Sermons on Strive To Grow:

When Temptation Comes

Contributed by Chris Surber on Feb 8, 2008

Do not be surprised when temptation comes at times when you are growing in Christ and when it comes remember that you are a child of the King. Let us commit ourselves to allowing our Father’s words dwell in our hearts so that we might be prepared when tem

When Temptation Comes, Matthew 4:1-11 Introduction Our family pet, Happy the Saint Bernard, really doesn’t eat as much food as one might think she would for such a large dog but just because she doesn’t eat as much food as one might think doesn’t mean she does not have good taste! Happy is not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 4:11

Denomination: Christian Church

People Who Live On Milk

Contributed by John Gaston on Jan 30, 2014

Milk is a wonderful, but only till age 5. To grow past that, we must have solid food. The same is true in the spiritual realm. But many Christians live in perpetual infancy. They want only milk. They're geriatric spiritual babies. See God's directions!

PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON MILK 1 Pet. 2:2; 1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 5:12-13 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR: Cow Jokes Q: What do you call cattle with a sense of humor? A: Laughing stock. Q: What do cows get when they are sick? A: Hay Fever Q: Why do cows wear bells? A: Their horns don't work. Q: What kind of milk comes ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:12-14

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Overflowing Hope Series

Contributed by Scott Kircher on Feb 12, 2014

Hope. For many who have placed hope in the wrong things, it is scary to put our hope in something. But hope is essential to life and to living. How can we experience a hope that doesn’t disappoint us and grow in hope so that it is not drowned out by our circumstances?

Overflowing Hope God helps us live in hope through His word (v. 15:4) God helps us live in hope through His Church (v. 15:5-11) God gives us hope through His Son (v. 5:12) God gives us overflowing hope through His Spirit (v. 15:13) Slide Hope. Where is your hope? There are probably some of you ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:4-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God’s Amazing Grace When Life Is Hard

Contributed by Gordon Weatherby on May 8, 2013

It is often in the difficult times of life that we grow the most in Christ. Those times when it may even seem as though God has forsaken us, are times we can look back at later, and see his presence and grace abiding with us. It is often in those times

GOD’S GRACE WHEN LIFE IS HARD Rom. 5:1-11 INTRODUCTION: 1.)Several years ago Lanny and Marietta Wolfe wrote a hymn of the faith whose chorus goes: A.)"For whatever it takes to draw closer to you, Lord, That’s what I’ll be willing to do; For whatever it takes to be more like ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Love Farming

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Oct 25, 2012

We have a lot of churches and TV Evangelists, Pastors, Preachers today using Gods word like dynamite. Now, Gods word is powerful and shaper than any two edged sword the Bible says but, Jesus says it is a seed. A seed is something that is planted and grows

I love farming Luke 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-8

Denomination: Baptist

Family Life, Family Love

Contributed by Mark Opperman on Dec 5, 2012

We are tempted every day to do what is abnormal for a Christian. Instead of loving one another, we are tempted to snap at those around us. Instead of growing, we sometimes want to withdraw. Instead of living to please the Lord, we often get overly busy, d

Family Life, Family Love 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 Intro: During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. "Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Wanted: Spiritual Giants

Contributed by John Gaston on Aug 3, 2017

God is trying to raise up spiritual giants to shake the world. Most have wrong ideas of what a spiritual giant is. Let's look at 3 examples of one. If you want to become a spiritual giant, you have to eat GIANT FOOD! Let's grow for God!

WANTED: SPIRITUAL GIANTS Gal. 2:9 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR 1. In a Florida Army training camp there was a grueling obstacle course all the recruits had to daily complete. On the final stretch of the endurance test they had to grab a rope and swing across a broad deep pond. 2. Under the glaring ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:9

Denomination: Assembly Of God

God’s Righteousness Is Better Than We Could Ever Dream.

Contributed by Grant Van Boeschoten on Apr 5, 2017

Paul desperately wanted to know God’s righteousness working throughout his life. He wanted to grow day by day. We see what the Holy Spirit gave Paul to write about not just knowing about God’s righteousness, but living and experiencing it as well.

