Sermons on Habit Formation:

Jesus In The City Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Dec 17, 2008

We find Jesus throughout the OT, and today we find him in 6 special towns -- The Purpose, the Prophecy, and the Proximity of the Cities of Refuge. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

Christ in the City Joshua 20:1-9 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/ChristCity.html We find Jesus throughout the OT, and today we find him in some cities: [vv. 1-3] The Jews are now in possession of the Promised Land. The 12 tribes divided up the land, but then there were 6 cities set aside as ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 20:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Let The Walls Come Down Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 25, 2008

From a human perspective it was an unconquerable city. Improbable? No, impossible! Impregnable. And each of us have a walled city in our lives. Link inc. to formatted text, audio & video, PowerPoint.

Let the Walls Come Down Joshua 5:13-6:20 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/LetTheWalls.html The children of Israel have moved: • From the wilderness of worry to the promised land of peace. • From the wilderness of wandering to the promised land of progress. • From the wilderness of despondency to the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Salvation - Plain And Simple

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 25, 2006

Past Guilt, Present Grace, & Future Glory. Answers questions--Who Saves? When? Why? How? and Where does that leave us? Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Presentation.

Salvation: Plain and Simple ["But God..."] Eph. 2:1-7 v. 1-3 Past Guilt 4-6 Present Grace 7 Future Glory H.A. Ironside followed R.A. Torrey as pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago. One day he rode a passenger train/gypsy woman sat down beside him, and said, sir, if you cross my palm w/ some ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

The Greatest Of All Miracles Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Sep 7, 2006

The whole place went thru the roof after this man was let down thru it and met Jesus! The PARDON, the POWER, and the PRAISE. Link included to formatted MS Word text and PowerPoint Presentation.

The Greatest of All Miracles Matthew 9:1-8 In Matthew chapters 1-4 we see the PERSON of Jesus Christ. We are told of His virgin birth, childhood [Luke 2], baptism, and temptation. And it’s a blessing that Christ truly put on human flesh, becoming a real person, to do for all us other people what ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

A Separate Message

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 7, 2010

Separation. What is it? What does it mean? How do I become separated? Separated from what? Unto what? And why? Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

A Separate Message 2 Corinthians 6:11-18 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/SeparateMessage.html Separation. What is it? What does it mean? How do I become separated? Separated from what? Unto what? And why? These are some heavy questions to ponder, and this passage does not answer all these ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:11-18

Denomination: Baptist

Samson: The High Cost Of Low Living

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 9, 2010

He dishonored his parents, deserted his promise, distorted his purpose, defiled his purity, and deluded his power. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

The High Cost of Low Living Judges 13-16 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/HighCostLowLiving.html Some are born to privilege, w/ many advantages, and can't seem to succeed, and then others are the opposite, born to nothing, and rise above it all to great success. Samson was an example of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Crippled Church

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 13, 2009

Sardis is the dying or dead church. It could be our church. The problem and the prescription to fix it and make it once again the Lord’s Church. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL Sardis: The Crippled Church Rev. 3:1-6 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Sardis.html Take your next vacation in London, and you could visit the Metropolitan Tabernacle. The tour guide would tell you that this is the place that the great Charles Haddon Spurgeon used to ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

The Hoop Of History

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 30, 2010

The hoop of history is a picture of human nature, the sin nature, and sinful man's history repeats itself. Israel's history is America's present! Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

The Hoop of History Judges 18-21 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/HoopOfHistory.html The hoop of history has always been rolling, and it is still rolling. As a kid, I liked to play with hula hoops. And not just around my waist, but I would roll them. I would put a spin on them outside and throw ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Nehemiah - Just An Ordinary Guy

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 4, 2010

In every church there are 3 kinds of people: 1. Destructionists 2. Obstructionists 3. Constructionists ... Nehemiah is the perfect example of how to be the latter. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

Nehemiah-Just An Ordinary Guy Nehemiah 1:1-4 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/NehemiahOrdinaryGuy.html The Bible sometimes compares the building of a work of God [church] with the building of a building. Acts 9:31 31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

I Know A Secret

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on May 2, 2013

Paul reveals the mystery: "A divine, sacred secret that is hidden in the heart of God, and cannot be understood unless God chooses to reveal it to man." Link included to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

I Know a Secret Ephesians 3:1-13 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/130505pm.mp3 "Paul, you keep calling yourself a prisoner of Jesus and this is confusing to us," said the Ephesians. Is it confusing to you as well? Of course, he was literally a prisoner in many jails and prison cells, and yet he ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

A New Vision Of Christ

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Feb 26, 2017

A commitment to spiritual formation leads to a new vision of Christ, that allows us to say with absolute conviction, “I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled at me. He is at the helm. All is well.”

Robert Louis Stevenson tells of a ship, tossed by a violent storm, which threatened to drive it and its passengers to destruction along a rocky coast. In the midst of the terror, one daring man, contrary to orders, went to the main deck, making a dangerous passage to the pilothouse. He looked ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Denomination: Other

An Outline Of Acts 6:1-7

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 23, 2021

The apostles were becoming too busy to meet the needs of the disciples as well as being devoted to the ministry of the Word. This outline gives a "talking paper" format as to how the apostles handled this challenge.

Introduction: After the events of Acts 5, the apostles found themselves in a predicament. They realized they needed assistance and presented the facts to the multitude of disciples. Then the disciples themselves chose the men who assist in the situation at hand. Text, Acts 6:1-7, KJV: 1 And in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

The Gospel Of John The Baptist Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 13, 2006

He prepared the way of the Lord, pioneered soul winning, and was the greatest man ever born, acc’d to Jesus...but even he had his doubts, which Christ satisfied! Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Presentation.

JOHN THE BAPTIST John 1:19-37; Matt. 11:1-11 This series is “The Gospel of Jesus”, but no study of Christ is complete without understanding His forerunner, the human who introduced Him to the world. John the Baptist is the first soul winner of whom we read in the New Testament, and he was a ...read more

Scripture: John 1:19-37, John 1:19

Denomination: Baptist

Overcoming Addictions

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 21, 2004

People can find themselves addicted to many vices these days. Addictions can fall into many categories that are both conscious and unconscious obsessions: drugs, lusts, bad habits, anger, vengeance, politics, intrigue, gossiping, selfishness, gluttony, en

Overcoming Addictions (Matt 6:24-34) People can find themselves addicted to many vices these days. Addictions can fall into many categories that are both conscious and unconscious obsessions: drugs, lusts, bad habits, anger, vengeance, politics, intrigue, gossiping, selfishness, gluttony, envy, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:24-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Showed Appreciation To Whom It Was Due

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

Everyone needs to feel appreciated. It does not take long before people become discouraged if they are not acknowledged for their fine efforts. Jesus made a habit out of showing appreciation to those who it was due. One day, Jesus commended a tax collec

Everyone needs to feel appreciated. It does not take long before people become discouraged if they are not acknowledged for their fine efforts. Jesus made a habit out of showing appreciation to those who it was due. One day, Jesus commended a tax collector who humbled himself before God and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:12-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational