“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) Seeking the Face of God (Psalm 27:8-9) (Mike Johnson)
2) Whom Having Not Seen, Ye Love (Jarrod M. Jacobs)
3) Dad’s 9 Rules For Living (W. Frank Walton)
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Seeking the Face of God
(Psalm 27:8-9)
Mike Johnson
Many think David wrote Psalm 27 when fleeing from Saul, which is likely the case. Earlier in the Psalm, he expresses strong faith and confidence in God, but verses 8-9 reflect him apparently facing difficulties. In these verses, he addresses God saying, “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.’ Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.” David says he will seek God’s face and asks God not to turn His face from him. This may have been at a time when David was struggling with himself or God. Perhaps he felt God had not responded to his prayers as quickly as he would have liked and had turned His face away. What does the concept of God turning His face from someone mean? We will look further at this concept and see what we might learn.
To begin with, the concept of seeking the face of God or God hiding His face from someone appears several times in the Scriptures (Job 13:24; Ps. 13:1; 44:24; 69:17; 88:14; 102:2). Someone may say, “But, God is a spirit and does not have a face.” References to the “face” of God is a figure of speech called “anthropomorphism,” which means attributing human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object. God turning His face toward a person entails receiving His protection, presence, guidance, and favor. God hiding His face from someone would mean being without these things.
Next, we see in these two verses that God took the initiative, asking the Psalmist to seek His face. His statement tells us that the Lord wants to have a relationship with us; He wants everyone to be saved (2 Pet. 3:8-10). So often, rulers and others of importance are not interested in having contact with the people. This attitude is not the case with God, as He wants us to seek His face. David’s response was like an echo as he said he would seek God’s face. Then David, perhaps expressing frustration, asked God not to hide His face from him.
How do we seek the face of God? How do we keep God from hiding His face from us? Various passages tell us how to do this and the benefits which will follow. Note 2 Chronicles 7:14:
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
The verse above shows that seeking God’s face involves humility, praying, and turning from wicked ways. God will then “hear from heaven,” and we will receive forgiveness. Consider Psalm 105:104:
Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore!
From the verses above, we learn that one must give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name, and make known His deeds, among others. We must also sing psalms to Him, talk of His wondrous works, glory in His name, and seek His strength. Note another passage:
Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face (Ps 24:3-6).
From these verses, we see that seeking the face of the Lord involves having clean hands and a pure heart and not having worshiped idols or having sworn deceitfully. As a result, we will receive blessings and righteousness from God, who will save us.
Are we seeking the face of God? Is God hiding his face from us? We must always seek the face of God!
— Via Seeking Things Above
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1).
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Whom Having Not Seen, Ye Love
Jarrod M. Jacobs
Peter’s description of “the strangers scattered” in I Peter 1:8 has fascinated me for many years. I Peter 1:8 states that these people had not seen Christ, and yet Peter was assured they loved Him. How did Peter know they loved the Lord? He knew this in the same manner Christ described in John 14:15, 15:14, and other places. Based on their obedience to the Lord, their love for Him was apparent. When we read this chapter, we see they were commended for being obedient to the Lord, enduring various trials, and continuing to follow Him.
It would also have been seen in the love expressed toward their brethren (Jn. 13:34-35). After all, how could someone claim love for Christ whom he has not seen when he doesn’t even love his brother that he has seen (I Jn. 4:20)? Yes, he who loves God must love his brother also (I Jn. 4:21)!
Although these people had never seen Christ, because they loved their brethren and believed the teaching and preaching of the gospel, the people from these five regions had continued following the Savior of the world.
In like manner, I think about men today. Are we not in a similar situation as those in Peter’s letter? We have not seen the Lord. Yet, think of those countless millions who have expressed their love for the Lord to this present day. They love the Lord and love His sacrifice, His kindness, His care, His wisdom, yes, they love Him for what He has done in selflessly offering Himself that we might be free from sin (Jn. 8:36, 10:17-18)! It is these people (us) that the Lord commended in John 20:29!
How much do you love the Lord you have not seen? How are you expressing it among the brethren that you have seen? These folks expressed it by rejoicing “with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” How much joy is in your heart?
I Peter 1:8 is yet more proof of the timelessness of the Bible and its teachings. We have a connection to those “strangers” Peter addressed. Let us make the connection and apply God’s word to our lives accurately (II Tim. 2:15)!
— Via Articles from the Spenser church of Christ, November 3, 2025
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Dad’s 9 Rules For Living
W. Frank Walton
1. Put God First — We exist for His glory and then to enjoy Him forever (I John 17:3; Prov. 9:10).
2. Follow Jesus Daily — He became as we are, in order to make us like He is (I John 2:6; John 14:6).
3. Study the Bible Regularly — Scripture is God’s one and only guidebook to eternity (Acts 20:32; Psalms 119:105).
4. Pray Constantly — It keeps us close to heaven’s pure air for the soul (Romans 12:12; Hebrews 4:16).
5. Think Hopefully — Our life is what our thoughts make it (Proverbs 17:22; Proverbs 4:23).
6. Improve Yourself Consistently — With God’s help, you can make the best of any situation (Philippians 4:13; 3:14).
7. Do the Right Thing Always — Character is the sum of all our choices (Proverbs 27:19; Proverbs 4:18).
8. Treat Others Lovingly — God put us on earth to help lift others up to heaven (Matthew 7:12; 5:16).
9. Be a Faithful Member of Christ’s Church — Jesus is counting on you to carry on His work by exercising your talents in His one body (Ephesians 4:16; Revelation 2:10).
— Via Viewpoint from the Valley Grove church of Christ, January 23, 2022
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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 (except for last of the month Song Service)
and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible Classes
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.)