Sermons found for the topic Temptation

Forward-Leaning Defense

"There is no victory at bargain basement prices." General Dwight Eisenhower"World War IV began in a long string of terrorist attacks, whose real nature went unrecognized until on September 11, 2001, huge billows of bl More

Led by the Spirit into the Wilderness - Luke 4:1-14

This is the second message in our new series on the Holy Spirit. Last Sunday we talked about John 3:8 and how the Holy Spirit is the wind—invisible, unpredictable, uncontrollable. He comes and goes as he wishes; More

From Temptation to Triumph

Playwright Oscar Wilde once jokingly remarked, "I can resist everything except temptation." We smile when we read those words because they speak an important truth about the human condition. Temptation pays a visit More

Faithful to the Tempted - I Corinthians 10:13; Genesis 39

We begin with two quotations. The first comes from British playwright Oscar Wilde who said, “I can resist anything except temptation.” We smile when we read those words because they speak an important truth More

Beyond Your Dreams - Ephesians 3:14-21

Pray boldly for spiritual strength, teaches Paul. God is faithful and we can trust Him. He is more than able to do even more than we ask.. Through prayer, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and grow spiritually, understanding the height, breadth, length and depth of Christ’s love for us. More

Snake Eyes - Genesis 3:1-7

"The literal Genesis record of supernatural creation is the foundation of the true gospel, the true doctrine of Christ, true evangelism, genuine saving faith, and of all the key aspects of biblical Christianity." "All More

JUST SAY NO - Genesis 39

It happened at the second break, just before we made our wager on the Final Challenge. At that point it was clear that, barring a miracle, I was not going to win the game. Evan (the returning champion) had $4000, Jul More

Snake Eyes: The Four Stages of Temptation - Genesis 3:1-7

The Bible makes no sense unless we understand the first few chapters of Genesis. These chapters answer a very crucial question: Where did we come from and how did we get from where we started to where we are today? Th More

A Friend in High Places - Hebrews 4:14-16

If you were raised in Chicago, you no doubt recognize the name of Mike Royko. For over 30 years he was the voice of Chicago to the nation. At the height of his career over 600 newspapers carried his columns. After he More

Why Extra Temptation Can Be Good For You

WHY EXTRA TEMPTATION CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU by Ray Pritchard Since we started the campaign to read through the Bible this year, I have received a number of e-mails from people both locally and around the nation who have written to testify about the personal blessings they have already received. I think the most interesting com… More

Forever and Ever, Amen! - Matthew 19:6

Let's begin with a little quiz. What well-known television actor said the following? "To me the greatest Latin lover in the world was may Dad, who married my mother and was faithful to her until the day he died 55 y More

Anatomy of a Backslider - Genesis 20

One of the great proofs of the supernatural origin of the Bible it that it tells the truth about people. As you read the Bible, you will find that it discloses the whole range of human activity—including the da More

Full Speed Ahead One Step at a Time: How You Can Walk in the Spirit Every Day - Galatians 5:16-18

"I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, More

You Can Stumble But You Won't Fall - Psalm 37:23-24

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand" (Psalm 37:23-24 NKJV).Since this is the final Su More

Angry Man Alert

In this message, Ray Pritchard talks about the five character qualities that relate to a man and his anger. When our power is not under God’s control, we hurt ourselves and those closest to us. We need God’s help so that we might become like Jesus who was both gentle and strong, a true “gentle man.” More

Asymmetric Spiritual Warfare

Are you familiar with term asymmetric warfare? It's a concept that has received lots of news coverage in the recent years as a result of the war on terrorism. The word asymmetric refers to something that is out of bal More

Could Jesus Have Sinned?

The question in the title has been warmly debated over the years. Everyone agrees that Jesus did not sin. Hebrews 4:15 says so explicitly. He was free from sin in every form: thought, word and deed. But that same verse raises a problem when it declares that Christ was tempted in every way "just as we are." In what sense was… More

Spiritual Warfare 101 - Genesis 14 / Hebrews 7

On Friday a friend called and asked how my week had gone. After I told him, he said, "You won't believe what's happened to me this week." First of all, he owed thousands of dollars in income tax that he hadn't expec More

Faithful to the Fallen - Luke 22:31-32

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32 This text gives us More

Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Lamentations 3:22-25

How many people do you know who do exactly what they say? Before you answer, let me rephrase the question? How many do you know who do exactly what they say every single time? Now before you answer, let me rephrase it More

How To Behave in a Cave - I Samuel 24

When last we met David, he was in the Forest of Hereth. Since then he has rescued the village of Keilah from the Philistines. In appreciation for his heroism, the citizens of Keilah report his whereabouts to King Saul More

Hope for Tomorrow: How God Keeps His Promises - Genesis 11:10-32

This is the 19th and final sermon in the series on Genesis 1-11 that we started in late April. Almost five and a half months later, we have come to the end. In bringing this series to a close, I feel as if I should co More

Abstain! - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality" (1 Thessalonians 4:3 New King James Version).There are not many things from which the Bible tells us to abstain. The More

God Must Be Praised in Fiery Trials - I Peter 1:6-7

On April 5, 1943, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was arrested and imprisoned by the Gestapo for his resistance to the Nazi regime in Germany. For several years he had spoken out against the Nazis, and eventually it caught up wit More

