Sermons on Self Effort:

Return, Return, Return, Return

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Dec 19, 2007

This is a message that is good for the beginning of a new year. It encourages self-examination and what God is calling the Church to return back to.

Song of Solomon 6:13 KJV [13] Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies. l. INTRODUCTION – THE SONG OF SOLOMON -This book, the Song of Solomon, is a book that is not preached from very ...read more

Scripture: Song of Songs 6:13

Denomination: Pentecostal

What Makes For Jaw-Dropping Faith?

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Jun 11, 2007

What Makes for Jaw-dropping Faith? 1) A God-given view of self; 2) A God-given view of Christ

It’s usually on Saturday afternoons. You know the infomercial. It’s the one that promises to give you a jaw-dropping physique for only 48 monthly payments of $9.95. It’s hard not to pick up the phone and order that rowing machine, the stair-stepper, or whatever it is they’re selling that week ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:1-10

Denomination: Lutheran

A Land Of Our Own

Contributed by Robert Fox on Dec 6, 2005

Uses self-proclaimed country of Sealand to discuss earthly vs heavenly kingdoms. Student ministry PowerPoint format.

[A LAND OF OUR OWN] Slide Graphic – picture of Prince Roy and Princess Joan in front of Sealand (see www.sealand.gov or search internet for Sealand images) Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, "I have become a stranger in a strange land." (Exodus 2:22) In England, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:22

Denomination: Baptist

"The Swan"

Contributed by Phil Anderson on May 31, 2004

What does the Bible truly have to say about our self-worth? Where do we find it?

“The Swan” Psalm 139:1-24 PS 139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-24

Denomination: Assembly Of God

El "Décimo Primer" Mandamiento Series

Contributed by Carlos Camarena on Apr 7, 2003

The "eleventh" commandment: James’ discussion of Jesus’ most neglected commandment: "love your neighbor as you love your self."

El “décimo primer” mandamiento Texto: Santiago 2:8-13 Lectura Bíblica: Levítico 19:15-18 Por Carlos C. Camarena I. Introducción A. En un mundo donde los “ismos” (favoritismo, nepotismo, racismo, etc) vienen marginando a miembros de la sociedad, tales “ismos,” de acuerdo a Santiago (ver Sant ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 19:15-18, James 2:8-13

Denomination: Adventist

God's Contempt Of Complaint

Contributed by Donnie Martin on May 1, 2003

Complaining in self-pity is a practice that hurts the heart of God, influences others to do the same, and results in God’s judgment.

God’s Contempt Of Complaint Text: Num.11: 1-3 Intro: Complaining is an activity all of us have participated in at one time or another. Most of us utter complaints without even thinking about it. It seems almost natural to vocalize our displeasure when things don’t quite turn out as we think ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 11:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Compassion And Light On Christmas

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Jan 3, 2004

Christmas 2: Jesus’ selfless love and compassion is offered by God to bring light and forgiveness to sinful human self-centeredness.

In his book The Power of the Powerless (New York: Doubleday, 1988), Christopher de Vinck tells a simple story. He writes: “One spring afternoon my five-year-old son, David, and I were planting raspberry bushes along the side of the garage. A neighbor joined us for a few moments. David pointed to ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-5

Denomination: Lutheran

How To Get Out Of The Dumps

Contributed by Kenneth Wooley on Aug 27, 2003

In a self oriented society that couldn’t care less where should the believer turn? and what should he do?

Yesterday, I took my son and 3 years old grandson to the city dump with a load of my wife’s accumulated ’treasures.’ As I was waiting to give this message I associated that experience with the person who has the feeling that nothing is going right, problems are everywhere, coping is impossible, and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-25

Denomination: Baptist

The Purpose Of Power Series

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Sep 2, 2003

Sermon on 1 Corinthians 14 the primacy of prophesy vs. the self edification which the gift of tongues was being used for.

We are in the Business of Creating a Temporary Settlement of the Eternal Community of God’s Family – Welcome Home! We’ve been studying our way through 1 Corinthians What we have seen is a variety of teachings on the way it was in the church in Corinth and the way it should be and what we have ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:1-40

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Senses Can Disconnect You Series

Contributed by Gregory Thomas on Jul 27, 2009

If You Walk According to your five senses you can easilly fall into self and outside of God’s will.

The Senses Can Disconnect Us Introduction In this third chapter of Genesis we find that God created man in his own image. That’s totally correct, we are made in God’s Image; nonetheless; though we are made in the image of God we yet have ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:6-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Abraham, Man Of The Divine Gift Of Faith

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 30, 2011

The patriarchs were saints like us, venal, self-serving and often flawed, but devoted to doing the will of God as revealed to them.

Abraham’s Call and Covenant Abram ben Terah was in Haran when he first heard the call of the Lord: “Go from your country and kindred and father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

One Bread, One Body, Many Idols

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 27, 2010

Independence Sunday 1987: We are called to be a distinctive people within American culture, not to follow popular self-centered idolatries.

The trouble with going to Ridgecrest conference center for a week is that you tend to forget how diverse a nation we are. If you were to spend too long at a place like Ridgecrest, you would get to thinking that everybody was Baptist, and Baptist of the southern variety, that everybody gobbled ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:14-31

Denomination: Baptist

The Rush Of Communion

Contributed by Perry Anderson on May 4, 2014

Holy Communion is more than a ritual. Communion is a time of Remembrance; A time of Unity; a time of Self-Examination & a time of Hope.

The RUSH of Communion 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 & 11:23-32 Do we rush through Holy Communion or do get a "RUSH" when we celebrate Holy Communion? Let's take a look at what Holy Communion is all about. We know the different names: Holy Communion – Lord’s Supper – Eucharist. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 1 Corinthians 11:23-32

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Agents Of Grace: Saul Series

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Sep 27, 2015

Saul was the anvil on which God pounded David for 13 years. Why? To remove the sinful impurities of self-sufficiency and pride.

The Japanese samurai sword is thought by many to be the best in the world. It can take 15 men, 6 months to make 1 sword—a sword that can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars! Why does it take so long and cost so much? Well you can’t just go out into the mountains where there are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 24:8-20

Denomination: Lutheran

Expanding Our Souls Through Compassion Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Jun 11, 2009

Our truest self lies not in independance from God but in relationship with God and others…. and finds itself when given to these.

Last week began series entitled LIVING BEYOND SELF… Jesus understood that if we want to truly find ourselves we can’t just look within… to do so will become like the onion being peeled away to find it’s essence… We find ourselves by losing ourselves… not literally ‘losing’… but in giving ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:35-38

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational