Sermon Central
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Exodus
Contributed by C. Philip Green on Feb 15, 2024 (message contributor)
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1. Spiritual Thermodynamics
Contributed on Feb 15, 2024
Multiply and grow through faith in God’s Word, opposition, and obedience to God.
In The Last Days Newsletter, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village. They walked by an old man sitting beside a fence, and one of them asked, “Were any great men born in this village?” The old man replied, “Nope, only babies” (Leonard Ravenhill, The Last ...read more
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2. Lessons From Failure
Contributed on Feb 21, 2024
When you have failed, appreciate the past, stay faithful in the present, and trust God for the future.
Several years ago, Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Bob Patterson described one of his pitches, which the Cincinnati Reds' Barry Larkin hit for a game-winning home run: “It was a cross between a screwball and a change-up. It was a screw-up” (Wall Street Journal, 7/9/96; Leadership, Vol. 17, no.3; ...read more
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3. Bushwacked!
Contributed on Feb 27, 2024
If you want to be all that God called you to be, stop trusting in yourself and start trusting in God’s presence, person, and promises.
On a Saturday in November several years ago (November 5, 2011), University of Tennessee freshman Derrick Brodus was lying on the couch at his fraternity house, waiting for the Tennessee Volunteers football game to start at 7 P.M. Less than an hour before kickoff, Derrick fumbled for his cell phone ...read more
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4. No More Excuses
Contributed on Mar 6, 2024
If we want to be all that God has called us to be as a church and as individual believers, we must stop making excuses and take that step of faith in obedience to God. Like Moses, trust in His power, plan, provision, precepts.
In his book, Something Else to Smile About, Zig Ziglar writes about his brother, the late Judge Ziglar, who loved to tell the story of a man who went next door to borrow his neighbor’s lawnmower. The neighbor explained that he could not let him use the mower because all the flights had been ...read more
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5. Why Me?
Contributed on Mar 15, 2024
Refuse to blame God in your disappointment. Instead, believe in Him and get back to work.
A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, “Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don’t know where I am.” The woman below replied, “You’re in a hot air balloon ...read more
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6. Why Not Me?
Contributed on Mar 21, 2024
To be truly wise, acknowledge that God is, that God is here, and that God is holy. Then allow Him to use you to make Him known to a world in desperate need of Him.
Some time ago (2009), Leonard Mlodinow shared a story in The Wall Street Journal from the life of baseball great, Joe DiMaggio: During the summer of 1945, right after World War II had ended, Yankee slugger, Joe DiMaggio, returned to baseball after serving as a soldier during the war. Not wanting ...read more
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7. By A Strong Hand
Contributed on Apr 4, 2024
To respond to God’s mercy, remember that GOD set you free, celebrate your deliverance, and consecrate yourself to the Lord.
Some time ago (2004), The Cape Times reported on a South African man, who surprised nine men robbing his home. Eight of the robbers ran away, but the homeowner managed to shove one into his backyard pool. After realizing the robber couldn't swim, the homeowner jumped in to save him. But once ...read more
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8. What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do
Contributed on Apr 11, 2024
When life gets complicated, just follow God, believe God, and walk with God in the direction He leads.
Doug Lansky was a travel writer and photographer for many years during which he has collected photos of odd signs from around the world. Here are some samples: Here is a blue sign with white letters. It reads: “Pakistan-Narcotics Control Board Investigating Unit.” Notice what’s in front of the ...read more
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9. The Song Of The Redeemed
Contributed on Apr 19, 2024
If you want to be truly free, rely on God’s surpassing power, recognize God’s splendid holiness, and follow God’s sovereign guidance. Then you will experience God’s glorious triumph.
A little more than 10 years ago (2011), comedian Steve Martin introduced the entire atheist hymnal (on one page of paper). He called it, “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs.” Take a look (show Atheists Don't Have No Songs—Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers). Christians have their hymns and ...read more
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10. Grumble Or Grow
Contributed on Apr 24, 2024
When life gets hard, don’t grumble; grow!
Several years ago (2009), Louis C.K. was on Conan O’Brien’s late-night talk show, where he described today’s entitlement culture. He said in our culture, “Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy.” Take a look (show Louis CK video). Louis talks about how he was on a plane that offered ...read more
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11. My Banner
Contributed on May 3, 2024
To overcome the forces of evil combine prayer with action, continue in prayer until God answers, find companions in prayer, and commemorate what God does when you pray.
Aly Femia’s little boy woke up in the middle of the night with an urgent need. So he did what he heard his parents do many times. He said, “Alexa,” and then described want he wanted. Take a look at this video footage caught on Femia’s baby monitor (show Alexa, I Need Daddy video, ...read more
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12. Cure For Weariness
Contributed on May 8, 2024
To overcome your weariness, give God the praise and give others the power.
Some time ago, I came across these notes, which were found on hospital charts: • The patient refused autopsy. • Note: Patient recovering from forehead cut. Patient became very angry when given an enema by mistake. • Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year. • On the ...read more
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13. Meet God
Contributed on May 15, 2024
If you want to grow in holiness, appreciate the relationship you have with God, give yourself completely to God, and learn to truly fear Him. Grow to love the One who values you even as He shakes up your world.
Thomas Fountain, of Vidalia, Georgia, was with his family in Mexico City several years ago. Now, Mexico City is 7,500 feet above sea level, so it rarely gets hot, but one of the days they spent there was a scorcher. Trying to cope with the heat, their youngest daughter, Debbie, shed all but her ...read more
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14. God's Top Ten
Contributed on May 21, 2024
Use the Ten Commandments to know God, know yourself, and to know love.
God’s Top Ten (Exodus 20:1-20) Some time ago, A. J. Jacobs, a Jewish author, decided to spend a year putting into practice everything he read in the Bible. At the end of that year, he wrote a book, called The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as ...read more
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15. Getting Close To God
Contributed on May 24, 2024
When you couldn’t reach up to God, He reached down to you, and He invites you to meet Him in the darkness, away from any idol, at the foot of the cross.
Leighton Ford, the husband of Billy Graham’s youngest sister, Jean, tells the story of a Russian cosmonaut. He came back from space and said, “Some people say God lives out there. I looked around, and I didn't see any God out there.” Billy Graham's wife, Ruth, said he looked in the wrong ...read more
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16. Covenant Concerns
Contributed on Jun 13, 2024
God is thoroughly and completely committed to you, so commit yourself to Him, commit yourself to justice, and commit yourself to compassion.
Several years ago, a national magazine assigned a photographer to take pictures of a forest fire. They told him a small plane would be waiting at the airport to fly him over the fire. The photographer arrived at the airstrip just an hour before sundown. Sure enough, a small Cessna airplane stood ...read more
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17. I Will Meet With You
Contributed on Jun 21, 2024
If you want to meet with God today, welcome Him, worship Him, and appease Him by depending on the blood of Christ to cover all your sin.
There is a very famous place I had never heard of before this last month. It’s St. Peter's Church Hall in Liverpool, England. On the inside, it looks like a typical church gym except for the ornate wood cathedral ceiling and missing basketball hoops. Several years ago, St. Peter's was ...read more
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18. Bread And Light
Contributed on Jun 28, 2024
If you want God to feel at home with you, eat the bread that He offers and bask in His light. In other words, receive Jesus into the core of your being, because Jesus is that bread and Jesus is that light.
One Sunday morning an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin. Although the old man and his clothes were spotlessly clean, he wore jeans, a denim shirt, and boots that were very worn and ragged. In his hand he carried a worn-out old hat and an equally worn-out Bible. The ...read more
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19. Camping With God
Contributed on Jul 11, 2024
The tabernacle teaches us to appreciate God's presence but also to respect His distance.
Ryan and Morgan adopted a child from an orphanage in another country. They'd passed through all the legal processes in that country. Charlie was their son. But right before the day when they were supposed to pick Charlie up from the orphanage, there were some political upheavals, and the ...read more
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20. Coming To God
Contributed on Jul 19, 2024
If you want to get near to a holy God, approach Him through sacrifice with friends in the power of His Spirit.
In his book The Porn Problem, Vaughan Roberts talks about Bobby Moore. He was captain of the English soccer team that won the World Cup in 1966. After Queen Elizabeth handed him the trophy, an interviewer asked him to describe how he felt. He talked about how terrified he was as he approached Her ...read more
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21. The Perfect Pastor
Contributed on Jul 26, 2024
If you’re looking for the perfect pastor, look to Jesus your beautiful Savior, your intercessor, your counselor, your protector, your Savior from sin, and your purifier.
