What Holiness Should Mean to the Christian
by Gary Henry via WordsPoint.com “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (I Peter 1:15-16). Perhaps we who are Christians today do not often think about our holiness. But we should think about it. If it does…
Read MoreGod Is Closer Than We May Realize
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 28:16-17, Jacob wakes up from his dream of the ladder and says, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I did not know it.” He wasn’t praying. He wasn’t worshiping. He wasn’t even in a good spiritual place. He was running from the consequences of his own deception. Yet God…
Read MoreIs the phrase “We are now living under grace” incorrect?
Question: Is the phrase, “We are now living under grace,” incorrect? Answer: The phrase is based on Romans 6:14, but to understand it properly, let’s look at the context: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your…
Read MoreFalse Teachers
by Edwin Crozier In II Peter, we learn what is at stake. If we do not take Peter’s instruction to heart, we will drift back into corruption. When we return to the beginning of II Peter 2, we discover that the situation is even more precarious. We are not growing in neutral territory. The fear…
Read MorePretense
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 27, Jacob approaches Isaac, pretending to be Esau, and Isaac says, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s.” It’s such a striking line because it captures the tension of a divided identity: one thing on the outside, another on the inside. Jacob is trying to secure God’s blessing…
Read MoreNot Saved by Saying Alone
by Gary Henry via WordsPoint.com “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do” (Matthew 23:2-3). Saying and doing are closely related, but they are two different things. It…
Read MoreIf Not Easy, Then Doable
by Gary Henry via Wordspoint.com “Most assuredly, I say to you [Peter], when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death…
Read MoreThe Cause
by Terry Wane Benton If something is not eternal, then it must have come into existence at some point in time. The universe came into existence at a point in time. Modern scientists call it the “big bang.” Thus, the universe is not eternal, but came into existence at a point in time. Now, what…
Read MoreGod Blesses Obedience
by Zeke Flores “Now Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold, and Yahweh blessed him” (Genesis 26:12). Isaac plants crops during a famine and reaps a hundredfold. It’s such a simple detail, but it carries a huge truth: God can bless obedience even in environments that look completely unproductive.…
Read MoreThe Excellence of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/The-Excellence-of-the-Knowledge-of-Christ-Jesus.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Philippians 3:1-11 I. Saul was an outstanding member of the Jewish religion during his time A. He had all the right qualities – Philippians 3:4-6 B. He was advancing faster than his peers – Galatians 1:13-14 C. But he changed when he came to know who Jesus really was -…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between punishment and discipline?
Question: Good day, Minister. Thank you for your labor in God’s vineyard. God bless you. My questions are: Is there a difference between punishment and discipline in the Bible? At what point can one say “I am being punished by God” in today’s dispensation? Do you have any write-up or material that explains what exactly…
Read MoreAlways a Child of God?
by Terry Wane Benton If it is true that “once you are a child of God, you can never be lost or cease to be a child of God,” then what happened to Adam and the rest of the sons of God? Adam is called the son of God (Luke 3:38), and the rest of…
Read MoreThe Language of Feelings
by Gardner Hall Have you heard this type of language from disciples you know? “I took it as a sign that God wanted us to be here.” “I think that God was trying to tell me something by allowing this to happen.” “I felt a providential nudge to do it.” Our evangelical friends have used…
Read MoreAttaining the Knowledge of Christ
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Attaining-the-Knowledge-of-Christ.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: II Peter 1:1-4 I. Christianity is the life of following Christ A. To follow anyone, you need to know who you are following B. Jesus prayed that his followers would know the only true God and His Son – John 17:3 1. He told his disciples that if they knew…
Read MoreTired of the Filthy Mouths
by Brad Harrub, Ph.D. One of the clearest indicators of cultural decline is not found in court rulings or political debates, but in everyday speech. Profanity has exploded in our culture—not only in conversations, but emblazoned across clothing, plastered on car decals, and casually promoted as humor or “being real.” It’s everywhere!! What once shocked…
Read MorePersonal Perfection to Get to Heaven?
