Peace, Perfect Peace

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Peace-Perfect-Peace.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: James 3:13-18   I.         Peace is a commodity much desired and rarely found             A.        As Christians we are told to live in peace – II Corinthians 13:11             B.        God is a God of peace – Philippians 4:7             C.        So we expect that those following His teachings find peace – Galatians 5:22-23             D.        The problem…

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Why Do Wars Exist?

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Why-Do-Wars-Exist.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 59:1-18   I.         In my youth, the Vietnam War was being fought. It was an unpopular war that generated a lot of protest songs.             A.        One song called “War” by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong exclaimed, “War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!”             B.        So can wars and acts of…

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Godliness in Conflict

by Matthew W. Bassford The book of James has the reputation of being the most practical book of the New Testament, but Paul’s epistle to Titus surely must be considered in the same light. Titus is only three chapters long, but all three chapters are light on abstraction and heavy on concrete application. Especially in…

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Why does Jesus sound harsh in Matthew 10:34-36?

Question: Will you please explain why Jesus sounds harsh in Matthew 10:34-36? Answer: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. Yes, and…

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Achieving Unity When Making Personal Choices

Text: I Corinthians 10:18-33   I.         Difficulties arise in groups of people when people have strong opinions on various matters             A.        Each individual tends to focus on what he wants and is only satisfied if things go his way.             B.        People lose track that their purpose and the purpose of the church is to get people to heaven.…

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They’re Out to Get You!

Text: Isaiah 8:9-15   I.         No all that long ago, when popular opinion was shifting against the then current president, the president’s wife blamed the shift on the presence of “a vast right-wing conspiracy.”             A.        The world is filled with people who fear that secret societies or groups are colluding to manipulate what is happening around us.…

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