“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) “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” (Wayne S. Walker)
2) What I Learned from Reading Psalms (Bryan Gibson)
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“His Eye Is On The Sparrow”
Wayne S. Walker
The Bible teaches us that God is omniscient. His eyes behold everything that occurs in this world. Jesus once said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7). The point that Jesus was making was that if His eye is on the sparrow, then His eye is surely on us as well. What should this mean to us?
First, it means that God knows our needs and provides for them. “…For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). He provides for our physical needs. “Nevertheless, He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). Indeed, all good and perfect gifts come down from God above (James 1:17). He has promised in a special way to meet the needs of His people, for if we seek first His kingdom, what we shall eat, drink, and put on will be added to us (Matthew 6:33). However, the truth is that these blessings are indiscriminately given to all mankind (see Matthew 5:45).
But He also provides for our spiritual needs in Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). He sent Christ to die for us that if we believe on Him we might not perish (John 3:16). He offers salvation through the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). He revealed the Scriptures to guide us (2 Timothy 3:16-17), And He ordained heaven to be our eternal reward (1 Peter 1:3-5). Whose are these spiritual blessings? Even they are available to all mankind because God does not want any to perish but wants everyone to come to repentance (Titus 2:11, 2 Peter 3:9). But the benefit of these blessings can be received only by those who obey Christ (Hebrews 5:8-9).
Secondly, God sees our troubles and wants to help us. In Genesis 16:1-13, Sarah was impatient for God’s promise of a son for Abraham and so gave her husband her handmaid, Hagar, to be his concubine and bear him a child. But as soon as Hagar conceived, Sarah became jealous and drove Hagar out into the wilderness. But God found Hagar and promised to bless her. She called the name of that place “You-Are-the-God-Who Sees.” From our temptations, He offers escape. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13). It is a great source of comfort that my God wants to assist me in overcoming temptation.
From our anxieties, He offers peace through prayer. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). I do not have to spend my time worrying about my troubles; I can “take it to the Lord in prayer.” And from our cares He offers relief. “Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “Does Jesus care when my heart is pained Too deeply for mirth or song, As the burdens press, And the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long? O yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief; When the days are weary, The long night dreary, I know my Savior cares.”
Thirdly, God is aware of our sins and shows His mercy. We could never hide any of our sins from God. David said to the Lord, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off” (Psalm 139:1-2), We shall be judged by the deeds of our lives, the words of our lips, and even the thoughts of our hearts. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). If at that time we have any sins in our lives that are unforgiven, we shall suffer eternal punishment, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Should such be the case, we shall “be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
But the good news of the gospel of Christ is that forgiveness of our sins is available. Jesus promised that “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men…” (Matthew 12:31a). When such occurs, God has said, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17). To be thus, the alien sinner is told, “…Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). To receive forgiveness, the erring Christian is commanded, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you” (Acts 8:22). Those who have been redeemed should say every day, “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Yes, God sees and knows. When dedicating the temple Solomon said to God, “…For You, only You, know the hearts of all the sons of man…” (1 Kings 8:39). God’s eye watches over us every minute, every day. He is cognizant of each action, each word, even each thought. Of course, this truth should be somewhat scary to the lost sinner. But it should provide great comfort and encouragement to the faithful Christian. “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me” (Civilla D. Martin).
— Via Search for Truth, Volume XVII, Number 14, November 3, 2024
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What I Learned from Reading Psalms
Bryan Gibson
On the Subject of Prayer
Constantly—morning, noon, and evening (55:16-17), as long as I live (116:1-2), that’s how often I should pray—when I desire to give thanks (68:19; 107:8), when I need forgiveness (32:1-5; 51:1-7), when I’m persecuted (142:5-6; 109:1-5), when I’m burdened with grief and anxiety (61:1-4; 147:3), when I’m in need of boldness and courage (138:3), etc.
Psalms confirmed for me that God has great power (33:6-9); that He has infinite knowledge, even of every single individual (147:5; 33:13-15); that He is longsuffering, compassionate, merciful, righteous, and faithful (86:15; 121:1-8; 143:1); and that He shows great lovingkindness (36:7). What I learned from studying these attributes of God is that He is both willing and able to answer prayers.
One sobering revelation, confirmed in the New Testament, is that God does NOT answer the prayers of everyone, but of the righteous (18:20-24; 34:15-18)—the prayers of those who fear Him (145:19), who call upon him in truth (145:18), and who come to Him with a broken and contrite heart (34:18).
About the Burden of Sin and the Blessing of Forgiveness
From the powerful poetry used in this wonderful book, I learned that no heavier burden exists than the burden of sin, that the greatest anguish I can experience is knowing I’ve sinned against God, and that His wrath is against me, even as one of His children (25:11; 31:9-10; 32:3-4; 38:3-8, 17-18; 40:12; 41:4; 51:4).
But, I also learned there is “hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption” (130:7). The anguish over my sins can be replaced with “joy and gladness” (51:8)—if my heart is broken and contrite (34:18; 51:17), if I acknowledge my sins to Him (32:1-5; 51:3-4), and if I repent (51:10-15).
God is “ready to forgive” (86:5), and so if I meet these conditions, “as far as the east is from the west” (103:12), He will remove my transgressions from me. Thank you, God, for this precious blessing.
— Via Plain Words from God’s Word, October 15 & 17 (2 articles on prayer combined)
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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 Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first): 7 p.m. Bible Classes
First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)
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.)