On June 16, 1875, the Milwaukee Sentinel published this want ad for a new pastor: Wanted—A rector for St. James' Church. He must possess all Christian graces and a few worldly ones; must have such tact and disposition as will enable him to side with all parties in the parish an all points, ...read more
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22. Consecrated For Service
Contributed on Aug 16, 2024
If you want to serve God effectively, let Jesus wash, clothe, and anoint you with His Spirit, commit yourself fully to the Lord, and do the little things He puts before you every day.
Linda, who teaches first grade in Dallas Texas, has an interesting job, especially when it comes to helping children adjust to their first whole day of school. Little Ryan was used to going home at noon in kindergarten; so when it was time to go to lunch with the rest of the class, he got his ...read more
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23. Serving God
Contributed on Aug 23, 2024
If you want to serve God well, be ceaseless in your supplication, celebrate your salvation, continue in your sanctification, and conduct yourself in the Spirit’s power.
A group of retired friends met every Saturday morning at a Salt Lake City deli, but they grew tired of the same conversation each week. Sure, they were solving the world’s problems, but they wanted to share their wisdom beyond their own group. So, as a lark, six years ago (2018), they set up a card ...read more
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24. Work And Rest
Contributed on Aug 29, 2024
If you want to enjoy God-honoring, fulfilling work, then work in His power, and rest with His blessing.
John Ortberg tells an old story about a mother who walks in on her six-year-old son and finds him sobbing. “What's the matter?” she asks. ”I've just figured out how to tie my shoes.” “Well, honey, that's wonderful. You're growing up, but why are you crying?” “Because,” he says, ...read more
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25. Prayer For A Sinful Nation
Contributed on Sep 3, 2024
If you want God to answer YOUR prayers, remind God that HIS interests are at stake and ask God to remember His people. His purpose, and His promise.
There was once a small town which had no liquor stores. Eventually, though, someone built a nightclub right on the main street through town. This so upset the members in one of the churches that they conducted several all-night prayer meetings. They asked the Lord to “burn down that den of ...read more
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26. Recovering From Sin
Contributed on Sep 6, 2024
When you sin, own your own sin, confess your sin, commit to serving God again, and continue in the salvation He has provided in Christ.
Several years ago, Alice Pike tried to use a fake $1 million dollar bill to shop at Walmart. She went to the register with $1,675 worth of stuff and expected change. Pike told police she got it from her estranged husband, who is a coin collector. They arrested her anyway on first degree forgery ...read more
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27. Face To Face
Contributed on Sep 13, 2024
If you want God to go with you through life, repent of your rebellion, relish his presence every day, and pray.
One day, Jay Leno got a letter from a kid saying he was in trouble because he had told his friends that Leno was his uncle and that they would drive around in his uncle’s Lamborghini. The kid’s friends called him a big liar, so the boy asked Jay Leno if he could drive him to school in his ...read more
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28. Second Chances
Contributed on Sep 19, 2024
If you’re hooked by sin and want to be free, remember who God is, recommit your life to Him, and remain in His presence.
Pastor John Ortberg writes about the time he and his wife went fly-fishing for the first time: He says: “Our guides told us that ‘to catch a fish you have to think like a fish.’ They said that to a fish life is about the maximum gratification of appetite at the minimum expenditure of energy. To a ...read more
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29. Happy Money
Contributed on Sep 27, 2024
If you want to be a happy giver, give willingly from your heart, and give generously from your hoard.
Bob Russell, retired pastor of the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, recalls a sermon he preached years ago on hoarding. In that sermon, Pastor Bob pointed out the foolishness of waiting until we die to give our children their inheritance. He explained, “When we die, our children ...read more
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30. The Glory Of The Lord
Contributed on Oct 4, 2024
In dependence upon Christ, obey God and experience the glory of His presence and His guidance.
While listening to the song “Train Up a Child,” Ann’s daughter Emily asked her mom what “train up” means. Ann explained that it means to teach children about God and the difference between right and wrong. “Are you and Daddy training me up?” Emily asked. “We’re trying to,” Ann replied. Emily ...read more