Sermons on Joy In Pain:

Increase Your Hope In God Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 4, 2021

Christ died so that both your faith and your hope are in God. He died to transform you from the power of sin.

James Hammond was a plantation owner during the Civil War who served as a congressman as well as the 60th governor of the state of South Carolina. Besides defending slavery, Hammond was guilty of an unbridled sexual appetite. In 1839, Hammond purchased an eighteen-year-old slave named Sally, along ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:17-21

Denomination: Baptist

Go! And Trust What You Cannot Yet See Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Jul 23, 2025

Have you ever tried to put together a jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the box? That’s what life often feels like. We see pieces, scattered moments, events, and emotions—some bright and beautiful, others dark and painful—and we wonder how they fit together.

Go! And Trust What You Cannot Yet See Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, We thank You that we are not left to wander in darkness, for You have given us Your Word, Your Spirit, and Your Son, Jesus Christ. Today, help us to see—not just with physical eyes, but with eyes of faith. Teach us to trust in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:12, John 16:33, Isaiah 43:7, Job 19:25-27, Romans 8:18, Ephesians 2:10, 1 Peter 1:8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Man Vs. Wild Series

Contributed by Ryan Akers on Oct 8, 2007

Man vs. Wild looks at how to overcome ourselves in order to discover how God gives us what we need to survive in the wild.

Man versus Wild Part 1- Intro Pastor Ryan Akers Me- Have you ever seen the TV show Man vs. Wild? It is a show about surviving extreme conditions with only a knife and survival knowledge. Bear gets tired, exhausted, wants to quit a lot. He would say, "I could go for a steak." Or, "I could go for a ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26

Denomination: Wesleyan

Jesus Our Model For Prayer Series

Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Apr 17, 2016

When we approach our Heavenly Father in prayer we need to understand that He knows us better than we know ourselves. For that reason we need not be afraid to bring before Him our doubts and fears as well as our questions about faith and life.

Jesus our model of prayer Matthew 6:5-14 Prayer 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Lord Is My Light And My Salvation

Contributed by Jose R. Hernandez on Jul 10, 2007

The praise and worship part of our Christian life is of the utmost importance because it helps us develop a deeper relationship with God, and in the words we find the hope, joy, and comfort that we all seek.

Today I want us to analyze a very important aspect of our Christian life that is oftentimes overlooked, or not given too much attention to. I say that it is something that is oftentimes overlooked or not paid attention to because the majority of all believers only take care of this aspect of their ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:1-6

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Fruit Of The Spirit

Contributed by Efe Oluwatosin on Feb 15, 2025

The fruit of the Spirit, as described in the Bible, encompasses a set of virtues that reflect the character of God and are cultivated in believers through the Holy Spirit. These virtues include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Let's look at these virtues in-depth to determine how to cultivate them. Love is a commandment. John15:12 NKJV "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Christians are to love people the way Jesus loves us, not necessarily as they love us. Christians ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-25

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Refiner's Fire

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Aug 18, 2017

The prophet Malachi wrote that the Lord would send his messenger of the covenant, and asks, "who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap." What is the answer to Malachi's question?

THE REFINER’S FIRE Malachi 3:1-6 I. Introduction – Malachi says that at his appearing Jesus will be like a refiner’s fire, or launderer’s soap. The Israelites had a question, not unlike a question we might ask. Our main text is in answer to a question from the Israelites: Mal 2:17 - You have ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:1-6, Isaiah 45:7, Isaiah 43:2, Job 23:10, Job 13:15, Proverbs 3:5-6, Hebrews 12:14, Hebrews 12:5-10, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:6-7, Hebrews 5:8, Isaiah 53:3, Philippians 2:8, Romans 15:13, John 16:33, John 14:27, Psalm 90:10, 2 Corinthians 5:1-4, Matthew 3:11, Malachi 2:17, Deuteronomy 32:39, 1 Corinthians 10:13  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Close The Door!

