Sermons on Billy Joel:

The Benefits Of Thanksgiving

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Nov 22, 2013

There are benefits to accepting God's invitation to be grateful. If we live with a grateful heart we are living in God's will, in God's presence and we will live above our circumstances. True thankfulness comes only from love of God.

The Benefits of Thanksgiving Intro: Thankful Video. We are told to give thanks always but what exactly does that mean? Do we lay everything down and just say thank you 24 hours a day 365 days a year? Ephesians 5:17-20 (read) 5:20 “giving thanks always for everything to God the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:17-19

Denomination: Baptist

Seeing God In 3d Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jun 16, 2012

God clearly reveals Himself. We as those called to seek Him with all our hearts need to look for His clear revelation not our own personal opinion as to how He is revealed. Our biblical heart is made up of our intellect, emotions, and our will. We were

Intro: One of the greatest things about the Bible is that it never argues God. It clearly communicates and reveals the God of History. This God who is revealed in the Bible is bigger, more intelligent, more powerful, and definitely a lot better than we are. Augustine of Hippo said in his ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26

Denomination: Baptist

The Ten Commandments: Ten Words The World Needs To Hear Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 12, 2008

Ten Words. The Ten most powerful words ever spoken. Ten simple but profund words that give divine direction for our relationship to God and man. Right response to God and man is the way to a whole and well life.

Intro: A gray haired lady, long a member of her community and Church, shook hands with the minister after the service one morning. “That was a wonderful sermon, she told him, just wonderful. Everything you said applied to someone I know.” What is often missed is that God’s word applies to ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Word One: Just Jehovah Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 22, 2008

The first word of the ten words out of the mouth of God from the finger of God calls for a decision on our part. It is not popular, politically correct but it is pure truth. I am the Lord your God have no other God’s before me. It is Just Jehovah. He

Intro: One cartoon depicts Moses standing on top of God’s Mountain, holding the two tablets of the Ten Commandments. The prophet is beaming. “Hey these are great.” He says enthusiastically, “From now on nobody will have trouble distinguishing right from wrong.” We know that is not true today! ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Taking A Closer Look In The Manger

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Dec 3, 2007

There are so many things we look in this year, hidy holes for presents, stores for deals, wallets for money. Have we forgotten the most important place to look. If we are careful to take a closer look in the manger we find 3 truths. We find, life, libe

Intro: This is the time of the year that people look in things. You know who you are. There are secret packages everywhere. There are Children looking in closets, under beds, in cars, every possible place to find a present. People look in store windows, in store adds, just about every place ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:15

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

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

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

Steps To Victory Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on May 21, 2011

Joshsua the hebrew form of Jesus Christ's name. We are shown that God has given us victory. However as with the Israelites we must step in obedience to the direction and will of God. Merely taking the steps does not gurantee victory. Taking the steps

ntro: Joshua is a book about victory. It is not victory through superiority but through surrender. Surrender to the presence, promises and provision of God. Deuteronomy and Joshua have divisions between them but are written more like a part 1 and 2 of the same story. In Deuteronomy the Children ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Praying For God's Intervention

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Sep 7, 2013

Have you ever known someone who needs an intervention to prevent damage or destruction? This describes what will happen if God's people in America do not wake up from our sleep and repent of our wicked ways. We need an intervention.

Intro: This is an excerpt from the Daily Chronicle December 13, 1904 William Stead reports, “Employers tell me that the quality of the work the miners are putting in has improved. Waste is less, men to go their daily toil with a new spirit of gladness in their labour. In the long dim ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Denomination: Baptist

How Not To Respond To God Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Sep 22, 2013

Be careful when you read the story of Jonah that you are not distracted by the big fish, the big city, or the popular prophet. The story ks about the God who is bigger and above yet completely involved in the story of grace.

Intro: Top 10 THINGS TO DO INSIDE A BIG FISH 10) “Can you hear me now?” 9) Pray the fish is ….. bulemic 8) Bonfire and a fish fry! 7) Open a sushi bar 6) “Consider it pure joy” 5) Floss . . . the whale 4) Finally get motivated to read Moby Dick 3) Listen to tapes of ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-17

Denomination: Baptist