Sermons on Greg Smith:

Total Reliance Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Mar 4, 2009

The more God can direct you, the more He can use you.

To what type of person does God give success? What kind of person is God able to empower and use in a mighty way? Is it the man or woman with the most talent or skill? Are looks or leadership ability the necessary traits? Is a high IQ essential to do great things for God? Obviously, the answer ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What It Takes To Be Heard By God

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 5, 2009

If you want to be heard by God, make sure God and not others are your audience, make sure that it is really you who is speaking, and make sure to forgive and to receive forgiveness.

The morning worship service had reached an emotional climax during the pastor’s fervent prayer. He had carefully crafted it with fine liturgical phrases, hallowed by centuries of use. It was backed up by a throbbing organ, playing a hymn that gently drew worshipers back to thoughts of that amazing ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Playing God Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Mar 8, 2009

You are God’s catalyst for change.

Several years ago a movie came out called Bruce Almighty staring Jim Carrey. It’s a good movie about a guy who is frustrated at the way his life is going, so he blames God and tells Him he could do a better job if he were in charge. God, played by Morgan Freeman, grants Bruce all of His powers. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Connecting

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

From the very beginning of Jesus’ evangelistic ministry, we see that faith means connecting to Jesus. And faith in Jesus means a connecting lifestyle. We connect to Jesus and then we connect others to Jesus. When you become a follower of Jesus, you cannot

Connnecting Acts 8: 26-40 The first time a Philip is mentioned in the Bible is in John Chapter 1. Jesus has just been baptized in the River Jordan and John the Baptist proclaimed him the Lamb of God. Jesus then leaves to begin his ministry in Galilee. Finding Philip along the way, he says to him, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:26-40

Denomination: Methodist

Diverse Communities

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

Peter had been raised to believe one thing only to find it wasn’t true. Peter had always thought God was an exclusive God, for the Jews only, that Gentiles were second-class who didn’t deserve God’s attention like the Jews did.
But now, Peter sees h

Diverse Communities Galatians 3:26-29 Have you ever believed something, only to find out that it wasn’t true? Consider these old wives tales. If you go outside with wet hair, you’ll catch a cold. Cold weather, wet hair, and chills don’t cause colds; viruses do. Reading in dim light will damage your ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-29

Denomination: Methodist

Lifestyle

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

By in large, many Christians go about living their lives just as they did before the believed in Christ. The result has been a disconnect between what we profess and how we live. That has impacted our greatest witness, our lives. Yet God calls us to so mu

Lifestyle Ephesians 4:24, 1 John 2: 6, Matthew 5:13-16 This is our third week in looking at the misson statement that God has revealed to the Vision Team, “Connecting diverse communities to a lifestyle devoted to Jesus.” The first week we looked at the word “connecting” and learned that from the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:24

Denomination: Methodist

Devoted To Jesus

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

A lot of Christians give preference to someone or something in their lives over what should be the most important thing in their life, Jesus. So in effect, they don’t make Jesus their life but rather have just added Jesus to their lives. But when you deci

Devoted to Jesus Matthew 4:18-20, 9:9 Isobel Kuhn was an author and missionary to China, and was married to John, a man just as strong willed and stubborn as she was. The two had many conflicts throughout the years of their marriage. One had to do with their cook who prepared their meals. John ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22

Denomination: Methodist

Implementing The Vision

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

Now that we know what the vision is, the question becomes how are we going to fulfill the vision and that’s our focus for today’s message. I’ll call these the essential building blocks for implementing God’s vision and building a great church based on God

Implementing the Vision Proverbs 29:18 and Revelation 17:17 These past few weeks, we’ve been talking about the vision God has for Gretna United Methodist Church: “Connecting diverse communities to a lifestyle devoted to Jesus.” Now that we know what the vision is, the question becomes how are we ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:18

Denomination: Methodist

Rebuilding Brokeness

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

Nehemiah task is to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Now walls represent two things among others. First, they represent boundaries and structure. People without boundaries and structure in their life create children without boundaries and structures in thei

Rebuilding Brokeness Nehemiah 1:1-4 If there is one thing which should summarize the Christian church, it is mission. The Gospel and the church is about rebuilding or healing brokenness. We’ve learned this and lived this even moreso since Katrina. To date, "The United Methodist Church has helped ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-4

Denomination: Methodist

Return To Me

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

Prayer is one of the overriding themes of the book of Nehemiah and the secret to his success. The prayer in chapter one is the first of 12 different prayers recorded in the book. Nehemiah begins with prayer in Persia and closes with prayer in Jerusalem. H

Return to Me Nehemiah 1:4-11 Let me ask you a question, “How many of you gained weight over the holidays?” Now that we’re in the New Year, how many of you have made New Year’s resolutions to lose that weight? To eat better and exercise? And how many of you have started to work toward those ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:4-11

Denomination: Methodist

Revision: Winning Life Strategies

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

This sermon will focus on 7 winning life strategies when you’re faced with a God-sized problem

Revision: Winning Life Strategies Nehemiah 2: 1-10 Two old men lived in the backwoods of the Ozarks named Rufus and Clarence.
They lived on opposite sides of the river and hated each other. Every morning, just after sunup, Rufus and Clarence would go down to their respective sides of the ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 2:1-10

Denomination: Methodist

Revision: Winning Life Strategies, Part Ii

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

In our Scripture today, Nehemiah has left Persia (modern day Iran) and traveled for more than 2 months and 750 miles to Jerusalem. Today, we continue learning life strategies when encountering God-sized problems.

Revision: Winning Life Strategies, Part II Nehemiah 2: 10-20 In the middle of the 17th century, England was in turmoil. King Charles I was beheaded. Anglican churches were being closed; Presbyterians were being persecuted. In the midst of all this, Sir Robert Shirley built a church. The plaque on ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 2:10-20

Denomination: Methodist

Recharging Work

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

There were 44 separate groups of people working for the overwhelming task of rebuilding the walls. Without them working together they culd not have rebuilt the walls reminding us that we can accomplish more together than if just one person tried to do all

Recharge Your Work Nehemiah 3: 1-4,6-8, 31-32 At first glance, Nehemiah chapter 3 looks a bit dry. One commentator refers to it as a "colorless memorandum of assignments." It’s a list of people and their assignments in re-building the wall of Jerusalem. It reads much like the book of 1 Chronicles ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

Rebuilding: A Family Affair

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

One of the closest things to the heart of God is the family. God created the family to be in relationship with him. God created the family to be in service of him. God created the family to mentor future generations of followers. It’s a family affair. In

Rebuilding: A Family Affair Nehemiah 3:3,10-12,23 It’s the most powerful institution on earth! No, it’s not the United State Congress or the Supreme Court for that matter. And it isn’t the Presidency, the World Court or the United Nations. Although such institutions are singularly powerful and no ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:10-12

Denomination: Methodist

Redeeming Broken And Reclaiming The Least

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

All of us have fallen short of God’s expectations but that does not prevent us from being used by God in His work because all of us are justified freely by God’s grace through Jesus Christ when we repent and act. Grace is receiving from God what we can’t

Redeeming Broken and Reclaiming the Least Nehemiah 3: 12-14 John Wesley was the founder of the people called Methodists. Throughout his more than 50 years of ministry, he traveled more than 225,000 miles on horseback, wrote thousands of letters and preached more than 40,000 sermons. He was an ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:12-14

Denomination: Methodist