Sermons on Toil And Hardship:

When Life Isn't Fair

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Jan 24, 2007

As a Christian how should I react? What should I say? What should I do when I am treated unfairly? The greatest test of the Christian life is ones attitude when LIFE DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. For many of us life has been very smooth: health, prosperous, happy.

When Life Isn’t Fair Book of Job As most of you are aware I attempt to have my sermons lined out months in advance. This morning I have something to say that has not been on the burner for that long. But I bring a message that I feel that someone here needs. I am not sure who that someone is and ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Burden Of The Bondwoman

Contributed by Cleavon Matthews Sr. on Jan 26, 2007

Our burdens often give birth to our blessings.

THE BURDEN OF THE BONDWOMAN Genesis 21:8-21 By Cleavon Matthews January 25, 2007 INTRODUCTION It was a celebratory occasion. It was a time of laughter, delight, and merriment. Abraham made a great feast. Isaac was weaned. He escaped the danger of infantile fatality. There was undoubtedly ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 21:8-21

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hope In Suffering Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Jan 31, 2007

Exposition of 1 Peter 3:18-22

Text: 1 Peter 3:18-22, Title: Hope in Suffering, Date/Place: LSCC, 2/5/06, AM A. Opening illustration: tell the story of the girl that I met in OT Survey in seminary who had a small scar on her right thumb. But don’t tell the end of it. B. Background to passage: Peter uses Christ as his first ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18-22

Denomination: Baptist

A Call To Arms Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Feb 1, 2007

Exposition of 1 Peter 4:1-6

Text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Title: A Call to Arms Date/Place: LSCC, 2/12/06, AM I. INTRODUCTION A. Opening illustration: 9/11 changed the course of history. After a few days of our heads spinning, we were all on board that the people who did this would pay. So when President Bush used language of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Are You A Christian Weirdo? Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Feb 1, 2007

Exposition of 1 Peter 4:12-19

Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19, Title: Are you a Christian Weirdo? Date/Place: LSCC, 2/26/06, AM A. Opening illustration: talking the other day to someone down south who asked about the snow. Piper talking the other day about the anomaly of the American church for the past 300 yrs and the 164K martyrs this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Denomination: Baptist

The Furnace And The Sky

Contributed by Michael Hollinger on Feb 4, 2007

You meet the Lord in the furnace long time before you meet him in the sky

Title: The Furnace and the Sky Text: Daniel 3.19-30 MP: Jesus is always with us, if only we have the eyes to see him. Intro: Part of what fascinates me about the Bible is that it shows me how to see the things that I cannot see. Seeing C.S. Lewis said it so well: “God whispers to us in our ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 3:19-30

Denomination: Baptist

Blessing In Disguise

Contributed by Andrew Drummond on Feb 11, 2007

Often it is difficult for us to see too far past our circumstances. In doing so we forget that God is always up to something good, if we will just put our faith in Him. There are many blessings in life that don’t look like blessings at first...

I was speaking with my mother the other day and she said that when she woke up she asked God to be involved in every part of her day. As she was about to sit down for a nice lunch with her sisters she got a call to rush a family member to the hospital. She then had to wait in the hospital waiting ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Don't Allow Circumstances Rob Your Joy Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Feb 13, 2007

Philippians is commonly called the "Book of Joy". But Paul presents several thieves that try to rob us of our joy. The first thief: "Difficult Circumstances."

DON’T ALLOW CIRCUMSTANCES ROB YOUR JOY A. For the next few weeks we’re going to take a look at CHRISTIAN JOY and the THIEVES that try to ROB us of our JOY from the book of Philippians. 1. Now to some people the phrase “CHRISTIAN JOY” is an OXYMORON--in their mind these two words CONTRADICT ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-24

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Don't Allow People Rob Your Joy Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Feb 13, 2007

Philippians is commonly called the "Book of Joy". But Paul presents several thieves that try to rob us of our joy. The second thief: "Difficult People."

DO NOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO ROB YOUR JOY ILLUSTRATION: A PREACHER told about his nine-year-old daughter who one day JUMPED off the SCHOOL BUS as it stopped in front of her house and SLAMMED her way through the front door. She MARCHED up the stairs into her ROOM and again SLAMMED the DOOR. All the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Let Us Go Over

Contributed by Ron Callen on Feb 15, 2007

Jesus calls us to get past our fears and our failures and go on to serve Him as He has called us to do

Let Us Go Over Luke 8:22-25 There are many places to which we can “GO”. We can go bowling. We can go to the grocery store. Each day some of you get up and go to school. Each day some of you go to work. On Sunday and Wednesday we can go to church. Once or twice a year many of you go to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:22-25

Denomination: Baptist

A Greater Purpose Series

Contributed by Darrin Hunt on Feb 19, 2007

Part of an extensive study in Philippians, we are reminded here that God has a greater purpose for our trials.

Content in Christ: A Study in Philippians A Greater Purpose Phil. 1:12-14 Illus. Old mule fell into a ditch. “Shake it off and step up”. What do you do when the “stuff” of life piles up on you? Phil. – Content in Christ. Review (love, encouragement, prayer) Memorize? Up to this point, Paul ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-14

Denomination: Baptist

When Failure Is A Step Toward Success Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 29, 2006

Sometimes it must get worse before it gets better; short-term failures can be steps to long term and greater successes. We must aim toward a long term vision, not merely achieving short-term goals.

When Failure is A Step Toward Success (Exodus 5:1-7:13) 1. Misunderstanding can lead to creativity. "Bell was inspired to start development of the telephone when he read an account, written in German, describing an invention which he thought had the function of a telephone. After demonstrating ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Walk Through The Garden Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Nov 30, 2006

A visit to Gethsemane to learn from Jesus the way to face life’s times of crisis with power that comes from God and to take that into our next hard time

1. Title: A Walk Through The Garden 2. Text: Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-12 3. Audience: Villa Heights Christian Church, AM crowd, March 26, 2006, 1st in the 4 part series “Walk To The Cross” 4. Objectives: -for the people to examine the actions of Jesus at ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:36-56

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What To Do With A Bum Knee Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Nov 30, 2006

To develop a more finely-tuned attitude toward hardships and to develop a plan that will help to regularly grow through events that stretch us

1. Title: What To Do With a Bum Knee 2. Text: Hebrews 12:4-13 (12:3-29) 3. Audience: Villa Heights Christian Church, AM crowd. September 17, 2006, in the series “Nothing Better Than The Best” 4. Objectives: -for the people to understand how difficulties are used by God for our good; what a right ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:4-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When Trouble Does A Double Take

Contributed by T. Michael Crews on Dec 2, 2006

An Exposition of 1 Sam. 26

When Trouble Does a Double Take 1 Sam. 26 Are familiar with the expression “déjà vu”? The phrase is French and literally means, “already seen”. Déjà vu describes the feeling that what is happening to you at this moment has happened to you before. (Repeat). When you feel as if life is doing a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 26:1-25

Denomination: Baptist