Moments that Test Us
by Mike Thomas Persecution reveals the quality of our faith in the same way fire reveals the nature of metal (I Peter 1:7). But persecution is not the only moment that reveals our character. There are other scenes in life that are just as effective in exposing our inner man: Being Alone Photo by Warren…
Read MoreMixed Marriages (Hamilton)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton While Israel was in captivity due to their many sins, the people lived among the foreign nations for so long that they became lax in following God’s commands. A major factor contributing to this came from their mixed marriages – Israelites marrying foreigners who brought their religious practices into the union.…
Read MoreMaking Friends
Text: Proverbs 18:24 (KJV or NKJV) I. I received a note from a fourteen year old boy. He has moved a lot in his short life, attending ten different schools. The school he is currently attending was the first one where he stayed for more than one year. But it has left him with a…
Read MoreI have this bad habit of seeing prostitutes
Question: I’ve been reading your articles and you are a blessing. My question is: Can God forgive someone who keeps on falling into a bad habit? I have a confession to make: Yesterday I fell from grace and engaged in sex with prostitutes. A month before I had fallen into the same trap and repented.…
Read MoreHow do I please God?
Question: Sir, Please, I want to know more about how to please God. Answer: You learn what God wants by studying His teachings in the Bible. “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the…
Read MoreIf Jesus is without sin, why did he get baptized?
Question: Hey Jeff, We get baptized to wash away sins. If Jesus is without sin, why did he get baptized? Answer: “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to…
Read MoreElders in the Old Testament
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/EldersInTheOldTestament.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Job 29 I. While we don’t live under the laws of the Old Testament, there are things to be learned from its pages – Romans 15:4 A. Sometimes we forget that elders have been used long before the church B. It would be useful to learn some of the history of…
Read MoreIf I haven’t married yet, can I still be a deacon?
Question: Good day, Bro. Jeffrey, I write this email in order to seek a mature answer and guidance from a well-rounded spiritual leader. Our local church here wants to appoint deacons since we don’t have formally appointed ones. We already studied the apostle Paul’s teachings on appointing deacons based on I Timothy 3:8-12 for many…
Read MoreChurch should just be simple Bible teachings without the unnecessary “frosting” that just adds empty calories to people’s spiritual lives
Question: May God bless you all. I came across your great page and just thanked the Lord for that. Reading through it was just a great piece of God letting me know He has been listening to my questions and thoughts about the church. Recently I have been feeling pretty frustrated with how most churches…
Read MoreDid God send my boyfriend a sign that we should break up?
Question: Hi there, Recently at church, I met this man who right from the start was different from all the other guys I know. He had a deep passion for Christ and was so excited about getting to know him more. His excitement was contagious and I found that through hanging out with him and…
Read MoreI left an abusive marriage. Can I date and remarry?
Question: I divorced a man who hit my son and hit me. His pastor says that I am not allowed to ever remarry and if I date and remarry I will burn in the Lake of fire and hear his words for all eternity in my mind in Hell. My ex-husband did not have sex…
Read MoreI can’t bring myself to stop fornicating
Question: Hello, I have a difficult situation that I blame myself for. I have two children out of wedlock by two different men. I am very ashamed; however, I love my children. I got saved a year ago and just got baptized last week. Anyway, to make a long story short, I have stopped fornicating…
Read MoreIs it all right to stay living with someone until we get married?
Question: Okay so on the subject of living together before marriage: I chose this before I knew God. Now, I am stuck in this situation. I have repented for having premarital sex. My boyfriend and I will be getting married soon. Will I go to hell if I die? I have nowhere else to go…
Read MoreCan we be forgiven when we have had children out of wedlock with different people?
Question: Hi, I have been trying to get on the right path. I know I have sinned and was lost. I made mistakes. I am in a relationship, never married, but we love each other and would like to marry eventually. We have a child together. However, we both have children with other people. What…
Read MoreI’ve sinned with a girl, but our parents won’t let us marry
Question: I was deeply in love with a girl. She is a Hindu and I’m a Christian. We were deeply in love and lost control of our love. We had intercourse and oral sex. We learned that our parents are not willing to let us marry and live happy lives. In anger, I sexually harassed…
Read MoreI kept my boyfriend from penetrating me, but now he won’t talk to me
Question: Hi, I am 27 years old. I’ve kept myself a virgin all these years. I recently met my long-time chase. I told him I was already in a relationship three years ago (that relationship did not work out), so we started talking again and visiting each other. The first time I visited he tried…
Read MoreDo you have to tell everyone you lied to that you lied in order to repent?
Question: Does the Bible say that if you lie, you have to tell whoever you lied to that you did? I am wondering because I have been obsessing over something that is probably stupid to obsess over. Anyway, it was a long time ago, and I don’t even know for sure if I did lie,…
Read MoreThe man I committed adultery with wants to marry me, but I’m not certain it is right
Question: Good evening I’m a child of God who knows the truth about salvation but backslid for many years. I met this man on a speed date. He is a pastor. He runs his own ministry with very few church members. At the time we met earlier this year I was so deep in the…
Read MoreWas the Lord’s Supper a part of the Passover meal?
Question: Greetings, First, I’d like to say that I praise God for your site. I use it for my Bible study and it has really helped me a lot. Now the question I have is whether or not it is sinful for me to be in a church that is teaching we should only use…
Read MoreElders Who Rule Well
Elders Who Rule Well – Part 1Elders Who Rule Well – Part 2 Text: I Timothy 5:17-21 I. Consider an imaginary congregation A. At the beginning, there was much work to be done. The challenges of the demands required many sacrifices. B. The members joined in planning and the work. As each was aware of what went…
Read MoreI don’t know what else to do. If my boyfriend doesn’t come back, I think I will kill myself
Question: I am 22 years and am a final year college student. I don’t know much about this site and when I googled I got this link. I am writing this email seeking help. First I am a Hindu, but I believe in Christ. I want something that convinces me and makes me believe that…
Read MoreHow can a government execute the death penalty when we are told not to take vengeance?
Question: Hello Jeffrey, I have a question about the practice of capital punishment. I was having a discussion with my mom about the matter and we came to the understanding that capital punishment is not lawful in God’s eyes. What confused me was in verse 4. It says “he does not bear the sword in…
Read MorePlease continue to upload your public domain pictures
Question: I wanted to thank you, brethren, for the public domain pictures and would encourage you to continue to upload them. They are very helpful! I am planning on uploading some YouTube videos on baptism and want the videos to be as professional (within reason) as I can make them. These pictures, though black and white, are…
Read MoreShould I leave the Baptist church?
Question: I’ve been up since 5 this morning wrestling through scriptures, websites, my pastor’s teaching from three Wednesday nights ago entitled “Is baptism required or necessary for salvation” and emails from a close friend (who is a Baptist) who is trying to help me study the Scripture. I asked several questions that night at Bible…
Read MorePray Without Ceasing
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall8PrayWithoutCeasing.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreThe Providence of God (Waters)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall7TheProvidenceOfGod.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreI don’t know how I got myself into this situation
Question: My boyfriend and I have been together for two years. I am 22 years old and he is 25. Before I meet him, I was on fire for God. I used to tell people about the goodness of God. I am even an armorbearer for my pastor — I carry his Bible and travel…
Read MoreContentment in Christ
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall6ContentmentInChrist.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreDoes Matthew 19:9 only refer to fornication prior to marriage?
Question: Hi, I am confused about your definition of porneia in Mathew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9. In your answer to the question “My wife is leaving me after only seven months of marriage. Where does this leave me?” you said that: “One of the reasons for the divorce has to be because the other person…
Read MoreIn Due Time We Will Reap
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall5InDueTimeWeWillReap.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreBuilding a Lasting Faith
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall4BuildingALastingFaith.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreMarriage Counsel from Peter
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall2MarriageCounselFromPeter.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreThe Good Life – Five Lessons from Ecclesiastes
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall1TheGoodLife.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreThe Good Life
by Mike Waters The Good Life – Five Lessons from Ecclesiastes Marriage Counsel from Peter God’s Plan for His People Building a Lasting Faith In Due Time We Will Reap Contentment in Christ The Providence of God Pray Without Ceasing
Read MoreThe Rule of Elders (Hamilton)
The Rule of Elders – Part 1The Rule of Elders – Part 2 Reading: Matthew 20:20-28 I. Consider an imaginary congregation A. It is a fair-sized group with an abundance of men, but few are actively involved in the work of the church. B. There are two active and very visible elders. 1. They exclusively teach the adult…
Read MoreAre willful sins irremissible?
Question: Hello, I repented wholeheartedly and believed that I would never (willfully) sin again. I was determined to not sin. I was overjoyed to be baptized for the forgiveness of my sins because I knew what Jesus went through to make it possible, and I thought that surely I would never turn my back and…
Read MoreIs my boyfriend cheating on me or am I just being hormonal?
Question: Hi, I’m having trouble figuring out if I’m being paranoid, or if my soon-to-be husband is cheating on me. I’m 8 months pregnant. I had an episode of angina several days ago. My doctor said it was caused by excessive stress and it could happen again. Now my fiance is being careful with his…
Read MoreGod’s Plan for His People
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall3GodsPlanForHisPeople.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreI’m not happy about my girlfriend’s past and I’m afraid it might happen again
Question: I have been with my girlfriend for about a year. We have known each other for about five years. I’m not happy about her past, and it scares me if she will ever do it again. She had a boyfriend for four years, but it wasn’t a really nice relationship. He treated her badly…
Read MoreMy wife is having an affair and wants a divorce. What do I need to do?
Question: Hello, My wife and I have been married for 15 years. For over five years I have been dealing with jealousy issues because of flirting and her having emotional-type affairs with other men. I felt like my masculinity was in question and if I said the way she was acting bothered me, it seemed…
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