Sermons on Close Encounter:

Flour Power

Contributed by Henry A Roso on May 15, 2023

Growing from Fear to Faith

I’d like to speak this morning about faith. We are people of faith, amen? However, there are times when some of us struggle with not having enough faith. A broken relationship, news of a life-threatening illness, loss of a job, or your house burns to the ground, a normal response is to feel ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Death And The Christian - Set Your House In Order For You Shall Die And Not Live – Was Hezekiah’s Time Up? Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 21, 2023

News of impending death comes more of a shock the younger we are. What is our attitude to all this? How do we digest it mentally and emotionally? Here we look at death for a Christian, setting one’s house in order, and specifically at King Hezekiah who was about to die.

DEATH AND THE CHRISTIAN - SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER FOR YOU SHALL DIE AND NOT LIVE – WAS HEZEKIAH’S TIME UP? [A]. INTRODUCTION {{Isaiah 38 v 1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘SET YOUR HOUSE IN ...read more

Scripture: John 3:3, Isaiah 38:21, Amos 4:12, Psalm 91:5, Psalm 91:4, 1 John 1:8-9, Revelation 1:17-18, Psalm 31:15, Isaiah 38:2-3, Isaiah 38:5-6, Isaiah 38:7-8, Isaiah 38:1  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fear-Full Or Faith-Full Series

Contributed by David Owens on May 22, 2023

In the incident of the furious storm on the Sea of Galilee, the disciples learn something about dealing with fear through faith. Who is Jesus? He is God and is Lord of the storm.

Introduction: A. Let’s begin with two questions: Have you ever been really afraid of something? What is the scariest situation you have ever experienced? B. Let me share a terrifying experience that took place when I was very young, probably 14 or 15. 1. It wasn’t funny at the time, but our ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41, Psalm 89:9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Be Inspired By The Burial Of Jesus Christ Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on May 22, 2023

Be inspired... 1. By the women's commitment to Jesus (vs. 55-56; 61). 2. By the rich man's courage (vs. 57-58). 3. By the rich men's contributions (Matt 27:58-60; John 19:38-42). 4. By our Savior Jesus Christ (vs. 62-66).

Be Inspired by the Burial of Jesus Christ The Gospel of Matthew Matthew 27:55-66; John 19:38-42 Sermon by Rick Crandall (Prepared May 22, 2023) MESSAGE: *In today's Scripture God's Word tells us about the burial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Usually when we think about Jesus, we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:55-66, John 19:38-42

Denomination: Baptist

Miracles Still Happen

Contributed by Rich O' Toole on May 26, 2023

Lazarus Resurrection

Miracles Still Happen John 11:1-27 Good Morning Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, many people want the Lord to perform a super natural miracle, to prove He exists. In the Gospels, as the Lord performed miracles; but they usually did not produce belief in people, even though miracles are ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-27

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

King Saul Dies In Battle With The Philistines Series

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on May 27, 2023

He keeps saying, "Who am I to harm the Lord's anointed?" But finally, it comes to its final point here. It says that the Philistines, this enemy nation, right near Israel, they are attacking Israel. There's there's a huge battle going on. And many were slaughtered.

Have you ever had a loved one in your family pass away? Can anyone relate? I think we've all probably had someone pass. And for some of us, it was someone we loved dearly. That's so incredibly hard. Then again maybe we don't have a good relationship with our parents or with our moms. ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

A Wisdom-Filled Heart

Contributed by Dennis Lee on May 28, 2023

Do you seek wisdom? Do you want to make wise decisions? Do you want a wisdom-filled heart? Then, trust in the Lord with your whole being, stop trying to be in control of everything and let God take over, and finally, have a personal intimate relationship with Him. All from Proverbs 3:5-6.

A Christian’s Heart “A Wisdom-Filled Heart” Watch on YouTube: Years ago, I read two proverbs that resonated so much within me that I have lived my life and conducted my responsibilities as a teacher of God’s word based a lot upon them. “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Denomination: Foursquare

The Importance Of The Resurrection Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jun 5, 2023

The resurrection of Christ means the resurrection of humanity for they are inseparably linked. If Christ is raised, then there is a resurrection for all the dead

1 CORINTHIANS 15: 12-19 [RESURRECTION REALITIES SERIES] THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESURRECTION [John 5:24-30; John 11: 22-44] Thomas Jefferson, an author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the USA, was a deist-one who believed in the God revealed in nature. Congress once ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Denomination: Baptist

Facing Up To Your Emotional Wounds Series

Contributed by Perry Fowler on Jun 22, 2023

We all have emotional wounds. Can you heal?

In Forrest Gump, Forrest's lifelong friend Jenny had endured a childhood of abuse and neglect at the hands of her father. In one scene, Forrest and Jenny visit her old house, and Forrest watches as Jenny throws stone after stone at the weather-beaten old house which held so many painful ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 42:7-28

Denomination: Baptist

Christian Parenting: Spiritual Conversations

Contributed by Troy Borst on Jun 27, 2023

Parents and grandparents must be ready, willing, and able to have inevitable and expected spiritual conversations with our children and grandchildren all about God in order to help them build a solid foundation for life in Jesus Christ.

CHRISTIAN PARENTING: SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS Deuteronomy 6:1-25, Matthew 7:24-27 #parenting INTRODUCTION… Communication Issues (tvtropes.org) I want to share some TV shows and movies with you this morning as we begin to warm up to the topic that we will eventually find in the Scriptures. All of ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-25, Matthew 7:24-27

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Prodigal Son Series

Contributed by Daniel Ray Ortega on Jun 27, 2023

A young boy, around the age of eight, lived in Alaska with his parents. His dad was the Boy Scout leader of the area. The troop of the young boy decided to go mountain climbing up a two mile high mountain

The Prodigal Son Sermon Luke 15:11-23 11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:36

Denomination: Free Methodist

Liberty And Jesus For All: The Ingredients Of Freedom Series

Contributed by Perry Fowler on Jun 28, 2023

God was at work in Joseph's life; but also his brothers. Ultimately God would make a nation out of the 12 tribes *(these boys) so ground work was being laid, even through the binding of Simeon (the lack of freedom) What do we learn about freedom through this event?

Perhaps you’ve heard the story about our national bird; the eagle. Initially, Benjamin Franklin struggled with the idea of the eagle being our national bird. He wrote his daughter criticizing the selection of the eagle being the representative symbol of our national freedom; instead, he preferred ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 42:29-38

Denomination: Baptist

God's Instructions For Victory

Contributed by Barry O Johnson on Jun 29, 2023

This message is about God's instructions that helped me rebound after my job was eliminated.

Good morning, New Light! Many of you know me, but for those who don’t, I am Barry, your pastor’s brother, and I am honored that he asked me to share the message this morning. My message is a very personal one that resulted from a job loss. It was a difficult and uncertain time in my life, and in ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:25, Ephesians 2:1, 2 Chronicles 19:4, 1 Kings 15:11, 2 Chronicles 17:5, 2 Chronicles 20:1-29, Deuteronomy 4:29, Isaiah 43:26, Ephesians 1:12-14, Colossians 1:12-14, Hebrews 4:15-16, 1 Peter 5:6-7  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Finding The Faith Of Our Heroes - Part 4: Abraham And Sarah Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 9, 2023

Why do we need faith in God? 1. Faith motivates us to move for God (vs. 8-9). 2. Faith wins the fight against our fears (vs. 8-9). 3. Faith puts us in touch with God's power (vs. 11-12). 4. Faith makes us willing to wait on the Lord (vs. 9-10, 13-16).

Finding the Faith of Our Heroes Part 4: Abraham and Sarah Hebrews 11:8-16; James 2:23; Genesis 17:4-8; Genesis 17:15-22; Genesis 18:9-15 Sermon by Rick Crandall (Prepared September 9, 2023) MESSAGE: *James Merritt once said, "Everybody has faith in something. An atheist drinks water out of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:8-16, James 2:23, Genesis 17:4-8, Genesis 17:15-22, Genesis 18:9-15  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Stop And Thank

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 13, 2023

The cure for spiritual complacency is gratitude.

Imagine what it might have been like, back in Jesus’ day, to be a leper. Leprosy is basically just a bacterial skin infection, and nowadays it can be treated quite easily. But not back then. Back in those days it was incurable. And it was the most feared disease imaginable. First of all, it was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19, Leviticus 13:43-46

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed