Sermons on Striving For God:

God's Unmerited Favor

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Feb 11, 2019

What role did you play in God’s plan last year? Is Christ happy with your commitment to his church; did you strive to reach your potential in him or did you coast along doing as little as possible, hoping something good will happen?

One of the three ships that bring the colonists to Jamestown is Godspeed, a three-mast square-rigger that sails the Atlantic nearly five months to get to Virginia. The ship is just 88 feet long—about the length of a double tractor-trailer—and has a top speed of +/- 4 miles per hour. Colonists ...read more

Denomination: Other

Jacob Wrestles With God, A Salvation Story. Series

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jun 6, 2024

Jacob had been at odds with pretty much everyone his entire life, He wrestles with God and surrenders. There is a new beginning. Why do we wrestle with God and not just surrender to him?

Read Genesis 32:22-32 Who here likes a bit of alone time, the family have gone off on a trip and here’s an opportunity, there’s that novel that you would like to finish reading, that project that you’ve been wanting to finish or in my case get started, the hobby that it would be good to lose ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32, Ephesians 2:4-6, Genesis 32:1-32, Jeremiah 29:11-14

Denomination: Salvation Army

Be Like Mike

Contributed by Horace Wimpey on Jun 20, 2014

John writes that we are not to be the same as the world but we are to look forward to being the same as Jesus while we strive to imitate and be pure just as Jesus was and is pure.

Be Like Mike 1 John 3: 1-3 (NLT) Intro: Play you tube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0AGiq9j_Ak . How many remember that commercial on TV? . All the kids and half the adults wanted to be like Mike didn’t they? . Michael Jordan was probably the first to be labeled a super ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Battling Besetting Sin Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Nov 7, 2011

Paul was being defeated by (the law of) sin, forcing him (his renewed mind) to search till God could reveal to him the way of deliverance (the Law of the Spirit). The law of sin is too strong for anyone so you must yield to a higher law if you would have

BATTLING BESETTING SIN (THE ENEMY WITHIN) ROMANS 7:15-8:2 How does one go about battling the sin which so easily besets us? Is there any way to be completely delivered from the sin that has plagued your life for years and years? A person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ may be ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

An Attitude Adjustment

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 17, 2005

We should strive for the servant attitude of Christ Jesus.

AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 INTRODUCTION What is an attitude? An attitude is much more than an opinion and much more than a mere feeling. An attitude is an opinion that is acted upon. For example, a person may feel that he or she is more superior to those around them and it hurts ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Heritage Of Faith

Contributed by Dan Santiago on Feb 4, 2006

Believers should strive to achieve continuity of faith in the family.

INTRODUCTION A survey released by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago revealed that the U.S. will likely no longer be a majority Protestant nation in years to come, due to a decline in affiliation with many Protestant churches. Between 1993 and 2002, the share of ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

"Thyatira-Spiritual Purity And Adultery" Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Jul 6, 2002

Avoid the pollution of the world--strive for a Christian worldview and lifestyle

"Thyatira-spiritual purity and adultery" Rev 2:18-29 The Letters to the 7 Churches Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts Located 40 miles southeast of Pergamum, Thyatira started out as a Greek outpost, founded by a General of Alexander the Great, in order to ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29

Denomination: Congregational

On To Perfection

Contributed by Peter Thelander on Oct 31, 2001

An encouragement to believers to strive toward spiritual maturity and perfection.

On To Perfection Text: Col. 3:1-17 Introduction: Max Lucado tells the story of Bob, who was born into the land of coats! His mother loved the color blue and made Bob’s first cost a lovely shade of blue. Every time she noticed her son in his lovely blue coat, she cheered, "Yes, Bob!" He felt good ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-17

Denomination: United Methodist

Be Excellent - 4 Of 4 Series

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Jan 28, 2016

The church is called to strive for excellence in all we do.

Excellence Colossians 3:17-24 January 24, 2016 For the first 3 weeks of the year we’ve been looking at what it means to strive for excellence. What does it mean for us individually and as a church. I believe we can never be the church Christ calls us to be, if we don’t strive for ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

Be Excellent Series

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Jan 11, 2016

The church should strive to be excellence in all we do!

Excellence January 10, 2016 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 When I was in seminary I had a professor who taught Pastoral Care and Counseling classes. She was adamant that sporting events for kids should never have a winner, because then there would never be a loser. There were major debates in class, she ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Denomination: Baptist

A Shoulder To Lean On

Contributed by Ed Wood on May 24, 2007

God is dependable through all of life’s problems.

A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON Psalm 46:1-11 INTRO: Life can be brutal. We experience grief and see our friends experience sudden calamities. A tornado or fire wipes out a family dream. Cancer strikes, and long, drawn-out suffering begins. Friends and family let us down through broken promises. They are ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

God's Protection And Answered Prayer Series

Contributed by Bruce Landry on Jan 19, 2002

We continue to study Jacob’s walk as he returns to his homeland. God’s host meets Jacob just as he finds out some unsettling news. Esau is coming towards him with 400 men. Let us see the steps Jacob takes to prepare for this and in the process becomes

God’s Protection and Answered Prayer DBF 1/20/02 Genesis 32 Protection of God in our time of need Purposeful Prayer in our lives Purposefully striving for God’s Perfect will Have you ever found yourself in a situation that is beyond you, without any true means within yourself of getting ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:1-32

Denomination: Baptist

The Throne, The Scroll, And The Lamb Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Sep 30, 2010

We humans strive to create an extravaganza that blows us away ie. Olympic opening ceremonies. Maybe we’re trying to create our own experience of heaven’s spectacle. But even Hollywood couldn’t recreate what we hear about in these chapters of Revelation, w

Probably the most spectacular sight I have ever seen was in Disney World this past winter, and it was a show called Fantasmic. Fire, music, water, lasers, holograms, lights, dragons, fireworks, battles. You couldn’t take your eyes off it, it was so spectacular. We humans strive to create an ...read more

These Three Things Part Two Series

Contributed by Steve Malone on Jan 28, 2019

In this message we will unpack Proverbs 3:5,6 and discover 3 truths that if we embrace and keep striving to live out we make this year different.

These Three Things – week 2 ThisYearCanBeDifferent GOOD MORNING… WELCOME – to church, WELCOME – to week 4 of the new year, and to week 3 of our opening series for 2019… ‘This Year Can Be Different!’ AND LISTEN B/S – the God that we have gathered in this room to worship, wants you to know that ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Example Of Our Heavenly Father

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Aug 29, 2002

This sermon addresses how we as earthly fathers should strive to be like God, our heavenly Father.

THE EXAMPLE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER Text: Matthew 5:48 Dispelling the dangerous myth that all are children of God, Louis Everly wrote: “It is only when we are subject to a common father that we are brothers. To become brothers we have only to become sons again”. (Wayne A. Detzler. New ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:48

Denomination: United Methodist