Sermon catalog

The message emphasizes that true faith requires action, urging listeners to be doers of God's word rather than mere hearers, comparing hearing God's word to looking in a mirror that reveals sin. Key areas of self-deception include ignoring wrongs done to others, failing to control one's tongue, and claiming to have no sin. The central call is to live with humility, recognizing the constant possibility of sin in one's actions and words.

The central message emphasizes that true faith is not just intellectual knowledge of God's power, but a deep, heartfelt confidence in Him that remains steadfast during trials. The speaker urges the congregation to move beyond merely hearing God's promises to allowing the Holy Spirit to impress them in their hearts, citing Ezra's example of trusting God over human protection. Furthermore, the message touches on cultivating a divine nature through mercy and recognizing that God remembers and rewards even the smallest acts of gratitude.

The central message warns against allowing the failures or stumbling of others to cause one's own spiritual decline. The speaker emphasizes that true believers must maintain a firm, personal root in Christ, regardless of what others do. He cautions that no one can use the fall of another person as an excuse for their own lack of steadfastness.

The central message is the absolute necessity of standing for the truth, particularly the truth found in God's Word. The speaker uses the analogy of mathematics to illustrate that while factual errors in math are minor, being wrong about God's truth has eternal consequences. Therefore, believers must be diligent to ensure they are not misled regarding divine truth.

This biography recounts the life of S. Shenmo, a scholar who initially struggled with sin, intellectual emptiness, and addiction despite his high status. After experiencing profound spiritual distress, he was drawn to the missionaries, particularly David Hill, whose presence brought him peace and revealed the truth. Through this encounter, he began his journey toward faith, demonstrating how God works through seemingly unlikely means to bring people to Christ.

The sermon emphasizes that the name of Jesus signifies freedom from sin, and believers must live by fulfilling every promise and obeying every command given by God in their lives. The central warning is that fear hinders God's work, and the preacher urges the congregation to make eliminating fear a personal goal, especially as the time of Christ's return approaches, when the world will experience intense fear.

Divine wisdom differs fundamentally from intellectual cleverness—it requires a humble, pure heart rather than mental acuity. Zac Poonen teaches that spiritual understanding comes only when we acknowledge our spiritual foolishness and dependence on God's revelation, not through our own intelligence or cleverness, citing Jesus's promise to reveal truth to the humble rather than the intellectually proud.

The passage uses the parable of the talents to teach that the danger is not the amount of gift God has given, but whether or not the individual chooses to use it. Believers should not compare themselves to others or wait for more gifts; instead, they must be faithful and use what they have been given to be useful to God.

The message emphasizes that the call to hear and overcome is intensely personal, directed to the individual believer rather than the church as a whole. While the church as a body will ultimately overcome Satan's works, the act of overcoming is presented as an individual response required from each person. This individual call is crucial for receiving the promise of life.

The sermon emphasizes that God's power far exceeds human comprehension, drawing parallels between the vastness of the stars and the limitless capacity of the Creator. The speaker urges the congregation to maintain faith by remembering God's omnipotence, contrasting human limitations (like clay) with God's boundless ability (like the potter). Ultimately, the message is a call to trust in a God who can do far more than we can ask or even imagine.

The central message emphasizes cultivating patience and maintaining faith by remembering that God is in control of all circumstances. The speaker draws from 1 Corinthians 13 and James 1 to stress that patience is a key quality of love and that God allows trials to build us to completeness. He concludes by urging listeners to pray with the belief that they are speaking to a loving, all-powerful Heavenly Father, and to strive for a life of spiritual rest.

The central message is that because believers have received an unshakable kingdom, they must respond with gratitude, even amidst trials or unanswered prayers. The speaker clarifies that when prayer seems unanswered, God is actually answering by providing the greater gift: His eternal, unshakable kingdom, rather than the temporary things we seek. This gratitude allows us to offer an acceptable service to God.

Zac Poonen teaches that financial discipline is essential for spiritual growth and receiving God's true riches. He explains that faithfulness with money—whether in small or large amounts—determines whether God will entrust believers with spiritual wealth like deeper revelation, God's nature, and the Holy Spirit's anointing. Poonen exhorts Christians to avoid unnecessary spending and debt, live within their means, and cultivate the spirit of discipline in financial matters as a practical expression of their faith.

The speaker emphasizes that a strong foundation in Christian life requires both repentance and faith, comparing them to two electric wires needed to complete a circuit. Repentance is defined as a complete about-turn from sin toward God, which should be an ongoing process throughout one's life. Furthermore, the message highlights that true Christian hope is twofold: believers will first become like Christ before they see Him.

The message draws parallels between the cooperation of Haggai and Zechariah in building the temple and the coming unity of the church in the new covenant. The core message emphasizes trusting in God to be a 'wall of fire' for protection rather than relying on human defenses. Furthermore, the speaker stresses that the believer's ultimate glory must be in Jesus Christ, not in personal achievements, culture, or material possessions.

The sermon encourages the congregation to maintain hope in Jesus Christ, drawing from Romans 5:5, which speaks of the hope that does not disappoint because of God's love shed through the Holy Spirit. It urges believers to refocus their lives and affections on heavenly things rather than earthly disappointments. The speaker concludes with prayers for spiritual battle, unity in marriage, and a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The speaker reflects on the depth of commitment required to enter God's kingdom, contrasting mere desire to go to heaven with truly doing the will of the Lord. Drawing from Paul's letters, he emphasizes the importance of teaching the full counsel of God and warns the church about internal dangers, such as false teachers who seek preeminence or introduce different gospels. The central message is a call to maintain doctrinal integrity and guard the flock against doctrinal drift.

To stand strong in life, believers must rely not on their own strength but on God's grace and power, exemplified by Jesus submitting to His parents. The speaker emphasizes that salvation and daily living flow from this unearned gift of grace, which is supplemented by the Holy Spirit. These gifts—grace and the Spirit—are given for a specific purpose: enabling believers to obey God's commandments.

True security does not come from God solving external problems, such as career success or relationships. Instead, the speaker asserts that the only source of lasting security is knowing and experiencing the love of the Heavenly Father. The temptation to believe that material success or external achievements will solve deep-seated insecurity is identified as a lie from the enemy.

The message emphasizes that God provides perseverance and encouragement, drawing lessons from scripture, particularly the Old Testament. Using the Israelites' 40 years in the wilderness as an example, the speaker stresses that life is sustained not by material comfort or food, but by the Word of God. Therefore, believers must regularly read and meditate on the Bible to learn how to live by God's every word.

The speaker recounts her journey to understanding spiritual rebirth, realizing it required repentance and belief rather than a dramatic experience. After initially doubting her conversion, she found peace and affirmed her belief in Jesus' cleansing, leading her to commit to baptism as an act of obedience.

The speaker recounts her journey of spiritual struggle, initially being motivated by fear of hell but finding that mere words and religious attendance did not bring lasting change. Her breakthrough came when she realized she was treating God's promises as lies, leading her to believe in God's promises and accepting that salvation is by faith, not by feeling or performance. She concludes that Jesus accepts her imperfections and desires her trust without her needing to be perfect first.