Sermons on Try Harder:

Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time: Buried Treasure And Pearls

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jun 28, 2023

The main character spends the rest of the movie frantically trying to figure out what Curly meant. What IS that “just one thing?

In 1905, the world’s largest diamond, a 3,106-Carat Diamond called the Cullinan diamond, weighing over a pound and worth $2 Billion dollars, was found at the Thomas Cullinan Premier Diamond Mining Company in South Africa. Diamonds are forever, but, if you don’t own one, don’t feel bad; consider ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 3:5-12, Matthew 13:44-52

Denomination: Catholic

Psalm 139 Lesson 10 Series

Contributed by Elmer Towns on Jul 7, 2023

“I, your God, will search you to know the intent of your heart; I will try you to know your thoughts."

All Scriptures are from The Bible by Jesus A. MY OMNISCIENCE, OMNIPRESENCE AND OMNIPOTENCE – PSALM 139 “I, your Lord, have searched you and I know you thoroughly. I know when you sit and when you rise, I understand your thoughts from afar. I know your journeys and your rest, I am familiar with ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Reason To Praise. Psalm 34:1-3

Contributed by David Cramer on Jan 3, 2025

As we continue on in our lives we go through tough times and trying times. We need a reason to continue to Praise.

Please stand with me and lift up you Bible and repeat after me. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I can do what it says I can do. I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be. Today I will learn more of the word of God. The indestructible, never ending, living word Of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:1-3

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Usury & Extortion

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jan 16, 2024

Why do western banks engage in usury and extortion? Why do Christians go along with it without trying to change this practice?

One of the earliest principles of money lending is a law against usury. If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest. (Exodus 22:25 NKJV) This is the exact opposite of how western banks operate today. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 22:5

Denomination: Baptist

Listen Up Sheep!

Contributed by Gary Holt on Jan 14, 2023

God is trying to get our attention. He has things to say, do we want to hear them? Are we listening?

"Listen up sheep” part 1 John 10:22-30 https://youtu.be/6RfkCc5Tlyo Something interesting happened: ? with my sermon this week ? I started off in one direction ? my introduction to that sermon became this sermon Today’s sermon is not as organized as I like: - I like to think the ideas ...read more

Scripture: John 10:22-30

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Giving - With What Kind Of Givers Is God Pleased? Series

Contributed by David Owens on Feb 25, 2008

In this last lesson from the series we look at some princples of giving found in Paul’s correspondence with the Corinthian church, and I try to inspire us with the joy of giving.

Introduction: A. One Sunday a preacher told his congregation that the church needed some extra money and asked the people to prayerfully consider giving a little extra in the offering plate that morning. 1. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns. 2. After the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Some Storms In Your Life Are Sent By God!

Contributed by Beverly Holstein on Sep 19, 2017

Sometimes God allows storms in our lives because He is trying to get our attention! We need to recognize these storms, and then we need to recognize what we need to throw overboard!!

VS 2 – ALL WICKEDNESS WILL EVENTUALLY COME BEFORE THE LORD FOR JUDGEMENT!!! Acts 17:30 - And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-12

Denomination: Pentecostal

Emerging Or Returning Church?

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 19, 2009

Isn’t Christ’s church good enough? Do we need to dress him up to get people through the door? Perhaps we should get back to what the church should be rather than trying to figure out new ways to make it work.

Emerging or Returning Church? Ascension Sunday Revelation 1:12 – 3:22 May 24, 2009 We talk a lot about Jesus birth, his death, his resurrection, but we tend to pay little attention to his ascension to the throne in heaven. So I began to wonder, what if Jesus had just been resurrected and not ...read more

Can God Be Trusted?

Contributed by Sean Harder on Aug 5, 2011

God allows us to do things for which he holds himself responsible. God trusts us, can you believe that? And he lets us blame him for things that we are responsible for. I wonder if we can be trusted by him, can he be trusted by us? And will we show that t

Let me start today with some words from Christopher Columbus who we attribute with finding North America, but not many of us know that apparently he was quite a theologian too. He said, “It was the Lord who put into my mind the fact that it would be possible to sail from here (Spain) to the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 55:16-23

Keys To Effective Worship

Contributed by Tony Lewis on Aug 21, 2002

Keys are usually used to help us gain access into something, without keys if it’s locked the only way we can get in is to break in, and that’s what some of us are trying to do, break into God’s presence.We are trying to use shortcuts to gain illegal acces

Dr. Tony V Lewis Intro; Keys are usually used to help us gain access into something, without keys if it’s locked the only way we can get in is to break in, and that’s what some of us are trying to do, break into God’s presence. We are trying to use shortcuts to gain ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:27-29

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Committed To Christ

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Aug 28, 2019

You're trying to make the right decisions and live out your Christian life, but the more you try, the more difficult life seems to get. Our Christians lives are not always so glorious. Why do we continue? Where do find the glory of a life committed to following Christ?

Have you ever had one of those weeks where things seem to go wrong? You’re trying to do the right thing, make the right decisions, but it just doesn’t work out the way you thought it would. You set aside time for a family dinner, only to have it turn into sibling arguments, someone stomping away ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:14-21

Denomination: Lutheran

How Can We Truly Worship God? Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jun 17, 2024

1. Let God fill you with the Holy Spirit (vs. 18). 2. Let God put a song in your heart (vs. 18, 19). 3. Let God give you more gratitude (vs. 18, 20).

How Can We Truly Worship God? Ephesians 5:18-20 Sermon by Rick Crandall Series: The Book of Ephesians (Prepared June 17, 2024) (Revised July 7, 2024) MESSAGE: *Today our focus is on worship, and nothing is more important in our Christian life than heartfelt worship of God. But what is worship? ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-20

Denomination: Baptist

Problems That We As Parents Are Facing In This Modern Day.

Contributed by Ed Pruitt on Jun 16, 2005

Now we see here that Paul is trying to tell us to wake up and realize what the condition of the world is and not just set there and let evil take over!

Problems That We As Parents Are Facing In This Modern Day. Sunday June 18, 2000 A.M. We take our text this morning from Ephesians 5:14-33 14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” Now we see here that Paul is trying to tell us to wake up ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:14-33

Denomination: Church Of God

Charismatic Apostles

Contributed by Kenneth Anthony on Apr 28, 2006

Apostles were charismatic evangelists that connected and bonded with people in order to bring them to Christ. Explore five characteristics of charismatic Christians.

We all love high achievers. We love our professional athletes, entrepreneurs, and other “go-getters” that “make it” in the world. We also want to be like them in some ways and claim our moment in the spotlight. It’s no accident that we see tens of thousands of young people auditioning for ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:12-20

Denomination: Orthodox

Increasing Your Spiritual Assets

Contributed by Dana Chau on Sep 1, 2002

Learn to increase the worth of your relationship with God

I received an email this week asking the question, "What’s the difference between people who pray in church and those who pray in casinos?" The answer, "The ones in the casinos are serious." There may be more truth to that email than we want to believe. The prayer to increase one’s wealth ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

Denomination: *other