Sermons on Conflict Avoidance:

Those Feelings Of Pride Series

Contributed by David Owens on Apr 12, 2021

God has given us the ability to feel the emotion of pride so that we can benefit from good pride and avoid the destructive nature of bad pride. It is important to know the difference between the two kinds of pride.

A. Once there was a guy named Zeke who had so much pride he could never admit he was wrong. 1. One day Zeke wandered into the blacksmith shop with sawdust all over the floor. 2. A few minutes before Zeke arrived, the blacksmith had been working on an uncooperative horseshoe, and had beat on it ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5-7, Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 3:34

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Membership Not Required Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Nov 21, 2013

We may not say there are membership requirements to be a Christian in our churches, but does our behaviour say otherwise? Membership requirements don’t have to be verbally stated, they can be communicated with a look, with avoidance, and so on.

Back in the mid-nineties I was working in the golf business for a couple years. One course I worked at in Vancouver required $75,000 to join and there was about a 3 year waiting list, then it was about $350 a month for monthly dues as well. In the winter I went down to a very exclusive private ...read more

Blind Anger Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 8, 2023

King Saul was blinded by his anger towards David and it led him to lose his temper in ways that destroyed his family and his dynasty. What can we do to avoid the same blindness that hurt Saul?

On July 4th, 1826 two of our nation’s Founding Fathers died (that same day) within hours of each other. John Adams & Thomas Jefferson (the 2nd and 3rd Presidents of the U. States) both died on July 4th. What makes this interesting is that Adams and Jefferson were close friends. In 1775 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 20:25-34

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Imagine The Divine Midwife Next To Us Whispering, "Push, Push, Push. It’s Almost Here" Series

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Nov 16, 2024

The Twin Towers stood for ever until they didn't- avoid Over Confidence. Yet the wars keep coming and Jesus has not yet come - As Hitchhikers says - "don't panic"

Sermon preached on my second last Sunday at St Barnabas Northolt, 17th November 2024 ......................................................................................................... [lean to one side] Over confidence? [lean to the other side] Over panicked? [scratching head] over ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:1-8, Daniel 12:1-3, Hebrews 10:11-25, Mark 12:41-44, Isaiah 40:8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Divorce, Children And Wealth

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 6, 2024

Do our churches avoid talking about divorce and money because we are embarrassed? Should children be seen and not heard? Let’s examine what Jesus has to say about these important topics in Matthew 19.

Do our churches avoid talking about divorce and money because we are embarrassed? Should children be seen and not heard? Let’s examine what Jesus has to say about these important topics in Matthew 19. Divorce What was the question that the Pharisees asked? When Jesus finished saying these ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What Do You Do When The Lord Makes You Uncomfortable?

Contributed by Jessie Manuel on Aug 14, 2025

Jesus is going to show us in Luke 12:49-56 that this divine discomfort is not a bug in the system of faith—it's a feature. It's not something to avoid—it's something to embrace.

There's a question that every serious believer must eventually face: What do you do when the Lord makes you uncomfortable? I'm not talking about the discomfort of difficult circumstances or trials that come from living in a fallen world. I'm talking about that deep, internal stirring ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:49-56, Jeremiah 20:9

Denomination: Methodist

The Fear Of The Lord Helps Us Turn Away From Evil Series

Contributed by Joel Bernardino on Oct 15, 2025

“Through the fear of the Lord, evil is avoided.” In other words, when we fear the Lord, we learn to turn away from sin—not out of fear of judgment, but out of love for the One who redeemed us.

THE FEAR OF THE LORD HELPS US TURN AWAY FROM EVIL Ptr. Joel Bernardino – October 13, 2025 Introduction: Have you ever known someone who learned to stay away from doing wrong — not because they were afraid of punishment, but because they didn’t want to hurt the person who truly loved them? For ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:6, Job 28:28, Proverbs 8:13, Proverbs 9:10

Casualties Of Divine Service

Contributed by Michael Stark on Feb 8, 2019

The message explores how Christians can avoid becoming casualties of divine service. There is a high cost demanded of those who will serve Christ, and we must not imagine that we will be spared paying that cost. However, in standing firm with Christ, we will stand victorious.

“Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.’ Then he was afraid, and he ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

Psalm 91 - A Conditional Promise? Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Nov 17, 2009

No conflicts or predicaments should crush us, as long as we can draw close to God. We have no idea how long the onslaught of trouble might last or how deep the troubled waters may get, but they will pass and we will have ultimate deliverance.

Psalm 91:1-16 Everyone has favourite verses or chapters of the Bible. Words of promise, words of encouragement, others speak to us about God’s love and mercy towards us. Life is filled with problems, some small and some great and Psalm 91 has been and continues to be a source of strength, hope, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16, Psalm 93:1, John 15:4, Psalm 32:7, Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 29:25, 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 34:17, Isaiah 26:3-4, Psalm 32:10-11, John 15:7, Isaiah 53:11  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Our Heavenly Relationship

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Aug 22, 2012

I. EXORDIUM: Do you have other relationship conflicting the LORD's? II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: Believers III. OBJECTIVES: To prove that the LORD wants heavenly relationship with us. IV. TEXT: Hosea 6:3 (New Living Translation, Second Edit

I. EXORDIUM: Do you have other relationship conflicting the LORD's? II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: Believers III. OBJECTIVES: To prove that the LORD wants heavenly relationship with us. IV. TEXT: Hosea 6:3 (New Living Translation, Second Edition) Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 6:3

Denomination: Pentecostal

Athaliah

Contributed by Rickey Shive on Jan 22, 2002

Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel of Israel and the wife of Jehoram, king of Judah. Our goal in this study is to better understand the mistakes this wicked queen made, learn from her and thus avoid similar mistakes in our walk with God.

Athaliah (Ath-uh-LIE-ah) was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel of Israel and the wife of Jehoram (Jih-hoh-ruhm), king of Judah. She followed the path set by her parents and influenced her husband to "walk in the ways of the kings of Israel" (2 Kings 8:18) and worship Baal. Athaliah proved to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 11:1-21

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Anyone Got A Light?

Contributed by Todd Leupold on May 30, 2007

The only way to get out of or avoid the dark is to find a source of light. Where is yours? How reliable is it? How easy is it to find? Once you do, how bright is it? How long and wide is its’ beam?

ANYONE GOT A LIGHT? Sunday Morning, May 15, 2005 Rev. Todd G. Leupold INTRODUCTION: Light Bulb jokes Why joke so much about light bulbs? Why are these jokes so common and why do we keep laughing at them? Let me suggest it is because laughter helps to dissipate the deep, natural fear of the dark ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Denomination: Baptist

Be Patient! Stand Firm! Series

Contributed by Dan Jackson on Sep 28, 2005

12th in series on James. Here, he tells us how to respond correctly when we are treated unjustly. He suggests four specific attitudes - two we should adopt and two we should avoid.

How do you cope with the pressure of hurtful situations? In a former pastorate I had a week when I met one day with a young father whose family has disintegrated through a divorce he did not want. On that Monday I listened to the director of the local child treatment center tell of their work with ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7-12

The Busy Church Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Dec 12, 2005

How does busyness hurt our ability to witness for Jesus? How does ministry sometimes change our focus from loving the Messiah? Learn how to avoid the trap of busyness from Jesus’ critique of the Ephesian church.

I do some writing professionally. I haven’t had much published - but it’s a craft I care about and work on seriously. One of the best tools a writer has is not spell check - but gut check. By that I mean a critique group. A critique group reads what you’ve written - gives you some things they like ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

When God Wrestles With Family Tensions

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 16, 2009

We use avoidance, anger, anxiety, and aloneness to manage family tensions. We even use self-centered prayer. But when we let God wrestle with us, we are changed and we accept vulnerability in family life.

The most critical issue in family life is not anger or argument. It is avoidance. What plagues most families is not that they are embroiled in fighting or torn by argument. What destroys families is that people drift apart from one another; they avoid one another. You see, if you fight with ...read more

Denomination: Baptist