Sermons on External Devotion:

How Big Is Your Vision

Contributed by Robert Donato on Jun 7, 2007

God has a purpose and a plan for each church and we need to be devoted to accomplishing it.

How Big Is Your Vision? 2 Kings 4:1-7 What is your singular, most passionate desire? The greatest achievements in life are usually accomplished by this intense focus. Do you have a ruling passion? If so, what is it? Bob Feller was a great major leaguer, one of the very best. As a child, he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-7

Denomination: Nazarene

Names Of God - Devotion No.2 - El-Roy - The God Who Sees (By Ron Botha) Series

Contributed by Herman Abrahams on Jul 10, 2006

The Title “El-Roy” or the God who Sees was given to God by an Egyptian slave woman named Hagar. In Genesis 16:1-13 the familiar story of the tension between Hagar, Abraham’s servant, and Sarah, has all the ingredients of a modern day Hollywood soapie.

NOTE TO THE READER: --------------------- This meditation was written by my ministerial colleague, Ron Botha. Ron is Director of Kingdom Ministries International, a covering body for churches and ministries and is based in Cape Town, South Africa. If you have been blessed by this meditation, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:1-13

Denomination: Charismatic

Correcting Your Spiritual Myopia Series

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Oct 17, 2005

We struggle with the problem of prejudice to one degree or another by an improper focus on the externals. James addresses this problem head-on in James 2:1-13.

Scripture The animated movie Shrek celebrates the worth of society’s undervalued people. It revolves around a boorish ogre named Shrek who finds a friend in a talking donkey—creatively named “Donkey”! Shrek unexpectedly falls in love with a princess, whom he and Donkey rescue from a distant ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-13

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Surpassing Righteousness

Contributed by Lee Henry on Jul 7, 2006

In Matt. 5:17-48, Jesus challenges his audience to have a righteousness that flows from the heart and thus surpassess the external righteousness displayed by the Pharisees.

Surpassing Righteousness Matt. 5:17-48 Introduction: In the beginning verses of Matt. 5, Jesus is preaching to the multitude and is sharing revolutionary thoughts. He has taught them how to be blessed by God by changing from the inside out. He has told them how to establish a relationship with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-48

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How To Create A Unified Community Through God-Fearing. Series

Contributed by Daniel Devilder on Nov 14, 2006

How proper fearing of God (instead of forgetting him) can lead to a unified community. Nehemiahs revival met with internal obstacles as well as the external one

Unity from Fear How to Create a Unified Community Through God-Fearing. (the main body is a bit sparse. But i hope with the opening thoughts and basic outline that this will help those working through Nehemiah. Unfortunately the main body was hand written and never got ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 5:1-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Listening For Freedom Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 6, 2003

We fear freedom for reasons both internal and external -- "broken spirit and cruel slavery". Choose to be a liberator for someone else and you can break that slavery.

We are made to be free; in fact, we need freedom. Every person needs freedom. That’s obvious. That’s what God has made us for. The Scripture says, “For freedom Christ has set us free.” We say we want to be free. We want to be free. But therein lies a problem. The problem is that that’s not ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 6:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

The Backbone Of The Church

Contributed by Allan Quak on Dec 30, 2005

In a time when the role of the church is becoming fuzzy we need the spiritual discernment to see that, despite external circumstances, the fullness of the power of Christ is in the church.

Ephesians 1:15-23 The Backbone of the Church Scripture Readings:- 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. Ephesians 1:15-23. Congregation in the Lord, Let me start by raising a hypothetical question. In a hundred years when people look back to this period of church history in Australia, how will it be ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

Denomination: Baptist

The Center Of My Joy

Contributed by Rodney V Johnson on Oct 10, 2020

This message is about Jesus being the center of our joy. Our joy is not based on what happens externally to us, but on Who exists intenally within us.

The Center Of My Joy Scripture: Nehemiah 8:10; James 1:2-3; Habakkuk 3:17-19; Psalm 16:11; Galatians 5:22-23 Last week I spoke to you about being thankful and actually giving thanks to God regardless of the circumstances we are facing. You see, there are many people that can only express ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:10, James 1:2-3, Habakkuk 3:17-19, Psalm 16:11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Transcendent Beauty Of God

Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson on Jan 29, 2022

Beauty reveals God in the external manifestation of His presence and the quality of His greatness, authority, dignity, preeminence, power, perfection and majesty - A multi-part message.

Beauty is the possession and characteristic of God and is one of the qualities which are distinctive of Him. It emphasizes the form in which He reveals Himself in the external manifestation of His presence and the quality of His greatness, authority, dignity, preeminence, power, perfection, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:11-13, Psalm 113:4-6, Genesis 9:13, Song of Songs 5:16, Isaiah 42:5, Psalm 72:19  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Go Where God Leads

Contributed by David Dewitt on Aug 12, 2004

This is a devotional I wrote for the church newsletter on following the direction of God

Go Where God Leads 1 Chronicles 14:8-11 8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim; 10 so David ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 14:8-11

Denomination: Church Of God

Thinking How God Thinks

Contributed by Shane Brooks on Jul 31, 2005

A short lesson on the mind of Christ. Great for a devotional or small group

Tonight I want to talk about following the spirit inside you I grew up Baptist- no one ever really said “God told me!” “I think the Lord’s telling us to do …this!” That’s why so many church adopt “We’ve never done it that way” “That will never work” “We tried that once, it didn’t work” We ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 2:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

That Ol' Dusty Book

Contributed by Jeremy James on Nov 21, 2004

The importance of the Bible, and calling people back to devotion in the study of the Bible

That dusty old book. King Josiah was born during the darkest time in Israel’s history. For years the people were mixing pagan practices with their worship of God. Disregarding God’s call to remain separate and distinct. During this time pagan priests were brought in, offerings to Baal and other ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 22:10-13

Denomination: Methodist

Overcoming Fear

Contributed by Sean Lester on Jan 8, 2007

A short devotional message about getting control over fear.

Controlling Fear Sean Lester January 5, 2007 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 2 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7-8

Denomination: Pentecostal

Declaration Of Dependence

Contributed by Tony Searles on Nov 19, 2006

This is a devotional that I used on the Fourth of July at our Church Picnic.

"Declaration of Dependence" Psalm 33:10-22 Today…we celebrate this nation’s "Independence Day." It all began 226 years ago, when on July 4th, 1776, 56 brave men signed a document known as "The Declaration of Independence." For these men to sign such a document and press on with this ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:10-22

Denomination: Other

Titus And Good Works

Contributed by Roddy Chestnut on Oct 18, 2000

Thesis: Christians must devote themselves to doing what is good.

Thesis: Christians must devote themselves to doing what is good. I. INTRODUCTION TO TITUS. A. What do we know about Titus? < Not much! > 1. Name appears 13 times in NT, never in Acts. 2. Converted by Paul and worked closely with him (1:4 ... Biological? Adopted? Spiritual!) a. Involved in ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:1-15