Sermons on Battered Violin:

Making The Wrong Decisions

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Feb 4, 2015

How can we make decisions that are most glorifying to God and resulting in His blessing of our lives? When you surrender your decision-making process to God; God will guide and direct you in your decision-making process.

Opening illustration: Listen to this description of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in northern Ukraine (summary of the report): "There were two electrical engineers in the control room that night, and the best thing that could be said for what they were doing is they were 'playing around' with ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Contempt For God's Court Series

Contributed by Kelly Randolph on Jun 14, 2004

This message exposes the sin of placing ourselves in the position of God by self-righteously judging others.

Contempt for God’s Court: The Problem of Self-Appointed Judges - James 4:11-12 Have you noticed the rising popularity of courtroom TV shows? First, there was Judge Wapner on The People’s Court. Then along came Judge Judy. You can also see the professional boxer and boxing referee turned judge – ...read more

Scripture: James 4:11-12

Denomination: Baptist

Be A Fourth Quarter Christian

Contributed by Rick Lance on May 2, 2003

The fourth quarter is the best quarter of life.

SERVING THE LORD IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF LIFE or BE A FOURTH QUARTER CHRISTIAN Psalm 90:12 Rick Lance (Executive Director, State Board of Missions, Alabama Baptist State Convention) If you are a fan of college football, you know that the game is divided between two halves – the first half and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:12

Denomination: Baptist

Three Strikes - Yer Out!

Contributed by John Beehler on Aug 15, 2001

God may lose patience with us, and we may strike out, but we’re still on the team.

Three Strikes - Yer Out! Maybe you’ve seen those T-shirts and stickers with the words "No Fear." It’s the name of a company associated with motor sport racing and NASCAR. I guess this could be the slogan of the drivers....they supposedly drive and compete with NO FEAR. This attitude ...read more

Scripture: Amos 7:1-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How To Win The Warfare Of Worship

Contributed by Keith Linkous on Sep 7, 2001

Worship must flow out of a willing spirit, a willing heart. God is always worthy to be praised. Are you always willing?

Some time ago, I preached from this passgae about the three things that Spiritual Warfare is over. It’s over the Word of God, the Will of God, and over the Worship of God. Satan came at Jesus in all of these areas, and he will do no less to you and I, and to all who desire to follow after God. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:8-10

Denomination: Pentecostal

Faith

Contributed by Scott Terrell on Jul 16, 2005

Where is your faith

Faith Hebrews 11:1-3,7 Genesis 6:5-7 _________________________________________________________ A young boy was riding a bus home from Sunday School one Sunday afternoon very proud of a card he was given. It was a ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-3

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Keeping Your Joy

Contributed by Charles Forshee on May 14, 2007

We’ve got to learn how to keep our JOY even when it doesn’t seem like things are going our way. HOW CAN WE HAVE JOY?-----Even when things are going bad? --We have to KNOW some things.

I want to share a little story I heard about a little boy. "I’m the greatest baseball player in the world. I can hit the ball better than anyone" he said proudly. Then he tossed the ball in the air, swung and missed. Undaunted, he picked up the ball, threw it into the air and said to ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-11

Denomination: *other

Characteristics

Contributed by Howard Strickland on Jan 2, 2015

Here’s a good definition for Characteristic: A feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify it.

Characteristics Luke 4:16-21NKJ Jessica Hagy speaking at Pop! Tech 2007, gives 10 Characteristics of very interesting people: Adventurous, Generous, Active, Strange, Caring, Humble, Daring, Original, Brave, Self-assured Here’s a good definition for Characteristic: A ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:16-21

Denomination: Pentecostal

Don't Miss Your Sign! Series

Contributed by Steve Ely on Aug 30, 2021

Unknown? Overlooked? Talented? Gifted? Able? Yes!! It is time to quit riding the pine, get off the sidelines, quit being a benchwarmer and get in the game!

Bench Warmers Pt. 4 - Don't Miss Your Sign I. Introduction If you are a baseball fan, then you know that coaches use a variety of hand signals and gestures that catchers use to communicate with their pitcher about the pitch they want them to throw. There is also a long-standing tradition of ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-5, Jonah 1:15-17, Jonah 2:10, Jonah 3:1-3

Denomination: Pentecostal

Help For The Hurting Heart

Contributed by Jamey Stewart on Jan 14, 2003

Through this message we discover God’s helping power for the hearts that are hurting from the destructive power of sin.

Text: Proverbs 4:23 Help For The Hurting Heart A. The pathway of sin will lead you to… a. Dangerous places b. Destructive places c. Deadly places B. Therefore God’s children should pray daily for Him to… a. Purge their hearts from sin b. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:23

Denomination: Pentecostal

Selfless Living Series

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Jul 25, 2011

Godly living; Godly praying; Godly giving. We benefit from others who did not live for themselves, but thrived for God. Now it’s our turn at bat.

Selfless Living Acts 3 & 4 (Second in the series, What’s Next? The Adventures of Growing in Christ) Illustration: “I’m the greatest batter in the world!” Such was the cry of a self-confident little boy swinging his bat in the back yard. Once, twice, and three times he could not connect with the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Suffering For Jesus Series

Contributed by Allen James on Feb 14, 2010

Final message in Approved series through the Beatitudes explores the idea of being persecuted for righteousness sake.

Suffering for Jesus • Matthew 5:10-12 Two Common Approaches re: Suffering for Jesus: Too Light-hearted about it… Confuse Temptation and Trials with persecution… Introduction: Persecution is more about our spiritual preparation than it is about our personal ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Denomination: Baptist

How To Become Personally Effective

Contributed by Andrew Chan on May 19, 2005

The acid test of how I am becoming more effective is ...

How to become personally effective Eph.4:25-5:2 Last week, we reviewed what it means to become effective for God, we discovered together many Christians are not living effective lives, and for the most part it is because they often stop at the law, when asked, why don’t lie, don’t murder, all ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Broken In The Potter's Hands

Contributed by Ivan Casteel on Apr 4, 2006

To help Christians see how God works in lives of Christians.

PP0637 DATE BROKEN IN THE POTTER’S HANDS Jeremiah 18:1-6 Jer 18:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Dealing With Distractions Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on May 21, 2003

Do you have any unfinished projects lying around collecting dust? It’s so easy to get sidetracked isn’t it? It takes tenacity to finish what we start because there are always so many competing distractions.

Dealing with Distractions Do you have any unfinished projects lying around collecting dust? It’s so easy to get sidetracked isn’t it? It takes tenacity to finish what we start because there are always so many competing distractions. One thing that clearly emerges from our study in the Book of ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 6:1-19, Leviticus 6:1-19

Denomination: Baptist