Life’s Necessary Thing

by Jon W. Quinn Jesus had three friends who lived in Bethany. He would occasionally stay in their home when He was in Judea. Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were brothers and sisters. They lived together in the same house. Bethany was located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives on the road linking…

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The Direction of This Country

by Andy Diestelkamp “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” [John Adams, October 11, 1798]. Are you concerned about the direction of this country? Then, be concerned about the direction of your family. Too many patriots are more concerned about their…

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The Direction of Your Life

The Direction of Your Life – Part 1The Direction of Your Life by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 6:19-24   I.         Whenever I taught someone to drive, I was reminded that people have a tendency to go in the direction they are looking.             A.        When a person first learns to drive, they tend to look at things…

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Is it wrong to love anything man-made or belonging to this world?

Question: Hi, Sorry for the numerous questions I’m about to ask, but they all revolve around the subjects of secular entertainment and materialism so it made sense to me to ask them together. I grew up with a love of playing video games, watching movies, reading comic books, etc. About a year ago I began…

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Seek First the Kingdom

by Keith Sharp Billy was 6 years old. It was springtime close to summer vacation. When school was out, he and his mom, a widow who was remarrying, were moving. He came home from school and informed his mom he wouldn’t be going back to baseball. When she asked why, he replied, “The rest of…

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Staying Faithful in College: Three Things to Consider

by Forest Antemesaris Sometimes, the combination of freedom and stress can lead to a lackluster faith. With less accountability and more deadlines, it can become easy to forget about God, worship, and Jesus’ call to live a holy life. College is supposed to be fun, and challenging, but it’s not worth turning your back on…

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Christ First! Last! and Always!

by Jefferson David Tant “I beseech you … brethren … to present your bodies a living sacrifice … And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1-2). We all know the words. Do we really know what they mean? “All to Jesus I surrender,…

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Parental Abdication

by Jefferson David Tant There are many things that tend to discourage and dishearten those who are striving to teach others, but few things can do the job more effectively than when members allow their children to put school activities and/or selfish desires first in their lives. We wonder if it is possible that some…

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Why are some leaving the worship service early?

Question: Jeff, I have seen several brethren and different congregations who attended morning bible class and took the Lord’s Supper and afterward left without hearing the preaching, claiming that they had a plane to catch or some other excuse. Yesterday, a lady was visiting us from out of town and said that she had to…

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Living on Borrowed Time

by Jefferson David Tant “The days of our years are threescore years and ten, Or even by reason of strength fourscore years; Yet is their pride but labor and sorrow; For it is soon gone, and we fly away” (Psalms 90:10). Having reached that milestone of threescore and ten a few years ago. I feel…

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Too Busy Doing the Wrong Things

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TooBusyDoingTheWrongThings.mp3 I.         Some of us are careful shoppers. Especially when it comes to expensive items, such as our cars             A.        You could buy the cheapest thing on the lot. It will run, but we understand that it won’t last long. It is not worth the investment.             B.        Rather, most of us understand that it is better to save…

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Redeeming the Time

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/RedeemingTheTime.mp3 by Alan Feaster Text: Ephesians 5:1-21 Definition of redeemed Vines Pertaining to Salvation: λυτρόω lytroō “to release on receipt of ransom” (akin to lutron, “a ransom”), is used in the Middle Voice, signifying “to release by paying a ransom price, to redeem” (Deuteronomy 15:15; 24:18) God Redeemed Israel. (Titus 2:14; I Peter 1:17-19) Christ has…

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I need some advice on time management

Question: I’d like some advice, if you will, on time management. School has gotten be really stressful at times due to the high amounts of work I receive. I know that school is important and when I get on my computer for schoolwork, the majority of times I get side-tracked to your website probably for…

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Which is more important: secular studies or Bible class?

Question: When brethren choose to attend secular classes or because of their secular studies schedule are unable to attend Bible study on evenings, do you think it’s fair to them to say that secular studies are more important? Answer: The secular world is always less important than the spiritual world. “The world is passing away,…

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How do I say no?

Question: I am having this difficulty with saying no sometimes to things like sex, partying, spending money, too much work, overwhelming myself in a way. What is the right way to say N-O to a man I am in love with without hurting his feelings? Answer: “Do not think that I came to bring peace…

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How do I put God first in my life?

Question: Okay, what do I have to do to “put God first in my life?” What does this mean? I was thinking about this today. Some of my family have been telling me that I’m different: I get irritated easily, I lose my patience with them easily. For example, I was going to eat lunch,…

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Why did Jesus say to let the dead bury the dead?

Question: When I read Matthew 8:21-22, I felt quite confused. It says ” And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” What does this mean? I think “honor your parents” is…

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It’s Time To Grow Up

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/ItsTimeToGrowUp.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Peter 1:22-2:3   I.         It seems every parent at some point tells their child, “Why don’t you just grow up?”             A.        In one sense, that is what they are doing; but what the parents want is for the child to stop acting so much like a child and more like…

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How do you seek first the kingdom of God?

Question: How do you seek first the kingdom of God? Answer: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of…

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Surviving the Financial Crisis

by Kent Heaton A financial crisis occurs when the crisis of a man’s soul is dependent upon the financial condition of his heart. Samuel Johnson said, “The love of money has been in all ages, one of the passions that have given great disturbances to the tranquility of the world” (Rambler, October 6, 1750). How…

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How do you keep focused in life?

Question: The advice you give is very encouraging and as a young man, it is helpful. My question is that being a young Christian man, it is very challenging to walk the Christian life. Having friends in the world and being associated with a female in a denomination, it is difficult to keep focused. I…

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