Reflections on Faith and Perseverance
Expressing feelings of spiritual connection and gratitude.Feeling good and reflecting on David’s Psalms.Quoting, “I love the Lord because,” and feeling emotional every time it’s read.Recalling a life-changing experience in an old building during a revival with Jeff.“It was just an old building… But that building changed my life.”Expressing gratitude for a unique and personal communication with God.“When God talks to me, it’s different than the way I’ve been talking to him before.”Acknowledging God’s ultimate sacrifice and love.“He loved you enough to die for you.”Standing Firm in Faith: A Sermon on Daniel 3
Referencing Daniel Chapter 3, starting in verse 10.King Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to worship a golden image under penalty of being cast into a fiery furnace.The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to worship the idol.Nebuchadnezzar’s challenge: “who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”Prayer and Seeking Strength
Praying for God’s presence and help.Thanking God for salvation and the ability to feel His presence.“Lord, I thank you for saving me, Father. Lord, I thank you for changing my life that night in Burma, Tennessee.”Seeking strength and growth in faith.“Lord, I pray that I can grow stronger in you, Father.”Expressing gratitude for God’s love, even for those who don’t reciprocate.“Lord, I thank you, Lord, that you put a love in my heart… for those that don’t love me back, Father.”Desiring to dedicate every breath to worshiping God.“Lord, I want to spend every last breath that I’ve got, Father… worshiping you.”The Leper King and Standing Firm
Discussing the importance of standing firm in faith and not backing down.Sharing the story of a leper king in Jerusalem who became king at 13.At 16, he was battling leprosy and could not move his right arm.Facing an army of Muslims (23,000 men) with only 5,000 men.The king’s prayer for deliverance and subsequent victory.“We’re outnumbered tremendously. We have no men. But… I know one man who can deliver us.”Drawing parallels to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who didn’t bow down.Emphasizing the need for Christians to not give in to the world.Expressing admiration for brave and bold individuals.Pledging to pray for strength to stand strong for what is right.“As long as I’m living and breathing… I’m going to get on my knees… Help me stand strong for what’s right.”Addressing Worldliness and Prioritizing God
Observing people giving in to sin and worldliness.Church members prioritizing worldly activities over spiritual ones.“Their bass boats is out on the lake on a Sunday. They’re hunting on a Sunday.”Questioning why God isn’t blessing them.Promising that God will help those who prioritize Him.Referencing the leper king and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as examples.Addressing the men in the congregation.Stating that men should lead their families in a Godly way.Lamenting that men have given up on God, leading to negative consequences for their families.“Their families is dying and going to hell. It breaks my heart.”Encounter on the Dragon
Sharing a personal experience of encountering someone in need of spiritual guidance.Feeling divinely prompted to speak to someone broken down on a motorcycle on “the Dragon” (a road).Initially hesitant due to being late for church.Engaging in a conversation about Jesus Christ and being born again.Weeping and sharing personal testimony.Warning the young man about the dangers of dying without salvation.“If you die on this dragon, you’ll die and go to hell.”Praying with the young man, who ultimately declined to be saved at that moment.Believing that God directed the encounter because the young man was in danger.“He wasn’t going to make it all the way to the lake.”Expressing concern for the young man’s salvation.“Lord, please don’t let him die. Let him get saved.”The Importance of Personal Application and Prayer
Emphasizing the need for Christians to pray and not give in to sin.Highlighting the vulnerability of teenagers and the urgency of serving God.“These people, these teenagers, they’re dying every day. They’re giving in to things and they’re dying.”Sharing a personal commitment to preaching and helping others find salvation.“If one person gets saved, it will be worth every minute.”Applying the message to personal life.Recognizing the need for more prayer and seeking God’s strength.“I need to get on my knees more. I need to hit my knees more.”Expressing gratitude for God’s presence in battles.“Ain’t you glad when you face a battle? God is right there.”Resisting Worldly Temptations
Cautioning against giving in to alcohol and other worldly temptations.Sharing the story of a best friend who initially embraced Christianity but later succumbed to alcohol.The friend’s initial transformation and subsequent relapse.Offering the friend a home and encouragement to fight against temptation.Lamenting the friend’s decision to return to the world.Reiterating that sin will take individuals as far as they are willing to go.Sharing personal experiences of overcoming sinful desires through God’s grace.“When God changed my life, He took that from me… I never wanted to go back to sin.”Encouraging listeners to give their problems to God instead of the world.“Don’t give in. Keep fighting. It’s not going to be easy.”God’s Unwavering Presence
Emphasizing God’s constant presence and support.“Every step that we take, God’s with us.”Acknowledging that human relationships may fail, but God’s promise remains.“Your mom and dad may not be there for you… but God promised that He’d be there every step of the way.”Expressing a personal connection with God.“I’ve never went over there and seen the empty tomb… But I can feel Him.”The Folded Handkerchief
Explaining the Jewish custom of folding or crumpling a handkerchief after a meal.Folding indicated a return, while crumpling signified the end.Interpreting the folded handkerchief in the Bible as a sign of Jesus’ return.“He folded them in two… He’s coming back.”Expressing humility and a desire to serve God.“All I’ve tried to do, I’ve tried to stand behind the pulpit and preach the word of God the best I know how, but I still let him down.”Acknowledging human fallibility but affirming God’s unwavering support.“My daddy’s let me down… But God will never let us down.”The Prodigal Sheep and Saul’s Transformation
Reflecting on personal experiences of straying from faith and being found by God.“I was one of them sheep that went astray… God went looking for me when I wasn’t looking for Him.”Drawing a parallel to Paul’s (Saul’s) conversion on the Damascus Road.Saul’s initial persecution of the church and subsequent encounter with Jesus.Highlighting that God can find individuals even when they are not seeking Him.“Paul wasn’t looking for Jesus Christ. But the Lord was looking for him.”Sharing a personal testimony of being transformed by the Word of God.“I wasn’t looking for the Lord… But I thank you for preaching the word of God that night.”Expressing gratitude for preachers who stand firm in their faith.“He didn’t give in to sin… He gave more to God and he stood strong with the Lord.”The Power of Preaching and Personal Conviction
Recalling a specific sermon about Judas and its impact.“Judas kissed the doorstep of heaven and died and went to hell.”Feeling a deep sense of conviction and a realization of personal shortcomings.“I began to feel my heart just crushed and break.”Describing the experience of feeling the Lord knocking on the heart.“He said, you better go.”Overcoming personal reservations and surrendering to God.“I said, Lord, I can’t go… God said, if you’ll just come to me, I’ll take it from you.”Emphasizing the transformative power of accepting God.“He took out the old helmet and put in a new. And I never went the same.”Reaffirming a commitment to never give in and to rely on God’s help.“Lord, I said, I’ll never give in again.”The World’s Need for Truth
Highlighting the world’s reliance on Christians and their actions.“They’re still counting on us… They’re looking at every step that you take.”Sharing a story about a preacher father who stood firm on his beliefs.Encountering a man who tested his commitment to preaching against alcohol.The man’s revelation that he was seeking authenticity.“I was just making sure that you was the real thing.”Emphasizing that people need to hear the truth and have it applied to their lives.“They want to hear the truth. They need it applied in their life.”Expressing love and concern for the listeners’ salvation.“I’m preaching because I love you… I don’t want you to die and go to hell.”The Consequences of Giving In
Warning against the consequences of giving in to sin.Changes in speech and behavior.“When you give in to sin, your mouth starts to change… You begin to say things that you would not say.”Falling back into worldly habits.“It’s easy to start falling back out into the world.”Addressing the issue of hatred and bitterness.Emphasizing the importance of loving even those who have wronged you.“No matter what somebody’s done to you, you’re in the wrong if you have hatred in your heart.”Acknowledging the difficulty but stressing the necessity of love.“It’s not easy to love them, but we’ve got to love them.”Encouraging listeners to seek God’s help in purifying their hearts.“God, take my heart and purify it. Help me love that person.”Identifying Forms of Giving In
