Sermon in the Pocket

Prepare for a Christmas message that is less about the manger and more about the person in it!  References: John 1:1-14, John 14:16-20, & Proverbs 18:24

What have I been up to the last three months? I'm happy you asked.... openforumministries.com

What does it mean to be truly thankful?  References: 2 Kings 5:9-14, Matthew 20:1-15, & 1 Samuel 1

I've never done a full sermon on my favorite verse of the Bible. Let's go through it to talk about how we can look at other people and situations in the way that God looks at them.  References: 1 Samuel 16:1-7 & Matthew 8:5-13

There's a big change taking place in my life right now, and it's going to affect Sermon in the Pocket.

After dealing with internal conflict, Moses now needs to lead the Israelites in defense against an opposing army!  Reference: Exodus 17:8-16

After demanding food from God, the Israelites now began demanding water. Moses used this time to teach them a valuable lesson that can be helpful and encouraging to us as well.  Reference: Exodus 17:1-7

After God led the Israelites out of Egypt, they had a difficult time adjusting to their new life.  Reference: Exodus 16

It's no secret that there is often division in the church, but how do we even begin to address it?  References: 1 Corinthians 1:10-25 & Joshua 5:13-14

Faith is arguably the most important factor in following Christ, but how exactly does it work? Like an airplane!  References: Romans 10:10-13, Hebrews 11:1, Daniel 3:16-18, & Mark 10:14-15

How can we make sure that all the work we do is actually moving us closer to our goals and that the work itself is good and helpful?   References: Matthew 12:1-14, Mark 2:23-27, Luke 6:1-11, & 1 John 1:5-7

The way wisdom is described by people is often very different from the way the Bible describes it. You may not be as wise as you think...  Reference: James 3:13-18

How can we ensure that the things we say are actually making a positive impact in someone's life?  Reference: Ephesians 4:29-32

Today's message includes something for Father's Day, the Mother's Day message I missed, and all still on theme with my series about The Power of Words. I hope you enjoy it! Reference: Titus 2:1-8

It's important to talk through things, but maybe after the 84th time it's doing more harm than good.  Reference: Proverbs 26:20-22

Have you ever known someone who could talk for a long time while saying very little? How can we avoid being like that?  Reference: Matthew 15:1-20

This weekend we remember those who have been lost in war. Loss is difficult to deal with no matter the shape it takes, but understanding what the Bible teaches us can help us get through any grief.  References: Psalm 24:1-2, Job 1:20-22, James 1:17, Genesis 22:1-19, & Luke 15

Aren't negative people the worst? They're whiny and rude and... sometimes they're us.  Reference: Philippians 2:12-18

Isn't it frustrating when people say one thing and then a different thing later? Consistency is both important and difficult. Let's talk about it.  References: Proverbs 18:20-21, James 3:9-12, & Philippians 2:1-4

If God wants to do a work in our heart, then do our words even matter that much?  References: Matthew 12:33-37 & James 1:22-25

Jesus' death and resurrection was foretold long before it happened. Let's look at some of these examples.  References: Isaiah 53, Matthew 2:13-15, Matthew 1:18, John 8:58-59, Mark 15:34, Mark 15:16-20, 1 Peter 2:24-25, Matthew 27:11-23, Luke 23:32-43, Mark 15:43-46, Mark 14:36, Matthew 18:20, John 14:6, Matthew 28:18-20, & Romans 8:34

Jesus' resurrection showed that He had all power and all authority, but He didn't do it to show off. He did it for you.  References: John 3:16-17, Romans 6:20-23, Mark 15:16-20, Mark 15:33-39, Matthew 28:1-8, Acts 1:6-11, & Romans 8:31-39

Out of all the things Jesus could have rode into Jerusalem on, why did He choose a donkey?  References: Matthew 21:1-11, Judges 5:9-10, & Judges 12:13-14

What happens when we allow truth to be determined by the majority?  References: Matthew 7:13-23 & Galatians 5:22-23

Why do people have unanswered prayers when Jesus said "Ask and it will be given to you"?  References: Matthew 7:7-12, Isaiah 43:22-26, & Exodus 32