Sermons on Hard Knocks:

Keys To Steadfastness

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 11, 2001

Many people proclaim their loyalty but steadfast people are hard to find.

Keys to Steadfastness (Acts 21:1-14) 1. Paul’s steadfastness serves as an inspiration and a challenge for any person who contemplates just settling for second best. ILlustration:Consider the postage stamp: Its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there. Josh ...read more

Scripture: Acts 21:1-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Following Jesus Is Not Easy

Contributed by Paul Decker on Jul 8, 2002

We follow Jesus (no matter how hard it is!).

WHY FOLLOWING JESUS IS NOT EASY John 6:60-71 S: Discipleship Th: Following Jesus Pr: WE FOLLOW JESUS (no matter how hard it is). ?: Inductive KW: Turns TS: In the recorded incident of John 6:60-71, we will find six turn of events of what it is like to follow Jesus. The _____ turn ...read more

Scripture: John 6:60-71

Denomination: Baptist

Overtime Pay On The Mad Mouse

Contributed by John Beehler on Feb 5, 2004

It’s hard to trust and obey, but man, what a ride!

Overtime Pay on the Mad Mouse I had a job once working as an inventory control analyst in a factory. Like most factories, this one operated round the clock with 3 shifts. I was one of three analysts, 1 per shift. We worked the swing shift. 2 weeks on each shift. I liked 2nd shift, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Confessions Of The Heart

Contributed by W F on Oct 31, 2004

Confession is hard, but if we believe the bible, then confession is good news.

1 John 1:9 “Confessions of the Heart” INTRODUCTION Are we basically good or basically bad? Hollywood religion is undecided. Basically good = Tarzan or Pocahontas. “Out there” there are still pristine societies to be discovered – deep in the jungles there exist tribes without sin – untainted ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:9

Denomination: *other

Is The Righteous Life Worth Living?

Contributed by Robert Bravo on Jul 1, 2007

Living righteous in an unrighteous world is hard. Well is it worth the effort?

Is the righteous life worth living? Malachi 3:13 - 18 (NIV) 13“You have said harsh things against me,” says the LORD. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ 14“You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before ...read more

Denomination: Nazarene

The Mirror Of Correction Series

Contributed by Vera Hughes on Feb 20, 2008

It is easy to correct others and give advice, but hard to correct ourselves.

Self-correction – making the necessary corrections on the inside based on the Word of God. The greatest task the believer will ever have to do is to correct ourselves. Self correction makes us better witnesses for the Jesus Christ; enrich our lives in our home, church, fellowship with saints, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:5-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lamentations 3

Contributed by Gareth Harron on Mar 10, 2008

Why life is hard and why its OK to say so.

Sunday 9th March 2008 Lamentations 3:19-33 Evening- Magheralin DISCLAIMER Sermons are the fruit of prayerful reflection- having studied the text, commentaries and other people’s interpretation. Any use of particular phraseology or similarity with other people’s work which has not been duly ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:19-33

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Stewardshp:the Collection

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Oct 28, 2006

stewarship sermon - stewardship is hard, but what is faith without risk?

It is some what surprising what an international outlook Paul has as he writes to the Church in Corinth. He mentions Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia, Ephesus, Jerusalem. Even though most of Paul’s readers had never left their own city they understood that they were part of a world wide church body in no ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:1-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Me, Myself And I

Contributed by Brian Matherlee on Dec 9, 2009

I am the reason it’s hard to follow God.

ME, MYSELF AND I Why it’s Hard to Follow God Sunday, July 26, 2009 Pastor Brian Matherlee We borrowed a GPS for our vacation. We were going to visit DJ and Heather Williams in Louisville and John and Carol Hawkins in Galesburg, Illinois. These two places were unfamiliar and we were grateful to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24-26

Denomination: Wesleyan

Nothing Is Impossible With God

Contributed by Dr. Casey Adams on Oct 11, 2018

This message posses the question "Is there anything too hard for God?"

I. "THE THINGS WHICH ARE IMPOSSIBLE WITH MEN ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD" A. This decisive pronouncement by our Lord came as God's answer to the disciples’ question: 1. Said they, "Who then can be saved?" - Luke 18:26 2. The question of the disciples came when they had listened to the conversation ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-17, 1 Corinthians 2:2, Galatians 6:14, John 15:1-15, John 5:40, John 14:6, Philippians 4:13, Philippians 2:12, Colossians 1:20, Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:11-14, 2 Peter 1:2-8, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 35:3, Hebrews 12:12, Exodus 24:3, Exodus 19:8, Romans 10:1-3, John 15:5, Romans 7:24, Jeremiah 13:23, Luke 17:20, Matthew 19:16-22, Luke 18:26, Luke 18:27, Matthew 1:21  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Keep It Simple, Saint

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 12, 2020

Do not make hard what God made simple and sincere!

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. While the Greek word haplotes can be translated a few ways, I think it is perfect to be simplicity in this verse. Christ came ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:3

Denomination: Baptist

Hearing God In The Whispers Of Life

Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on May 26, 2020

There are many voices that make it hard to hear what God desires.

Hearing God in the whisper 1 kings 19 Prayer- Introduction- Good morning everyone, glad that you are joining us this morning and taking time to hear the Word. It is almost 6 weeks that our life has been turned on edge and our Normal has been disrupted. In a lot of ways, I think normal needs ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-5

Denomination: Nazarene

Finding Hope In Our Uncertainties Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Dec 5, 2020

Hold on to hope when it's hard to cope.

Note: The idea for this series and the title for the sermon came from Outreach.com. How has 2020 been going for you? It’s been quite a year: a global pandemic, economic recession, unemployment, political division, cultural upheaval, racial tension, record wildfires, floods and Derecho. On top of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:22-38

Denomination: Baptist

Enduring Slander

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Apr 9, 2014

It is hard to be mad at what someone said about you if it is true.

"Everybody is slandered even the good." - Robert E. Lee 1 Peter 3:14-16 14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:14-16

Denomination: Baptist

Propagating A Family Like An Olive Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 26, 2014

Raising a family is like building an olive orchard, and it is hard work.

Feast of the Holy Family (Sunday after Christmas) Thirteen Days of Christmas Since the family is the basic unit of society, the Church, and her Scripture, has much to say about it. Our psalm today uses agricultural metaphors for the family: the husband will eat the fruit of his hands, the wife ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 128:1-5

Denomination: Catholic