Sermons on Trial By Fire:

Why Give Thanks?

Contributed by Keith Broyles on Nov 24, 2008

With so much going on in our world, what reason do we have to give thanks this Thanksgiving

Samuel Scull farms in the Arizona desert with his wife and children. One night a fierce desert storm struck with rain, hail, and high wind. At daybreak, feeling sick and fearing what he might find, Samuel went out to look things over and survey the loss. The hail had beaten the garden into the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 92:1

Denomination: Methodist

Misfortune Is God’s Megaphone

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Mar 3, 2013

Misfortune Amiplifies God's Call to Repent 1) Individually; 2) Immediately

Did you hear the shocking news out of Egypt on Tuesday? 19 tourists died when a hot air balloon exploded and plunged 300 meters to the ground. One moment these people were enjoying something they had dreamed of doing for years - floating above ancient Egyptian ruins in the soft light of an early ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-9

Denomination: Lutheran

David's Cave - Five Keys To Victory 3 Of 4 Series

Contributed by Troy Campbell on Apr 5, 2016

David went into a cave as a discouraged man but learned so many things while in there that he came out completely victorious.

Title: How To Behave In A Cave – 4 “David’s Cave – Five Keys to Victory – 3” Text: I Samuel 22:1 A few weeks ago we started a series on “How to Behave in a Cave.” This series is meant to give you hope to know that you are coming out of that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 22:1

Denomination: Pentecostal

Our Adversary, The Devil

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 19, 2019

if you feel that somebody is watching you, you're absolutely right!

Our Adversary, the Devil Based on a sermon preached at First Baptist Church, Glasgow, Missouri. (This is not an exact transcription.) Background: Peter is writing to encourage groups of believers who are going through persecution. His ministry was originally to the Jews but God gave him the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Lord Is My Refuge

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Aug 18, 2024

In times of trouble we seek peace and safety. Where we seek it makes all the difference in the world.

It always seems that I get a request to preach form the Psalms. Today Psalm 11. The Psalms speak to us – we can almost hear ourselves in the Psalms – praising God – mourning our sin – questioning the world – seeking vengeance on our enemies. Before reading let’s introduce some aspects of the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Chase The Wind Or Stand On The Rock

Contributed by Ken Mckinley on Oct 16, 2021

A life that is built pursuing worldly things is like chasing the wind. But a life built on the Rock which is Christ is the only one that will endure.

Chase the Wind or Stand on the Rock Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1-17 THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER If you will, take your Bibles this morning and open them up to the Book of Ecclesiastes. I’ve been looking a lot at the wisdom literature from Scripture recently, and I don’t know about all of you, but in these ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-17

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Lord's Prayer - Part 5 - Lead Us Series

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Jul 26, 2023

The heart of this stanza in the Lord’s Prayer is the distrust of the self. And because I don’t trust myself, I rush into the presence of God as my refuge from temptation.

Dr. Bradford Reaves Crossway Christian Fellowship Hagerstown, MD www.mycrossway.org This is the last message in the Lord’s Prayer. What a fantastic series of messages we’ve encountered in the midst of our series of the Sermon on the Mount. We’ve come to the last stanza in verse 13 “And do not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13

Denomination: Brethren

Persecution Can Be Good

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jan 30, 2021

We grow soft and cold without it. Sometimes it takes the fire of persecution for us to seek the fire of God.

1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:17-19

Denomination: Baptist

Circumstances Of Life Vs. Our Faith In The World

Contributed by Bruce Hadley on Oct 6, 2019

The Circumstances of Life vs. Our Faith In life we often face challenges, obstacles, events, trials, tribulations, temptations and troubles, all of which brings with it confusion and confoundedness to our spiritual sense – our faith.

This is one of those studies that God gave me, for me, but it is also to share with everyone. Truly meant to bless all of us. The Circumstances of Life vs. Our Faith In life we often face challenges, obstacles, events, trials, tribulations, temptations and troubles, all of which brings with it ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-3, Hebrews 4:2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Isaiah 53: It Wasn't Very Long Series

Contributed by Troy Borst on Sep 17, 2024

The trials of Jesus, the suffering of Jesus on the cross, and His time in the tomb did not take very long, but impact us for eternity.

ISAIAH 53 SERIES: IT WASN’T VERY LONG ISAIAH 53:8-9 | #Isaiah53 PERSON IN THE CONGREGATION READS ISAIAH 53 READ ISAIAH 53:1-12 (ESV) “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He grew up before Him like a young plant, and like a root out ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:8-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Way Doors Get Opened Series

Contributed by Stu Hodges on Jun 11, 2013

Worship is how to open closed doors.

I have a door at my house, it’s the door to a closet in our bonus room. It’s where my kids' toys are all kept and so when I instruct them to clean up the bonus room, the toys just get tossed into the closet and then they shut the door real quick and hope for the best. So when you open ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pure Joy Series

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Nov 10, 2011

1- It’s pure joy to experience trials 2- It’s pure joy to attain wisdom 3- It’s pure joy to be single-minded

INTRO.- Joy can mean many things to many people. ILL.- A January 1994 Reuters News Service story on Manuel Oliveira's ice cream shop in Merida, Venezuela, reported on his 567 flavors: including onion, chili, beer, eggplant, smoked trout, spaghetti parmesan, chicken with rice, and spinach. He ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Temptations Of Jesus

Contributed by Austin Lamos on Feb 13, 2020

How did Jesus overcome the temptations of Satan in his wilderness experience? How can we overcome the temptations and the trials that we face in our lives?

Matthew 4:1-11 (NASB) (From Bible Gateway.com) The Temptation of Jesus 4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He [a]then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11, Psalm 119:11

Denomination: Nazarene

‘fireproof Service’

Contributed by Bryan Beverly on Aug 25, 2014

This text encourages believers to give their best in Christian service.

9For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. 10According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. 11For no ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:9-15

Denomination: Baptist

Christians Attitude

Contributed by Melvin Shelton on Jul 16, 2003

Count trials a joy.

A CHRISTIAN’S ATTITUDE James 1:1-4 Although we praise the Lord for the contributions that have been made to the world through Martin Luther, his comments about the book of James is in error. He called it a straw book because he thought James taught salvation through works. We know that salvation is ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-4

Denomination: Baptist