Sermons on Strain:

Running The Race

Contributed by Justin Ford on Jun 27, 2007

Comparing the pursuit of a love relationship with Jesus and the race of ultimate importance

RUN THE RACE Today is a special day It’s a day to prepare our hearts and a day to prepare our church for what God wants to do through us Over the next 6 days we will have the biggest opportunity of the year to teach children what it means to become and grow as a Christian Not only is it a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Denomination: Baptist

Have You Lost Your Passion?

Contributed by Robert Bravo on Jul 1, 2007

Sometimes we can be Christians for so long that it is possible we might lose our passion for God. We need to get a fresh passion every day.

Phil 3:1-16 says: Philippians 3:1 - 16 (NIV) 1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-16

Denomination: Nazarene

Moving On From The Status Quo

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Feb 14, 2007

A message for looking into the New Year with a determination to move to the next level in your spiritual life.

Moving On from the Status Quo Philippians 3:12-16 December 31, 2006 On an episode of “CSI” the star quarterback was murdered at his 10-year high school reunion. The whole episode was a study in long-held attitudes, reputations, and grudges. One of the saddest aspects of the show was that some ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-16

Denomination: Wesleyan

Going For 'the Gold'

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Aug 9, 2012

Are you in the fight as a contestant, or are you on the sidelines as an observer? The contestant pursues for the prize (Gold medal) whereas the observer just watches others receiving the prize but himself / herself doesn’t attain anything.

Opening illustration: Show a video of 2 events during the 2012 World Olympic in London. Do you ever consider the Christian walk to be difficult, like it is always an uphill climb? Maybe you’re doing okay, but does there still seem a long way to go? Perhaps you have even become weary and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Win The Race Series

Contributed by Jason Grubbs on Jan 11, 2020

In our text in Phil 3:12-16, Paul’s not telling us how to be saved. He’s telling us how to live now that we are saved. We are not saved BY good works but we are saved TO good works.

Several times in the New Testament the Christian life is pictured as a race 1 Cor. 9:24-27 (ESV) says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-16

(1 Of 4) The Gospel Is Good News Series

Contributed by David Dunn on Sep 27, 2025

The gospel of Jesus Christ is history’s central story—faith in the past, hope for the future, and love today.

Not on Fox. Not on the peacock channel. Not on C-SPAN or ESPN. Not a stock market report. Not a weather forecast. Not stale news. Not fake news. Not bad news. Good news. The gospel is not a broadcast that fades after the commercial break. It’s not spin for ratings or another voice in the noise. ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30, Hebrews 4:16, 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 15:5, 1 Corinthians 13:13  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Drought Is Over: Ready For The Abundance

Contributed by Pastor Dempsey Daniels on Mar 4, 2004

The Drought Is Over: Ready For The Abundance

Are You Ready For The Abundance? I Kings 18:41-46 There comes a time in every believer’s life when they will experience drought. A time of loneliness. A time of resource-less-ness. A time when all we have is a wing and a prayer. The word drought comes from the word tsimmaown. It literally means ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:41-46

Denomination: Baptist

Pressing On To The Goal Series

Contributed by Harold Laubach Jr on Oct 22, 2011

A sermon about perseverance and the trials we endure.

As we get started today, I wanted to speak about finishing the race. Not so much about the end, but about the trials and issues we all have on the way. I will be spending a lot of time in Philippians chapter 3 if you’d like to follow along in your Bibles. We heard a few minutes ago about ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-16

Denomination: Salvation Army

Take Courage

Contributed by David Mcnally on Jul 15, 2012

We all have to face opposition, 'winds blowing against us', but with faith in Jesus and the courage that only the Holy Spirit can give, we can endure and come through the challenges victorious.

Title: Take Courage! Text: Mark 6:45-52 The context is important here. Immediately before this section of Mark 6 we have verses 30-44 which record the time when Jesus fed 5000 men with only 5 loaves and 2 fish. The disciples had witnessed a great miracle, so why were they terrified ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:45-52

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Fresh Start

Contributed by Roger Nelmes on Jan 10, 2007

What makes New Year’s Day so special is that it’s like starting all over. You can thank God for a great year, ask forgiveness for all of your mishaps, and start fresh with 365 days of possibilities ahead of you.

A Fresh Start Every year we celebrate New Year’s Eve with a countdown and firework commemorating all our accomplishments and joys of yet another year that has passed. Unfortunately, there are other not so happy memories that we want to brush under the carpet and put behind us. They may include the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-17

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Pharisees- No Heart Series

Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Oct 12, 2018

If one is not careful, one's heart can drift so far away from God that we end up with no heart.

INTRODUCTION • SLIDE #1 • Today we are going to examine a unique group of people as we continue with our A Drifting Heart series. • Today we will see how the scribes and Pharisees ended up with the worst-case scenario when it comes to a drifting heart, a heart that drifts so far from God that one ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:23-28

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Get Your Mule Out Of The Boat (Four Truths When Attempting The Impossible)

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Jul 28, 2018

Our Lord's voice could be heard above the storm. No storm, no turmoil, no tortuous test is too great for our Lord. No matter how dramatic the storm may be his voice can be heard and his Rhema can be received. (Updated August 2023)

The Navy branch ... of the service ... called the "Seabees" ... had a unique slogan ... during World War II, (Pause) "If it's difficult, ... it will take a day or two. If it's impossible, ... it will take a little longer." (Pause) It seems to me ... there are a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:48-50, John 21:25, Matthew 14:25-33, Romans 10:17, Hebrews 11:6, James 2:20  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Don't Forget About Me PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Oct 19, 2023

This sermon encourages believers to pursue a deeper relationship with God, moving forward with purpose and perseverance, guided by His promise.

Good morning, dear friends. It is a joy to stand here today, to share the word of God with you, and to dwell on the richness and depth of His wisdom. In this gathering, we are not merely individuals, but a community of believers, bound together by our shared faith and love for our Savior. We are ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13

Topics: Following

Looking Forward To A Greater Level PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Dec 7, 2023

This sermon encourages embracing God's grace to let go of past mistakes and failures, and move forward towards a brighter, faith-filled future.

Welcome, friends, to this gathering of hearts and minds, united in our shared faith and the hope that springs eternal from it. We are here today, not as mere spectators, but as active participants in the unfolding story of God's redemptive love. We are here to be nurtured by the Word, to be ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13

Topics: Forget The Past, Look Forward

Pressing On Into The New Year

Contributed by Raymond Perkins on Jan 9, 2002

A New Year’s message designed to encourage change and growth.

PRESSING ON INTO THE NEW YEAR Philippians 3:12-14 INTRODUCTION: At this time every year many of us make resolutions. We resolve to lose weight, to exercise more, to be a better person, to dispense with old bad habits and begin some new good ones. None of those are surprising, but I have found a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