Contributed by Rev. M Edmunds on Apr 12, 2005

Rejection hurts, and to one degree or another, every single one of us has tasted the pain of feeling rejected from other people.Before the birth of Jesus Christ, during the time of His earthly life, and after His resurrection and ascension, our world has

Elder M. Edmunds Co-Pastor of United Ordained Church February 1999 “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” –(Isa.53:3). “He came unto his own (His domain, creation, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:3

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are The Merciful Series

Contributed by J. Yeargin on Nov 7, 2005

In order to cope with all of the pain and suffering that goes on around us, we have learned to control our emotions and we don’t allow ourselves to dwell too long on all that ails this world. In the process however, we have become almost indifferent and m

Introduction: We live in a world where it is easy to become cold-hearted, insensitive, and unsympathetic. With news available to us 24/7, we can see the tragedies almost as they take place most anywhere in the world. Constantly we hear of, and see the results of violent acts that have occurred. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Compassion Series

Contributed by Douglas Vincent on Nov 22, 2005

Over at the Compassion prayer station we have three options. Does a friend need a helping hand (a meal, someone to watch their children). Does a friend need a listening ear (someone to walk them through their thoughts and pain). Does someone need a sho

Read Job 4:1-8 Shadowlands Video Clip Let us look in humility at the path of Job’s 3 friends. They travel a great distance. They sit with their friend for 7 days. They desire for him to be restored. (have any of us done this) Eliphaz is the senior member of the group and is greatly respected. ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

A Changed Perspective

Contributed by John Vella on Feb 5, 2007

Life’s troubles have always been part of humanity and always will be. Believing in God doesn’t take away any of those problems nor does it make the emotional and physical pain disappear. But believing in God does make a significant difference in the bigge

Seeds for Sowing, Vol. IV - Issue 3, No. 17 Second Sunday of Lent (Year B) March 19, 2000 Readings: * Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18 * Romans 8:31-35, 37 * Mark 9:2-10 A Changed Perspective The Difficulties of Living Life is difficult. Not many people would deny that statement. It’s not easy to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:2-10

Denomination: Catholic

Jacob Wrestles With God - A Reflection On Genesis 32

Contributed by David Smith on Dec 21, 2006

Father Dave’s Sermon on wrestling with God. Real growth experiences always involve struggle and pain. And so Jacob, at the turning point of his life, wrestles all night with a dark and shadowy figure by the river Jabbok. He struggles. He fights. He is wo

"Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. (25) When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. (26) Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:24-30

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Removing The Frogs Of Addiction

Contributed by Matthew Morine on Aug 8, 2006

Tomorrow is always better than today. Many times the pain is easier than the change. Why did Pharaoh wait until tomorrow for Moses to remove the Frogs? Maybe because of the same reasons we wait before removing sinful habits from our lives.

REMOVING THE FROGS THEME: REMOVING SINFUL HABITS TODAY NOT TOMORROW. There was a merciful dullness in her mind now, a dullness that she knew from long experience would soon give way to sharp pain, even as severed tissues, shocked by the surgeon’s knife, have a brief instant of insensibility ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 8:1-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

My Redeemer Lives !!!

Contributed by Vinnie Cappetta on Jun 12, 2006

In times of great pain, we often lose confidence that God is really there or we lose confidence in His ability to “work things out for our good” (Romans 8:28). What’s the difference between someone who experiences the redeeming power of Christ during

My RedeemerLives Job 19:1-26 Give background info on the passage Scripture Reading of first 22 verses In times of great pain, we often lose confidence that God is really there or we lose confidence in His ability to “work things out for our good”(Romans ...read more

Scripture: Job 19:1-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Wrestling With God Series

Contributed by John Dobbs on Sep 21, 2019

The last battle of recovery is the battle with God. When we have hurt everyone around us, ourselves, and our own decisions have caused a lot of pain we can’t resolve, it’s time to face the One who loves us relentlessly.

WRESTLING WITH GOD Genesis 32:9-13, 22-30 Introduction The last battle of recovery is the battle with God. When we have hurt everyone around us, ourselves, and our own decisions have caused a lot of pain we can’t resolve, it’s time to face the One who loves us relentlessly. When we have repaired ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