Sermons on Difficult Start:

1 Advent C

Contributed by Roger Haugen on Sep 20, 2001

The start of Advent

23 Pentecost B Mark 13:1-8 / Hebrews 10:11-25 19 November 2000 Such a text. Wars, rumours of wars, earthquakes, famines, family discord, signs of the end of the world. Could be the nightly 11:00 news. We’ve heard it and seen it all. If we were of a ceratin theological bent, we would talk about ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:25-36

Denomination: Lutheran

Hope For A New Millenium

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Jun 11, 2004

Finding hope, even in difficult time.

Introduction Does a New Millennium Offer Hope? Happy New Year! Happy New Century & Happy New Millennium! Congratulations! You‘ve made it to the year 2000 – the long dreaded Y2K bug has proved to be less nuisance than the average mosquito. In the midst of my unpacking, I watched just a little bit ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Denomination: Baptist

Pray For Peace In God's Path Series

Contributed by John Dobbs on Dec 18, 2019

Peace of mind is one of the greatest blessings we can enjoy, and one of the most difficult to attain. It is not difficult because it is not available, it is difficult because we do not seek it in God’s way.

Pray for Peace in God’s Path Luke 1:76-79 Introduction Peace of mind is one of the greatest blessings we can enjoy, and one of the most difficult to attain. It is not difficult because it is not available, it is difficult because we do not seek it in God’s way. During this Advent series ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:76-79

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Prospering In A New Church Plant

Contributed by Darron Edwards on Apr 9, 2004

How to prosper in a new church plant, start-up, or re-start congregation

HOW TO PROSPER IN A NEW CHURCH PLANT Habakkuk 3: 17 - 19 INTRODUCTION: I have the greatest respect for anyone who can do anything from scratch. It is so easy to go out and "buy the instant formula" or purchase the product already made so that all that needs to happen is a "re-heating process". ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 3:17-19, Habakkuk 3:17

Denomination: Baptist

"... And A Happy New Year!"

Contributed by Spencer Homan on Jan 19, 2009

This is a sermon that uses the fresh start of the new year as an analogy for a fresh start in Christ.

“… and a happy new year!” [Begin with a powerpoint slide titled “I Promise To…” and have it display all the things we promise to change for the new year: work out every day, eat healthier, loose 10 pounds, spend more time with the kids, be a better spouse, finally finish that “to do” list, go to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

When Life Seems Scattered Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Aug 22, 2012

Navigating life's difficult circumstances.

When Life Seems Scattered Series: BREAKOUT – God on the Move through the Book of Acts Brad Bailey – April 29, 2012 Intro One thing we each have in our lives… is circumstances… things outside ourselves that effect the context we are in. Some circumstances we welcome… ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Some Verses Are Hard To Understand Lesson 1 Series

Contributed by Elmer Towns on Feb 11, 2019

How to deal with difficult verses

A. INTRODUCTION: WHY SOME VERSES ARE HARD 1. Because God is truthful, He wrote a Bible that is truthful. Truth is consistent with its self, and correlates with reality (the laws of nature). 2. What appears to be a contradiction, has an explanation. 3. We won’t understand everything. Peter said ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:15-16

Denomination: Baptist

Psalm 103

Contributed by Dean Rhine on Nov 3, 2016

Praising God in Difficult Times

Psalm 103 - 7/31/16 PM Funny: A woman fell out of a second-floor window and landed in a slow-moving garbage truck. Half-buried in the litter, she tried without success to get the truck-driver’s attention. A foreign diplomat standing on the sidewalk saw her and quipped, “another example ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:1-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Comfort In The Chaos

Contributed by Stephen E. Trail on Nov 12, 2024

How to thrive in difficult times.

Comfort in the Chaos Acts 16:20-35 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:20-35

Denomination: Baptist

Whose Vine Is It Anyway? Series

Contributed by Steven Dow on Jul 10, 2004

Part 2 of 3 in the series "A Declaration of Dependence." We must (1) stop denying and start depending; (2) stop trying and start trusting; (3) stop resisting and start persisting; (4) stop pouting and start praying; and (5) stop delaying and start obeyin

WHOSE VINE IS IT ANYWAY? A Declaration of Dependence John 15:1-8 July 11, 2004 Introduction: This week we will be continuing our series titled “A Declaration of Dependence.” During this month in which we celebrate our independence as a nation I want us to turn our attention to our dependence ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-10

Fiery Trials

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jan 16, 2011

Standing up for Christ in difficult times

Reading: 1 Peter chapter 4 verses 12-19. • We’ve noted in past studies that every Christian who lives a godly life; • Will at some stage experiences a certain amount of persecution. • That’s part of the package! i.e. 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 12. • The apostle Peter has already dealt with this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Denomination: Brethren

God Wants To Do A New Thing In Your Life

Contributed by Wayne Searls on Aug 24, 2003

To motivate the hearer to seek a new vision and a new in-terest in the things of God.

GOD WANTS TO DO A NEW THING IN YOUR LIFE Isaiah 43:18,19 TEXT: Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. PROPOSITION: To motivate the hearer to seek a ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 43:18-19, Isaiah 43:1-19, Isaiah 43:18-21

Denomination: Nazarene

Selling Herself Cheaply Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Feb 4, 2021

God makes room for all, even for those women we routinely dismiss because of a soiled past. If God accepts Rahab the prostitute, He will accept me if I look to Him in faith.

“Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho.’ And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. And it was told to the king of Jericho, ‘Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 2:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Better Beginnings

Contributed by Bill Bowdle on Jan 31, 2018

BETTER BEGINNINGS for New Year help build our lives on better foundations, resulting in better endings. 1:RECOGNIZE GOD AS CREATOR (In beginning God..); 2: RESPECT GOD W. REVERENCE (Fear of God=beginning of wisdom) ; 3: RECEIVE CHRIST FOR NEW BEGINNINGS.

“BETTER BEGINNINGS” by REV. BILL BOWDLE ====================================== Retired United Methodist Pastor - Liberty Township, Ohio, Delivered this message at a nearby UMC during it's pastor's vacation on 01/07/2018 Genesis 1:1, Proverbs 9:10; John 1:1-4,12 ============= INTRODUCTION ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

Steps To Activate Restoration In Your Life

Contributed by Rev. Samuel Arimoro on Sep 30, 2025

Restoration does not just happen automatically; there are deliberate steps of faith, obedience, and alignment with God’s promises that trigger divine restoration.

STEPS TO ACTIVATE RESTORATION IN YOUR LIFE By Rev. Samuel Arimoro Main Text: Joel 2:25-26 Key Verse: “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.” (Joel 2:25) Supporting Texts: ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:25-26

Denomination: Assembly Of God