Sermons on Difficulty:

Broken Things God Used

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 4, 2008

Do you feel broken? God uses people like you. This sermon highlights those things in scripture which were broken before they were used.

INTRODUCTION The world is full of broken things - broken bones, broken windows, little birds with broken wings, not to mention broken hearts and broken homes. The Bible also refers to broken things: 1. A BROKEN BANQUET Matthew 15:36 "And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:24

Dust In The Wind

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on Jun 12, 2008

The “winds of change” brings dust into your life to change your shape into what God has in store for you. Dust may come in the form of your reputation slandered, Relocation out of your comfort zone, or separation of friends. Swirling sand helps you disco

Dust In The Wind I close my eyes only for a moment and the moment’s gone. All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity. Dust in the wind. All they are is dust in the wind. Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea. All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see. Dust in the ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Triumphant King

Contributed by Brien Sims on Jul 3, 2008

Victory in Jesus through hard times.

With all the bad weather, I can’t imagine that I am the only one who has driven on ice. It can be incredibly frightening to hit a patch of ice. Why? Because you lose control of the car and slide, spin, and even crash into other people and objects. I remember clearly on Tuesday, February 19th, Amy ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:28-44

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When You Are Under Attack

Contributed by Daniel Olukoya on May 24, 2009

Of all cities in the world, none has been so frequently attacked like Jerusalem. Why is it so? It is because the place has a prophetic destiny. So, as a child of God, in case you are seriously under attack or you are wondering why you are sweating and str

WHEN YOU ARE UNDER ATTACK Dr. D. K. Olukoya Isaiah 59: 19 says, “So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” Many people do not ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 59:19

Denomination: Pentecostal

Suffering And The Human Condition: Where Was God? Series

Contributed by John Barry on Jun 12, 2009

The editor-in-chief of Bible Study magazine addresses the topic of suffering and God’s place in it and through it.

I was in a room close to 7:00 AM playing Jazz with my High School Jazz Band. We had band practice at 6:00 AM Monday to Friday mornings. (What kind of deranged person came up with that idea?) As I was sitting there at the drum set playing along half-asleep, the intercom began to come on and off. It ...read more

Denomination: *other

New Beginnings Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jun 15, 2009

In Ruth 1:19-22 we see a New Beginning moving from a 1) Total Loss to a 2) Total Gain.

The chalk cliffs of Beachy Head on England’s south coast are the British answer to the Golden Gate Bridge: a place of beauty and stillness that has a terrible allure, both practical and aesthetic, for suicidal people. Neil and Kazumi Puttick, a married couple jumped to their deaths on the evening ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:19-22

Denomination: Other

Why Does God Allow Pain? Series

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Jan 8, 2010

If God really is there and loves me, why do I still hurt?

Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Jeremiah 15:18a It’s always helpful at the start of a journey to know where you’re headed! Let me share some of the “roadmap” for our series on ‘WHY’ – the questions people ask. The well-known artist and songwriter Bill ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 15:18

Denomination: United Methodist

Answers, Not Appeasement

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 19, 2010

When our needs are real, we want genuine answers, not just appeasements. Look to self-esteem, look to the resources already present, and look to the Lord of victory for real answers.

When you need something, and you ask for it, what do you expect? Do you expect an answer or an appeasement? Do you expect a clear-cut, usable answer to your request, or are you satisfied if you are just told, well, have a nice day? When you need something, and you ask for it, which really satisfies ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 17:14-18

Denomination: Baptist

Mourning For Haiti

Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Jan 21, 2010

Isaiah 57:1 NIV The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.

Mourning for Haiti Psalm 23 On January 12, 2010, at 4:53 pm Eastern Standard Time Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, the country's most severe earthquake in over 200 years. The epicenter of the quake was just off the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, a city of 2 million. Our world has ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

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

Perseverance Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Mar 24, 2009

There is a process in our becoming all that God credated us to be. This is the human side of the divine change.

James 1:2-4, 22-25 “Perseverance” INTRODUCTION When it comes to travel, I think many of us are highway people. We want to go the fastest way possible in order to get to our destination as quickly as we can. We aren’t really interested in seeing the sights or stopping at the tourist ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-25

Denomination: Lutheran

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

"What To Do When God Disappears”

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Jul 28, 2009

“What to do When God Disappears” There are three things you can do.

“What to do When God Disappears” August 2, 2009 Psalm 42 God had disappeared – or so it must have seemed to David. He was the one who had sat under the night stars with his sheep and communed with God. With the starry host overhead by night and the meadows filled with flowers and romping ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-11

Denomination: Holiness

What Are The Five Biggest Problems Of Life And Does God Really Care?

Contributed by Larry Moyer on Aug 5, 2009

God not only cares, but when you are rightly related to God, you have the answer to the five biggest problems of life. This message examines Psalm 23 and explains how when the LORD is your shepherd, it’s enough.

I am no different from anybody else here. And the proof of that is that there are times I feel like looking at people and saying the same seven words you do. They are, "Sometimes I wonder if you really care." Now obviously there are times I feel like saying that more than others and there are some ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Experiencing God

Contributed by Terry Barnhill on Oct 24, 2009

When Job had fully experienced God, he came to understand more about God, life, and himself.

Most preachers will tell you that the Book of Job can be tough to preach from. The story line itself isn’t exactly a feel-good experience, but you have to admit, it does make you think. Job discovered a new understanding of God’s purpose, and his suffering gave him a new perspective of himself as ...read more

Scripture: Job 42:1-6

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed