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The
Gospel Observer
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July 21, 2019
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"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) The Small Things (Kent Heaton)
2) Take It To The Lord In
Prayer (Terry Ryan)
3) News & Notes
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-1-
The Small
Things
Kent Heaton
In
April of 1990, the $1.6 billion Hubble Space telescope was launched
into orbit with great anticipation. It was discovered that something
was very wrong. The problem was a few 25-cent washers that
technicians used to fill in a gap in an optical testing device had
shaken loose. The cost of the rescue mission to fix Hubble was $86
million. It is hard to believe how something so small can cause such
damage and bring about such costly repairs. Small things matter.
James reminds us of the small fire kindled by a loose tongue. “Now
if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey
us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also,
though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still
directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the
pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and
yet it boasts of great things” (James 3:3-5). The tongue is a little
member but how much damage can be done when not used properly.
Careless words can be few but start a conflagration of hurt and
destruction.
It must also be remembered that a few words can encourage and lift
up the spirits of the downtrodden. “A word fitly spoken is like
apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Proverbs 25:11). Paul wrote
the brethren at Thessalonica to “encourage one another and build up
one another, just as you also are doing... encourage the
fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1
Thessalonians 5:11-14). This type of encouragement does not take
many words. Words fitly spoken for those who need to be uplifted can
be of such value to the work of the Lord.
Small things take on the importance of sharing the gospel of Christ.
Jesus set the pattern in John 4 when He spoke to the woman at the
well. From this discussion with one woman, “From that city many of
the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who
testified, ‘He told me all the things that I have done.’ So when the
Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them;
and He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of His
word; and they were saying to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of
what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and
know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world’” (John
4:39-42). How many people can tell the story of their conversion
from the small beginning of a tract, a radio program, a bulletin
article, a caring heart who helped them find the truth?
Elijah became discouraged with the work of the Lord in 1 Kings 19
and desired the Lord to take his life. As he sat in his despair,
Jehovah comes to him “and a great and strong wind tore into the
mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the
Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the
Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but
the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small
voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12). The problem with Elijah was he thought
the will of Jehovah had to be accomplished with great things (see 1
Kings 17 & 18 for examples of great deeds); he was reminded that
the will of the Lord can be accomplished with one man if the Lord so
desires.
Small things matter to God: a cup of water (Matthew 25:31-46);
little children (Matthew 18:1-6); one soul (Luke 9:25); one sheep,
one coin, one boy (Luke 15). You (John 3:16).
-- Via the Taylorsville church of Christ, Louisville, Kentucky,
April 11, 2018
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-2-
Take It To The Lord In Prayer
Terry Ryan
Romans 8:26 (ESV): “Likewise the Spirit helps us in
our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but
the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words.”
Have you ever felt like this? So overwhelmed or sad or
depressed, that you don’t even know where to begin your prayer? The
Spirit of our Lord knows our hearts and can understand our despair,
without us even uttering a word. But sometimes we can neglect to go
to the Lord like we should. He desires for us to come to him in
prayer. What a comfort and what a privilege!
So why don’t we go to him? Understanding God and his love is
essential in maturing as a Christian. Getting to know him throughout
our lifetime should bring us great joy! God’s majesty is endless,
and his love is beyond comprehension. To study and learn about him,
and try to grasp an understanding of the depth of his love, can only
help us in our prayer life. We are not strangers to him, but
sometimes he can be a stranger to us. Not that we don’t know who God
is, but we don’t know his attributes. You are not going
to confide your innermost fears or your greatest joys with
someone you don’t trust. So, we need to really get to know God on a
deeper level and understand his character.
John 15:7 (NIV): “If you remain in me and my words remain
in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
Psalm 34:17 (ESV): “When the righteous cry for help, the
Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.”
Will God help us when we are in trouble? God loves us, and one way
he shows us is that he does answer prayers. Sometimes he does not
answer them right away. But he does in his time, and he will tell us
yes, or no, or not yet. We need to understand and trust his way.
Prayer is a very important part of our relationship with God.
Reading and studying his word, then praying, is how we commune with
him. Prayer is how we connect to him, and in a very special way,
demonstrate our love for him.
Philippians 4:6 (ESV): “Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known to God.”
1 Peter 5:7 (ESV): “Casting all your anxieties
on him, because he cares for you.”
We are to separate ourselves from this world, live in it but
don’t love it. That is a difficult thing to do, because most of our
time, other than sleeping, is spent in the world, and we are
surrounded by worldly things and people. God is our last bastion. He
is our only defender, and we must pray to him for help, as we strive
to be his people.
Psalm 34:4 (ESV): “I sought the Lord, and he
answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
God is not going to come down and literally stand in front of evil
and protect us while we are in this flesh. But spiritually, we can
count on him to protect us daily. Every time we pray, he hears
us, and his protective hand is upon us.
Psalm 91:14 (ESV): “Because he holds fast to me in
love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my
name.”
Psalm 91:1-5 (ESV): “He who dwells in the shelter of the
Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to
the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the
deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under
his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and
buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow
that flies by day.”
Psalm 138:7 (ESV): “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you
preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of
my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.”
Do we call on his name? Or do we neglect him and try to do it on our
own? How does that usually turn out for us? Someday, when Jesus
comes to gather us to him, nothing in this world will matter. But
until that day, the avenue of prayer is our link to him.
I love this song:
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
— Via Cedar Park church of Christ, April 19, 2019
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“Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is
near” (Isaiah 55:6, NASB).
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-3-
News & Notes
We are glad that tropical storm Barry did not bring a repeat of the
terrible flooding that many had experienced in 2016. RJ Evans
writes:
“Louisiana escaped the worst of Barry's flooding. I am happy to
report that all turned out well for our members. Prayers have been
answered. We are so thankful for the prayers of Christians all over
the nation. We express our deepest gratitude for your love, concern,
and again, your prayers. May God continue to bless us all as we
serve Him faithfully. To Him be the glory!”
For those to be praying for...
Myrna Jordan has not been feeling well lately.
Doyle Rittenhouse has been having some recent trouble
with his blood pressure and sugar levels being too low, while his
pulse has been too high.
Bud Montero has been under the weather the last couple days.
Let us also continue to remember in prayer those folks with ongoing
ailments and health issues: Ronnie & Melotine Davis,
Shirley Davis, A.J. & Pat Joyner, Jim Lively, Bud Montero,
Rick Cuthbertson, Deborah Medlock, Mary Vandevander, Nancy
Pinckard, Mary Martin, Waylon Murray, Michelle Rittenhouse, John
Stoval, Amris Bedford, Danny Hutcheson, Rex & Frankie Hadley,
and Roger Montgomery
WordPress Version of this bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2019/07/21/the-gospel-observer-july-21-2019/
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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, living
for the Lord;
for, if not,
salvation can
be lost (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 services: 9:00 a.m. (Bible class); 10
a.m. & 5 p.m. (worship)
Wednesday: 7 p.m. (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com
(Gospel Observer website with pictures in WordPress)
http://thomastedwards.com/go
(Older version of Gospel Observer website without pictures, but
back to March 1990)
http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermons)