Sermons on Hardship:

Loving God Through Deep Distress

Contributed by Glenn Durham on May 14, 2008

God brings distress to us and us through distress that we might know his strength and salvation.

Scripture Introduction The second grade teacher showed a magnet to her class and illustrated its uses. The next day she gave a quiz with this question: “My full name has six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What am I?” Half of the students wrote, “Magnet.” The other half answered: ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hard Times, High Hopes

Contributed by Greg Nance on May 25, 2008

Questions, questions, questions! Hard times make us seek answers. Jesus is the answer! Lift up your head in hard times and look for the Son of Man.

What kinds of questions do hard times make you ask? Think of one of the hardest times in your life; what question would you like answered? Take a note card from the pew in front of you. Write out your question. Hard times can confuse us and make us ask the wrong questions or expect wrong ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:5-36

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Focal Point: Arise! Get Up!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on May 29, 2008

So I have fallen and I can’t get up? We need a PLUMMET, a plumb line to find out how important it is to GET UP AND TRY AGAIN!

THE FOCAL POINT: ARISE --- THERE IS A TIME TO GET UP ---- By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com I do this in two parts. I went to Lowes and bought a PLUMMET, or a PLUMBLINE. I hold the plumb line and tell how important a plumb line is as one starts to build. A GREAT WORK CAN START WITH A ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:15-28

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Out And About Series

Contributed by Mike Gilbert on Apr 29, 2008

Lessons to learn from when the apostles were set free from jail.

INTRO>On one of his European tours, master magician and locksmith Harry Houdini found himself locked in jail for improper actions. After he had been searched and manacled in a Scottish town jail, the old jail keeper shut him in a cell and walked away. Houdini quickly freed himself from his ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:17-42

Denomination: Baptist

Healing For The Soul

Contributed by Sheila Crowe on Apr 14, 2009

Rest, Tell God all about it, Rediscover God, Develop an Others Orientation.

Police officer Ricky Orlowski was on patrol about 5 pm March 11 when he noticed a minivan with Illinois plates parked on a secluded street near a church and a school. “It’s not a real normal place for someone to sit and hang out, Orlowski said. The officer pulled the vehicle over when he saw it ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-18

Denomination: United Methodist

Your Struggle Can Turn Sweet

Contributed by Brian Detalente on Apr 28, 2011

Trusting God in the time of trials and struggles.

Judges 14:5-14:9 5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his ...read more

Scripture: Judges 14:5-9

Denomination: Pentecostal

Don't Feed The Lions

Contributed by Brady Boyd on Apr 29, 2011

A sermon reminding listeners to remain alert against the devil's schemes to overthrow our confidence and joy.

And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous he was afraid. And Peter remembered the Word of the Lord how He had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” You have ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Check The Map Series

Contributed by Rob O'neal on Jul 7, 2009

In the a downturn we may need to check the map carefully and find out where we really are and find that there are more reasons to rejoice than we know.

Sometimes it helps to check the map. The people of the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum lived at the bottom of a mountain. They loved the mountain, because they believed it was a place where gods dwelt. The land was fertile, and the harbor was good, so the city prospered and grew. Then in 62 and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:18-29

Denomination: Congregational

If Your Presence Does Not Go With Us, Do Not Bring Us Up From Here

Contributed by Jose R. Hernandez on Apr 9, 2011

We haven’t fully experienced God’s presence in our life because we haven’t been actively seeking it. In other words, we only seek God’s presence when we find ourselves in tight spots, or when we want something. Why do we act this way?

A great truth about life is that at times things that happen can hold us back. In other words, sometimes we experience situations, or we have to go through circumstances that weaken and/or discourage us. Sometimes we have to go through situations that rob our peace, and attempt to make us lose ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:13-15

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Longest Night

Contributed by Chris Mccarthy on Oct 19, 2010

Focusing on the power of prayer and what the disciples may have missed out on in the Garden of Gethsemane.

LUKE 22:39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40On reaching the place, Luke assumes his readers knew that “the place” was the garden of Gethsemane. Why is that? Probably the same reason he added “as usual” to the fact that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:39-62

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Stop! Thief!

Contributed by Bob Joyce on Jun 14, 2009

When the enemy fails in his attacks from the outside, he then begins to attack from within.

When the enemy fails in his attacks from the outside, he then begins to attack from within; and one of his favorite weapons is selfishness. If he can get us thinking only about ourselves and what we want, then he will win the victory before we realize that he is even at work. Selfishness means ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 5:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

It's All So Simple Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 19, 2009

To the issue of why bad things happen to good people, Eliphaz’s answer is spiritually lazy and assumes that we can earn God’s favor. Job’s response is to have faith in a God who will ultimately accept responsibility for sin.

You and I are about to enter the realm of mystery together. I know of nothing which challenges the mind and the imagination quite so much as the mystery of human suffering. Why men and women should have to suffer physically or emotionally – that has never been answered completely. In recent weeks ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Walking On Dry Ground

Contributed by Rick Pendleton on Nov 5, 2012

A sermon of hope that says God may bring you OUT (take away the bad thing), may bring you THROUGH (give you help to get through) or may bring GLORY to Himself

Walking On Dry Ground Exodus 14:10-18 There is no such thing as a life that is filled with rainbows and never has a cloud or even a storm. As a matter of fact… you have to endure a few clouds and storms to have a rainbow. This morning I want to talk to you about the rainbows and clouds and I ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 14:10-18

Denomination: Baptist

Finding Good In The Bad Things

Contributed by Monty Newton on Nov 5, 2012

Though life is uncertain we may be sure of the certainty that God is at work.

Title: Finding Good In the Bad Things Text: Ruth 1:1-18 Thesis: Though life is uncertain we may be sure of the certainty that God is at work. Introduction: "Go West, young man, go west…" is a quote popularized by American author Horace Greeley concerning America's expansion westward. It was ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Where Is Your God?

Contributed by Nathan Johnson on Jan 16, 2009

When the world asks us where God is in our dark times, there is an answer for our souls that the world will never be able to refute.

Where Is Your God? Griffith Baptist Church – 1/18/09 P.M. Service Text: Psalm 42 Key verse: Psalms 42:11 - Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Premise: When the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-11, Psalm 42:1

Denomination: Baptist