Sermons on cultivation:

"where Is Your Vision?"

Contributed by Dr. Jerry Hulse on Apr 2, 2023

Saints, your vision is the idea constantly flashing in your mind, the dream that doesn’t seem to go away, all driven by our purpose. This works together to keep us focused on what we want to accomplish for the Kingdom of God.

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES (Proverbs 29:18) "Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." (Habakkuk 2:2-3) "And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:18, Habakkuk 2:3, Habakkuk 2:2, Joel 2:28, Jeremiah 29:11, Acts 2:17, John 15:16, Numbers 12:6, Philippians 3:14  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Does The Bible Teach Meditation?

Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson on Apr 12, 2024

There is a resurgence of the word 'meditate' being used in churches today about personal devotional prayer as a way to draw closer to God as a person contemplates His divine attributes.

Many 'techniques' have risen to help people along the path of daily sanctification by learning how to pray and worship, which has resulted in something called contemplative spirituality, also known as meditation, centering, or listening prayer, using imagination and visualization. Since ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-3, Joshua 1:8, 1 Timothy 4:11-16, Romans 12:2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Knowledge, Love, And Idols Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Jul 20, 2019

"Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." “Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; Wisdom is humble that he knows no more.”—William Cowper

January 2, 2013 Commentary on First Corinthians By: Tom Lowe Lesson 7.1: Knowledge, Love, and Idols Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8.1-6 1 Cor 8.1-6 (KJV) 1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 2 And if any man ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Stupid Things Christians Do To Mess Up Their Lives

Contributed by Bill Sullivan on May 24, 2004

The Word of God clearly illustrates that there are "stupid" things we can do to mess up our lives. What are they?

Stupid Things Christians Do (to mess up their lives) TCF Sermon April 18, 2004 Did you ever notice how much of life is full of warnings, full of cautions? You can’t drive from here to home after church today, without seeing something that’s a direct warning or caution, or at the very least, a law ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:6, Psalm 119:9-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Steps To Spiritual Renewal Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on May 21, 2003

The first myth is that the Bible is too confusing to read. In verses 1-8, we’ll see that the Bible, instead of being confusing, is actually a book that you and I can comprehend ­ You can understand it!

Steps to Spiritual Renewal I received an email this week from Janelle Becker, one of our missionaries serving in the Philippines. She’s been there for about 10 weeks and is learning the language and beginning to understand the culture. In her email, she forwarded what her co-worker wrote about a ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 7:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Putting First Things First Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on May 21, 2003

In chapter 8, Ezra and Nehemiah comfort the afflicted. In chapter 9, the comfortable are afflicted. Joy and grief are two sides of the same coin. After a thrilling encounter with God, which causes them to break into celebration, the believers now come

Putting First Things First Earlier this week I was sitting in my office when I received an email from my youngest sister. She and her husband have been attending a church for a while and have become interested in spiritual things. We’ve been praying for both of them for quite some time and have ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 9:1-37, Nehemiah 9:2-36, Nehemiah 9:37-38

Denomination: Baptist

Pursuing Purity In An Impure World Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 24, 2004

We can con our coworkers, fool our friends and family, play charades with church members, and even deceive ourselves, but we can’t masquerade before the Lord because He sees right through our masks.

Pursuing Purity in an Impure World I remember seeing a cartoon that shows a pastor and his wife deep in conversation. The wife says, “Today let’s do something different. Why don’t you be charming at home and grouchy at church?” Ouch. That really doesn’t apply to me…because I’m often grouchy in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:8

Denomination: Baptist

More Important Than You Thought: A Called Community Series

Contributed by Paul Decker on Sep 3, 2006

God is always good to us.

MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THOUGHT: A CALLED COMMUNITY Ephesians 1.3.14 S: Community C: A Called Community Th: Building Up in Love; Doing Our Work Pr: GOD IS ALWAYS GOOD TO US. ?: How? KW: Blessings TS: We will find in our study of Ephesians 1.3-14 four blessings that show how God is always good to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Denomination: Baptist

Making Peace With God Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Sep 23, 2006

If we want to be "radical" believers we must return to our roots in the Book of Romans.

Making Peace With God Romans 5:1-2 Rev. Brian Bill 9/24/06 Our world is whacked out and the lack of peace is pervasive. First we hear that spinach is no longer safe and then the Pope got in trouble with some Muslims for quoting an old emperor, inflaming the Islamic world. The leaders of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

"Godly Sexuality" - Part 1 Series

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Apr 10, 2005

Sex sells...are you buying? Sex is an every-day, all-day, in-your-face issue. What are we to do?

"Godly Sexuality" – Part 1 Matthew 5:27-32 (Cognates: Matthew 19:3-12; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 7:1-17; Hebrews 10:26-31) God’s stand on sexuality, marriage, divorce and remarriage is clear when we take the whole of Scripture, prayerfully read it and then trust the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:27-32

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

R.e.l.a.t.e. Series

Contributed by Richard Tow on Apr 9, 2006

Using that acrostic, RELATE, we deal with six essential actions for establishing and maintaining healthy relationships.

R.E.L.A.T.E.[1] Series: Cultivating Healthy Relationship #1 Col. 3:12-15[2] 1-30-05 Intro On your table this morning is an outline of our message entitled simply, RELATE. Using that acrostic we are going to deal with six essential actions for establishing and maintaining healthy relationships. ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-15, Colossians 3:13

Denomination: Charismatic

Family Values

Contributed by Dennis Bliss on Jan 31, 2005

exhortation on family values as well as refelction on the Holy family of Nazareth.

The Chapel of Dismas The Repentant Sinner A place where we know that the church of Jesus is an evolving, transforming and liberating clinic for sinners and not a museum for the self righteous AA 5/38-40 ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:39-40

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Life As God Intended It To Be Series

Contributed by Peter Chan on Feb 11, 2005

Genesis 1:26-2:25 presents to us how God wants us to live as He intended it to be.

Introduction One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell God that they were finished with him. The scientist walked up and said, “God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We’re to the ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Psalm 90 – A Passion For The Present Moment

Contributed by Joey Nelson on May 4, 2006

There will come a time for you when God drops a sign in your life that causes you to seriously question your life-path, your priorities and be forced to deal with your dreams and aspirations. It is a defining moment when you see life screaming by, you que

INTRODUCTION Opening Statement: I’m reminded of the sign that was posted on the land of an Indiana farmer who had a problem with people taking a short-cut by cutting across his land. The potential trespasser would read: “If you are going to cross this field, you had better do it in 9.8 seconds; ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:1-17

Secrets To A Great Marriage

Contributed by Joey Nelson on May 10, 2006

Men and women, this is what is important to God. This is what He cares about. He wants spouses to come in alongside one another and become teammates.

INTRODUCTION Opening Statement: Four-year-old Suzie had just been told the story of Snow White for the first time in her life. She could hardly wait to get home from nursery school to tell her mommy. With wide-eyed excitement, she retold the fairy tale to her mother that afternoon. After relating ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:33