Sermons on Self Improvement:

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves Series

Contributed by David Dykes on Oct 11, 2006

The Lord responds to those who cry out to him for help. We must admit God is our only source of help; without it we are sunk.

INTRODUCTION This is the fourth message in the series “No, that’s NOT in the Bible!” We’re examining ten popular statements people think are in the Bible, but they aren’t found in scripture. There are millions of Bibles in America, yet there is an alarming level of biblical ignorance. George Barna ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 94:17-19

Denomination: Baptist

The Offensive Demands Of The Cross

Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Oct 26, 2012

The Cross demands things of us that may seem offensive but the victory we shall have after we yeild to the cross eye hath not seen nor ear hath heard.

The Offensive Demands of the Cross By Pastor M.L. Maughmer, Jr. Matthew 16:24: 25 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:11

Denomination: Apostolic

Dazed By Discontent And Disappointment - When Hopes And Dreams Are Shattered On The Rocks Of Regret

Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson on Nov 20, 2025

There are times during the Christian walk, even when the miraculous is happening all around, that things will go haywire as the reality of this life intervenes unannounced, and hopes and dreams are dashed on the rocks of regret, which manifest as fear and anger at God because they feel betrayed.

Fear and hope are similar in that they are both forms of anticipation of the future. Fear is a form of negative hope. A person’s thinking is often dominated either by the dream and hope of success or by fear of failure. When their hopes are not realized, or their desires, dreams, expectations, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:24-25, Proverbs 3:5-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Need Help? Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Mar 5, 2026

Don’t look to the law for help; look to Christ. To be sure, learn from the law. Learn the truth about God and yourself. But if you want to make true and lasting changes to your life, lean hard on Jesus.

Perhaps, you remember an old Lowe's Hardware commercial, which shows a do-it-yourselfer installing a new ceiling fan in his family's living room. He proudly gives the fan one last little turn, climbs off the aluminum ladder, and steps aside to turn on the switch. After he turns it on, he ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:1-31, Isaiah 55:8-9, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall - How Does God See Me?

Contributed by Ernie Arnold on Oct 26, 2015

In sharing God's great commandment we must understand how to love ourselves and love others. By seeing ourselves in God's mirror we are better able to have a spiritual self love and thereby live a life of love for God and others.

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34; Psalms 146 and Hebrews 9:11-14 Theme: Seeing Yourself as God Sees You Proposition: In Sharing the Great Commandment, Jesus focuses on our love for God, our love for others and our love for ourselves. This sermon is designed to help us see ourselves as God sees us ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34

Denomination: Nazarene

Beatitudes--More Than Skin Deep

Contributed by Daryl Bahn on Nov 3, 2001

Jesus’ Beatitudes are a splash of frigid water in the face of the self-righteous, but a cup of refreshing water for God’s forgiven saints who are weary of the ways of the world. (All Saints Day, 2001)

BEATITUDES—MORE THAN SKIN DEEP (Matthew 5:1-12) The Beatitudes are like a splash of ice-cold water in the face of those who are self-satisfied and full of themselves. The Pharisees, for example, were wealthy, successful, powerful, and very religious. They thought the coming of the Kingdom of God ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Denomination: Lutheran

Christianity: It's More Than A Hobby. It's A Way Of Life

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Mar 9, 2006

Jesus calls on us to deny our selves and take up our crosses and follow Him - just as He went to the cross. This sermon delves into that idea of denying the "self" a little more.

March 12, 2006 Mark 8:31-38 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38

Denomination: Lutheran

In The Days Of Youth Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Jun 5, 2006

God is opposed to anything that diminishes our joy. What many think is a "good time" is actually self-abuse. Life is fleeting, so fear and obey God, for your own good.

Overcoming Futility—a sermon series on Ecclesiastes “In the Days of Youth” 11:9-12:14 Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts We conclude our study of Ecclesiastes, a book written to people who are struggling to find meaning and purpose in life. Solomon ends ...read more

Denomination: Congregational

Psalm 1 "Two Paths, Two Destinations"

Contributed by Joey Nelson on May 4, 2006

Psalm 1 tells the tale of two lives being lived in stark contrast of one another. It is the tale of life of the "God-Centered" or the Godly Life and the life of the "Self-Centered" or the Ungodly Life.

INTRODUCTION Opening Statement: [Music Video - Two sets of Jones’] Transition: We live in a world that is filled with contrasts . . . Rich and Poor; Big and Little; Good and Bad; Black and White; Day and Night; Light and Darkness. Just as this music presentation sets before us two paths, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-6

How Do You Show Your Appreciation?

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Mar 10, 2002

Two individuals demonstrating two different reactions to Jesus Christ. It is a contrast between the attitudes of the self-righteous and the repentant sinful. Here we see demonstrations of gratitude and of ingratitude, of appreciation and of depreciation

In this passage of Scripture, we find two individuals demonstrating two different reactions to Jesus Christ. It is a contrast between the attitudes of the self-righteous and the repentant sinful. Here we see demonstrations of gratitude and of ingratitude, of appreciation and of depreciation. As ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:36-50, Luke 7:36-46

Denomination: Baptist

The Weak Strong Man 6

Contributed by Melvin Shelton on Jun 28, 2005

Now we like times of great victory and accomplishment but they are most likely going to be dangerous if you allow yourself to be filled with pride. God will see to it that his children know they are not self-sufficient.

The weak strong man. Judges 15:18-20 06/29/05 After Samson had slain 1000 Philistines, he was about to die of thirst. I could certainly see how a man could get thirsty slaying a thousand enemies with his weapon being the jawbone of a donkey. But in this moment of his life of thirst, was probably ...read more

Scripture: Judges 15:18-20

Denomination: Baptist

Survivors And Castaways Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 24, 2000

The fundamental stance we have before God is critical to everything else in our lives, for personal idolatries, failed intimacies, and low self-esteem are all results of our not experiencing salvation.

When I was young, and riding a bicycle, we didn’t wear helmets. Nobody had thought of such a thing. And even if they had, no government was telling us we had to wear helmets. I haven’t even worn so much as a hat since I reached the age of 13, much less a helmet. So when we spilled, we spilled, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Denomination: Baptist

Hope: The Chosen, Rock Series

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jan 6, 2007

Self Help gurus? Forget about it. You can’t make it happen, only God can and more than that you are chosen, elected by the foreknowledge of God - Amen brother!

There is a story of a sailor who was shipwrecked on a South Sea island. He was seized by the natives, carried shoulder-high to a magnificent throne, and proclaimed king. At first, he enjoyed his reign as the absolute monarch but then he began to wonder what happened to the previous ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Isn't Looking For Groupies

Contributed by Monty Newton on Sep 7, 2010

Jesus is not interested in gathering a bunch of hangers-on... his desire is that those who follow him be totally devoted to him and willing to reconfigure their family values, self-interests and their hold on stuff.

Title: Jesus Isn’t Looking for Groupies Text: Luke 14:25-33 Thesis: When we decide to be a follower of Christ we must reconfigure our family values, our need to look out for #1 and our hold on stuff. Introduction CBS News reported that an estimated 87,000 people attended Glen Beck’s ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Persistence In The Presence: How Women Pray

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 22, 2009

Women succeed in pray because they persist in trusting God, allow the whole self to pray, take God at His word, are not afraid of intensity, choose responsibility over religion, and keep their commitments.

If, as Thomas Edison tells us, genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration, then I suspect it is also true that prayer is one per cent insistence and ninety-nine per cent persistence. Prayer is one per cent insistence, to be sure; we do, in our prayers, tell God what ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Denomination: Baptist