Posts Tagged ‘service’
The Beauty of Jesus
by Doy Moyer We sing, “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.” What is the beauty of Jesus? While we often connect beauty to outward appearance, that is not the sense in which the beauty of Jesus draws us, for “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and…
Read MoreThorns
by Doy Moyer “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9). Paul had a weakness, a “thorn in the flesh” that he thought was keeping him from being as productive as he could have been without it. He prayed to the Lord three times to have…
Read MoreDo What You Are Able to Do
by Andy Sochor Those who are conscientious Christians will have a desire to do all that they can in service to God. And as we see the needs that exist around us, it is natural for us to want to provide help for all that we can. However, the reality is that we cannot provide…
Read MoreService or Power
by Doy Moyer “I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive our authority” (III John 9). Refusing the authority of the apostles and seeking to take first place among others, like Diotrephes, is a fundamental betrayal of the fellowship among believers. It is a…
Read MoreTo Live Is Christ; to Die Is Gain
by Matthew W. Bassford Among its other effects, a terminal diagnosis will lead you to read the Scriptures with very different eyes. All sorts of passages that you thought you understood take on new depth and meaning. For me, the chief of these is Philippians 1:21-24. Years ago, I read this passage as Paul being…
Read MoreServing the Lord in Your Later Years
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Serving-the-Lord-in-Your-Later-Years.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreA Steward of God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/A-Steward-of-God.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 25:14-30 I. Consider Psalm 24:1-2 A. What does it mean that everything belongs to God? 1. God made it, so therefore He has the right of ownership – Deuteronomy 10:14 2. Even we belong to God – Ezekiel 18:4 3. God doesn’t owe anyone because He pre-existed all things – Job 41:11…
Read MoreFor God so Loved the World
by Matthew W. Bassford John 3:16 is surely the most well-known verse in the Bible, with even Matthew 7:1 running a close second. Most Christians are aware that the world’s understanding of the latter is dramatically off-base, but I think that even when it comes to the former, we miss the point a little bit.…
Read MoreBlooming Where You Are Planted
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/BloomingWhereYourePlanted.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Revelation 3:1-6 I. I was reading an article by Hiram Kemp titled, “Six Ways to Thrive in a Weak Church” A. The points were good, but it also had me thinking about the difficulties we face in this region. 1. There are not many faithful churches and most struggle. 2. Some are…
Read MoreThe Worship of God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/WorshipOfGod.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Revelation 5:11-14 I. Why are you here? A. Because it is what you do on Sundays? Because your parents make you come? B. I hope most of us will say we are here to worship. After all, we call this the worship service. C. Yet, most of us have only vague notions…
Read MoreWhat is Worship?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/WhatIsWorship.mp3 Text: John 4:19-24 I. I was asked recently to address a question of what constitutes worship A. Defining terms, such as worship, is interesting because there is a tendency in the religious world towards vagueness. 1. Pentecostal beliefs emphasize the emotional experience (the spirit). Worship is not real unless you can feel it and, on the…
Read MoreCalled for Service
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CalledForService.mp3 by Andrew Long
Read MoreHelpers
by Jefferson David Tant “And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues” (I Corinthians 12:28) Perhaps you have noticed that people are different — different in personalities, appearance, talents. Evidently, God designed us that way, and Paul acknowledged this…
Read MoreServe to Be Great
by Dennis Stackhouse Notice the statement made by Paul in I Corinthians 4:1: “Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” Be especially careful to recognize that Paul identifies himself and his fellow workers as “servants of Christ.” Does that seem a bit strange? Is…
Read MoreGod’s Servant
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/GodsServant.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Several passages in the later part of Isaiah discuss the role that a person, referred to as “My Servant” would accomplish on behalf of God. A. As we read through the passages, we need to keep in mind that Isaiah was written before the Babylonian captivity – over 700 years before…
Read MoreService Over Self
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/ServiceOverSelf.mp3 by PJ Anderson
Read MoreDoes God only accept willing service?
Question: Is doing something you don’t want to do, but you’re only doing it for God counted as valid for Him? Or not doing something you’d like to do because of God, is it valid? I mean, what if He doesn’t accept us doing something that we’re not “willing” to? Answer: “But what do you…
Read MoreRemoving Hindrances to Servanthood
Too Much Self-Focus https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2009Fall5RemovingHindrancesToServanthood.mp3 by Oscar Miles The Pursuit of Happiness
Read MoreWhen Nobody Notices
by Shane Williams via The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 9, No. 9, Jan. 2009. Perhaps you’ve seen the sign that reads, “Housework is something you do that nobody notices unless you don’t do it.” The truth behind that statement applies to more than just housework. People seem to have no trouble noticing our failures — anger,…
Read MoreCreation: Necessary Biblical Inferences
by C.G. “Colly” Caldwell via Truth Magazine, Vol. 52, No. 5, May 2008. The points we bring to your attention in this article are in themselves clearly taught in Scripture. They are, however, also necessarily inferred or implied by the very fact of Divine Creation. When one by faith accepts that Almighty God created all things…
Read MorePersonal Sacrifice and Service
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 2:17-18 I. Paul often discussed the topic of unity in his letters to the various churches. A. Unity based having the same goals and the same standards – Romans 15:5; I Corinthians 1:10; II Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:1-3; I Thessalonians 5:11-15 B. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is no different -…
Read MoreOur Purpose in Life
by Kent Heaton In October of 2005, C. D. Moore of Bell, Florida offered a prayer at a gathering of saints at the Cherry Sink Church of Christ. In the course of the prayer he offered, he made the following statement: “Lord, help us to remember what our purpose in life is – the privilege to serve the…
Read MoreWhat Do You Need to Serve the Lord?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. John 4:34-38 – Jesus told his disciples to serve the Lord by bringing others to Him A. Mt. 28:19-20 – Commanded to go into all the world. B. We all have this responsibility. II. Yet, many find excuses to not work. A. “I’m not eloquent enough to be of any great service.” 1. Moses tried this…
Read More