Sermons on Bill And Melinda: showing 346-360 of 16,528

Standing Firm In Trials Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

Persecution is promised to believers; therefore we should not be surprised when we encounter trials of various kinds. In the midst of difficulties, we must continue to increase in love for people as we anticipate the return of Christ.

Standing Firm in Trials Here are a few breaking prayer needs that have been compiled by a ministry called “Open Doors.” (Taken from the Pastor’s Guide for the “International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church,” www.opendoorsusa.org). Vietnamese authorities recently arrested a pastor and held ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13, 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Doing God's Will Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

It’s one thing to know God’s will; it’s another to do it. God wants us to be pure, to love others, and He longs to have our lives attract others to the life-changing message of the gospel.

Doing God’s Will A wealthy man went up to his pastor and said, “I want you and your wife to take a three-month trip to the Holy Land at my expense. When you come back I’ll have a surprise for you.” Three months later they returned home and discovered that this man had built a beautiful new ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Will You Be Left Behind? Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

In this classic passage on the “Rapture,” Paul reminds us that we don’t have to grieve without hope because believers will meet the Lord in the clouds one day. These words provide encouragement to us when we’re trying to deal with the death of a believer

Will You Be Left Behind? This past week we went with another family to an apple orchard. Upon discovering that they had a “Corn Maze,” we decided to check it out. I thought it was going to be a little field with a few paths through the corn. Boy, was I mistaken! We paid our intermission fee and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Denomination: Baptist

Getting Ready For The Second Coming Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

We’re not to get caught up in date setting but instead are to be ready at all times to meet the Lord because He will come like a thief in the night. In the meantime, we’re to cultivate faith, love, and hope.

Getting Ready for the Second Coming [Drama: “Security Check”] I can’t imagine what that would be like when the Book of Life is opened and your name is nowhere to be found! The feelings of regret, loneliness, and outright alarm would be devastating. And that would be nothing like the eternal ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

How To Behave In Church Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

We’re to respect other believers and strive to live in peace with everyone. We’re also called to communicate what people need to hear, remembering to be patient with everyone.

How to Behave in Church I enjoy collecting bulletin bloopers. I’ve shared some in the past and have recently come across some brand new ones: Attend church and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch. [I hope that’s not a reference to our potluck that follows the second ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15

Denomination: Baptist

Keepers Of The Flame Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

God’s desire is for us to be joyful always, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances. We must avoid every kind of evil and make sure that we allow the Spirit’s flame to burn brightly in our lives as we await His glorious appearing.

Keepers of the Flame A guy from Wisconsin and a man from Illinois are sitting next to each other on a long flight to L.A. The Illini leans over to the Badger and asks if he’d like to play a game to pass the time. The cheesehead just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines. The flatlander ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-28

Denomination: Baptist

Praying For The Right Things Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

In the light of the Lord’s impending return, we’re to pray that our faith will grow and that our love will increase. Since those who don’t know God will be punished when Christ appears, we must avoid mediocre spirituality and apathetic prayers.

Praying for the Right Things One of my favorite commercials is for a cell phone company in which cellular static has caused some confusion between a married couple. The wife had just asked her husband to bring home “a movie, something old.” The husband however, thought she said, “Bring home a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Antics Of The Antichrist Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

With all the reports about the nearness of the Second Coming, we must not become alarmed. The Antichrist is also coming and will proclaim himself to be God, but believers have nothing to fear.

The Antics of the Antichrist One afternoon, when we lived in Mexico City, I was in a McDonald’s restaurant studying Spanish. As I was eating my hamburger with jalapenos (that’s how they do it in Mexico), I suddenly became very dizzy and disoriented. I wasn’t too concerned at first because this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Strength That Lasts Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

Followers of Christ can be confident of salvation and sanctification because of the work of the Holy Spirit. We’re to stand firm and hold to the truth of the Bible in these final days.

The Strength That Lasts I hope you had a good Thanksgiving! How many of you ate too much? Here are three signs that you may have overdone it. Paramedics had to bring in the ‘Jaws of Life’ to pry you out of the EZ-Boy. You set off 3 earth tremors on your morning jog Friday. When you had your ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Being Busy For Christ Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 19, 2003

God doesn’t want us to be loafers while we wait for the appearing of His Son. Instead, we are to work hard, settle down, and earn our wages. We must never tire of doing what is right.

Being Busy for Christ For those of you who are wondering if I got my hair cut, the answer is “yes.” On Wednesday, I invited Harold Davis to speak about sheep at the Kiwanis club. He did a great job, as he did this summer when he helped us learn more about Psalm 23. In my introduction of Harold, I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

Denomination: Baptist

Praying For A New Perspective Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 20, 2003

While the Book of Psalms may be the most popular book in the Bible, and is most often associated with worship or songs of praise, the Psalms actually give us a very practical picture of prayer.

Praying for a New Perspective We returned this past week from the best vacation we ever had as a family. We drove out east, visiting Washington, D.C. and Williamsburg, Virginia. Colonial Williamsburg is set in 1774, complete with restored homes and fascinating exhibits by silversmiths, wig ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 8:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

A Cry From The Heart Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 20, 2003

This psalm is an example of an “imprecatory prayer,” as it contains brutal honesty and an earnest call for God to bring His justice to bear on the wicked.

A Cry from the Heart As many of you know, I like to begin my sermons with humor, often at my own expense. This morning as we come to Psalm 10 in our series called, “Praying Through the Psalms,” I must confess that I can’t find anything very comical about this cry from the heart. Last week we ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 10:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

The Lord Who Leads Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 20, 2003

Since this psalm is so familiar, we’re in danger of missing the depth of its meaning. And, because it’s setting is in the world of sheep and shepherds, many of us city slickers can slide right past its richness.

The Lord Who Leads Most everyone has heard of Psalm 23. It’s a poem with no peer and has been called the sweetest song ever sung. Abraham Lincoln read it to cure his blues, and President Bush proclaimed it publicly to calm our nation’s fears after 9-11. I read these words out loud a week ago ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

The Fruit Of Forgiveness Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 20, 2003

The great theologian Augustine said that the beginning of knowledge is to know oneself to be a sinner. In order to be reminded of his depraved sinfulness and God’s gracious forgiveness, he had this psalm engraved on his bedroom wall as he lay dying in h

The Fruit of Forgiveness In this award winning film called “The Mission,” Robert DeNiro plays a mercenary who has taken asylum in the local church after killing his brother in a fit of jealous rage. He eventually leaves the church and heads to a mission post located above the waterfalls in a South ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Longing For The Lord Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 20, 2003

I want us to take a look at Psalm 42 in order to better understand the kind of depression that can hit us in the spiritual solar plexus.

Longing for the Lord Last week we focused our attention on Psalm 32, and established the fact that our unconfessed sins can cause us physical problems. When we don’t confess we can experience distress. What we’ll learn this morning is that pain is not always a direct result of sin. Last Monday ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-11, Psalm 42:1

Denomination: Baptist