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 2101 to 2125 of 4937 results

2101. Take Life By the Throat

Illustration

... feel the music as he once had, on one occasion he said his fingers became "thick." His hearing problems haunted him into the middle years of his life, but he kept it a guarded secret. By the time he reached his fifties, Beethoven was completely deaf. But he refused to give up. He was once overheard shouting at the top of his voice, "I will take life by the throat!" Many of his biographers believe the only reason Beethoven remained productive for so long was this determination.

2102. Unanimously in Disagreement!

Illustration

Charles Swindoll

Several years ago I met a gentleman who served on one of Walt Disney's original advisory boards. What amazing stories he told! Those early days were tough; but that remarkable, creative visionary refused to give up. I especially appreciated the man's sharing with me how Disney responded to disagreement. He said that Walt would occasionally present some unbelievable, extensive dream he was entertaining. Almost without exception, the members of his board would gulp, blink, and stare back at him in disbelief ...

2103. The Varsity Challenge

Illustration

It wasn't like Scott Kregel to give up. He was a battler, a dedicated athlete who spent hour after hour perfecting his free throw and jump shot during the hot summer months of 1987. But just before fall practice everything changed. A serious car accident left Scott in a coma for several days. When he awoke, a long ...

2104. Let Your Late Bloomers Flourish

Illustration

Kay Kuzma

... lot to do with how that child sees herself and ultimately behaves. If a child is treated as a slow learner and you don't expect much, the child shrugs her shoulders and says, "Why should I try, nobody thinks I can do it anyway!" And she gives up. But if you look at that child as someone who has more potential than she will ever be able to develop, you will challenge that child, work with her through discouragement, and find ways to explain concepts so the child can understand. You won't mind investing time ...

2105. The Will to Move Forward

Illustration

Jim Peterson

... the inside as she is on the outside. Now his intellect has sided with the emotions on the idea of marriage. But the final and heaviest vote remains to be cast that of the will. It stops the march toward the altar with the questions, "Am I willing to give up this lifestyle for another? What about my freedom is it worth the trade? Am I willing to assume the added responsibility?" The marriage will occur only when the will finally agrees with the emotions and the intellect. And so it is in coming to Christ.

2106. Bad News First

Illustration

... loan I've taken out for the past 10 years I can't pay that off, either. Not only that, I won't be able to pay you the couple of hundred thousand I still have outstanding on my tractors and other equipment. So I'm going to have to give up the farm and turn it all over to you for whatever you can salvage out of it." Silence prevailed for a minute and then the banker said, "What's the good news?" "The good news is that I'm going to keep on banking with you," said the farmer.

2107. You Can Go Home Again

Luke 15:11-32

Illustration

Max Lucado

... she could on pictures of herself. With her purse full of small black-and-white photos, she boarded the next bus to Rio de Janiero. Maria knew Christina had no way of earning money. She also knew that her daughter was too stubborn to give up. When pride meets hunger, a human will do things that were before unthinkable. Knowing this, Maria began her search. Bars, hotels, nightclubs, any place with the reputation for street walkers or prostitutes. She went to them all. And at each place she left her picture ...

2108. Leave and Don't Look Back

Gensis 13:1-13, Genesis 19:1

Illustration

... this is evident from the fact that Lot chose to live in the plain bordering the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 13:1-13). Once there, he moved into the city itself and became a part of its culture (19:1). It's true that he didn't give up his belief in the high moral standards he had learned from his uncle Abraham, and he didn't approve of the wicked things he saw and heard. But as an official at the city gate, he apparently had little impact on the wicked society of which he was a part ...

2109. How to Really Love Your Child

Illustration

Dr. Ross Campbell

... order to love our children, we must remember that: They are children. They tend to act like children. Much of childish behavior is unpleasant. If we do our part as parents and love them despite their childish behavior, they will be able to mature and give up childish ways. If we only love them when they please us (conditional love), and convey our love to them only during those times, they will not feel genuinely loved. This in turn will make them insecure, damage their self-image, and actually prevent them ...

2110. In Spite Of

Illustration

Michael A. Guido of Metter, Georgia, columnist of several newspapers writes: "An artist in Mexico lost his right hand while working on a statue. But he did not give up his work. He learned to carve with his left hand. His beautifully finished masterpiece was called 'In Spite Of.' "A sound body, a brilliant mind, a cultural background, a huge amount of money, a wonderful education none of these guarantee success. Booker T. Washington was born in slavery. Thomas Edison ...

