Sermons on Difficult Relationships:

Testing God Series

Contributed by D Marion Clark on Apr 20, 2016

Testing God is the recurring theme as the psalmist recounts the waywardness of the Israelites. Three times it is mentioned, each time presenting insight into the different perspectives between them and God about their relationship.

Psalm 78:17-20, 40-41, 56-58 Testing God 12/27/09 D. Marion Clark Introduction You are familiar with the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness. Satan presents three temptations, all of which Jesus refutes, each time by quoting Scripture. For one of the temptations Satan sets Jesus on the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 78:17-58

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Calculate The Cost

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Jan 30, 2019

When we embrace a relationship with Jesus, we end up calculating the cost of following Him. I use a current political story to show not everything is as we think it is.

Calculate the Cost Luke 14:25-33 February 3, 2019 I’m going to start out being a little political. Most of you will recall that there was an incident in Washington DC, in which some students from a Catholic school were chastised, and that’s being gentle for how they treated a Native American who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

Denomination: Baptist

Living In The Kingdom 19 Series

Contributed by Rodney V Johnson on May 28, 2022

In this message we will examine what Jesus said about asking and receiving. He was not talking about a formula to always get what we want, but about our relationship with God.

Living in the Kingdom 19 Scripture: Matthew 7:7-12; First John 5:14-15; James 1:5-7 This morning in the continuation of my series “Living in the Kingdom,” we will be examining what Jesus said about asking and receiving. As we read these verses I want to remind you that Jesus was teaching a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-12, 1 John 5:14-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Successful Suffering Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 12, 2021

The lesson on how to suffer successfully involves the whole of one's spiritual life and relationship to God. In learning this lesson we will learn that which is necessary to be a complete and entire Christian.

Imagine the testing of the body in such a sport as football. To be on your feet and seconds later brought to the ground hard and fast. Then to get up and do it again, and again, and again, but constantly moving forward. All of that falling is not what wins the game, but whether or not you win ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-8

Desire For God's Presence, Provision & Protection Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Sep 13, 2021

We all need to be more fervent and less complacent in our pursuit of our relationship with God. Here we can learn how David overcame complacency and ritualistic religion.

PSALM 63 DESIRE FOR GOD'S PRESENCE, PROVISION & PROTECTION [1 Samuel 24, 2 Samuel 15-18] The freedom to be transparent before God, to express to Him exactly how you feel, is an important part of prayer and relationship. David's life exhibited those qualities. David lived with an ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Concerns And Comfort Within Psalm 46 Series

Contributed by Thomas Fortini on Jan 26, 2021

Psalm 46:6-11 points out concerns for the unconverted, but also provides comforting words for the Christian. The way it affects you will primarily be determined on the basis of your relationship with God!

Text: Psalm 46 (KJV) 6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. 9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:6-11

The Gospel. Part 2: The Solution

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Oct 25, 2020

Jesus deals with our debt and with God's anger. He makes it possible for our relationship with God to be restored. But there is something we have to do. We have to repent.

Two weeks ago, I gave the first of four talks titled ‘the gospel.’ I said that the word ‘gospel’ means ‘good news.’ What is this good news? We looked at a passage in John 6 in which Jesus said, absolutely clearly, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes HAS ETERNAL LIFE.’ Jesus then ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

The Thessalonians # 9

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Apr 6, 2022

Since Paul now is switching from the relationship between himself and the Thessalonian Christians to giving instruction on conduct, “walk,” the word “ethics” comes up since this has to do with conduct.

The word “ethics” is one of the most important words in the English language. Of the ten most IMPORTANT WORDS in the English language, “ethics” should be ranked toward the top of the list! It is a word that every SCHOOL TEACHER should DRILL into the minds of students. It is a word every SUNDAY ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Inner Desire Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Jul 29, 2014

Coveting—our envy of another’s possessions and blessings has the potential to destroy our relationship with God and with others. A life of thankfulness and gratitude is commanded instead of coveting.

Exodus 20:17 “Inner Desires” INTRODUCTION One of the most popular arguments to persuade parents is, “But mom, dad, everyone’s doing it.” How did this work for you when you were young? This is the excuse that we use when confronted by the ninth and tenth ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:17-18

Denomination: Lutheran

Discipleship Is A Community Project Series

Contributed by David Taylor on Oct 16, 2014

The Word is Your Life, part 5 Discipleship is a Community Project Colossians 3:15-17 1. The Word is to be Central in Our Community 2. The Word is to be Central in Our Relationships

The Word is Your Life, part 5 Discipleship is a Community Project Colossians 3:15-17 David Taylor October 5, 2014 We are in the last week of our fall series, “The Word is Your Life,” to help you see and feel the necessity of making the word central in your life. We started by looking ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:15-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Root Of Immorality

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 29, 2020

Have the professed people of God permitted themselves to be compromised by the world to such an extend that they are powerless against wickedness? Though the thought is frightful, Christians need to assess our relationship with the Living God.

The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame. They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity. And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. They shall eat, ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 4:7-19

Denomination: Baptist

How Not To Do

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 19, 2015

Talk about the results, the relationship, and the rewards of fearing the Lord (Material adapted from Bob Deffinbaugh at: https://bible.org/seriespage/5-psalm-34-fear-lord)

HoHum: One man said, “I fell off a 6 foot ladder last summer. It was the most spectacular SPLAT ever. Talk about a perfect way to teach how not to do something! No roll. No slap. Just a flail, a yelp and a splat. Thankfully I didn't get hurt.” Reminds me of AFV where we are shown how ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:11-22

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Blights To Be Reckoned With Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 3, 2016

Our personal struggles and weaknesses have great bearing upon our relationships. We all have blights that plague us, and today we are going to look at three of them.

Blights to Be Reckoned With (Ecclesiastes 11:4, 9:18, 9:11b) 1. UPI recently ran an article about a man and his trash: “NEW YORK, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- A man has promised to wear a clear plastic suit containing every piece of garbage he produces for 30 days. A film crew will follow Rob ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Prayer (Speak With Your Abba Father Series

Contributed by Damien Saylor on Jun 17, 2019

Without a healthy relationship with God Our Father, our Spiritual Health will never get past the graveyard! Let’s Awake & come alive in our Spiritual Health.

Sermon series - 6 qualities for spiritual health 2) I am a person of Prayer. - Last week I began a series to help us grow in our spiritual health. - It all begins with totally loving God. - As I see it, this Love closely mirrors the love & affection we would have with our ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:23-33

Denomination: Baptist

Zigzagginig In Ziklag Series

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 31, 2022

We find David in despair and anxiety and perhaps believing lies in his spirit and he sets himself apart from God and compromises who he is and his relationship with God.

THE VERY RELATABLE LIFE OF KING DAVID ZIGZAGGING IN ZIKLAG 1 Samuel 27:1-12 #kingdavid INTRODUCTION… ZigZag, google.com/books/edition/Word_Origins_And_How_We_ Know_ Them/sMiRc-JFIfMC?q=zigzag Some words in the English language are more fun than others. ‘Shananigans’ is a fun word that literally ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 27:1-12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