Great Faith

Gideon planned to march into battle with 32,000 soldiers, but God had a different plan. 

He told Gideon to send back those who were afraid and 22,000 left. Then He told Gideon to take the army to the water to drink and to separate those who drank like a dog from those who lapped water in their hands. 

Judges 7:7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

Gideon humbly watched as 9,700 men went home. Their only chance for survival was to obey God’s plan and that took faith. The Lord wanted them to know that He won the battle—not them. 

It took great faith for 300 to go out against thousands. It took great faith for them to take no weapons. Read about this exciting battle in Judges 7:15-25. 

It took great faith for them to blow their trumpets, break those pitchers and shine those lights, but God answered their faith by giving them a resounding victory!

If you are going to see God’s best plan for your life, it too is going to require faith. God is going to ask you to take some steps that will be difficult, and that you will be unsure of. 

But, the path to God’s best is always the path of faith. God always honors faith because faith always honors Him, Heb. 11:6! 

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed permission. 

Altogether Lovely

The real beauty of Jesus is found in His great love and sacrifice for sinners. 

Look at the holes in His hands and feet. Look at the wounds on His back and side. Look at the punctures in His head where He wore a thorny crown for you and me. 

A death on the cross is the most horrible form of execution known to mankind. Why did Jesus submit to such torture?

The plan of Christ was and still is to populate Heaven with sinners He has redeemed by His grace. I am part of that plan, and I am going to Heaven saved and justified. How about you?

Ephesians 2:8-9,13 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. . . . . . But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

We could spend days talking about all Jesus is to you and me—all He has done for us. Yet, when we sum it up, we would just have to say that He is altogether lovely.

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed permission. 

Hope And Peace

If life is to be difficult and there is to be trouble, then how can I rejoice and how can I rest 

The answer is Hope. 

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

As we face all the things that will come our way, we always have the precious Holy Spirit in us to guide us, to teach us, to constantly remind us of the awesome love of God for His children. 

He makes the trip bearable. He makes the destination believable.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee : because he trusteth in thee.

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed permission. 

Jesus Is Precious

Jesus is precious to the saints of God.

1 Peter 2:6-7 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 

7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

Here is why Jesus is precious to the saints of God. Read each scripture for a special blessing. 

1. Because He loves us - Jer. 31:3; Rom. 8:38-39.

2. Because He cares about us - 1 Pet. 5:7.

3. Because He understands our needs - Heb. 4:15.

4. Because He is always near to help us - Psa. 46:1.

5. Because He paid the ultimate price to save us - John 15:13.

You can't put a price on that! Men will fail you, those you love will let you down. 

People near you may never understand you or what you are facing.  

But there is a precious Savior named Jesus who can and does understand and care. 

No one ever cared for me like Jesus. 

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed permission. 

Bullies

Goliath was a bully. He wanted total control over God’s people, and the Israelite army 

was afraid of him, but not David. 

1 Samuel 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 

Young David has such faith in God that he runs to meet the 9’9” tall giant. Snatching a 

stone from his shepherd’s bag, he places it in his sling and winds up. 

The stone hits Goliath directly between the eyes and sinks into his head. The bully is 

dead before he hits the ground. 

This bible story, one of my favorites, reminds me that bullies assume power over too many 
people. 

There are parents who are afraid of their bully children—wives who live in fear because 

a bully keeps them in line with verbal threats and physical violence.There are children 

who deal with bullies all day at school. 

If you or someone you know are a bully victim, know that the Lord is able to give victory 

over bullies, even when you can’t see what He’s doing, how He will do it, or when it will 

be done. 

Pray hard. Trust God for the power you need to stand up to the bullies you may face. 

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed permission. 

Whom Shall I Fear?

Psalm 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Just as David had confidence in the Lord,  so can we in the day of our battle.  

As we linger near Him—love on Him—and lean on Him, we can have the absolute confidence that He will see to the things that would cause us to worry.

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed permission. 

A Word Of Comfort

Do you ever wonder where God is while the world appears to spin out of control, and  you feel like you’ve been forgotten. 

God knows where you are and what you are going through. He is always near when you call on His name. 

Grab hold of His precious promise to comfort you and His mercy for the afflicted. 

Humble yourself and praise Him. 

Isaiah 49:13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed permission.