Posts Tagged ‘change’
From the Inside Out
by David Gibson The stairway at a Burger King in Oxford, England had a low clearance above, and so this sign was posted: “Mind your head.” Aside from taking care to avoid getting a knot on the noggin, there is another good way to mind one’s head: by cultivating the habit of monitoring our thoughts.…
Read MoreNot What We Were, But What We Become
by David Gibson He lied—repeatedly (Genesis 12:10-20; 20:1-13). Yet we remember Abraham as the man of great faith, the friend of God (Romans 4:18-22; James 2:23). It was Abraham’s great-grandson Judah who persuaded his brothers to sell their despised brother Joseph as a slave (Genesis 39:26-27), but 22 years later Judah proved himself to be…
Read MoreThe “Time of Reformation” Prophesied
by Terry Wane Benton In Hebrews 9, the Holy Spirit tells us that the tabernacle and its furnishings were imposed “until the time of reformation” (Hebrews 9:10-11). The physical items used were merely teaching items to illustrate the spiritual things that would come into play in a new and better system. So, are there prophecies…
Read MoreIs Change Always Better?
by Doy Moyer I recently went to my favorite donut shop to get an apple fritter and, to my dismay, found that they had changed it. This was my favorite fritter, so when I saw it was not recognizable, I wondered why they would do it. (Honestly, it was a little difficult not to take…
Read MoreHow Do I Make Someone Change
by Wilson Adams “How do I make someone change?” You won’t like the answer. Are you ready? You can’t. People change only when they’re ready to. All the pushing, prodding, needling, and nagging will not bring change. Why? It’s a fundamental law of human nature—you push, and they push back. All this pushing creates gridlock…
Read MoreA High, Wide Change
by David Gibson Lloyd Deal told our congregation about a song he heard Kenyan Christians sing: There’s been a high, wide change since I’ve been born again [repeated three times]. Some places I used to go I don’t go there anymore. Some things I used to say I don’t say them anymore. Some things I…
Read MoreInnovations
by Moses E. Lard via Lard’s Quarterly, April 1865 The spirit of innovation is a peculiar spirit. While coming in, it is the meekest and gentlest of spirits; only it is marvelously firm and persistent. But when going out, no term but fiendish will describe it. It comes in humming the sweetest notes of Zion;…
Read MoreChanging Clothes
by Perry Hall Notice how Colossians 2-4 has many parallel thoughts to Zechariah 3. Satan Accuses Joshua “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him” (Zechariah 3:1). Colossians 2:14 mentions a certificate of debt caused by our failure to…
Read MoreChanging Their Glory for What Does Not Profit
by David Gibson Isn’t it sad? How people seek after what proves counterproductive, totally illogical, and ultimately defeating. “Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares…
Read MoreChanged by God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Changed-by-God.mp3 by Raymond Warfel Download Audio
Read MoreWhere Are We?
