In Sermon Illustrations: "1 Timothy 4:16-18"

How Do You Give Without Enabling?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 2, 2022

How do you give biblically and with a Christ-like approach to needy people, yet not enable the person to become co-dependent on your giving heart? (1) Learn to distinguish between DIVINE appointments and drive-by-guiltings (Luke 10:33/ 1 Timothy 5:8/ Deuteronomy 15:11 and Galatians 6:10/ ...read more

Tags: Needs, Enabling, Wisdom, Discernment, Giving, Finances, Tithing, Good Samaritan, Sacrifice  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hope For When Christ Comes

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jun 27, 2021

This two-part story can frame a message on heaven, hope or the resurrection. The 1989 Armenian earthquake needed only 4 minutes to flatten the nation and kill 30,000 people. Moments after the deadly tremor ceased, a father raced to an elementary school to save his son. When he arrived, he saw that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 1 Corinthians 15:17, 1 Corinthians 15:23, Romans 6:5-9

Tags: Resurrection, Heaven, Hope

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Whenever I'm Tempted To Whine About The Demands ...

Contributed by Curtis Deming on Apr 16, 2005

Whenever I’m tempted to whine about the demands of leadership, I think of the story of Timothy. He had just heard Paul deliver the report of the Jerusalem Council that circumcision was unnecessary for Gentile converts. Yet Paul circumcised Timothy to avoid offending the Jews in the area. Timothy ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Prayer And President Lincoln  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2011

PRAYER AND PRESIDENT LINCOLN A clergyman from New York, during a call on President Lincoln at the White House, said: "I have not come to ask any favors of you, Mr. President; I have only come to say that the loyal people of the North are sustaining you and will continue to do so. We are giving you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Ephesians 3:20, Romans 1:8-17, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Philippians 1:1-11, 2 Timothy 1:5-8, Luke 15:11-32, Acts 3:1-10, Romans 8:22-27, Psalm 139:1-24, Isaiah 52:2-3, Luke 11:9-10, Luke 18:1-8  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Loyal, God Hears, Call Of God, Living Faith, Prayer Persistence  (view more)  (view less)

Mom's Bible

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on May 9, 2023

Mom’s Bible Mom’s Bible was old and worn, The pages yellowed with time; Adorned with handwritten notes Mom penned while in her prime. Eagerly I scanned each page, Hanging on to her every word. My eyes became all misty, As within my spirit stirred. It was like Mom was speaking Into my troubled ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:25-26, Psalm 139:13, Exodus 20:12, Proverbs 1:8-9, Philippians 1:2-3, Proverbs 23:25, Proverbs 22:6, Isaiah 55:11, 1 Peter 1:16, 2 Timothy 3:15, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Poem, Mother's Day, Mom, Bible

Denomination: Baptist

Dennis E. Mannering Was Teaching A Class For ...  PRO

Contributed by Sheila Crowe on Sep 27, 2002

Dennis E. Mannering was teaching a class for adults, when he did the "unpardonable." He gave the class homework! The assignment was to "go to someone you love within the next week and tell them you love them. It had to be someone you have never said those words to before or at least haven’t shared ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Tags: God

Denomination: United Methodist

Finney Noted This About Obedience And Sacrifice, ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 8, 2002

Finney noted this about obedience and sacrifice, “Revival is nothing more or less ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: Basics Of Christianity, Revival

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Is A Movie That Was Recently Produced That ...  PRO

Contributed by James May on Oct 20, 2002

There is a movie that was recently produced that was titled “Shallow Hal”. In that movie, Hal was given a gift of seeing a woman, not as she physically looked but as their heart would appear. There were some who were over weight, some who were not so physically appealing to the normal observer, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:1-7

Tags: Christian Values, Evangelism The Lost, Romantic Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Businessman Well Known For His Ruthlessness ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Oct 26, 2002

A businessman well known for his ruthlessness once announced to writer Mark Twain, “Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the 10 Commandments aloud at the top.” “I have a better idea,” replied Twain. “You could stay ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:4-27

Tags: Commandments General, Faith Vs. Works, Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Let Me Close With This Story, At First You May ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 31, 2002

Let me close with this story, at first you may not catch my point, but hang in there, when I land you will see a wonderful point. I had been teaching in Virginia, and I resigned my position and accepted a pastorate of a mission work in eastern Kentucky. The area was very poor, and the little church ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

Tags: Funerals Christian, Death

Denomination: Assembly Of God

He Was Healed  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 4, 2002

HE WAS HEALED Tony Campolo tells a story about being in a church in Oregon where he was asked to pray for a man who had cancer. Campolo prayed boldly for the man’s healing. That next week he got a telephone call from the man’s wife. She said, "You prayed for my husband. He had cancer." Campolo ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus, Healing, God's Forgiveness, Gifts Healing, Cure  (view more)  (view less)

In Discipleship Journal, Carole Mayhall Tells Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Dec 17, 2001

In Discipleship Journal, Carole Mayhall tells of a woman who went to a diet center to lose weight. The director took her to a full-length mirror. On it he outlined a figure and told her, "This is what I want you to be like at the end of the program." Days of intense dieting and exercise followed, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:27

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Endurance, Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What To Do With Bad Gifts Source: Usa Today ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2002

WHAT TO DO WITH BAD GIFTS Source: USA Today 1999 What adults say they do with that not-quite-right holiday gift: Survey Says... 31%: Keep it 30%: Hide it ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

Tags: Christmas, Birth Of Jesus

Get The Right Perspective. When Goliath Came ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

Get the right perspective. When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He’s so big we can never kill him." David looked at the same giant and though, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:24-26

Tags: Faith General, Faith, Perspective

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Person Who Calls Himself Frank And Candid Can ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 11, 2001

A person who calls himself frank and candid can very easily find himself becoming tactless and cruel. A person who prides himself on being tactful can find eventually that he has become evasive and deceitful. A person with firm convictions can become pigheaded. A person who is inclined to be ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-12

Tags: Faith, Humility

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Man Went To An Asylum For The Criminally ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jan 10, 2003

A man went to an asylum for the criminally insane. He was a bit surprised to find that there were three guards to take care of a hundred inmates. He said to one of the guards, "Aren’t you afraid that the inmates will unite, overcome you, and escape?" The guard said, "Lunatics never unite." ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-18

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Unity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Servant' In Our English New Testament Usually ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Feb 14, 2003

“’Servant’ in our English New Testament usually represents the Greek doulos (bondslave). Sometimes it means diakonos (deacon or minister); this is strictly accurate, for doulos and diakonos are synonyms. Both words denote a man who is not at his own disposal, but is his master’s purchased ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Baptist

Marathon Runners Often Reach The Point Where They ...  PRO

Contributed by Gregg Bitter on Mar 10, 2003

Marathon runners often reach the point where they wonder whether they can keep going. They hit the wall. They doubt they can finish the race. Their muscles burn with pain; their strength is gone. They feel defeated. As we run our Christian lives, we can reach that point too. Faced with our sin, we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Endurance, Finish Line, Betrayal, Race, Runner, Marathon, Marathon Runner  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

D.l. Moody Once Spoke With A Woman Who Didn't ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Higgins on Mar 26, 2003

D.L. Moody once spoke with a woman who didn’t like his method of evangelism. "I don’t really like mine all that much either. What’s yours?" She replied that she didn’t ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism How To, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Baptist

At The End Of Wwii The Japanese Government Faced ...  PRO

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on May 7, 2003

At the end of WWII the Japanese government faced a similar problem with thousands of soldiers who were hiding in the jungles and mountains in the South Pacific. Although the treaty with the U.S. had been signed and the war was over, thousands of Japanese soldiers living in the mountains and ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:18

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Assembly Of God