Staying Pure in an X-Rated World - Various

(This particular sermon was a "tag team" effort where I preached the first part, and Pastor Bob Boerman preached the last part. I have added a conclusion beginning with the section called "Rise and Walk.")"The moment More

Dancing With the Devil - Genesis 13

While most of you were eating Easter dinner my youngest son and I set out on a quick trip to Alabama. We journeyed back to my home in order to surprise my mother on her 75th birthday last Monday. It was the first ti More

Portrait of a Godly Leader - I Timothy 3; Titus 1

We begin with the words of Robert Cook: "There is no substitute for character. You can buy brains, but you can't buy character." When it comes to selecting leaders, nothing is more important than godly character. Y More

Prophet on the Run - 1 Kings 19:1-9

The Bible doesn't sugarcoat the truth about its heroes. It gives us the whole story, the good news and the bad news at the same time. When the Bible describes the great heroes of the Old Testament and the New Testamen More

Praying for Your Prodigal - Ephesians 1:18

I received an email with a heartrending question:I have a daughter that I don't believe is saved. I pray for her but often times I can't. I suppose that I'm angry she isn't responding and feel incapable of helping her More

Samson and the Fine Art of Self-Control

In December 2004 I received an email that changed my life. Right after the tsunami that devastated Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India, Ramesh Richard, a professor at Dallas Seminary, sent an email that contained More

Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Serious Call to Sexual Purity

I received an email from a young lady I have never met. She happens to live in a country on the other side of the world. Because she reads my weblog, she felt like she could write and share her heart with me. This is More

Portrait of a Godly Pastor - Romans 15:14-21

In 1978 Michael Hart wrote a book called "The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential People in History." In it he ranked the most important people in the history of the world, taking into account the people they influ More

I Am a Sinner Too: What Pastors Need to Remember

My text is Ecclesiastes 7:19-22: "Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city. There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. Do not pay attention to every word peop More

Living in Hard Times - 1 Thessalonians 3:1-8

"You've heard about Stacy, haven't you?" No, I hadn't. In fact, I hadn't seen him in the 13 years since I left the church I pastored in California. Back then he was a very active 10-year-old. The question came fro More

How Your Life Can Change Those Around You - I Peter 2:11-12

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may More

Justification: Not Guilty! - Various

Some of you may recognize the name P.P. Bliss. If you know evangelical music and hymnology, you may have seen his name in our hymnal. He was a man who served as a musical song writer and associate evangelist for the g More

Purity: Staying Clean In A Dirty World - Proverbs 5

This sermon is different, unusual, in that it is directed only to men. In 16 years as a pastor I have never directed a sermon only to to men, but I am this time. My heart has been heavily burdened on this subject. As More

Dear Abby - I Samuel 25

In our survey of the early years of David's life, we have come to a little-known episode that ought to be better known. The story of David and Nabal and Abigail is riveting. It's got it all. There is intrigue, injusti More

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places - Judges 16:1-22

There are certain stories in the Bible which fit into a very special category. Those are the stories which reveal the essence of the people in the story. That is to say, if you know the story, you know what the peo More

The Struggle - Romans 7:14-25

I would like to begin with three observations about this famous text. Observation number one is this: Romans 7 is a passage that grips us because we understand exactly what it is saying. We see ourselves in it. Wh More

The Greatest of These - I Corinthians 13:1-3

"Love is the medicine for the sickness of the world." So said noted psychiatrist Dr. Karl Meninger. He summarized his therapeutic approach this way: "Love cures. It cures those who give it and it cures those who recei More

Overcoming Lingering Bitterness - Genesis 45

On Thursday morning, November 21, as the sun was peeking over the horizon in the port city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, Bonnie Penner Witherall was up early. On this day she was going to work at the prenatal clinic t More

A Friend in High Places: "He Ascended into Heaven and Sits at the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty" - Various

This is one of the most remarkable statements in the Apostles' Creed and it is also one of the most neglected areas of Christian doctrine. Even though we (along with all Christians) believe in the ascension of Christ, More

Before The Rooster Crows - John 18:25-27

There are some sounds that we do not hear very often. One of them is the sound of a rooster crowing. In Chicago, you can hear almost anything, but you would probably have to go to a zoo to hear a rooster crowing. W More

Don't Bet On It: Gambling And The Christian Faith

"Gambling is inevitable." So began the introduction to the final report of the Commission on the Review of National Policy Toward Gambling. "No matter what is said or done by advocates or opponents of gambling in all More

When God Gives Up - Romans 1:24-32

There are some messages that pastors would rather not preach. This sermon definitely falls into that category. It's not that I am afraid to say what must be said; it is rather that I know these things will not be easy More

Postcards From the Edge: Why I Believe in Angels and Demons - Various

Angels are in. In the words of the Wall Street Journal, "after a hiatus of almost 300 years and much skepticism, angels are making a comeback." A recent survey confirmed this fact: 58% of Americans in households m More

Christ B.C. Part I: Seed of the Woman - Genesis 3:15

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."This is the first promise given after the Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fr More

"One Little Word Shall Fell Him": What the Cross Meant to Satan - Colossians 2:1

By 6:00 p.m. the party had started in earnest. It was Friday evening and that meant the party would probably last all night and perhaps even into the next day. Everyone who heard the news could hardly believe it, but More

Little Steps to a Big Fall - Judges 16:1-3

There are certain stories in the Bible that almost everyone knows. These narratives reveal something so basic about human nature that people who never go to church and never read the Bible know them anyway. A handful More