Posts Tagged ‘confidence’
How does someone know if they have the Holy Spirit?
Question: I always wondered this, but how does someone know if they have the Holy Spirit or they don’t? Answer: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in…
Read MoreKnow with Certainty
by Doy Moyer “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience”…
Read MoreWhat can I do for my daughter who fears she might have done something wrong?
Question: My daughter was recently baptized. Since then, she has been sad and crying every day, feeling so guilty and questioning her every decision or thought or word out of her mouth as to whether it is sin. She knows even just one small sin, even a little lie, can keep her from heaven if…
Read MoreI’ve been baptized three times, but I’m not certain I’m saved
Question: Hi, I am a male in my thirties. For about fifteen years I have been struggling with thoughts about my baptism. Thoughts go through my head practically every day. I have questions constantly running through my mind that cause me to feel anxious and fearful of God’s judgment, all because I keep questioning if my…
Read MoreCould you explain Hebrews 10:26-28?
Question: Could you explain Hebrews 10:26-28? Answer: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another,…
Read MoreSpina Absentia
by Jefferson David Tant According to my 9th Grade Revised Latin, the title means “no backbone.” Physically, this devastates the body, making it impossible to function. This is tragic. But more tragic is spiritual “spina absentia.” This “spinelessness” is too common in the Lord’s body, and we need the “Great Physician” to stiffen the backbone…
Read MoreHow can I build up my confidence?
Question: Hi there, At a young age, I did not care what people said about me. In fact, I did not even take note of it. However, it feels as if I put other people’s opinions about myself over my own opinions. I think this started when I started to take rude remarks seriously. Right…
Read MoreOn Thinking We Are Right
by Doy Moyer One of the consequences of postmodern thinking is that we can think whatever we want, but we aren’t allowed to think that we are actually right. In other words, there is no capital T in “truth.” To think we are right is to commit one of the gravest mistakes of our day,…
Read MoreHow can I be 100% sure?
Question: I am starting to build more faith but I am still not 100% sure that God exists. I go to church and everything and I feel terrible to admit this. How can I be 100% sure? Are you 100% sure? Will I ever get there? I’m just scared that I never will be able…
Read MoreDealing with Hostility
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/DealingWithHostility.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 16:16-40 I. You know you ought to say something, but you also know it isn’t going to go over well. A. They just won’t understand, so they will turn on you – I Peter 4:4 B. They are going to hate you for standing for righteousness – Psalms 69:4 C. Instead…
Read MoreHow do we know if we have God’s approval?
Question: We should seek the approval of God and not man. I absolutely agree with this. My question, however, is how do we know if we have God’s approval? Since I became a Christian, I have developed a fear of dying. I fear I’m going to Hades and then hell because I feel I’m not…
Read MoreI’m afraid I’m going to fail
Question: My question is how do you be obedient? It’s like I want to do the right thing and I’m aware of what I’m doing wrong and have done wrong in the past, but I’m scared that I’m going to fail in doing the right thing in the future. I also feel like a failure…
Read MoreHow do I know if I have fallen from grace?
Question: What does it mean to fall from the grace? I’ve doubted Jesus so many times, I’m scared I’ve fallen. I pray to God to forgive me and ask Him to never let me go, never let me take my eyes off Christ or I’ll be lost. How do I know I haven’t fallen? Answer:…
Read MoreAssurance of Our Salvation
by Bryan Sharp “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that…
Read MoreHow much repentance is needed before baptism?
Question: I have a few things that bother me from time to time and I can’t seem to be at peace with it. The topic of repentance comes to mind. I have read through some of your articles, as well as other articles, regarding repentance and its necessity for baptism (which I understand). My problem is…
Read MoreHow do I deal with my insecurities?
Question: How would I go about understanding my insecurities and work on eliminating them or coming to terms with them? I realize that my insecurities negatively affect every relationship that I am currently in and ones that I have lost because of my issues. I don’t want to continue to carry them around with me…
Read MoreBless the Lord, O My Soul
Bless the Lord O My Soul Part 1Bless the Lord O My Soul Part 2 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 103 I. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t get someone asking me: A. Do you think I can be forgiven of my sin? B. How can I know I’ve been forgiven? C. I live in…
Read MorePeace with God
by David Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 48, Nov. 28, 2008. Do you ever feel that God is mad at you? You know, those times you have messed up and don’t think God could love someone like you? Do you ever have moments of doubting that you are a real Christian, that you have…
Read MoreI stopped many of my bad habits, but I’m still plagued by doubts. What do I do?
Question: I had a friend die recently last weekend, and this caused me to really think about what am I doing with my life. Out of curiosity and interest I researched near-death experiences, which I believed some of them to be true. I read about people seeing hell and realizing how horrible it is for…
Read MoreHow does one know if he has faith in God?
Question: I have this question: how does one know if he has faith in God or not? For example, I find it hard to talk to people who fought with me, but not all people. Some I talk to without fear that they might yell at me and they forgive me. With a few, I…
Read MoreThe Security of the Believer
by Robert F. Turner via Guardian of Truth, October 1985 There seems to be a resurgence of interest in “security” perhaps due to emphasis upon “grace” and both subjects are worthy of our consideration. Because of earlier battles with Calvinists on grace, faith only, and “once saved, always saved,” certain prejudices adhere to the very words…
Read MoreHow can I feel forgiven?
Question: I am sorry you think I lied to you. I just wanted your view. I haven’t been able to get my Pastor to talk to me. He just walked away and said he couldn’t help when I told him what my husband did to me. I needed spiritual counsel and had no one to…
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