2111. A Pocket Prayer

Illustration

... physical nor a spiritual child of my own! I found myself confronted with the question of whether under such circumstances my life was ultimately void of any meaning." He was still wrestling with that question a few days later when the Nazis forced the prisoners to give up their clothes. "I had to surrender my clothes and in turn inherited the worn-out rags of an inmate who had been sent to the gas chamber," said Frankl. "Instead of the many pages of my manuscript, I found in the pocket of the newly acquired ...

2112. A White Tie Affair

Humor Illustration

... ? The second book she brought, more explicit than the first, caused him to pinken. It still was not quite what he wanted. The librarian then brought him a very detailed marriage manual. Before delivering it, however, she said to another staff member, "If he can't handle this, he better give up the whole thing." He looked through it, turned deep red and blurted, all I want to know is - am I supposed to wear a white tie!"

2113. Running the Filing System

Mark 6:1-13

Illustration

King Duncan

... a thriving business. Three months later, the salesman paid the company a visit. "How is the filing system working out?" "Magnificently," replied the manager. "Out of this world!" "How is business?" asked the salesman to the manager. The manager said, "We had to give up our business to run the filing system!" Something like that has happened to the church. We have a wonderful structure, we have a wonderful story to tell, we have a highly capable and intelligent sales force, but somehow it seems we spent our ...

2114. Funny Dementia Test

Humor Illustration

... here to determine if you're losing it or not. The spaces below are so you don't see the answers until you've made your answer. OK, relax, clear your mind and begin. 1. What do you put in a toaster? Answer: 'bread.' If you said 'toast' give up now and do something else. Try not to hurt yourself. If you said, bread, go to Question two. 2. Say 'silk' five times. Now spell 'silk.' What do cows drink? Answer: Cows drink water. If you said 'milk,' don't attempt the next question. Your brain is over-stressed ...

2115. The Shiny Foil Trap

Illustration

Michael P. Green

An old method for catching raccoons is to place a piece of foil inside a small barred box that is staked to the ground. When a raccoon comes by, he reaches his paw into the box to get the foil. But, once he has grasped the foil, his paw changes shape and will not fit back through the bars on the box. Many times a raccoon would rather give up his freedom and perhaps his life—just for the sake of a shiny but useless piece of foil.

2116. Satan's Strategy Session

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... has left it now.” Satan replied in dismay, “That won’t work either; most of them know there is a God, even though they don’t seek him.” Other ideas were presented, but none brought hope to Satan and his underlings. Finally, as they were about to give up, one demon leaped in glee, “I have it! A sure solution!” The other demons crowded around to hear the plan. “Go tell them that God is real and the Bible is God’s Word.” A gasp came from the audience as the demon continued, “And tell them ...

2117. David Spares Saul’s Life—Again

1 Samuel 26:1-25

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... is depicted as a foolish sinner in both the past and the present (see v. 21). 26:25 So David went on his way. Apparently David’s rejection of Saul’s offer and promise (v. 21) is a wise decision, because 27:4 implies that Saul gives up his quest only when David flees to Gath. Theological Insights Like the episode recorded in chapter 24, this account highlights David’s refusal to promote his own interests, and his faith in God’s justice and timing. Once more David refuses to kill Saul and instead ...

2118. God’s Judgment of His People

Amos 2:6-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ), but the difference is that Israel shamefully mistreats her own people, not foreigners. First, poor and innocent Israelite debtors are not assisted with charity (Deut. 15:12–18) or given additional time to repay their debt. Instead, they are heartlessly forced to give up their land to a wealthy lender or are driven into slavery. Second, this is done even to people who cannot pay off a relatively small amount of debt (the price of a pair of sandals). Third, the powerful metaphorically trample the heads ...

2119. In Corinth

Acts 18:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... “I am innocent of it” points to the responsibility of the Jews for their rejection of the gospel. Paul’s claim to “go to the Gentiles” (18:6) likewise recalls his earlier statement in 13:46; as in the earlier episode, this is not an indication of his giving up on the Jews (cf. 18:19, 26; 19:8). The vision from the risen Lord (18:9–10) provides an introduction to the judgment of Paul before Gallio (18:12), the proconsul of Achaia in AD 51–52. “Do not be afraid” (18:9) evokes the fear-not ...

2120. The Conclusion of the Appeal

2 Corinthians 12:11-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... a third time and urging them in advance to think over what he has said. If they do, they will surely see that his reluctance to accept their support is no more difficult to explain than the reluctance of parents to accept their children’s support or to give up the privilege of spending their resources on behalf of those whom they love. It is just this kind of parental love that Paul has lavished on the church. They can scarcely love him less for it, or for refusing for any reason to burden them with his ...

2121. Exhortations to Persevere in Christian Faith

Hebrews 10:19-39

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the loss of their property by looting or as a legal penalty, which happened frequently when Christians became the objects of a community’s wrath. They suffered all but martyrdom (12:4) courageously, even gladly, confident that they would reap an eternal harvest if they did not give up (Gal. 6:9; cf. Matt. 5:11–12; Acts 5:41; 1 Pet. 4:13). They must not lose heart now and have no excuse to do so (10:35–36). The Lord helped them before to resist the opposition that now unnerves them, and he will ...

2122. No One Is Righteous

Romans 3:9-20

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... rescue from it. It is diagnosis, not cure. The statement that through the law we become conscious of sin is not a moralism, i.e., that we should learn from our mistakes. Paul means that in the law we hear our own condemnation! Only when the defendant gives up all hope of defense, all thought of parading his or her own case (= “boasting,” 2:17, 23), only then can that person hear the verdict of the judge. And a surprising verdict it is! The sentence is not justice—getting what one deserves; it is grace ...

2123. Blessed Among Women

Luke 1:39-56

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

... of an old woman named Anna. When the boy Jesus went to the temple to debate the learned doctors, the only person Luke quotes is his mother. Many of Luke's stories from Jesus' ministry are about women: the woman who was a sinner, the woman who wouldn't give up, the widow of Nain, the bent over woman, the widow who gave her mighty mites. At the resurrection it was only women who had the faith to go to the garden of graves. The text lists Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of Jesus, and other women. Luke ...

2124. Young in the Mind

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

People grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as yourself—confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair. In the central place of every heart there is a recording chamber. So long ...

2125. The Attitude of Youth

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

... , a product of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions, a predominance of courage over timidity, an appetite for adventure. Nobody grows old by living a number of years. People grow old when they desert their ideals. Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, self-doubt, fear, and anxiety—these are the culprits that bow the head and break the spirit. Whether seventeen or seventy, there exists in the heart of every person who loves life the thrill of a new challenge, the ...

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Showing 2101 to 2125 of 4937 results

2101. Take Life By the Throat

Illustration

2102. Unanimously in Disagreement!

Illustration

Charles Swindoll

2103. The Varsity Challenge

Illustration

2104. Let Your Late Bloomers Flourish

Illustration

Kay Kuzma

2105. The Will to Move Forward

Illustration

Jim Peterson

2106. Bad News First

Illustration

2107. You Can Go Home Again

Luke 15:11-32

Illustration

Max Lucado

2108. Leave and Don't Look Back

Gensis 13:1-13, Genesis 19:1

Illustration

2109. How to Really Love Your Child

Illustration

Dr. Ross Campbell

2110. In Spite Of

Illustration

2111. A Pocket Prayer

Illustration

2112. A White Tie Affair

Humor Illustration

2113. Running the Filing System

Mark 6:1-13

Illustration

King Duncan

2114. Funny Dementia Test

Humor Illustration

2115. The Shiny Foil Trap

Illustration

Michael P. Green

2116. Satan's Strategy Session

Illustration

Michael P. Green

2117. David Spares Saul’s Life—Again

1 Samuel 26:1-25

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

2118. God’s Judgment of His People

Amos 2:6-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2119. In Corinth

Acts 18:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2120. The Conclusion of the Appeal

2 Corinthians 12:11-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2121. Exhortations to Persevere in Christian Faith

Hebrews 10:19-39

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2122. No One Is Righteous

Romans 3:9-20

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

2123. Blessed Among Women

Luke 1:39-56

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

2124. Young in the Mind

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

2125. The Attitude of Youth

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

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