Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1526 to 1550 of 2962 results

1 Corinthians 12:13-27, Ephesians 4:1-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... spiritual unity. When that one Spirit fills every believer, you will then have practical unity. You see, the Holy Spirit has one desire to glorify the Son of God. The Holy Spirit leads in one direction to identify the will of God. The Holy Spirit has one design to magnify the Word of God. The Holy Spirit has one determination to edify the church of God. To the extent that every believer is filled with the Holy Spirit, there will be Spirit-filled unity. There is one hope. (v. 4) This one hope is the second ...

1527. If You're Not Loving You're Not Living (Fruit of the Spirit: Love)

Galatians 5:22

Sermon

James Merritt

... boy said, "Why do you say that Dad?" His dad said, "Because it's a pear tree." But fruit is also valuable. You see, fruit exists not for its own benefit, but for the benefit of others. Fruit is to be eaten. Did you know that seed in fruit is designed for reproduction. You see, others are not only to taste it, but that same seed is to be planted in the lives of other people. Now understand that this fruit is not produced by us, it is produced in us; by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore this ...

1528. Don't Forget to Remember

Jude 1:5-7

Sermon

James Merritt

... remember. In the days of the pioneers when men would see that a prairie fire was coming, do you know what they would do? Since not even the fastest of horses could outrun a prairie fire, the pioneers would take a match and burn the grass in a designated area around them. Then they would take their stand in the burned area, knowing they would be safe from the fire. As the roar of those flames got closer and closer, they would not even flinch. The reason? Because fire cannot come where fire has already been ...

1529. Dad: The Head of a Godly Family

Joshua 24:15

Sermon

James Merritt

... always live up to their father's expectations, but we face a different problem in America today. Father's are failing to meet up to the expectations and the needs of their children. Over the course of history we can see how, by God-given design, men have been leaders in science, industry, research, and religion. Without question, men are a constructive force in society. But we now know they can also be perhaps the most destructive force in society. - Walk into a prison, go to death row, 99% of those inmates ...

1530. A Streetcar Named Desire

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

James Merritt

... founded the first library in America? B. Franklin, age 25. Some got their copy through the U.S. Mail. Its father? B. Franklin, age 31. Now, think fire. Who started the first fire department, invented the lightning rod, and designed the heating stove still in use today? B. Franklin, ages 31, 43, 36. Wit, Conversationalist, Economist, Philosopher, Diplomat, Printer, Publisher, Linguist (spoke and wrote five languages). Advocate of paratroopers (from balloons) a century before the airplane was invented. All ...

1531. Tastes Great, Less Filling - Sounds Good, Not True

Proverbs 23:29-35

Sermon

James Merritt

... dealt with, is the seductive adulterous woman. Referring to the person who allows himself to be trapped by the adulterous woman, he says: "In the greatness of his folly he shall go astray." (5:23b) The second, with which this entire book is designed to help our children avoid, is the refusal to listen to the wise instruction of a godly father. "Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge." (Prov. 19:27) The third, is drinking alcoholic beverages as described ...

1532. Fill'er up Lord

Ephesians 5:18-21

Sermon

James Merritt

... that God does not want us to do His work for Him, He wants to do His work through us. The Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit can be compared to a glove. Until a hand fills a glove, a glove is powerless and useless. The glove is designed to do the work, but it can do no work by itself. It can only work when a hand gets into it and controls and uses it. The only work the glove has is the work the hand wants it to do. Likewise the glove does not ask the hand ...

1533. O Holy Night

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... In fact, the word excruciating literally means "out of the cross." That word had to be invented to fully codify and signify the horror of crucifixion.2 Crucifixion was not just a barbaric way of carrying out capital punishment. It was exquisitely designed to bring total humiliating shame upon the person being crucified. Crucifixion not only had the goal of killing the individual, but degrading him totally before He died. The condemned person was frequently flogged before he was crucified. Then he was forced ...

1534. Why You Should Trust In God

Proverbs 3:5-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... : "Trust is not being afraid." A split second before the rhinoceros tramples that little helpless child, it stops, and the little girl still smiling, reaches up and pets the animal on that massive horn. The final words then appear, "Even when you're vulnerable." That commercial was designed to show why we ought to trust an insurance company. But I'm here to tell you that all of God's word was written to show us why we ought to trust God. We ought to trust God for this reason: When we trust him He guides ...

1535. Why You Should Study the Bible

Psalm 119:105

Sermon

James Merritt

... next day when I went out there a cement mixer truck had come out there, backed up to that form and delivered that cement to the form that was set. Do you know what that cement did? It obeyed the form. It allowed the form to direct its flow and design its shape, and the movement of the cement was confined to the boundaries of that form, and when it hardened it looked just like the foundation of my home, which is exactly what the form intended for it to do. God has a form of truth for us. It’s ...

1536. The Tincture of Time

Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-43

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... midst and deal with it? Isn't part of creating a just society the very ability to assure others that righteousness will be rewarded and evil-doers will be punished? Both the Old and New Testaments offer us a legacy of laws and legislations designed to create such a just society. And that is precisely Jesus' point. Despite the God-given guidance we have received; and despite generations of trying, we have still utterly failed to become the people, the culture, the world, that God's righteousness demands. The ...

1537. Pulling Weeds - Sermon Starter

Mt 13:24-30, 36-43

Illustration

King Duncan

... make when they invite me over for dinner. I don't iron because . . . I choose to believe them when they say "Permanent Press." And finally: I don't pull weeds in the garden because . . . I don't want to get in God's way, He is an excellent designer! I doubt than anyone likes pulling weeds, including God. In today's lesson Jesus tells a parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away ...

