Sermons on Worthless Effort:

Priorities-4

Contributed by Byron Sherman on May 19, 2020

4 of ? Haggai exhorted those returning from exile to prioritize their relationship with God. God’s people must prioritize their relationship with God. But how can they do that? A prioritized relationship with God properly assesses...

PRIORITIES—IV—Haggai 1:1-15 Attention: Cooking—a microcosm of the importance of priority— •I love pumpkin pie.(that is a hint to anyone listening or reading). My favorite recipe for pumpkin pie, is one which I stole from the Libby’s pumpkin can but have tweaked the ingredients. I always add ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

You Are Being Followed

Contributed by Byron Sherman on May 14, 2019

You & I have some-thing that follows us wherever we go. That which follows & trails behind each of us is what the Bible calls your ‘works.’ These ‘works’ all ‘follow’ you either into the arms of Jesus or thru the gates of hell.

‘YOU ARE BEING FOLLOWED’—Revelation 14:13c_iii Attention: ‘Electric Eye’(1982), by the secular British rock band, Judas Priest. Up here in space, I'm looking down on you. My lasers trace, Everything you do You think you've private lives, Think nothing of the kind There is no true ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 14:12-13

Denomination: Baptist

Life Study Of Chimham - A Type Of Christian Believer

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Mar 30, 2015

To show by SM (secret message) that what we have obtained like eternal life and great favors all came from GOD's Divine effort and no human effort was made to get or obtain it. Why this verse? Because it has a signature of the Aleph-Tav.

I. EXORDIUM: Are you blessed and have great favors? Yes, it's all because of JESUS. Ephesians 2:8-9 (Amplified Bible) 2:8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 19:40

Denomination: Pentecostal

Breaking The Cycle In A Land Misled-2

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Jul 2, 2019

2 of 5. King Ahaz of Judah’s reign was marked/defined by political expediency, acquiescence, & compliance. A land defined by political expediency, acquiescence, & compliance is misled & to be pitied. The cycle must be broken in a misled land, due to it’s wasted...

BREAKING The CYCLE In A LAND MISLED--II— 2Kings 16:01-18; 18:01-07, 14-16; 19:1-7, 14-20, 35-37 Overcoming Political Compliance/Acquiescence Overcoming The Politics of Spiritual Acquiescence. Attention: President George Washington "And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 16:1-18, 2 Kings 18:1-7, 2 Kings 18:13-16, 2 Kings 19:1-7, 2 Kings 19:14-20, 2 Kings 19:35-37  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

How To Minimize Your Influence For God

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 27, 2012

Sometimes the best way to understand how to be a productive Christian is to look at the formula for spiritual worthlessness and do the opposite.

How To Minimize Your Influence for God (2 Corinthians 6:1-11) 1. Facebook is big. And the computers they have are many. 2. “With 900 million members worldwide and growing, Facebook is building its first European data storage facility—60 miles south of the Arctic Circle in Lulea, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:1-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Jotham’s Fable Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Nov 26, 2019

Jotham was not condemning the monarchy itself, but was to a certain extent pointing out that Abimelech was a worthless person."

Chapter 38 Jotham’s Fable [Judges 9.7-9.15] Scripture 7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8 The trees went forth on a ...read more

Scripture: Judges 9:7-15

Denomination: Baptist

Sovereignty And Sweat: How God Blesses Our Faithful Labor - 1 Samuel 10-11 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Aug 7, 2025

Success is supplied by God, not our effort, but it comes only through our effort. The right understanding of sovereignty and free will will increase effort and decrease worry and pride.

1 Samuel 10:1-8 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, "Has not the LORD anointed you leader over his inheritance? 2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel's tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to ...read more

The Power Of Persistent Prayer SermonCentral

Contributed by SermonCentral on Sep 9, 2023

Many believe prayer is a futile effort, but without the ministry of prayer, our efforts are in vain.

Many people believe that prayer is a waste of time, but in reality, without the ministry of prayer, our work becomes futile. The early church understood the significance of prayer and relied on it to accomplish great things. Prayer is not just a religious duty; it is a powerful tool that connects ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:14

Topics: Prayer, Persistence

The Spirit Of The Disciplines Ii

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jan 27, 2007

We are to "make every effort" to grow to be like Christ. Growth comes through conscious efforts.

2 Peter 1:5-8 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-8

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Greatest Search And Rescue Mission Ever

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Jan 6, 2001

Are you utterly lost? Worthless? Useless? Boy, oh boy...do YOU have help on the way!

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” A husband and wife are on a long trip in their car. For a long while there is silence, as she dozes in and out and he watches the road. Finally, it occurs to her that he seems to be watching the road signs more intently, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10

Denomination: Orthodox

Let Go And Let God

Contributed by John Kapteyn on Oct 18, 2000

The middle verse of Jonah says "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs".

Introductory Considerations 1. One of best known stories in Bible is the story of Jonah - often seen as a children’s story and heard many children’s songs about it. 2. But the story of Jonah is a story that has an important message to each of us - as a church and as individuals. Not just about a ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 2:8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Investing In Treasures Or Trinkets?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 30, 2002

We need to invest time and effort in other people.

2 Peter 1 :7 And to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. I am pondering and my mind ponders the goodness of God. Today, I took two older ladies for a ride, just to get them out of the house for a few hours. We were so far in the country, there was no bridge to cross the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:7, Jude 1:22

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Disposable People?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 18, 2008

THE CHURCH MUST NEVER SEE INDIVIDUALS AS DISPOSABLE! We must give every effort to try and try again to reach those that are not in the ark of safety. Comfortable with the 99? One?

THERE IS A TERRIBLE DANGER OF SEEING PEOPLE AS DISPOSABLE. By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com I. THERE IS A CRY IN THE CHURCH WORLD TO USE PEOPLE TO BUILD THE CHURCH. THAT IS NOT GOD’S PLAN --- GOD’S PLAN IS CLEAR --- USE THE CHURCH TO BUILD BETTER PEOPLE. A. Life can become so ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:39-44

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Instant Christian

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jul 10, 2011

We have adapted the Christian life to the culture. We want it hot, easy, quick and effortless.

The American people expect everything fast, easy and cheap. And we often treat the Christian life like that. We want it to be like a McDonald’s drive through — drive up to the window, get what you want and drive off. Have you noticed all the ads that tell us about the products ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-24

Denomination: Methodist

And One To Grow On Series

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 30, 2015

The key to spiritual maturity is knowing and walking with Jesus.

1. Darwin Awards There is a book of the Darwin Awards. These are awards that are issued every year to the people who do the "stupidest stuff" which results in their own death. In the chapter called, "Macho Men" are three examples: * There was the story about Larry and his friend Joseph who just ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