Sermons on Trials

Sowing and Reaping: Another Look

Sermon text: Galatians 6:7-9 We’re told to not grow weary in doing good. Why? We are promised to reap a harvest if we don’t get frustrated and give up. The thing is, sometimes the pathway to the harvest can get rough. Setbacks come and we can begin to question the strategy. This can cause us to try to take things into our own hands. And that’s when the whole sowing and reaping dynamic can get muddied.

The Widow’s Oil

Sermon text: 2 Kings 4:1-7 The wife of a prophet was in dire straits. Her husband was dead and she was in debt. The creditor was planning to enslave her young sons to recover his money. She came to Elisha begging him for help. The prophet asked what she had in her house. She responded that she had nothing but a jar of oil. But the Lord used that jar of oil in a mighty way! And how God used…

Which Soil are You?

Sermon text: Mark 4:1-20 The message of the parable of the sower is that we must be faithful in telling others about Jesus, regardless of how they receive it. Jesus presents four different hearers in this parable. While not the central purpose of the parable, one cannot help but ask, “Which soil am I?” This takes introspection and honesty, which can be difficult for many of us. But the reward of unflinching self-assessment can be a closer walk with the…

When Times Get Tough

Sermon text: James 1:2-8 We all go through trials in life. It’s just part of being human. What’s different for the believer is how we respond to those difficult situations. James tells us that we should meet obstacles with joy. We don’t need to be thrilled about the struggle. But we should see every setback we encounter as an opportunity for growth in our faith walk.

The Year Ahead

Sermon text: Hebrews 12:1-3 Every one of us has been given a mission by God. In order to be all that God intends for us to be, we must rid ourselves of any distractions and sins which hold us back. We have the example of those who’ve gone before us to encourage us. But our greatest example is without a doubt Jesus Himself. We need to keep our eyes solidly on Him so that we don’t become discouraged.

Daily Praise

Sermon text: Psalm 95:1-11 We do all sort of activities every single day. What about praising God? Not thanking Him, though we certainly deserves that too. After all, He is the One who made everything and blesses us beyond measure. Praise is different, though. Praise is recognizing God for who He is. Praise replays His great works and His amazing attributes.

Finding Jesus in the Storms

Sermon text: Matthew 14:22-33 Missionary Andrew Greenplate updates the church on his family’s ministry. He then presents a timely message about looking to Jesus in times of trials. The disciples were intimidated by their situation during a storm on the sea of Galilee. But when they focused on Jesus, their perspective was changed.

Overcoming Temptation

Sermon text: Luke 4:1-13 Every believer faces temptation. Jesus did, and we should expect to as well. We can learn a lot about how to deal with temptation from how Jesus handled it. The core of His success was the filling of the Holy Spirit and the power of God’s Word.

No Worries

Sermon text: 1 Peter 5:6-7 We often hear people quote 1 Peter 5:7: “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Thing is, this is the second half of a sentence that begins in verse 6. And this is where things can go wrong. In order to experience the positive impact of verse 7, you have to put verse 6 into practice.