The Problem of Sin is worse than we thought, but God’s righteousness is better than we could ever dream. Do you ever dream about what your life would look like if you had God’s righteousness flowing in every part of who you are? (What is Righteousness? Doing right things, for the right reasons, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-14

Running Into Jesus

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Apr 30, 2017

Like the two on the Emmaus Road, we sometimes grow disappointed with God. But, if we seek his will through his word, he speaks to us and clarifies his plans. Then, our disappointment turns to joy as we begin to see things from God's perspective.

Luke 24:13-35 Running into Jesus The Bible records ten different resurrection appearances of Jesus. Today we look at one of the most captivating, a story only found in the gospel of Luke. The setting is a round trip hike between Jerusalem and Emmaus. A couple of Jewish believers are heading home ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus, The Good Shepherd

Contributed by Craig Condon on Feb 10, 2015

Jesus does not protect those he loves from bad things happening, but uses bad things to fulfill his plans for our lives. When we suffer, he is glad not because we are suffering, but because through suffering we have the chance to grow in faith.

A mother was once asked by a census-taker how many children she had. She replied, “Well, there’s Billy and Harry and Martha and…”. “Never mind the names,” the man interrupted, “Just give me the numbers”. The mother angrily replied, “They ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-10

Denomination: Anglican

Dads And Discipline

Contributed by Mark Opperman on Nov 9, 2015

God is the best Father there ever was or will be! Yet He too disciplines His children whom He loves. What is this discipline all about from our heavenly Father? we can learn how to respond correctly and grow effectively in our love and respect for Him!

Dads and Discipline Hebrews 12:5-13 5 … you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:5-13

Denomination: Assembly Of God

God's Designed Dilemmas

Contributed by Steven Ferber on Jun 21, 2012

Just as earthly fathers sometimes allow their children to face dilemmas so they can grow and mature, Jesus allowed His disciples to face the life-and-death dilemma of a huge storm at sea, so that He could show His power and inspire them to trust Him.

I think it’s safe to say that the drought in Minnesota is over, don’t you? The pictures and video of the flooding in Duluth are stunning. The good news is that our lakes and rivers are filling up, and most of our farmers are happy with the rain. The bad news is that Donna and I have ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Lutheran

Learning How To Walk Series

Contributed by Donald Mcculley on Jun 10, 2019

Since we have been made “partakers of His nature” (2 Pet. 1:4) we should learn to imitate (mimic, copy) God. Now that we are children we should resemble our father. That can only happen as we grow more in grace.

Learning How To Walk Ephesians 5:1-22 Introduction: For you parents, do you remember the thrill of watching your child take that first step? Don’t you think God takes great delight in watching us learn to walk? Note in verse 1 how Paul describes us “dearly loved children”. Paul teaches us that ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Stronger Together

Contributed by Pedro Trinidad on Oct 14, 2019

My knowledge is limited in the area of trees, but I did I little bit of reading into the root system of trees. Why the roots? Because I wanted to know how is it that trees grow, how they are fed, and what allows a tree to remain healthy in order to compare it to the Christian life.

My knowledge is limited in the area of trees, but I did I little bit of reading into the root system of trees. Why the roots? Because I wanted to know how is it that trees grow, how they are fed, and what allows a tree to remain healthy in order to compare it to the Christian life. The roots of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Opening Eyes!

Contributed by K. Heath Mcdougal-Deans on Mar 29, 2020

Open your eyes, your 2020 vision is not over! It should be growing. The current pandemic is an opportunity to open our eyes to a new vision, to opportunity, to come together as a world and heal divisiveness. After all, 'We are the world, We are 'Thee' children".

Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons conducted an experiment at Harvard University more than a decade ago that became infamous in psychology circles. Their book The Invisible Gorilla popularized it. And you may be one of the millions of viewers who made their Selective Attention Test one of ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41, John 8:1-11, Luke 4:18-19, Acts 26:18, Ephesians 6:12, Isaiah 6:9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other