In Sermon Illustrations: "Salem Witch Trials"

Spurgeon On Trusting God  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

SPURGEON ON TRUSTING GOD Charles Spurgeon writes: "There is One who cares for you. His eye is fixed on you, His heart beats with pity for your woe, and His omnipotent hand shall bring you the needed help. The darkest cloud shall scatter itself in showers of mercy. He, if you are one of His ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 40:4

Tags: Grace, Trust, Anxiety, Surrender, Struggles, Trial  (view more)  (view less)

Faith When Faced With Death?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Sechler on Jan 25, 2014

My son, Micah died in 2012 from kidney disease and complications. As he lay dying I wrote this in my journal: "Sitting at the bedside of my dying son at 3:48 in the morning. Weeping like crazy. Bertrand Russell once said that 'no one can sit at the bedside of dying child and believe in God.' Well ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1

Tags: Faith, Trial, Child Death, Belief In God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You Prepared For Tough Times?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

Lord Joseph Duveen, American head of the art firm that bore his name, planned in 1915 to send one of his experts to England to examine some ancient pottery. He booked passage on the Lusitania. Then the German Embassy issued a warning that the liner might be torpedoed. Duveen wanted to call off ...read more

Tags: Commitment, Preparation, Hardships, Trials, Tough Times  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Facts About Storms Of Life

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 7, 2022

Here are 5 facts about storms of life that we need to remember: 1. Storms are INEVITABLE (John 16:33). 2. Storms are UNPREDICTABLE. You don’t know what tomorrow will bring. (James 4:14). 3. Storms are IMPARTIAL. It rains on the unjust and not just the "just"! (Matthew 5:45). 4. Storms ...read more

Tags: Faith, Fear, Storms Of Life, Tests, Trials  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bible Characters Who Compromised

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2022

Sadly, such compromises are not exceptions; they have become the rule. But don’t think twentieth-century Christians are the only experts in the art of compromise. Scripture is full of people who compromised, including some very choice servants of God. • Adam compromised God’s law, followed his ...read more

Tags: Faith, Sin, Satan, Temptation, Compromise, Trials  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Little Girl Walking In A Garden Noticed A ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Mar 26, 2001

A little girl walking in a garden noticed a particularly beautiful flower. She admired its beauty and enjoyed its fragrance. “It’s so pretty!” she exclaimed. As she gazed on it, her eyes followed the stem down to the soil in which it grew. “This flower is too pretty to be planted in such dirt!” ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24

Tags: Perseverance, God In The Hardships, Gods Will, Contentment, Purpose, Trial  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Three Ways Out

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2013

THREE WAYS OUT Sir Harry Lauder was a British entertainer who proved highly popular throughout the English speaking world both before, during and after World War One. During World War One Lauder worked tirelessly to organize and recruit performers for shows given to troops serving abroad. When ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Death, Despair, Struggles, Hardship Of Life, Trials And Difficulties  (view more)  (view less)

Life With God On Your Side Should Get Better, Shouldn't It?

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Aug 31, 2017

5 Storms in my life changed me intensely. Sometimes a storm will follow a great spiritual event just like these disciples had witnessed. … Many years ago, I was having great difficulties, and that is when I turned to Christ, and then I knew that everything in the bible was true, that Jesus was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Tags: Doubt, Storm, Difficulties, Confusion, Trials, Doubt And Fear  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Episcopal

The Next Lightning Bolt Is For You!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 7, 2022

"And when the great calm followed the storm, He was able to look at the astonished disciples, smile, and say, "I meant for that to happen!“ • A pastor was telling about how he was at his church building late one night when a terrible rain storm struck. This particular church had ...read more

Tags: Faith, Fear, Miracles, Storms Of Life, Tests, Trials  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Carrion Comfort

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 30, 2023

Not, I’ll not, carrion comfort, Despair, not feast on thee; Not untwist - slack they may be - these last strands of man In me or, most weary, cry I can no more. I can; Can something, hope, wish day come, not choose not to be. But, ah, but O thou terrible, why wouldst thou rude on me Thy wring-world ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32

Tags: Purification, Struggle, Trials, Wrestling, Gerard Manley Hopkins  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

What Is Your Biggest Spiritual Challenge??

