Sermons on Cease Striving:

Aim For Perfection

Contributed by Roger Hutto on Dec 31, 2017

The church should intentionally strive for perfection - being a church where God's presence is evident and powerful. This requires a strategy of obeying God's word, uniting on the fundamental truths of our faith, and never sacrificing unity over trivial

Aim for Perfection 2 Corinthians 13:11 Well, we have another Year in the books! We're standing at the door ready to enter into a New Year. What are we going to do with it? How are we going to approach it? We've got a couple of choices: • We can focus on the past: whether it be our successes ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Spirit Of The Lord Is On Me

Contributed by Ronald Moore on May 23, 2024

Are we proclaiming the good news to those around us, especially to those who are in need? Are we working to bring freedom and healing to those who are bound and broken? Are we advocating for the oppressed and striving for justice in our communities?

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Today we gather to reflect upon a powerful and profound passage from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 4, verse 18. This scripture marks the beginning of Jesus' public ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:18

Denomination: Anglican

The Mystery Of The Missing Day

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 9, 2025

Rediscovering the gift we forgot. A day that disappeared from our calendars long before it vanished from our hearts.

Part 1 – The Beginning of Rest We live in a restless world. We measure our worth by how many emails we answer before breakfast, how many miles we drive, how many boxes we check before nightfall. The very first full day of human existence was nothing like that. The first sound Adam and Eve ever ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:1-3, Exodus 20:8-11, Mark 2:27-28, Hebrews 4:9-10, Revelation 14:7  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Meek Does Not Mean Weak Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 24, 2004

I was struck with how “in control” Jesus was, even when events were transpiring around him and people were doing disturbing things to Him.

Meek Does Not Mean Weak This past Tuesday Pastor Jeff and I had had the opportunity to view a screening of the film called, “The Passion of the Christ” with about 4,000 other pastors. We should have known we were in for an unforgettable experience when we saw boxes of Kleenex arrayed on tables ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5

Denomination: Baptist

We Don't Do Distractions

Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Feb 24, 2025

As children of God, we are called to live out our faith continually, day by day, in a world that constantly pulls us in different directions and is always striving for our attention. At times we all live as if we have an unlimited time to accomplish our God given work.

We Don’t Do Distractions By Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr. OPENING: - John 3:19 says, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil”. I like so many I am sure have found myself being drawn in by the news ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:4, Philippians 4:8, Psalm 143:12, Hebrews 12:1

Denomination: Apostolic

Culture Shifts: Slow Down, You're Going To Fast

Contributed by Tammy Garrison on Jan 21, 2002

This line from a Simon & Garfunkel song describes the breakneck pace of our technologically advancing culture. How do we go about tuning out the world and tuning in to Christ, striving to be faithful Christians in today’s world.

Phillipians 4:8-9 Bibliography: Cultures Shifts, Lesson 3 The world was forever altered in 1436 when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. Although forms of printing had existed for approximately 400 years, Gutenberg’s moveable type made out of metal revolutionized the printed world. ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:8-9

Denomination: Methodist

Followers Of God Through Jesus Christ

Contributed by Vernon L Caruthers on Jun 23, 2006

To describe ourself as a "Christian" is an awesome responsibility that is not to be taken lightly. We must strive to live so that others might actually see the SPIRIT and the DIVINE NATURE OF JESUS CHRIST present in all that we say and all that we do.

What Does It Mean to Be a Follower of Jesus Christ? Scripture Reference: Ephesians 5:1-2 ’Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-2

Healing For The Wounded; Forgiveness For The Those Who Wound Series

Contributed by Mike Fogerson on Jul 8, 2013

An honest/mature Christian honestly evaluates him/herself & strives to do better. When we evaluate ourselves we tend to err in two directions: judge ourselves better than we are or worse than we are.

Bullying: Far From Harmless Healing for the Wounded; Forgiveness for the Those Who Wound 3/10/2013 Chester First Baptist Church, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson Introduction: 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14

Denomination: Baptist

Remedy Part 4: The Remedy For Meaninglessness Series

Contributed by Stephen Collins on May 3, 2009

Why are we here? What’s the point? All of our striving and searching for meaning ultimately lead to dead ends that don’t satisfy us. God provides the remedy by transforming our lives to be like His Son.

REMEDY The Remedy for Meaninglessness “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee..” Saint Augustine, 420 A.D. Key Scripture: Romans 12:1-2 Icebreaker: "What have you done that you believe in and you are proud of?" That’s the question an ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Denomination: Church Of God

I Settle For Being Less Than The Best Christian Because …

Contributed by Chad Bolfa on Oct 1, 2010

And so the question I have to ask myself is why do I have to strive to be the best Christian I can be? Why can’t I just settle for just getting by in my Christian life?

I settle for being less than the best Christian because … Hebrews 10:11-18 Introduction When I was a young boy growing up one of my favorite shows to watch on television was “ABC’s Wide World of Sports”. It came on every Saturday afternoon and the introduction went ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:11-18

Denomination: Baptist

The Path To Stability Series

Contributed by Christopher Benfield on Feb 26, 2017

The early church experienced amazing growth and power. She was very young and very pure. We must follow the biblical model rather than striving to meet the expectations of contemporary culture if we are to experience God's presence and power.

The Path to Stability Acts 2: 42-44 Today I want to conclude our series: Church – A New Testament Model. Once again we are in the book of Acts, immediately following Pentecost. The Lord had ascended back to the Father, and the Spirit had come, filling the believers. The presence and power of God ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-44

Denomination: Baptist

What Can Man Do? (Wcmd)

Contributed by Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid on Apr 12, 2015

God's blessings bestowed upon man, not enjoyed to the extent of His will for man's striving on earth is plagued with modern issues---the same issues that plagued man in early years, taxation shows the struggle of man in God's plan on earth.

What Can Man Do? (WCMD) by Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (April 12, 2015) “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 6:22-27

Denomination: Friends

God Is Holy Different Series

Contributed by David Owens on Nov 8, 2021

The aim of this sermon is to help us to capture a vision of God's holiness so that we realize that we must take God's holiness as seriously as God does and to strive to be holy like God is.

A. One day Charlie Brown and Lucy and Linus were lying on the ground, looking up at the sky. 1. Lucy says, “Aren’t the clouds beautiful? They look like big balls of cotton. I could just lie here all day and watch them drift by.” 2. Then Lucy says, “If you use your imagination, you can see lots of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:28-29

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Skeleton At The Feast...

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 11, 2023

We need to consider the root of the problems we face. From where does strife and trouble come? Anger and bitterness become self feeding skeletons that are so weak they waste opportunities. We must identify strive causers.

THE SKELETON AT THE FEAST… By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube Wade Hughes) I have an old SIFTER I use. TEXT: Proverbs 30:33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 30:33, Hebrews 12:12-15, Matthew 25:24-30

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Sermon # 14 - Stay United, Prayerful And Obedient Series

Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Oct 3, 2024

Jonah’s disobedience brought untold troubles on all the crew aboard that ship. The church too must be wary of those who are divisive and must strive hard to maintain unity, integrity continuing in prayer and being obedient to God.

We read in Jonah 1:11, Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?" For the sea was raging and growing more tempestuous. (AFV) The events that preceded this verse were that the ship on which Jonah voyaged was faced with a severe tempest. The mariners ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:13, Proverbs 16:28, Romans 16:17, 2 Samuel 11:1-2, Matthew 26:40-41, Joshua 7:8, Joshua 7:11, Jonah 1:11  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other