1538. In Love with Howard

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

King Duncan

... live in peace and harmony together. This is God’s plan and purpose for God’s world. It is where the kingdoms of this world are destined. Is that possible that such a day could come? What about human freedom? Cannot sinful humanity block God’s grand designs? Slide 3 I like the way A.W. Tozer once explained the workings of God. He said a great ocean liner leaves Liverpool, England bound for New York. It leaves on schedule, it arrives on schedule. It does so because its captain and crew are in charge ...

1539. Deal with It, Get over it, and Get Help

Romans 8:18-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , more junk; We wrap more and more chains around our lives, chains draining our time, our attention, our money, our love. Our “Stockholm Syndrome” is in part a “stock-up” sickness — convincing us to “stock-up” with yet another pair of designer shoes, or “stock-up” with a newer version of a video game, or “stock-up” with the latest cell phone, or “stock-up” with the latest experience. Our “Stockholm Syndrome” deludes us into thinking that once we get “stocked–up” enough ...

1540. The Tiny O-Ring

Matthew 13:31-35

Illustration

... gases from escaping. Whether it was the unusually cold weather, a contaminate introduced into the zinc putty used on them, any number of potential compression problems, or human error during manufacturing, these two miniature o-rings failed to do what they were designed to do, and the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded before the watching world, 73 seconds into her flight, claiming the lives of all seven crew members. It's the little things. Tiny viruses the size of a pin head, heart valves no larger than ...

1541. The True Feng Shui Life

Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... door. Open your life to feeling God's gentle breeze, whether on a warm day or even embracing it on a cool one. See if that gentle gush of air might not turn into a Might Rushing Wind that can feng shui your life into the shape and design for which God has created you: the image of Christ being formed in you. Animations, Illustrations, Illuminations, Ruminations, Applications “O, wind of the Spirit Fill the sails of my Soul Send us on Lord Let your wind blow.” –Russ Rosen/Sandy Rosen/Mike Oshiro In his ...

1542. Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew 14:22-36

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... seems to lurk in every human soul. Jesus’ reassurance is then couched in the most basic, the most straightforward language imaginable. His exclamation “ego eimi” is the most common declaration of the self: “It is I.” Nothing special. No divine designs need to be imported onto this proclamation. It is simply a comforting announcement by Jesus to his frightened followers. At this point Matthew’s story shifts gears again, as the focus turns to that of the disciples, specifically Peter, instead of ...

1543. Light Shining out of Darkness

Matthew 14:22-33

Illustration

William Cowper

God moves in mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread And big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling ...

1544. Overcoming Fear

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... all the sin and sickness of our lives combined. He writes,”We are not sick all the time. We are not sinning all the time. But most people are afraid of something or somebody all the time." Because fear and anxiety are so pervasive, my message for today is designed to help us overcome those problems. I must first remind you that reasonable or normal fear is a good thing, a gift from God. Otherwise, when I'm visiting the zoo I might be tempted to crawl over the fence and pet the polar bear on the head. Fear ...

1545. Introducing A Child to God

1 Samuel 1:1-21

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... a child? As soon as he could understand her words, she probably said, “Son, you are a miracle child! I asked the Lord for a child and he gave me you.” Your child is a gift from God and he or she should know that. Teach your child that God designed him or her, that he or she was God’s idea even before the parents knew a child was on the way. Parents, have you told your child how you discovered that you are a child of God? Have you shared with your child your personal relationship with God? If ...

1546. Practical Tips For Powerful Prayer

Matthew 6:5-15

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... , and that prayer should be saved for emergency situations. Many Christians regard prayer as their “spiritual airbag.” What do I mean by that? In the owner’s manual of my car is this information: “Frontal airbags for the driver and right front passenger are designed to deploy in moderate to severe crashes.” Many Christians believe that prayer is like an airbag, to be deployed only in emergencies. I heard about two fishermen who were caught one day in the middle of a big lake in a small boat when ...

1547. Prime The Pump!

Luke 17:1-10

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... and power are always near. When you drive east on I-40 through the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina, you pass through two tunnels. Each is about ½ mile long, right through the side of mountains. I’m always awed by the brilliance of the engineers who designed those tunnels. How were they carved out of the solid rock? I’m sure that dynamite was the key. Sticks of dynamite were well placed and then ignited by some sort of fuse. The fuse was necessary but it was not the source of power. The power ...

1548. Mary, Did You Know?

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... touching this sin-marred world. Whenever and wherever God finds such a person, he has a new entrée into this world. Could God be asking you to make yourself available to him in 2007 in a more committed, obedient, and joyful way? God has a task that is uniquely designed for you. Claiming that task may cost you a lot, but it will also fulfill your life. God waits to hear you say, in the words of Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant, and let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) (1) Yancey, Philip ...

1549. Is Jesus The Only Way?

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... a party. Wrong! Lots of specially invited guests refused to come. Jesus was clearly referring to the Jewish people who had been invited to be God’s chosen people. They were to be his cradle for the Messiah, a chosen race, and a holy priesthood, designed to bless the entire world. But the Jews persecuted most of the prophets sent by God, and tragically, they rejected the Messiah when he came. Verses 8 through 10 tell us that the King then extended his invitation to everybody, Jews and Gentiles, the good ...

1550. I Believe That Jesus Suffered Under Pontius Pilate

John 1:29-34

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... not the world’s sins, just yours!” (3) Jesus’ atoning sacrifice reaches out to the entire world, but it begins very personally with me and you. The cross-bearing of Jesus was absolutely unique, never to be repeated. But there is another kind of cross-bearing designed for believers like you and me. If you and I are grateful for the salvation we have received, THERE ARE STILL CROSSES THAT WE MUST BEAR FOR HIM. This kind of cross refers to a voluntary sacrifice or service we take on in gratitude for all ...

Showing results