Sermons on Difficulties:

This Is The Pits

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Aug 27, 2009

Sometimes life seems like the pits but God can even take the pits and make them useful!

Genesis 37:18-36 Verse 20-We shall see what will become of his dreams There is someone who wants to crush your dreams! Satan is out to get you, to discourage you, to detain you, to derail you from reaching your dreams! Just remember the brothers who gave Joseph so much trouble had slept ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:18-36

Denomination: Baptist

Is Your Faith Working??

Contributed by Richard Tow on Sep 7, 2009

People have differing views about how faith is expressed and what it looks like when it is expressed. Faith to remove a problem and faith to endure a problem are both illustrated in Hebrews 11. Habakkuk’s struggle with faith is also addressed.

Is Your Faith Working? Hebrews 11 7-19-09 Intro I want to begin this morning with a question. Is your faith working? Since the Bible says, “The just shall live by faith” I would consider that question extremely important. Are you living by faith? Martin Luther applied that verse to justification. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-40

Denomination: Charismatic

Why? Understanding Life Events (I) Series

Contributed by Richard Tow on Sep 7, 2009

Sometimes the events of our lives do not seem to make sense. But there are three things God is always doing (1) Bringing People to Moral Choice (2) Revealing Himself (3) Preparing His People for Eternity. This sermon examines what God was doing in the eve

Why? Understanding Life Events (I) 1 Kings 21 5-31-09 Intro I want to begin this morning with a brief clip from the movie, Faith Like Potatoes. How many have seen it? It’s a very good movie—based on a true story. Let me give a little background for the clip. Angus Buchan is a farmer in South ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 21:1-29

Denomination: Charismatic

Invisible Gold

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Aug 5, 2008

Don’t give into life’s troubles. You may not see in them the rich potential of a strong faith, but it’s there. To have it developed is much more precious than gold! Faith-Testing Times Can Be Faith-Strengthening Times.

Opening illustration: In the 1980s, Northern Nevada was the site of a gold strike. The discovery would have been beyond the imagination of 19th century prospectors, for the gold in those western hills is virtually invisible. Even after being magnified 1,500 times, most of the particles remain ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Bitter Goodbye Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 28, 2009

Life’s crossroads can be messy, but sometimes you cannot walk around the mud, but you must march right through it. Yet even [when we are] walking through the mud, God does not abandon His children.

A Bitter Goodbye (Genesis 31:17-55) 1. At Kokomo’s Jackson Morrow Park, Marylu and I were hiking. We like to walk several times a week, and a walk in the woods can add an pleasant environment. I decided to take a short cut near the creek…I thought the ground was solid, but I immediately sunk in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:17-55

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Playing It Safe: Job's Friend Zophar Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 7, 2009

For Lent and Annunciation: Zophar’s counsel is to "play it safe" by sticking to ideas rather than engaging persons. He thinks that security is the goal. God in Christ takes the risk of loving us and living with us.

Every human heart is so made that it can be hurt. Of that I have no doubt. Every human heart is subject to hurt, to pain, to shock. Every one of us is subject to feelings that we do not enjoy -- disappointment, anger, despair, guilt, anxiety -- a whole range of painful feelings. And we either deal ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Peace Of Faith Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Apr 20, 2009

What is it that makes these verses so forceful? To me it is the courageous way in which Habakkuk faces possible calamities & triumphs over them through knowledge & faith in his Savior. Habakkuk has learned the lesson of faith taught in 2:4

Habakkuk 3:16-17 THE PEACE OF HABAKKUK’S FAITH [Psalms 18:18-33] The last section of this glorious chapter contains some of the most moving verses in all the Bible. On one occasion it was used by Benjamin Franklin, who was not a Christian, to confound some of the sophisticated, cultured ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 3:16-19

Denomination: Baptist

Surviving Life's Dark Times Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 27, 2009

Life’s dark times can pull us in all directions and produce all sorts of feelings; we must cling God during those bleak experiences.

Surviving Life’s Dark Times (Jeremiah 20:1-18) 1. After Jeremiah’s trip to the pottery shop, he had been commanded to assemble the elders and leaders of the city and smash a completed piece of pottery to pieces before them. Then he preached a message that God was going to do just that with ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 20:1-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Understanding The Twelve Purposes For Trials, Trouble, Testing

Contributed by Larry Wolfe on Jul 7, 2009

A survey of the Bible texts concerning trials

UNDERSTANDING THE TWELVE BIBLICAL PURPOSES FOR TESTING, TRIALS & TROUBLES 1. God allows trials so that we might become stronger Christians (James 1:3, 4) Reason #1 To Praise The Lord! “My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers generations; knowing this that the trying of your ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Part 7 - Why Does Bad Stuff Happen To Good People? Series

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Feb 26, 2010

We all ask it....why? And "why me"? Is there an answer?

Job was a man who lived in Uz. He was honest inside and out, a man of his word, who was totally devoted to God and hated evil with a passion. Job 1:1 (TMSG) --- No rest for me, ever—death has invaded life. Job 3:26b (TMSG) Why does bad stuff happen to good people? This question is such a ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

It's All Good

Contributed by Steve Keeler on May 9, 2010

No matter how hard it may seem, as Christians we also are supposed to rejoice in all things.

It's All Good by Steve Keeler Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." "Once upon a time." How long has it been since you heard a story that began like that once upon a time? Well, we're ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sinners In The Towers?

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 10, 2011

God has a message for us in tragedy.

As we look at the tenth anniversary of 9/11 we need to reflect on what this means to all human beings not just Americans or the people who had loved one die that day. It is a lesson from God for all of us. Throughout the centuries people of all faiths have tried to explain tragedy. Natural ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

I Quit Making Excuses Series

Contributed by Herbert Cooper on Sep 20, 2011

One thing that I’m convinced of, is that I haven’t arrived yet. I haven’t accomplished all that God has for me; And you haven’t either. The fact that we’re still alive means God has more for us.

1. God has more for your life Phil 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (NIV) (Paul said, I’m not there yet but I’m pressing forward because God has more for me) ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Important Things

Contributed by Greg Nance on Apr 19, 2013

Trials make us evaluate what matters most. Questions about life and eternity help us center our hearts and minds and focus our hopes in God’s eternal plan.

All of us face trials. The Bible is filled with stories about people undergoing trials and teachings about how to respond when we face trials and troubles in this life. This past week Boston was shaken by a crisis that we all have surely heard about. I selected four slides from photos that were ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Difference Between Jesus' Trouble And Ours

Contributed by Todd Wagner on May 1, 2013

The source of peace to your troubled hearts is belief in Jesus Christ.

We are going to dive into a series of weeks where we're going to come across that little phrase, take heart, a whole lot. We are in John 14. We've been away from the gospel of John for a while. We pick it back up at an incredible moment, when the Commander, if you will, of God's enduring people on ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational