In Sermon Illustrations:

The Reverend And The Rose

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 30, 2011

THE REVEREND AND THE ROSE Rev. Jerry Parnell, pastor of the Canaan Baptist Church of Anderson, South Carolina, will often conclude one of his sermons with an illustration using a live rose. He tells how that God gives us a fresh flowing in life, but that over the course of time we make bad ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Baptist

A Religion Worth Having  PRO

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 30, 2011

A RELIGION WORTH HAVING Dr. F. E. Marsh used to tell that on one occasion he was preaching on the importance of confession of sin and, wherever possible, of restitution for wrong done to others. Afterward a young man came up to him and said: "Pastor, you have put me in a sad fix. I have wronged ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 27:1-2

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Baptist

Forgiven

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 30, 2011

FORGIVEN My pastor for most of my life, Dr. Harold Sightler, used to tell of a woman bad to shout. (He would stop there and say, I mean "good" to shout.) When they mentioned Jesus in sermon or song, she would say, "Hallelujah, praise the Lord." The dead, dry church she attended didn’t like this. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 43:25, Genesis 39:17-30

Tags: Dependence, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

God's Forgiveness Is Instant, Complete, ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 30, 2011

GOD'S FORGIVENESS IS INSTANT, COMPLETE, PERMANENT One of our church members had an issue with a family member. That family member had been so unkind and hurtful for so long, that it seemed things would never change. Our member prayed to God for help. Another family member spoke to the hurtful ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Life's Deeper Meaning

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 29, 2011

LIFE'S DEEPER MEANING Examining life for deeper meanings is a twentieth century preoccupation. We assume that things are not what they seem. Words disguise Hidden Feelings. Actions symbolize Something Else. We sometimes try too hard to discover the hidden meanings when there just might not be ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Baptist

Fervent Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Aug 29, 2011

FERVENT PRAYER George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, future US Presidents, were among the delegates meeting at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, on March 23, 1775, considering a resolution sending Virginia troops to the Revolutionary War. The Virginia House of Burgesses was unconvinced. ...read more

Scripture: James 5:17-18

Tags: Prayer, Fervent, Effectual, Earnest, Prayer How To  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Maskepetoon

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Aug 29, 2011

MASKEPETOON When the first missionaries came to Alberta, Canada, they were savagely opposed by a young chief of the Cree Indians named Maskepetoon. But he responded to the gospel and accepted Christ. Shortly after ward, a member of the Blackfoot tribe killed his father. Maskepetoon rode into the ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Baptist

On The Way To The Fair

Contributed by Stephen E. Trail on Aug 28, 2011

ON THE WAY TO THE FAIR A man was going to the county fair one day with a pig under one arm and a chicken under one arm, and a basket on his head. He came to a crossroads and didn’t know which way to turn. While he stood there deciding, an attractive young woman approached him, heading the same ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love

Denomination: Baptist

Bread And Butter  PRO

Contributed by David Tack on Aug 25, 2011

BREAD AND BUTTER A small-town baker bought his butter from a local farmer. After weighing his butter, he concluded the farmer had been reducing the amount in the packages but charging the same. Therefore, the baker accused the farmer of fraud. In court the judge asked the farmer, "Do you have ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 25:15, Proverbs 20:23, Matthew 7:1-2, Romans 2:1, Luke 6:37-38  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Judgment, Hypocrisy, Prejudice, Fairness, Judgmental  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Focus On Christ

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 25, 2011

FOCUS ON CHRIST The healthiest people do not think about their health; the weak induce disease by morbid introspection. If you begin to count your heartbeats, you will disturb the rhythmic action of the heart. If you continually imagine a pain anywhere, you will produce it. And there are some ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Baptist

Sin Of Omission

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 25, 2011

SIN OF OMISSION We see sad events transpiring today: Mothers smothering children and fathers shaking babies. But if one did not do this and if they said, "I didn’t strike the baby, I just never fed the baby, I never changed a diaper. I never placed a warm blanket over the baby. I didn’t DO ...read more

Tags: Sin Hurtful To God

Denomination: Baptist

Pleading The Blood

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Aug 24, 2011

"PLEADING THE BLOOD" The singles group at the church I joined in 1978 was fascinated by Mike Warnke's book, The Satan Seller. He wrote about being drawn into Satanism, advancing through the ranks, getting saved, and the struggles he had with other Satanists and even demons after leaving them. It ...read more

Tags: Prayer In The Spirit

Denomination: Baptist

Hating To Lose

Contributed by Tim White on Aug 15, 2011

HATING TO LOSE As a young man growing up, my family enjoyed TV sports. Part of the fun was choosing a team and cheering for them. What maximized the fun was having someone in the family pick the other team, and it became personal. My brother hated to lose. He was noted for changing teams mid-game ...read more

Tags: Sports

Denomination: Baptist

The Right Name Opens Doors  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Aug 15, 2011

THE RIGHT NAME OPENS DOORS Mark Roberts wrote of a time when he visited the Capitol as a guest of Congressman John Campbell. As long as he was with the congressman, he could walk freely around the Capitol, entering many areas that were reserved "for authorized personnel only," reserved for members ...read more

Scripture: John 15:16, John 16:23-24, John 14:13-14

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist

I Shall Be Alive...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 11, 2011

I SHALL BE ALIVE... One of the penetrating churchmen of the past generation was Reverend James Gordon Gilkey. While living in Portland, Oregon, he was told by his physician that he had an incurable disease. Death could not be averted, nor long delayed. What did he do? Here is his own story: "I ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Baptist

Only In The Lone Star State

Contributed by John Crowe on Aug 11, 2011

ONLY IN THE LONE STAR STATE My daughter’s family moved to Del Rio, Texas. One night my 4-year-old granddaughter recited the Lord’s Pryaer with a slight variation; "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13

Tags: Children

Denomination: Baptist

More Accustomed To Action Than Talk  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Aug 11, 2011

MORE ACCUSTOMED TO ACTION THAN TALK All great enterprises begin at a critical moment--a moment when a decision is made and someone launches himself into a never-to-be-forgotten enterprise. PIZARRO, the noted Spanish explorer, faced such a moment. He languished with his men on a small island ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Where's Your Security  PRO

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Aug 11, 2011

WHERE'S YOUR SECURITY (NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Investors lost $1 trillion in the in the stock market Monday as the debt crisis in Europe, lackluster economic news and a downgrade to the U.S. credit rating spark fears of a double-dip recession. Investors placed their wealth in the hands of a man ...read more

Scripture: John 10:28-29, Jude 1:24-25, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Tags: Holy Spirit, Salvation, Security, Promises Of God, Secure  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Tearing Of The Veil

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 10, 2011

TEARING OF THE VEIL QUOTE: Note 194 “This veil, which was the thickness of a palm breadth, was sixty feet long and thirty broad, and separated the Holy and Most Holy Places. Various attempts have been made to explain this strange phenomenon on naturalistic grounds, such as the earthquake, or as ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:45-51

Tags: Crucifixion, Peas

Denomination: Baptist

It's Not The Piano's Fault

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 9, 2011

IT'S NOT THE PIANO'S FAULT One man gets nothing but discord out of a piano; another gets harmony. No one claims the piano is at fault. Life is about the same. The discord is there, but so is the harmony. Study to play it correctly, and it will give forth the beauty; play it ...read more

Tags: Attitude General

Denomination: Baptist