Sermons on Human Effort:

Move With God Beyond Your Comfort Zone Series

Contributed by Marilyn Murphree on Mar 18, 2003

Sometimes it takes effort to move out of our comfort zone.

Iliff and Saltillo UM Churches January 26, 2003 Move with God Beyond Your Comfort Zone How to: Go for the Gulp Matthew 14:22-33 INTRODUCTION: Picture yourself at 4:00 a.m. out in a rowboat on a choppy lake with the wind blowing like crazy and the waves slapping up around the side of the boat. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Denomination: Methodist

Missing Christmas

Contributed by Bernard Dawson on Dec 15, 2002

An effort to draw attention to the risk of missing the real meaning of Christmas.

MISSING CHRISTMAS Luke 2:1-7 George Mason was an astute businessman. He was also unsocial, single and against Christmas. He was a modern day Ebenezer Scrooge who wished for Christmas to move along so business and profits could resume. On Christmas eve as his workers were leaving he accidentally ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:25-36

Denomination: Holiness

Father's Day 2001

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Jun 16, 2001

Scriptural thoughts from the book of Proverbs in an effort to honor Fathers.

FATHER’S DAY 2001 INTRO.- It’s Father’s Day and someone wrote, “What my dad taught me.” - My dad taught me about religion - “You better pray that stain will come out of the carpet!” - My dad taught me about behavior modification - “Stop acting like your mother!” - My dad taught me about time ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 6:20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

From Wee Little To Great Big Series

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Jul 13, 2006

In order to draw nearer to Jesus we need to make the effort.

From Wee Little to Great Big Text: Lk. 19:1-10 Introduction 1. Read Lk. 19:1-10 2. Illustration: A certain man was troubled with dizzy spells. He went from one doctor to another and none could tell him what the problem was. He tried everything, it seemed. Finally, it was bothering him so ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Methodist

Living In Christ Part 2: Bearing Fruit Series

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Aug 11, 2008

We must put forth an effort towards becoming fruitful.

Living In Christ Part 2: Bearing Fruit Text: Eph. 4:25-32 Introduction 1. Illustration: There are no short cuts to maturity. It takes years for us to grow to adulthood, and it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen. The same is true for the fruit of the Spirit. The development of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

Denomination: Methodist

Is The Righteous Life Worth Living?

Contributed by Robert Bravo on Jul 1, 2007

Living righteous in an unrighteous world is hard. Well is it worth the effort?

Is the righteous life worth living? Malachi 3:13 - 18 (NIV) 13“You have said harsh things against me,” says the LORD. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ 14“You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before ...read more

Denomination: Nazarene

Psalm 27 - The Lord Of Light And Salvation Series

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Apr 7, 2014

This is another message from my efforts to preach through the Psalms.

THE LORD OF LIGHT AND SALVATION TEXT: Psalm 27:1-14 Psalms 27:1-14 KJV A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? [2] When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:1-14

Denomination: Pentecostal

Let You Shine Series

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Aug 6, 2014

Being the light of the world is a cooperative effort between God and ourselves.

Let You Shine Text: Phil. 2:12-18 Introduction 1. Illustration: Jesus himself said to his disciples, "[L]et your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) 

This is a concept that is sometimes a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:12-18

Denomination: Methodist

Come Let Us Reason Together.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 10, 2022

The failure of our efforts and the glory of Christ's work.

COME LET US REASON TOGETHER. Isaiah 1:10-18. Isaiah addresses his congregation as “rulers of Sodom” and “people of Gomorrah”, and begins to reason with them (Isaiah 1:10). It is all quite shocking: how dare he expose our comfortable, upright congregation to such strong language? After all, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:10-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"Self-Control": Our Pursuit For Our Growth Part 4 Series

Contributed by Eyriche Cortez on Sep 7, 2010

Let us make every effort to add self-control to knowledge.

Ever heard of the marshmallow test? Let’s watch this video.[1] [SHOW VIDEO] When Stanford University conducted this famous test in the 1960s on a group of four-year-old children, it revolutionized the emotional intelligence concept. “The researchers then followed the progress of each ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-7

Denomination: Baptist

Am I A Team Player

Contributed by Robert Donato on Nov 15, 2012

Evangelism and church growth, just like all of life, is a team effort.

Becoming a Team Player Eph 4:1-3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-3

Denomination: Nazarene

Sin, Righteousness And Judgement Have Changed

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Mar 25, 2015

To show that the divine effort changed all the meaning of sin, righteousness and judgement.

I. EXORDIUM: Are you a sinner? Yes, I am but I am also a son of GOD. Im a sinner forgiven by GOD and in His Grace and Mercy, He gave me the right to become a child of GOD. John 1:12 (Amplified Bible) 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, ...read more

Scripture: John 16:8-11

Denomination: Pentecostal

Experiencing The Word Of God Series

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Feb 2, 2003

1. Being a student of the Word takes effort. 2. Being a student of the Word turns effort into joy. 3. Being a student of the Word turns the written Word into the Living Word.

Ravi Zacharias, a Christian intellectual who travels around the world lecturing in secular settings on spiritual themes, tells of an experience he had in Columbus, Ohio. He writes, “A few weeks ago, I did a lectureship at Ohio State University. As I was being driven to the lecture, we passed the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:9-16

Denomination: Methodist

Discernment Camp Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 27, 2012

Solomon is training us to develop discernment, the ability to distinguish between truth and lies, integrity and dishonesty, foolishness and wisdom. From his words, we can draw four important principles.

Discernment Camp (Proverbs 20:5-8) 1. Once when Red Skelton was being interviewed he was asked if he ever was at a loss for words. He hesitated a minute then said, "I dreamed I died and went to heaven. Just as I was taken before God, he sneezed...and I just didn’t know what to say to Him!" 2. We ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 20:5-8

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Why Works Won't Work Series

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jan 24, 2008

Paul stresses the foolishness of trying to get into heaven by our own efforts

WHY WORKS WON”T WORK Romans 4:1-15 Old story of frog that jumped in a bucket of milk. Instead of just giving up the frog began to swim and swim and swim. The frog swam so much that the milk turned to butter and the frog hopped out of the bucket. Great story about working so had that you ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:1-15