by Perry Hall Ever hear someone say, “I hope I did enough to go to heaven?” Or have you heard preached, “That church isn’t ‘sound’ so anyone baptized there is still lost”? Those are dangerous thoughts. If we have to be perfect in all areas to get to heaven, then we only need grace until…
Read MoreNotes on Why God’s Judgment Through the Bears Was Righteous
by Terry Wane Bento (based on an AI-generated list) The “children” were not little kids The Hebrew word נְעָרִים (na’arim) can refer to: young men, servants, military trainees, adolescents, or adults (e.g., Joseph at 17 is called a na’ar). The same word describes Ishmael as a teenager, David as a warrior, and Solomon as a…
Read MoreConfirm Your Calling
by Edwin Crozier Augustine reportedly summarized Christian salvation and growth this way: “Without God, I cannot. Without me, God will not.” Peter demonstrates this dynamic cooperation as he outlines Christian maturity in II Peter 1. Apart from God’s divine power, divine promises, divine call, and divine election, we could not possibly grow to maturity by…
Read MoreJesus and the New Wine
by Doy Moyer John records the miracle at Cana of Galilee, in which Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-12). Jesus, His disciples, and His mother attended a wedding feast. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother came to Him and said, “They have no wine.” We don’t know exactly what she was expecting Jesus…
Read MoreFaith and Commitment Must Be Grown
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “And all of us… are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another” (II Corinthians 3:18 AMP). For Christians, the goal is to be transformed into the image of Christ. As Paul indicates in this text, this transformation…
Read MoreDealing with Grief
by Zeke Flores When Sarah dies, Abraham mourns deeply — and then he rises to secure a burial place. It’s a tender picture of grief and responsibility living side by side. Abraham doesn’t rush past his pain, but he also doesn’t get stuck in it. He honors Sarah by grieving honestly and acting wisely. This…
Read MoreAdd to Your Faith
by Edwin Crozier via Read the Bible, Make Disciples Text: II Peter 1. Because God has given us everything we need to become partakers of His divine nature, we need not sit on our hands moping that we cannot be with or become like God. No doubt, our efforts alone would always fail to bring…
Read MoreThe Mystery of Christ
by Hugh DeLong Text: Ephesians 3 The mystery of Christ, as mentioned in Ephesians, is that “to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). Such was not revealed as (in the same way, to…
Read MoreEvery Day Is a New Opportunity to Fight the Devil
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (I Peter 5:8-9). In the New Testament, encouragements to resist Satan…
Read MoreSaved by Faith
by Hugh DeLong “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ…
Read MorePrayer for Our Nation
by Terry Wane Benton “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of…
Read MoreTwo Churches Want to Grow
by Bill Hall via Seeking Things Above Two churches want to grow, but their attitudes toward growth differ greatly. The first church looks upon growth as its primary purpose. Goals are placed before the membership: “We want to double our membership within the next three years,” for instance. Success (or failure) is judged almost entirely…
Read MoreThe Role of Women in the Church
by Mike Johnson via Seeking Things Above The role of women in society has changed dramatically in recent years. Some changes have been good, but many have not. Societal changes eventually filter into the church. Renewed discussion is occurring on this issue, and some are contending for an expanded role for women in the church. …
Read MoreWhen Jesus Marveled (Baggett)
by Michael R. Baggett There are many occasions when individuals and crowds marveled at the gracious words and mighty miracles of Jesus. Did you know there were times when Jesus marveled at individuals and groups? There were ways people behaved that caused Jesus to observe with wonder. On one occasion, Jesus returned to his hometown…
Read MoreIs There Unity in Diversity?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Is-There-Unity-in-Diversity.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Romans 12:3-16 I. You find the motto of the United States in many places, “e pluribus unum,” “from many, one” A. It describes the sentiment that people from all over the world can come, settle here, make a life for themselves, and be united with all other citizens.…
Read MoreLife’s Choices
by Jason Hardin via In God’s Image Life is all about choices. Some of those choices are relatively inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. “What do you want to eat for lunch?” But it’s not an overstatement to say that some choices are immeasurably more weighty because they will impact the rest of your…
Read MoreModern, Urban, Digital
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). We might wish we’d been born in another world, but that choice is not ours. What we’ve got is what we’ve got. Jesus’ prayer for…
Read MoreWhy People Thousands of Years Later Don’t Know More Than the Eyewitnesses
by Gardner Hall The president of Colombia caused quite a stir in Latin America when he recently said, “Jesus made love, yes … because a man like that couldn’t exist without love.” There’s more to the quote that I don’t care to repeat, but this kind of nonsense is heard increasingly. Here are two of…
Read MoreGod’s Authority Is Beautiful
by Doy Moyer via InLight Media Authority in Scripture is more than rules — it’s part of the beautiful tapestry of who God is. Some bristle at the idea of meticulously following what scripture says, demonstrates, and implies, perhaps because they feel that such a practice is legalistic and out of line with the true…
Read MoreKeep the Unity
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Keep-the-Unity.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Ephesians 4:1-6 I. The wedding day comes and a couple joins together in a covenant due to their love for each other. A. The two become one flesh. They are united and now see everything from the same point of view. 1. Some of you are smiling out there.…
Read MoreDid I break a vow I made due to OCD?
Question: Good morning, I struggle with intrusive thoughts, doubts, fears, and compulsive behaviors. This is the way it has tended to show up for me: Example 1: Walking down the sidewalk and thanking God for a beautiful day Thought: “You should kneel on the sidewalk to pray publicly.” I would resist: “No, I don’t want…
Read MoreFalse Teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses
by Jon Gary Williams They speak of Christ, the soul, hell, the resurrection, and other fundamental biblical ideas. But what they espouse regarding these and other biblical terms does not align with what the Bible teaches. Has a Jehovah’s Witness ever knocked on your door? If not, someday they will. Are you aware of what…
Read MoreMy Days as a Roman Catholic
by David Weaks I was a Roman Catholic for the first twenty-one years of my life, and during those years, I was truly ignorant about God. That is my answer when people ask what it was like to be a Catholic. My spiritual training came from a catechism book, not the Bible. As a Catholic,…
Read MoreWere Sins “Rolled Forward”?
by Ney Rieber via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 2, June 1994 Was there forgiveness of sins for those under the Old Testament? This question is frequently answered in the negative. It is stated that their sins were not forgiven, but were “rolled forward” year by year. The primary passage used to support this idea is…
Read MoreC’mon, Hug a Tree
by Joe Bunting via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 2, June 1994 The following article appeared in the American Nurseryman, March 15, 1994: The Canaanites of the biblical days did it. The Druids in ancient Britain did it. And now the practice of tree worship is gaining popularity in the US and elsewhere. Citing the Garden…
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