by David Gibson The people of His hometown did not respond positively. Jesus marveled at their unbelief (Mark 6:6). A Gentile centurion believed Jesus could heal his servant simply by speaking the word—without even coming to his house (Matthew 8:5-13). Jesus marveled at his great faith—greater than He had found in His own nation. In…
Read MoreYou Can’t Go Back
by Terry Wane Benton I visited the place where I grew up, Union Springs, Al., to see how things had changed after 30 years. The house was still there, the fence was gone, most of the rental houses to the left were gone, and the big Weeping Willow tree next door was gone. Fences were…
Read MoreWhen God Reveals the Future
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/When-God-Reveals-the-Future.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 20:17-36 I. Consider for the moment God’s words to Abram – Genesis 15:5-6 A. At the time God made this promise, Abram had no children. So why tell him what the future would be like? B. Later, God also tells Abram about some of the struggles his children will endure…
Read MoreManasseh’s Repentance
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Manassehs-Repentance.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Kings 21:1-9 I. There is a simple fact, which so many people have a hard time accepting – Ezekiel 18:20-24 A. Do people really change? B. Can they really be forgiven? C. Oh, you don’t understand, I’ve done such terrible things that God would never forgive me of them. II. Manasseh was…
Read MoreGiven to Change
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Given-to-Change.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverbs 24:21-22 I. For many people, trying out something new is exciting. You don’t know exactly what the result will be, which is part of the fun A. So we try out new restaurants or travel to places we’ve never been before B. Some changes are fun, but not always. For…
Read MoreTraditionalists and Progressives
by Gardner Hall There are two opposite but equally harmful attitudes among churches I know: The Overly Compliant Spirit It’s the spirit that accepts without question whatever leaders or church traditions have historically taught. It declares, “my family has been in this church for years, and whatever they say is what I am going to…
Read MoreWalking in a Manner Worthy of the Lord
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Walking-in-a-Manner-Worthy-of-the-Lord.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreA Lifelong Process
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/A-Lifelong-Process.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreYesterday
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Yesterday.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 90 I. Yesterday only exists in fading memories, worn out photographs, and history books A. It is a collection of, often times, imperfect records kept in imperfect medium II. Yet, it is also one of the finest learning centers available, if we are willing to go there to learn A. Paul…
Read MoreDeparting from the Pattern
by Matthew W. Bassford The biblical plan for the New Testament church is simple. There are a few things we are supposed to do in our assemblies, a few more that we are supposed to do with our money, and that’s it. The scope of the Biblical pattern is extremely narrow. It is unsurprising, then,…
Read MoreRenewed
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Renewed.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Colossians 3:1-11 I. At times we stop and sigh. Wouldn’t it be nice to return to the days of childhood, when we didn’t have a care in the world? When we were ignorant of all the problems in the world and unacquainted with sin? – Matthew 18:3 A. In our…
Read MoreSeeking the Things Above
Seeking the Things Above (Part 1)Seeking the Things Above (Part 2) by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Colossians 3:1-4 I. So often we focus on winning souls for Christ that we lose sight that conversion is not the goal but the first step in a life long process of change – Colossians 2:6-7 A. To stay with…
Read MoreFrom Saul to David, From David to Jesus
by Edwin Crozier Paul makes a subtle but profoundly powerful argument in his sermon at Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:16-41). The people, Paul explains, asked for a king (Acts 13:21). So God gave them Saul the son of Kish. As far as the worldly-minded would be concerned, Saul was a pretty good king. The Benjamites…
Read MoreWhat’s Down that Road?
by Warren E. Berkley The most vital consideration for every human being and certainly every Christian is the allegiance of the heart and obedience of the life to God. While we must avoid the arrogance of self-righteousness and the bondage of human creeds and traditionalism, we must determine with all our hearts to never relax…
Read MoreIf God were interested in me, then maybe I would be motivated to change
Question: I just read an article about an unrepentant person – a person who just doesn’t feel like repenting but believed he is a Christian. You implied that He was going to Hell. Well, I’m a little stuck at the moment. When I was 12 I realized that the crucifixion was a great sacrifice – a…
Read MoreJamaica Patois Wisdom – Changes
by Jefferson David Tant The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique, and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of teaching there, I have come…
Read MorePeople Change
by Donnie V. Rader via Guardian of Truth XL: No. 19, p. 6-7, October 3, 1996 When General Motors came out with the new aerodynamic style Chevy Caprice (1990) I said that I would never have one of those “ugly” things. When cellular phones started getting popular, I thought it was dumb to carry your phone with…
Read MoreSlip-Sliding Away
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton When changes occur, it is common for those who bring in new ideas to reinterpret past events to prove that their ideas are really what people thought and wanted all along. Even when the changes are recent and people still remember what life was like before the changes, they just…
Read MoreBeginning a New Year
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. The people of Israel stood at the edge of the promised land. The hopes of this people were about to be fulfilled. A. Giving detailed instructions on where they should go and not go, Joshua added this comment, “For you have not passed this way before.” B. It is easy to lose your…
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