Sermons on Maximize Joy:

How To Take Refuge In God - Psalm 25 Pt.1 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on May 16, 2025

What does it mean to lift up your soul to God? We all lift our soul to something—the thing our soul things is its best refuge. This message will help you learn how to lift your soul to God alone and find peace and joy in the process.

{This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.} Of David. To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one who waits for you will ever be put ...read more

When Life Becomes Overwhelming

Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Nov 5, 2023

When you cast all our cares upon Him, He will mend your broken heart, He will lift the heavy burden, He will restore the joy, He will give rest and peace that passeth all understanding. He will give us strength and the armor of God to fight another day

“When Life Becomes Overwhelming” By Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr. OPENING: - Life can be wonderful, full of excitement, joy, and happiness when things are going well. But when circumstances change in an instant life can make you feel overwhelmed. When everyday life happens, we experience some ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:43

Denomination: Apostolic

Hope When You Don't Think You Have Enough Series

Contributed by Perry Fowler on Nov 29, 2023

Christmas is often a time when people struggle feeling that they don't have enough, or can't provide enough. It often steals away the joy of Christmas. Mary could have felt that she did not have enough; yet her song proves-- Jesus was enough.

One of the top 10 Christmas songs of all time- it actually is ranked #7- is the song: “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey. The song goes like this: “Don’t want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need, I don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree, I just ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:39-56

Denomination: Baptist

Christmas Responses Series

Contributed by Shine Thomas on Dec 14, 2023

How do you respond to the fact that God sent his son into the world? What is our response to the love shown by God this Christmas? We have come to another season of Joy; Christmas is around the corner and today I want to draw your attention to the very first Christmas responses.

Get in Touch : Website: https://cityharvestag.com/sermons/?sermon_topics=spiritual-warfare Podcast : https://city-harvest-sermons.simplecast.com/episodes/the-amazing-good-news-god-is-not-fair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CityHarvestA... Instagram: ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8, Matthew 2:3, Genesis 22:9, Hebrews 11:6, Genesis 22:6  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Prayer & The Plan Of God - Matthew 6:10c Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Sep 5, 2024

This message will help you learn how to get past devastating things in your past, and how to have joy even when God’s plan for you in the present is excruciating. When God’s plan for you is hard, learn the difference between standing in front of the train and getting on it.

Matthew 6:5-15 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:10

4 Christmas Gifts You Don’t Have To Wait To Open

Contributed by John Gaston on Dec 13, 2025

There are many gifts we'll receive we really don't care for. But this Christmas, God offers you gifts of His love, healing, forgiveness, and inner joy. And these best gifts you don't have to wait until December 25 to open!

4 CHRISTMAS GIFTS YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT TO OPEN Matthew 2:11 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR: WHEN JOSEPH WENT ROGUE 1. The Director of the Christmas play was nervous when she cast Jimmy, the middle-school class clown, as Joseph in the Christmas Pageant. 2. Her fears were realized when Jimmy decided ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:11

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Why Does God Allow Suffering? Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 4, 2021

God’s plan for your happiness includes a design for even your distress.

This evening, I want to speak with you on this topic, “Why Does God Allow Suffering?” It’s important different religions answer this question in vary different ways. N. S. R. K. Ravi was born in 1953 in India into a family of wealth as they were in the second-highest caste, lower only than the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:6-7

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Sets The Highest Standards For His Disciples Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 26, 2022

New version with information about Christians being in Christ. 1. We must say "no" to our selfishness. 2. We must carry our cross. 3. We must follow His footsteps.

Jesus Sets the Highest Standards for His Disciples The Gospel of Matthew Matthew 16:20-25 Sermon by Rick Crandall (Prepared September 26, 2022) (New version with information about Christians being in Christ.) BACKGROUND: *Today's message is about the high standards Jesus sets for His ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:20-25

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Sets The Highest Standards For His Students Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 7, 2022

1. We must say "no" to our selfishness. 2. We must carry our cross. 3. We must follow His footsteps.

Jesus Sets the Highest Standards for His Students The Gospel of Matthew Matthew 16:20-25 Sermon by Rick Crandall (Prepared September 7, 2022) BACKGROUND: *In Matthew chapters 14-16, Jesus Christ continued to prove that He is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. With both His works and His ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:20-25

Denomination: Baptist

Humpty Dumpty - Let Us Seize The Day

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Jul 11, 2025

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; Humpty Dumpty shouted Amen; God can put me together again. Beloved, Carpe Diem, Seize the day.

Do you remember as a child ... listening to ... or reading ... nursery rhymes? Some of them were a little freighting ... at least they were to me. Three blind mice. Three blind mice. See how they run. ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:9-14, Hebrews 12:2, Philippians 3:10, Philippians 3:13-14, 1 Corinthians 13:13, Isaiah 43:25, Matthew 11:30, Galatians 5:22-23, 1 John 2:9, Colossians 1:1-14  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Go! And Live With Eternity In View - Ecclesiastes 9:5-10 Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Sep 4, 2025

Life under the sun is brief, and death is certain. But here’s the urgent question: How should we live now, in light of eternity?

Go! And Live with Eternity in View - Ecclesiastes 9:5-10 Introduction – A Wake-Up Call for the Living Imagine standing at a funeral. You hear the quiet sobs, see the flowers, smell the lilies, and sense the finality of that wooden casket. One thing strikes you deeply: that person’s time to ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:5-10, Hebrews 9:27, 1 Timothy 6:17, Colossians 3:23-24, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Romans 10:9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Following Jesus In Difficult Times Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Nov 10, 2023

In difficult times genuine followers of Christ abide in Christ, abound in love, and advance with power.

Greg Laurie tells a story about a woman, who had finished shopping and returned to her car. She found four men inside the car. She dropped her shopping bags, drew a handgun, and screamed, “I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car.” Those men did not wait for a second invitation; ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-27

Denomination: Evangelical Free

El Shaddai Pt 2 "The Almighty All-Sufficient God Who Protects And Provides" Series

Contributed by David Scudder on Apr 11, 2011

We all have needs, those needs may be physical, financial, or emotional like joy or happiness, but every one of us has needs. How can our needs be met? We are studying what the name El Shaddai means because we need to know that we are protected and pro

Purpose: To magnify God's ability to do everything He promises. Aim: I want the listener to gain great confidence in God's ultimate plan to bless His own. INTRODUCTION: We all have needs, those needs may be physical, financial, or emotional like joy or happiness, but every one of us has needs. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:1-22

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Hope Of Eternal Salvation Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Oct 21, 2013

The living hope of the new birth springs not only from believers¡¯ future inheritance & present joy but also out of their faith in God¡¯s written Word. Here Peter examines the Great Hope of Eternal Salvation from the viewpoint of 4 divine agents involved wi

1 PETER 1: 10-12 [Renewing Hope Series] THE HOPE OF ETERNAL SALVATION [Matthew 13: 16-17 / 2 Peter 1:20-21] The story began one summer's day toward the end of the nineteenth century when an English city boy was on A VISIT TO RURAL SCOTLAND. That afternoon the boy went swimming in a small ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:10-12

Denomination: Baptist

God's Word Lights Our Way Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Feb 6, 2014

You may be able to relate to what Psalm 119 says about the joy of reading and meditating on God's Word. But most of us have also experienced dry spells. This section addresses how we can overcome dry spells by letting God's Word light our way forward wi

PSALM 119: 105-112 [The Ministry of The Word Series] GOD'S WORD LIGHTS OUR WAY You may be able to relate to what Psalm 119 says about the joy of reading and meditating on God's Word. But most of us have also experienced dry spells–times when we don't seem to get much from the Bible. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:105-112

Denomination: Baptist