In Sermon Illustrations:

For Blessings Already Received

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Feb 23, 2012

FOR BLESSINGS ALREADY RECEIVED "Returning thanks for blessings already received increases our faith and enables us to approach God with new boldness and new assurance. Doubtless the reason so many have so little faith when they pray is because they take so little time to meditate upon and thank ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Thanksgiving, Gratitude

Denomination: Baptist

Humility — Who Would Dare Write About It?

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Feb 16, 2012

HUMILITY - WHO WOULD DARE WRITE ABOUT IT? Charlene Ann Baumbich wrote a book about raising her sons. One chapter was about humbling experiences she had. She then felt the Holy Spirit nudging her to study humility. She thought she might write a book about what she would learn. After hours studying ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Baptist

Forgive And Forget

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 15, 2012

FORGIVE AND FORGET There's a wonderful story about the cardinal of the Philippines, named, oddly enough, Cardinal Sin. When Cardinal Sin was a bishop, a young woman in his parish claimed that she had visions of Jesus. Bishop Sin was given the task of determining if these visions were authentic. He ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:9

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Baptist

A Proud Man Is Always Looking Down On Things And ...  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 14, 2012

A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you’re looking down, you can’t see ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Baptist

A Christmas Letter To God  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 14, 2012

A CHRISTMAS LETTER TO GOD A small boy was writing a letter to God about the Christmas presents he wanted. "I've been good for six months now," he wrote. After a moment's reflection, he crossed out "six months" and wrote "three." After a pause he changed that to "two weeks." There was another pause ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-8

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

Someone Has Said That When We Work, We Work, But ...

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 14, 2012

Someone has said that when we work, we work, but when we pray, God works. --Bill Hybels. Too Busy ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-8

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Is Told Of A Prosperous, Young ...  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 13, 2012

The story is told of a prosperous, young investment banker who was driving a new BMW sedan on a mountain road during a snowstorm. As he veered around one sharp turn, he lost control and began sliding off the road toward a deep precipice. At the last moment he unbuckled his seat belt, flung open his ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:13-15

Tags: Money, Materialism

Denomination: Baptist

A Man Once Came To Peter Marshall, Former ...  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 13, 2012

A man once came to Peter Marshall, former chaplain of the Unites States Senate, with a concern about tithing. “I have a problem,” he said. “I have been tithing for some time. It wasn’t too bad when I was making $20,000 a year; I could afford to give up $2,000. But now that I am making $500,000, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:13

Tags: Money, Tithes, Materialism

Denomination: Baptist

A Friend In Montana Told Me About A Sheepherder ...  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 13, 2012

A friend in Montana told me about a sheepherder who discovered oil on his land and became enormously rich. One of the first things he bought was a Rolls Royce limousine, the kind usually driven by a chauffeur who sits in front of a glass partition. When the sheepherder brought this splendid car in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:13

Tags: Money, Materialism

Denomination: Baptist

Survivorman And Esau

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Feb 13, 2012

SURVIVORMAN AND ESAU I love to watch things like Survivorman - he goes all over the world and survives in the harshest enviornments. But he is like Esau! Self-sufficient, I have never seen him bow his head in prayer and ask God for help; I ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Baptist

Scott Peck: "Life Is Difficult. This Is A Great ...

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Feb 13, 2012

Scott Peck: "Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult - once we understand and accept it - then life is no longer difficult. Because ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist

Pray Again And Again

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Feb 13, 2012

PRAY AGAIN AND AGAIN E.M. Bounds, "We must not only pray, but we must also pray with great urgency, with intensity, and with repetition. We must not only pray, but we must also pray again and again. We must not get tired of praying. Too ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

Whitening Fast

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Feb 13, 2012

WHITENING FAST When Dr. Rees was waiting to preach, a friend commended to him, "You sure are whitening fast!" He got up and said this from the pulpit: "There is a little white flower that comes up through the earth at this season of the year - sometimes it comes up through the snow and frost; but ...read more

Tags: Aging

Denomination: Baptist

Bird Of Paradise

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Feb 13, 2012

BIRD OF PARADISE Reminds me of an Easterner, was being driven by a Texas rancher over a barren stretch of West Texas, on a smothering hot day, when a large, brightly-colored bird scurried across the road in front of them. The visitor asked what it was, and the rancher said, "That's a bird of ...read more

Tags: Home

Denomination: Baptist

Thank You, Sensei Don

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Feb 12, 2012

THANK YOU, SENSEI DON Dr. Don Sisk, the former president of the mission board I'm with, BIMI, tells of winning an old "papa-sahn" to Christ, the father of one of the ladies in his church. He had such a grateful spirit for Dr. Sisk, whom they referred to as "Sensei Don" which means "Teacher Don." ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Baptist

A Breakdown In Communication

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Feb 11, 2012

A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION My favorite Burns and Allen routine was the time when George was lecturing Gracie about carelessness. Gracie remembered one of her relatives who accidently parked in a red zone. George said, "That was very careless." Gracie responded, "Yes, it really was." "He ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:15, 1 Corinthians 14:1-40

Tags: Communication, Tongue, Communication General

Denomination: Baptist

Donald Grey Barnhouse: "Abraham Came To The ...

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Feb 11, 2012

Donald Grey Barnhouse: "Abraham came to the ultimate conclusion that he was going to see a miracle because God cannot lie. He had said that this son would be the one through whom He would fulfill all of His promises. Therefore the son must live or God would be found false. And yet God commands that ...read more

Tags: Miracles General

Denomination: Baptist

A Study In Compassion

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 10, 2012

A STUDY IN COMPASSION John Darley and Daniel Batson decided to replicate the story of the Good Samaritan with seminary students. A few variables were introduced. The seminarians were interviewed and asked why they wanted to go into ministry. There were a variety of responses, but the vast majority ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Baptist

Mother Teresa's Feet

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 10, 2012

MOTHER TERESA'S FEET Shane Claiborne, who spent a summer in the slums of Calcutta with Mother Teresa, wrote the following about one of his experiences: People often ask me what Mother Teresa was like. Did she glow in the dark or have a halo? She was short, wrinkled, and precious, maybe even a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Baptist

The Century Plant

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Feb 10, 2012

THE CENTURY PLANT Abraham has now reached the Century mark! He is 100 years old and Sarah is 90. A common sight in America's Southwest desert is the century plant. It's unique. The century plant (Agave Americana) thrives in rocky, mountainous, desert sites. It has dramatic, splayed leaves that ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Baptist