{"id":3489,"date":"2026-06-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/?p=3489"},"modified":"2026-06-27T11:31:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T15:31:35","slug":"the-gospel-observer-567","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/2026\/06\/28\/the-gospel-observer-567\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gospel Observer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>&#8220;Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations&#8230;teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age&#8221; (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).<br>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contents:<br><br>1) &#8220;My Eyes Have Seen the King&#8221; (Bryan Gibson)<br>2) Is Our Love for the Lord Sincere? (R.J. Evans)<br>3) Psalm 119:33-40 (Berean Study Bible)<br><br>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"498\" src=\"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/luke5-9-bsb-1024x498.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3491\" style=\"aspect-ratio:2.056273764258555;width:661px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/luke5-9-bsb-1024x498.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/luke5-9-bsb-300x146.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/luke5-9-bsb-768x374.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/luke5-9-bsb-1536x747.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/luke5-9-bsb-676x329.jpg 676w, https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/luke5-9-bsb.jpg 1581w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>-1-<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8220;My Eyes Have Seen the King&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bryan Gibson<br><br>\u201cWoe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts\u201d (Isaiah 6:5).<br><br>What exactly did Isaiah see? He \u201csaw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple\u201d (Isaiah 6:1). I\u2019ve seen some impressive trains before, particularly on wedding gowns, but nothing that could fill the dimensions of the temple. Above this elevated throne he saw \u201cseraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew\u201d (Isaiah 6:2). Even more significant is what he <strong>heard<\/strong>, from one of the seraphim, in a voice so loud that \u201cthe posts of the door were shaken\u201d: \u201cHoly, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!\u201d (Isaiah 6:3-4).<br><br>Can you see now why Isaiah reacted the way he did? Isaiah couldn\u2019t bear what he saw in himself, and in his people, because of what he saw in God. In some measure, Isaiah could now see himself the way the Lord saw him, and he knew he was in trouble.<br><br>But then a wonderful thing happened: \u201cOne of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: \u2018Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged\u2019\u201d (Isaiah 6:6-7). What a relief this must have been to Isaiah, to feel that heavy weight of sin, and to now have it removed. Not just relieved, but also deeply grateful.<br><br>And perhaps that explains Isaiah\u2019s eager reply to the Lord\u2019s request. \u201cI heard the voice of the Lord, saying: \u2018Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?\u2019 Then I said, \u2018Here am I! Send me\u2019\u201d (Isaiah 6:8). Isaiah was eager to do whatever the Lord asked, yes, because of who He is, but also because of what He had done for Isaiah. Isaiah had been forgiven, and He was happy to do whatever the Forgiver asked.<br><br>What exactly did the Lord send him to do? Preach to people who won\u2019t listen, and keep on doing it until they\u2019ve received their just punishment (Isaiah 6:9-12). No easy task, to say the least, but Isaiah made a commitment to the Lord, and he honored it.<br><br>The details may be different, but I\u2019ve experienced the same things Isaiah did, at least in principle. I, too, was once \u201cundone,\u201d \u201ca man of unclean lips.\u201d I understood the awfulness of my sin, because \u201cmy eyes have seen the King,\u201d not in a vision, but in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I felt the full burden of my sin, but thanks be to God, my sins were cleansed by the blood of Christ, when I obeyed the gospel (Acts 2:37-38). And so when the Lord asks, \u201cWhom shall I send, and who will go for Us?\u201d my eager reply is, \u201cHere am I, send me.\u201d No way I\u2019m saying no to the King, especially a King who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20), a King who cleansed me from all my \u201cold sins\u201d (2 Peter 1:9), a King who enables me to come into His holy presence (Hebrews 10:19-22). His presence is no longer \u201cfilled with smoke\u201d (Isaiah 6:4); in fact, my hope is that one day I \u201cshall see Him as He is\u201d (1 John 3:2).<br><br>&#8212; Via <em>The Weekly Bulletin <\/em>of the Prattmont church of Christ, May 12, 2024<br><br>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"614\" height=\"609\" src=\"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/eph6-24-kjv.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3492\" style=\"width:470px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/eph6-24-kjv.jpg 614w, https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/eph6-24-kjv-300x298.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/eph6-24-kjv-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 614px) 100vw, 614px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>-2-<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is Our Love for the Lord Sincere?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>R.J. Evans<br><br>A scribe once asked Jesus which was the first commandment of all. Jesus answered by telling him \u201cyou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment\u201d (Mk. 12:28-30). There are many scriptures which speak of the blessings that come to those who truly love the Lord.<br><br>But, as Christians, are we sure that we love Him? The Apostle Paul ended his letter to the Ephesians with these words: \u201cGrace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen\u201d (Eph. 6:24).\u00a0 Please notice the word \u201csincerity.\u201d This indicates that one could think or pretend he loves the Lord when he really doesn&#8217;t. In this short article, let us consider five ways we can tell if our love for Jesus is sincere.<br><br><strong>1. Is serving the Lord a joy? <\/strong>Some who serve(?) leave the impression that the Lord&#8217;s yoke is difficult to bear\u2014the burden of service is heavy. But Jesus tells us it is just the opposite in Matthew 11:30. If our love for Christ is truly sincere, observe what the Apostle John tells us: \u201cFor this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome\u201d (1 Jn. 5:3).<br><br><strong>2. Do we thirst for the Lord?<\/strong> Often we find David reaching out for more and more of the Lord in his life. Hear him as he prays, \u201cO God, You are my God; Early will I seek you; My soul thirsts for you; My flesh longs for You; In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water\u201d (Psa. 63:1). Again, we hear him say, \u201cI spread out my hands to you; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land\u201d (Psa. 143:6).\u00a0 Jesus pronounces a blessing upon the ones who \u201chunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled\u201d (Matt. 5:6).<br><br><strong>3. Do we love the world more than we love Him?<\/strong> Jesus said we can&#8217;t serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). John wrote: \u201cDo not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him\u201d (1 Jn. 2:15). If our love is strong for the \u2018flashy\u2019 things of this world, we can be sure that a sincere love for Jesus is not in our hearts.<br><br><strong>4. Is the Lord with us?<\/strong> Jesus said, \u201cIf anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him\u201d (Jn. 14:23).\u00a0 The Lord has promised: \u201cI will never leave you nor forsake you\u201d (Heb. 13:5). To enjoy His spiritual presence by faith in our hearts (Eph. 3:17), we must continue to obey by walking in the light of His word (1 Jn. 1:7-10). What a thrill it is to have a close, abiding fellowship with Christ!<br><br><strong>5. Will we love His appearing?<\/strong> John anxiously looked forward to the Lord&#8217;s coming (Rev. 22:20). Paul spoke of the ones who have \u201ckept the faith\u201d and \u201cloved His appearing\u201d\u2014how they will \u201creceive a crown of righteousness\u201d (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Surely, he must have been speaking of those who love the Lord.<br><br>Now that we have taken a closer look at ourselves, do we sincerely love the Lord? The answer can be summed up by the simple words of Jesus\u2014 \u201cIf you love Me, keep My commandments\u201d (Jn. 14:15).<br><br>&#8212; via the bulletin of the Southside church of Christ, Gonzales, LA, March 15, 2020<br><br>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>-3-<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Psalm 119:33-40<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>He<br><br><sup>33<\/sup>Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep them to the end.<br><br><sup>34<\/sup>Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart.<br><br><sup>35<\/sup>Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for there I find delight.<br><br><sup>36<\/sup>Turn my heart to Your testimonies and not to covetous gain.<br><br><sup>37<\/sup>Turn my eyes away from worthless things; revive me with Your word.<br><br><sup>38<\/sup>Establish Your word to Your servant, to produce reverence for You.<br><br><sup>39<\/sup>Turn away the disgrace I dread, for Your judgments are good.<br><br><sup>40<\/sup>How I long for Your precepts! Revive me in Your righteousness.<br><br>&#8212; Berean Study Bible<br><strong><br>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1) Hear<\/strong>\u00a0the gospel &#8212; for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).<strong><br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<br>2) Believe\u00a0<\/strong>in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).<strong><br><br>3) Repent\u00a0<\/strong>of sins.\u00a0 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).\u00a0 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) &#8212; and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).<strong><br><br>4) Confess faith\u00a0<\/strong>in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).<br><strong><br>5) Be baptized\u00a0<\/strong>in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).\u00a0 This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27).\u00a0 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 \u201cthrough faith in the working of God\u201d (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\u2026<strong><br><br>6) Continue in the faith <\/strong>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).<br>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tebeau Street<br>CHURCH OF CHRIST<br>1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA\u00a0 31501<br><br><strong>Sunday:<\/strong> <strong>9 a.m<\/strong>. Bible Classes (except for last of the month Song Service)<br>and <strong>10 a.m. <\/strong>Worship Service<br><strong>Wednesday:<\/strong> <strong>7 p.m.<\/strong> Bible Classes\u00a0<br>\u00a0<br><strong>evangelist\/editor: <\/strong>Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917<br><a href=\"mailto:Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com\">Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com<\/a><br><br><a href=\"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/go\/all.htm\">https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/go\/all.htm<\/a> (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations&#8230;teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age&#8221; (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211; Contents: 1) &#8220;My Eyes Have Seen the King&#8221; (Bryan Gibson)2) Is Our Love for the Lord Sincere? (R.J. Evans)3) Psalm 119:33-40 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3489"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3489\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3493,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3489\/revisions\/3493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}