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 14, 2023

Discipleship Journal asked its readers to rank the areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them. The results came back in this order: 1. Materialism 2. Pride 3. Self-centeredness 4. Laziness 5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness and Sexual lust 6. Envy 7. Gluttony 8. Lying The respondents also noted ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Lust, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Tests, Trials, Temptations  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Six Misunderstandings About Temptation

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2024

Misunderstandings regarding temptation: 1) Temptation itself is sin. 2) We fall into temptation. 3) God is disappointed and displeased when we are tempted. 4) To be strongly tempted means we are as guilty as if we had actually committed sin. 5) We overcome all temptation by separation ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Satan, Temptation, Failure, Tests, Trials, Sin, Lust  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Achilles' Heel

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2024

The ancient Greeks told a story of a warrior named Achilles. His mother had been warned that he would die of a wound, so she dipped him as an infant in the river Styx. That was supposed to make him invincible. THERE WAS ONE PROBLEM -- she held him by one heel which the protective waters did not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:9-15

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Trials, Lust  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Potato, Egg, Or Coffee?  PRO

Contributed by Mike Leiter on Jan 15, 2003

POTATO, EGG, OR COFFEE? Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed. Her father, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 15:7, Galatians 6:9, James 1:2-4

Tags: Hardship, Purpose, Touch, Trial, Struggles, Difficulties, Adversity, Endurance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Vineyard

The 1989 Armenian Earthquake Needed Only Four ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Lawrence on May 12, 2003

. “The 1989 Armenian earthquake needed only four minutes to flatten the nation and kill thirty thousand people. Moments after that deadly tremor ceased, a father raced to an elementary school to save his son. When he arrived, he saw that the building had been leveled. Looking at the mass of stones ...read more

Tags: Commitment, Father, Examples Of Faith, Loyalty, Salvation, Struggles, Trial  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Well ...

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 1, 2012

WELL DONE One mentally challenged young man I heard said, “In this life God places us in His oven. In here it is hot and it hurts. No one likes being in the oven but when life is over, and the bell dings, God takes ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Endurance, Suffering, Fire, Trial, Well Done, Suffering Joy In  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Help I Cant Swim!  PRO

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Nov 27, 2013

Help, I Can't Swim! Several years ago some friends and I would go fishing in the Yadkin River. There were 4 of us and we took 2 flat bottom aluminum boats. One friend of mine had a motor on his, but mine didn't have an engine. We would go after the sun went down and anchor upstream from the rough ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 43:2-3

Tags: God's Help, Divine Help, Enduring Trials, Deep Water

Denomination: Baptist

True Faith - An Outline Of The Book Of James

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 21, 2023

A good outline of the Book of James and what true faith produces in our lives: 1. True faith responds with practical godliness under testing (Jas 1:2-27). A. True faith responds with joy when it faces testing (Jas 1:2, 3, 4). B. True faith seeks God for wisdom in times of testing (Jas 1:5, 6, 7, ...read more

Tags: Faith, Suffering, Difficulties, Works, Tests, Trials, Problems, Tribulations  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bad News And Worse News!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 21, 2023

Doctor to patient: "I have bad news and worse news." Patient: "So let's have it." Doctor: "The bad news is that you only have 24 hours to live." Patient: "I can't imagine what could be worse than ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 16:33

Tags: Problems, Faith, Tribulation, Difficulties, Bad News, Tests, Trials  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[303]. A Message From A Poem - They Did This To My Saviour Lord - Easter

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 3, 2026

[303]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THEY DID THIS TO MY SAVIOUR LORD This is not a complex poem and is written with Easter in view. It recounts some of the events of the Trial and hearing before Pilate. I have put a refrain into this poem, but I am not sure if it is one to be sung. Here and there ...read more

Scripture: John 19:1-3

Tags: Jesus Mocked, Jesus On Trial, Christian Poem, The False Trial, Jesus Scourged, The Crown Of Thorns, Easter, Pilate, Jesus Before Pilate  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational