Changes in Alcohol Use Improves in Teens, Worsens in Adults
Source: Rick Ruggles, “‘Good, bad, ugly’ in alcohol report,” Omaha World-Herald, 11 October 2012 The good news is that alcohol use is declining among teenagers. Nationally alcohol use within the preceding 30 days declined from 51% in 1991 to 39% in 2012. Binge drinking, defined as having several drinks in one sitting, in the preceding 30…
Read MoreHow do you deal with a man who stinks so bad it is hard to talk to him?
Question: Hello, I have a question concerning a man who has been coming to the Lord’s church recently. This man has been coming for about three months now and does not seem to be all there in the head or he is just really weird. From what he has told us he has no family…
Read MoreIs it a sin to divorce someone who forces you to worship idols?
Question: I need to know something: Is it a sin to divorce someone who forces you to worship idols? I have been praying fasting for my husband to stop. He sees the light for a short period but he goes back again. This has been happening for years. His family wants to force me to…
Read MoreI started to engage in sexual talk with an old girlfriend, but I stopped. Do I need to tell my fiancee?
Question: I am in a relationship with a wonderful woman. We are engaged to be married. I am a man of God and I am very religious. Recently one of my ex-girlfriends contacted me and wanted me to offer some sexual services over the phone. I felt it was wrong but I was stupid and…
Read MoreMy husband doesn’t tell me anything until the last moment
Question: I was searching for questions and answers regarding marriage online, and I found your site very interesting. I am a Christian too, and I have a question. My husband and I have been married for over ten years. My husband is good in so many aspects, but in communication with me, he is not…
Read MoreCan the Lord’s Supper be taken to a shut-in?
Question: In our home Bible class last evening, one in the class asked if it is wrong to take the Lord’s Supper to a member of the church who is a shut-in if the one, who is a shut-in, requests it. Answer: I have difficulty with this because Paul stated, “Therefore, my brethren, when you…
Read MoreI’m worried because my husband is a drug dealer
Question: I am a 25-year-old mother of three. I am married. My husband and I have children, but he started caring for my firstborn, who was from another man, ever since she was in my tummy. I am a foreigner in this country, but we got married illegally in the country of my origin when…
Read MoreIs it wrong to take classes from a university connected to a denomination?
Question: When I was trying to earn my high school diploma I took five online high school courses from BYU independent study. BYU is a Mormon university, which I believe is funded by the Mormon church. Was it wrong for me to take these courses? Would it be considered supporting the Mormon church? Also could…
Read MoreSome people are treating me as if I’m not welcomed anymore. Should I leave or put up with them?
Question: Several members at my church are treating me like I’m no longer wanted there. When I try to talk to them they don’t want to hear it. It is really hard to think of leaving, I’ve been there all my life. My dad was a founding member of this congregation. Should I leave or…
Read MoreHow do I restrain myself with my girlfriend?
Question: Hi Jeffrey, I’m in a courtship with a lady and we both promised each other never to fornicate, which we have kept for three years now. But we do kiss and romance each other since a year into our courtship. I have tried to stop it but to no avail. She has self-control over…
Read MoreWhat do I do about a girlfriend who is being pressured to drop me because of “prophecies?”
Question: Hi, I came across your site while googling about prophets and marriage. I have been a Christian for over 25 years in a Congregational church. I met a beautiful woman on a social network. I wasn’t looking to hook up or anything bad. I was actually just looking for friends. She had her profile…
Read MoreIs it necessary for a Christian to marry a non-Christian?
Question: I am a member of the church of Christ, but I have a question. Is it acceptable for a boy or girl to have a girl or boyfriend? And is it necessary for a member of the church of Christ to marry someone who is not in the church of Christ? Answer: Much depends…
Read MoreIs it wrong to marry a person of a different nationality?
Question: My family believes that it is a sin to marry a person who is not of the same nationality as you. As an example, they believe that is wrong to marry someone who is Mexican, Italian, Indian, etc. Being white, they also believe that it is a sin to marry someone that is black. …
Read MoreIs it wrong for a Christian to visit a place of idol worship out of respect?
Question: Hello, I had this question in mind for a long time and I feel you would be the best person who could answer this based on Scripture. I stay in India, and we have a multicultural society with multiple religions and festivals celebrated among friends and neighbors. It is quite common to be invited…
Read MoreThe Architect’s Blueprint
by Jefferson David Tant Let’s say that you want to build a house, so you hire an architect to draw up plans according to your wishes. A builder is then contracted to construct the home as per the architect’s blueprints. But something happens along the way, as the builder decides he has his own preferences,…
Read MoreMy sister is involved in drugs and left the church. How do I deal with her?
Question: My heart is heavy. My sister and her husband are no longer in the church. They have chosen a worldly lifestyle, and tell their children, one of whom is baptized, that they don’t need to go to church to get to heaven and that churches are full of hypocrites. Her heart has hardened and…
Read MoreThe Benefits of False Teaching (Sermon)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/BenefitsOfFalseTeaching.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 8:18-39 I. It is said there is a silver lining in every cloud A. Paul tells us that God can turn even wicked events to the advantage of the righteous (Romans 8:18-39) B. But it is hard to imagine any good coming from the work of those who teach against our…
Read MoreAnachronism?
by Steven Harper This past week, I got to witness a large-scale display of anachronous events near the town of Florence as the Society for Creative Anachronism [SCA] put on Estrella War XXIII. [There’s humor in that name if you do a little research.] We went down with several other families from my hometown of…
Read MoreAm I My Brother’s Keeper?
by Steven Harper You may be familiar with the story in which the title for today’s article was spoken, and probably just as familiar with its popular usage today. In the Bible story, Cain had killed his brother Abel and God said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” (Genesis 4:9). Cain’s reply was this familiar statement and question: “I…
Read MoreI’m beginning to doubt the things I’ve been taught most of my life, and I’m afraid of losing my faith in God
Question: I have something I would like your opinion on. I was part of a church called the Shepherd’s Chapel from the time I was 13. Their ideas run parallel to some of the ideas of the Nazis and the Christian Identity Movement. My mind has been opened to the idea of entertaining these thoughts…
Read MoreIs not the homosexual act and the person one and the same?
Question: Please explain: “God loves the sinner but hates the sin.” Is not the homosexual act and the person one and the same? Answer: They are not the same because sin cannot change from being wrong, but a person can change from doing wrong. See: Should we separate a man from his deeds, hating his sins…
Read MoreI gave my life to Christ, but I can’t seem to stop sinning
Question: I gave my life to Jesus when I was 7 years old because I was very interested in Jesus, When I did I was filled with the Holy Spirit and bawled my eyes out. I’m in my early twenties and what a journey in between all those years. I watch a lot of sermons…
Read MoreAccidents Don’t Happen
by Kent Heaton “Morning Afters Can Be Tough” the poster proclaims. The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecology announced a new plan to help women who do not want to become pregnant following a tryst with a lover with a drug called the “Morning After Pill.” A poster with the aforementioned heading has a cup…
Read MoreYou are not supposed to judge and you did
Question: In regards to “Can a girl get pregnant before her first period?” I really want to say that by reading this, you can no more tell if this is the person who may have sinned or someone who is uneducated and has a child who has been sinned against. Just as it is written,…
Read MoreWhy Teenagers Take Risks
Source: “Teens more likely to embrace unknown,” The Omaha World-Herald, 3 October 2012 An interesting study finds that teenagers are more likely to take risks when they don’t know what the odds are, but if they know the odds are poor will avoid dangerous situations. Adults will do the opposite. They will avoid situations where…
Read MoreDrunk Driving Down Among Teens
Source: “Drunken Driving Down,” Omaha World-Herald, 3 October 2012 It is nice to have some good news once in a while. “In 2011, 10 percent of high school students reported drinking and driving, compared with 22 percent in 1991.” More notable is that this change is attributed in part to enforcing the law. “The legal…
Read MoreI am so thankful to have found another faithful church
Question: I am so thankful to have found another church of Christ that practices the doctrine of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. God bless you in your courage to present these truths to all who would read and listen. I am a member of the church of Christ in Mississippi. I will be accessing…
Read MoreIt was wonderful to know more about the gospel from your site
Question: Hello Brother, Recently I visited your web site. It was really wonderful to know more about the gospel. Thanks for doing God’s services. Helping, like us, to share more information with believers. Answer: I’m glad you found the site useful.
Read MoreGod wouldn’t put unnecessary restrictions on people
Question: Homophobia is such a joke. God, if He exists, wouldn’t put unnecessary restrictions on His people. Can you really imagine your ever-loving, ever-forgiving God being that petty? This is pathetic. Answer: It is interesting that you assume that anyone who disagrees with you does so without reason and only because of a “fear” that…
Read MoreIslam and the Bible
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IslamAndTheBible1.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 2:3-11 I. I found an article on the editorial page of the newspaper back in 1996 A. It was written in defense of the Islamic religion. 1. Claiming that it is similar to Judaism and Christianity 2. In fact, it is the natural follow-on to the work of Moses and Jesus…
Read MoreWe want to get married, but we can’t even afford rings
Question: My partner and I want to get married so badly, but we don’t have money for anything, not even rings. I have a six-month-old baby with my partner and refuse any longer to sleep with him until we are married because the truth about how the children of God should live has been revealed…
Read MoreI sinned, but I’m afraid to tell my priests
Question: I am twenty-two years old, almost twenty-three. I did something a few days ago that has damaged my heart deeply and left a big emptiness. I have been dating a guy who is not a Christian. He started going to church when we started dating. I was baptized two years ago and had been…
Read MoreThanks for posting information on the history of the hymnbook
Question: I was looking up hymn book resources on the Internet and found the La Vista church’s page for hymn book history. Thanks for putting the page up there. Answer: I’m glad you found the material useful. There are several articles filed under “Music” on the history of the hymns we sing.
Read MoreIf a man married three times, but his wives are all now dead, can he marry again?
Question: If a man had three spouses, he divorced his first wife for adultery and he married an adulterer, divorced her for unknown reasons, and married a woman who was not an adulterer and divorced her to go back to his second wife, and all three spouses die, is it OK for the man to…
Read MorePeople stop being friends with me because of some nice things I’ve posted. Should I stop posting?
Question: So I’m in college right now, and I was finally making friends. I say finally because I’m very shy and have a hard time making friends. Anyway, I like to post things on Facebook about God — nice messages about waiting for marriage or pro-life stuff. I have noticed some of my friends have…
Read MoreBy One Spirit … Baptized Into One Body
by Terry W. Benton “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (I Corinthains 12:13). What does “by one Spirit” mean? The Holy Spirit is the element we are immersed in? Holy Spirit is the agency…
Read MoreCould you review this debate on whether God exists?
Question: Can you look at this is a video of a debate asking if the God of the Bible exists? Now it’s lengthy, but I imagine you will skim through the main points. My question is if you could address some of the statements that were made because I feel the Christian side did a…
Read MoreI feel that God promised me this house, but I know it is more than I need. Why can’t I stop thinking about it?
Question: Please give me some insight: There is this house that I have been praying for. Now in my spirit, I sometimes believe that this is my house and that God has blessed me with it. I have received some signs that it could be God’s promise, but they not so concrete, and keeping this…
Read MoreI’m in an abusive relationship and I don’t know what to do
Question: I need help trying to discern God’s will for my life and the life of my family. I am prayerfully hoping that you will be able to help me with how to go about making this decision. I have been married for nearly twenty years and have several children. I don’t know how much…
Read MoreMy wife divorced me after she had an affair, and I can’t help thinking it was all my fault
Question: I found your website searching online and I have a question to ask! My wife of 15 years divorced me recently. I’m just lost and devastated. From the start, I was verbally abusive and on a few occasions had pushed her. The fact is: I was abusive and that’s a fact. I hurt inside…
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