Synonyms: thirstiness, dryness, parched, craving, strong desire, longing, yearning, avidity, hunger, voracity, keenness, eagerness, lust, appetite, passion, love, crave, want, covet, desire, hunger for/after, lust for/after, hanker for/after, have one's heart set on
Antonyms: aversion, distaste, apathy, dislike, hatred, antipathy, disgust, disregard, abhorrence, acrimony, wet, animosity, animus, antagonism, bad feeling, bitterness, be averse to, detestation
Showing 3701 to 3725 of 4959 results
Sermon
John N. Brittain
... a kind of entrepreneurial free-market capitalism that, rather than being critiqued by the churches, has been adopted by them. Because the whole context of scripture, what we have collectively seen with our own eyes, is put aside in favor of teachers who suit our desires, as 2 Timothy 4:3 would put it. This is not just theological fretting. It really matters. It matters because the God of scripture is not Santa Claus. The wish list is not always filled. And what of those who tithe, who "name it and ...
Sermon
David O. Bales
... but to summon us to the goodness of Jesus who still, as he promised, draws us, compels us, attracts us to him as he is lifted up on the cross. Now's a time to become more aware of how God the Holy Spirit helps us to corral the evil desires that Paul calls the "flesh." We meditate upon Christ's turning us toward a new direction in life, eternity's direction. As we follow Jesus, we'll never become totally free of what Paul calls the "flesh." We remain contaminated. I think of the farmhouse I grew up in, the ...
Sermon
Steven E. Albertin
... of the Christian." He says, "I am perfectly free, subject to no one. At the same time I am a slave, subject to everyone." People, this kind of freedom is yours. You are free in Jesus Christ. You no longer need to be enslaved to your old selfish wants and desires. You are free to be slaves of Jesus Christ and servants of your neighbors. What a blessed freedom it is! Could there ever be anything more American than that? Amen.
Sermon
Larry Lange
... it. It's about time, he kept thinking to himself as he seated himself at the annual meeting, it's about time these people took responsibility, took up their crosses, started giving and living sacrificially according to biblical standards, not according to their selfish desires. The president of the congregation had been out of town all week long and his only preparation for the meeting was a 45-minute conversation with one of the pastors just after he returned home at nine o'clock the night before. The ...
3705. A Vision Vanished
Philippians 3:4-14
Sermon
Larry Lange
... made him so self-righteous he wanted to kill anyone who fell short of the glory of God — folks like Christians. Arnold's good works, like many of ours, were as ephemeral as New Year's resolutions. Only a humble, searching faith, only the feeblest desire to know Christ and the power of his resurrection will lead us through this faith-killing world to the world to come. Whatever the story of your faith, make its promptings your goal, forget what lies behind, strain forward to what lies ahead, and press ...
3706. The Word Hate
Luke 14:25-35
Illustration
Brett Blair
... of Jacob: "and he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren" (Gen 29:31). Jacob's desire for Rachel rather than Leah is the point. So in this case Jesus is probably expressing the need for kingdom commitment to abandon all other allegiances. Jesus is not suggesting feelings of hatred toward people who we would otherwise love and care about. The opposite is ...
Sermon
King Duncan
... on a lonely unknown desert island. To his surprise he found that he was not alone. A large tribe of people shared the island. Amazingly they welcomed him warmly and treated him very well. In fact, they made him their king and catered to his every desire. He was delighted but puzzled. Why were they treating him in such a royal fashion? As his ability to communicate increased, he learned that they had a tribal custom to choose a king for a year. But when the year was over, this king would be transported ...
3708. Rooting for the Bad Guys?
Lk 16:1-13
Illustration
King Duncan
... was so sure that the audience would vote to kill the bad guy that he only filmed that ending to save money. This quirky little story provides us a window into human nature: We have a yearning for justice. Philosopher Immanuel Kant believed this universal desire of human beings to see justice accomplished pointed the way to God. He called it "a universal sense of oughtness." The Hero's Adventure is what it is sometimes called in storytelling. It is the classic formula of popular fiction. A virtuous person is ...
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... your doings. This passage starts off with a message of hope and on a very positive note but then it seems to end in a forecast of doom. Or does it? On the one hand, the consequences for those who don't change are, well, let's say, less than desirable. But for those who do heed the Word of God, there is blessing and a reshaping of our lives. And that's what I want to look at this morning because, we come to God to be reshaped. And we can come to God is three different ways, as: Silly ...
3710. Called To Freedom
Galatians 5:1-15
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... . Paul writes, "For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." In other words, we've been set free to remain free. Self indulgence is simply another form of bondage and slavery; slavery to our passions and desires. It's slavery to the limitations of self. B. Some folks read this passage that says we're no longer bound by the Law and they go, "Whoa, cool!" They interpret it to mean that, now, they can do anything they want. They interpret it to mean ...
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... came home from work. As he walked into the room, she said, "Honey, this is the pastor from such and such Church. He came to talk to you about God." Then she left! After a few awkward moments, it was as if a dam broke and all of the desires, needs, and hurts of his soul came gushing out. For over an hour, this man talked about his needs, emptiness, hunger, and fears. When he had talked himself out, the Pastor shared with how Christ could meet everyone of those needs. That afternoon, the man knelt in his ...
3712. Come
Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... 't possibly understand. It's not on the list. But if you've ever been denied love or only experienced conditional love then you understand fully what this extravagant grace is all about. Where nothing you ever did was right or garnered the love and affection you needed and desired, Now, God says, you are mine and if you honor and love me I will lavish more love on you than stink on a skunk. That's extravagance. Now, I know Jesus said we have to enter through the narrow the gate, maybe that's so he can greet ...
3713. Step By Step
Acts 11:1-18
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... they are safe; that their family is their refuge; no matter what. We want them to be filled with a sense of hope and a hope filled sense of the future which will allow and challenge them to take risks. And most of all, we want them to have a desire for godliness. We want them to have a deep passion for God and the gospel. But they learn these things Step By Step, not by our lecturing, not by our dropping them off at church and Sunday School, not by our teaching but by OUR EXAMPLE, AND THE STEPS WE ...
3714. Luke 16:19-31
Luke 16:19-31
Sweet
Leonard Sweet
... ” Abraham, the rich man insists that if “someone goes to them from the dead” his brethren will surely “repent.” The term here is “metanoein,” a turning around, which is the appropriate human response to hearing God’s prophetic word. The rich man’s desire for his brothers to “repent” demonstrates that it was not just because he was rich and comforted in this world that he now burns in torment. His reversal of fortune is because, while he lived, he did not “hear” the word of God. He ...
3715. Sitting at the Big People Table
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 1 Timothy 2:1-7
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, [2] for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. [3] This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, [4] who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. [5] For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, [6] who gave himself a ransom for all this was attested at the right time ...
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... ?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again." [52] Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. "Rabbi, I want to see again!" Such a simple request, such a simple desire. It was one that drove Bartimaeus' life. Apparently, once upon a time, he could see. But blindness had set in, either from an accident or illness, and his life and livelihood had been stolen from him so that the only way he could survive was to sit at ...
3717. One of the Family
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-18
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... are to God. In verse 1 & 2 we read: "Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son." In other words, the message god has for us and the relationship God desires to be in with us is so important, that God didn't send any of the ordinary messengers like prophets and angels. No, this message was so important; this relationship was so important that God entrusted it to His only Son, Jesus, and sent Him. And verse three says this ...
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... is Righteousness. Or simply Right Living. Being Righteousness is simply be Faithful. Being Faithful always asks: "Will what I do bring pleasure to the Lord?" Many a Christian has fallen by the wayside because they let corruption enter in. They let Unrighteous thoughts and desires enter into their heart and minds. Or they go back and pick up the garbage left at the foot of the cross and they re-burden their lives. That chink in the armor is enough to bring them down. Put on The Breastplate of Righteousness ...
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... or fame, whether in this world or in the Kingdom of God. Growth takes time. We live in the instant age. There is instant coffee, instant oatmeal, instant milk, instant soup, instant breakfasts and even instamatic cameras. Modern humanity can't and won't wait for desires to be met. People today demand instant gratification. So, at fast food restaurants we get fast food. And we complain if it takes five minutes instead of three. We don't even have to wait in line at the bank anymore; those with the right card ...
3720. Rich In His Poverty
2 Corinthians 8:7-15
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. [10] And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something [11] now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. [12] For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has not according to what one does not have. [13] I do ...
3721. If You Just Hold Up Your Head
Luke 18:1-8
Illustration
Staff
... , no!" Hope is like that. We speak of it more often than we believe in it. Hope is not a strong word for us. It has more to do with "wishing" than "expecting." It has the sound of resignation, an inability to bring about, influence, or even believe that a desired event or goal might ever come to be.
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
... we blurt out when a loved one is sick or injured, miserable or missing. We pray for God to fix what is wrong. We pray for Jesus to remove the cause of our prayer, the need that has made us suddenly needy. Both types of prayer are muttered with the desire to have our needs met. The truth is we want God to remove our need and our neediness so that we won’t really need God anymore. Our prayers are uttered so we can return to our smug sense of self-sufficiency. But that’s another sermon. The tax collector ...
Sermon
King Duncan
... . That’s what grace looks like.” (6) Lloyd C. Douglas in his classic work, “The Mirror,” imagines an exchange that took place between Jesus and Zacchaeus after Zacchaeus’ conversion. “Zacchaeus,” said the carpenter gently, “What did you see that made you desire this peace?” “Good master,” replies Zacchaeus, “I saw mirrored in your eyes the face of the Zacchaeus I was meant to be.” (7) That, my friends, is grace. Here’s something else we need to see. All of us can be recipients ...
3724. What Can We Do to Be Partners with God in Mission?
Luke 20:27-38 
Illustration
Larry R. Kalajainen
At a church-growth workshop the leader, Bill Easum, who himself grew a church from 29 members to over 2,400 members, said that too often the questions churches ask themselves are questions that are motivated by a desire to maintain whatever is comfortable. That's why some have said that the seven last words of the church are "We've never done it that way before." Bill Easum spoke of the three greatest sins of the church, and one of them was, "We're more in love with ...
3725. Easter 4
Psalm 23:1-6, John 10:11-18, Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 2:19-25
Bulletin Aid
Amy C. Schifrin
Prayer Of The Day Leader: Gracious Father, you sent your Son so that we might have life and have it abundantly. May we seek such goodness in our lives and desire it for others, so that gathered as one flock, all people would find their rest in our great shepherd, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. All: Amen. Intercessory Prayers Begin each new petition with: Shepherd of our hearts ... Shepherd of our ...
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