Posts Tagged ‘contentment’
It Is Well with My Soul
by Michael Hickox “Therefore we do not faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we do not look at the things which are…
Read MoreI Can’t Get No Satisfaction
by Rick Lanning Ecclesiastes: Solomon’s Masterpiece Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones fame, both turned 80 years old this year. They have been singing rock-n-roll hits for 60 years. Back in 1972 Dick Cavett interviewed them on his TV show and asked them when they were 29 years old, “Do you think…
Read MoreThe Road to Contentment
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/The-Road-to-Contentment.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 4:10-14 I. For those of you who have taken classes A. Have you noticed that a few classes are just great? 1. The time just flies by. 2. The homework isn’t that bad. B. But there are those other classes which are just miserable. 1. A hour is twice as long in those…
Read MoreWhat Does Peace Look Like?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/What-Does-Peace-Look-Like.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Hebrews 12:5-14 I. A prize was once offered to an artist who best depicted the concept of peace A. One image was of a calm lake perfectly mirroring the distant mountains. Overhead was a blue sky with puffy white clouds. B. Another picture was of rugged, bare mountains with foaming waterfall…
Read MoreOn the Other Side of the Fence
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/On-the-Other-Side-of-the-Fence.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 4:4-9 I. It is so easy, so tempting to look at what someone else has accomplished and think “That could have been me.” A. When you are in school, have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I can’t wait until I have a job. None of this homework business for…
Read MoreExpecting the Impossible
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Expecting-the-Impossible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 19:16-26 I. With God, all things are possible – Matthew 19:26 A. Even the saving of a wealthy man, if he desired to be saved. B. Yet, we must understand that some things are impossible for even God 1. It is impossible for God to lie – Hebrews 6:17-18 2. He cannot…
Read MoreThe Secret of Learning to Be Content
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/The-Secret-of-Learning-to-be-Content.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 4:10-14 I. Paul faced many adversities during his life – more than most of us will see – II Corinthians 11:24-27 A. What sort of person would you be with this sort of life? What attitudes would people notice first? B. Bitter? Hardened? Depressed? C. Yet, through these experiences, Paul learned…
Read MoreBoredom
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Boredom.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. The child has a room full of action figures, video games, cable TV, VCR, a huge collection of video tapes, every piece of sports equipment known to man, his own telephone, a fully loaded computer with Internet access — but he doesn’t have anything to do. He’s bored. A. Boredom is…
Read MoreNow Thank We All Our God
by Cloyce Sutton II The “Thirty Years’ War” (1618-1648) was a devastating European conflict centered in what’s now Germany. It began as a power struggle between Protestant and Catholic forces within the Holy Roman Empire but spread among various factions throughout Europe, eventually drawing in much of Central Europe, including Spanish, Swedish, French, Dutch, Croatian,…
Read MoreLessons from the Mamertine Prison
by Jefferson David Tant Do you ever feel discouraged, defeated, alone, forsaken, or any other word used to describe one who is “down in the dumps?” I’m sure we have all been affected by one or more of these words in our lifetime. If you are fortunate to have escaped all these negative feelings, just…
Read MoreA Case Study in Contentment
by Jefferson David Tant “Contentment” is a word that may not well describe many people. There are many causes of discontent in this 21st Century — family discord, health issues, job stress, financial concerns, government corruption, joblessness, worries about the threat of Islamic terrorism, and sometimes church problems. These are struggles that most all of…
Read MoreThe Secret of Contentment
by Kenneth W. Ledbetter Sentry Magazine, March 2001 I want to take a moment to pass along a realization that has helped me in times of great distress and personal trials … found in the words of the apostle Paul. Paul said something in Philippians 4 that has always amazed me. In verse 11 he…
Read MoreAnd Then I Prayed
by Forrest D. Moyer Sentry Magazine, March 2002 I really thought there were material things in this life that were important. I saw people living in luxurious furnishings. I saw their fine cars and their exclusive clothing. That seemed important, for a moment at least. Then I saw something else. I saw that so many…
Read MoreThe Meaning of Life: Why Are You Here?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Meaning-of-Life-Why-Are-You-Here.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Timothy 6:6-21 I. What is it that you are looking for out of life? What are you expecting? A. So many people never find contentment with their lives because they are expecting things that life cannot deliver. B. They decide they can’t be happy with life unless something changes 1. I’m…
Read MoreRolling with the Punches
by Doy Moyer One thing about Christians in Scripture (ideally speaking) — they learned to roll with the punches no matter what was going on. If the government opposed them, they went with it and continued to glorify God. If things were going smoothly, they enjoyed the peace and they kept glorifying God. If they…
Read MoreLearning the Secret of Contentment
by Ken Green “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11, ESV). Do you find contentment to be elusive? Be encouraged. Even the apostle Paul realized being content was something he had to learn. If Paul had to pursue contentment,…
Read MoreMy Personal Insult to God
by Pieter Yoshua Perhaps my understanding will change in the future or I could be wrong, but I want to write this criticism for myself and perhaps it will cause you to think as well. I thought that it is possible for me to be a Christian while living in a way that was insulting God.…
Read MoreEnjoy What God Has Given You
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Enjoy-What-God-Has-Given-You.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 50 I. Have you given a gift that wasn’t appreciated? A. “That’s nice, but it wasn’t what I hoped to receive.” B. “Thanks, but it would have been better if you also included …” C. Or worse, it just sits there, not being used D. It’s frustrating to the giver. E. But consider…
Read MoreOut of Context
by Andy Brenton II Opinions 4:13 Philippians 4:13 is one of the most well-known New Testament verses, but it’s also notoriously misused. After telling his audience that he’s experienced both poverty and affluence, the Apostle Paul writes these well-known words: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Many of us have seen…
Read MoreAn Ideal Life
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/AnIdealLife.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 128 I. We often speak of our longing for heaven, our home where the cares and troubles of this life will not exist. A. We know that heaven is a blessing reserved for the followers of God, but all rewards for following God are not consigned to the next…
Read MoreGluttony
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/Gluttony.mp3 by Jeffrey Hamilton Text: Numbers 11:4-34 I. Someone, reading an article on the Roman Catholic teachings of the seven deadly sins, was surprised to find that gluttony included “eating too soon, eating with condiments, eating too expensively, and eating with pleasing the palate in mind.” A. He wrote to ask, if such were true in…
Read MoreHow to Be Content
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/HowToBeContent.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreContentment and Happiness
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ContentmentAndHappiness.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreJamaica Patois Wisdom – Contentment
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 to appreciate some things…
Read MoreHow to be Happy
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/HowToBeHappy.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 4:1-7 I. Are you happy? Truly happy? A. For many people the answer is “I would be happy, if …” 1. If something changed, then I could be happy. 2. Sometimes the change is something simple. “Once I lose another ten pounds, I’ll be happy.” 3. But too often the demand is…
Read MoreContentment in Christ
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall6ContentmentInChrist.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreThe Good Life – Five Lessons from Ecclesiastes
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014Fall1TheGoodLife.mp3 by Mike Waters The Good Life
Read MoreIs it wrong to be competitive in school?
Question: Is it wrong to be competitive in school? I know that God stresses the importance of education, but I see myself to be very competitive when it comes to grades. It’s not an ego thing where I get scores to show off or anything, but it is because I want to get into good…
Read MoreMy friends are not content with the church. What can I do?
Question: I read your questions and answers often, and find real, godly, and biblical solace in them. I trust your judgment and wanted to ask you several things. My family has been attending churches of Christ since before we are born, and I could not see myself anywhere else. I’m a teen in the youth…
Read MoreHow to be Truly Happy
by Matthew Allen “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Abraham Lincoln Are you happy? Truly happy? Have you found the joy that is found in Christian living? Christianity contains the keys to true happiness during our earthly existence. It is only in a relationship with God that…
Read MoreThe Attitude of the Heart
by Jefferson David Tant Years ago we had a cartoon character in our papers named Joe Btfsplk. Wherever he was, there was a cloud over his head. He was a pretty sad-looking fellow. The only luck he seemed to have was bad luck. I think I have known people like that — always gloomy —…
Read MoreIt Is Well
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ItIsWell.mp3 by PJ Anderson
Read MoreHow do I find meaning in life?
Question: Today I received the news that a friend (I find no other word to call him right now) of mine from church threw himself in front of a bus and died. I cried a lot because I really cared about him, most people in his family treated him like an idiot, but he was…
Read MoreIf a person feels they should be a different sex, didn’t God make a mistake?
Question: Hello there! You answered a question for me the other day on transgenderism. I have a few other questions, so this might get kind of long. Transsexuals will say that the body they were born into is a birth defect. How do we know for sure that’s not the case? There are birth defects…
Read MoreWhat do you do when all your friends tell you you are not living life?
Question: My ultimate goal should be as Solomon said “Fear God and keep His commandments” because Solomon did all the world had to offer but still came to that conclusion. This I know. But I still suffer from what people challenge me with on a daily basis. They tell me all the time that I…
Read MoreThe Pursuit of Happiness (Series)
Fall Gospel Meeting 2009 Drawing by Stefan Van den Bergh, 2004 by Oscar Miles The Pursuit of Happiness: What Does Happiness Look Like? Learning to be Satisfied: What Do I Require to be Happy? Enjoy the Trip! Don’t Keep Waiting Until you “Get There” Changing the Question: The Shock Value of Pain and Suffering Removing…
Read MoreEnjoy the Trip
Don’t Keep Waiting Until you “Get There” https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2009Fall3EnjoyTheTrip.mp3 by Oscar Miles The Pursuit of Happiness
Read MoreLearning to be Satisfied
What Do I Require to be Happy? https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2009Fall2LearningToBeSatisfied.mp3 by Oscar Miles The Pursuit of Happiness
Read MoreI’m worried that my son will be too short
Question: I don’t know exactly what I need, but I definitely need help. Before getting back to obeying Christ and attending a church of Christ, I was out doing what I wanted to do and ended up pregnant. The baby’s father and I ended up getting married a few months after I had the baby.…
Read MoreCould you explain the phrase, “consider the lilies?”
Question: Please explain to me exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “Consider the lilies.” Thank you. Answer: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where…
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