Sermons on Try Harder:

Surviving Your Marriage Series

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Mar 27, 2001

In order to survive your marriage, you need to: (1) seek to serve rather than be served, and (2) stop trying to change each other

When a man and woman are first married, they typically share a dream of having a wonderful, loving, life together. But too often, after a few years their marriage resembles a field of battle more than a field of dreams. It may not be all-out warfare; the combatants may be able to put up a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:28, Matthew 7:3-5

Denomination: Baptist

Only Human....no Excuse For Sinning!

Contributed by Kenneth Trent on Nov 19, 2002

We often hear folks try to justify or minimize their sins by declaring: "I’m only human!" This outline seeks to expose the flimsiness of excuse making.

ONLY HUMAN…NO EXCUSE FOR SINNING! “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’ So God ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-27

Denomination: Baptist

The Two Wisdoms- James 3:13-18 Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Nov 22, 2002

James tells us that there are two different wisdoms trying to control our lives one originates from Heaven above and the other is an earthly unspiritual wisdom.

The Two Wisdoms in the World- Which one do you follow? Thesis: James tells us that there are two different wisdoms trying to control our lives one originates from Heaven above and the other is an earthly unspiritual wisdom. Texts: James 3: 13-18 (NIV) 13Who is wise and understanding among you? ...read more

Scripture: James 3:13-18, Proverbs 1:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Power Of Prayer

Contributed by Patrick O'loughlin on Nov 24, 2002

Do you ever feel like you are constantly defeated in your spiritual life? Have you tried everything but found no success? Try Prayer!

Text: Mark 9:14-29 Title: The power of prayer. “ He replied,” This kind can come out only by prayer.” (Mark 9:29) Introduction Do you ever, like me, often feel defeated in your walk with God? Can you identify with the father in our scripture passage who over the years saw things go from bad to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:14-29

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Conspiracy Against God

Contributed by Michael Sanes on Oct 14, 2003

Imagine the absurdity of conspiring against God, yet there are those who are willing to try. Ananias and his wife Sapphira agreed together to conspire against God.

Conspiracy Against God Text Acts 5:1-11 Intro: Illustration of botched conspiracies ·Conspiracy literally means to plot or scheme, to connive or work against Trans: Let us consider the "steps" of their conspiracy against God I. The Conspirators’ Plan 1. To deceive the church - for they ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:1-11

Denomination: Church Of God

Unstrained Mercy Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 27, 2006

Unstrained mercy needs to be constrained by the same constraints that God himself recognizes: by wisdom, by justice, by the long-term, eternal good of the person you are trying to help.

Every week it seems like there’s another new disaster. Wasn’t Hurricane Katrina enough, without adding Hurricane Rita to it? We were all so overwhelmed by the magnitude of those twin crises that many of us probably didn’t even pay much attention to the fires in California. After all, they ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Just One Touch Of Jesus

Contributed by Bramwell Hayes on Oct 20, 2006

Two people who were changed by one contact with Jesus, after trying to avoid meeting him tell their stories. Zacceus and the woman who bled.

Mark 5:25-34 Unclean! Unclean! Unclean! That was me It was not really a life, more an existence, and a miserable existence at that. I was tired all the time and I was getting weaker, and weaker, and weaker. I had no energy, no joy or zest for life. Some days I could only lie on my bed all day. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:25-34

Denomination: Salvation Army

Jonah And The Whale Series

Contributed by Don Hawks on Jun 22, 2007

Despite his tendency to do all those human things—to run away, to try to avoid responsibility—eventually he gets a new life.

Read Jonah 1:1-17; 2:1, 9-10 from "The Message" God says GO! Jonah says NO! God sends a storm to remind Jonah who is in charge. Jonah is thrown overboard by the others on the ship. Jonah makes the choice to keep trying to run from God. And you know what happens when Jonah is thrown ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Get Out Of The Boat

Contributed by Ryan Akers on Sep 23, 2005

Message on trying to have faith to get out of the boat and keep our eyes on Christ even when the storm of life is crashing all around us.

Getting out of the boat Right after the feeding of the 5,000 Matthew 14:22-32 1. Get out of the boat(26-29) • Waves are crashing and the boat is in danger of sinking. The disciples are scared it is a ghost but Peter took a leap of faith and trusted God in protecting him. • We all face ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-32

Denomination: Wesleyan

Love Each Other?

Contributed by Bob Soulliere on Oct 1, 2005

How do we love as God does? What is real love? How do we love each other? questions we will try to answer.

John 13:34&35 Love Each other? Did God create everything that exists? Does evil exist? Did God create evil? A University professor at a well known institution of higher learning challenged his students with this question. "Did God create everything that exists?" A student bravely replied, "Yes ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Almost You Convince

Contributed by David Rogers on Oct 5, 2005

a sermon on how we almost are christians and we try to convince to surrender to Christ when often we haven’t surrendered totally to Christ ourselves.

Almost You Convince Me Acts 26:27-30 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” 28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” 29And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost ...read more

Scripture: Acts 26:27-30

Denomination: Baptist

Making God Smile - Purpose Driven Life Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 18, 2004

Not all gifts bring God delight. What could possibly make it so that God would not take pleasure in what I try to do for Him?

OPEN: (I went up on podium with t-shirt and tie that my two children had bought me for my birthday) A week ago last Wednesday was my birthday. My daughter bought me this tie (with Jesus on a blue background), and my son picked out this t-shirt (with a lion and Jesus and the message: "King of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:15-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Changing Our "Why's" Into "How's"

Contributed by John Petty on Jan 11, 2008

Much of our time and energy is spent on trying to figure out "why" things happen, when we need to focus on "how" to make it through it.

2 Chronicles 20:1 (NKJV) 1 It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. 2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:1-12

Denomination: Church Of God

Back To Life, Back To Reality Series

Contributed by David Owens on Jan 26, 2009

In the aftermath of defeating Goliath, David experienced a number of significant relationships. I this lesson we try to apply a number of things that David learned from these relationships.

Introduction: A. The story is told of three men who began talking one day about their wives. 1. The first man said, “When we got married, I told my wife in no uncertain terms that from now on she would have to do all the cooking. Well, the first day after I told her, I saw nothing. The second day ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:1-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Painting God's Masterpiece Part 1 Series

Contributed by Rodney V Johnson on May 23, 2009

This series will focus on the image that God has of us and how we can spend a lifetime trying to make His image of us a reality in our life.

Painting God’s Masterpiece Scriptures: Genesis 2:7; Ephesians 2:10; Proverbs 23:7; 29:18 Introduction: I have titled this series “Painting God’s Masterpiece.” My older brother Barry preached a sermon titled “Re-painting Your Canvas” and the idea for this sermon series is based on his ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational