In Preaching Articles: "Intimacy With God"

If The Church Is God's Idea, Who Are We To Dismantle It?

By Jeff K. Clarke on Feb 24, 2022

I wonder if we have allowed our contemporary definition, understanding, and experience of the church to be shaped more by the post-modern impulse of individualism and self-centeredness, than by Christ’s and Paul’s emphasis on the gathered community from every race, tribe, and tongue?

Tags: individualism, church community, Listening, unity and diversity

Have Mercy On Me: Four Glimpses Into The Heart Of God

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 7, 2022

God has made the world to turn again and again on fresh revelations of his mercy.

Scripture: Exodus 34:6-7, Exodus 33:19, Luke 1:78, Ephesians 2:3, 2 Chronicles 30:9, Romans 9:22-23, 2 Samuel 24:13-14, Psalm 51:1, Lamentations 4:10, Isaiah 30:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: David, Mercy, Moses, God's Character

God Seeks People To Worship Him In Spirit And Truth

By SermonCentral .com on Jul 19, 2022

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)

Scripture: John 3:6, John 3:20, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, John 4:4-6, Proverbs 13:14, John 7:37-39, John 4:14, John 14:26, Matthew 15:8, 1 Thessalonians 1:5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Gospel of John, Dead in sin, Jesus Teachings, Spirit and Truth, Spiritually Dead, Woman at the well  (view more)  (view less)

God Wants To Shape Your Wants: An Invitation To The Psalms

By John Piper on Nov 29, 2022

Try to imagine the Bible without the Psalms. What a different book it would be! What a different place the church would be. And what a different person I would be.

Scripture: Psalm 1:3

Tags: Psalms, Emotions, Heart, taste and see, Delight, Personal Growth, Delight in the Lord, sovereignty of God  (view more)  (view less)

How To Preach Transformative Sermons

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Oct 15, 2020

Sherman Cox reminds us, "We all have heard preachers with all the skills of great orators, but something is missing."

Scripture: John 10:10

Tags: transform, God, Preaching

Turning To Jesus In Exhaustion

By Adam Weber on Apr 27, 2022

I had only recently completed my master’s degree, I didn’t want to start this church in the first place, it was struggling to grow, and here I was moving this stupid sign through three feet of snow. Without thinking, the words came out: God, what am I doing here? I’m tired!

Tags: Exhaustion, rest in god

Thirty Seconds Alone With God: The Effects Of Our Phones On Prayer

By Tony Reinke on Sep 17, 2023

Our Twitter and Facebook habits make praying harder than ever.

Scripture: Colossians 3:2, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 11:18-19, 1 Corinthians 7:35, Luke 10:38-42, Matthew 13:22-23, 1 Corinthians 16:13, Titus 2:2, 1 Peter 1:13, 1 Peter 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 16:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Ephesians 6:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: focus, distractions, Disciplines Prayer, focus on GOD

What If We Made Disciples And Left Church Growth To God?

By Karl Vaters on Sep 5, 2022

If we prioritized health, not as a means to growth, but as an end in itself, would we be in a greater position to represent Jesus to the world?

Tags: Discipleship, Church Growth, Make Disciples, great commission, pastoral leadership, church ministry, Growth Strategy, Equip the Saints  (view more)  (view less)

Identity Theft

By Lance Witt on Sep 21, 2023

For many years I did ministry as an employee rather than as a son. My value and acceptance were dependent on how well I performed.

Scripture: 1 John 3:1

Tags: children of God, Trust God, Performance, Children of the King, Estrella genio  (view more)  (view less)

A Year-End Prayer For Weary Waiters

By Jon Bloom on Dec 29, 2024

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son” (Galatians 4:4).

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:4, Luke 1:78-79, Galatians 4:4, Revelation 22:20, Psalm 119:105  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Prayer, Second Coming, God's Promises, God's Fullness, End of the Year, eagerly await, Waiting on God, fullness of time  (view more)  (view less)

Isn’t Hell An Overreaction To Sin?

By SermonCentral .com on Oct 27, 2022

"Ask yourself, do you deserve the wrath of God forever? If your mind right now is saying, “I don’t think so. I think that hell would be an overreaction to what I’ve done and the kind of person that I am.” If that’s the way your mind is working right now, let me just have you consider four things."

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10, James 2:10

Tags: God's Wrath, Theology, Biblical truth, God's justice, sin against God, Sound Doctrine, consequences of sin, Theology of Sin  (view more)  (view less)

Preaching Can Be Bad News, Too

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Sep 1, 2021

The fact of the matter is that the Kingdom of God is near. It is not good news to those who do not wish to give up all for the kingdom.

Tags: Preaching, Good News, Kingdom of God, bad news, kingdom of God, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Constant Explanations From God Wouldn’t Allow For Our Faith Or Trust

By Randy Alcorn on Dec 8, 2022

The God of providence weaves millions of details into our lives and into all the lives around us. Maybe He doesn’t have one big reason for bringing a certain person or success or failure or disease or accident into our lives; in fact, He may have hundreds of little reasons. In order to understand God’s explanations, we would have to be God.

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Faith, Trust, Sovereignty, Surrender, sanctification, Will of God, personal holiness, sovereignty of God  (view more)  (view less)

Because Of Your Gifts Or In Spite Of Them: God Speaks Through Preaching

By Stephanie J. Spencer on Dec 1, 2019

"God uses broken vessels to shine His light. I believe He can speak through me because of my gifts or in spite of my gifts, depending on the circumstance."

Tags: Inadequacy, broken vessel, preaching, Preaching

Thank You: God Used Your Preaching To Destroy My World

By David Fitch on Oct 28, 2021

There are better compliments than "I really enjoyed your sermon."

Scripture: Revelation 20:15

Tags: Preaching, Affirmation, Feedback, compliment, preaching  (view more)  (view less)