Thorns

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…

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Do 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…

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Service 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…

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To 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…

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A 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…

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For 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.…

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Blooming 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…

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The 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…

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What 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…

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Called for Service

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CalledForService.mp3 by Andrew Long

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Helpers

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…

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Serve 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…

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God’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…

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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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Does 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…

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Removing 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

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When 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,…

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Creation: 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…

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Personal 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 -…

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Our 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…

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What 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…

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