Posts Tagged ‘trials’
The Church Is Still the Church
by Doy Moyer “Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory” (Psalms 63:2). David wrote that while on the run in the wilderness. While the temple had not been built, David would have thought of the tabernacle and perhaps imagined what a future temple would look like. Thinking…
Read MoreA Present Distress
by Doy Moyer “I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is” (I Corinthians 7:26). Christians faced struggles and persecutions peculiar to their profession as Christians. Paul was dealing with a situation in which there was a “present distress.” We don’t know exactly what…
Read MoreSurvival
March 15-20, 2020 presented by Wayne Fancher of Searcy, Arkansas Click on the lesson titles to listen to each message. Little by Little Lessons from the Prodigal Son God Who Makes the Broken Beautiful Spiritual Collateral Damage and Blessings Soldiers of Christ Arise and Put Your Armor On How to Grow as a Local Congregation…
Read MoreFrom Bad to Good
by Mike Johnson Text: Philippians 1:12-14 Paul Arrives in Rome in Chains Acts 28:15-16 Paul wrote the book of Philippians while in prison. His trial had probably already taken place, and he seemed to be waiting for the verdict. It appears he expected to be released but was uncertain about it. Paul, no doubt, did…
Read MoreAbigail’s Shadow
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019Fall5Abigails-Shadow.mp3 by Andy Cantrell Finding Our Purpose from the Past
Read MoreDavid, Peter, and Me
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019Fall4David-Peter-and-Me.mp3 by Andy Cantrell Finding Our Purpose from the Past
Read MoreBorn Again by the Word of God
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Born-Again-By-The-Word-of-God.mp3 by Andy Cantrell Finding Our Purpose from the Past
Read MoreWhere Is God When Mass Murder Strikes?
by David Dann The psalmist poses the following question: “Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide in times of trouble?” (Psalms 10:1). As he describes the wicked man in the same passage, the inspired writer goes on to say, “He sits in the lurking places of the villages; in the…
Read MoreWhy Do Bad Things Happen?
by T. Sean Sullivan How often is your life visited with a bad day or bad news? How often do we suffer in this world? One specific area that I know visits every family at one time or another is sickness. Yes, ailments come and sometimes they bring an end to a loved one’s life.…
Read MoreHow do I help my son, whose wife is dying of MND?
Question: Dear Sir, I am a member of the church of Christ. My son’s wife is dying of a motor neuron disease (MND). They still do their Bible studies and go to church as often as possible. What can I say or do to help him through all this? He says he just hopes that…
Read MorePsalms 22
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Psalms22.mp3 Text: Psalms 22 I. Life can get very difficult at times and we can easily get overwhelmed by the struggle. What do we do? II. Why doesn’t God do something? – Psalms 22:1-5 A. We not only want a solution, we also have a time in mind that we want it solved by. B. It might appear…
Read MoreA Song of Faith
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SongOfFaith.mp3 Text: Psalm 23 I. The most famous psalm is a song about faith. A. It weaves in a few brief words the clear message of a special relationship between man and God B. It speaks of trust and security in good times and bad. II. Faith in Times of Quiet – Psalm 23:1-3 A. The Lord is my…
Read MoreFear or Faithfulness?
by Matthew W. Bassford From an earthly perspective, many of the prophets of the Old Testament got a raw deal. On this list, we certainly must include Jeremiah. He was forbidden to marry and have a family, he couldn’t attend parties or funerals, and he prophesied in a time that was utterly hostile to his…
Read MoreTake Up Your Cross
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/TakeUpYourCross.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 14:25-32 I. Many people see religion as something done out of convenience. A. They attend when there isn’t something important going on B. They select a church to attend because it is close, or because of the events going on, or if there are kids for my kid to play…
Read MoreGod Wants Me to Be Happy
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/GodWantsMeToBeHappy.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 128 I. The same plot repeats through the stories of people’s lives A. A woman finds a man who pays more attention to her than her husband, so she divorces her husband to marry this other man because “God wants me to be happy.” B. Andy Diestelkamp tells this story:…
Read MoreIs there any difference between trials, temptations, and persecution?
Question: Hi Jeff, Is there any difference between trials, temptations, and persecution? Thanks. Answer: In English, a trial is any difficult situation, including temptations and persecution. Temptation is when you desire something but realize that to get what you want, you would have to break a law of God. Persecution is when others make life…
Read MoreDo we feel guilty because God is disciplining us?
Question: How do we know if God is disciplining us? When we feel guilty after sinning, is that discipline? The Bible says that God disciplines those He loves. I sometimes wonder if God disciplines me, and I find it comforting to imagine that He does because it reminds me He loves me. Answer: “You have…
Read MoreJames on Trials
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/JamesOnTrials.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: James 1:1-27 I. The book of James is written to Jewish Christians who were scattered by persecution – Acts 8:1-4 A. This is one indication that James is one of the first books written B. It is that persecution that sets up the theme for the first part of the book…
Read MoreWould God give us more than we can handle?
Question: Hello, I have heard the saying, “God does not give us more than we can handle” being used quite a lot. Is this biblically correct? I am a Christian and I feel like I am being crushed. I am a teenager, but I cannot enjoy my youth. I have stomach issues, so there are…
Read MoreI recently learned I have ALS
Question: I have recently been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gerig Disease, I think it’s called in the US). I am a strong, committed, and faithful believer in God; however, I am not immune to fear of the unknown. I know I only have a very short time left on earth, and will soon be joining…
Read MoreTest Me Now in This
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/TestMeNowInThis.mp3 by Alan Feaster
Read MoreStrategies for Dealing with Problems
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/StrategiesForDealingWithProblems.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Mark 14:3-9 I. The world is filled with problems. Some caused by others. Many that I cause myself. A. How do you deal with them? II. Ignore them A. It is so tempting to pretend that the problems aren’t really there. B. Don’t forsake your friends – Proverbs 27:10 C. Example from the Good…
Read MoreHow can God expect me to remain a Christian in the face of the death of my son?
Question: Hi there, I recently lost my newborn son due to a premature birth about a month ago. It has been really hard on both me and my husband. We have been gradually picking up our regular routines since it happened, like going back to work and church, but I still feel like missing church…
Read MoreFaith Illustrated
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FaithIllustrated.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. The great stories of the Bible never grow old A. We tend to idealize the characters and forget that these are ordinary people, like you and I B. People whose faith was tested and many triumphed over sin C. After discussing many people who illustrated faith, the writer of Hebrews to stand…
Read MoreOne of Those Days
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/OneOfThoseDays.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 14:1-36 I. It is easy to get a distorted view of time while reading the Bible A. We see the highlights over a 4,000+ year period of time and come away thinking that miracles and exciting events happened constantly B. But sometime we read the events in the Gospels and don’t…
Read MoreSolace in Solitude
by Andrew Hamilton Sometimes, you have one of those days. You had a stressful day at work, or you received some bad news. You have a lot on your mind. Where do you turn? “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him. It is good that he…
Read MoreFarther Along
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/FartherAlong.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 73 I. When you were young, you might have grumbled about why you had to clean your room, why were there so many chores, or why you could not stay out late with your friends. A. The adults in this room look back and realize that there were good…
Read MoreJamaica Patois Wisdom – Problems
by Jefferson David Tant The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique, and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of teaching there, I have come…
Read MoreCan I use quotes from your answer on why God doesn’t prevent harm?
Question: Hello, I am in the midst of a time of pain and tragedy for my family having two terminally ill, close family members. I am nursing one and cannot see much of the other terminally ill one. While reading on the Internet someone’s question about ”Why doesn’t God prevent innocent children from being harmed?”…
Read MoreMaking the Best of Bad Situations
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/MakingTheBestOfBadSituations.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 1:12-18 I. As much as we might wish it otherwise, we aren’t often in control A. Things aren’t always optimal B. Things don’t always go our way II. Better than you might think A. The Philippians had hear of Paul’s imprisonment – Philippians 4:14 1. Such would normally be a concern B. Yet Paul…
Read MoreMoments that Test Us
by Mike Thomas Persecution reveals the quality of our faith in the same way fire reveals the nature of metal (I Peter 1:7). But persecution is not the only moment that reveals our character. There are other scenes in life that are just as effective in exposing our inner man: Being Alone Photo by Warren…
Read MoreDealing with Bad News
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/DealingWithBadNews.mp3 by Evan Barnwell
Read MoreThe Time Given Us
by John R. Gibson In his epic novel depicting a great struggle between good and evil, J.R. R. Tolkien narrates the following conversation about the evil threat of Sauron. ‘I wish it need not have happened in my time,’ said Frodo. ‘So do I, said Gandalf, ‘and so do all who live to see such…
Read MoreA Lesson from History
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/LessonFromHistory.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Peter 1:1-9 I. The year — A.D. 64 A. A major fire breaks out in the city of Rome. Coincidently, the fire centered in the poorer sections of the city. B. Many suspected Nero of ordering the burning to clear space for improvements and to remove untoward elements. However, Nero…
Read MoreDoes God care about all the surgeries I’m going through?
Question: I was an evangelical Christian over five years ago. I am still a believer. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs or anything like that. I don’t have a girlfriend. I stopped going to church about two years ago. It was because I had surgery (Palatal Expansion). I was born with…
Read MoreWhy doesn’t God just end the world and stop the corruption?
Question: We know, as a fact, that our God does not want anyone to perish and wants all to come to the knowledge of Him and salvation. We even deduce that he created us out of love, as He is love. At the same time, we expect that most people will not be saved, and…
Read MoreMy life is a misery
Question: I have been living in Africa since I lost my dependable job due to political or governmental changes. I think God has left Africa because of the poverty, destructions, killing, famines, homelessness, and many more which is happening here. Now it seems the whole world is against me because I have reached out to…
Read MoreWhy am I suffering like this?
Question: I’m in my early twenties. I’m suffering from arthritis for several years. I took many treatments, but I’m not able to find a cure. I’m a Christian. One more thing is that I was in a relationship with a girl. I loved her like anything. I have touched her several times and I have…
Read MoreWill I be handicapped in heaven?
Question: I was born with a handicap. It has since become worse. I have applied for disability but can not seem to receive it. Why was I pick for this? What did I do to deserve this? If I die tomorrow, will I be handicapped in heaven? Who should I take my anger out on?…
Read MoreWhat is the blueness of a wound?
Question: In Proverbs 20:30, it reads, “The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.” What does blueness mean? Answer: This is the older way of say “bruise.” We still keep the memory of it when we say a person was beaten black and blue. Bruises look ugly and…
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