Sermons on Spiritual Sacrifices:

When God Wrestles With Family Tensions

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 16, 2009

We use avoidance, anger, anxiety, and aloneness to manage family tensions. We even use self-centered prayer. But when we let God wrestle with us, we are changed and we accept vulnerability in family life.

The most critical issue in family life is not anger or argument. It is avoidance. What plagues most families is not that they are embroiled in fighting or torn by argument. What destroys families is that people drift apart from one another; they avoid one another. You see, if you fight with ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

If It's Light, Let It Lead Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 18, 2009

MLK Sunday: to work in the darkness, we need light, lots of it, but it may show us things we don’t want to know. The Bible is light for life; the church makes us see its truth in ways that claim us; and Christ leads us to a healthy integrity

If you are going to work in the darkness you need light. There is only so much you can do by feeling your way. You need light and lots of it. Last Wednesday night as my wife and I left Montgomery Hills Church, I noticed some poor soul in the driveway of the house next door. He had the hood of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:22-23

Denomination: Baptist

We Are One In The Spirit Series

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 24, 2009

Paul, Pt. 7

WE ARE ONE IN THE SPIRIT (1 CORINTHIANS 12:11-26) Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel. Green said “I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees, leaves - without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Lofty Lord, Live Lips, Long Layby

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 28, 2009

Where do we get the motivation to keep doing what the Lord wants us to do? We affirm that we are called by a God of power, who is able to equip us; He will give us victory eventually even though it may come slowly (Deacon Ordination Sunday).

This evening two very good football teams will face each other under the dome. The outcome will hinge not only on physical condition and coaching strategy and just plain luck; it will hinge also on motivation. Who really, really wants to win? Who is hungry to win? One of the great personal issues ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Could Someone Please Tell Me Where Heaven Is? Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Jan 30, 2009

Will discuss where Heaven is - the new earth, and the New Jerusalem and why we look forward to that.

When we first moved to Hillsboro, OH, the church owned a couple of old houses that were on the same corner as the church building. One of them was destroyed. The other, an old 2-storey house, would be our dwelling place until we could find a house. So, for a few months, we lived in a piece of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:3-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

David The Caveman Series

Contributed by David Owens on Feb 9, 2009

There is much that we can learn from the way David reacts to his circumstances in the cave of Adullam.

Introduction: A. I thought we would start with a little humor from some cartoons I came across this week. 1. “Peter finds his faith much stronger in the winter.” Walking on the water is nothing if the water is frozen! 2. “Another Eskimo baptism gone bad.” The preacher should have kept his ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 22:1-6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Ruth: Quitting Is Not An Option Series

Contributed by Ralph Juthman on Feb 10, 2009

This part 1 of a series on the life of Ruth. The theme is how God providentially moves in the lives of those who commit to Him.

RUTH: QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION Ruth 1:1-22 By Pastor Ralph Juthman INTRODUCTION: Illustration- Ladies/Men Answer this Question, what is the title of your favotite movie, TV show or book ( other than the Bible). There are obvious differences. Personally, I like movies/tv shows and books that ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-22

Denomination: Pentecostal

Moose Dislodged Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 10, 2009

It is incredibly encouraging to realize that God hears and reacts to everything we experience. We are not alone!

I don’t know if the television station was local to Chicago or one of the national news networks, but I can’t forget what I saw. It wasn’t my television. I was just walking by, but I can’t get the image out of my mind. A large moose had fallen through thin ice and was freezing to death because its ...read more

Denomination: *other

Training Your Tongue To Work God’s Way Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Feb 12, 2009

You can train your tongue to work God’s way. Let’s look into the Word of God and see how.

New Habits for a New Year Part 3: Training Your Tongue to Work God’s Way Ephesians 4:25-32 Sermon by Rick Crandall McClendon Baptist Church - Feb. 1, 2009 *Power Point Introduction: SLIDE 1 (Phrases in sequence): “Got a problem with your tongue?” “You don’t think so?” “Are you sure?” SLIDE 2 ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

Denomination: Baptist

Why Would Anyone Reject Salvation? Series

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Feb 15, 2009

Paul shows us why the Israelites rejected the salvation provided by God, and also why the Gentiles received the salvation provided by God.

Scripture If anyone could ever have achieved salvation by his own effort, it was Martin Luther. In 1505, when he was twenty-one years old, Luther abandoned a promising career in law and entered the monastery of the Augustinian hermits at Erfurt. As he later said, this was not to study academic ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:30-33

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Pattern Of Worship, Part 3: Real Worship Series

Contributed by Jim Drake on Feb 21, 2009

God is not to be worshipped by turning the church into a carnival. Neither is He to be worshipped by allowing the church to become a crematorium. The only way to avoid that is to worship the way that Jesus tells us to in this passage. He tells us how to w

http://brushforkbanner.blogspot.com/ What comes to your mind when you think about heaven? Do you think about clouds and angels and harps? Do you think about a place of perfect peace and contentment? Maybe when you think about heaven, you think about a lost loved one. Maybe you think about a ...read more

Scripture: John 4:21-26

Denomination: Baptist

Seeing Through The Darkness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 22, 2009

This is a time of profound darkness, when many things we have depended on fail. We may be among the curious crowd or the concerned companions, but we will eventually see. Who will be the next converted centurion?

When you are suddenly plunged into darkness, that darkness is profound, and you cannot see anything. But wait a while, let your eyes adjust, and if there is a glimmer of light anywhere, you will begin to see and you will make your way through. The darkness will not be quite as dismal as you first ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:44-49

Denomination: Baptist

In The Trenches With Jesus

Contributed by Monty Newton on Mar 6, 2009

Jesus does not invite us to watch him in the trenches of ministry, but to get in the trenches with him.

Title: Into the Trenches with Jesus Text: Mark 8:31-38 Thesis: Jesus does not invite us to watch him in the trenches of ministry, but to get in the trenches with him. Introduction This week I read about a mid-50’s Parker Brothers board game called “Going to Jerusalem.” In this board game your ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Worship Is A Verb Part 8 Series

Contributed by Rodney V Johnson on Mar 7, 2009

Part 8 of the series focuses on worshiping God with our finances.

Worship Is A Verb Part 8 Scripture: Psalm 96:8; Deut. 16:17; 2 Cor. 8:3-5; 9:11-14; Malachi 3:8-12 Introduction In my message on last week, I shared with you the importance of the music ministry in our worship service. As you may recall, the music should not over shadow the worship, nor should ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:3-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Single New Humanity Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Mar 9, 2009

We look back at what life was like before Christ. Then we look at what Christ has achieved. Then we look forward to our future united in Christ.

One of the things we love to do is to remember the past. We keep journals and photo albums, we tell stories and reminisce, all to preserve our memories. On the other hand there are some memories that we don’t want to remember. Memories of past hurts, of things we’ve done that we’re ashamed of. Some ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Denomination: Anglican