Sermons on Strive Lawfully:

Lost Our First Love

Contributed by Mark Engler on Sep 28, 2017

The application to this is if we put Jesus first in our lives and if we continue to strive for Him, continue to draw ourselves close to Him, He will improve us and make us more like Him everyday.

Lost Our First Love ME I love Jesus and I love being a minister of Christ. I honestly believe being a minister is the most important thing I could do on the face of the earth. I love to preach and teach God’s word and I’m glad He led me here to MVC. Honestly though, He chose a tremendously ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

You Gotta Serve Somebody

Contributed by David Owens on Sep 9, 2019

When we become Christians, we are set free from our bondage to sin, but we must then strive to be slaves of righteousness. Everyone either serves sin or God. You gotta serve somebody!

Introduction: A. I always liked the Far Side cartoons, and so I begin with this cartoon because of the irony of it. 1. Here’s a man who is a slave on a Viking ship, and he thinks the slave driver will care that he is getting a blister. He was in for a rude awakening! 2. Slavery is an ugly subject ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:15-23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Abc - The Building Blocks Of Faith - Awareness #3 Series

Contributed by Robert Butler on Apr 8, 2024

We must strive to stay connected to His power in our lives because the world will pull us away. This awareness is our motivation to continually practice the Spiritual disciplines that draw us into His presence.

Today we continue a 12 week series entitled, The ABC’s of faith. The larger idea is based on the idea that we learn over time through an exploration process of success and failure. Everything we come to know and understand is built over time on the foundation of trial and error. We learned last ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:1-4, Luke 20:47

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unity Starts In The Heart Series

Contributed by David Owens on Jan 15, 2024

God desires unity in the body of Christ, but unity is not easy or automatic. God creates the unity, but it is something that we must strive to keep. Humility, gentleness, patience and forbearance help us to do just that.

A. I’m excited to begin a new sermon series this morning – a series that I am calling “7 Ones Equal Unity” and will be based on Ephesians 4:4-6. 1. Over the years, I have preached many sermons using verses from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, including a sermon series on the entire letter back in ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Ending Well PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Oct 19, 2023

To inspire us to live our lives with a single passion for displaying God's excellence, as we strive to fight the good fight, finish our race, and keep the faith, just like Apostle Paul did.

Good morning, Church family! Today, we're going to delve into a powerful passage from 2 Timothy 4:7-8 where the Apostle Paul, nearing the end of his earthly journey, gives us some profound insights. Opening Scripture Reading – He says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Topics: Ending The Year

Go! And… Live In The Power Of "It Is Finished!” - John 19:30 Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Aug 29, 2025

It is finished! - the royal declaration of the King of kings, proclaiming that the mission was complete, the debt paid, the way made open for sinners to be reconciled to God.

Go! And… Live in the Power of “It Is Finished!” - John 19:30 John 19:30 – New Living Translation Introduction: The Cry That Changed Everything John 19:30 (NLT): “When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.” Church, imagine for a moment ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30, Luke 24:44-47, Colossians 2:13-14, John 3:16-17, Romans 10:9, Hebrews 12:1-2, Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 22:1-18, Genesis 3:15, Romans 6:23  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

In God We Trust

Contributed by Douglas Bryan on Oct 11, 2004

This message takes a look at the Christian and his money. The very thing that strives to pull our attention away from God, our money, contains a gentle reminder that it is "In God We Trust" and not our stuff.

THE NEXT STEPS: IN GOD WE TRUST A Biblical Look at You and Your Money 1 Timothy 6:17-19 INTRODUCTION: A. Today marks the beginning a new series of messages that I’m calling "The Next Steps" 1. We have made some changes over the past year, and are in the process of improving some other areas of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Forgetting What's Behind. Straining For What's Ahead.

Contributed by Quintin Marrow on Apr 3, 2001

Forsaking all past achievements and human advantages, St. Paul strains ahead to be found in Christ; this striving is by faith, and results in an imputed righteousness from God, a sharing in the sufferings of Christ, Christlikeness and participation in the resurrection of the dead.

“Forgetting what’s behind. Straining for what’s ahead.” April 1, 2001 The Rev’d Quintin Marrow St. Anne’s Episcopal Church Oceanside, California The Text: Phil. 3:8-14 In sixteenth-century France, the start of the new year was observed on April first. It was celebrated ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:8-14, Romans 6:1-14

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Overcoming Divisive Attitudes

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

Many great congregations have suffered from people with divisive attitudes. The Lord has placed each of us in His body to be lovingly united in spirit, intent on one purpose, striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Overcoming Divisive Attitudes Illustration:A monk joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first 10 years his superior called him in and asked, "Do you have anything to say?" The monk replied, "Food bad." After another 10 years the monk again had opportunity to voice his thoughts. ...read more

Scripture: Judges 8:1-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Contributed by Jonathan Lucas on Jun 26, 2001

This Sermon Challenges both the Believer and Seeker to evaluate their life. To look and see if there are things that are keeping them from truly living for God. It strives to get them to cast of some of their comforts and place their faith in the purpose and will of God.

Text: Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:11-13

Denomination: Pentecostal

Shield Of Faith

Contributed by Ian Johnson on Jul 6, 2005

Our Shield of faith is not something we have to speak into existence, or strive in our own strength to hold up, because our shield of faith is, Faith in a mighty God. Not faith in our own strength.

THE SHEILD OF FAITH. Our Shield of faith is not something we have to speak into existence, or strive in our own strength to hold up, because our shield of faith is, Faith in a mighty God. Not faith in our own strength. We have an enemy, who wants to stop us entering into all God has for us, No ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:17-26

Denomination: Pentecostal

Moving From Survival Through Success To Significance

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 18, 2006

Rick Warren recently told Charlie Rose in an interview on Public Broadcasting Television. "Most of the world struggles to survive. The majority of Americans are striving for success. Yet, few people ever achieve a deep sense of significance.

Moving From Survival Through Success to Significance (Acts 1:8-18) Rick Warren recently told Charlie Rose in an interview on Public Broadcasting Television. "Most of the world struggles to survive. The majority of Americans are striving for success. Yet, few people ever achieve a deep sense of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Character Counts Series

Contributed by James Bohrer on Sep 6, 2017

All meaningful relationships rely upon commitment. The commitment will only go as far as the underlying character. We must strive to be a quality person and look for persons of quality in all our relationships. Marriage is the most important.

THE STORY OF RUTH: A RESCUE RELATIONSHIP DON’T LEAVE CHARACTER TO CHANCE RUTH 2:1-13 A man came to pastor Phil after a message and began to share about his four failed marriages. Pastor Phil listened while the man explained his situation. The man said, “Each time I thought I found the woman of my ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

These Three Things Part One Series

Contributed by Steve Malone on Jan 24, 2019

In these sermon we will unpack a very familiar passage in Philippians 3 and discover 2 things that if we embrace and keep striving to live out, this year can be different... forgetting what is behind and pressing on to what is ahead.

These Three Things #ThisYearCouldBeDifferent 700 years before Jesus put on flesh and invaded our planet, GOD breathed the following words through the prophet Isaiah… to a people who… • Had seen better days • Experienced great suffering • Lost hope • In many ways had no one to blame for their ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:3-15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Clement Of Alexandria Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Feb 6, 2022

Although Christ, like a human, is made in the *image of God, he alone shares the likeness of God the Father. Christ is both sinless and apathetic (indifferent), and thus by striving to imitate Christ, one can achieve salvation.

Clement of Alexandria Titus Flavius Clemens, also known as Clement of Alexandria, was a Christian theologian and philosopher taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Among his pupils were Origen and Alexander of Jerusalem. Born: Athens, Greece Died: Jerusalem School: Middle Platonism; ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Denomination: Baptist