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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 23, 2013
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Contents:

1) Dealing With God's Divine Providence (Harold Hancock)
2) 'I Don't Want My Kids To Be Different' (Greg Gwin)
3) News & Notes
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-1-

Dealing With God's Divine Providence
by Harold Hancock

If one believes the Bible, he must believe in providence.  Providence is divine care, and the Bible teaches that God cares for us.  Jesus called the attention of His disciples to the fowl of the air -- how they sow not, neither reap, nor gather into barns and yet God feeds them.  He asked, "Are not ye much better than they" (Matthew 6:26)?  If God cares for the birds, does He not much more care for man who is created in His image (Genesis 1:26)?  Peter told us to cast all our troubles upon the Lord, saying, "He careth for us" (I Peter 5:7).  

God in His wisdom has provided food for man by furnishing the earth with animals and fruit bearing trees (Genesis 9:3; 1:29).  He makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on both the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).  He gives us fruitful seasons (Acts 14:17), and in Him we "live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).  He has also provided great spiritual blessings for us in Christ Jesus, including salvation (Ephesians 1:3; Titus 2:11).  He is longsuffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).  All of these things manifest God's great care for man and are a part of God's providence.  

But does God intervene in the lives of men today to make things happen or to work His plans?  He has in times past.  After Joseph had been sold by his brothers, had been cast into prison by Potiphar, and had interpreted the Pharaoh's dreams, he was made second in Egypt.  He revealed himself to his brothers when they came to Egypt for grain, and said to them, "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.  God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God" (Genesis 45:5,7,8).  Modecai suggests that God may have made Esther queen to Ahasuerus, king of the Medes and Persians, just so she could deliver the Jews from destruction.  Modecai asked Esther, "Who knows whether thou art come into the kingdom for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).  I see nothing in the Scriptures that teaches that God cannot work this way in the lives of men today.  It seems to me that Scriptures such as "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7), and "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6), assure us that God is active today in the affairs of men.  Some are quick to deny "special providence."  They say that such makes the laws of nature less than perfect.  Were the laws of nature less than perfect when God worked in the life of Joseph?  No!  And neither must they be less than perfect for God to work in our lives today.  

Providence does not demand miracles as some suppose.  James tells us "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit" (James 5:16-18).  On this latter occasion Elijah "went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, 'Go up now, look toward the sea.'  And he went up and looked, and said, 'There is nothing.'  And he said, 'Go again' seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, 'Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand...'  And it came to pass ... that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain" (I Kings 18:42- 45).  Clearly God answered Elijah's prayer on this occasion.  But He did not answer it with a miracle. A miracle is something that is supernatural.  It is not supernatural for clouds to arise from the sea and for rain to fall from them.  Without working a miracle today God can answer our prayer and give us our daily bread (Matthew 6:11) or open doors for us to preach the gospel of Christ (Colossians 43).  Do not limit God.  All of nature is at His command, and He may use it to work His will in the lives of men today.  

Even though God may work in this manner in the lives of persons today, this does not mean that we will know just how or when God is doing it.  Mordecai's words to Esther were, "And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).  Mordecai did not know for certain that God had made Esther queen for this purpose.  Paul wrote to Philemon and encouraged him to accept back Onesimus, a runaway slave whom Paul had converted to Christ.  He said, "For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou should receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved" (Philemon 4:15,16).  "Perhaps" suggests only the possibility of the thing spoken of by Paul and not the certainty of it.  If these people could not discern with certainty the workings of God in the lives of people, how can we?

There are several reasons why we cannot know how and when God is working through providence in the lives of people today.  God does not speak to men today separate and apart from the Bible (II Timothy 3:16,17).  He is not going to thunder down special instructions to men today from heaven, nor speak to us today by a "small still voice from within us" and reveal to us the "specific plans" He may have.  We can know today only what the Bible reveals to us.  

Things happen also for reasons other than God's intervention.  We know that through the evil Joseph suffered, God preserved a posterity for Israel.  But why did Cain kill Abel (Genesis 4)?  We are told of no "special plan" of God's that was worked by Abel's death.  As far as we know, Abel's earthly life was wasted because of the envy and jealousy of Cain.  It was Satan that caused Job to suffer, not God (Job 12; 2:6).  One hundred and eighty-five thousand men of Sennacherib's army were destroyed in one night by an angel of the Lord.  But many men die because of the laws of nature.  "Man that is born of a woman is of few days..." (Job 14:1).  We cannot distinguish God's workings through providence.  

The reason we know that God was working in the life of Joseph to make certain things happen is because of the side of the story on which we stand, and because God has told us so in the Bible.  We sometimes sing "Farther along we'll understand."  We may have to wait until we get to the other side of life to understand all of God's workings, and even then, I do not know for sure that we will be told why all things happened as they did.  

