Sermons on Negative Motivation:

Overcomers Sermon I: Overcomingthe Past With A New Perspective Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on May 20, 2020

To overcome troubles as did Joseph and Jesus, we rise above the negative effects of our past by seeing all that happened from a new perspective that sees God working in and through it all to bring about that which is good.

BE OVERCOMERS, NOT SUCCUMBERS . . . Overcome Negative Effects from the Past by Seeing Them from a New Perspective One day a Christian missionary walked into a Belgian village and saw a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:19-28

Headed In The Other Direction?

Contributed by Paul Norwood on Feb 26, 2013

What eternal punishment will be like for those not going to heaven.

“Headed in the Other Direction?” Text: Luke 16:19-31 I. Welcome II. Introduction As Jesus wrote to the church at Laodicea, we notice there is no in-between for Christians – we are either cold or hot. We’re either Christians or we’re not. We’re either saved or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Prophetic Body Builder Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 6, 2015

Some scholars call the gifts in Rom 12 "motivational" gifts. What do they mean by that and how does that help us understand the value and purpose of the gift of prophecy?

Have you ever heard of a TV personality from years ago named Merv Griffin? Back in his heyday Mr. Griffin hosted a TV talk show called "The Merv Griffin Show" where he would have guests who would sit down with him and talk about their lives and the passions in their lives. One of those guests ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Gift Of Prophecy Series

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Mar 22, 2007

This sermon is the second in a series of ten on Motivational Spiritual Gifts which communicates the characteristics of the Gift of Prophecy in order to allow the Holy Spirit opportunity to reveal this gift to those who have it.

Last week I introduced this subject area of spiritual gifts by sharing the “Categories of Gifts.” Based on 1 Corinthians 12.4-7 I shared that there are Motivational Gifts, Ministry Gifts and Manifestation Gifts. Every Christian, every believer, every born again child of God is given a spiritual ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:6-9

Denomination: Baptist

Selective Memory Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 27, 2003

We use selective memory either to remember only pleasant things (denial) or only negative things (pessimism). God’s memory is an occasion of grace, for which we can be grateful.

The longer we live, the more there is to remember. And yet the more we remember, the more we forget as well. Isn’t that ironic? The longer we live, the more there is to remember. And yet the more we remember, the more we forget as well. That could be due to several things. That could be ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 63:7-17

Denomination: Baptist

Go Tell It On Mt. Carmel Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 20, 2003

We turn our successes into failures because we see only the negatives, and we need approval. But in the Incarnation God accepts our incompleteness and offers us His unconditional love.

All of us want success. All of us need success. If you don’t care about doing something well, you are in sad shape. You are in trouble if you don’t want to succeed at something. And yet the problem is that we are our own worst enemies. We defeat ourselves time and time again. We take ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

The Critical Spirit

Contributed by Donnie De Loney on Jan 13, 2010

A critical spirit is An obsessive attitude of criticism and fault-finding, which seeks to tear others down The person with a critical spirit usually dwells on the negative, seeks for flaws rather than good

The Critical Spirit Luke 6:37-6:42 Illustration: Guilty as sin! It happened just a few years ago. The banks in New Jersey had been robbed systematically, one after the other. What made the robber stand out was his politeness. He just gave the tellers a note which said, "Please place your money ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37-42

Denomination: Assembly Of God

It's The Best Of Times; It's The Worst Of Times

Contributed by Bart Leger on Jan 21, 2011

The internet and technology have given the church the greatest opportunity and means to reach the world for Christ. But it also has given rise to an unprecedented danger for us to be impacted negatively with great evil and perversion.

It’s the Best of Times; It’s the Worst of Times January 16, 2011 PM “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 101:3

Denomination: Independent/Bible

For Crimes That I Have Done Series

Contributed by Mark Haines on Mar 21, 2011

So many people are under the impression that there are simply no negative consequences for their sins. But our sins deserve judgment and punishment. Jesus took that punishment for us on the cross when he suffered and died.

Text: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (Amplified Bible) with my adaptations 13Behold, My Servant shall deal wisely and shall prosper; He shall be exalted and extolled and shall stand very high. 14[For many the Servant of God became an object of horror; many were astonished at Him.] His face and His whole ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Where Has All The Magic Gone?

Contributed by Jay Winters on Feb 7, 2008

This Transfiguration sermon seeks to show God’s face, Jesus, for who He truly is using the Wizard from the Wizard of Oz as a negative example - our God is no man behind a curtain.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Three In One who… Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I didn’t see the Wizard of Oz until just two years ago. Before that I had gotten to know the characters as they had been presented to me in pop culture here and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Denomination: Lutheran

The Prayer Of Thanksgiving Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 1, 2021

Paul demonstrated the power of a thankful heart to overcome enormous negative circumstances. Prayer is not the dark garment of despair. Prayer is a bright garment of praise that will dress up the soul even on the dreariest of days.

My earliest childhood memories of being in church are of the rope that I could ride. The thick rope hung down through the ceiling in the church entry way. I was so little that when the rope was pulled to ring the bell in the belfry, I could hang on to it and get a ride as it would pull me up off ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:3-6

The Call Of A Father Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jun 19, 2020

In God’s Call of the Father for disciple and instruction, He presents it through 1) The Negative Command (Ephesians 6:4a) 2) The Positive Command (Ephesians 6:4b).

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (ESV). One surprising factor to some that has been reported during this quarantine is an increased involvement in family elements from men in general and fathers in ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4

Denomination: Other

Our Face Set Toward Jerusalem Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 28, 2019

Athanasius taught that God became human so that humans could be made divine. But even the baptized struggle with the profound negative impacts of original sins in our physical, emotional and spiritual lives.

Tuesday of the 26th Week in Course 2019 St. Therese of Liseaux The connection between our two Scripture readings today is stark. The prophet Zechariah, writing a couple of hundred years before Christ, is in a society dominated by Hellenist culture, polytheism and utter contempt for Biblical faith ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:51-56, Zechariah 8:21-23

Denomination: Catholic

Prescription For Happiness Sermon Viii: Be Happy Anyway! Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on Dec 23, 2019

It seems unthinkable but it is so that Christians are being attacked on many fronts but, despite the negatives, Jesus encourages His followers to persevere in doing what is right in God's sight.

PRESCRIPTION FOR HAPPINESS The Beatitudes – Matthew 5:1-12 Everybody I know wants to be happy. However, it appears to me that some folks may not understand what ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, Matthew 5:10

Christian Peace

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 18, 2016

Let's talk about the Christian concept of peace, then the negative emotions of upset and how to deal with them (Material adapted from book by Robert Roberts called Spiritual Emotions, chapter on peace)

HoHum: Two painters were commissioned to paint a picture of peace. The first chose for his canvass a scene of tranquillity of a still lake among beautiful far off mountains. The second threw across his canvass a thundering waterfall with a fragile little tree suspended over the foam. There at ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