In Sermon Illustrations: "A Happy Psalm"

But Before That...  PRO

Contributed by Gregg Strawbridge on Jul 7, 2002

BUT BEFORE THAT... In 1992, when our own Govenor, Kirk Fordice stated unreservedly “America is a Christian nation” the response bordered on hysteria. But before that -- Congress, declared 1983 to be the “Year of the Bible” — stating that the Bible, the Word of God, has made a unique contribution ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:18, Psalm 33:12

Tags: Kingdom Of God, July, History, Heritage, Independence, Independence Day, America, Freedom  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Tony Evans Says, "If You Limit Worship To Where ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Hamilton on Apr 29, 2003

Tony Evans says, “If you limit worship to where you are, the minute you leave that place of worship you will leave your attitude of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 113:1-3, Matthew 2:1-18

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Baptist

In A Recent Survey In Discipleship Journal ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Dec 7, 2003

In a recent survey in Discipleship Journal Magazine, readers reported that their greatest spiritual challenges came from 1. Materialism 2. Pride 3. Self-centeredness 4. Laziness 5. Anger/Bitterness (Tie) 6. Sexual Lust (Tie) 7. Envy 8. Gluttony 9. Lying Survey respondents noted that temptations ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 11:4-35, Psalm 73:1-28

Tags: Temptation General, Temptation Resisting

Denomination: Baptist

Soren Kierkegaard, The Danish Theologian & ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Mar 29, 2004

Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish theologian & philosopher, told this parable, which he called “The Wild Duck of Denmark; A wild duck was flying northward with his mates across Europe during the springtime. En route, he happened to land in a barnyard in Denmark, where he quickly made friends with the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:13-16, Romans 7:15-25

Tags: Headship, Character, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

After The Dallas Cowboys Had Won The Super ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 27, 2004

After the Dallas Cowboys had won the Super Bowl, Tom Landry made this observation. "The overwhelming emotion--in a few days, among the players on the Dallas Cowboys football team--was how empty that goal was. There must be something ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 142:5, Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

Tags: God Brings Hope, God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Asking Everywhere  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2004

ASKING EVERYWHERE As hopeless as her situation must have seemed, she was persistent. The language of verse three (present tense verb) indicated that every day she begged him for help. “The language leaves open the possibility of confrontation everywhere, not just in the court. She pleaded with ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 139:1-10

Tags: Parable Widow

Does It Help To Think That God Delights In You? ...  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 6, 2004

Does it help to think that God delights in you? Think about it! I don’t care how ugly you think you are. You are God’s delight. I don’t care how fat you are. You are God’s delight. Even if your marriage seems such a struggle. You are God’s delight. Even if you are divorced, your self-esteem ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:19, Zephaniah 3:17

Tags: God's Love, Promises Of God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Arrogance/Pride: (Mcmanus)in South America, The ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Miller on Jan 4, 2005

ARROGANCE/PRIDE: (McManus)In South America, the llama is a cultural metaphor for arrogance. To keep a herd of llamas corralled, you don’t even need a fence. All you need is one rope circling around the herd to keep them enclosed. Just by placing it at a height beneath the head and base of the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 10:4, Mark 10:24-25

Tags: Humility

Denomination: *other

Life In A Box! (09.02.05--The Temporal ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 31, 2005

Life In a Box! (09.02.05--The Temporal Things!--Matthew 6:21) Did you ever stop to think, about the legacy that you will leave once this life is over? Will you be remembered for the things you did or the things that you owned? I was asked that question the other day and the asker simply asked me ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:21, Psalm 34:10

Tags: Immanuel, Goals, God With Us, Legacy, Finding Fulfillment, Testimony, Struggles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

A Heart-Broken Little Girl Began To Kneel And ...  PRO

Contributed by Toby Powers on May 17, 2006

A heart-broken little girl began to kneel and pour out her heart to God in the altar at her local church. She did not know what to say. As she wept speechless, she began to remember what her Father had told her, "God knows your needs even before you pray, and he can answer when you don’t even know ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:17, Matthew 6:8

