Sermons on Soften Up:

Shape Up Or . . .

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 19, 2011

Amos sends Israel a clear message from God: you are not meeting my standards, and I am about to cut you off.

Good morning. I am special correspondent Shinon Byorus for the Mesopotamian News Network, coming to you live from Bethel in Israel, where controversy has been stirring for months around the inflammatory rhetoric from the prophet Amos, who appeared some time ago from Judea with a very harsh message ...read more

Scripture: Amos 7:7-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Mount Up

Contributed by Daniel Olukoya on May 2, 2011

God does not expect His children to be in the valley or at the tail region. Rather, He wants them to be at the top.

Beloved, our message this week focuses on the right position God wants His children to be. God does not expect His children to be in the valley or at the tail region. Rather, He wants them to be at the top. Deuteronomy chapter 32 verses 11-12 say, “As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 32:11-12

Denomination: Pentecostal

Live It Up

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on May 9, 2011

Worship is not always a holy activity.

“Live it Up!” Romans 12:1“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, {which is} your spiritual service of worship. (NASB) There are many skewed pictures of living it up; High-society images of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1

Denomination: Salvation Army

Cleaning Up

Contributed by Jeff Van Wyk on Nov 17, 2012

There is a conflict in the heavenlies for your life. God is fighting for you because He wants to restore that which was lost to Satan. You are valuable in His sight and considers you worth fighting for.

Cleaning Up There is a conflict in the heavenlies for your life. God is fighting for you because He wants to restore that which was lost to Satan. You are valuable in His sight and considers you worth fighting for. Matthew 23:25-26 - Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:25-26

Denomination: Charismatic

"Heads Up!"

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Dec 2, 2012

"Heads Up!" 1) Advent warning 2) Advent rejoicing

“Heads up!” (Toss nerf ball to someone in the congregation.) It’s a good thing NAME took my warning seriously otherwise the ball would have bounced off his bean. Balls flying into crowds are not uncommon at baseball games. At the stadium I frequented as a boy in Japan, the ushers ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:25-36

Denomination: Lutheran

Grow Up! Series

Contributed by Gary Stebbins on Oct 21, 2008

Jesus presents a clear description of what it is followers are to be like internally and how they are to live outwardly in the Sermon on the Mount.

Introduction Advertising agency- nationwide telephone survey on lying. 91% of all Americans confessed that they regularly lied. One out of five admitted they could not get through one day without going along with a previously lie. We live in a day when we have been bombarded with erased tapes, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:33-48

Denomination: Charismatic

Get Up! Series

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Nov 17, 2008

Saul was knocked down by the power of God. Sometimes we need a spiritual knockout, but we also need to get up.

Get Up! A Spiritual Knockout: How getting knocked down can change your whole life. Nov. 16, 2008 Review: Acts 1-8 The Church is in a great transition: from inward (Jews) to outward (Gentiles) C. S. Lewis said “God whispers to us in our pleasures; speaks in our consciences; but shouts in our ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:4-8

Denomination: Pentecostal

Signing Up. Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 11, 2009

How do I "sign up" for God’s Army?

OPEN: Three military recruiters showed up to address high school seniors. Each recruiter - representing the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps - was to have fifteen minutes. But the Army and Navy recruiters got carried away, and so when it came time for the Marine to speak, he had just two minutes. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Stand Up

Contributed by Jerry Mckee on Feb 28, 2009

This series is based on the book, "Do Hard Things" by Brett and Alex Harris. It is a 7 week series that challenges teenagers to step up from the low expectations that our culture has placed on them.

34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:34-36

Denomination: *other

Growing Up Series

Contributed by Andy Payne on Apr 19, 2009

We are to faithfully obey Jesus instead of the law. And we achieve what God intended in the law. That is that people would love God and love others.

We have been talking about the purpose of Paul’s letter to the Galatia Christians. According to Paul, Christians are justified (made right with God), not by what they have down, but what God has done through Jesus. We cannot enter into heaven (therefore right relationship with God) by any ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Grow Up! Series

Contributed by Ken Mckinley on May 28, 2009

We are to be growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, and we are to be moving towards maturity in the faith. This sermon looks at this teaching more closely.

Grow Up! Text: Ephesians 4:13-16 By: Ken McKinley (Read Text) Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Have you ever noticed that when some people talk about the past they refer to it as the “Good ole days?” TV commercials have picked up on this. I remember seeing the commercials for Life cereal where ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:13-16

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Jig Is Up

Contributed by Monty Newton on Aug 10, 2009

We own our own desires, actions and their outcomes... it is God’s will that our lives be characterized by good desires that lead to good deeds that benefit ourselves, bless others and please God.

Title: The Jig Is Up Text: James 1:13-17 Thesis: We own our own desires, actions and outcomes… It is God’s will that our lives be characterized by good desires that lead us to do good deeds that benefit ourselves and others and please God. Introduction One of my favorite stories is The ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stand Up

Contributed by Carl Allen on Aug 19, 2009

Trials are a common part of the Christian life, but not one that we should allow to rule us. This portion of Thessalonians gives us insight into how we can stand up against the trials that come our way.

Stand Up 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 Intro Before a child can walk, he must learn to stand. Usually the father and mother teach the child to stand and then to walk. Paul was the “spiritual parent” to these believers, but he had been forced to leave Thessalonica. How, then, could he help these young ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

7 Up

Contributed by Dr.w.samuel Legon on Aug 29, 2009

Its time to put some fizz back in the church

7 UP As a young man one of the best selling soft drinks was 7 up. It had a strong fizz and was clean and clear. It was lifting up when you were hot and tired. We can find 7 things to make us live a better life if we look close. 1. CHRISTIANS MUST STAND UP. Psalm ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:5

Denomination: Baptist

"Waking Up"

Contributed by J. Curtis Goforth, O.s.l. on Aug 31, 2008

Sermon for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost centered around the statement by Jesus, "What will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?"

"Waking Up" Sermon on Matthew 16:21-28 Pentecost +16-A August 31, 2008 The Rev. J. Curtis Goforth, O.S.L. There’s a great movie that came out several years ago entitled Waking Ned Devine. The movie is set in a tiny little coastal village in Ireland called Tullymore. And one of the main ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-28

Denomination: United Methodist