Sermon Central
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Jacob (Genesis 25-35)
Contributed by C. Philip Green on Sep 30, 2010 (message contributor)
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1. Unusual & Unstoppable Prayer
Contributed on Sep 30, 2010
Martin Luther said, "Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness;" but if we want to lay hold of God’s willingness, we must keep on asking God to keep his word, expecting Him to work in unusual and unstoppable ways.
Mark Ashton, in his book, A Voice in the Wilderness, talks about a small boy who was writing a letter to God. Christmas was approaching and he wanted to ask God for certain Christmas presents he badly wanted. He began his letter with these words: “I’ve been good for six months now.” But then ...read more
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2. Don’t Sell Your Birthright
Contributed on Oct 7, 2010
Believers have rich inheritance rights as children of God, but like Esau some have sold their birthrights. Please, Believer, don’t sell your birthright like Esau: don’t sell your priesthood; don’t sell God’s promises; and don’t sell your power over sin.
Just a year ago (on September 16, 2009), an article in The Washington Post began with these words: “The king folds her own laundry, chauffeurs herself around Washington in a 1992 Honda, and answers her own phone. Her boss’s phone, too.” The article was about Peggielene Bartels, a secretary in the ...read more
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3. Real Social Security
Contributed on Oct 14, 2010
In times of trouble, trust in the Lord; don’t trust in a lie.
Just two summers ago (July, 2008), Newsweek magazine printed a story about the most amazing exploit of tight-rope walker, Philippe Petit. They titled the story Man on Wire¸ and it described Petit’s secret plan in 1974 to extend a steel wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center in New ...read more
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4. Dig Another Well
Contributed on Oct 21, 2010
When opposition comes, like Isaac, persevere by remembering the promises of God until even your enemies recognize God’s presence in your life. Or to put it more simply: trust God and dig another well.
On Saturday, May 21, 1927, a New York evening paper contained an expert’s elaborate demonstration of the impossibility of flight across the Atlantic Ocean. The funny thing is, on the first page of that very same paper, was the headline flung across the top in gigantic letters: “LINDBERG HAS ...read more
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5. Broken Families
Contributed on Oct 28, 2010
Don’t let defiance and deceit tear your family apart. Instead, trust and obey the Lord, and let Him do for your family what you could never do.
Richard Blake and his wife, from San Luis, California, were at a wedding where their neighbor’s son, Robert, was one of the ushers. He seemed young to be an usher at a wedding, but a veteran usher gave him some quick pointers. He instructed Robert to ask the person he was escorting, “Are you a ...read more
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6. All In The Family
Contributed on Nov 5, 2010
If we want to create an atmosphere in our homes and in our churches where people want to pursue purity and follow Christ from their hearts, then we must begin with a blessing and not lay down the law.
After Helene Talbert of Wahpeton, North Dakota, completed her first semester at a Christian college, she had a lot to tell her family. Just before the end of the semester, they had an open house in her dorm – one of the few times men are allowed in the women’s rooms. When her family came to ...read more
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7. Close Encounter With God
Contributed on Nov 11, 2010
Real worship happens only when God in His grace reveals Himself to us. Then we respond with gratitude by recognizing His presence, reverencing Him, remembering what He has done, and reserving ourselves completely for him.
Three-year-old, Mark, accidentally spilled his fruit punch on the floor one day. He decided to clean up the mess himself and dashed to the back porch to get the mop. Suddenly, realizing it was dark outside, he became apprehensive about reaching out the door for the mop. His mother reminded him ...read more
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8. Brushes Or Swords
Contributed on Jan 29, 2011
If we’re going to "put the icing" on the days God makes for us, we must enjoy his delights and embrace his discipline.
Lauri Johnson of Hudsonville, Michigan, talks about a wonderful afternoon her two sons, 12-year-old Matthew and 6-year-old Ryan, spent with her parents recently. When they were ready to leave, Matthew’s grandpa said to him, “You made my day.” Matthew replied, “God made your day; we just put ...read more
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9. Battle Of The Babies
Contributed on Feb 3, 2011
If you want true peace, don’t look down on some with disdain; don’t look up on others with jealousy; and don’t look within at your own schemes. Instead, look to the Lord. Trust Him with your life, and you will find true peace.
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her class of five and six-year-olds. After explaining the commandment to honor thy father and thy mother, she asked, “Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?” Without missing a beat, one ...read more
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10. Spots & Stripes
Contributed on Feb 12, 2011
If you want true success in life, don’t depend on your shrewd deals, and don’t depend on your spent schemes. Instead, depend on the Lord.
Ted Engstrom and Edward Dayton, in a Christian Leadership Letter some time ago, talked about a young man who was appointed president of a bank. Intimidated by his new responsibilities, he nervously sought the advice of his gray-haired predecessor: “Sir, what has been the secret of your success?” ...read more
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11. Hot Pursuit
Contributed on Feb 19, 2011
Find true security by trusting in the Lord, not a lie or an idol.
If you’re a Green Bay Packers fan, then the best thing about the Super Bowl this year (2011) was the Packers win! The next best thing was some of the commercials. Here’s one of my favorites – Junior Darth Vader. (Show the Volkswagen Passat: Young Darth Vader video from ...read more
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12. Angels And Promises
Contributed on Feb 23, 2011
If we want real security and peace, then we must learn to depend on God’s protecting angels and His unfailing promises.
Ann Beck of North Carollton, Mississippi, talks about the days when her husband and she taught 2- and 3-year-olds in Sunday school. A Bible verse they helped the pre-schoolers memorize was Psalms 56: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” Their preschool son, Mark, was one of their pupils. ...read more
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13. The Blessing Of Brokenness
Contributed on Mar 7, 2011
If we want to be truly blessed and be a blessing to others, we must let God break us of our self-sufficiency and our sin.
Recently, I came across an interesting set of statistics on sanity. According to the study, one out of every four Americans is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Now, think of your three best friends. If they’re okay, then it’s probably you. (Rita Mae Brown, Church Champions Update, ...read more
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14. The Face Of God
Contributed on Mar 9, 2011
If you’re looking for the face of God in your life, look for it in the face of forgiveness on your brother; look for it in the face of favor on your sister; and look for it in the face of fellowship with your brothers in sisters in Christ.
Some time ago, a small east coast community was struggling financially, so they called an open town meeting to discuss the problem. A couple dozen people were there, including a stranger that no one seemed to know. Most assumed he was a tourist who had just dropped in on the meeting. He started ...read more
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15. Shame In Shechem
Contributed on Mar 17, 2011
Don’t compromise in your commitment to the Lord, and don’t compromise with the godless culture that surrounds us, lest you be consumed by it.
There is an old Russian parable about a hunter who came to a clearing and encountered a bear. The hunter raised his rifle to shoot when the bear said, “Wait, what do you want?” The hunter replied, “A fur coat.” “That’s reasonable,” answered the bear. “I want a full stomach. Let’s sit ...read more
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16. Back To Bethel
Contributed on Apr 13, 2011
Return to the Lord and let Him remind you of His commitment to you and renew your faith to face life’s sorrows.
There is an old West African proverb which says, “The man who tries to walk two roads will split his pants.” (Janet Weiss, Leesburg, Florida, heard in a conversation by her father, a missionary to the Maninka tribe; www.PreachingToday.com) That’s the way it is with those who try to live for ...read more