Tags: Prayer, Prayer How To, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

Open Our Eyes...?  PRO

Contributed by Paul Green on Feb 5, 2010

Open Our Eyes...? I have a book called 'Tall Tales of a Big God' written by a man called Maurice Smith. Maurice is (or at least was) an international Christian Speaker travelling all over the UK, and Europe and particularly the USA. And his book is a compilation of some of the most embarrassing ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1, Acts 4:1-21

Tags: Grace, Service, Humility, Pride, Embarrassment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Memorizing Vs. Applying Scripture

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

MEMORIZING VS. APPLYING SCRIPTURE Dave Veerman, Campus Life, Wheaton, IL, related this story: A while ago our family began to memorize Scripture, one verse a week. Because my daughters were ages ten and six, I thought this was about the right speed. We keep the verses on cards in the middle of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:11, James 1:22

Tags: Bible Influence

Motley, Cross-Breed, Half-Baked Sheep  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Nov 12, 2010

MOTLEY, CROSS-BREED, HALF-BAKED SHEEP Before I went off to train for ministry, I used to live in an old house in Oamaru with an acre and a half of land. I had the usual garden and lawn, but I also had about an acre and a quarter of pretty rough hillside that was planted in a variety of trees and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:3, Numbers 6:22-27

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Denomination: Salvation Army

In God We Trust

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 17, 2011

IN GOD WE TRUST I think it quite appropriate that on this day we celebrate who we are as a nation and reflect on how we came to be the nation we are. It is because we still stand firm in our national motto,” IN GOD WE TRUST”. Did you ever wonder where it came from – how did these words come to be ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:6-22, Proverbs 16:1-4

Tags: Independence Day

Edison Burns All His Mistakes  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2011

EDISON BURNS ALL HIS MISTAKES Thomas A. Edison's plant was on fire. As he helplessly watched it burn, taking his costly experiments up in flames, he called his son Charles. "Come!" he said. "You'll never see anything like this again!" Then he called his wife. As the three stood gazing, Edison ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4, Psalm 31:1-24

Tags: Trust, Action, Need, Trials And Difficulties

The Parable Of Water  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Sep 21, 2012

The Parable of Water There are a lot of things I could compare when it comes to living in the world, sexual sin, the lust we have for objects that are shiny; but, I’ve decided that I’m not going to. I’ve decided to discuss two different liquids. One of them is water and the other is Coca Cola. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 106:1-12, James 1:16-19

Tags: God's Goodness, Kingdom Of God, Temptation General

Denomination: Salvation Army

Even If Its Dark

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

A young man’s wife became very ill and died, leaving him alone with his four-year old daughter. The funeral service was simple and heavy with grief. After the burial, his neighbors gathered around him and invited them to bring his little girl and stay at one of their homes this first night. They ...read more

Scripture: James 5:13, Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Death, Comfort, Trust, Sorrow, Trial  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Mr. Schemer On The Broad Road

Contributed by David Goering on Sep 21, 2018

There was a man named Mr. Evangelist who grabbed a handful of pamphlets containing scripture verses and the good news that had transformed his very own life. off he went into the highways and byways and as he went he began to share these pamphlets with everyone that providence would put in his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 36:2, Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Self Righteousness, The Broad Road, Self Flattery, Self Justification

Some Thoughts About The First Easter

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 25, 2019

Before the first Easter, the world was under a number of separations: --Political distinctions: various nations, but in that time, Roman Empire. Provinces, leaders --Geographical: some traveled far, others stayed near their home territory; Jewish males had to make three trips to Jerusalem ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 71:20, Daniel 12:1-3

Tags: Easter, The Afterlife

Denomination: Baptist

The Bible. God's Manual For Life

Contributed by Jesse Crooks on Mar 10, 2020

The Bible God’s manual for living Joshua 1:8 Psalm 119: 11 Last year we finally traded vans. We drive one until it falls apart in the road. Our van would no longer go in reverse, and it would have been too expensive to replace the transmission. The new one didn’t have the owner’s manual, ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:11

Tags: Bible, Manuel