sorrow – La Vista Church of Christ https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms Sun, 17 May 2026 00:14:56 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/cropped-LaVistaBanner-Copy-1-32x32.png sorrow – La Vista Church of Christ https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms 32 32 157465916 Joy Comes Back https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/joy-comes-back/ Sun, 17 May 2026 00:14:56 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=95656

by Terry Wane Benton

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalms 30:5).

David had plenty of dark and sad moments. Loss of children and heartache so deep it would drive him to incredible lows and sadness. Add to that his many critics who hated him without just cause, who wanted to see him fail or even die, and you begin to sense that this Psalm is written by a real voice of experience.

Through all those dark days, there was a truth that he realized each time. Joy does come back! Weeping is temporary. Sometimes it feels like it will never go away, but joy does come back if you want it and let it. The sun does rise again to give you a brighter moment.

Now, David could surely have focused permanently on those dark things that brought him misery, but he would have to shut the windows to prevent the sun from shining in. There are bountiful blessings to cheer the heart if we will but raise the shades, open the windows of our hearts, and just look and appreciate.

Life is not just the dark nights of weeping, but also the opportunity to let the sun rise in our hearts. The sunrise lets us see more, allowing us to see better. There is the light of the prophetic word, and the Sun of righteousness with healing in His wings. There is sunlight, looking for just an opening, a crevice to shine through into our broken hearts. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

I know that through every night of weeping, the sun rises again. David knew this was true, and so do you! Let the Sun come in!

]]> 95656 Dealing with Grief https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/dealing-with-grief/ Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:10:13 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=93689

by Zeke Flores

When Sarah dies, Abraham mourns deeply -- and then he rises to secure a burial place.

It’s a tender picture of grief and responsibility living side by side. Abraham doesn’t rush past his pain, but he also doesn’t get stuck in it. He honors Sarah by grieving honestly and acting wisely.

This reminds us that faith doesn’t erase grief. Faith gives us a way to walk through it. Sometimes Christians feel pressure to “be strong” or “stay positive,” but Abraham shows us that godly people cry real tears. Loss hurts. Change hurts. Endings hurt. And that’s okay.

But Abraham also models something else: even in grief, we can take the next faithful step. Not all the steps, just the next one.

If you’re navigating loss or transition, don’t deny it, but feel it. But also trust that God will help you rise, steady your heart, and guide you forward.

Grief isn’t a sign of weak faith; it’s a sign of deep love.

"Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. Then Abraham rose ..." (Genesis 23:3-4).

]]> 93689 How sorry do you have to be to repent? https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/how-sorry-do-you-have-to-be-to-repent/ Tue, 16 Jul 2024 22:23:26 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=68852

Question:

How sorry do you have to be for your sins to repent? I am sorry, but I don't think I'm sad enough or something because I'm not in tears over my sins, even though I want to be. I worry about my salvation every day. It's been over ten years, and I'm miserable. I have asked for forgiveness and Jesus to save me so many times that I don't want to anymore. I sound like a broken record, and I don't even take myself seriously anymore. What do I do? How do I repent and be saved once and for all?

Answer:

Where do you find in the Bible that feelings indicate repentance or salvation? Being sorry leads to repentance (II Corinthians 7:9-11). It isn't repentance. It doesn't cause repentance. However, it is a motivator that leads a person to change. Repentance is a change in your behavior and how you view sin's acceptability. How much sorrow is needed? Enough to motivate you to change.

Right now, you sit there, wanting God to force you to change. It doesn't work that way. You are responsible for your decisions. You have to decide what you will do. God instructs us on how to behave properly. He tells us what we need to do to receive salvation (see How to Become a Christian). But the choice is yours to make. You can't be saved on your terms.

]]> 68852 What Must I Do to Go to Heaven? (Sermon) https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/what-must-i-do-to-go-to-heaven-2/ Sun, 14 Jan 2024 22:54:33 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=63712

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Matthew 19:16-22

 

I.         I was asked, “What must I do to go to Heaven when I die? Please no opinions. Please use the Bible, it is all we have that is the truth.”

            A.        I am impressed that this man only wants a biblical answer. Far too many simply want confirmation that they are right and they will search high and low for someone to tell them what they want to hear.