The secret of dealing with God's providence is not to ponder "the why" of every situation, but it is to always do what is right in each situation.  When Joseph was sold into slavery, he did not whine and cry and say, "why me?"; he was the best slave he could be.  When he was pursued by Potiphar's wife and resisted the temptation, he was cast into prison; but Joseph did not give up with despair; he was the best prisoner he could be, and God made him second in Egypt and worked a great work by him. If we too will always do what is right, no matter what happens in this life and no matter whether it occurs by the design of God or by happenstance, we will be judged faithful by a Lord who cares.  

God cares for man and is active in the lives of men today.  If I will work with God by doing those things God has declared in the Bible as right, all things will work to the good of my soul. I must trust God and obey Him (Job 13:15; Hebrews 5:9).

-- Via Gospel Truths, September 2010, Volume 1, Number 9
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Romans 8:31,32: “What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” 

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'I Don't Want My Kids To Be Different'

by Greg Gwin

Although most Christians wouldn't say it in so many words, many parents seem to be very concerned about things that might make their kids look 'different.'  They are concerned about raising their children in strict, disciplined ways that might make them stand out in contrast to others.  They mistakenly feel a need to have their kids 'blend in' with kids at school, etc.  

Well, let's see about that . . .  

* Statistics indicate that 13% of teens in America have had sex before their 15th birthday, and 70% have had intercourse before they reach 20 (1).  'But, I don't want my kids to be different.'  Really!?!  Are you sure about that?

* 6.5% of 8th graders, 17% of 10th graders, and 23% percent of 12th graders used marijuana in the past month, while 3.6% of 8th graders, 14.5% of 10th graders, and 28% of 12th graders reported getting drunk in the past month (2).  But you say, 'I don't want my kids to be different.'  Are you kidding!?!

* 35% of teenage boys and 26% of teenage girls admit to shoplifting.  83% say they have lied to their parents about something significant, and 64% admitted to cheating on tests (3).  Yet, you're still worried about your kids being 'different'?  How can that be!?!

Why are parents so worried about their children being viewed as 'normal' in such a wicked, immoral world?  NOW is the time to be teaching them, training them, and helping them to realize that pleasing God will require a way of life that is truly 'different' -- even 'weird' -- by the norms of the ungodly society that surrounds us.  If you don't instruct them in their youth to 'come out from among them and be separate' (2 Cor. 6:17), don't be surprised if they reach adulthood without a true and sacrificial love for God.  Think!

(1) Guttmacher Institute
(2)  National Institute on Drug Abuse
(3)  Josephson Institute

- Via The Beacon, January 22, 2013
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News & Notes


Let those of us who are Christians be remembering the following people in prayer:

Virginia Fontenot recently had a colonoscopy that revealed almost a complete obstruction, due to a tumor, which will require surgery for an intestinal resection.  Every other Monday she receives chemo, and the last time was the most difficult yet.  She couldn't walk or even stand afterwards -- so had to be wheeled in a wheelchair.  But for the good news, her cancer markers have dropped incredibly!  Originally, they had been at 497; but now they are all the way down to just 14.  So the treatment is working.  The doctor wants her to have another round of chemo and then see the surgeon about the bowel resection.  After her surgery, she will then undergo 6 more rounds of chemo, like she has been having.  After which she will then be put on a maintenance dose.     

Linda Blevins, who was recently told that her kidneys were working at only 50% and has been diagnosed with bilateral renal artery stenosis and has hydronephrosis, will be seeing another nephrologist July 9.  

Penny Foley (Jackson Moon's great aunt) had surgery June 21 to remove a tumor in her leg. 

Ellen Gordy recently had a heart attack that required several days in the hospital and three stents.

Jean Calloway is recuperating from a cardiac arrest on May 8 and continues receiving dialysis three times a week, therapy, and other treatments.

Jennifer Crews is back in the hospital.  She has been dealing with mental disorders for more than 25 years.

Janice Webb (Anthony's mother) is healing from the removal of her thyroid, due to a malignant tumor.  Her voice is not completely back yet, but it soon should be.   

Cindy Crews is now healing from her second surgery for breast cancer.

Ashley Robertson Walters' recent bout with a kidney stone has not been troubling her lately, but there is an uncertainty as to whether it is no longer with her.

Pam MacDonald is still healing from major back surgery that required adding 16 pieces of metal to her spinal column.    

Bill Barfield (Virginia Fontenot's brother) has now spent about 15 months in a few different hospitals continuously.  

Robert Howton will soon be having surgery, due to bladder stones that he has had for about a year.

* Let us also be remembering the following in prayer: Tom Smitherman (Lee's father) who has been diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer; Cheryl Crews who has some chronic ailments; and Shirley Young who suffers continually from fibromyalgia.
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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; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Park Forest

CHURCH OF CHRIST
9923 Sunny Cline Dr., Baton Rouge, LA  70817
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 6 PM (worship)
Tuesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/go (Gospel Observer website)
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