Sermons on Discretionary Power:

Encouragement

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jun 6, 2025

Your teenage son doesn’t complain about coming to church. He is not rebellious.

Encouragement “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But, I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31 Intro: Your teenage son doesn’t complain about coming to church. He is not rebellious. You ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When God Forces Himself To Not Help (Isaiah 42:10-17) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Apr 17, 2024

We can choose to live in a way where God will restrain himself, and resist the urge to help his people. God describes himself as a woman in labor, who has been fighting the urge to push.

Imagine today that the prophet of Isaiah 40-55 stands up in the midst of God's exiled people in Babylon, and he gives them a new word from God. He speaks out in a loud, clear voice. And this is what he says, verses 12-13: (10) Sing to Yahweh a new song; his praise from the end of the earth, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 42:10-17, Isaiah 59:14-21, Luke 15:11-32

1 Samuel Part 2 (Nasb)

Contributed by Steven W. Satterfield on Apr 24, 2024

A prophet and judge, God's choice; a king-the people's choice; location = The Promised Land; A barren wife asks God for a son; Saul's reign, disobedience, and rejection; book took place over 100 years; footnotes from Biblegateway.com

Purpose: Samuel writes a prophetically oriented history of Israel's early monarchy. Because the sinful nature found it easier to follow an earthly king the Israelites were reluctantly granted a monarch of their popular choice -but man's wisdom never exceeds God's wisdom, and this ...read more

Denomination: Vineyard

Grumble Or Grow Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 24, 2024

When life gets hard, don’t grumble; grow!

Several years ago (2009), Louis C.K. was on Conan O’Brien’s late-night talk show, where he described today’s entitlement culture. He said in our culture, “Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy.” Take a look (show Louis CK video). Louis talks about how he was on a plane that offered ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:22-27, Exodus 16:1-30, Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 8:28-29, James 1:2-4  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Four Great Truths Of God Becoming Human Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Apr 30, 2024

1. Jesus became human to show us the path to God. 2. Jesus became human to show us God Himself. 3. Jesus became human to show us grace and truth perfectly during great suffering. 4. Jesus became human to die for our sins.

If you will find the gospel of John with me. The New Testament has four gospels that begin the best-selling book of all time. Each of the four shares a unique perspective on Jesus, while many of the stories overlap. So, if you were reading the gospels, you would read many of the same miracles and ...read more

Scripture: John 20:31, John 1:1, John 1:14-28, John 10:30

Denomination: Baptist

Praising In The Pit Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Jun 23, 2025

When you hit rock bottom, you’ll find that the Rock at the bottom is God Himself.

Praising in the Pit Psalm 34 Rev. Brian Bill June 21-22, 2025 I met an unforgettable man about 20 years ago when I was pastoring in central Illinois. The first time he came into our church sanctuary, he raised his arms over his head, looked up to the ceiling and said he was waiting for the roof ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

The Tools And Tactics Of A Servant Series

Contributed by David Owens on Sep 9, 2024

People who serve like Jesus know that God has entrusted them with gifts, abilities and opportunities that must be used in service to God. To not use what God has entrusted to us will lead to God's displeasure.

Introduction: A. Allow me to start this sermon with the story of a boy who other children called “Sparky” after a comic strip horse named Sparkplug. 1. Even though the boy hated the nickname, he could never shake it. 2. School was difficult for Sparky. a. He failed every subject in the 8th ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10-11, Matthew 25:14-30

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Under Trials Series

Contributed by Jefferson Williams on Sep 9, 2024

When trials come, we have a choice to trust God in joy or wallow in bitterness.

James: Practical Faith  James 1:1-8 Pastor Jefferson M. Williams Chenoa Baptist Church  09-08-2024 Dancing in the Rain  I watched the sky grow darker and felt the wind kick up.  I checked the radar, and sure enough, a thunderstorm was about to let loose.  Maxine and I ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Why Seeking God Feels Dry: Are You Seeking The Right Thing? - Psalm 63 Part 8 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Jul 1, 2025

What does it mean to seek God's face?

Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My body longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Review Step 1 in learning to love God is to resolve to prefer God over this world, after having counted the cost. Another step was ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 63:1

First Things First (Haggai) Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Jul 3, 2025

When fantasy crashes into reality, put your priorities in order, put the past behind, put your sins away, and put your sites on the Lord.

In a Christina Parenting Magazine, Jill Brett, describes the difference between fantasy and reality when it comes to parenting preschoolers. The Fantasy: As your little ones sit quietly at the kitchen table and hum along with Beethoven, they absorb their age-appropriate encyclopedias. Meanwhile, ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:1-15, Haggai 2:1-23, Psalm 127:1-2, Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19, Ephesians 1:6  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Paul's Solemn Plea To Rome Series

Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Aug 19, 2024

To herald Paul’s solemn plea and message to the church in Rome, to mark and turn away from those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine they had heard, learned, believed, and obeyed according to “The faith, once delivered to the saints.”

INTRODUCTION Outline. 1. Causes Divisions and Offenses 2. Serves not the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Deceives the Hearts of the Simple Introductory Remarks. 1. Today's lesson will present the message: “Paul’s Solemn Plea To Rome.” This was an urgent and solemn plea from the beloved apostle Paul to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 16:17-19, 1 Corinthians 1:10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Followers Are Good Stewards Part 1 Of 3 Series

Contributed by Grady Henley on Nov 4, 2011

Followers Are Good Stewards part 1 of 3

Followers Are Good Stewards Grady Henley Part 01 of Lesson 09 of the Follow Me Series Key Verse: 1 Tim 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:42

Denomination: Baptist

How Can I Know God’s Guidance? Series

Contributed by Bobby Stults on Jul 26, 2010

Seeking and receiving God's guidance into our lives requires that we TRUST God and believe that He does have our best in mind with His plan and purpose. How can we know God's guidance? How can we test it to make sure it is God's plan and not our own desir

SERMON BRIEF Date Written: July 21, 2010 Date Preached: July 25, 2010 Church: OPBC (AM) FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS Series: Finding God’s Guidance in this World Title: How Can I know God’s Guidance? Date Written: July 21, 2010 Date ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:6-14

Denomination: Baptist

Me And The Mrs. Series

Contributed by Andy Stanley on Aug 23, 2011

If we do almost nothing for our children but give them a great marriage, then that counts for more than anything else. But to do that, you have to have guardrails.

We are in Part Four of Guardrails. Everybody knows what a guardrail is. If you’ve been with us, you know that basically what we’ve done is we’ve taken the idea of a guardrail that we’re familiar with and see every single day, and we’ve come up with a parallel idea as ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 27:12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Life Of Radical Obedience

Contributed by Brady Boyd on Apr 28, 2011

A sermon exploring how, why, and what happened when the disciples--and we--say "yes" to the radical life of following Christ.

All right, turn in your Bibles to Luke Chapter 5, Luke Chapter 5. We’re continuing to look at the Book of Luke. And I really feel like--I was praying this week actually, I was talking to someone--we might be in the book of Luke until the Fall. We might just stay camped out here for a while ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-39

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational