In Sermon Illustrations: "Ahead"

A Shortcut Is Not Always That Short

Contributed by James Snyder on May 1, 2021

I have always appreciated shortcuts in life. If I can find a shortcut, I will take it because time is valuable to me. I take pride in coming up with a shortcut that actually saves me time. However, not all of my shortcuts have really been that short and I have paid the price. Last week, for ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:8

Tags: Humor, Shortcut, Wrong Way

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Why Does Monday Have To Follow Sunday?

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 9, 2024

The older I get, the more I wake up not knowing what day it is. That is particularly true on Mondays. My favorite day of the week is Sunday. I enjoy attending church, fellowshipping with other Christians, and of course, the Sunday worship services. I enjoy Sunday morning and evening like no other ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Stress, Frustration, Planning

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

In His Men's Seminar, David Simmons, A Former ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2001

In his men’s seminar, David Simmons, a former cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys, tells about his childhood home. His father, a military man, was extremely demanding, rarely saying a kind word, always pushing him with harsh criticism to do better. The father had decided that he would never permit ...read more

There Was A Family With One Little Daughter. ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 9, 2002

There was a family with one little daughter. Mother and daughter were very faithful in church and Sunday School attendance…The father wasn’t interested and he made it plain it was okay for his wife and daughter, but not for him. He worked in a steel mill, a huge hulk of a man who had been a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:36-39, James 1:12

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation, Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Am A Soldier  PRO

Contributed by Dr. C. David White on May 26, 2002

I am a soldier in the army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my commanding officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct, Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit-- trained by experience, tried by adversity and tested by fire. I am a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, 2 Timothy 2:3-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

Tags: Disciplines General, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

The Cavalry Is Already Here! (08.25.05--Under ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 23, 2005

The Cavalry Is Already Here! (08.25.05--Under Pressure!--Judges 1:1) Working for a small, non-profit, I often find myself tackling projects on pretty much of a solo basis. The old adage, “If you want to get something done, you need to do it yourself!” is a prevalent attitude among those who work ...read more

Scripture: Judges 1:1

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran

How Do You Decide Whom To Marry? (Written By ...  PRO

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Feb 9, 2007

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHOM TO MARRY? (Written by kids) You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. -- Alan, age 10 No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going ...read more

Tags: Conflict, Commitment, Family, Love

Denomination: Baptist

A. Linda Down Discovered Real Power And She ...  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 25, 2004

A. Linda Down discovered real power and she needed it. She had dealt with the limitations of cerebral palsy all her life. One day, she got this crazy idea of running the New York Marathon. But Linda walked with difficulty, so running seemed out of the question? She used canes with arm clamps to ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Wise ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2008

The Wise Fool There is an old, corny story about the young man who was the first in his family to go to college. In fact, he was the first in his small town to go to college. And so when he came home after his freshman year, he was the apple of his father’s eye. His dad, who had never in his life ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Getting Worse Before It Gets Better

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

GETTING WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER "Celente, who is CEO of Trends Research Institute, has the best track record in the professional forecasting industry, so when he speaks people listen. He was almost alone in predicting well in advance the 1987 stock market crash, the 1990 collapse of the Soviet ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

As The Parents Of Three Young Children, My Wife ...

Contributed by Ricki Lee Brooks on Oct 24, 2009

As the parents of three young children, my wife and I often took advantage of many helps in order to be good nurturers. However, sometimes even our best efforts resulted in the unexpected. With hopes of teaching our oldest son the necessity of depending upon God, we began reading to him from the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-14

Tags: Obedience

You Will Meet An Old Lady

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2010

YOU WILL MEET AN OLD LADY You are going to meet an old lady someday. Down the road ahead, 10, 20, 30 years; she’s waiting for you. You will be catching up with her. What kind of old lady are you going to meet? That is a rather significant question. She may be a seasoned, soft, and gracious lady. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:43-45

Tags: Character

Mama's Prayers  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2011

MAMA'S PRAYERS E. V. (Ed) Hill, who pastored Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, tells the story of how "Mama’s" love and prayers changed his life. During the height of the Depression, Hill’s real mother, who had five children of her own, didn’t have enough food to go around, so ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-13

Tags: Mother's Day

Don't Give Up—the Case Of Mrs. Ruth Ertel

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

DON’T GIVE UP--THE CASE OF MRS. RUTH ERTEL In 1965 a divorced mother of two, found a classified ad offering a restaurant for sale. She mortgaged her house to purchase the restaurant, the original Chris’s steakhouse. In 1976 a fire forced her to relocate. Under the original purchase agreement, the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Tags: Endurance

I Worry Too Much

Contributed by Troy Borst on May 31, 2012

"I WORRY TOO MUCH" I was perusing the Internet this week and found ExperienceProject.com that has an entire section of the website called "I worry too much." Worry must be one of those universal emotions and conditions that all of us deal with. These are some of the comments left by ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:22-34, Philippians 4:6-8

Tags: Worry, Ready

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[032] A Message From A Poem – Before The Lord We Are His

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 21, 2025

[032] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEFORE THE LORD WE ARE HIS To start with I want to say that all my poems are copyright in the sense that I own them and don’t want them altered without permission. All my poems God gave and therefore can be used in your ministry or for your enjoyment. I wish the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:16, Philippians 3:20, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

Tags: Savior, King, Poetry, New Bodies, The Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[145]. A Message From A Poem – In The World But Not Of It

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 27, 2025

[145]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT We are citizens of this world but we are not bound to that, for as Christians, we have a higher citizenship which is in heaven – {{Philippians 3:20 “OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, Philippians 3:20, Hebrews 11:13-14

Tags: Living In The World, Christian Poems, In The World But Not Of It, Citizens Of The World, Strangers, Heavenly Citizenship, Pilgrims, The World, Exiles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[203]. A Message From A Poem - On The Eve Of Trial

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 17, 2025

[203]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ON THE EVE OF TRIAL This poem was written at the airport when I had to go away for a very unjust hearing before a wicked, unjust Commissioner/Judge, and the whole setup was so evil. If you ever feel the dragon’s breath then you will know what I mean. I don’t wish ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 16:33

Tags: Unjust, Trials, Trepidation, Peace, Overcome, Tribulation, Control, Trial, Injustice, World, Fear, Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Finishing Well

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

John Baker was too short and too slight to be a runner for his high school track team but he loved to run. His best friend was tall and lanky and had the perfect build to be a runner but wanted nothing to do with the sport. So John went to the track coach to convince him to let John on the team ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24

Tags: Finish, Running The Race, Overcoming, Ending Well

Denomination: Methodist

Ask The Coach! (10.27.05--Making It!--Joshua ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 25, 2005

Ask the Coach! (10.27.05--Making It!--Joshua 9:14-15) I grew up in a time and place of heroes. Mostly my heroes were TV cowboys like Roy Rogers or the Cisco Kid. In those days there was something common to nearly every TV show--the hero had someone else standing beside him. Roy had Dale, his wife; ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 9:14-15

Tags: Character, Peace

Denomination: Lutheran