Sermons on Higher Grounds:

Finding Strength For The New Year

Contributed by Ray Ellis on Dec 28, 2009

A message on finding strength during times of personal and national crisis and challenge. Given the last Sunday in 2009.

Finding Strength for the New Year Where do you find strength in times of personal and national challenges? Where do you find strength when a member of your family has a pre-mature death? How do you make it through hurtful experiences that are not justified? Last November I attended a church ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 22:1-5

Denomination: Free Methodist

Pass It On

Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Aug 5, 2009

Are you passing on what you have seen and heard to others?

PASS IT ON I love church picnics. They remind me of going to camp as a kid. One of the things I loved about camp was the chapel services. There is an old song that we used to sing. It said, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going. And soon all those around can warm up to it’s glowing. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:12-21

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Since You're Going Anyway, Teach

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 6, 2009

Jesus’ call to us is to use the natural intersections of life to share what we know, to learn together with others, and to claim the victory of the Lord who will always be with us.

My wife and I made the rounds of the carpet stores one evening last week. She is a member of the church’s Building and Grounds Committee and has been given the assignment of refurbishing my office. It was an educational experience, but not a particularly entertaining one. At one carpet store we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Denomination: Baptist

Praying In The Spirit Series

Contributed by Mark Opperman on Dec 10, 2009

When we realize how fully present God is with us through His Holy Spirit, our prayers can take on a new dimension of power and effectiveness.

Praying in the Spirit Ephesians 6:13-18 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:13-18

Denomination: Assembly Of God

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

Minimum Daily Requirements Series

Contributed by Jason Pettibone on Nov 2, 2007

Some Believers parse the words of the Scripture looking for the minimum daily requirements, for a way to be sure that they are right with God, while retaining the right to live as they choose.

Minimum Daily Requirements? We return this morning to the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. His words in the part of the text we will be considering concern three issues that stir up a great deal of emotion and controversy. They will be words that touch painful spots in many of your lives ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:27-37

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Resisting Culutural Norms Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Nov 13, 2007

Exposition of Philemon 8-16 regarding the way Paul and Philemon handled a potentially painful situation.

Text: Philemon 8-16, Title: Resisting Cultural Norms, Date/Place: NRBC, 11/18/07, AM A. Opening illustration: John Hess Yoder writes in Leadership magazine: While serving as a missionary in Laos, I discovered an illustration of the kingdom of God. Before the colonialists imposed national ...read more

Scripture: Philemon 1:8-16

Denomination: Baptist

Miracles By Measure

Contributed by Jeremy Poling on Jan 14, 2008

Give and it shall be given

Miracles by Measure Would You Like to Super-Size That for Just, .49 ? Luk 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:38-39

Denomination: Pentecostal

Binitarian Or Triune God Series

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Feb 22, 2011

Is the church (body of Christ) ‘binitarian’ OR ‘Trinitarian?’ Many believe in the Father or Jesus Christ and just pay lip-service to the Holy Spirit.

Opening illustration: St. Augustine - so the story goes - was struggling to understand the doctrine of the Trinity. So he decided to go for a walk on the beach, where he saw a little boy digging a hole in the sand with a seashell. The boy then ran off to the ocean, filling the shell, and rushed ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Building Up Broken Down Walls

Contributed by Jeremy Poling on Mar 21, 2011

Repairing that which is broken.

Nehemiah 4:1_3 - "1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews." "2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 4:1-3

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Seasons Of Life (Part 1 - Childhood To Young Adult) Series

Contributed by W F on Jan 2, 2011

Each season of life brings it’s own unique tests from God. Here’s how to pass some of those we come across in the first season of life, birth to young adulthood.

What advice does the Bible have for passing the tests we face in the first season of life? PART A - CHILDHOOD 1. GET ON WITH YOUR PARENTS One of the first and greatest tests we face in life is how to get along with our parents. The Bible is very clear about how children should relate to their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:52

Denomination: *other

Do You Have It - A Distinct Spirit Series

Contributed by Jeremiah Menyongai on Oct 5, 2010

Before a person gets saved, come as you are. But after you get saved, you have to work on distinctive spiritual qualtities alongside to Holy Spirit to help you make a mark for Christ. A llok at David's life is a classicd example.

THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVERS: HAVE YOU GOT IT? A MAN OF DISTINCTION I Samuel 16:14-23 (18) What Is Authority? What Is Power? Woe Is Me, Who Gave You The Power? Just Speak The Word, Jesus Could Do Nothing? A Look At The Miracles, Who Is Jesus? Is He The Christ? A Look At The Miracles, Saved But ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:14-23

Denomination: Charismatic

It's Not About The Wall

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 5, 2010

The wall is finished, but the real work has just begun. It's not about the wall, it's about the Word and the Worship that will be shared within the walls. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

It's Not About the Wall Nehemiah 8 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/NotAboutTheWall.html We've spent 18 sermons on the rebuilding of the wall. But it's not about the wall, it's about the Word, and the worship. In spite of all the dirty devil's efforts to prevent it from taking form, the wall was ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

The Jesus Way Series

Contributed by Emile Wolfaardt on Aug 16, 2009

(PowerPoint slides are freely available by emailing emile@wolfaardt.com) Looking at the Power of your Testimony - Witnessing the Jesus Way

Journeying with John - It’s a Blast (JWJ-17) The Jesus Way John 4:39-42 This morning I want to invite you to look with me at the rather simple but profound way Jesus turned a Samaritan village upside down - and it started with a conversation with one woman - a lonely Samaritan woman at a well. ...read more

Scripture: John 4:39-42

Denomination: *other

Nurturing Spiritual Appetite

Contributed by Richard Tow on Sep 7, 2009

The lack of spiritual hunger in many Christians may be due to worldly appetite killers. Comparing the way junk food kills a person’s appetite for healthy food, the author looks at how today’s obsession with entertainment may be affecting Christian’s appet

Nurturing Spiritual Appetite Matt. 5:6 8-2-09 Intro We take as our text this morning, Matt 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” That verse describes a blessing that I want to live in for the rest of my life. I don’t want to ever lose my ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Denomination: Charismatic