Sermons on Difficult Childhood:

What Did Jesus Mean By "Whoever Loses His Life For Me Will Find It" Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jul 19, 2013

A look at Jesus' difficult (and frequently ignored) teaching that "whoever lose his life for me will find it." What does that mean? What does it look like to live that out?

WHAT DOES "LOSE YOUR LIFE TO FIND IT" MEAN ANYWAY? It means to pursue Jesus’ path even at the expense of my desires. - Matthew 10:39; Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; Luke 17:33; John 12:25. - This is a foreign concept to many Christians. In the American church we largely ignore this ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24-26

Denomination: Baptist

Jeremiah's Performance Review Series

Contributed by Jim Martin on Nov 20, 2012

In Jeremiah 19 there is the climactic scene where Jeremiah is instructed to smash at the gate of the city in front of the leaders of Jerusalem. The clash of worldviews and the significant emotional cargo of this passage seemed difficult to render to a mod

Jeremiah’s Performance Review by Jim Martin The River Church Community Sunday, November 18th, 2007 The River Church Community ACT I Scene 1 The intro has to set up that the book of Jeremiah and this story arc in the OT are all about God trying to warn his people that if they ...read more

Denomination: *other

Expending Patience Wisely

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 4, 2016

Patience is difficult for us all, but if we develop certain good habits, it makes a big difference. Often times patience simply means delaying anger or refusing to rush to a conclusion or action.

Expending Patience Wisely 1. Someone has contrasted the good and bad of patience, “Patience: The quality you admire in the driver behind you but can’t stand in the driver who’s in front of you.” 2. Someone else illustrated patience this way: “When you're being yelled ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:8

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Our Precious Faith Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Apr 28, 2014

To face & overcome the problems within & without the Christian needs to grow spiritually. Peter would have believers learn the lesson of faithful living in difficult times through his insightful letter.

2 PETER 1: 1-2 [Our Precious Faith Series] OUR PRECIOUS FAITH [Matthew 16:13-19] The apostle opens and closes 2 Peter with the theme of victory. It opens with how to gain the victory of grace and peace and then closes with the victory of the ages for those who have grown in the grace and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

Glory Of God!

Contributed by Bala Samson on Feb 11, 2015

Glory of God is difficult to define or explain, one has to experience it! I pray this devotion would take you into the glorious presence of God and you feel His tangible presence!

Glory! 2 Chronicles 7:1”As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.” “I repeat the glory of the LORD filled the temple!” Glory! This word is so often ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:1-10

Denomination: Pentecostal

Faith Revisited 1 Peter 3:19-21 Series

Contributed by Lonnie Erwin on Apr 10, 2015

: In 1 Peter 3:19-21 seems to provide a description of an event that transpired while Jesus was in the tomb for three (3) days. This is a very difficult passage to understand its meaning or implication.

Title: Faith Revisited Big Idea: In 1 Peter 3:19-21 seems to provide a description of an event that transpired while Jesus was in the tomb for three (3) days. This is a very difficult passage to understand its meaning or implication. Students of the Bible have developed different understandings of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:19-21

Denomination: Baptist

We Need New Eyes

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 20, 2014

There are times the soil around us becomes hard and difficult, it is no time to quit... APPLY MORE EFFORT, try again. Many times all a crying baby needs is a diaper change or to be fed.

WE NEED NEW EYES... By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com I. INTRODUCTION: MANY TIMES ALL A CRYING BABY NEEDS---- IS A CHANGE... A. Root bound: I was in Springfield, Illinois visiting my in-laws. Red my father-in-law said: Come on lets go to a friend of mine's orchard. There were 5,000 red ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:18

Denomination: Assembly Of God

You Cannot Overcome Unless You Have Endured... 7 Words Of Encouragement Series

Contributed by William Akehurst on Nov 27, 2018

We all go through difficult times in life. Without enduring, we can't overcome. But with CHRIST, we can do all things, from enduring to overcoming.

2018.11.27.Enduring to Overcome William Akehurst, HSWC I know you’re not supposed to Text while driving, but how about writing down what GOD lays on your heart at the instance HE gives it? even if you’re driving to work! I’m not advocating that you do this, and I probably should have pulled over ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:4, Revelation 12:10-11, Hebrews 10:36-39, Philippians 4:13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How God Responds To Our Generosity

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 16, 2019

It's difficult to be generous with our money. Seeing how God has promised to respond to our generosity is encouraging and that's exactly what this passage provides.

SCARED TO BE GENEROUS: “I would be more generous, but I’m barely making it now.” - We all know that generosity is admirable. We know that it’s embarrassing to be identified as being stingy. - But we struggle to be generous. One of the reasons that we don’t end up being as generous as we would ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:8-9

Denomination: Baptist

Evangelism Is A High Calling But It Is Not For Us All.

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Nov 3, 2014

Summary: We are all called to preach the gospel, and be a witness for Christ; yet many find this difficult, I especially, so how do we proceed in this high calling. Read on!!!

This sermon was delivered to St Oswald’s in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland on the 2nd November 2014 (a Scottish Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Glasgow and Dumfries). Summary: We are all called to preach the gospel, and be a witness for Christ; yet many find this difficult, I especially, so ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13

Denomination: Episcopal

Who Are You Series

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on Dec 13, 2014

One of the most difficult things for people in the 21st Century to do or so it seems is to have an accurate view of themselves. This question, asked by a demon, brings us face to face with reality.

Who Are You Acts 19:11-20 • There is an old story that I’ve heard, read, and told many times. It’s about a fellow named Bill who was always bragging about who he knew and how he was friends with many popular and powerful people. He said to his boss one day, "You name anyone you ...read more

Scripture: Acts 19:11-20

Denomination: Baptist

Travailing To Prevail

Contributed by Bishop Prof. Julius Soyinka on Feb 19, 2015

We are called to fervent prayers over any difficult situation in our lives. Prayer will open closed doors, pull down satanic oppositions and barriers and give victory on every side.

TRAVAILING TO PREVAIL Study Text: James 5:16-18 Jam 5:16 Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much. Jam 5:17 Elijah was a man of like passion as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not ...read more

Scripture: James 5:16-18

Denomination: Pentecostal

Are You Ready To Be A Disciple Of Christ?

Contributed by Gordon Weatherby on May 7, 2013

There are times when it is very easy to be a Disciple of Christ. there are other times when it is the most difficult thing there can be. This message looks at putting Christ first regardless of how life is.

ARE YOU READY TO BE A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST? JOHN 6:1-70 I. IT IS EASY TO BE A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST WHEN JESUS SERVES US, AND LIFE IS GOOD. 1.) It was easy to be a disciple of Christ when he had fed the 5,000. A.) There was likely never a time that Jesus was as popular as this day, unless it ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-70

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Grace In Groaning Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 23, 2020

If you want to grow in difficult times, get to know God, obey God, and cry out to God if you must; but no matter what, learn and grow from God’s discipline.

Richard Lee had been the lone police officer in the small town of Croydon, New Hampshire for 20 years. So, two months ago (February 2020), when the local board decided to outsource their law enforcement needs to the state police, Lee walked out, disgusted. He also walked out in his underwear. The ...read more

Scripture: Judges 2:6-23, Judges 3:1-4

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Proven Love Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 21, 2019

Peace with God is nothing to be taken lightly; it took God’s immense sacrificial love to attain, and its effects in our life can be surprising, it includes walking through difficult times.

Proven Love (Romans 5:1-11) 1. We Vasiceks are in the midst of living out the implications of the verses we are about to study this week.I can’t say what God is teaching others, but it has been an intensive therapy for my patience and hope muscles. 2, You know the rough experiences we had this ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible