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Perfect Through Suffering

Sermonette by Bill Onisick

As we follow the pattern set by Jesus Christ, we will suffer as God prepares us for roles of great glory as members of His Family.

Life Doesn't Work on a Balance Sheet (Part One)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

Our response to God's call has not removed all of our suffering. However, responding to God changes the reason for suffering and what it can accomplish.

Life Doesn't Work on a Balance Sheet (Part Three)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

As soon as The Father and Son created man with the ability to choose right or wrong, They exposed Themselves to the certainty that humanity would rebel.

Not To Reason Why

Commentary by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Why did God allow this tragedy? Why do the good suffer and the evil prosper? We want answers to these questions, but Jesus points us in another direction.

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Christians?

Article by Staff

Of all people, one might think, Christians should be the most blessed, yet they often fall under heavy trials. Why does God allow this? What is His purpose?

Trials Are a Gift From God

Sermon by Mark Schindler

God is able to allow a setback or a handicap to help us transcend our trials, building sterling character. The weaknesses we live through make us strong.

Why Does God Allow Us to Be Afflicted?

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

In God's hands, trials and afflictions are tools to produce refined character and joy, and to move us away from worldly choices and back to His purpose.

Wilderness Wandering (Part Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Christ's suffering was not confined to crucifixion, but also consisted of rejection, humiliation, and the duress of persecution. Glory follows suffering.

Facing Times of Stress: When God Is Silent (Part Three)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Acts 27 teaches that we must distinguish among several types of suffering. Regardless of the type of suffering, we must remember that God will deliver us.

God's Tools

Sermonette by Clyde Finklea

Spiritual maturity does not come about without difficulty, and suffering is one of God's tools to perfect us. Suffering refines endurance and character.

The Providence of God (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Calamities, trials, anxiety, evil, and calamities, as well as blessings, happen to Christians in order to become fashioned and molded into God's image.

Why Are We Afflicted?

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Affliction is a necessary aspect of life, yielding strength of character, while ease and comfort weaken us. Christ was perfected as High Priest through suffering.

When Will God Answer?

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God does not delay because of indifference, but wants to provide maximum opportunity for repenting, overcoming, and building character.

Enduring to the End of What?

Sermonette by Craig Sablich

Every previous event and decision in our lives has shaped our resultant character, including the bad decisions that led us down a wrong path.

Labor Pains

Sermonette by Ryan McClure

During the past century, the world has experienced 'practice contractions.' These birth pangs will increase until Christ returns to establish the Kingdom.

Job: Things Left Unsaid

Sermon by David C. Grabbe

Even the accuser of the brethren made no accusations against Job, the first of several curious absences—things left unsaid—in the book of Job.

Philippians (Part Three)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Paul conveyed to the Philippians his optimism that his imprisonment was actually a blessing, enabling him to magnify his effectiveness and bear more fruit.

Trial by Fire

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Like a loving parent, God brings just the right pressures to bear to bring about necessary change in His children. Each trial has a place in His purpose.

Our Spiritual Wilderness

Sermonette by Ryan McClure

Time after time, the children of Israel accused Moses of leading them to their deaths, failing to trust God in spite of His track record of provision.

The Healing of a Man Born Blind (Part One)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Ironically, the blind man who could not see physically eventually sees spiritually, but the Pharisees, who could see physically, could not see spiritually.

Are You Sure You Believe in God? (Part One)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

An atheist rationalizes his belief in no God by stating that suffering could no longer be blamed on an omniscient deity, allowing him to live without guilt.

A Christian's Greatest Trial

Sermon by John O. Reid

Daniel 7:25 reveals the strategy of the enemy: a concerted effort of the Beast to physically, mentally, and if possible, spiritually wear out the saints.

Persecution

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Although many have gone through sore trials, virtually no one has gone through the nightmarish persecutions suffered by the early Christians in Imperial Rome.

Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sermon by David C. Grabbe

Lessons learned from COVID, as well as possible reasons God allowed or caused the pandemic to sweep through the church and wreak havoc on Feast observance.

Facing Times of Stress: Persecution

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Persecution involves a wide spectrum, ranging from torture, physical beating, social excommunication, imprisonment and death. Our boldness should match Paul's.

Wilderness Wandering (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

If we yield to God's manipulation of our lives, we will handle stress constructively, developing a relationship with Him, bearing spiritual fruit.

Knowing Christ (Part 2)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Christ's sacrifice was not merely substitutionary, but representative, with Christ giving us a pattern for life - mortifying our flesh and putting out sin.

Contentment

Sermon by John O. Reid

Many people live in a state of discontent. Tragically, what they set their hearts upon often displaces the love for family and a relationship with God.

Knowing Christ (Part 1)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

When we mortify the flesh, refusing to feed the hungry beast of our carnal nature, we suffer. Suffering for righteousness' sake helps us to know Christ.

Thankfulness (1986)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

We need to give thanks for everything, blessings and trials. Christianity ought to be an exhilarating experience, but it depends on our outlook on life.

Our Affinity to Christ

Sermon/Bible Study by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Jesus has already suffered the things we have, and now serves as our compassionate High Priest and Advocate. He provides the pattern we are to emulate.

Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 1)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Love for this world will inevitably bring disillusionment. Because the world is passing away, our priorities should be to fear God and keep his commandments.

A GPS for our Spiritual Pilgrimage

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by David F. Maas

Since God's thoughts are higher than ours, we must keep an intimate GPS-like dialogue with our heavenly Father so we can stay on the right path to the Kingdom.