Sermons on Redeeming Suffering:

Deep Joy

Contributed by John Beukema on May 1, 2013

First John 1:1-4 teaches where deep joy is found.

My 13th birthday present was this Bible. That was when I started getting serious about reading the Bible. I went through Hebrews, Romans, and 1 John so many times I could picture where the verse was on the page. If you said “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world,” I ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4

Denomination: Brethren

A Powerful Display Of God's Plan Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on May 10, 2013

Difficulties are not designed to destroy us. God's plan is to glorify Himself. Whether that includes suffering or success or significance is up to God. It is up to us as how we respond to what we face.

Intro: When Trouble Strikes (Our Daily Bread) Dave Dravecky had pitched with remarkable success for the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants baseball teams. But his pitching arm developed an unusual soreness. Medical tests identified the problem--cancer. Surgery and months of ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-20

Denomination: Baptist

Happy Places

Contributed by Monty Newton on May 14, 2013

Happy Christians make for happy places.

Title: Happy Places Text: Acts 16:16-34 Thesis: Happy Christians make for happy places. Introduction It was on one of those old school, whirlwind, whistle-stop political campaigns. A well known politician was riding that train as it passed through a major eastern city. He suddenly produced a $5 ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reach Out And Touch

Contributed by Joanna Beveridge on Feb 1, 2013

An amplified story of the woman with a haemorrage and how we too can be cured if we just reach out and touch Jesus.

Her bleeding began after the birth of her fourth child. That, of course, was normal. What was not normal was that it did not stop. That was 12 years ago. Twelve years is a long time. It’s a long time even when life is good and the years slip gently by, but if you are poor, or ill, or ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:25-34

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Blessed Are The Persecuted Series

Contributed by David Swanger on Feb 27, 2013

Called to live a beatitude kind of life, the hard reality is anyone who lives out the first seven beatitudes is guaranteed at some point to experience the eighth.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus ends the beatitudes by saying “Blessed are those persecuted, reviled, and spoken against.” Would anyone care to get in “the blessed line?” Most of us prefer ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Grace, Glory Fand Guts Part Ii

Contributed by Monty Newton on Jun 4, 2013

We can be happy/joyful because our home comes from peace with and privilege of experiencing the presence of God... and that's good because life is full of character building adversity.

Title: Grace, Glory and Guts Part II Text: Romans 5:1-5 Thesis: We can be joyful/happy because our hope comes through peace with God and that’s good because life is full of character building adversity. Introduction Last Sunday I told the story about a farmer whose donkey fell into an ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Just Don’t Make Sense!

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Jun 9, 2013

Trying to understand the things that happen in this world

Ecclesiastes 8:9-All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt. 10-Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 8:9-17

Denomination: Baptist

Why Doesn't God Prevent Evil? Series

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Jul 12, 2013

How can a good God allow human suffering to continue? The story of Joseph provides a powerful illustration that suffering has a purpose, even when we can't see it at the present time.

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 50:15-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"The Power Of One"

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 11, 2011

A lot of times in life we may ask ourselves "Am I making a difference for the Lord. This lesson will show the power of what one kind act will do for the glory of the Lord."

Never has one story had such an impact on my life and the lives of many others. Last week in the tragedy across from our house I wrote a devotional about “Expect The Unexpected”. This devotional I wrote was about the miracle of a man on the Daily Devotional forwarding the lesson to a ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:23-25

This Next Leg Of The Race Is A “detour”

Contributed by Timothy Enns on Oct 13, 2011

What do we do when difficulties arise in our lives. A look at Paul's and his companions time in Philippi Prison

How many of you have seen the Television reality show the “Amazing Race”. For those of you that have not seen it, there many groups of two people (some married teams, some brother’s teams, some sister teams, mother daughter, father daughter, Father son, engaged couples, dating ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-25

Denomination: Nazarene

Do Your Hands Hurt?

Contributed by David Mcnally on Oct 23, 2011

Eleazer fought for God and David against the Philistines until his hands were sore. Do we 'fight the good fight' with ALL our might, not to get saved, but because we are?

2nd Samuel 23 verses 8-12 The First book of Kings records that Eleazer was one of the three mighty men who fought for David against the Philistines. Scripture records how Eleazer was with David when they taunted the Philistines who had gathered at Pas Dammim for battle against the Hebrews, or ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 23:8-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Tragedy Strikes Series

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Oct 23, 2011

How to deal with tragedy when it hits. Used these scriptures to explain the school shootings and what to do.

Title: When Tragedy Strikes Theme: How to react when tragedy strikes. Text: Psalms 46 Link to worldwide school shootings http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html Introduction Please turn in your Bibles to Psalm 46. This song was written in the context of problems, stress, and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1-11

Denomination: Church Of God

Discouragement: Its Causes And Cure

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Jan 10, 2012

David was a man of God who struggled with discouragement like all of us. He wrote our text amid great difficulties. The good thing was, not only did the Lord deliver him out of his discouragement, but He also used the resulting change in David’s heart as

Intro: David was a man of God who struggled with discouragement like all of us. He wrote our text amid great difficulties. The good thing was, not only did the Lord deliver him out of his discouragement, but He also used the resulting change in David’s heart as a good example for us to learn from. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 40:1-5

Denomination: *other

Everyone Needs Encouragement

Contributed by Paul Estabrooks on Oct 24, 2012

Everyone needs encouragement—even the seemingly strong and mature—but especially those who suffer.

Today, in honor of International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, we will stand and kneel with our brothers and sisters in Christ who share our faith but not our freedom. Second Timothy is the Apostle Paul’s final written communication before his death. He was chained to a soldier ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:15-18

Denomination: *other

No Servant Is Greater Than His Master

Contributed by Paul Estabrooks on Oct 24, 2012

There are severe forms of persecution, and less severe; but there is no such thing as a non-persecuted Christian!

Introduction Jesus promised his disciples the night before he was crucified that their lot was to be no different than His. Jesus said: “No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also!” Persecution Is on the Rise The Pew Research ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-21

Denomination: *other