Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 526 to 550 of 1185 results

526. Loving Close-up

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... that is responsible to, and for, the world." (First Methodist Messenger, May 7, 1982). All of that is true -- and you know where it must all begin? In the place where we live and love close up -- certainly in our homes and families. We must cease living like warts, selfish, autonomous, unconcerned about the very relationships that sustain life. We must express love by being kind, by looking for ways to be constructive -- for ways to bless someone with good. III. Now a final word: Living and loving close up ...

527. In A Mirror Dimly

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... , astonishing, surprising, and enjoying every minute of it. Open to the world -- trusting God -- that's child-likeness, and we don't want to give that up. II. But Paul has something else in mind. His big concern is love -- and he's talking not about ceasing to be childlike, but turning our backs on childish actions in human relationships. "When I became a man," he said, "I put away childish things." Barry Bailey, Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Fort Worth, tells a story about a couple who came to ...

528. The Dayspring From On High

Luke 1:5-25

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... and his wife had been praying for a child. The first thing the angel said to him was, "Do not be afraid, Zachariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John." Perhaps they had ceased praying for a child, now that Elizabeth was well beyond child-bearing age. When they were praying in then -- when she could get pregnant -- they were "asking the Creator to participate with what was nature's design -- to give nature a little push to get on with ...

529. The Rest Of The Story

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... everything, refused to despair. They still believed. And Cronin confessed to a feeling of confusion rising in him. But then there was no anger in his heart. No concern for his own petty deprivations. But only pity and a pervading sense of shame. The rain had ceased -- but Cronin didn't leave. Instead he went back into the little church, down to the altar where the little beacon still burned, in the no longer empty church. One candle in a ruined city. But while it shown, there seemed hope for the world." (A ...

530. East Of Eden And The City Of Beginning

Genesis 4:1-26

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... second fiddle. He is the representative of those who get the short end of the stick... Life is that way, isn't it? There are those who are born with silver spoons in their mouths, and there are those born for whom the cry of hunger never ceases because poverty robs them of the very sustenance of life. Cain, in his name and in the symbol, speaks volumes to us. The strong one -- the first born, the blessed, the one who has everything. Those who find themselves in that position find it easy to put themselves ...

531. If Only -- In Spite Of

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... with some real "giants." "I continue to receive the _Courier_ so I am able to keep up on Christ Church news. The expansion program sounds great and if we have to have problems this is a good one to have. All of the church's programs and activities never cease to amaze me. I am always sharing my paper with others here so it is well worth the overseas postage and much appreciated by all. In addition to the paper, several Christ Church members write me so I don't miss out on much news." The "giants" -- they ...

532. Draw Nigh To God

James 4:1-12

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... , and now, the third direction for drawing near to God; live repentantly. "Cleanse your hands," James says, "and purify your hearts." This is living repentantly. Repentance is more than just acknowledging our sin. It's that to be sure. But it's also the deep desire to cease our sinful action and be freed of our sinful attitudes and feelings. Josh Jenkins put it this way, "to err is human, but when the eraser wears out ahead of the pencil, you're overdoing it." We must live repentantly to live in a stance of ...

533. When Jesus Comes

Luke 8:22-25

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... Protestant in Belfast, Ireland--the center of most of the violence. It's a symbol of love that forgives, heals and builds bridges of understanding and peace. It is a symbol of what must happen in Ireland if hatred and violence and destruction are going to cease. Since that time, Joseph Parker over and over again has risked his life in the face of threats, has held meetings and feasts, fasts and vigils and has inspired thousands of persons to sign a pledge and commit themselves to witness for peace in that ...

534. As Real As It Gets

Luke 9:57-62

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... , the sign now read, "If you are tired of sinning, stop in here! And if not, call 445-7751!" As funny as that is, it makes a point. It is not easy to make the clean break with the past that we need to make. It is not easy to cease following our own whims and our own desires and follow Jesus. But that is the call. I know I talk a lot about recovering alcoholics, but they have so much to teach us. You would be amazed to know how many recovering alcoholics there are in this congregation. You probably ...

535. Turn in an Account of Your Stewardship

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... through the glass of the window, you see others, but when you look into the glass of the mirror you see only yourself. The reason for this, “said the psychiatrist, “is that behind the glass in the mirror is a layer of silver. When silver is added, you cease to see others. You only see yourself.” Whenever your devotion to money and material things causes you to be self-centered, you in essence deny God’s intention for your life. It is also a denial of the Christ, for Jesus came into the world so that ...

536. Getting Ourselves Off Our Hands

Philippians 3:12-4:1

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... was going to go through life holding hands with myself or reaching out to help the hurt of the world." (Hinson, Solid Living in a Shattered World, pp. 97-98) We have to make that decision as well. It's a sure way to get ourselves off our hands -- to cease guarding our lives. So there you have it. All of us Christians are under construction. Some of us are specifically in recovery. If you are like me, and most Christians I know, we need to get ourselves off our own hands. How do we do it? This will help. (1 ...

537. When Being Good Is Bad For You Or Breaking The Chains Of Co-dependency

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... . IV. So how do we break the cycle of being good -- being bad? How do we break the chains of co-dependency? Put the last two points in the positive, and we'll at least head in the right direction. One, stop enduring life and begin to live it. Cease compulsively caring for others and begin to care for yourself. In a recent cartoon, Ziggy is looking at a greeting card display. One section is labeled "Get Well"; the other, "Get Real". That's our need. We're not going to get well until we get real. Many of ...

538. The Easter Question: Why Are You Weeping? Whom Do You Seek?

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... tears that says it well. Not now, but in the coming yearsIt may be in the better landWe'll read the meaning of our tears,And there, sometime, we'll understand. We'll know why clouds, instead of sunWere over many a cherished plan;why song has ceased when scarce begun;Tis there, sometime, we'll understand. God knows the way, He holds the keyHe guides us with unerring hand;Sometime with tearless eyes we'll see;Yes, there, up there, we'll understand."(J. C. Maclaulay, Devotional Studies in John's Gospel, p. 171 ...

539. The Need To Pay Attention

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... one of our deepest needs for our own sakes -- but also for the sake of others. So let's spin that out. I. One, we need to pay attention to life. I believe this is the way to live prayerfully. It is certainly one of the ways we "pray without ceasing." Simply to pay attention to life. I didn't expect to find the meaning of life in an antique beetlenut box, but I did -- at least in part. I found a parable of life in that unexpected place. This is often the case. We stumble upon meaning, blunder into the ...

540. Evaluating Our Names

Isaiah 62:1-12

Sermon

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but in Christ, God will make us new, until we can be the people in whose midst he promises to dwell in delight forever (Revelation 21:3). The prophet prays for that future salvation in our text. He says that he will never cease praying (v. 1) or give God rest until God "establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth" (v. 7). Surely, for the same happy outcome for the church, we should pray also. Indeed, every time we pray the Lord's prayer, we utter that petition: "Thy ...

541. The Sufficiency of Christ

Philippians 4:10-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... goals, there are some steps that we can take today and those are the only steps we need to take. And, of course, today is all we can handle. But we can handle today – what freedom comes, when we take our anxious eyes off the future, when we cease anticipating all the problems and difficulties of tomorrow, and focus our energy on the present, we know that Christ’s power is sufficient for every day, but that power is available only moment by moment and day by day. Doyle’s life and faith and the only ...

542. Get Rid of the Junk

Jeremiah 16:1--17:18

Sermon

King Duncan

... in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.” THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CURSED AND THE BLESSED IS INTERNAL; IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES. You can’t judge whether a person is cursed or blessed by the kind of house he lives in or the kind of job he has. You can’t ...

543. Some Healing Is Up To You

John 5:1-15

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... she had heard. So she pressed through the multitude and drew close enough to reach out and touch just the hem of Jesus’ garment. And it happened. She felt the power of Christ surging through her body, and the fountain of blood, which had flowed for years, ceased, and she knew herself to be healed. Jesus’ ministry is a healing one. (Mark 5:24-34) Do you remember the man of the Gerasenes? He was possessed of demons to the point that he was compelled to dwell among the tombs. He called himself “legion ...

544. Our Journey With Jesus

2 Corinthians 5:17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... . In the April 25th, 1923 issue of the Pentecostal Herald, our seminaries’ founding president, Dr. H. C. Morrison, wrote: “One of the most startling facts that we have to face is the fact that large numbers of preachers are departing from the faith. They cease to believe the plain word of the Bible. They are preaching their unbelief; they are denying the inspiration of the prophets, the deity of Christ, the blood atonement . . . the great saving truths of the Word of God; while many others have not gone ...

545. A Church for the 21st Century: Holy, Charismatic, Apostolic - An Enclave of Resistance

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... be constantly reminded of the peril in which we stand. I encourage our students read that plaque and pause often there in the presence of Mr. Wesley, and pay attention to what he said. Listen: “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid, lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case, unless they hold fast the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with ...

546. Some Healing Is Up To You

John 5:1-15

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... was coming to town. In desperation, she forced her way through the crowd. In her mind, she must have been thinking, “If I can just touch him, I will be whole.” And you know what happened. She touched the hem of his garment. The fountain of blood ceased to flow and she felt in her body that she was healed (Mark 5:24-34). There is a parade of witnesses like her who move through the Scripture. You can’t read the Gospels without experiencing the glorious truth: Jesus’ ministry is a healing one. One of ...

547. The Church: An Enclave of Resistance v2

Romans 12:1-8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... reminded of the peril in which we stand. New students need to go read that plaque and pause often there in the presence of Mr. Wesley and pay attention to what he said. Listen: “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid, lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case, unless they hold fast the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which ...

548. The Authority of Scripture: God's Breathed Word

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... one of Wesley’s words printed on a bronze plaque. I not only want our students to be constantly reminded of Mr. Wesley and our heritage he inspired, I want them to read often this word. “I am not afraid the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, Spirit and discipline with which ...

549. The Church: An Enclave of Resistance v1

Romans 12:1-8, Romans 12:9-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... as love, forgiveness, reconciliation. He defined it as adoption -- we’re adopted as sons and daughters of God. All the images combine to demonstrate an undeserved gift, freely given, without price. That was what was so astounding to Paul and he never ceased writing about it. This was also the rediscovery of Martin Luther that brought about the Protestant Reformation. Wesley followed in the train of Paul and Luther. In fact, I believe no one has presented it more clearly, All grace: prevenient, justifying ...

550. Staying Alive All Your Ministry Life: Will You Finish Well?

Exodus 32:1-33:6

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... :25-33) The conversion of a Gentile businesswoman and a jailer, along with the healing of a demon-possessed slave girl – all the result of Paul’s surrender to an ecstatic vision. The lesson is clear. When we are open to the Spirit, and cease trusting our own wisdom and power, our actions, and accomplishments will far exceed our normal potential and capacity as commonly perceived. Jean-Pierre de Caussade addressed the issue in this fashion: Those who have gauged the depths of their own nothingness can no ...

Showing results