In Sermon Illustrations: "An Appointed Time"

How Long Is Eternity?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 22, 2022

A young boy went up to his pastor after his sermon and said, "Pastor, how long is forever?" The pastor knelt down by the side of the boy and said, "Why would you ask me that question, Billy?" Billy said, "Well, Pastor, you said that we were going to live in one of two ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Hell, Eternity, Heaven, Time, Everlasting Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Refiner's Fire  PRO

Contributed by Tim Harrison on Apr 9, 2002

THE REFINER'S FIRE The story is told of a group of women that met for Bible study. While studying in the book of Malachi, chapter three, they came across verse three which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled the women and they wondered how this statement ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 66:10, Isaiah 48:10, Zechariah 13:9, Malachi 3:3

Tags: Character, God's Image, Refine, Purify, New Creation, Time  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: *other

Great Background On Psalm 37 - Having God's Peace In Horrible Times

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 27, 2025

Background on Psalm 37 - How to Have God's Peace in Horrible Times Anyone who has read a good portion of God's Word knows that there are a lot of prayers provided for us in the Bible. The Dake Annotated Reference Bible lists 222 different prayers in the Bible: 176 prayers in the Old ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-11

Tags: Receive God's Righteousness, Cast Your Cares On The Lord, God's Righteousness, God's Rest, Hardships, Cares, God's Shelter, Horrible Times, Pain, Evil, Suffering, Trusting God, God's Peace, Rejoice In The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[195]. Message From A Poem – Not In Degrees Or Pedigrees But On Your Knees

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 10, 2025

[195]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – NOT IN DEGREES OR PEDIGREES BUT ON YOUR KNEES One thing that used to frustrate me in teaching was to see really good teachers who did not get recognition because they did not have a string of degrees. The Education Department thinks the more qualifications, the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:4-8, Acts 4:13, 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Apostle Peter, Poison, Equipped, Qualifications, Academic Degrees, Pedigrees, Holy Spirit, Pride, Appointment, Ability  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Small Congregation In The Foothills Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Crow on Sep 2, 2003

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:21

Tags: Prayer Adoration, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

A Small Congregation In The Foothills Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Mar 25, 2010

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-10

Tags: Faith, Mountain Moving

Denomination: Wesleyan

In The 18th Century, Archibald Boyle Was The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 20, 2005

In the 18th century, Archibald Boyle was the leading member of an association of wild and wicked men known as “The Hell Club” in Glasgow, Scotland. After one night of carousing at the Club’s notorious annual meeting, Boyle dreamed he was riding home on his black horse. In the darkness, someone ...read more

Tags: Hell

The Story Is Told Of A Boy Whose Dad Took Him To ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 22, 2004

The story is told of a boy whose Dad took him to a play one Saturday night and spent a lot for the tickets. Afterwards the Dad talked about how good the play was an how it was worth every penny. The next morning coming home from Church the mother asked the Father what he thought of church. And the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:10-15

Tags: Mothers, Giving Yourself, Gifts Giving, Time, Wait  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

I Wish It [procrastination] Were No Worse Than ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I wish it [procrastination] were no worse than a thief. It is a murderer, and that which it kills is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:62

Tags: Leadership, Delay, Procrastination, Productivity, William Nevins, Time  (view more)  (view less)

Give Of Yourself - Serve Others

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 30, 2018

When we are out of control, God is in control. But, God is not selfish. He may desire to use you to help others, even to stop your own life from spinning out of control. Are you a victim or a volunteer? Would you be willing to say as did, Isaiah, "Here am I Lord, send me," (Isaiah 6:8) or would ...read more

Tags: Serve Others, Give Your Time, Stewards Of Grace

Denomination: Christian Church

Powerful Illustration For A Funeral

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 13, 2022

There is an old story of a king and his clown or “jester” who sometimes said very foolish things. One day the jester had said something so foolish that the king handing him a staff, said to him: “Take this, and keep it till you find a bigger fool than yourself.” “Some years later, the king lay on ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 14:1

Tags: Evangelism, Death, Salvation, Lost, Time, Fools, Funerals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Close Call -- For Real!

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 3, 2024

The Arms Race was on; we no longer feared atomic bombs, but the H-bomb. Bomb shelters would not protect against that greater level of destruction. At one point, we were a button away from a nuclear holocaust. According to wikipedia.com, “Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov…. was a lieutenant colonel of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 31:15, Matthew 24:6-14, Acts 4:28, Colossians 1:16, Psalm 2:1-12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: History, Wars, End Times, Sovereignty, Danger, Providence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

If You Had A Bank That Gave You $86k Per Day....

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 22, 2024

If you had a bank that credited your account each morning with $86,000 that carried over no balance from day to day...Allowed you to keep no cash in your account, and every evening cancelled whatever part of the amount you failed to use during the day, what would you do? Draw out every cent every ...read more

Tags: Time, Regret, Values, Death, Eternity, Life, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Can't Know The Day - But We Can Know The Season When Christ Returns.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 6, 2024

Jesus specifically told us that there would be signs in the sky in the sun and moon and stars (Luke 21:25), and he told us to “look up”, as our redemption draws near. Believers need to look up when the "season" of His return arrives.   The apostle Paul had this to say about the ...read more

Tags: Day Of The Lord, Return Of Christ, Seasons, Times, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Makes A Difference For That One

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

Thousands of star fish washed on the beach after a storm. One boy was busily throwing them back. A watching man said, “There’s thousands and thousands washed ashore. How can you make a difference.” Boy says, “You are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:2

Tags: Discipleship, Personal, Individual, Mentoring, One At A Time, Reforming  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Busyness - Work Without Rest

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 25, 2026

The New Testament speaks to work: if a man will not work, he should not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10) But too much work ... without rest ... is not a good thing. We should build into our lives ... a rhythm of working ... and resting. When God created the world, ... He wasn't giving us a law ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Exodus 34:21, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Quiet, Busyness, Busy, Time, Rest, Resting, Sabbath  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Our Poor Choices--His Good Grace!" Genesis 16: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 27, 2004

“Our Poor Choices--His Good Grace!” Genesis 16: 1-15 Key verse(s): 3: “So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.’” Do you ever pray for discernment? People tend to pray for things that they ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:1-15

Tags: God The Father, God's Forgiveness, Commitment, Belief

Denomination: Lutheran

[212]. A Message From A Poem - Everything In Its Season

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 26, 2025

[212]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - EVERYTHING IN ITS SEASON This poem covers a lot of ground. Broadly it is connected with the state of things, being the season of man. God created all of us and we live our lives in this world, but all of us are accountable for our actions. Some of that is ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:18, Genesis 12:3, Joel 3:2, Isaiah 5:20-21, Ecclesiastes 3:1-5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Death, Season, Evil, Curse Israel And Be Cursed, Christian Poems, Charlie Kirk, Israel, Birth, Good, Time For Everything, United Nations, Palestinians  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Conference With The Devil

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 15, 2022

A fictitious story has been told of a conference between Lucifer and his demons. It seems as though Satan was upset because he had not deceived enough souls and so he called for a conference with his head demons. "What are we going to do! We are not claiming enough souls for the Kingdom of ...read more

Tags: Today, Time, Evangelism, Satan, Parable, Demons, Excuses, Invitation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fun Facts About The Month Of March

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 27, 2023

Undoubtedly, March is the best month of the year for many people. It is the month that can have a new climate as well as events that make March unique from other months. Every individual has something to appreciate this time of year. Did you know that March was considered the start of the New Year ...read more

Tags: Time, Seasons, Feasts, Holidays, Birth, Aging, Change, History  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational