The First Beatitude in Psalms

by Warren E. Berkley The book of Psalms opens with a beatitude. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful,” (Psalms 1:1). This is a description of a life centered on God. Those who live…

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Skewed Views of God

by David Gibson The Book of Psalms records several wrong views of God: No God “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt; they do abominable deeds . . .” (Psalm 14:1). How can someone say there is no God, in view of all the evidence to the contrary? “Design…

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Is it proper to take pleasure in the death of the wicked?

Question: Does the city in Proverbs 11:10 take pleasure in the death of the wicked? Answer: “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting” (Proverbs 11:10). Everyone is happy when things go well with the righteous because the righteous is generous with his blessings…

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God Doesn’t Hear the Prayers of Sinners

by Zeke Flores We don’t know much about what the newly-seeing man in John 9 believed about many things, but he was right about this: God doesn’t hear the prayers of sinners (John 9:31). Both Old and New Covenants abound with the idea that God refuses the prayer of those who obstinately sin (see Isaiah…

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What kind of body will wicked people have in the resurrection?

Question: What kind of resurrected body will have wicked people when our Lord returns? Answer: “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed…

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Lovers of Darkness

by Zeke Flores Jesus said that men love darkness rather than light because their actions are evil (John 3:19). That makes sense since so many heinous deeds, from robbery to murder, take place under cover of darkness. But when light shines in darkness, it will have one of two effects: Either those who want light will…

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The Return of the King

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/The-Return-of-the-King.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Samuel 19:15-39   I.          King David’s son, Absalom, had lead a successful revolt against the king              A.         David had to flee for his life – II Samuel 15:13-14              B.         It was a time of great confusion as people did not know who would eventually succeed. Loyalties became divided.              C.         Some left with…

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God Overthrows the Wicked

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/GodOverthrowsTheWicked.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.         Do not trust in men – Psalm 146             A.        Even a high ranking man is not trustworthy             B.        Men die. Even with good intentions, they cannot always accomplish what they desire.             C.        God, however, can do all things.             D.        It is important to remember that men are very limited in power II.        David is opposed…

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Men of Debase Minds

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 5:18-24   I.         Starting in Romans 1:18, Paul lays out the moral decay of the Gentile society             A.        All men at one time knew God, but there came a point in the Gentile society when the true God was rejected.- Romans 1:18-21                         1.         He was replaced with gods of man’s imagination, copied…

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