In Sermon Illustrations: "God In The Hardships"

O God, ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 9, 2010

"O God, Help!"—Spurgeon God's strongest saints realize their weaknesses, and appeal to Him for strength. One Sunday morning, as Charles H. Spurgeon passed through the door back of the pulpit in the Tabernacle, and saw the great crowd of people, he was overheard saying, "O God, help!" Strong as ...read more

Tags: Power

Denomination: Baptist

Believing In God Not ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 12, 2010

Believing in God not Enough I hear people say, “He believes in God.” If he has not confessed Christ as his Lord and Savior, he will spend eternity in the place the Bible calls Hell. It was not meant for ...read more

Tags: Misconceptions, Eternal Hell

Denomination: Baptist

God's Supply

Contributed by Clarence Clough on Jul 25, 2010

GOD'S SUPPLY Missionary statesman Hudson Taylor had complete trust in God's faithfulness. In his journal he wrote: "Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One. He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning... He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness ...read more

Tags: Trust, Action, Weakness, Reliance

Denomination: Church Of God

God's Elect

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Aug 26, 2010

GOD'S ELECT There is no indication anywhere in Scripture that when a man or woman first believes in Jesus for salvation, God says something like, "Oh, look! We hooked another one! Get out the book and write his name down!" God is not taken by surprise, God is not waiting for people to ...read more

Tags: Election

Denomination: Orthodox

God's Detour

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 10, 2010

GOD'S DETOUR The year was 1920. The scene was the examining board for selecting missionaries. Standing before the board was a young man named Oswald Smith. One dream dominated his heart. He wanted to be a missionary. Over and over again, he prayed, "Lord, I want to go as a missionary for you. Open ...read more

Tags: Disappointment

Denomination: Brethren

The God Squad

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 26, 2009

THE GOD SQUAD This week, we finished remodeling our old house and started moving into our new house. But last Monday I threw my back out while working on the house. I was frustrated and hurting. But the pain was not as bad as the feeling of not being able to finish my tasks which what I wanted to ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is God In Residence?

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 27, 2009

IS GOD IN RESIDENCE? I once saw a poster of a valentine-shaped heart with a castle on top of it. There was a flag with a slogan, oversized and coming out of the top of the castle. The slogan read: "Joy is the banner flown from the heart when the King is in residence." Well, stupid me, I didn’t ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: *other

Dancing With God

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

DANCING WITH GOD One of my very favorite stories is told by Gertrud Mueller Nelson in To Dance with God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration. It’s the first thing she says at the beginning of Chapter 1: "Some years ago, I spent an afternoon caught up in a piece of sewing I was doing. The ...read more

Tags: Discovery

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

In Front Of God

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

IN FRONT OF GOD I read the story of a man who took a slip of paper and wrote upon it only three letters spelling "G-O-D." He showed it to his friend, who was plainly overcome with greed and the worship of wealth. He took a coin, and after having placed the coin over the slip of paper, asked his ...read more

Tags: Idolatry

The Vessel God ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

THE VESSEL GOD USES The Master was searching for a vessel to use; on the shelf there were many--which one would He choose? "Take me", cried the gold one, "I’m shiny and bright, I’m of great value and I do things just right. My beauty and luster will outshine the rest And for someone like ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

Tags: Servanthood

The Love Of God

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 12, 2023

Several years ago, John MacArthur had the opportunity to spend several days traveling with the well-known gospel musicians, Bill and Gloria Gaither. At one point, he asked Bill what, in his estimation, were the greatest Christian lyrics ever written, aside from the inspired Psalms. Without ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1, John 3:16, Romans 5:8

Tags: Jesus, Cross, God's Love, Hymns

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seeking God

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Aug 6, 2023

“Seeking God” Isaiah 55: 1-9 08/06/23 When my grandson Isaiah was three years old, he had a problem of wandering off and hiding. One day my daughter Maeghan and my wife Becky were shopping at a local mall and of course, he slipped off. All of a sudden, they realized he was missing. They ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-9, Luke 11:9, Jeremiah 29:13, Deuteronomy 4:29-31

Tags: Seeking God, Obeying God

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Struggling With God?

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jun 17, 2024

Here is a wee question, is struggling with God a bad thing? Where is a person's character developed? Did the saints of God become saints before or without struggling with God, without responding to those things in the scriptures or the words of Jesus that offended them, before they repented of ...read more

Tags: Faith, Fear, Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Abraham, Disciples, Becoming The Church, Journey, Jacob, Isaac, Struggling, The Upper Room, Character Development  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

God With Us

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Dec 2, 2024

I started out by describing a song that I had been singing all week long. (I used Leaning on the Everlasting Arms but you can use any song). I spent about 5 - 7 minutes giving all the details of the song. The author, the beat, where it is used at, who sung the song, etc. I keep the title ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:23, Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Emmanuel, Immanuel, God With Us

Denomination: Church Of God

Encounter With God

Contributed by Samuel M on Jan 25, 2025

Moses' encounter with God, not only resurrected his calling, but it also resurrected a 400-year-old promise given to Abraham. Our experience or visitation with God not only resurrects our calling, but also resurrects the promises of our ...read more

Tags: Faith, Hope

Seeking God

Contributed by Samuel M on Feb 18, 2025

Seeking God is a life-giving living experience similar to a boat crossing earthly waters and entering divine waters, where we behold the glory of God, are swept up in God's ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1

Tags: Faith, Hope

If God Is Good

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 1, 2025

There is a problem at the heart of Christianity. If God is good and loving why is there evil and suffering in the world? There is an old response when you are asked to do something: “I would if I could but I can’t so I won’t.” That response is like one of the ways our world tries to solve this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Evil, Suffering, Goodness Of God

Denomination: Methodist

Seek God

Contributed by Samuel M on Apr 26, 2025

The Christian life can be summarized in two lines: "Always preparing to meet God" and "Meet God." ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 4:29

Tags: Faith, Hope

Entitlement With God

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 20, 2025

A Jewish woman is walking on the beach with her little grandson. Suddenly a huge wave sweeps the boy out to sea. Desperate, the woman looks up to heaven and says, “God, please rescue my grandson, my only grandson, the light of my life!” Miraculously, the next big wave deposits ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 25:1-24, Deuteronomy 25:1-18, Isaiah 61:1-3, 2 Chronicles 36:20-21, Matthew 20:1-16, Matthew 3:9-10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: False Hope, Owed, Abraham, Privilege, Entitlement, Assumptions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Seeking God

Contributed by Samuel M on Jul 8, 2025

For performing a miracle or plan, God sometimes sends his angels, but to a person who seeks God, God comes directly (in person or through his presence) to meet him. He does not send an angel, but He comes directly. He will remove the fascination of supernatural things or creatures but turn your ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:13

Tags: Faith, Hope