Sermons on Difficulties:

Trials---What Are They Good For?

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 15, 2011

Trials teach us patience, test our faith, train for service, testify to others and help us to triumph through Christ

Trials---What Are They Good For? Chuck Sligh I. THEY TEACH US PATIENCE. A. James 5:10-11 – “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience ...read more

Scripture: James 5:10-11

Denomination: Baptist

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 15, 2011

Habakkuk (along with Job and Gideon) struggled with the question of why God allows His people to suffer. God answered Habakkuk, the subject of this sermon.

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? Chuck Sligh January 17, 2010 TEXT: Turn to Habakkuk 1 (the fifth to the last book in the Old Testament) INTRODUCTION Illus. – There was a couple in the church I pastored in Wiesbaden, Germany. They were faithful to the Lord; faithful to services of the ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 1:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Shake It Off!

Contributed by John Putty on Apr 16, 2011

A message encouraging believers to release negative feelings and hurts as well as accept God's help when they struggle and/or are discouraged.

Title: Shake it off! Text: Romans 13:11-12 Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out-of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast-off the works of darkness, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:11-13

Denomination: Assembly Of God

How To Pray For Your Friends

Contributed by Patrick Nix on Apr 30, 2011

Do you ever catch yourself praying and wonder if what you are asking is even close to what God wants? I’ve wondered that a lot. I’ll be praying for someone to be healed of arthritis and think, ‘Maybe God doesn’t want to heal them yet. Maybe there’s som

Do you ever catch yourself praying and wonder if what you are asking is even close to what God wants? I’ve wondered that a lot. I’ll be praying for someone to be healed of arthritis and think, ‘Maybe God doesn’t want to heal them yet. Maybe there’s some bigger plan ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Denomination: Baptist

Ruth - My Redeemer Lives, Series Intro

Contributed by Maurice Mccarthy on May 9, 2011

God colors outside the lines. He providentially sends us places we would not volunteer to go, because there is a Ruth, whom He wants to save.

Ruth My Redeemer Lives Series Intro PPT 1 Today we begin a new series I am entitling, "My Redeemer Lives." Redeemer is one of those religious words we have, that unless you have been brought up in the church you have no idea what it means. To redeem something is to: Recover ownership - like in a ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-8

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Widow's Oil

Contributed by Scott Ridout on Jul 2, 2009

This sermon focuses on the story of the Widow’s Oil from 2 Kings 4 and answers the questions: "Why do bad things happen to good people, where is God when they do, and what do we do when it happens to us?" Part of a series entitled "Seven".

We’re in a series called "Seven" learning unforgettable lessons from forgotten lives of the Old Testament. This week we are going to take a look at a woman who is having a very difficult time in her life. In fact I’m not sure things can get worse. If you have a Bible, turn to the passage in 2 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Grief Leads To Joy, Change Leads To Blessings.

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jul 8, 2009

We can’t avoid grief or change in this lifetime, fortunately both can lead to a better life.

Grief Leads to Joy, Change Leads to Blessings. John 16:16-22 and Acts 2:42-47 I would like to start today with a story you may be familiar with. “I was out fishing one day with my brother and we had been talking recently about a buzz down the river about this guy who was baptizing people and ...read more

Scripture: John 16:16-22

A Table In The Wilderness Series

Contributed by Maurice Mccarthy on Sep 8, 2011

From a biblical perspective, the wilderness is where a lot of people die, but it is also the place where a lot of people have accelerated spiritual growth, because of the high spiritual protein foods God serves in the wilderness.

A Table in the Wilderness PPT 1 Today I want to talk about a table in the wilderness. We are going to leave our John the Baptist series and take a little trip down a sidepath this AM. I connect this message to our current series by simply noting that John the Baptist was to be a forerunner for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:24

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Purpose Of God

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Sep 17, 2011

A message of confident hope in times of trouble. When life makes no sense, we may boldly move forward, knowing that all things work according to the purpose of God. We don't have to understand it ourselves when we know that God does understand!

The Purpose of God Romans 8:28 May 29, 2005 OPEN: I stood dismayed in the kitchen of our newly acquired country home--I had accidentally submerged my left foot in a tray of fresh wall paint. A few minutes later, as I took off my comfortable, hole-in-the-toe painting sneakers, I regretted that I ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Denomination: Baptist

Bathsheba - A Reputation Tarnished Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Dec 11, 2010

We live in a world where abuse and injustice occur. Through the story of Bathsheba we see that God is able to bring healing to all victims by including them into His family.

You can listen to the full message here:- http://www.nec.org.au/listen-to-a-sermon-series/a-questionable-genealogy/ Message 2 Samuel 11:1-27 Bathsheba – A Reputation Tarnished When we read through the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel four out the five women in that genealogy appear in ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-27

Denomination: Baptist

Different Expectations Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Dec 13, 2010

Jesus didn't fit John's idea of what the Messiah would be like. Jesus stressed love rather than judgment. Jesus moves in surprising ways and communicates God's grace in unexpected situations.

Matthew 11:2-11 “Different Expectations” INTRODUCTION The family gathers around the newborn’s bassinette. They marvel at this squirming gift of life, and give thanks for health and wholeness. As they gaze upon the baby’s features they wonder what the child will ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11

Denomination: Lutheran

Opposition Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Jan 5, 2011

Humankind has always opposed God's will and sought to limit God's movement among us. God's hand is upon his people and he is with them as they faithfully do God's will.

Matthew 2:13-23 “Opposition” INTRODUCTION The warm, cuddly scene of a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger and surrounded by his parents, shepherds, and the Magi, is theologically called the incarnation. Jesus shed his godliness and became human. From another ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-23

Denomination: Lutheran

Why Does God Let His People Suffer? Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Apr 7, 2010

God “redeems” suffering through faith in his goodness and control.

Scripture Introduction A guy from New York rented a car after landing at the Dallas airport and set out across Texas to a meeting. Suddenly a truck pulling a horse trailer swerved and collided with him. He waited over a month before trying to collect damages from his insurance company. When he did ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Living In The End Times Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 17, 2010

As the time draws near for the end of the age, we should not be deceived or distressed. Instead, we should be aware of the signs and be alert to the time.

To start a discussion on core values, a youth pastor in Saskatchewan, Canada, asked his youth group: “What would you do if your doctor told you that you had only 24 hours to live?” The students talked about being with friends and family, and the discussion seemed headed in the right direction. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:1-37

Denomination: Evangelical Free

The Truth About Trials Series

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on May 2, 2010

Trials are designed to mature us. Growing old is not synonomous with growing up

Truth about Trials James 1:2-4 * (Show clip from Forrest Gump – Life is like a box of chocolates) – Did you hear that last line? “You never know what you are going to get.” My comment is that while there is ‘some’ truth in the previous statement, I believe ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Denomination: Baptist