Sermons on Thrive In The Test:

When Life Doesn't Turn Out SermonCentral

Contributed by SermonCentral on Oct 26, 2023

In hard times, God is teaching us, but in good times, God is testing us.

Good morning, beloved family in Christ. As we gather here today, we find ourselves standing at the crossroads of life, where the path is often winding and the journey unpredictable. We are here to seek solace, to find answers, and to understand the divine will of our Heavenly Father. Today, we are ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 143:1-12

Topics: Learning God's Will

Hardness Of Heart Or True Friendship

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 24, 2025

Tested friends are the most valuable ones, sturdy shelters against future adversity.

Friday of the Seventh Week in Course 2025 Jeshua ben Sira was an Alexandrian Jew who spoke both Hebrew and Greek. About two hundred years before Jesus Christ his family gave us a compilation of his writings, which we call the Book of Sirach. It was used so often in the early Church that it ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 19:20, Mark 10:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Don't Quit, Learn To Play Hurt.

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 3, 2024

Kindergarten teaches us live is not fair. Hurt is part of life and we must learn to thrive when hurt brings us pain and disappointments.. GOD HAS A PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR YOU.

DON'T QUIT! LEARNING TO PLAY HURT By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com. (YouTube: Wade Hughes) Butterflies do not fly in the rain. Their wings are so fragile. The droplets of water would destroy their wings. Sometimes the best thing we can do during a storm is find a safe place and ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:4, Acts 9:16, Job 14:1

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Revival Follows Persecution

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Oct 23, 2014

For centuries, Christians have been hated and viciously opposed in many nations. But persecution has not destroyed Christianity. Even under the direst circumstances, it has not only survived but thrived and revived the church.

Opening illustration: Did you know that if one of the arms of a starfish is severed, a new one will grow in its place? In fact, if a starfish is cut up, any piece that contains a part of the central disc will develop into a new starfish. Some oyster fishermen found that out, much to their dismay, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Good And Perfect Gifts - James 1:16-18 Series

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Aug 12, 2015

These verses follow teaching on testing and trials. Is it possible that testing and trials could be considered good and perfect gifts from the Father of the heavenly lights? It all depends if you're walking with Him or away from Him.

(Pastor Steve starts the first section - co-preaching with Pastor Karenlee) The Scripture that we’ll be taking a look at today is … James 1:15-18 “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the ...read more

Scripture: James 1:16-18

Denomination: Nazarene

Check Your Attitude - Genesis 40-41 Series

Contributed by Scott Turansky on Jul 25, 2021

We're going to start with an attitude test. Everybody takes this test. Put your thumbs out. Show me your thumbs. Everybody, I want to see your thumbs. Okay, good.

We're going to start with an attitude test. Everybody takes this test. Put your thumbs out. Show me your thumbs. Everybody, I want to see your thumbs. Okay, good. If you have a positive attitude, you put your thumb up. If you have a negative attitude to the word I'm going to say, you put ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Marriage: Discord Or Harmony

Contributed by Ray Ellis on May 21, 2007

In music the discords set your teeth on edge and make you unable to enjoy the music. An orchestra in harmony is pleasing to listen to and inspiring. Marriages in discord are merely surviving and not thriving.

Marriage: Discord or Harmony Genesis 2:18-25 “God said, it is not good for man to be alone. I will make a companion who will help him.” (18) God brought all the animals of creation before Adam, but no companion could be found among them. “So the Lord God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:18-25

Denomination: Free Methodist

Managing Difficult Times Series

Contributed by Phillip Day on Jan 10, 2007

Paul finishes Chapter 3 by further preparing Timothy for the challenges that would await. He gives Timothy guidance in not only surviving but also thriving during ministry challenges.

Managing Difficult Times 2 Timothy 3:10-17 I. Recall God’s Track Record of Deliverance (v. 10-11) a. Recall all the difficulties of the past (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) b. Recall God’s rescue (Romans 15:30-32) II. Know that Persecutions Will Increase (v. 12-13) a. Persecution is certain (John ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Denomination: Baptist

Preparing For The Adventure Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 15, 2016

Within 3 years of its launch, the early church faced persecution and death. And yet the church not only continued to survive, but thrive. How did it manage to do that?

OPEN: April 11, 1970, 3 men set off on an adventure. They were the Apollo 13 crew, and their adventure was to be the 3rd manned moon-landing. Their spacecraft look like this artists drawing (We put a picture of the spacecraft on the screen). • The main module (the Odyssey) was designed to be ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:36-42

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Child In You

Contributed by Gregory Thomas on Jan 13, 2016

The child in you can be the determining factor in life, which can be lead and be misled. In most people the Inner child not only survives but thrives as a bawling, brawling, sprawling character.

1 Corinthians 13:11 Introduction Nathan Bernardo of Psychology and Psychiatry States in a February 2015 article The difficult person is essentially immature. Now, I don't use that word immature in the usual and customary sense. Most people judge maturity according to how much someone conforms to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Slick Is Doubt?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 17, 2018

Doubt is a huge obstacle to personal growth. The negative light that doubt plants in our hearts and minds can grow and thrive. Recognize doubt can kill the plan of God.

HOW SLICK IS DOUBT? By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Ever watch duck hunting on TV? Good duck hunters have DECOYS that look so real, they move to imitate real ducks, they make real quacking sounds like ducks, and real ducks are SLICKED INTO THE BELIEF THAT THOSE DECOY DUCKS ARE ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:17, Isaiah 14:13-14, Genesis 3:1-8, John 11:16, John 20:25  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

When Daniel's World Changed Series

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Apr 7, 2016

By studying Daniel, we will get a glimpse of a man who lived and thrived in a pagan culture. Daniel instructs us how we should live in our culture today.

Think with me to the year 1996. That was 20 years ago. Much has changed in 29 years! Do you remember your cell phone from 1996? Not everyone had a cell phone back then. They were fairly large, and they looked like, well, a telephone, with a receiver for your ear, a mouth piece, and.... an ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 1:1-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Heart, Home, And Hands

Contributed by Mark Opperman on Jan 15, 2014

God loves you and wants to see you thriving and flourishing as a follower of Jesus! He goes to great lengths to keep us growing and moving forward in our faith.

Heart, Home, and Hands Intro: As we get ready for the year 2014 to move on in, this is a good time to stop and reflect on where we’ve been, where we are, and where we might be headed. I’m not sure that you need to make a whole list of unrealistic goals for the new year, just to forget ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Pass On Your Faith

Contributed by Ralph Andrus on May 13, 2012

A faith that will thrive from generation to generation: ❶ Must Be A Convincing Faith ❷ Must Be A Consistent Faith ❸ Must Be A Contagious Faith. ❹ Must Be A Confident Faith.

2 Timothy 1:5 (AV) 5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned (“not a mask” genuine, honest, sincere) faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Antiques Roadshow on PBS. One of the show’s most ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:5

Denomination: Baptist

Building A Church Of Thessalonica For The 21st Century | Part 2 | The Second Coming Of Jesus | Dr. Madana Kumar Series

Contributed by Dr. Madana Kumar, Phd on Jan 26, 2024

In this part of the series Dr. Madana Kumar, looks into that hope and the anticipation that we can have because of the Second Coming of Jesus which was one of the reasons for the Thessalonian church to thrive.

Building a Church of Thessalonica for the 21st century | Part 2 | The Second Coming of Jesus This is a part 2 of the series on 1& 2 Thessalonians. In the first part , we looked at the historical background of formation of the Church at Thessalonica and explored several reasons why we should ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5, Revelation 21:1-5, 1 Corinthians 15:24-26, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational