Sermons on Swimming Upstream:

The Hard Way - Why God Uses Diffictul People In Our Lives Series

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Feb 2, 2013

Today we want to remember that GOD uses difficult people to build our character, to make us stronger. Such people reveal hidden faults and deepen our trust in God

Charles R. Swindoll provides the following story which he calls “Tension in the Tank.” "In the northeastern United States, codfish are not only delectable, they are a big commercial business. There's a market for eastern cod all over, especially in sections farthest removed from the ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Is The Abyss? Where Do We Cast Demons To?

Contributed by Odon Bulamba on Dec 30, 2013

In Luke 8:31 it says the demons begged Jesus not to send them into the Abyss. Is this the same as the grave, Sheoul/Hades?

In Luke 8:31 it says the demons begged Jesus not to send them into the Abyss. Is this the same as the grave, Sheoul/Hades? They went into the swine and the swine were drowned in the sea. I've heard that the sea is equivalent to the Abyss? Therefore Jesus sent them to the Abyss? Were they somehow ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Says The Teacher Everything Is Meaningless

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 13, 2014

A sermon introducing a series on Ecclesiastes (Outline and material adapted from Eugene Peterson's book, Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work, chapter 4 The Pastoral Work of Nay-Saying)

HoHum: There’s a guy who's looking for the meaning of life, and he goes to India to finds a guru, and he climbs the mountain, and there on the top in his cave, sitting cross-legged, is the guru, and the man says, "I've come from America to ask you the meaning of life." The guru says, "Ah yes, ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The God Of Hope

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Nov 25, 2008

Man needs to live with hope and only God can give us a sure and enduring hope in life. The Psalmist inspires hope in God as he recounts God’s past deeds and their experience of God’s deliverance.

In “Point Man”, Steve Farrar tells about a photographer for a national magazine who was assigned to take pictures of a great forest fire. He was advised that a small plane would be waiting to fly him over the fire. The photographer arrived at the airstrip just an hour before sundown. Sure ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 107:1-32

Denomination: Independent/Bible

When Stress Gets Tough Series

Contributed by David Dewitt on Dec 29, 2011

Dealing with stress can be difficult. Paul gives us a glimpse of how to handle the issue of stress

When Stress Gets Tough Acts 27:1-44 June 25, 2011 Morning Message Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency. ~Natalie Goldberg, Wild Mind How many of you deal with some form of stress? Stress is one of the factors of life that we all deal with. Stress comes at us ...read more

Scripture: Acts 22:1-44

Denomination: Church Of God

Ship Wreaked!

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Jun 3, 2012

Sometimes our life can become ship wreaked!

Verse 1-3-And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment. So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 27:1-44

Denomination: Baptist

John The Baptist - A Link Between The Old And New Testaments

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 21, 2012

What made John so special

Sermon: John the Baptist – Radical and Countercultural par excellence Story: A young police officer was taking his final exam for the police academy and he was set the following problem to solve. “You are on patrol in the outer city when an explosion occurs in a gas main in a nearby street. On ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:57-66

Denomination: Anglican

Thank God For His Rules!

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Jun 22, 2009

God’s laws are a blessings not a burden.

Today is officially the first day of summer. What do you like best about summer? As a kid what I loved was going to the pool on a hot humid day. I’ll bet there are a lot of children here who enjoy swimming. If so, what do you like best about the pool? Do you like jumping off the diving board or ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:23-28

Denomination: Lutheran

A Servant Church Heals Series

Contributed by Alvin Hathaway, Sr. on Mar 16, 2009

The Servant Church can heal if it manifests the reality of a tender, loving, merciful and compassionate God who can raise you up and make you whole in the midst of an evil world.

A Servant Church Heals Text: James 5: 13 – 20 Focus: “That ye may be healed” We have looked at the Servant Church loves, the servant church empowers, the servant church trains, the servant church forgives and this Sunday we conclude our series with the Servant Church heals. To heal means to ...read more

Scripture: James 5:13-20

Denomination: Baptist

Are There Limits?

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Oct 8, 2010

The scripture reading show that God has no limits in the way that humans perceive them, and challenges listeners to consider their own limits.

2 Kings 5.1-15 2 Timothy 2.8-15 Luke 17.11-19 I wonder if you’ve ever watched I’m a celebrity…get me out of here? Selected celebrities are expected to face things most of us would rather avoid, like putting one’s arm into a tank full of writhing snakes, or handling a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

He Comes To Rescue

Contributed by David Roth on Feb 6, 2015

Proper 14 (A) Christ comes to us and saves us.Therefoer we may be confident that we are safe in Christ despite all trouble.

J. J. May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. “He comes to rescue” Our Gospel today is a familiar one, one we have read many times during our lives. We may even recall hearing it as a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-32

Denomination: Lutheran

You & The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - Pt. 2 - Shake It Off! Series

Contributed by Steve Ely on Feb 23, 2015

It has been one of those days! You have had one, right? Things just can't seem to get any worse and then . . . they do! It feels like every day is a Monday. So what do you do?

I. Introduction In the 60's the Mamas and Papas may have most accurately captured the sentiment of the concept of getting a "Case of the Mondays". Monday, Monday, can't trust that day Monday, Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way Oh, Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Anointing For The Next Level

Contributed by Bishop Prof. Julius Soyinka on Mar 26, 2015

The anointing of God will make a man to operate beyond natural level and to do supernatural things. For any one to progress in life and ministry, he or she needs the flow of fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit.

ANOINTING FOR THE NEXT LEVEL Study Text: I John 2:27 Introduction: - According to the word of God, every born-again, Spirit-filled child if God has the anointing in His life. But every child of God is responsible for keeping and increasing the level of anointing. That is why some walk in a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:27

Denomination: Pentecostal

Self-Control Series

Contributed by Roshelle Brenneise on May 27, 2021

You will recognize them BY. THEIR. FRUITS.

September 12, 2020 We began this series with Love. Love is the seed of all our fruit: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and gentleness. Self-Control is the glue that holds it all together. Self-Control comes from a Greek word that literally means to be a “MASTER OF ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:16-20, Galatians 5:22-25

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

5 Reasons Jesus Came To Earth

Contributed by John Gaston on Jan 8, 2020

Five times in the Book of Matthew, Jesus says, “I came….” In these five statements He gave insight into what He intended to accomplish at the Cross. Each indicates a scene of importance relating to our salvation.

5 REASONS JESUS CAME TO EARTH INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR 1. A Notre Dame football star appeared in court as a witness in a civil suit. The Judge asked, “Are you a member of this year’s Notre Dame football team?” “Yes, Your Honor,” the athlete replied. 2. “What position do you play” asked the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17, Matthew 9:13, Matthew 10:34, Matthew 18:11, Matthew 20:27-28  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God