In Sermons: showing 1-15 of 732

Trials And Temptations

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

God tested the Israelites in the desert to know what was in their hearts, and tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. God allows external hardships or difficult situations produce good qualities in us.

Opening illustration: Illustrate the difference between Temptation and Trial. Introduction: In the New Testament, the same Greek word (peirazo) is used for trial, test, and temptation. The basic meaning of peirazo is to test something to determine its response, value, or character. When peirazo is ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-3

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

From Tragedy To Triumph

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

Even so, when tragedy strikes and your emotions are strongly felt, you especially need direction from the Lord. You need to know what to do in such a dark hour. You need direction.

Opening illustration: It was 1818 in France, and Louis, a boy of 9, was sitting in his father's workshop. The father was a harness-maker and the boy loved to watch his father work the leather. "Someday Father," said Louis, "I want to be a harness-maker, just like you." ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:1-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Eternal Treasures From Mothers

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

What have your moms or grandmothers taught you? Many of you here are going to be future moms and grandmothers. What are you going to teach your children and grand kids?

Illustration: So, why did God make Mothers? Well, here is how some 2nd graders answered the following questions: 1.Q: Why did God make mothers? The top answers: ''Mostly to clean the house'' and ''to help us out of there when we were getting born.'' 2. Q: Why did ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Route To Great Awakening

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

We can go on living as though this world were everything, and there is no eternal world or great God to whom we are accountable. But when Christ returns will each one of us account for your life with joy?

Opening illustration: God awakened me when I went to work in the Middle East. Till then I was just a lukewarm and laidback Christian. I saw the great need for the Gospel of Christ to be proclaimed to the so many lost souls there. They had no idea that they were perishing and there was only one way ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Renewed Man

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

Can you honestly say that you are living a life that is different from the world around you? Can you honestly say that your life displays Jesus Christ to the world?

Opening Illustration: Story of Pastor David Wilkerson reached out to the gangs of New York in the hood, even risking his own life for bringing gang leaders like Nicky Cruz to Jesus Christ. He never lost heart. Introduction: This morning as we delve into Ephesians 4 by flagging the all-important ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Marks Of A Renewed Church

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

How can revival take place when the church is dead and there is no voice to speak life into them? Such is the state of affairs of the churches today.

Opening illustration: A U.S. Lutheran bishop tells of visiting a parish church in California and finding a stirring red and orange banner on the wall. “Come Holy Spirit. Hallelujah!” it declared in words printed under a picture of a fire burning. The bishop was also interested in the sign directly ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gospel Goes Viral

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

So, what is your role and the role of the church today in order to make the gospel go viral in our community, state, nation and to the ends of the earth? What are you doing about it?

Opening illustration: The Viral Texts project at Northeastern University in Boston is studying how printed content in the 1800s spread through newspapers—the social media network of that day. If an article was reprinted 50 times or more, they considered that “viral” for the Industrial Age. Writing ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thankful Worship

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

Whenever we come into God's presence, we must come with thanksgiving. The Lord is to be praised; we do not want matter, it was well if we did not want a heart.

Opening illustration: As President Washington proclaimed the 26th of November 1789 to be a day of thanksgiving. The last paragraph reads as follows: "And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Higher Call Of Discipleship

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

You cannot read the New Testament without seeing that any person who names the name of Christ is called to live on the high level of returning good for evil.

Introduction: This morning we come face to face with a practical problem confronting everyone here; namely, overcoming our resentment toward people we don't like. In our scripture today, Jesus suggests the higher call of Christian discipleship is not how well we get along with our friends, but ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-28

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Springs Of Living Water

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

God is this Spring of Living Water who continually gives life to us. In those days, there were two main sources of water, such as flowing and clean water from natural springs or still water from humanly made cisterns or wells.

Illustration: On December 26, 2004, an enormous earthquake under the Indian Ocean fractured the crust of the earth and caused a tsunami. A huge wave of water, 80 feet high in some locations, came crashing down on the shores of many countries such as Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Thousands and thousands ...read more

Scripture: John 4:13-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rooted In Jesus

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

The fact that believers are in a state of being complete in Christ indicates that there is nothing of a higher spiritual blessing to be found anywhere else including, but not limited to, this false Gnostic philosophy found in Colosse.

Opening illustration: There was once a farmer who went to town to purchase seeds for his farm. As he was returning home one of the squash seeds he had purchased fell from his pocket onto the ground. It happened that within a few feet was another seed of a different type. The place where the two ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Road To Revival

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

All of us have fallen, and our fall is not something in the past. It is something very much present right now. It is personal for each one of us. All of us come to a point when we want that which will be harmful to us.

Opening illustration: A few years ago, a story in a National American Magazine described a couple who “adopted” two wolf puppies. They discovered the wolves, while making a movie about the caribou in Alaska. They took them to their home, raised them, gave them the kindest treatment, and for a while ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reviving America

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

Take the challenge to be humble, open to the Holy Spirit, have a repentant heart, a sincere desire for God, pursue holiness, stay continually anointed and be of one mind and spirit within the body of Christ.

Introduction: Something's happening ... Couple of years ago I read a book by James Rutz. James wrote this book to make the Christian church aware that God is moving across the world. His observations are a wakeup call to the American Christian and churches in America. Listen to some of his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Resurrecting And Restoring Your Lost Gifts

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

Many believers have heard the call of God, have sensed His grace on the unique giftings and talents in their lives.

INTRODUCTION: The church's potency and influence is contingent on the saints of God operating in the full potential of the giftings and talents God has endowed them with. By the same token, the church will remain weak and ineffective if God's people are discouraged, unintentional and poor ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:20-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What To Do When Your Culture Is Destroying Itself [2nd Copy]

Contributed by Michael Stark on Apr 25, 2024

When this message was planned this past winter, services were cancelled due to a blizzard. This is a second effort that has been revised and brought up to date. How shall Christians respond as our contemporary culture self-destructs?

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ...read more

Denomination: Baptist