Better Than Self

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Better-Than-Self.mp3 Text: Philippians 2:1-11   I.         When learning another language, it helps to start with the most common words first, the ones most likely to come up in a conversation.             A.        So what is the most common word spoken in English?                         1.         One study in 1992 by Godfrey of switchboard conversations found the word “I” to appear the…

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Where Is the Cross of Christ?

by Doy Moyer When I make it about how I feel, what I like or don’t like, how inconvenient things are to me, or how I shouldn’t have to do x, y, or z because it’s difficult, then I have to ask… where is the cross of Christ in a religion ordered after my preferences?…

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Three Philosophies of Life

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Three-Philosophies-of-Life.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 10:25-37   I.         Luke 10:25-37             A.        A lawyer, trying to test Jesus, asked him how to gain eternal life.             B.        Jesus, as was his want, turned the question around and asked for his opinion first.             C.        The response was to love God and to love his neighbor. To which Jesus agreed.             D.        The…

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I Quit!

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/I-Quit.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Mark 10:35-45   I.         We’ve all seen people frustrated with a task. “I quit!” they yell as they storm off.             A.        Funny thing … Do you remember who it was? Neither does anyone else.             B.        However, there are times I ought to quit.                         1.         I can allow myself to get into a rut.…

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Love Is …

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Love-Is.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 13:1-8   I.         Many passages are used for needlepoint samplers. A popular choice is I Corinthians 13:1-8             A.        Have you considered the meaning of the many phrases?             B.        We often associate this passage with weddings, but Paul was writing about what love between brethren is like             C.        However, it can be applied to…

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The Thrill of Salvation

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/TheThrillOfSalvation.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 15:1-10   I.         Luke 15:10 – When someone responds to God’s message, there is excitement that reaches all the way to heaven!             A.        Each and every person, no matter how high or low stationed in life is important to God.             B.        Ezekiel 33:11 – God doesn’t look forward to punishing the…

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Freedom

by Doy Moyer “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (I Peter 2:16). Photo by ellehem on Unsplash If we really wish to honor freedom, then we will seek to live as servants of God. We cannot expect that God will…

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Attitudes

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Attitudes.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 3:7-16   I.         Many Christians understand that acts of immorality will keep them out of heaven, but many don’t realize that our attitude or disposition is important in determining our outcome as well.             A.        What is your attitude?                         1.         Sometimes we hear someone say “he has an attitude!”                         2.         I use to…

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Is getting married and having children selfish?

Question: Hello! I truly appreciate your dedication to assisting people with their questions. It has been a blessing to my life. I have a few questions for you that I wasn’t able to find on your website. If you wouldn’t mind answering them, here they are: Is getting married selfish since it takes away our…

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Selfishness and Marriage

by J. R. Bronger Divorce! This word used to call to mind “breaking up a home,” and with it trauma, unhappiness, and all manner of problems. Today, however, it is so commonplace that it rarely raises an eyebrow. There is no need to overwhelm you with statistics in order to prove that nearly half of…

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Why the Jews Did Not Believe

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/WhyTheJewsDidNotBelieve.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 12:27-43   I.         It is a curious thing, the Son of God lived among men (John 1:14) yet He was rejected             A.        John 1:9-11 – Even among those who were expecting Him, those who had claimed to be God’s children, did not accept him.             B.        How can this be? II.        Because they…

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I find myself not caring like I used to

Question: Hello, I’m a 16-year-old girl. I received Christ as my personal Saviour for about 2 or 3 years now. But recently something has been bugging me. I feel as if my conscience has left or something. It sounds crazy or stupid, but I find that I have to force myself to feel guilty or…

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Instant Gratification

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

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Service Over Self

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/ServiceOverSelf.mp3 by PJ Anderson

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When It’s All About Me

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/WhenItsAllAboutMe.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 12:13-21   I.         Peter once tried to hide the fact that he followed Jesus.             A.        Despite repeated accusations that he was seen with Jesus, he denied the truth.             B.        But one servant called his bluff, pointing out “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you” (Matthew 26:73).…

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Selfish Christians

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/SelfishChristians.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 18:23-35   I.         Some people are quick to tell you what you need to do, but they can’t see anything that needs improvement in their own lives at the moment.             A.        I had a phone call that had me thinking about this.                         1.         A woman was looking for a haircut for…

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The Key to Better Marriages

by Edwin L. Crozier via Gospel Power, Vol. 16, No. 34, August 23, 2009. One thing I have learned about the Bible and marriage is that some of the passages that will help us the most in our marriage were not written specifically about marriage. The passage that will help our marriages (and all other…

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Why Israel Fell

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/WhyIsraelFell.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 9:1-7   I.         The prophet Isaiah told the people that the Messiah was coming.             A.        He would bring righteousness to all the nations and remove the burdens of sin             B.        He would establish a new government, one that would last forever             C.        The people of Israel foolishly thought that the Messiah would…

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The Elder Brother of the Prodigal Son

by Bob Myhan Many people fail to realize that the third parable of Jesus recorded in Luke chapter 15, is nowhere, in the inspired text, called “the Parable of the Prodigal Son.” In fact, the parable is given no name either by Jesus or by Luke. A more accurate designation would be “the Parable of…

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Notes on Selfishness

Proverbs 3:27-28 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.”

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Love Is …

In learning the craft of needlepoint, a person will sometimes work on a sampler. The sampler generally contains a notable quotation and a variety of images and scrollwork to demonstrate the different stitches mastered. Bible verses are often selected for the basic text, and one of the most popular selections is I Corinthians 13:4-8: Love suffers…

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