Sermons on God Present In Suffering:

Unwrapping A Strange Gift

Contributed by David Welch on Aug 6, 2018

This series of messages addressed the "gift" of suffering. I have included the notes from several messages on the topic.

Chico Alliance Church UNWRAPPING A STRANGE GIFT REVIEW Paul is in prison simply for preaching the resurrected Christ in a pagan world and a religious world blinded to the truth of a transformed life. From a seemingly negative circumstance, he is able to continually live the joy of the Lord. I ask, ...read more

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

God All-Knowing Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Mar 22, 2015

God’s understanding is limitless; nothing escapes Him. He knows the end from the beginning--the past, present, and future. And He knows us better than we know ourselves.

I once lived a few blocks from NSA, the National Security Agency, a place that tirelessly monitors, compiles and analyses information. I hope they’re reading the sermons I send out by email! We all know that knowledge is power. Presidents rely on trusted advisers to learn what’s ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-6

Denomination: Congregational

How To Stand When Life Knocks You Down

Contributed by John Dobbs on May 22, 2016

How to stand when life knocks you down ... what God is doing to help us regain position when events of life make us wonder if we're going to make it. Romans 5:1-5

HOW TO STAND WHEN LIFE KNOCKS YOU DOWN Romans 5:1-5 Introduction: No matter how strong or independent we think we are, there are times when things in life knock us down. Things that happen to us - out of our control. Things that others do to us - out of hatred or fear. Troubles that we make for ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1, Romans 5:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Heroes: Joseph Series

Contributed by Charles Whitmire on Jul 27, 2008

This message looks at how God sometimes uses suffering and always takes longer than we want to accomplish his goals for us!

In Hebrews 11 we have this great list of people who lived by faith. They were just normal people, but because they trusted God with everything they had they became extraordinary! It wasn’t that they were special...it was that their faith was special. What I love about looking at their stories is ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:22

Denomination: Baptist

Survive Life’s Challenges

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Dec 15, 2013

Survive Life’s Challenges 1) Consider Satan’s Goal 2) Consider God’s Control

If you want to become a good hockey player, you’ll want to spend time watching elite players like Sydney Crosby. If you want to become a great artist, you’ll want to study the works of Van Goh and Rembrandt. Where should you turn though if you want to figure out how best to survive ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:6-22

Denomination: Lutheran

When You Are Healed, Become A Healer!

Contributed by Aneel Aranha on Aug 24, 2021

God blesses us so that we may bless others. When we do so, he blesses us even more.

There is not a single person among us who hasn’t struggled with a major calamity in life. It may have been a severe illness that left us bedridden for weeks. It may have been a broken relationship that shattered our hearts to pieces. It may have been an addiction that we couldn’t break. It may have ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Consequences Of Forsaking The Lord

Contributed by Phillip Smith on Oct 11, 2025

All members of society suffer from the evils all around us. Why does God allow suffering and persecution to the righteous? Consequences for evil doings must be endured. Spiritual Blindness and Spiritual Adultery against God are some of the causes.

Evils come upon everyone. Some believe it is a part of life. Leaders speak of these evil behaviors as nothing to be alarmed over. Murders and other vicious crimes happen daily. Many more occur at different times compared to others; perhaps more are occurring here recently. 2 Timothy 3:13. 13 But ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:14-18, 1 Kings 11:1-39

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Life-Changing Touch Of Faith Series

Contributed by David Dykes on Jan 25, 2018

Suffering is God's way of making us stronger and suffering forces us to depend on Him.

INTRODUCTION Life is full of setbacks. Did you hear about the milk cow that tried to jump over the barbed wire fence? It was an udder disaster. Did you hear about the guy who fell into a furniture upholstery machine? He is fully recovered. Did you hear about the butcher who accidentally backed ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:21-34

Denomination: Baptist

Perspective From Prison Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Nov 4, 2009

Exposition of Philippians 1:12-14 in light of Acts 28:30 about Paul’s experience in prison in Rome and God’s redemption of the situation

Text: Acts 28:30, Philippians 1:12-14, Title: Perspectives on Prison, Date/Place: NRBC, 11/8/09, AM A. Opening ill: talk about the movie The Apostle, about the closing moments singing in prison, Dave Ramsey B. Background to passage: Our text tells us that Paul spent another two years in a Roman ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-14

Denomination: Baptist

Keep Watch Or Be Lunch - 1 Peter 5:8-9 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Mar 1, 2025

Is your trouble from God or Satan?

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers in the world is undergoing the same sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8-9

Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff

Contributed by Craig Condon on Jul 16, 2016

When people are with us, we must be with them. When God is present with us, we must be present with him. When life gets complicated, simplicity is the best solution.

How many of you have ever prepared a meal for a large group of people and wished that you had at least one other person to help you? If you have, you can understand how Martha felt in the gospel reading we heard from Luke 10:38-42 earlier in this morning’s service. This story takes place ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Denomination: Anglican

The Lifelong Process Of Knowing Christ Series

Contributed by Guy Glass on Jul 27, 2015

THE PROCESS OF KNOWING CHRIST IS A LIFELONG ENDEAVOR. KNOWING CHRIST IS MEANT TO BOTH DRIVE AND CONSUME OUR LIVES. TOO OFTEN, DISTRACTIONS AROUND US CAUSE US TO LOSE FOCUS ON TRULY KNOWING CHRIST.

THE LIFELONG PROCESS OF KNOWING CHRIST PHILIPPIANS 3:10-11 THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, BEING CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH; 11  IN ORDER THAT I MAY ATTAIN TO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD. INTRODUCTION: THE PROCESS OF KNOWING CHRIST IS A ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:10-11

Denomination: Baptist

Love Does Not Rejoice In Wrongdoing Series

Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Apr 11, 2025

Things happen in life that sometimes make it more difficult to love better— to love others as Jesus wants us to love them. When bad things happen, we cannot be happy about it!

Love Does Not Rejoice In Wrongdoing Jeffery Anselmi / General Adult Love Better INTRODUCTION SLIDE 1—MAIN TITLE SLIDE - Love better. - Loving better is a work in progress. - Remember, we are seeking to learn how to love our church family and those in the community better. - Things happen in life ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:6, Luke 4:18-30

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Beauty For Ashes

Contributed by Apostle Itoro-Obong Jacob on Feb 16, 2019

Beauty for ashes is literary replacing a rejected identity with an acceptable and celebrated tag.

Key Verse 3 “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified”. Beauty is the quality ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 61:1-7, Psalm 34:19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church In The Wilderness Series

Contributed by Bob Marcaurelle on Feb 3, 2019

The wilderness journey of Israel is compared to the journey of God's church as we fight with sorrows and sins on our way to the heavenly promised land.

The Life of Moses Sermon 17 Bible Studies in Numbers-Chapter 1 Num. 1:1; Ex. 13:17-18; I Cor. 10:5-6 THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS The land of Canaan was a two weeks’ journey from Egypt, 150 miles up the coastal King’s Highway, where armies and merchant traders had traveled for hundreds of years. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 13:17, 1 Corinthians 10:1-22

Denomination: Baptist