Synonyms: renounce, relinquish, dispense with, forswear, disclaim, disown, disavow, discard, wash one's hands of, give up, stop, cease, drop, forgo, desist from, have done with, abjure, abstain from, discontinue, break off, refrain from, set/lay aside, desert, leave, leave high and dry, turn one's back on, cast aside, break (up) with, vacate, quit, evacuate, withdraw from, surrender, cede, yield, indulge in, give way to, give oneself up to, yield to, lose oneself to/in, uninhibitedness, recklessness, lack of restraint, lack of inhibition, unruliness, wildness, impulsiveness, impetuosity, immoderation, wantonness
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 676 to 700 of 1185 results
Sermon
Lee Ann Dunlap
... As we examine our own world we could well ask, "Are we any different?" Our own nation, like Israel, was called into existence by God, or so we say. Although not the military underdog that Israel was in Hosea's time, we are still trying to pursue our own course toward domestic tranquility without heed of covenant loyalty. In our pursuit of individuality and self-reliance are we not equally guilty of believing we can fix our own problems (or even the world's), without God? Our military, political, or economic ...
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
... consummate the marriage either. He was minded to put her away privately…he thought on these things. We may be sure that he prayed. It was misery for him to mistrust his betrothed; it was misery to be doubtful about the path to be pursued in a case of such momentous importance to them both. A holy man like Joseph, who prayed always, would pray most earnestly, with great importance, under circumstances do distressing. At last the answer came. “God will not leave his servants in perplexity.” (The Pulpit ...
Sermon
King Duncan
... , says Yancey, have they lectured a hapless tourist, “Well, since you obviously ignored the most basic rules of the wilderness, you’ll just have to sit here and bear the consequences. We won’t assist you.” Their mission is rescue, and so they pursue every needy hiker in the wilderness, no matter how undeserving. A whistle, a cry, a flashing mirror, a bonfire, an “SOS” spelled out in pine branches, a message of distress from a cell phone any of these signals will cause Alpine Rescue to mobilize ...
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
... is a heavy, a terrible and a demanding one. What will it profit a man if gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Now, that’s the backdrop; that’s the scriptural foundation for the theme. There is a price, a price for everything. So let’s pursue the theme by laying down some specific truths. First, there is a price for relationship. There is a price for relationship. Note the obvious to which we give too little attention. It costs; it costs to be a caring person. It costs to be a caring person. I ...
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... life filled with stuff and doing. I'm not saying that jobs, family, and stuff are bad or evil. When put in their proper context of a life devoted to Christ, these things can enhance one's life. But it's the context in which they are pursued that makes the difference. Only Christ can give new life. Everything else falls short. Only Christ gives meaning and purpose. Conclusion One of characters from comic strip, "Shoe" is sitting at the counter trying to pick up a woman who is also sitting at the counter. He ...
681. Living In The Spirit Of Joy
Galatians 5:22-25, Romans 12:9-21
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... as the east is from the west. Experiencing Joy can make you feel happy but it's much deeper than that. B. Joy is a gift. Sometimes it's a surprise gift, coming when you least expect it. Sometimes it is as illusive as a summer breeze, the more you pursue it the further away it seems. And when we give up looking for joy, it suddenly, surprisingly springs up right in front of us or overwhelms our hearts at a baptism or a sunrise or in the hug of a grandchild. It might even makes its way into our heart ...
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... you can begin the operation. It doesn't matter if your pumping gas, pumping iron, or pumping oil. If it's an honest day's work, the job doesn't matter, it can bring glory to God. Every job under heaven can give God glory if it is tackled or pursued with the right heart and the right attitude. When we seek to serve God and celebrate the grace of God in our lives, God is glorified. We See God In The Ordinary when we See Work As A Gift. II. Through The Work of Others We can also See God ...
683. Close Enough For Comfort
Psalm 23:4, John 14:15-18
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
... slumbers nor sleeps" and all of a suddenly it dawned on him "If God's going to be awake there's no point in both of us not getting any sleep. And I've slept like a baby ever since. That's the sentiment of faith. Faith frees us to pursue what God has called us to do. There's a great scene in the movie Hoosiers. Based on the true story of a small-town Indiana team that made the state finals in 1954. Hoosiers tells the story Norman Dale, a volatile coach with a spotty past and the father ...
684. Like the Cry of a Mother
Luke 13:31-35
Illustration
Glenn E. Ludwig
... a mother, Jesus' love is so great that his all-consuming passion is to sweep us up into his protective arms. And although there are others in pursuit of him, namely Herod, Jesus, like a mother is persistent. He sticks to what his love compels him to do. He pursues his flock with a passion. His answer to Herod shows that: He has a little work to do in Galilee yet, a few chicks to sweep beneath his wings; and then, he is headed to Jerusalem, where he will, in essence, fly off from his chicks alone and draw ...
685. Philippians 3:4b-14
Philippians 3:1-11
Sweet
Leonard Sweet
... is what now defines Paul’s life, he uses the athletic imagery of a footrace to describe the challenges he will continue to face. Paul’s whole being is focused on a great “goal,” the “heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus.” He has not yet obtained this goal, but pursuing this final participation, this complete and ultimate “knowing” of Christ, is the end-goal that keeps Paul ever “straining forward.”
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
... all, it’s not that big a deal”– that is condoning. That is not forgiving. Russell was the victim of a hit and run accident. He forgave the driver as a way of healing his own emotional pain, but he still pressed charges and pursued legal action. Forgiveness is not condoning. Forgiving is not FORGETTING. Forgetting is a disease known as dementia or Alzheimer’s. It is tragic and painful. Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot ...
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
... apply the pressure. You can bribe a child for a season, but kids are smart, they learn the manipulation game and they will return the favor. Love your children no matter what. Help them set appropriate boundaries and establish inner discipline. Encourage them to pursue their God-given potential without pressuring them to please you. Be there for them when they need you. Give them wings so they can fly. Always remember that love covers a multitude of sins. II. Commitment Is a Promise of Presence in a World ...
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
... , nor by the nature of my sexuality, nor by the part of the country in which I was born. I want to be judged by the productivity of my efforts and the content of my character, and my willingness to apply myself for the common good. I want freedom to pursue my hopes and dreams with the grace of God to try again. I want to be judged not by the number of times I fail, but by the number of times I get up and try again. I want comfort in my affliction and help in my time of need ...
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
... say whatever I command you - for the politicians and the priests are satisfied to cry peace, peace, when there is no peace.” Dare we ignore the cries of children, harden our hearts to the homeless, and forget our men and women fighting in war while we pursue our materialistic dreams? We could use some prophets today! II. The Holy Spirit Empowers Us to Raise Hopes “...young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams” (v.17b). Hope is more than positive thinking. I have had about as much of ...
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
... inflict wounds on others. They are dedicated to the common good. They do not seek their own way; they seek the best way for all involved. Love your enemies, bless those who persecute you. It is the Christian way. When will we have enough sense to pursue it? Peace-makers resist the forces of evil, and work for justice. When people join this congregation we ask: “Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness and reject the evil powers of this world?” That’s a tough question. It takes hard work to ...
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
... fuzzy values live fuzzy lives. So, I invite us to use these forty days of Lent to examine our values. I want us to lift up the floorboards of our convictions and examine them in the presence of Jesus. I want us to question, discuss, ponder, pray and pursue a life that is pleasing to God. I urge you to use the tools our Discipleship Team has made available to us, the devotional guide, the blog, and the sermons, not to be indoctrinated, but to be invigorated. I. How Do We Develop Our Values? We develop them ...
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
... this week. The responses were humorous to say the least. Maybe they were Methodist and she was in the kitchen preparing the fatted calf. Maybe they were Baptists and she was graciously submitting along with the other slaves. Maybe she was a liberated Episcopalian out pursuing a career of her own. More likely, she was a good Jew, doing all the work and getting little credit for it. Back in the 1600’s, renowned artist Rembrandt did a painting of The Prodigal Son. It still hangs today in St. Petersburg ...
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
... cloth. Have you learned to live the questions? Several churches in our community are promising to answer hard questions about the faith this Easter. I respect that, but through the years I have found more faith in living the questions than in pursuing the answers. Had Jesus wanted to start a publicity campaign, he would have staged his resurrection appearance in the temple courtyard or maybe a special leadership conference at the resort town of Tiberias on beautiful Lake Galilee. Instead, Jesus appears to ...
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
... easily become your church. Tell your friends who are not here that God will have none of that. We need all the parts to be the whole body of Christ. Maybe there was a time when we could practice our faith privately, get our religion electronically, and pursue our beliefs individually. Not any more. When the world stopped turning that September day, we discovered that we did not want to be alone. We needed to belong. We need faith to carry on. So, I say to you on the edge, come on in. Welcome home. Brought ...
695. Freedom to Set Free
Galatians 4:21-31
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
... on Dynamic Discipleship. Last Sunday our theme was in the image of Charles Wesley’s hymn: “He breaks the power of cancelled sin.” The big word of that message was “Christ frees us from something - specifically, from meaninglessness, guilt, and death. Today, we pursue a variation on that theme. Christ not only frees us from something, He frees us to something. Let’s begin by exploring our scripture lesson. Verse 1 of Galatians 5 is Paul’s Magna Charta of spiritual freedom. It is to such persons ...
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
... believed in astrology. They believed that they could foretell the future from the stars and they believed that a man’s destiny was settled by the star under which he was born. It is not difficult to see how that belief arose. The stars pursue their unvarying courses; they represent the order of the universe. If then there suddenly appeared some brilliant star, if the unvarying order of the heavens was broken by some special phenomenon, it did look as if God was breaking into His own order, and announcing ...
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
... the Church” – get that that — “the Head of all things for the Church which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all”. Wesley would like that definition of the church — the Dwelling Place of Wonder. I like it. So let’s pursue it today as we continue our series of sermon on the beliefs of a Methodist Christian. I Consider first that the Church is the Dwelling Place of the Wonder of the Gospel. Wesley defined the visible church as a congregation of faithful people, “in which the ...
698. Born Again
John 3:1-21
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
... here he is in the room with Jesus — the counselor of counselors He who knew what was in the heart of every person the healer of souls. And Jesus won’t let him off the hook. Jesus won’t even let him talk philosophically, won’t let him pursue who Jesus is. Nicodemus tries: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these things that you do, unless Jesus is with him.” (verse 2). Here is an indication that there have been other contacts. Otherwise, why would Jesus strike ...
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
... Luke 21:38, and some include it in other places of this gospel of John. It is found in Western manuscripts. Jerome included it in the Latin Vulgate, and it appears in one of the best Fifth Century manuscripts. I share this bit of information not to pursue scholarly debate, but to make this point. The Bible is a miraculous book. Did you know that there are about 591 translations of the Bible being worked on right now by the two major Bible Societies: The American Bible Society of New York, and the United ...
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
... we have already considered during this preaching journey through John’s gospel. Our primary theme is a phrase lifted from the 21st verse: “THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE.” Isn’t that an exciting suggestion? I want to ask you two questions in pursuing this theme. One, what is required that the world may believe; and two, what sustains those who would be the guarantee that the world may believe? One of the most memorable sections in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ prize-winning novel, One Hundred Years of ...
Showing results