Sermons on Hard Soil:

Praying The Hard Prayers Series

Contributed by Guy Caley on May 5, 2003

2d in the series "Patterns for Prayer." The disciples’ prayer in Acts 4:23 gives us a pattern for praying for boldness in the face of persecution.

Introduction Zig Ziglar story of boy that went with his mother to the old general store. He liked to sneak away from his mother and when no one was looking he would dip his finger into the large barrel of molasses. The storekeeper caught him doing this and decided to teach the boy a lesson. He ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:23-31

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Rock In A Hard Place

Contributed by Thomas Dibble on May 16, 2003

Have you ever found yourself battered and beaten by life? Well God is a rock in a hard place.

In a world adrift in moral chaos and drowning in the depths of deception, I am thankful that we have a rock in a hard place. There is no solid ground in this world. There is no place to safely establish your feet where they will not slip. But there is only unstable and unsure ground. Things are ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:21

Denomination: Pentecostal

Fasting The Hard Way

Contributed by Cameron Horsburgh on Nov 5, 2001

God isn’t as impressed with our pious religiosity as he is about the way we live our lives.

Now the Israelites had a problem. They practiced their religion faithfully, and they did everything that was expected, but God didn’t seem to be listening to them. What was the problem? This is a good question. And it’s an important question to ask ourselves as well. God, through his prophet, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-9, Isaiah 58:9-14

Denomination: Holiness

"It's Hard To Be Humble" Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Jul 5, 2002

A. Humility (vs 1); B. Contentment (vs 2); C. Trust (vs 3)

“It’s hard to be humble” -Psalm 131, Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts Outline: A. Humility (vs 1); B. Contentment (vs 2); C. Trust (vs 3) Introduction…some Country/Western theology I want to share a story I heard last week in our adult Sunday School ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 131:1-8, Psalm 131:1

Denomination: Congregational

It's Hard To Be Humble

Contributed by Eric Ledermann on Jul 23, 2002

Know the gifts which God has given you, these being three (purpose, prayer, and love) from a list of thousands, and go, do the work of God in your life, whatever God is calling you to do, always remaining humble in the presence of such extravagence.

HUMILITY: A pastor was asked to speak for a certain charitable organization. After the meeting the program chairperson handed the pastor a check. “Oh, I couldn’t take this,” the pastor said with some embarrassment. “I appreciate the honor of being asked to speak. You have better use for this ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:1-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Hard Way Home Series

Contributed by Paul Cull on Jun 12, 2005

The hard way home to God

The hard way home Part 3 of a series of 3 Hosea 14:1-9 The story is told of a man who was travelling in the wilder parts of Ireland. Eventually decided to return home to Dublin, but on the way, seemed to get lost. In due course he came across a likely looking local, and asked for directions. ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 14:1-9

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Growing Up Is Hard Series

Contributed by Stephen Wright on Jul 10, 2005

Are we progressing in the faith or are we, like many of those Hebrew Christians: • dull of hearing • still need to be taught elementary truth • babies wanting milk, not solid food?

In the earlier chapters we have studied some wonderful passages about the Saviour’s divinity and humanity and His wonderful fitness to be our merciful and faithful High-priest. Now we are going to move on to some rather difficult or unpalatable passages. It is tempting to skip these, but they are ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The School Of Hard Knocks Series

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jun 13, 2004

David, Pt. 7 of 15

THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS (1 SAM 30) When my wife and I sold our old house and bought a new one just about at the start of the new millenium recession, we ended up living in a better location, buying a more expensive house, and starting with a new mortgage. Like most homebuyers, we had to sell ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:1-31

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Praying In Hard Times Series

Contributed by Ken Sowers on Dec 10, 2003

Learning to pray during the hard dry times of life.

Nov. 17 Praying in Hard Times Is God’s primary goal to make me comfortable or make me strong (comfort = make strong) - To mend my body or my spirit To whisk me out of every trial and danger or to walk by my side so I can discover how strong and good He is. Jeremiah in prison, David in the cave. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:8-10, James 1:5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

David's Hard Heart

Contributed by Charles Andrews on Jan 1, 2004

David’s heart was hardened by sin. Only the death of his newborn son softened it. This sermon looks at three aspects of his son’s death and David’s reaction.

“David’s Hard Heart” Text: 2 Samuel 12:1-23 Introduction: Sin carries consequences! Some are immediate; others come much later in life and some last an entire lifetime. And, of course, any sin of which we do not repent and ask for forgiveness, carries with it the consequence of an eternity in a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:1-23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Danger Of Hardness Of Heart Series

Contributed by Frank Lay on Sep 10, 2004

Are you in danger of hardening your heart to the precious truths of the gospel of Christ?

THE DANGER OF HARDNESS OF HEART Hebrews 3:7-19 How is your heart? I am not asking about the physical condition of your heart, but the spiritual condition. Sometimes we describe the experience of becoming a Christian as inviting Jesus to come into the heart. The Bible speaks of a troubled ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 3:7-19

Denomination: Baptist

Adam- Falling Hard Series

Contributed by Craig Cramblet on Aug 21, 2006

From perfection to corruption, the temptation and fall of mankind changes everything.

Adam: Falling Hard Genesis 3 “I hate sin when I see what it does to human beings. I hate sin most when I see what it did to Christ! It turned His fair face into a bruised and bloody thing. When sin did that to the Son of God...how can you ever play with it again?” -Ian MacPherson Sad but ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Religious But Hard-Hearted Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 2, 2007

If God does not soften ones heart, one may dabble with religion, but one will never find a saving relationship with the true God.

The Religious But Hard-Hearted (Exodus 8:20-9:12) 1. What if God was politically correct? Imagine this: Moses was sitting in the Egyptian ghetto. Things were terrible. Pharaoh wouldn’t even speak to him. The rest of the Israelites were mad at him and making the overseers even more irritable than ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Learning The Hard Way Series

Contributed by Bob Hunter on Nov 7, 2005

Are you the type of person who learns things the hard way? King Nebuchadnezzar was a slow learner. Contemporary sermon with solid practical outline. Use it in series.

Nebuchadnezzar: Learning the hard way Daniel Ch. 4 Intro: Have you ever wondered why some people choose to learn things the hard way? King Nebuchadnezzar was that type of person. Nothing came easy for him. He was a perpetural slow learner when it came to spirituality. If given the choice ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 4:1-37

Denomination: Holiness

The Hard Topic Of Divorce

Contributed by Daniel Sorensen on Oct 18, 2006

Combining Pastoral Care skills with the scripture on divorce allows us to meet the parishioner/seeker where they are, encourage them to be authentic with who they are, and bring themselves wholly to God. The next step would be be a refelection of God’s l

There is a group of new Pastors who are keeping in touch with one another this year via e-mail. We check-in and see how things are going. We talk about ideas for children’s sermons and compare life in the parish to what we learned in the classroom. It’s a helpful way to enter into a new ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:1-16

Denomination: Lutheran