Sermons on Testing Faith:

Doing Good Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 23, 2021

Paul says there are two kinds of seeds we sow in life. There are the seeds of self-indulgence which please the sinful nature, and there are the seeds of doing good to others which please the Spirit.

In the spring of 1897, Thomas Hanna, a 25 year old Baptist pastor fell out of his carriage and landed on his head. When he woke up he was in a state of total amnesia. Dr. Boris Sidis and his assistant Dr. Goodhert had to teach him to talk, to eat, and to go to the bathroom as if he were a child. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10

Dream Awareness Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 24, 2021

We want to look at the second dream of Jacob in which we see the dream as a source of insight and instruction.

Doctor Paul Tournier, the great Christian psychiatrist, tells of the child who once remarked to his mother, "Dreams are God's movies, arn't they?" Doctor Tournier believes they are often just that. The early Christians believed dreams were a tool God used to give guidance, but ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:1-13

Expect The Unexpected Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 25, 2021

There is no such thing as a hopeless case. The lease likely people in this world can become children of God, and can become leaders in the kingdom, as did this Samaritan sinner.

The unexpected is the source of so much of the joy of life. Our three year old granddaughter, Jennifer, was praying at the table a couple of weeks ago. I noticed she was going faster than usual, and she came to the end saying, "In Jesus name, amen." Then she shouted, "I win." ...read more

One Is Enough Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 25, 2021

"O for a thousand tongues to sing my great redeemer's praise," we sing, but the fact is, God only gave us one tongue because one is enough.

It is hard to believe, but one man determined how we as Americans pronounce and spell words. When we began as a new and independent nation, Noah Webster thought is was only right that we stop be a copy of the English, and develop our own original ways of spelling words. Andrew Jackson said, ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-30

Changing Your Mind Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 27, 2021

Mark tells us that the very first message that Jesus preached was that the kingdom of God was near and, therefore, people are to repent and believe the good news. This was the same message that John the Baptist had been preaching.

A mother calling to her son shouted, "Johnny, tell your sister to get in the house out of the rain." "I can't mom," came the reply. "And just why can't you?" demanded his mother. "Because we are playing Noah's Ark mom, and she's one of the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-20

Self Control Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 30, 2021

All the boldness and knowledge in the world will not keep a man from going down in defeat if he lacks self-control.

In 1949 the Honorable Harold R. Medina was the judge who presided at the trial of 11 communists charged with plotting to overthrow our government by force. In his book Power To Become Lewis Dunnington gives an account of an interesting sidelight to that great trial. For 9 months the judge was ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:6

All Those Who Wander Are Not Lost: A Study In Nothingness

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Mar 30, 2021

Much of my early life was lived by such reverberations. I don't want to bash it. It had it's appeals. No burdens, no responsibilities. Just drift about. Ironically enough I live in a similar way today at times. I'm in the arms of God. I have no idea what will happen today.

"When Monday comes I want nothing Come Tuesday morning I want the same The days and nights fly by Looking to embrace the nothing of the everyday...." -Yo La Tengo, "Everyday" from the album: And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out. Much of my early life was lived by such ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2-9

Denomination: Salvation Army

How Can I Know God’s Will? Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 31, 2021

Learning to know God's will. What is its nature, how can I discern it?

Question to be asked: I hear a lot of people say that God told them to do something. I also have a friend who says that she and God have an understanding when it comes to some of her choices. I’m wondering – how can I tell when God is directing me to do something? Intro: “How can I know God’s ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:11, Isaiah 46:9-10, Isaiah 53:10, Acts 2:23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Discouraging Comfort Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 1, 2021

The book of Job makes clear that one of life's greatest tragedies is that believers do not comfort and encourage one another, but rather are often discouraging. That is what we see Job's friends being to him.

Emilie Lorning in her novel, Swift Waters, tells the story of a young single pastor who fell in love with a beautiful young woman in his congregation. She learned to play the chimes in the tower of the church, and when she learned the pastor's favorite hymn, she would play it frequently. ...read more

Givers By Choice Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 2, 2021

Giving is one of the key ways to produce encouragement. Givers create grateful hearts, and the world can never have too many grateful hearts.

Winston Churchill use to love to tell the story about the family who were having a picnic by the lake, and the little boy fell into the water by accident. The family did not see it, but a stranger passing by saw the boy slip under the water, and fully clothed, he leaped into the lake and rescued ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:10-20

Bridging The Gap Or Christ In The Workplace Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 2, 2021

My struggle to bridge the gap between Sunday and Monday changed my whole perspective on life and made me a skeptical Christian. I mean this in a good sense. I became skeptical of easy and pat answers that Christians spout off that do not fit the reality of people's everyday lives.

I haven't always worn a suit to work. A couple of days after I married Lavonne I got my first job in working my way through college. It was at the John Morrell Meat Packing Plant In Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After a summer of that we went off to Bethel and I got a number of jobs. I worked in ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:1-14

The Reversal Of Revenge Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 3, 2021

Paul's message is that the Christian can shift the balance of power to the side of righteousness by leaving vengeance to God and concentrating on doing good. Never is doing good more needed than when you feel like revenge.

The Revolutionary War was complicated by the fact that it was often also a Civil War. Families were on both sides of the conflict. William, for example became the governor of New Jersey because of the influence of his famous father. The shocking thing was that William wanted to be loyal to the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:19

Lesson 29r. The Practice Of Endurance (James 5:7-11) Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Apr 3, 2021

The Need for Patience. Given the oppressions mentioned in vv. 3-6, James encourages Christians to be patient until the coming of the Lord, and he cites the farmer, the prophets, and Job.

Text: James 5:7-11 (NIV) 7Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9Don’t grumble ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7-11

Denomination: Baptist

Positive Leadership Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 5, 2021

A leader is not content just to be a Christian. He wants to be a good Christian, and the best Christian he can be. They put forth effort in order to grow. They are ever reaching up to find better ways to apply God's Word in their lives.

Late one night in Philadelphia and elderly couple came into a little third class motel. The husband said to the night clerk, "Please don't tell us you don't have a room. My wife and I have been all over the city looking for a place to stay. We didn't know about the big ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:5-9

Christian Education Of Women Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 5, 2021

love is not how you feel or dream, but it is what you do. Love chooses, and love acts, and the loving choices in acts can be learned. The trained Christian is one who can ask in any situation in life, "What is the loving thing to do in this situation?"

Janette George played the role of Corrie Ten Boom in the movie The Hiding Place. She wrote an interesting book called Travel Tips For The Reluctant Traveler. In it she tells of her 35th birthday. That was the year she finally accepted the fact that she would never play Peter Pan. But she expected ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:1-8