Sermons on Church Discernment:

Discerning Whether That "Open Door" Is From God

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Mar 14, 2007

This message looks at situations where we take something to be God’s hand when often there are other causes at work.

Life Principle: Every “open door” doesn’t have God’s hand on the handle. - If you listen to testimonies, you’ll hear plenty of stories of “coincidences” that were divinely orchestrated. Someone just happens to be at the store at the right moment to share a witness. Someone just happens to ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 9:6-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Church Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Aug 26, 2014

Christ, as head of the church, gave us a model that will lead to unity and love. Are we listening?

Today we begin a short two week series covering what I think is one of the most relevant sections of the New Testament for us today. It gives a very concise, clear picture of how the church and the family are to operate according to God’s design. So please join me as we read Ephesians chapter ...read more

Scanners Set To Discernment: Examples Of Ufo Religions

Contributed by Frederick Meekins on Feb 14, 2022

Scanners Set To Discernment: Examples Of UFO Religions

To most Americans, the idea of beings from beyond this world does not at the moment impact their lives to any appreciable degree. Usually to most people the consideration of the topic is more akin to a transient pondering that may creep intermittently into their minds from time to time. Sadly, in ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:2

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Gaining Discernment From David Part 1 Series

Contributed by Trae Durden on Aug 29, 2014

Learning from the mistakes of others is the best way to learn. These two lessons consider David's great life and some of the roots behind his worst failures. Based on the book by Charles Swindoll, "David: A man of passion and destiny."

“A tree is best measured when it’s down.” David was a man after God’s own heart. And yet, he made tons of mistakes. As we learn from his mistakes, let’s also learn from his response to those mistakes! Not only did David leave us a lifetime of lessons about things ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

8. Discernment – Separating Friends From Foes Series

Contributed by Shingirayi Gwete on Feb 26, 2022

There are enemies who are within the camp of God and pretend to be serving Christ, yet they are deceivers who have been sent by the devil to abuse the flock. In this sermon we will focus on how to identify whether a person has been sent by God or by the devil.

In the previous chapter we learnt that there are some enemies who are within the camp of God and pretend to be serving Christ, yet they are deceivers who have been sent by the devil to abuse the flock. In this chapter we will focus on how to identify whether a person has been sent by God or by the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:1, Revelation 2:2, 1 Corinthians 2:14, John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 1 Kings 14:1-6, Jeremiah 33:3, Deuteronomy 18:22, Matthew 7:22-23, Jeremiah 14:14, Ezekiel 13:3, Ezekiel 13:6, Jonah 3:4, Matthew 24:24, Acts 16:16-18, Deuteronomy 13:1-3, Isaiah 8:20, 1 Corinthians 14:33, Malachi 3:6, 2 Timothy 3:16, Genesis 2:17, Matthew 7:16-20  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Adventist

Justified Fools For Christ-2 Series

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Apr 14, 2015

2 of 8. Paul admonished the Corinthian Church regarding his apostolic ministry. The church must regard apostles rightly...as those who are fools for Christ! But How/When are these Justified? Fools for Christ are justified thru their...

JUSTIFIED FOOLS For CHRIST-II—1Corinthians 4:1-21 Attention: Back in the day, before I had accepted Christ & before the days of digitized anything—1975—I had a Foghat[the name of a rock band] album that pictured a young long-haired, bushy mustached, bereted man(the drummer for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

“pigs, Dogs And Kingdom Discernment” Series

Contributed by Ron Tuit on Apr 12, 2013

"Do not judge" is a very popular saying by the LORD JESUS, but does not include the full understanding of what Jesus both meant and practiced.

“Pigs, Dogs and Kingdom Discernment” Matthew 7:1-6 We live in a society where people are very quick to use the first line of Matthew 7, “Do not judge.” Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Go! And… Discern The Times — What Is The Issachar Anointing? - 1 Chronicles 12:32 Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Aug 11, 2025

There are moments in history when God’s people cannot afford to be spiritually asleep. Moments when we must wake up, watch, and wisely walk. In David’s day, the men of Issachar were like this. They understood the signs of the times and knew what Israel should do.

Go! And… Discern the Times — What is the Issachar Anointing? - 1 Chronicles 12:32 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NLT): “From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 12:32, Genesis 30:17-18, Genesis 49:14-15, Ecclesiastes 3:1, Proverbs 28:2, Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 16:2-3, Romans 12:2, Psalm 119:105, James 1:5, 1 Peter 5:8, Luke 11:28, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 6:2  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Gaining Discernment From David Part 2 Series

Contributed by Trae Durden on Aug 29, 2014

Learning from the mistakes of others is the best way to learn. These two lessons consider David's great life and some of the roots behind his worst failures. Based on the book by Charles Swindoll, "David: A man of passion and destiny"

“A tree is best measured when it’s down.” David was a man after God’s own heart. And yet, he made tons of mistakes. As we learn from his mistakes, let’s also learn from his response to those mistakes! Not only did David leave us a lifetime of lessons about things ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sermon: The Pentecost Effect - The Spirit Of Truth In Full Manifestation

Contributed by Otis Mcmillan on May 30, 2024

Until now, the church had been walking in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, today we learn what it means to walk in the fear of the Lord. Holy Spirit Sees, Knows and Understands Everything.

Sermon: The Spirit of Truth In Full Manifestation Scripture: Acts 5:1-11” But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest. Then Peter ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:1-11, John 16:13, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Luke 21:1-4

Denomination: Methodist

The Church

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Jan 30, 2014

Continuing to look at the church and what it means for God's people.

The Church November3, 2013 I want to read from an article which was written by a current pastor. His name is Jason Johansen. “About 10 years ago, I grew disillusioned with the church I had attended all my life. I continued to attend, but I avoided the people there. I kept greetings brief ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Evil Disguised PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Sep 27, 2023

Encourage the church to confront evil, understand the reality of spiritual warfare, and pray for discernment to distinguish between God's truth and the enemy's lies, using the example of King Saul's disobedience in 1 Samuel 28:8.

Good morning, church family. Today, we're gonna dive into a passage that's a bit of a tough one, but it's crucial for our understanding about how evil can creep into our midst, the reality of spiritual warfare, and our need for discerning hearts and prayerful spirits. We're going to be looking at 1 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 28:8

Topics: Evil, Church

Be A Church Not Just In A Church

Contributed by Howard Gunter on Dec 11, 2017

Church is the PEOPLE, not the building.

Be A CHURCH Not Just In A Church Colossians 1:18 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 22:16-19, Ephesians 3:20-21, Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let The Church Be The Church

Contributed by Chris Cuthbertson on Jun 6, 2024

God wants His church to grow and He commissioned us to evangelize, and if the church is doing its job it should grow, but numerical growth in itself is not evidence that God is blessing. It’s important to remember that the goal is to try to restore the church of the 1st century in its principles.

Let the Church Be the Church Acts 2: 36 – 47 A newspaper reporter was doing a story on growing churches, and in preparation for that story he interviewed a number of preachers. I want to share the questions asked of these preachers and then give you my answers to them. One of the questions he ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:36-47, John 3:16-17, Acts 2:22, Mark 4:26

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Church Vs. The Church

Contributed by Jack Russell on Feb 7, 2004

Man’s view of the church is often very different from the one Jesus demonstrated and Paul described.

I can stand anywhere in my back yard and see my church. It sits rather majestically at the apex of our little town. Its stained glass windows chronicle its founders. Inside, a huge chandelier hovers over our pew. I don’t know who appointed us to sit in that particular pew, but it must have been ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:13-22, Matthew 13:16-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed