Sermons on Cease Striving:

God Tests Obedience, Not Loyalty - By Pastor Ondu Joseph

Contributed by Joseph Ondu on Feb 17, 2025

Loyalty without obedience is meaningless. God does not test how much we claim to love Him; He tests whether we will follow His commands. Let us strive to be not just hearers of the Word but doers, walking in full obedience to His will.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:22 - "But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'" Introduction: Many believers equate loyalty to God with ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:22

Denomination: Pentecostal

Meeting God

Contributed by Terry Hovey on Feb 28, 2025

You can't just come however you want. He is the one and only true God, and we are to strive toward His standards, not the other way around. We can't approach Him just willy nilly, because...

Meeting God Exodus 19:1-16 What do you expect when you come to church on a Sunday morning? Do you come for the fellowship with like-minded believers? Singing songs you've learned to love over the years? Maybe listen to a sermon that encourages and makes you feel good? Or maybe you prefer to ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 19:1-16

Denomination: Methodist

What Does A Man Get For His Toil?

Contributed by William Baeta on Aug 5, 2001

“For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labours under the sun?”

Theme: What does a man gain for his toil Text: Eccl. 1:2, 2:21-23; Col. 3:1-5, 9-11; Lk. 12:13-21 Read Eccl. 2:21-23 “For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. What does a man get for all the toil and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21, Ecclesiastes 2:21-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Measured Against The Plumb Line

Contributed by Reuben Bredenhof on Feb 22, 2021

We are tested every day by the Word of God. Are we continuing upright in the ways of the Lord? Are we inclined toward sin, or are we striving to be true to the Lord? The Word of God tests us, every time that we read it, every time we hear it.

Have you ever seen a plumb line? Simply, it’s a string with a heavy weight tied to one end of it. A bricklayer will hang a plumb line beside a wall that’s under construction, to see if the wall is being built vertical and true. If things are out of kilter, then he’ll be able to see it right away: ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Amos 2:6-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Moving Forward In Favor Series

Contributed by Mike Fogerson on Dec 16, 2014

I believe God has called us serve faithfully where He's assigned us . . . where we’re at. Most of the time, what we do for the kingdom goes unnoticed, unrewarded, unacknowledged. Yet you keep right on working/striving.

Introduction: A You and I are not ministering in the limelight of a national ministry, where thousands of people know what we are doing (Perry Stone’s, Ron Philipp’s, Damon Thompson’s, Rick Pino’s, John MacCarther’s, John Piper’s, John Kilpatrick’s) 1 God ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 2:10-16

Denomination: Baptist

Jehovah-Tsidkenu, God Our Righteousness Series

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Oct 10, 2022

God says, “I have done it myself.” Instead of striving to do good deeds, to climb the walls of the pit to escape from sin, we must recognize our own inability. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

What does it feel like to be in God’s presence? Have you ever felt his presence in a moment in time? It’s royal, God’s presence. Like royalty is present. It’s soft, like a whisper. It’s like a cloud comes over you, a cloud of God’s presence. It’s like the moment in time slows down. You become ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 23:1-8

Denomination: Salvation Army

Once Saved, Always Saved? Series

Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on May 2, 2022

To establish the saints indeed can fall from the grace of God. This lesson refutes the notion: “Once saved, always saved.” Our eternal salvation is promised, but we must continually strive to make: “our calling and election sure.” Peter, tells us how this is possible.

INTRODUCTION Outline. 1. Once saved, always saved? Introductory Remarks. 1. In this lesson today, we will be discussing the theme: “Once Saved, Always Saved?" This will become the thirteenth lesson in the sermon-series entitled: "Re-digging in Old Wells." There will be many others ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:4, Hebrews 12:15, 2 Peter 1:3-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Being Satisfied Series

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on May 13, 2005

Contentment is something that we all strive for, the problem is that the world tells us to all look in the wrong place, so we either become apathetic where we don’t feel anything or we spend our lives thinking you know if I only

Being Satisfied Philippians 4:10-13 If you have your Bibles with you this morning please hold it up high where we can all see it. Now that you have held it up I want you to open it up and read with me today one of the hardest passages in the whole Bible. It not difficult because it is filled with ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:10-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Be His Image! Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 14, 2012

Being an imitator of Jesus means we view things differently than the world. This means we answer questions differently about significant goals in life. We have different priorities in our life than a person who does not know Jesus. We strive not to pleas

Series: Imitators Summary of last week: The key verses from last week were1 Thessalonians 1: 6-8a: 6You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"One Thing I Do"

Contributed by Emil Boniog on Jan 17, 2012

If we can only do one thing this year, what would that be? May I propose for us to strive to develop a close personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ using the 4-step process of FORGETTING (OR FORGIVING) THE PAST, FOCUSING ON THIS GOAL,

“ONE THING I DO” (V.13) Philippians 3: 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-14

Denomination: Baptist

God's Unmerited Favor

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Feb 11, 2019

What role did you play in God’s plan last year? Is Christ happy with your commitment to his church; did you strive to reach your potential in him or did you coast along doing as little as possible, hoping something good will happen?

One of the three ships that bring the colonists to Jamestown is Godspeed, a three-mast square-rigger that sails the Atlantic nearly five months to get to Virginia. The ship is just 88 feet long—about the length of a double tractor-trailer—and has a top speed of +/- 4 miles per hour. Colonists ...read more

Denomination: Other

Memoirs Of A Giant Slayer Series

Contributed by Christopher Benfield on Mar 19, 2017

David faced a great challenge as he stood before Goliath. It was the greatest miss-match of all time, and yet he was triumphant. We too face giants as we strive to serve the Lord, but like David, we can overcome in the Lord. Christ secured victory for us!

Memoirs of a Giant Slayer 1 Samuel 17: 40-51 Our text today comes from one of the most familiar and recognizable accounts in all of Scripture. Israel was facing a formidable foe in the champion of the Philistines. The armies had gathered on opposite sides of the Valley of Elah, approximately ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:40-51

Denomination: Baptist

It’s Time For A Spiritual Audit – Philippians 3:7-10 Series

Contributed by Scott Turansky on Apr 2, 2022

What do we value? What do we strive for, day to day? And the interesting challenge here is that even when we value good things (e.g., loving our family, helping others), they don’t come close to who Jesus is.

A couple of weeks ago I was looking at my credit card balance, and it was much higher than I expected it to be. So I knew I needed to do a little audit there myself. I checked it out and realized that some of these charges aren't even mine. So I called the credit card company and we together ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-10

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Occupy Till I Come

Contributed by Dr. Jerry Hulse on Jul 25, 2022

The time we are given in this life is priceless. We cannot save it, but we can use it wisely and gain from it. This is why we should strive to make the most of our time, be diligent in using our talents, and fulfill our roles to the best of our abilities.

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES (Luke 19:11-13) (11) "And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear." ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:13, Luke 19:11-26, Matthew 5:14-16, Psalm 37:11, Matthew 5:5, Isaiah 40:31  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Capacity—why Am I Here? Series

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Dec 9, 2004

STRENGTH FOR DAILY LIVING #3 What will we use our God given capacity for? Will we strive to fufill our own desires or will we seek to see God’s highest purpose become a reality in our lives. What God marks will you leave behind?

INTRODUCTION: It’s the 1930s and the depression is affecting families across America. A poor man by the name of E.L. Yates was barely making a living on his sheep farm in West Texas around Odessa and Midland. He was constantly worrying about how he could pay his bills and feed his family. Mr. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:16-19

Denomination: Assembly Of God