Sermons on Billy Joel:

Living In The Will Of God Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 22, 2012

Jesus said His food was to do the will of His Father. It is what moved, motivated and mattered to Jesus. God’s will was what engergized Jesus. If we are filled with His Spirit our desirses should be His. What is the will of God? We will learn for the

Intro: The centerpiece of the gospel is the crusifixion. It stands between life for ourselves and life surrendered to God. If we are to follow Jesus we must be crucified with Him. In this daily crucifixion that Paul talks about our will, emotions, and mind are no longer our own we were bought ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:50

Denomination: Baptist

The Will Of God For Individuals Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 22, 2012

God's will for each individual is to say yes to Jesus. How does that play out though. God's primary will for everyone is for each individual to konw Him. Read on to find out how that is practically lived out.

Intro: Many of us as believers can take a test and answer yes to questions like, did Jesus die for your sins, did he rise from the dead, is Jesus coming back to earth? Pastor and author Bruce Larson says that he grew up saying yes to these types of biblical doctrines. But eventually he sensed that ...read more

Scripture: John 17:3

Denomination: Baptist

The Will Of God For The Church Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 29, 2012

God's will for the church is for us to be the bride and body. As the bride we experience Him. As His body we exalt Him.

Intro: Paul was very clear that the redemption, adoption, and indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the church was to bring glory to God. Ephesians 1:6,12,14. (Read) Our main goal and vision is to 1 Corinthians 10:13 “whether then you eat or you drink do all to the glory of God.” That ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

The Will Of God For The Lost Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on May 6, 2012

Should we say "lost" is it another one of those words that are archaic and out of date? No the parable ofthe lost sheep, coin, and son show that God's heart is in seeking, desiring to find the lost. God's will for the lost is clear. His will for the c

Intro: God’s will for the lost is that none should perish that all should come to repentance. This is 2 Peter 3.9. God’s Word translation gives a wonderfully clear picture of God’s will for people that are separated from Him by sin. “The Lord isn't slow to do what he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Bring The Reign Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on May 6, 2012

What results does the Lord ship of Jesus bring to the life of His followers? Are their priorities and practices that come from the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus' saints/disciples.

Mark Driscol “Men are prone to chauvinism or cowardice, too little or too much.” What we need to be prone to is Christlikeness. How do we do that? Make the kingdom of God, the reign of Christ your priority. Matthew 6:33 “but seek first His kingdom (reign/rule) and His ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33

Denomination: Baptist

Learning That Service Is Satisfying Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jan 13, 2012

Oswald Chambers spoke over 100 years ago prophetically of the time we are living in today. He said, “We are moving into a more spiritual but less Godly time.” There is a desperate need for the church today to surrender their life to Jesus. He tells us

Intro: Oswald Chambers spoke over 100 years ago prophetically of the time we are living in today. He said, “We are moving into a more spiritual but less Godly time.” God clearly tells us to be born again in John 3, we are told by Paul if we are in Christ we are a new creation. More people are ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-32

Denomination: Baptist

Learning God’s Idea Of Greatness Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jan 16, 2012

We as the Church, the called out body of believers, have been distratced from God definition of greatness. God has designed a broom for every believers hands. Your broom my be children’s ministry, homeless ministry, marriage, etc. God as a broom shappe

Intro: There are many things that are fought for in the church today. The type of music that is used during the worship service, the way we use money, the length of time we have a worship service, the way we organize and we could go on. The one thing that usually isn’t fought over is the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:35-45

Denomination: Baptist

Learning To See God's Way Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jan 21, 2012

Vision comes from clearly seeing what God has planned from the foundation of the world in Jesus. He calls us to develop fully devoted followers, those that do what He says because they love Him. We must have eyes only for Jesus if we are to succeed.

Intro: The entire message of Hebrews seems to be that there is something better. What we find is that faith in Jesus doesn’t take away from our lives actually it brings better things. As I like to say, “The longer you know Jesus the gooder life gets.” Hebrews is a letter ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Gifted For Growth Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Feb 15, 2012

If you are sealed by the Spirit then you are gifted by God to help the body grow in Christ. This is an introduction to a study on the gifts of the Spirit discussing their source, significance, and stewardship of the gifts.

Intro: Ephesians 4:8 quotes Psalm 68:18 which says “You received gifts from men.” Paul is saying something that would have been understood by people in His day. You gave gifts to men. Paul is using this under the idea of a King who has conquered his enemy coming back into the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Gifted People Week 2 Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Feb 19, 2012

The gifts of the Spirit Operate best in the atmophere of Love. They are used to build the lives of believers to the glory of God and good of all people.

Intro: In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn’t. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus. "These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they’re nothing but when I curl them together like this ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:25-26

Denomination: Baptist

Authority Of The Servant King

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 2, 2012

The Gospel of Mark presents Jesus as the Greatest Servant. This servant has the authority to forgive sin, free people of disease, force demon to flee. Most of us have some type of reistance to authority. Jesus made it clear the real and eternal life is

Intro: Illustration about “God is watching you.” My first thought was an old angry man in the sky pointing His finger at me saying look out I’m going to get you. My second thought was of the heavenly father I know. Jesus is the only one capable of watching over me, you, every ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

The Resurrection Isn’t Just For Easter Sunday

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 24, 2011

The resurrection happened so that acts 2 could happen. Not just forgiven people but transformed people. We are forgiven so that we can have with God in Jesus Christ and be remade in Jesus’ image.f

Intro: Someone asked me are we having anything special today? I said no. I have thought about that all week. We are having something special today we are celebrating the resurrection of our savior, Lord, Master, King, friend, and God. Jesus Christ. We do not have to have pageants or special ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-47

Denomination: Baptist

Faith Of A Mother In The Face Of A Struggle

Contributed by Billy Ricks on May 7, 2011

The family today is in desperate need for parents with faith that can face the struggles of uncertainty, unkindness, and ungodlyness. In Hannah we get a glowing example of a mother that faced her struggles with faith.

Intro: Bill Most of the scholars that you read will look over Hannah and move straight to the last judge of Israel. His name is Samuel in Hebrew means heard of God or God hears. But you cannot bypass one of the most important reasons that Samuel had the relationship with God that he had. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Finances Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jan 14, 2011

Proverbs gives us the proper context for giving. Without saying the word Tithe it reveals to us that we are to honor God with the first and best of all our increase, substance, weath, money. Your faithfulness will never be an issue of percentage it will

Intro: Why should we spend time studying what the Bible says about finances? Because the way we handle our resources is one of if not the clearest indicators of our hearts spiritual condition. Of the 38 parables that Jesus taught 16 are about how we handle our money. So why should we study ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:9-10

Denomination: Baptist

The Promise Of The Father Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jan 16, 2011

The world offers life at its best through what you own, wear, the way you look, the more you get, this selfish mentality promises life at its best but never delivers on the promise. God offers life at its best and it begins with a promise of power. Lear

Intro: A web search or general browsing of TV commercials tells us that life at its best is found in anything from nutrition to air fresheners. Culture tells us that life at its best is looking a certain way physically, wearing certain clothes, having a particular attitude. We are told that life ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:1-8

Denomination: Baptist