Identifying various forms of giving in to sin.Alcohol, drugs, neglecting the Bible, excessive social media, prioritizing jobs over faith.“It’s alcohol. It’s drugs. Then it’s that thing about picking up your Bible… social media… television… their jobs.”Emphasizing the importance of a personal relationship with the Lord.“You’ve got to have a relationship with the Lord.”Sharing a story about a father who wasn’t listening.Highlighting the need to both listen to and talk to God.“We’ve got to listen for God, but we also got to talk to God.”Encouraging listeners to open and read the Bible for themselves.“You have to open the Word of God and read it for yourself.”The Power of Prayer
Highlighting the importance of prayer.“Prayer is important. Prayer is what I believe is raised by God. It didn’t come back.”Sharing an experience with a 90-year-old woman whose prayers had a lasting impact.“I’ve prayed many, many years for you… Them prayers are still living on.”Encouraging listeners to pray like they ought to and to cultivate a relationship with God.“We need to start praying like we ought to.”Finding a personal space for prayer.“Find you a place where it’s just you and God.”Sharing personal prayer habits.Praying in the church, in the mountains, and in a “war room” (closet).“I like to go to my church sometimes… I like to go on the mountains and pray… Then I’ve got my war room.”Finding encouragement and reassurance in answered prayers.“God said, I just want you to look at all them prayers that you pray. I answered.”Reaffirming a commitment to keep fighting and not give up.“I ain’t giving up. I’m just going to keep on fighting.”Looking Above the Problem
Sharing a conversation with Dad about David and Goliath.Emphasizing the importance of looking to God rather than focusing on problems.“We sit there and we stare at the problem… But we don’t look above for the one that can have it.”Sharing the story of a man named Randy who lost his daughter to a drug overdose.Randy’s initial reliance on friends and subsequent discovery of God’s help.Finding solace and guidance in nature and prayer.“God told me to just talk over the hill there.”Reiterating that God will help those who give Him their lives.“God will be our help tonight if we just give him.”Psalms 116 and Loving the Lord
Reading from Psalms 116.Expressing love for the Lord because He hears prayers.“I love the Lord because He hath heard my voice and my supplication.”Highlighting God’s graciousness, righteousness, and mercy.“Gracious is the Lord and righteous. Yea, our God is merciful.”Acknowledging God’s help in times of trouble.“I was brought low and He helped me.”Distinguishing between loving something and being in love with something.“There’s a difference in loving something than being in love.”Expressing being in love with the Lord and unable to go a day without Him.“I’m in love with the Lord. I can’t go a day without Him.”Encouraging listeners to get in love with the Lord.“We’ve got to get in love with the Lord if we want to get anything done.”Acknowledging that the closer one gets to the Lord, the harder it may become.“The more that we love the Lord, the harder it gets for us a lot of times.”Encouraging perseverance and the promise of rest in heaven.“Just keep on plowing. Keep on going. We’re going to get to heaven someday where we can rest.”Standing Together in Faith
Reaffirming a personal commitment to not give in.“I ain’t giving in, Tommy. I don’t want to give in. I’m too blessed. I’m too happy.”Acknowledging the challenges of living a Christian life.“It’s hard a lot of times not to give in to a lot of things.”Expressing a willingness to fight alongside others in faith.“I believe Jeff Hummer’s going to grab on to me and we’re going to fight together.”Encouraging listeners to come forward and seek God’s help.“You ought to come tonight. Say, God, Lord, please don’t let me give in.”Highlighting the need for strength in challenging times.“Times are getting weaker. Times are getting tougher. We need the Lord.”Inviting listeners to reflect on why they love the Lord.“Why do you love the Lord tonight? Are you in love with Him?”Sharing personal reasons for loving the Lord.Salvation, peace, and the casting of cares upon Him.“He saves me… gives me peace… cast all your cares upon Him.”Encouraging listeners to give their problems to God.“Give it to God. He said, cast upon Him.”Urging listeners to not hold back and to spend their time for the Lord.“Let’s not hold back. Satan’s got you wrapped up tonight. God can set you free tonight if you’ll just let him.”
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