Archive for 2005
How do I deal with a rebellious attitude in a nine-year-old?
Question: When asking my nine-year-old daughter to do various chores she always obeys, but sometimes with a “humph,” a little puff of air which blows her hair up, sometimes with eye-rolling, and on rare occasions with stomping. I wonder if this is rebellion biblically? How do I get happy obedience? I find myself putting up…
Read MoreMy fifteen-year-old has become violent and domineering
Question: My oldest boy is 15 years old. Recently he has become violent and domineering. All the conversations that we have had with him haven’t helped much. He continues to pretend that now he is 15 years old he has the right to be free and to behave as he pleases. When we threaten punishment,…
Read MoreHow can I help someone who attempted suicide?
Question: I have a problem that I have never had to deal with before and pray that I will not experience anything like it again. One of our member’s granddaughter attempted suicide, by an overdose of prescription medication, last night. She is only fifteen years old, a very sweet young girl, but one that is…
Read MoreWhy does my son lie about his homework?
Question: Why does my son lie about his homework? Answer: People commit sins because they determine that momentary pleasure exceeds the consequences. The Bible mentions: “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy…
Read MoreWhat do you suggest is a proper bedtime for preteens and teenagers?
Question: Thank you for a great site. I have one question. I have three children: two girls (ages 15 and 9) and a boy (age 12). One of my daughters asked permission to sleepover at one of her girlfriend’s home. I contacted the girlfriend’s mother and informed her about my daughter’s bedtime. She was very…
Read MoreMy son has become defiant and repeats the same sins
Question: I have a question in relation to child training. My son is 14 and I have to occasionally give him a spanking. However, he has been getting in trouble with the same sin. He continues to defy his mom. I read your articles on the website in regards to using the rod. I usually…
Read MoreHow do I prepare my nine-year-old daughter for puberty?
Question: I have a young 9-year-old girl and I’m trying to learn more about how to handle her upcoming puberty. It’s going to be hard for her to learn how to handle her young sexual desires. I have no idea what it’s like for girls. I’ll have to lean on my wife quite a bit.…
Read MoreDo boys get into trouble more because they are not taught to communicate?
Question: It’s good to know there are men like yourself in the world. It’s unfortunate that not enough men use old fashioned values for raising their sons. And it’s made worse when fathers do not support each other. I have two boys, 13 and 15. Good kids but rowdy as lots of boys are. My…
Read MoreShould kids swim with the opposite sex?
Question: I would like to ask why mixed swimming wasn’t discussed in your article, “Proper Attire”? To me, wearing any bathing suit is as close to being naked as you can get. There is nothing left to anyone’s imagination. Even if a person is clothed from head to toe, going to a public swimming pool…
Read MoreI can’t get my daughter to drink enough liquids
Question: I am having trouble with my daughter not drinking enough fluids. She gets really constipated and we all suffer for it. She may be in physical pain, but it messes with our bath and bedtimes. She was on the toilet for 45 minutes last night. She also makes us late for church, school, etc.…
Read MoreMy seven-year-old complains every time he has to do something
Question: I am once again in need of advice from those of you that have been at this longer than I. I am having a problem with my 7-year-old son. He is completing his chores and his schoolwork, but I am troubled by his attitude. I feel like I have to push him through his…
Read MoreMy child is constantly angry
Question: My 6 (almost 7) year old daughter is constantly angry. Anytime we tell her, “no,” or she doesn’t get her way, she gets this “angry face” and stomps around and pouts, or runs to her room to have a fit. I don’t give in to her when she behaves this way, so I figured…
Read MoreHow do you handle an overactive child without drugs?
Question: I am a tired mother with a very overactive 6-year-old, and though I do not want to rely on drugs to calm him, I’m forced to consider it, if this is indeed a problem that might be out of his hands and ours. It is a situation which I must deal with personally, and…
Read MoreMy daughter lies but eventually tells the truth under pressure
Question: If a child lies about something but eventually tells the truth under pressure, should she be punished for not telling the truth in the first place, or will that just encourage her to persist in the lie the next time? It seems to me we should be teaching them that the right thing to…
Read MoreMy child has become fearful of our new house
Question: I love your web site! Please advise: I have a 5-year-old son who has two older sisters. They have all been watching the Disney Channel’s Halloween specials. I just found out how scary they are, at least to a 5-year-old! To top things off, we just moved from 800 sq ft to a 3,000…
Read MoreWhat do you do with a whining 5-year-old who doesn’t like to take a bath?
Question: What do you do with a whining 5-year-old who doesn’t like to take a bath? Answer: Children learn to do things that let them do the things they want to do. The simple answer is that you’re the parent and he is the child. Don’t let the whining change or delay what needs to…
Read MoreHow do I stop my 8-year-old from wetting his bed?
Question: How do I stop my 8-year-old from wetting his bed? Answer: In most cases you will not be able to stop the problem; you will only be able to minimize the number of events. For reasons still not fully understood, some children — mostly boys — holding urine overnight. Speculations range from difficulty in…
Read MoreMy 8-year-old says he wants to drown himself. What do I do?
Question: I have an 8-year-old with behavioral issues. Several times he has said he wants to drown himself. What do I do? Answer: Assuming that the statements are not hyperbole, such as indicating embarrassment by saying “I wish I were dead,” then you have a problem on your hand that cannot be ignored. It is…
Read MoreHow should I handle a child that badgers me all the time?
Question: How should I handle a child that badgers me all the time? I found an article and wanted to know what you think. The article said, When a child resorts to badgering, the goal is to wear the parent down in order to change the no answer to a yes answer. It’s amazing how…
Read MoreHow do you present an attractive meal for a five-year-old child?
Question: How do you present an attractive meal for a five-year-old child? Answer: My first thought was why would a parent want to cater to the whims of a child? Is it for a special occasion? Or is the child ill and not eating well? Or are you as the adult trying to win points…
Read MoreDid I do the right thing by spanking my child for pushing me?
Question: I have a question. My youngest son is 4 years old. Yesterday he pushed me and said some bad words. I was upset and I asked him to apologize, but he didn’t. Today his misbehavior returned. He did the same thing. I took him to his room, but he yelled, so I decided to spank him. Did…
Read MoreCan too many toys hamper a child’s play?
Question: Can too many toys hamper a child’s play? Answer: You might be surprised to learn that overindulging in “things”, such as toys, can lead to boredom. See the article “Boredom” for more details.
Read MoreCan diapers cause sterility later in life?
Question: I have a friend who is from Russia. I believe she gets a lot of her information from her relatives there. Her son will be 3 in March. She has not bothered to potty train him at all, but he doesn’t wear diapers, just his normal underpants with jeans or shorts, depending on the…
Read MoreHow do you handle difficulties in getting a toddler to brush her teeth?
Question: How do you handle difficulties in getting a toddler to brush her teeth? Answer: I asked several women in the church and the following is a composite of their responses. Most small children go through a stage where they don’t want to brush their teeth. Most of the time is just another form of…
Read MoreWill Catholics go to hell?
Question: Will Catholics go to hell? Answer: “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do…
Read MoreStand Up, Stand Up for Jesus
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Allen Webster tells the following story, A. “The municipal auditorium was full. The speech by the noted atheist was powerful. After a bombardment of the Bible, there came a moment of choice. If you still believed in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, stand up and be counted. The silence was…
Read MoreShould a Christian use medicinal drugs that may affect the mind?
Question: Should a Christian use medicinal drugs that may affect the mind? Answer: The Bible teaches Christians to be sound of mind. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8). The Greek word translated as “sober” is nepho, which literally means…
Read MoreThe Social Church
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. As you visit various congregations, you will quickly notice that there are differing beliefs held by various groups. A. Some of these differences appear to be minor. Some quite significant. B. I have notice as time moves on that the number of fractures have been increasing. I count at least four or five…
Read MoreShould Christians Fast?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 58:1-12 I. Once in a while someone will ask if they ought to fast. A. Is it something acceptable in the New Testament, or was it only a part of the Old? B. Do you fast just to be doing, or does it serve some purpose? II. Purpose of Fasting A. Fasting was done…
Read MoreThe Scriptures Alone?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 1 I. A fellow preacher received a question and he asked me what I thought about it. A. “Where in the Bible does it tell us that the Bible is the only or ultimate source of authority? I cannot find it anywhere! II Timothy 3:16 is the closest, but…
Read MoreThe mistranslation of “Jesus” is the 666 in Revelation
Question: Does it mean that the verb “count” in Revelation 13:18 must be ignored? Does it mean that the counting operation in Revelation 13:18 leads to no result at all? I have found that if you assign numeric values to the alphabet from 1 to 26, then Iesvs (74) + Jesus (74) + Joshua (74) + Messiah (74) =…
Read MoreIs “Jesus” the name used in the New Testament?
Question: Can you demonstrate that “Jesus” is a very old name mentioned by the writers of the New Testament? Answer: The New Testament was originally written in Greek. The name for our Lord was spelled “Iesous” in Greek (using English letters). Four people in the New Testament are mentioned having this name: The Christ (Acts…
Read MoreWhat did the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments look like?
Question: What are stone tablets like the one that had the Ten Commandments on them? Please send me a picture. Answer: As far as we know, the tablets no longer exist. They, like most of the items in the temple, have disappeared. We know what the lampstand roughly looked like because there is an image…
Read MoreWhat advantage is there to being religious?
Question: What are the advantages of being religious? Answer: Much would depend on what you have in mind when you refer to someone as “religious.” Many religions in the world do not offer their followers an advantage. But since you asked me, I will assume that you are equating Christianity to being religious. In this…
Read MoreAre cherubim angels?
Question: Are cherubim angels? Answer: Though traditionally counted among the angels, the Bible does not call cherubim or seraphim angels. The word “angel” means “messenger.” Seraphim means “fiery ones” and cherubim means “ones who hold fast.” All are spiritual beings, but since they appear to serve different roles, it would be a mistake to intermingle…
Read MoreThe Consequence of Premillennialism
by Hoyt H. Houchen Guardian of Truth Magazine XXVI: 2, pp. 18-20, January 14, 1982 There are different kinds of premillennialists, but whether they be historic or dispensational in their views, all of them agree that after the second coming of Christ, He will reign upon this earth for one thousand years before the final…
Read MoreThe Thousand Year Reign
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Many elaborate theories have been based on Revelation 20:4-6. Some teach that at his second coming the Christ will set up a kingdom here on earth. To help him administer this new kingdom, Christians from the early church will be raised to rule with him. After a peaceful reign that lasts a…
Read MoreAn Overview of Premillennial Theories
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton When dealing with the second coming of Jesus Christ, you will find a wide variety of theories floating about the world. The vast majority of them are simply strange fantasies that have little to do with the teaching of the Bible. Yet, because the myths are repeated many times over, people…
Read MoreEconomic Systems
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2005/10/EconomicSystems.mp3 Text: Luke 12:13-34 I. Many of the things we take for granted in our life are difficult for everyone to produce individually A. Imagine life where you had to produce everything yourself. 1. That car you drove to services, would you be able to put one together yourself? 2. What if that also required that you designed…
Read MoreA Right to Privacy?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 5:8-17 I. In our society the concept of a right to privacy has taken on a significant role A. A few years back, two men arrested for committing homosexual acts won their case by arguing that what was done in the privacy of their home could not be used against…
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