberts
There have been times when I have been called in to ‘referee’ a marital dispute only to realize after hours of discussion that the real solution to the marriage problems was contained in The Golden Rule. If husbands and wives would really absorb what Jesus said and apply it to their situations, many problems would vanish immediately. Is there any husband so bold as to deny that he often acts selfishly, thinking only of his own wants and needs, with little attention to those of his wife? Can any wife deny that a similar blindness on her part is more than a little to blame in many disputes? If each of the marriage partners would ‘wear the shoes’ of their mates, they would see the need of ‘doing unto others as we would have them do unto us’ (as it is commonly paraphrased). No marriage counselor on earth could give better advice than to press home the meaning of these words to feuding husbands and wives.
— Via The Beacon, July 25, 2021
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Mark 12:28-31
“One of the scribes…asked Him, ‘What commandment is the foremost of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, “HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.” The second is this, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” There is no other commandment greater than these’” (NASB).
“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40, NASB).
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Fighting the Good Fight of Faith
Tom Edwards
To hear the video sermon with the above title, just click on the following link while on the Internet:
https://thomastedwards.com/wordpress/Fight_the_Good_Fight.mp4
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News & Notes
Folks to be praying for:
Let us continue to remember Tammy Griffey in our prayers who had not been feeling well, had some tests run, and is to hear the results November 1.
Also, Shirley Davis as she is undergoing rehab for her injured foot.
Bennie Medlock had his second cataract surgery, and all went well.
Also keep Rex Hadley, Rick Cuthbertson, Deborah Medlock, and Jim Lively in prayer.
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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 Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
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; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…
6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; 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: 9 a.m. Bible Class and 10 a.m. Worship Service. We also have a Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm/ (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)