In Sermon Illustrations: "1 Thessalonians 16:1-12"

Astray

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Astray They sing, Farther along we'll understand. Oh, how I wish I'd been a holy man, But I wandered so far astray Now all I can see is Judgment Day. I fell on my knees and begged for Your grace, Then turned around and spat in Your face. I walked along in my foolish will, Now I fear ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:14

Tags: Sin, Repentance, Backsliding

Denomination: Baptist

Remember The Duck

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A little boy visiting his grandparents was given his first slingshot. As he practiced in his Grandma’s backyard, he spied her pet duck. On an impulse, he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead. The boy panicked. Desperately he hid the dead duck in the woodpile only to look up ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:25

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Anointing With Oil In The Name Of The Lord

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 13, 2024

"Anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord " (James 5:14) - This literally reads "after having oiled him." Whether this anointing is to be done before or during the praying is not clear from the Greek text. OIl most likely refers to olive oil. What does the oil signify? ...read more

Tags: Oil, Anointing, Health, Elders, Healing, Prayer, Miracles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Power Of God's Word In The Philippines

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 17, 2024

Joanne Shetler, a dedicated missionary, spent years living among the Balangao people in the Philippines. Her mission was to translate the Bible into their language and share the good news of the Savior. However, progress was slow. One day, Ama, a man who had adopted Joanne as his Balangao ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Genealogies Of The Bible, Bible, Salvation, Missions, Miracles, God's Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Victorious As We Follow God's Redemption Plan.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jan 20, 2025

I may have mentioned this previously to some of you that as a teen I was not able to even read a passage from a book in class, I could read, but to read out loud was something else, I was very insecure having been told at a young age, around 9 or 10 that I was hopeless and would never amount to ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15-17, John 3:1

Tags: Victorious Living, The Spirit Of Truth, Self Estime, Advocate, God's Love, Struggling  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Gossip Test

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

Do I get excited when I hear, “Have you heard…?” Does my heart do a little dance when someone starts with, “You won’t believe what I just found out!” If so, you know the answer—it’s gossip. If you find yourself pulling up a chair and grabbing some popcorn, it’s time to rethink your choices. The ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:20

Tags: Prayer, Gossip, Power Of Words, Test

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[120]. A Message From A Poem – He Has Done All This

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 2, 2025

[120]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE HAS DONE ALL THIS What has the Lord done for you? Do you take time to run through what God has made you, and what great promises He has given you, and what future promises await you? It is an excellent exercise because we must always be mindful of our dear ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:19-20

Tags: Great Things, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[281]. A Message From A Poem – The Lord Is

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 31, 2026

[281]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LORD IS This poem is the second shortest one I think I have written. I use lots of metaphors here – a metaphor is when you say something is another thing. A simile is saying something is like another thing. There is no rhyme scheme in the poem but there is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:1, Psalm 18:2

Tags: Metaphor, Christian Poems, The Lord Is

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our Team Is Bigger

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 20, 2026

We read about a rebellion in heaven in Revelation 12:7-10: “7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 12:7-10, Revelation 9:1-3

Tags: Holy Spirit, Angels, Demons, Fallen Angels

Denomination: Methodist

Ignoring The Alarm

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

My house has a smoke detector that goes off every single time I cook. Every time. I am not even burning anything. I’m just making eggs and the thing starts screaming like the house is engulfed in flames. After a while, you know what I did? I just started ignoring it. I fan it with a towel and keep ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20

Tags: Anger, Self Control

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

32 Simple Ways To Make Your Marriage Sizzle

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

32 WAYS TO HELP YOU HAVE A GREAT MARRIAGE..... 1. Communicate with your partner – work hard on listening. 2. Befriend each other’s friends and family 3. Know your spouse’s love language – Touch, talk, time, treasures, tasks 4. Give each other space to breathe without control 5. Take trips ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Love, Marriage, Family, Relationships, Home  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Understanding The Spirit Named Pan

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

THE SPIRIT NAMED PAN Many creatures, or demonic spirits, that have been called mythological gods are not mythological at all. They are real in the kingdom of darkness. Pan’s appearance in mythology is with horns, ears, and legs of a goat on a man’s body. His sudden appearance was supposed to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:11-18

Tags: Pandemic, Spirits, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Prayer, Demons, Panic, Fasting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[301]. A Message From A Poem - There Was An Obedient Fish

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 1, 2026

[301]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THERE WAS AN OBEDIENT FISH Disobedience was the first sin in all of human history. Adam and Eve disobeyed, and through that disobedience gained a sin nature. Disobedience has remained at the forefront of sin and this can also be applied to Christians. Jonah was ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:2, Jonah 1:3, Jonah 1:17, Jonah 2:2, Psalm 69:15, Jonah 2:10, Isaiah 19:23-25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Nineveh Repented, Jonah A Type Of Jesus, Whale, Disobedience, Nineveh, Fish, Assyria, Christian Poems, Jonah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

While Waiting To Pick Up A Friend At The Airport ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on May 15, 2001

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about. This one occurred a mere 2 feet away from me. Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love, Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Do Not Jump To Judge Other Christians

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 14, 2019

Don't Jump to Judge Other Christians This is God's message for us in Romans 14:3-4, where Paul said: 3. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4. Who are you to judge another's servant? To his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:3-4

Tags: False Assumptions, Judging Others

Denomination: Baptist

Misapplied Scriptures: Ezekiel 16:6

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 26, 2023

Introduction: Some folks, perhaps well-meaning, will take a verse completely out of its context in order to use the words for something much different than what was intended. This verse is one that to my knowledge has never been used as the person (L, to protect the identity) said to me many years ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 16:6

Tags: Misapplied Scriptures, Blood, Israel

Denomination: Baptist

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: The "Bad Axe” Incident

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 3, 2024

Introduction: This is a follow up to the story of Elisha being asked, maybe as an afterthought?, to go with student prophets as they built a new facility. One of these men had borrowed an axe but something awful happened. By the way, this story has nothing whatsoever to do with the city of Bad ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 6:1-7

Tags: Elisha, Jordan River, Sons Of The Prophets, Axes

Denomination: Baptist

[080]. A Message From A Poem – Faithfully He Is Watching

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 12, 2025

[080]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FAITHFULLY HE IS WATCHING The poem here you will read is one of my top favourites. It resonates so much with me. It just flowed and when it does that it is joyous. I truly hope you can relate to it. This poem was written on the day I received notification that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:6, Job 1:21

Tags: Watching, God Hears, Forsake, Poem, Orphans, Cares, Abandoned, Faithful, Friendship, Deliverance, Merciful, Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[086]. A Message From A Poem – For All Christians - The Three Rs

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 22, 2025

[086]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR ALL CHRISTIANS - THE THREE Rs There are 9 poems in this Trilogy series. This poem is part of a Trilogy - three sets of three. The first set is addressed to MEN, the second to ALL CHRISTIANS and the third is SPECIFIC. This is the second one in the second set ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:17-18, Romans 5:10-11, Luke 1:68, Ephesians 1:7

Tags: Righteousness, Poetry, Relationship, Poems, Reconciliation, Redemption  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[166]. A Message From A Poem – Know Jesus – Know Comfort And Peace

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 15, 2025

[166]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – KNOW JESUS – KNOW COMFORT AND PEACE Obviously, the connection here is a vital one, and it’s an eternal one. Those who know Jesus should be living in comfort and peace. That needs defining. Comfort is not the comfort of materialism by having a great home with ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1, Romans 3:17, Isaiah 48:22, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, Acts 9:31  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Peace With God, Wicked, God Of All Comfort, Christian Poems, Holy Spirit, Peace, Comfort  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational