I just want a happier environment for my child and me

January 31, 2015

Question: Hello, I am currently unemployed and have been for 6 months. Four years ago I fell in love with someone else. My goal is to find another job, then my child and I will move, or whatever we as the parents decide. We had a huge argument a few days ago. He said he…

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What can I do to find joy in Christ?

March 12, 2014

Question: Hi, I’m a young, desperate man (I am 15 years old). In my country most people are Catholic. I hold Protestant views and even though my father visits the Catholic service, I go to the Protestant service on Sunday. Since I have been saved last fall, there is a lot of struggle going on…

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Stillness and Joy

February 12, 2014

by Gary Henry “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10). Nowadays, one reason we know so little about joy is that we know so little about stillness. In this age of the world, most of us are busy with a myriad of priorities and projects. And we pride ourselves in it. The…

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How to be Truly Happy

January 24, 2014

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…

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Jamaica Patois Wisdom – Attitude

January 22, 2014

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…

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Instant Gratification

May 27, 2012

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/InstantGratification.mp3 by PJ Anderson

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Mistakes of a Rich Man

March 4, 2012

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/MistakesOfARichMan.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 12:13-21   I.         Someone approached Jesus, asking him to settle a dispute over an inheritance.             A.        Jesus declined, stating that it wasn’t his occupation             B.        But he pointed out the root problem between the brothers – greed                         1.         We know this without even knowing the facts in the case.                         2.         Whether it was…

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How can non-Christians be nice people without the Spirit?

August 20, 2011

Question: I am studying the fruits of the Spirit.  In fact, I am scheduled to give a talk on it this Sunday.  I’m confused about something.  We all know people who are not Christians and are nice people.  Not the nasty, evil person that Paul talks about before going into the fruits of the Spirit. …

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Can I reach heaven with all this negativity in my life?

October 25, 2009

Question: I am a Christian and have been for some time now. My problem is I have trouble letting go of my guilt because of past sins. I feel extremely depressed and in deep remorse for past sins. I know that God forgives me if I repent, confess, and ask for forgiveness, but I still…

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The Pursuit of Happiness (Series)

October 18, 2009

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…

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Making My Life Matter

October 14, 2009

The Amazing Results of Serving Others https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2009Fall6MakingMyLifeMatter.mp3 by Oscar Miles The Pursuit of Happiness

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Removing Hindrances to Servanthood

October 13, 2009

Too Much Self-Focus https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2009Fall5RemovingHindrancesToServanthood.mp3 by Oscar Miles The Pursuit of Happiness

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Changing the Question

October 12, 2009

The Shock Value of Pain and Suffering https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2009Fall4ChangingTheQuestion.mp3 by Oscar Miles The Pursuit of Happiness

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Be a Better Person

October 11, 2009

by Carey Scott Don’t we all wish that everyone would be a better person? Do we not hope that some bad people would turn their lives around and start doing good? Do we wish our neighbors would treat us better than before? Do we hope that the people we meet each day would show us…

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Enjoy the Trip

October 11, 2009

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

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Learning to be Satisfied

October 11, 2009

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

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The Pursuit of Happiness

October 11, 2009

What Does Happiness Look Like? https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2009Fall-PursuitOfHappiness.mp3 by Oscar Miles The Pursuit of Happiness (Series)

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I am convinced I do not really deserve happiness. Am I being rational?

April 17, 2009

Question: I have been struggling with some problems recently.  I was baptized into Christ three years ago, and have been married for several years.  My wife was baptized into Christ while in high school, but sadly did not maintain an attitude of repentance, and was involved in inappropriate relationships with two of her boyfriends before…

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What is the difference between “happy” and “joy”?

March 17, 2009

Question: I can’t find a defined difference between happy or happiness and joy or joyfulness in the Bible. I was wondering about the difference. I remember learning about it one time, but I can’t find what I learned anywhere and my dictionaries are not that in-depth. Answer: “Joy” is the translation of the Greek word chara.…

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Is life not meant to be enjoyed?

December 29, 2007

Question: I still have some things troubling my mind. I always wanted to try my best and enjoy life as much as I can, obviously with God. But lately, in church and from reading the Bible, some things really confuse me. For example like how Jesus told us that if we wanted to be perfect…

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How to Raise a Heartache

December 20, 2007

by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. via The Auburn Beacon “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother” (Proverbs 29:15). Though I have been a father for many years and a grandfather for a few years, I still do not claim to be an expert on child-rearing. I…

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How Can I Keep from Singing?

December 16, 2006

by Robert Lowry, 1860 My life flows on in endless song; Above earth’s lamentation I hear the sweet though off hymn That hails a new creation: Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing; It finds an echo in my soul — How can I keep from singing? What though my…

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Boredom

July 7, 2004

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton The child has a room full of action figures, video games, cable TV, DVD player, a huge collection of movies, every piece of sports equipment known to man, his own telephone, a fully loaded computer with high-speed Internet access … but he doesn’t have a thing to do. He’s bored. Boredom…

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The Problem with Emotions

February 8, 2004

by Stan Cox Do you feel good about yourself? Your relationship with God? Do you feel good about those with whom you have spiritual fellowship? Do you have joy without measure? A peace which passes understanding? Does a smile invariably crease your face when you contemplate your eternal welfare? It does? Good! Now for the…

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