Posts Tagged ‘faith’
God 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 MoreFaith and Commitment Must Be Grown
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “And all of us… are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another” (II Corinthians 3:18 AMP). For Christians, the goal is to be transformed into the image of Christ. As Paul indicates in this text, this transformation…
Read MoreDealing with Grief
by Zeke Flores When Sarah dies, Abraham mourns deeply — and then he rises to secure a burial place. It’s a tender picture of grief and responsibility living side by side. Abraham doesn’t rush past his pain, but he also doesn’t get stuck in it. He honors Sarah by grieving honestly and acting wisely. This…
Read MoreAdd to Your Faith
by Edwin Crozier via Read the Bible, Make Disciples Text: II Peter 1. Because God has given us everything we need to become partakers of His divine nature, we need not sit on our hands moping that we cannot be with or become like God. No doubt, our efforts alone would always fail to bring…
Read MoreSaved by Faith
by Hugh DeLong “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ…
Read MoreWhen Jesus Marveled (Baggett)
by Michael R. Baggett There are many occasions when individuals and crowds marveled at the gracious words and mighty miracles of Jesus. Did you know there were times when Jesus marveled at individuals and groups? There were ways people behaved that caused Jesus to observe with wonder. On one occasion, Jesus returned to his hometown…
Read MoreDoes faith cause salvation?
Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, Thank you for sharing the article “What Saves a Person.” I’ve read it carefully and wanted to follow up with a sincere question. I noticed the article lists many things Scripture associates with salvation — God, Christ, grace, faith, repentance, baptism, obedience, etc. — and then concludes that all are equally…
Read MoreThe Foundation of My Belief
by Hugh DeLong What is the foundational base of my belief (and consequently, yours)? Not that my understanding becomes the standard for your belief, but how you read, interpret, and understand the revelation given by the Spirit. Let us start with several observations. There is a revealing of God’s will to men. (OK, first hurdle – what scriptures…
Read MoreTwo Sons Show Us the Truth
by Terry Wane Benton When we hear those who read the scriptures through Calvinistic lenses tell us that Adam and Eve handed down “Total Depravity” and “Inability”, we turn our attention to two sons, each of whom should have inherited this depraved gene. Cain and Abel show us the opposite. Both brought an offering to…
Read MoreIs Religion Purely the Product of Social Conditioning?
by Shane Scott via Unmasking Sophistry, Vol. 6 No. 1, January 2026 If you have been following the current series of articles I have been writing, you know that I am responding to some common objections raised against Christianity by unbelievers. There was a time when this sort of study (called apologetics) was a small niche…
Read MoreDemons Believe and Tremble
by Hugh DeLong Text: Mark 5 Ok, Ok… so I start with a quote from the book of James, but it is apropos as we read about the incident involving Jesus and the demon-possessed man of Gerasenes. Here they are called ‘unclean spirits’ but Matthew calls them demons (Matthew 8:31). Some questions arise in that…
Read MoreWhy I Believe the Bible
by Keith Greer Today, God’s book is under attack from many enemies. Even some in the church question the Bible’s validity. Why should we believe the Bible? Allow me to present, for your consideration, a few of my reasons for believing. It Is Completely Honest Consider the honesty of the things revealed in the scriptures.…
Read MoreThe Two Evils
by David Gibson Isn’t it sad? The way 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,…
Read MoreThe Proper Explanation of John 3:16
by Carl O. Cooper The fact is, John 3:16, when taken in its proper context, teaches that salvation is by works of obedience when accompanied by proper faith. It’s true! This verse, read in its proper context, does not teach “saved by faith alone.“ In reality, the context of this verse teaches just the opposite.…
Read MoreDon’t Believe Everything
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Dont-Believe-Everything.mp3 by Raymond Warfel Download Audio
Read MoreDeveloping Genuine Faith when You Grew Up in the Church
by Andy Dieselcamp via InLight Media Have you ever wondered if you just believe what you believe because it’s what you grew up with? This interview explores how those of us who grew up around Christianity can build genuine faith in ourselves and in our children. We deal with how to wrestle with questions, how…
Read MoreWhat If Atheists Are Right About the Beginning of the Universe?
by Perry Hall As to the beginning of our universe, I am aware of at least two atheistic positions. This becomes for atheists an either-or proposition: Either you believe that matter came from non-matter – that is, something came from nothing. Or, that matter has no beginning and is eternal, but not living matter -…
Read MoreThe Brothers of Jesus Did Not Believe
by Hugh DeLong This title is open to some misunderstanding – at the time that this interaction took place, they did not believe. We are not explicitly told why, but from the context, several things are possible. This one is recognized as a ‘first class’ conditional sentence which, from the speaker or writer’s point of…
Read MoreFaith to Walk on Water
by Clint Gann via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 18 No. 1, 31 March 1992 Over 75 percent of the Earth’s surface is composed of water. One of the first things God did in the creation was to separate land and water (Genesis 1:9). After man was placed on earth, God often used water as a teaching tool.…
Read MoreAbraham’s Informed Faith
by Clay Gentry God’s command for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac is arguably one of the most staggering tests of faith in the Bible. How could he trust God in the face of such a shocking demand? Abraham’s obedience was not an act of blind, desperate loyalty, but a calculated step of faith, fortified by a…
Read MoreHow do I know God is good?
Question: Hello there, I need help with many spiritual questions. I was baptized into Christ a few years ago and had been exploring the spiritual aspects of life for many years before that. While at times I have experienced fleeting moments of assurance, most of my Christian experience has involved negativity and anxiety. I believe the…
Read MoreChanges in the Storm
by Charles Box This lesson requires us to answer the question, “Exactly what is a miracle?” The term “Miracle” is used far too loosely and frequently in our society. “A miracle is a divine operation that transcends what is normally perceived as natural law; it cannot be explained upon any natural basis.” Some miracles involved…
Read MoreFaith and Evidence
by Shane Scott Several years ago, I decided I needed a hobby. I had many interests – basketball, fantasy baseball, and music – but I engaged in all of these pastimes with members of the church where I preached, or with fellow Christians in the area. I needed a hobby that would put me in…
Read MoreFour Characteristics of Faith
by David Gibson To say that faith is a significant theme of the Bible is an understatement. What better place to begin than the great Faith Chapter of the Bible, Hebrews 11. In this chapter, the noun “faith” is found 24 times, and the verb “believe” is used once. Hebrews 11 could be called “Case…
Read MoreBelieve!
by David Gibson “Believe” is the main keyword of the Gospel of John. From the 12th chapter of John, let’s see what we can learn about what it means to believe: Many believed (John 12:10-11). A large number of those who witnessed Lazarus’ resurrection came to believe in Jesus (John 11:45). This is as it…
Read MoreFaith’s Opposites
by David Gibson Light is the opposite of dark. Good is the opposite of evil. Hope is the opposite of despair. Zeal is the opposite of apathy. What then is the opposite of faith? Faith Is the Opposite of Sight “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7 NASB). “Now faith is……
Read MoreFight the Good Fight of Faith
by Keith Crews Christians are soldiers in the Lord’s army. “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (II Timothy 2:3). As soldiers we must be focused…
Read MoreOur Faith and The Faith
by Steve Dewhirst via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991 In Paul’s declaration of the gospel’s power to save, he concluded with the words of the prophet Habakkuk, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17). Man’s fellowship with Deity has always been conditional. God has always demanded a faith that surrenders to…
Read MoreFaith
by Terry Wane Benton Biblical faith is believing in God, believing what His word (the Bible) says, trusting Him enough to be refreshed and reassured by His promises, yielding and submissive to His Sovereignty, and active in obeying His commands. When any of these ingredients are fading or missing, then it ceases to be faith.…
Read MoreNaaman Was Healed by Grace Through Faith
by Terry Wane Benton At first, Naaman did not appreciate the simple instructions to dip in the Jordan seven times (II Kings 5:1-14). He wanted to be healed of leprosy, but he wanted it to be on his terms. He imagined that God would heal him some other way. He was wrong. God would not…
Read MoreWould You Die for Your Faith?
by Terry Wane Benton I keep hearing of people in other countries dying for their faith in Jesus at the hands of Muslims. It is so sad that this goes on without a government backlash against murderous Muslims. But, what about our faith here? Do we believe in Jesus so strongly and with such loyal…
Read MorePeople Like You
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/People-Like-You.mp3 by Raymond Warfel Download Audio
Read MoreGrace and Obedience of Faith
by Steve Wolfgang The relationship between grace and the human response through the obedience of faith (see the bookended inclusio of Romans 1:5 and 16:25) has been true even in the Old Testament, often erroneously viewed as a primitive, works-based covenant. But, truly, even the Mosaic law itself, as well as the Abrahamic covenant, were…
Read MoreHow can I know that God has forgiven me?
Question: How can I know that God has truly forgiven me? And how can I be sure I’m now free to move forward without needing to return? Answer: Paul tells us that God cannot lie — not will not lie, or sometimes doesn’t lie, God is not capable of lying (Titus 1:2). It is God who…
Read MoreIs it Your Faith?
by Terry Wane Benton It is one thing to try to fit in a circle of friends who profess faith, and so you jump on the bandwagon with them, but it is another thing to get to know Jesus and put your trust in Him when it may cost you friends. You see, it is…
Read MoreSend Me
by Chadwick Brewer “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me’” (Isaiah 6:8). Passages like this help us understand Isaiah better. Isaiah was a man who lived by faith. As we know, without faith, it is…
Read MoreDoes It Matter?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Does-It-Matter.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Genesis 1 I. The teaching of evolution has made significant inroads in the beliefs of common man A. In 1999 Gallup found 1. 47% believed in a recent, special creation 2. 40% believed in a God-directed form of evolution 3. 9% believe a strictly natural-caused evolution B. In 2024 Gallup found 1. 37%…
Read MoreFaith in . . . Faith?
by Lance Cordle Recently, I reached into a closet to get some trash bags. I was in a hurry, so I did not bother to turn on enough light to see the bags. I remembered that I had placed them on the top shelf of the closet, so I reached upward for them. To my…
Read MoreHe Had Faith to Be Healed
by William J. Stewart It is a common perception in the religious world that one must have adequate faith for one to be healed. This false idea has allowed many fake healers to save face when their hypnotic advantage over a would-be recipient has failed. And as sure as it has been a refuge for…
Read MoreFaith in the Unseen
by Jeff May via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 1, January 2015 Christians must have vision far greater than 20/20. They must, by faith, be able to see the unseen. Their faith must go where their eyes cannot. This is the grand message of Hebrews 11, which was written to backsliding Jewish Christians. They were tempted…
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