I Will Be with You
by Zeke Flores “Yahweh said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your fathers … and I will be with you'” (Genesis 31:3). This is more than travel instructions; it’s a doctrinal and directional anchor: God’s presence is the foundation for obedience, but His presence doesn’t come without obedience. Jacob isn’t returning because the circumstances…
Read MoreNew Is Better
by Hugh DeLong “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The Bible is God’s word. God,…
Read MoreThe Questionnaire Creed: Its History and Its Future
by Floyd Chappalear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 “If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam. After seeking advice, the king made…
Read MoreWhat I Love to See
by David Gibson Powerful Effect I love to see a well-used Bible—worn cover, key passages marked, and with lots of hand-written notes in the margins. Even more, I love seeing believers whose lives are shaped by the Scriptures. They not only know the Bible but, far more importantly, live it. This is exactly what God…
Read MoreGetting to Know God
by Jason Hardin “Who are you?” and “What do you do?” They are the most frequently asked questions when people are getting to know each other. They establish context. They create common ground. “Who are you?” and “What do you do?” Psalms 119:68 is a pillar of context for the entire Bible. That’s a sweeping…
Read MoreBecoming a Mature Christian
Becoming a Mature ChristianBecoming a Mature Christian (Part 2) by Garry Floyd Text: Philippians 3:15-21 Introduction: Introduction: Spiritual Maturity Defined What Spiritual Maturity is not Suppression as Strength: Mistaking the avoidance or bottling up of emotions (stoicism) for “emotional management”. Surface-Level Adulthood: Confusing the trappings of adulthood—like having a high-paying job, living alone, or buying a…
Read MoreThose “Sorry” Young Preachers
by Bill Hall via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14 No. 8, August 2014 We hear criticism all along of the young preachers among us: “They don’t preach like the older preachers,” they say. That’s funny! It sounds like what people said of us older preachers when we were young. The truth is, we know of many young…
Read MoreThe Will to Be Wise
by Dee Bowman via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14 No. 8, August 2014 In the introduction to the Proverbs, Solomon uses several words with similar connotations, each related to wisdom. Listen to them: “To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding. To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity. To give to…
Read MoreOur Sights Are Set on Heaven
by Roger D. Campbell On a recent trip to Malaysia, I saw a familiar sight that once again reminded me of one particular practice of the Muslims. In a hotel room where Donna and I spent a couple of nights, there was an arrow on the ceiling pointing toward Mecca. Why is there such an…
Read MoreThe Charge that the Bible Promotes Misogyny
by Terry Wane Benton based on output from Copilot How do Bible-believing educators answer the charge that the Bible is misogynistic? Here’s a clear, thoughtful way Bible‑believing educators typically answer the charge that “the Bible is misogynistic.” Start with Definitions and Expectations Before answering, educators clarify what people mean by “misogynistic.” Most critics mean one…
Read MoreThe Testimony of the Three Witnesses
by Kenny Chumbley via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood, And it is the Spirit that beareth witness… there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and…
Read MoreCan Life Be Formed by Random Chance?
by Dr. Caleb Yu, Irvine, CA & Dr. James Ma, Kelsey Bay, B.C., Canada via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 The smallest living cell in the human body is a virus [containing] 239 protein molecules. On average, a protein has 445 amino acids. The average molecular weight of the 19 essential amino acids…
Read MoreHow God Could End Religious Confusion
by Dennis Allan I recently met a man on a bus, and our conversation quickly came around to spiritual questions. He spoke of his experiences in studying various religions. He had participated in several “Christian” denominations, had studied Buddhism, Islam, etc. We readily agreed on some fundamental facts, including God’s existence and the sad reality…
Read MoreCommunication: Fuel to the Fires of Evangelism
by Jim Deason via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14 No. 8, August 2014 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:16). It is called the Great Commission, and so it is. First given to the apostles, the work of Christians everywhere is to take the gospel to the lost. The church…
Read MoreStand Firm in the Lord
by Hugh DeLong “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved” (Philippians 4:1). Our relationship with the Lord comes with resistance from the world and the devil. Often, it isn’t the ‘big pushback’ but the smaller, continual one that wears…
Read MoreHarvesting the Fruit of His Spirit
by Randall Caselman When Jesus genuinely, truly comes into our lives, things change. Opening our hearts to His presence means we’ll never be the same. Go with me to a well outside the city of Sychar. Jesus, tired from the journey, sat down by the well. A Samaritan woman came. She and Jesus struck up…
Read MoreThen God Remembered
by Zeke Flores Genesis 30:22 says, “Then God remembered Rachel.” That doesn’t mean He forgot her; it means He acted on her behalf at the right time. Rachel had watched her sister have child after child while she waited, prayed, cried, and probably wondered if God cared. Waiting can feel like abandonment, especially when you…
Read MoreSlaves of Corruption
by Edwin Crozier Jesus told a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:39-40 ESV). Peter’s warnings about false teachers in II Peter 2 build…
Read MoreWilling to Wait
by Zeke Flores Jacob works seven years for Rachel, and Genesis 29:20 says they “seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.” It’s a beautiful picture of how love reframes effort. Jacob isn’t counting the cost; he’s focused on the joy set before him. There’s a spiritual parallel here. When…
Read MoreGod’s Nation
by Doy Moyer One of the most significant promises of God to Abraham was that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Peter connected this promise to Jesus, raised up in fulfillment of this promise “to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness” (Acts 3:25-26).…
Read MoreThe Way of Balaam
by Edwin Crozier via Read the Bible, Make Disciples Peter’s descriptions of the false teachers in II Peter 2 are as creative as they are intense. We could spend pages and pages walking through each description. However, I want to home in on one allusion. This reference highlights the slippery slope even we in Christ…
Read MoreHow We Know Plato Was a Real Historical Person
by Terry Wane Benton Multiple ancient writers refer to Plato as a real person Plato is mentioned by numerous ancient authors—some who knew him personally, others who lived shortly after him. These include: Aristotle, his student, who repeatedly and critically refers to Plato in his own works. Xenophon, a contemporary of Socrates, whose writings align…
Read MoreThe Lord Knows How to Rescue the Godly
by Edwin Crozier via Read the Bible, Make Disciples Let’s admit it. II Peter 2 is pretty dark. A surface reading makes the prospect look dim. If we are not careful, we can read these two chapters as saying we are all in danger of falling away from God’s grace. In fact, we will likely…
Read MoreThe Spirit of the Sword
by Steve Dewhirst via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 When Alexander Campbell first issued the Millennial Harbinger in 1830, he had a clear – if incorrect- vision of the future. Campbell, like many others in the early days of the Restoration, believed that the book of Revelation foretold a glorious day in which…
Read MoreMen Spoke from God
by Edwin Crozier Text: II Peter 1:12-21 Peter explains why he so strongly wants to pass on the path to partake in the divine nature and participate in God’s glory and excellence. He witnessed it with his own eyes. Calling to mind the Mount of Transfiguration (see Mark 9:2-8), Peter explains he witnessed the majesty…
Read MoreDo All in the Name of the Lord
by Terry Wane Benton “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through…
Read MoreWhat 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…
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