                        1.         Much as Paul warned Timothy - II Timothy 4:2-4

                        2.         As a child of God I am restricted in how I may answer - I Peter 4:11

                        3.         Whether this man wanted a biblical answer or not, that is all he will receive.

            B.        The Bible affirms that man is unable to save himself - Jeremiah 10:23

                        1.         This is because we see ways that look good, but are not - Proverbs 14:12

                        2.         And then there is the problem of sin - Romans 3:23

II.        A desire to be saved is not enough

            A.        A young man once asked Jesus a similar question in Matthew 19:16-22

                        1.         He went away sorrowful because what was asked of him was more than what he was willing to give.

                        2.         If you want to reach heaven, you must ask yourself of how much value is it to you?

            B.        Yet another asked the same question - Luke 10:25-28

            C.        Many are willing to go to heaven if it is convenient. But if it is not on their way, well ...

III.       The difficult part of salvation, the obtaining forgiveness of sin, the part that man could not handle, was done by the Son of God

            A.        Forgiveness is not possible without the shedding of blood - Hebrews 9:22

                        1.         But the shedding of animal blood was unable to bring forgiveness - Hebrews 10:4

                        2.         We have been sanctified (made holy) by the body of Jesus - Hebrews 10:10-13

            B.        He died for us even though we did not deserve it - Romans 5:6-11

            C.        It was a gift freely offered to everyone - II Corinthians 5:14-15

            D.        God want everyone saved - II Peter 3:9

            E.        Yet Jesus warns that few will be saved - Luke 13:23-24; Matthew 7:13-14

            F.        This is because God expects men to receive His gift. Many want the gift, but they want it on their own terms. Somehow they have decided that if God, the giver of the gift, sets the terms, then it is no longer a freely given gift.

            G.        Love for Christ means obedience - John 14:15

            H.        It requires observing all that God has commanded - Matthew 28:20

IV.      Faith

            A.        Without faith, it is impossible to please God - Hebrews 11:6

            B.        Yet faith doesn’t just appear, it is based on knowing what God has taught - Romans 10:17

                        1.         This is why it is called the gospel (good news) of salvation - Romans 1:16

                        2.         Hence we see with a jailer asked Paul the same question, he was told to believe and then he was taught so he might have something to believe in - Acts 16:29-31

            C.        Faith is not just an outward statement, but a sincere conviction - Romans 6:17-18

                        1.         This is why James tells us that faith alone cannot save - James 2:14-24

                        2.         But keep in mind, that though God requires faith and effort on our part, it is not our faith or our effort that saves us, but the death of Jesus - Ephesians 2:1-10

            D.        Yet that faith cannot remain within. It must be confessed - Romans 10:8-10

                        1.         If we do not have enough faith to stand up before others, if we are ashamed of our Lord, we will not reach heaven - Matthew 10:32-33

V.        Repentance

            A.        Peter told men that they must repent, change their ways - Acts 3:19

                        1.         If you think about this, it makes sense. It is our sins which has gotten us in trouble with God. - Isaiah 59:1-2

                        2.         We cannot expect to be forgiven of our sins and continue in them - Romans 6:1-2

                        3.         Or, as Jesus warned - Luke 13:3

            B.        Repentance is more than being sorry for past wrongs - II Corinthians 7:10-11

                        1.         It means turning to God and doing things God’s way - Acts 26:20

                        2.         It means honestly attempting to correct past mistakes

            C.        When the first sermon was delivered after Jesus’ death, the question comes up again - Acts 2:36-41

VI.      Baptism

            A.        Peter had answered the question with two conditions - repentance and being baptized.

                        1.         It is no different than what Jesus commanded - Mark 16:16

                        2.         The disciples were told to make additional disciples by baptizing them - Matthew 28:18-20

            B.        Why is baptism so important? - Romans 6:3-7

                        1.         Baptism represents the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus

                        2.         Baptism represents the believer’s death to sin and his resurrection to a new life

                        3.         Baptism represents the believer’s hope of being raised, like Christ, to enter heaven.

                        4.         In essence, it gives the believer contact to the blood of Christ.

                                    a.         Remember it is Christ’s death which saves and in baptism, we put on Christ - Galatians 3:26-27

                                    b.         Since baptism brings us into contact with Christ, baptism saves - I Peter 3:21

                                    c.         It isn’t the water, but the sincere obedience of the believer.

                                    d.         This is why Paul was told to wash away his sins - Acts 22:10,16

VII.     When taught about Jesus, the Ethiopian eunuch didn’t ask about getting to heaven. He wanted to know what prevented him from doing what needed to be done - Acts 8:35-39

            A.        In this one example we see much of what we discussed

                        1.         He heard the word of God explained to him by Philip

                        2.         He desired to do what he had learned from Philip

                        3.         He stated that he believed - showing both belief and a willingness to declare his belief before others

                        4.         He was baptized and had joy in his heart, knowing he obedient to the Lord God.

            B.        We could ask the same question today, what is stopping you from being baptized?

            C.        Now is the time - II Corinthians 6:2

]]> 63712 Things They Don’t Teach in School https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/things-they-dont-teach-in-school/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 01:14:56 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=23620

Text: I Timothy 6:17-21

 

I.         It is that time of year again when the school bells begin to ring

            A.        By the time a student graduates from high school, he will have invested about 15,120 hours in understanding a wide variety of subjects, which are considered necessary for success in this world.

