Mike Riley Sermon Outlines, Articles, Lessons, etc.

Lord, Help Me To Be Like The Coffee Bean!

There was once a daughter who complained to her father about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it, and wanted to give up. She was tired of all the fighting and struggling. It seemed as though in solving one problem, two […]

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The Importance Of Integrity

Honesty must be woven into the fabric of our character if we are to have an effective influence for Christ. Even the secular world recognizes the importance of integrity (1 Peter 2:12).

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Ten Christian Persecutions

Most people have heard of the Roman Emperor Nero (54-68 A.D.) throwing Christians to the lions, but Nero isn’t the only emperor who was involved in persecuting early Christians.

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Let's Hold Up Their Hands!

Holding up the hands of others is a principle that is found in both the Old and New Testaments (Exodus 17:8-13; Hebrews 12:12-13; cf. Job 4:3-4; Isaiah 35:3). It not only provides encouragement for those who need it, but great reward for the ones who offer their assistance as

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On Serving Two Masters

We are often frustrated because we desire two mutually exclusive things: (1) evil pleasures and (2) a pure conscience; (1) idleness and (2) success; (1) a selfish life and (2) a reputation for generosity.

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Thanking God For The Breaths We Take

Have we ever thought about the fact that we breathe approximately 12 to 18 times per minute (see #44), and those breaths are automatically executed without us even having to think about them? Just think, if we have reached the plateau of 60 years of age (using the 18 times per minute figure), we have […]

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A Question For God

Yesterday’s Nudge in The Fellowship Room was, “Share a recent question you have asked God.”

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Are You “Helping” Or “Honking”?

A woman driver was having difficulties getting her automobile started after it had stalled in traffic. The gentleman (?) in the car behind her insisted on expressing his impatience with her by blowing his horn every few seconds. Finally, the lady worn out by his thoughtlessness, stepped out of her automobile, walked back to the […]

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The Universe Was “Made”

Evolution teaches that the creation of the universe was self-generated; that it just “happened” (Big Bang Theory). It also teaches that mankind “evolved” over eons of time separating the initial “big bang” from the commencement of the human family. These two ideas can easily be refuted by the following biblical evidences: In Romans 1:20, the […]

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The Gospel Message Of True Love Simply Stated

From time to time, I receive email from Christian friends that contain poignant stories and biblical applications. The following is such a story:

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Our Lord's Intimate Care And Concern For Us

Our Lord considers every one of us as being extremely important to Him, for in Matthew 10:30, He states, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” In other words, not only does the Lord know the total of “how many” hairs we have, but he knows them to the extent that He […]

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Thinking

If you think you are beaten, you are; If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win, but think you can’t It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

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Looking At Self-Denial

When Jesus spoke, He not only did so in positive terms but also conveyed truth using negative expressions: “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33). And similarly He said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself….” (Matthew 16:24). Self-denial is […]

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The Spirit Of Excellence | How to Become a Spiritual Leader

The first necessary quality of a spiritual leader who “stands out” is the spirit of excellence! He who strives for excellence will not be counted among the also-rans. The question is asked, “How does a spiritual leader develop the attitude of a spirit of excellence in a day when almost anything can be passed off […]

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And They Called It Junk!

While rummaging around in our garage, I found all the awards that our son had achieved during his years as a boy scout, including his Eagle Scout badge. There they were in a box — about to be thrown out. I immediately thought of the blood, sweat, and tears that had gone into gaining those […]

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What Kind Of “Fool” Will We Be?

The Bible lists several kinds of fools. Hopefully, none of us fit into any category of the fools listed in a negative sense. However, as Christians, have we ever thought of ourselves as being a “fool“? Paul and the rest of the apostles thought of themselves as being “fools

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Understanding Figures Of Speech

In a study of the Bible, it would be well for the student to clearly identify the different kinds of figures of speech. These are used in ordinary literature, and God has employed

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Looking At The Two Sides Of God

The religious experts in Jeremiah’s day were misrepresenting God by prophesying “the delusions of their own minds” (Jeremiah 23:26 NIV) and leading people astray with their lies (Jeremiah 23:32). Due to their dishonesty, the people did not know the true nature of God.

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Two Stories Expressing A Profound Truth

The story is told of a mother, who at the outbreak of a thunderstorm, rushed upstairs to check on her son who had just been put to bed. She was certain that he had to be panic-stricken because of the severity of the lightning and the thunder. However, when she got to his room, she […]

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Using The Title “Reverend”

Preachers in New Testament times did not wear the title “Reverend” nor does any man have the right to do so. Some folks have never grasped this point. One woman insists on addressing her mail to the preacher as “Reverend” so-and-so, although several individuals have explained to her

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