Sermons on Try Harder:

"I Am Victorious" Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Apr 16, 2014

What do you think would happen if you were an athlete and you knew that you had already won the game before you even started? How do you think that would affect your performance? Would you go through the motions? Would you try even harder?

“I Am Victorious” (Eph 6:10-20) What do you think would happen if you were an athlete and you knew that you had already won the game before you even started? How do you think that would affect your performance? Would you go through the motions? Would you try even harder? It’s ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

The Palace: A Place Of Injustice Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Jul 9, 2004

This morning our focus is on how Pilate kept trying to slam the door shut but was unable to do so.

A couple weeks ago I stopped at a gas station on my way to make a hospital visit. As usual my mind was focused on a number of things, and I wasn’t paying attention to the howling hurricane whipping through the flat lands of Illinois. As I got out of the car, the wind pulled the door out of my hand ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:11-31

Denomination: Baptist

Straining Gnats And Swallowing Camels

Contributed by Stephan Brown on Nov 21, 2002

Shows how the Pharisees did and sometimes we do miss the harder parts of God’s plan--justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

Straining Gnats and Swallowing Camels MT 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:23-24, Hosea 2:19-20

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Twenty-One Benefits Of Godliness

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 5, 2004

"Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). That’s much harder to come by than mere prosperity.

Twenty-One Benefits of Godliness (2 Pet 1:7,8) "Add to your faith, goodness, knowledge, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and Christian love. For if these qualities are yours an increase they render neither useless nor unfruitful." Many people are willing to discipline themselves to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:7-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Conquering Sin (4): Experiencing Complete Victory Series

Contributed by Nate Herbst on Dec 31, 2008

The fight with sin is very real but God never intended for us to live in bondage; He has given us the keys to victory over sin and they are found in His Word.

Winning the fight. There is a fight! Rom.7:15-19 - “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:15-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Establish A Government In Righteousness?

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Mar 8, 2015

To show that we need to pray harder for GOD to remove these criminals seated in government so that any country will be established in righteousness.

I. EXORDIUM: Are you hoping for a political position? No, it will be chaos and suffering for my CHRISTian faith. II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: Believers III. OBJECTIVES: To show that we need to pray harder for GOD to remove these criminals seated in government so that any country will be established ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 25:5

Denomination: Pentecostal

When Satan Is At His Worst

Contributed by Bo Dunford on Mar 14, 2002

Satan knows that his time is short, so he is working harder now than ever to destroy everything good and right.

REV. 12:12 "WHEN SATAN IS AT HIS WORST" A) There is a person known as the devil, who has pledged himself to fight every work of God! * Someone has asked, "Where did the devil come from and why did God make a devil?" B) Originally Satan was an angel in Heaven, he was an archangel. * There were three ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 12:12

Denomination: Baptist

Matthew 6 – Part 9 – Trying To Play A Symphony On An Old Piano Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 7, 2010

“zçteô”. It means to seek; to go after; to strive; to pursue; to desire; to aim at; to search for; to endeavor to get. (POSB Commentary). SEEKING THE GRAND PIANO - His Kingdom and His righteousness. It’s tuned,it sounds better and He knows how it's played

Matthew 6 – Part 9 – TRYING TO PLAY A SYMPHONY ON AN OLD PIANO I don’t have any paid employment at present. Moving to Sydney has been a step of faith. We have limited resources for the future. Our possessions fit into a garage. Somewhere under all those boxes is a piano that we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Easter Means God Is Trying To Get Your Attention Because He Loves You Series

Contributed by Wayne Solomon on Apr 3, 2010

God keeps calling you, God keeps trying to get your attention but you treat Him as if He is bothering you, all He wants to say is "I love you"

Resurrection Sunday April 4th 2010. God is trying to get your attention because He loves you. Introduction: • On January 27-28, 2009, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas: at least 23 people die due to severe storms that covered roads and power lines with snow and ice. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:6

Denomination: Church Of God

Time For Change Part 2

Contributed by Kevin Higgins on Jul 24, 2006

Three observations from Jesus’ teachings

Luke 6:27-45 Time for Change Part Two: A Change of Mind Woodlawn Baptist Church July 23, 2006 Introduction As I concluded last week’s sermon we took a brief look at Jesus’ teachings. If you remember, I told you that following Jesus demands that we adopt a new worldview: the poor, the hungry, the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-45

Denomination: Baptist

Moving Past Religion That Weighs You Down Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 18, 2010

This message looks at the burdensome approach to religion that the Pharisees had and what Jesus offers instead.

PHARISEE RELIGION: “Got-to’s” and guilt lead to a heavy burden. - Matthew 23:4. - Cf. v. 3 – The Pharisees don’t practice what they preach, so they’re putting out a standard, but the “unwashed masses” don’t know how to avoid the guilt. In the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:4

Denomination: Baptist

Gentleness - Fruit Of The Spirit

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jan 4, 2001

Do you know any "Very Draining People" who say things that set you on edge, & you’re convinced that they enjoy doing it?

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER CENTRAL CHRISTIAN, BROWNSVILLE A. Do you know any VDPs, "Very Draining People?" They’re the kind who say things that set you on edge, & you’re convinced that they enjoy doing it? They come into your home & say, "Where did you find that ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Able Men

Contributed by Paul Hammons on Mar 13, 2007

God called able men to serve Him, and that still holds true today. God is calling able men to serve Him. The problem is it’s getting harder and harder to find men who will take a stand against the cultural norm and say, “As for me and my house, we will se

Able Men; 1 Chronicles 9:13 Statistics from churchformen.com * The typical U.S. Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male. This gender gap shows up in all age categories. Young adult, middle aged, and seniors…. * On any given Sunday there are 13 million more adult women than ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 9:13

Jesus Tries To Save Pilate Series

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on Aug 8, 2013

Is Pilate trying Jesus, or is Jesus trying Pilate?

Jesus Tries to Save Pilate John 18:28-38 Introduction Last week we talked about three trials. We talked about the mock trial of Jesus before Annas and the Jewish leaders. The second trial was that of the Jewish nation before Jesus. The third was the trial of Peter and John in the courtyard before ...read more

Scripture: John 18:28-38, John 18:33-37

Denomination: Independent/Bible

How To Handle Hard Times

Contributed by Dr. Ezra Aniebue on Dec 25, 2009

Don’t allow any hard time to break you, to cause you to quit, give up and lose hope. Instead learn the principles that will make you harder than your hard time. When you are harder than your hard time, you will send your hard time packing and running from

Hard times are real. Difficult situations are not new. The book of Eccl.1: 9 says, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” The hard time that you are experiencing now, or that you will ever ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Denomination: Independent/Bible