In Sermon Illustrations: "2 Timothy 4 6 8 16 18"

I Remember Deb And I Going On A Cruise And There ...

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 22, 2004

I remember Deb and I going on a cruise and there we slot machines on the entertainment deck. She had always wanted to try one. So, having seen some of the devastation a gambling addition can cause I said, “Take $2 (I know I”m a huge spender) and play until you run out.” So, she did and about her ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Christian Church

The Five Finger Prayer Formula

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 10, 2024

Prayer is a conversation with God, not a formula. Yet sometimes we might need to use a “method” to freshen up our prayer time. We can pray the Psalms or other Scriptures (such as The Lord’s Prayer), or use the ACTS method (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication). I recently came ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Faith, Worship, Praise, Prayer, Hearing God, Receiving, Asking, Needs  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reasons Why We Suffer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

1. We suffer because we live in a fallen world (Romans 8:26-30). 2. We suffer because we have an enemy who stalks us (I Peter 5:8-9). 3. We suffer because of our own wrong decisions (Psalm 51). 4. We may suffer because of God’s ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:26-30

Tags: Discipline, Suffering, Judgment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Americans Are Sleeping Less Than They Did 20 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2008

Americans Are Sleeping Less than they did 20 years ago, and about 50 to 70 million people nationwide suffer from chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders, reports the CDC. 10% of adults report not getting enough rest or sleep in any of the previous 30 days. Only 29.6% say they got enough rest or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:10

Tags: Sabbath, Sleep, Rest

Marriage Delayed: Census Bureau Figures For '03 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

Marriage Delayed: Census Bureau figures for ’03 find a third of men and about a quarter of women ages 30-34 have never married, nearly 4 times higher than in’70. Today a woman typically marries at age 23.2 while men wait until they ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

A Recent Survey Of Discipleship Journal Readers ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them: 1. Materialism. 2. Pride. 3. Self-centeredness. 4. Laziness. 5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness. 5. (Tie) ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Money Raised Online For Many Nonprofit ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

Money Raised Online for many nonprofit organizations grew from virtually nothing only a few years ago to a median 27% increase an annual amount $362,485 from 7/1/05 to 6/30/06, according to a Convio study. Organizations with the most monthly unique Web site visitors built the largest e-mail ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Your Church Magazine Reports Staff Compensation ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

Your Church magazine reports staff compensation accounts for more than 40% of an average church’s budget. Churches with budgets over $500,000 spend 40% while smaller budget churches spend closer to 46% on compensation. Church facilities expenses account for 20%, Missions receives 16%, church ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Child Care: The Nation's Largest Childcare ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Child Care: The nation’s largest childcare providers are the Roman Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention with nearly 10,000 childcare centers between them. Since ’97, the number of church-based childcare centers has risen by 26% versus a 19% increase in all U.S childcare centers. ...read more

Tags: Church General

[142]. A Message From A Poem – In Our Weakness He Gives Strength

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 25, 2025

[142]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN OUR WEAKNESS HE GIVES STRENGTH Creatures of dust we are and weak and frail in human strength. Many are the battles we can have and many are the storms that assail us. I do think Christians have a greater measure of these that people in the world because it is ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 12:2, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 3:19, Psalm 34:4, Psalm 27:3, 2 Corinthians 12:10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: A Christian Poem, Weakness, I Am Weak, Dust Of The Ground, Christian Poetry, Dust Made From Dust, We Are Frail, Strength  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[150]. A Message From A Poem – James Chapter One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 31, 2025

[150]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JAMES CHAPTER ONE The author of this letter is known as James the Less, to distinguish him from James the brother of John. This author was the half brother of Jesus, the full son of Joseph and Mary. James is a book that is often rejected for messages, but there ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20, James 1:12, James 1:5

Tags: James The Less, Letter Of James, James, Wisdom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Should Leaders (Christians) Pray?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 1, 2002

“Why Should leaders (Christians) Pray?" Blackaby answers this question with 6 reasons why spiritual leaders need to pray. Spiritual Leadership page 153: 1. Prayer is an essential leadership (Christian) activity. 2. Prayer brings the Spirit’s filling. 3. Prayer brings God’s ...read more

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On Evangelism Tactics

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Apr 9, 2021

Many Christians have a wrong interpretation of 1 Corinthians 9:22. Paul would not have gotten a tattoo, a Mohawk, piercings etc. to witness to a group like that because it would have hindered him in witnessing to other groups. He spoke to them from their frame of reference, like all great teachers, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:22, 2 Corinthians 6:17

Tags: Evangelism, Separation, Piercings, Tattoos

Denomination: Baptist

We Owe Our Whole Lives To God!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 3, 2022

Genesis 6:1-9 Some think that the “sons of God” in this passage are angels; how can we say not? - v3 tells us that these men will die and angels are eternal beings; also, Jesus Himself tells us in the Gospels that angels do not marry! What can we say about Gen 6:2? – God’s creations of people are ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:1-9

Tags: Love, Thanksgiving, Sin, Life, Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Because God Is Sovereign...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 10, 2024

Because God is Sovereign... 1. He Requires No Counsel - Romans 11:34 2. He Seeks No Advice - 1 Corinthians 2:16 3. He Lacks No Wisdom - James 1:5 4. He Asks No Permission – Job 33:13 5. He Answers to No Man - Romans 9:20 Isaiah 40:13-14 - Who hath directed the Spirit ...read more

Tags: Chosen, God's Will, Election, Sovereignty Of God, Attributes Of God, Called  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

False Converts

Contributed by Rick Palmer on Oct 5, 2018

As an archery deer hunter I walk a lot out in nature. Yesterday as I was walking across a corn field I found a small branch of pretty colored leaves. My wife loves collecting leaves and doing crafts with them. I looked around and there were no trees with in a great distance from the leaves. How ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6, Matthew 4:17, John 3:16-18

Tags: Grace, Believe, Salvation, Repentance

[108]. A Message From A Poem – Grace Is The Key To Holiness

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[108]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GRACE IS THE KEY TO HOLINESS This is a poem that has to be read carefully for understanding because of the construct of the poem. The subject is certainly GRACE, but grace can never be in isolation. There is a strong but harmonising relationship with LOVE, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9, Revelation 22:21, Ezra 9:8, Ephesians 2:8

Tags: Peace, Holiness, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Grace, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Video Clip: The Guardian - Start: Chp. 5 43:54 - ...

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Sep 23, 2007

Video Clip: The Guardian - Start: Chp. 5 43:54 - Stop: 46:16 Senior Chief Randall had a choice. He could have taught the recruits about hypothermia as an abstract theory during a lecture from the comfort of a classroom. Instead, Randall chose to fill the pool with freezing water and then share ...read more

Tags: Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Christian Church

The Nonprofit Sector Generated Direct/Interactive ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

The nonprofit sector generated direct/interactive donations and sales of $102.5 billion says Direct Marketing Association. That represents 7% of all ’99 direct/interactive sales in the U.S. The total is comprised of $80.8 billion in donations, $17.6 billion in mail ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Teens Under God: According To An American Bible ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Teens Under God: According to an American Bible Society study, 82.4% of teens think the words “under God” belong in the Pledge of Allegiance. 63% say they think about the words while they are reciting the pledge. 71.8% think students should be allowed to pray in ...read more

Tags: Children