            B.        Many go on to college where they will spend another 1,920 hours studying in a particular subject area to prepare for a specific career.

            C.        Graduation is not the end of learning by any means. As you work in your selected field, you constantly improve yourself to hold on to your job and to advance through the ranks.

            D.        As valuable as all this formal education is and as good as teachers may be, there are many things one needs to learn that is never taught in those 17,040 hours of education.

II.        You can be rich without money

            A.        If you stopped each graduate as he stepped off the stage and asked the question, “What is your goal in life?” the most popular answer would be, “To make a lot of money.”

                        1.         They learn this from their teachers and from the materialistic society we live in.

                                    a.         However, it is not a goal worthy of those called to be Christians.

                        2.         Proverbs 23:4-5 - Labor not to be rich

                        3.         Matthew 19:23 - The rich have difficulty entering the kingdom of Heaven.

                        4.         Warnings are given to those who trust in riches and are not spiritually wealthy - Luke 12:21.

                        5.         Those who are rich face additional temptations - I Timothy 6:9-10

                        6.         If being rich is your goal, you are asking to walk a thorn-infested trail barefooted.

            B.        There are people who claim to be rich but are not (living off of debt). There are people who appear to be poor but have an abundance (hoarders) - Proverbs 13:7

                        1.         In other words, people lie for different reasons

            C.        Money is not where it is at. It is possible to be rich and never have a large bank account or a fat wallet.

                        1.         There was a church that was materially poor but rich toward God - Revelation 2:9

                                    a.         Imagine that, rich poor people!

                                    b.         Not from pretense but having invested in non-monetary things

                        2.         II Corinthians 6:10 - Paul made many rich

                                    a.         And this from a man who was often in want himself - Philippians 4:12-13

                                    b.         He gave people something that no money could buy — salvation from sin and a home in heaven!

                        3.         Jesus came from heaven that we might be rich - II Corinthians 8:9

                                    a.         We are not talking about a Mercedes and a 20 room mansion here.

                                    b.         Ephesians 1:3 - We are to accumulate spiritual treasure.

                        4.         God wants us to be rich in good works - I Timothy 6:17-18

                        5.         We are to be rich in faith - James 2:5

            D.        You may make a lot of money in your lifetime. If you are so blessed, use it for God’s glory, but don’t set your heart on the accumulation of wealth. Labor for the things which money cannot buy.

III.       The way up is down

            A.        Many graduates are ready to climb the ladder to success. Some are so eager, they think they can skip every other rung on the way.

                        1.         They are the ones who want to succeed no matter what the cost may be.

                        2.         If they have to step on a few hands and burst a few bubbles on the way, so be it.

                        3.         They want self-assurance to show in their clothes, their walk, their smile, their car, and their speech.

            B.        Jesus didn’t see success in this manner.

                        1.         Whoever humbles himself will be exalted - Matthew 23:12

            C.        If you want to get noticed by the Boss, the one who ultimately counts, then take a back seat to others.

                        1.         God respects the lowly - Psalms 138:6

                        2.         The humble are better off - Proverbs 16:19

            D.        Humility means “low-lying, something on the ground” according to Vine.

            E.        Pride is the opposite of humility. Pride is taught in school and society. Humility is taught by God.

                        1.         Pride defiles a man - Mark 7:21-23

                        2.         The proud think they are better than others. Remember the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican? - Luke 18:9-14

                        3.         Blessings come on those who are poor in spirit - Matthew 5:3

                        4.         The Bible is filled with warnings about pride. Pride is one of the most frequently mentioned sins by God.

                                    a.         It is what brought the king of Tyre low. His pride was compared to Satan’s pride - Ezekiel 28:13-17

                                    b.         Pride is what Satan uses to ensnare us - I John 2:16

            F.        Watch out for pride, you have to go low to get up high.

IV.      You are strong when you are weak

            A.        The world sees a strong man as one who has fought his way to the top and has held on to his position against all comers.

                        1.         To him, it is a dog-eat-dog world.

                        2.         “Don’t ever let them see you sweat.”

                        3.         Get others before they get you.

            B.        God doesn’t see strength that way

                        1.         Paul said when I am weak, then am I strong - II Corinthians 12:9-10

                        2.         It is because his trust is in God’s strength

                        3.         God chose the weak things in this world to confound the mighty - I Corinthians 1:27

V.        You must cry to be happy

            A.        The world loves a party.

                        1.         A good portion of the money people make is spent on entertainment, humor, and escapism.

                        2.         Few want to think seriously about their spiritual life, let alone their after-life.

            B.        But a wise man will stop and ponder his mistakes and his future

                        1.         He will mourn over his sins. Only then can he be happy.

                        2.         Matthew 5:4 - Happy are the mourners because they will be comforted.

                        3.         Psalms 126:5-6 - We harvest through our tears.

VI.      You learn a lot in school, but the most important lessons are found in God’s textbook.

]]> 23620 It Is Better to Go to the House of Mourning https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/it-is-better-to-go-to-the-house-of-mourning/ Sun, 08 Aug 2021 19:37:00 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=37229

by Raymond Warfel

]]> 37229 Fighting Sinking when We Are Hit by Sorrow upon Sorrow https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/fighting-sinking-when-we-are-hit-by-sorrow-upon-sorrow/ Fri, 20 Mar 2020 03:18:55 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=20997

by Wayne Fancher

Philippians 2:27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

Being Hit By Sorrow

Matthew 14:10-12 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. 11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Luke 1:36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age;

John 1:40-41 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

Proverbs 15:13 But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.

Being Hit by Anger and Wrath

Matthew 14:5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

Proverbs 27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous;

John 6:15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king,

Matthew 14:22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

Being Hit by Weariness

John 6:18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. John 6:19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles

Mark 6:46-48 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. 47 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. 48 Then He saw them straining at rowing, for, the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea

Being Hit by Fear

Matthew 14:24-27 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."

Proverbs 12:25 an anxious heart weighs a man down,

Matthew 14:28-32 And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Safely Through the Storm

Matthew 14:32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

John 6:21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

Matthew 14:33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."

How to Fight Sinking When You Are Hit By Sorrow

I Thessalonians 4:13-14 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an' anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,

How to Fight Sinking When You Hit by Anger and Wrath

Matthew 5;44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

How to Fight Sinking When You Are Weary

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Isaiah 35:3 Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees.

Psalms 119:28 My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.

Psalms 27:14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

How to Fight Sinking When You Are Hit by Fear

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

I Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

It Is Christ Our King Who Will Carry Us to Heaven

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

I Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Survival
]]> 20997 How do we know if God is giving us a disease because of our sins? https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/how-do-we-know-if-god-is-giving-us-a-disease-because-of-our-sins/ Wed, 27 Nov 2019 21:24:42 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=16120

Question:

In Psalms 38, David tells of his physical pains produced by sin and highly suggests that God is behind his sickness due to his sin. Do we really know when and if God gives us a disease because of our sin? Do we really know how He works regarding disease and sin?

Answer:

One of the mistakes Job's friends made was to assume that his suffering was due to his personal sins.

  • Eliphaz: "According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble harvest it. By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they come to an end" (Job 4:8-9).
  • Bildad: "If you are pure and upright, surely now He would rouse Himself for you and restore your righteous estate" (Job 8:6).
  • Zophar: "But would that God might speak, and open His lips against you, and show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity" (Job 11:5-6).

But by the time we reach the end of the book of Job, we learn that Job's friends were wrong. "It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job" (Job 42:7-9).

In Psalms 38, David pleads with God not to punish him out of anger. David would not survive if that happened. As it was, David was heavily burdened and he knew that it was due to his own sins. "There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities are gone over my head; as a heavy burden they weigh too much for me. My wounds grow foul and fester because of my folly" (Psalms 38:3-5). Most assume that this Psalm was written when David was running from Absalom. "My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off. Those who seek my life lay snares for me; and those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction, and they devise treachery all day long" (Psalms 38:11-12). His predicament was foretold to him by the prophet Nathan after he had committed adultery and tried to hide it by committing murder (II Samuel 11-12).

Unlike Job's friends who assumed Job had to have sinned, even though they had no evidence, David knew he had sinned and he knew that God stated that he would be punished for it. In some ways, David's sufferings were due to his knowledge of how badly he had sinned. He fell into depression. "I am bent over and greatly bowed down; I go mourning all day long. For my loins are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am benumbed and badly crushed; I groan because of the agitation of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart throbs, my strength fails me; and the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me" (Psalms 38:6-10).

David did not turn from God, but rather it was because of his desire to follow God that these things had such a strong impact in his life. Psalms 38 expresses the sorrow that sinners should have that leads to true repentance. "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter" (II Corinthians 7:10-11).

Therefore, just because you are ill, it does not necessarily mean that you are being punished for some sin that you have committed. But there may be times that you knew you sinned and the sufferings you are currently enduring are a result, such as a fornicator dealing with a venereal disease.

]]> 16120 The Importance of Sorrow https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/the-importance-of-sorrow/ Mon, 05 Nov 2018 03:10:00 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=54490

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8

 

I.         Life doesn’t remain the same - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

            A.        There are different seasons, which brings different needs

            B.        No one likes to cry, but life isn’t always going to be rosy. Sorrow has a place in our lives.

            C.        The wise know that we need to think about sorrow - Ecclesiastes 7:4

II.        Hard times will come

            A.        When Israel sinned, God tried to stop them - II Chronicles 36:15-16

                        1.         He was only left with destruction to stop the slide into sin - II Chronicles 36:17

                        2.         Jeremiah was the prophet of that time. He wrote an entire book expressing the sorrow of God and his own – the book of Lamentations

            B.        Consider the number of Psalms that express sorrow

                        1.         Psalms 6 expresses sorrow caused by enemies

                        2.         Psalms 51 expresses sorrow for having sinned

                        3.         About a third of the Psalms are expressions of sorrow

                                    a.         Has God forgotten me? - Psalms 13:1

                                    b.         I have no friends - Psalms 88:18

            C.        Yet, those hardships train us - Hebrews 12:11

III.       Sorrow helps keep our perspective - Ecclesiastes 7:2

            A.        Death is a reality of life

            B.        We are going to have troubles with health - Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

            C.        Jobs will be lost and the economy will not always be stable

            D.        I can do all things through Christ - Philippians 4:11-13

            E.        With faith in God, we are not down to stay down - II Corinthians 4:8-9

IV.      Sorrow doesn’t last. You can look forward to being happy again - Ecclesiastes 7:3

            A.        Sadness reminds us of our need for hope

            B.        Rejoicing in grace and rejoicing in tribulation- Romans 5:1-5

            C.        We sorrow when someone dies because we are separated from them

                        1.         But we can also find comfort that the troubles for a Christian is replaced with rest - Revelation 14:13

                        2.         We don’t grieve as the world because of our hope - I Thessalonians 4:13

V.        Sorrow connects us to others

            A.        Jesus told mourners that comfort is awaiting - Matthew 5:4

            B.        Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we don’t fear - Psalms 23:4

            C.        Nothing can separate us from God’s love - Romans 8:31-39

            D.        Jesus is always with us - Matthew 28:20

            E.        It connects us to God and to each other - II Corinthians 1:3-4

            F.        We are to be sympathetic - Romans 12:15

            G.        We bear each others burdens - Galatians 6:2

VI.      I remember talking to a brother years ago. He avoided singing a song that dealt with financial problems. “My life is good. I don’t have those problems. Singing those words would be dishonest.” I simply asked, “And what will you sing when the hard-times do come?” For they are bound to come and it will be good to sing songs that express those hardships.

            A.        There is a place for sorrow in our lives

            B.        The world tries to avoid it.

                        1.         The denominations tend to focus on positive messages and uplifting songs because they are popular with people

            C.        There are times when songs of joy are not fitting - Psalms 137:3-4

            D.        It is good to know the songs of lament and good to reminds ourselves by singing them

]]> 54490 How do I tell my girlfriend’s father that I’m sorry for disrespecting him by having sex with his daughter? https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/how-do-i-tell-my-girlfriends-father-that-im-sorry-for-disrespecting-him-by-having-sex-with-his-daughter/ Sat, 03 Aug 2013 02:17:00 +0000 https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/?p=39811

Question:

Okay, my girlfriend's parents found out we had sex. They said they don't hate me, but I don't know how to explain to her dad how I'm sorry I disrespected him.

Answer:

Disrespected him? It is your girlfriend whom you treated with disrespect. You used her for your own pleasure, even though she was willing to have sex with you. You did not protect her from yourself and from sin. Love "does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil" (I Corinthians 13:5). You did not treat her with love.

Nor did you treat yourself properly. "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body" (I Corinthians 6:18).

Fornication, like other sins, will keep you out of heaven if you don't make the matter right with God. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (I Corinthians 6:9-11). This is a matter you should be talking to God about (I John 1:9).

It is understandable that her parents are upset with you for not treating their daughter with the respect she should have gotten from you. They are probably disappointed that she did not follow God's teachings regarding sex as they brought her up to do. Yet, the topic that needs to be addressed is not your past sins, but what you are committed to doing in the future. The past can't be undone, but you can change the direction you are going from this point on.

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