In Sermon Illustrations: "Trials"

4 Spiritual Crises

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 19, 2014

FOUR SPIRITUAL CRISES The spiritual experience of Abraham was marked by four great crises, each of which involved a surrender of something dear. These were: (1) LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY AND FAMILY (Gen 12:1 Mt 10:34-39 2Cor 6:14-18) - Is God asking you to go somewhere away from home, family and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14

Tags: Faith, Abraham, Trial, Crisis

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Adversity

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher Sometimes life deals us a situation so adverse, a loss so great, we feel unable to meet the challenge of facing day after day in our pain and loss. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Tags: Adversity, Courage, Perserverance, Trials

Denomination: Charismatic

All Things Work Together

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 15, 2020

My wife makes an amazing pot roast dinner. She takes raw meat, along with raw sliced white and sweet potatoes, celery, mushrooms, carrots, and onions and throws them into the slow cooker. Six or seven hours later the aroma fills the house, and the first taste is a delight. It is always to my ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Suffering, Purpose, Conformity, Trials

Denomination: Independent/Bible

How Steinway Pianos Are Crafted

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

THE POUNDER ROOM The Steinway piano has been preferred by keyboard masters such as Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, Cliburn, and Liszt and for good reason. It is a skillfully crafted instrument that produces phenomenal sound. Steinway pianos are built today the same way they were 140 years ago when Henry ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tags: Discipline, Trials, Tests Of Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

To Persecuted Jewish Believers Scattered Among ...  PRO

Contributed by Herman Abrahams on Jan 8, 2004

¡¦To persecuted Jewish believers scattered among pagan peoples, James gave the surprising advice, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Trials should be faced with an attitude of joy. Trials should not be seen as a punishment, a curse, or a calamity but ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Charismatic

Warren Wiersbe Writes, "Our Values Determine Our ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 31, 2001

Warren Wiersbe writes, "Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value the material and physical more than the spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy! If we live only ...read more

Scripture: James 1:9-11, James 1:2-12, James 1:19-27

Tags: Endurance, Human Body, Joy, Prayer

Are You Seaworthy?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

ARE YOU SEAWORTHY? In his book, Life before Death, Ian Leitch, a Scottish preacher, talks about three luxury ocean liners, the Queen Mary, the Queen Elizabeth, and the QE2. He says, "When they built [these ocean liners], they did not test them in dry dock. They didn’t leave them in dry dock and ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-15, James 1:2-4

Tags: Faith

[014] A Message From A Poem - Against The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2024

[014] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN The origin of this poem goes right back to a time of considerable difficulty when I was going through tough times and some people were very nasty. Christians do face real difficulties and you will have persecution and unfairness just because ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12, Hebrews 2:17, John 14:16-17

Tags: Persecution, Comfort, Difficulties, Trials, Suffer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A True And Noble Friendship Shrinks Not At The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

A true and noble friendship shrinks not at the ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Don't Waste The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

DON’T WASTE THE WISDOM Pastor Warren Weirsbe told of a time when an associate of his, a gifted secretary, was going through great trials. She had had a stroke, her husband had gone blind, and then he had to be taken to the hospital where (we were sure) he would die. He saw her in church one Sunday ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:33

Tags: Wisdom

The Enthusiastic, To Those Who Are Not, Are ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The enthusiastic, to those who are not, are always ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

A Critic Is A Man Who Prefers The Indolence Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

A critic is a man who prefers the indolence of opinion to ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

A Russian Novelist Has Written A Story In Which ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 4, 2006

A Russian novelist has written a story in which he represents his hero as a man who witnessed the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. However, he had a toothache, and all that he could recall of that memorable week was his toothache. There are many who belong to this group. They cannot become ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Lionel Luckhoo Is In The Guinness Book Of Records ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Sep 24, 2006

Lionel luckhoo is in the Guinness book of records the most successful trial lawyer 245 successful murder defenses in a row! At 63 he decided to put his analytical skills to the claim that Jesus rose from the dead! He found the resurrection answered his personal needs and his intellectual ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

We Are Always In The Forge; Or On The Anvil; By ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

We are always in the forge; or on the anvil; by trials God is ...read more

Tags: Endurance

The Longest Absence Is Less Perilous To Love ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

The longest absence is less perilous to love than the terrible ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Without One Plea  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

WITHOUT ONE PLEA Charlotte Elliott was a sickly English woman who had developed a long history of refusing to do things she was asked to do because of her illness. Her brother, who was a pastor, had been particularly persistent in trying to get her out of herself, trying to get her involved in ...read more

Scripture: John 8:3-11, John 4:1-26

Tags: Healing, Brokenness, Trials And Difficulties, Used

Edison Burns All His Mistakes  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2011

EDISON BURNS ALL HIS MISTAKES Thomas A. Edison's plant was on fire. As he helplessly watched it burn, taking his costly experiments up in flames, he called his son Charles. "Come!" he said. "You'll never see anything like this again!" Then he called his wife. As the three stood gazing, Edison ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4, Psalm 31:1-24

Tags: Trust, Action, Need, Trials And Difficulties

Sidewalk Flowers

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

"There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose." - Hubbard, Kin American Journalist (1868-1930) I once knew a woman who grew up in Oklahoma in a very poor family. She ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Persevere, Adversity, Disability, Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Charismatic

Sudden Tragedy

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are.” - Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha In the early hours of a January morning in Texas years ago, a man was jolted awake to a nightmare; his friend was rushing ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Tragedy, Adversity, Fire, Enduring Trials

Denomination: Charismatic