In Sermon Illustrations: "Awareness"

Pleasure Comes From Pain  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Feb 7, 2002

PLEASURE COMES FROM PAIN The world's best cyclist, Lance Armstrong, says this about pain: I become a happier man each time I suffer. Suffering is as essential to a good life, and as inextricable, as bliss. The old saying that you should live each day as if it’s your last is a nice sentiment, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1

Tags: Endurance, Disciplines General, Human Body

Denomination: Baptist

My Dream  PRO

Contributed by Michael E. Bartee Sr. on Jan 21, 2011

MY DREAM This story is dedicated to all who have lost a loved-one who had suffered a long illness before dying. October, 1972, I visited Israel on a ’Holy Land Tour’. One night while staying at a hotel in Jerusalem, I dreamed that I was standing in a dimly-lit room. In the middle of the room ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:8-9

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Pentecostal

Facts About The Sovereignty Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 8, 2021

GOD'S RESUME – what the Bible teaches about the Sovereignty of God 1. He existed before anything else. Ps. 90:2: "Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, You are God." 2. He created all things. John 1:3: "All ...read more

Tags: Lord, Will Of God, Judge, King Of Kings, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bill Hybels And Soccer Coach (Across The Room ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Feb 22, 2007

Bill Hybels and Soccer Coach (Across the Room p30) Bill tells about his sons soccer coach (Brian). One day he felt prompted to leave the sideline and go introduce himself and help put the balls and equiptment away. He wasn’t thrilled to find out Bill was a pastor. After several months of ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Rope Held By Adela Rogers St. Johns  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

THE ROPE HELD by ADELA ROGERS ST. JOHNS Sometimes on sunny days, when I could see my way and feel the pathway firm under my feet, I wondered--Would the rope hold if the worst happened? A bent old man brought me that telegram which in war years hung like a suspended sword over the heart of every ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Joe Bloggs Dream - A New Zealand Poem About Salvation

Contributed by John Gullick on Jul 28, 2016

This amazing poem about an imaginary conversion is powerful - it uses New Zealand rural terminology. You need to understand that if you are using it in New York It is called Joe Bloggs dream. It goes like this. Joe Bloggs was just an average bloke, He never went to church. He wasn’t the religious ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Tags: Conversion

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Erwin Mcmanus And His "John The Baptist"

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2011

ERWIN MCMANUS AND HIS "JOHN THE BAPTIST" As we begin today I would like to read a true account of an experience that pastor, speaker, and author, Erwin McManus had in the early years of his ministry. Listen to what he says... "I got a message through the urban grapevine that I was dead. It might ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:14-17

Tags: Evangelism How To

Knock, Knock; Someone’s In Trouble

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 27, 2021

For some reason, the last several weeks we have been getting many visitors at our door. I'm not sure if this is a general trend or if it is just our door. Some of them have been salesmen, religious people, scam artists, and a host of other people. They only had one goal in mind, and that was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:31

Tags: Money, Telemarketers, Knocking On Doors

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Why God Gave Me A Tongue

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 1, 2022

One thing about getting older is that you begin to understand the old saying that you don’t know what you don’t know. It has been so true for me. When I think I know everything, something comes up that I never even thought about. Sometimes The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage brings up something ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:4

Tags: Blessing, Tongue, Curse

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Missy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 29, 2006

Missy Dear Heavenly Father, I don’t’ know if you have any special place set aside for the small creatures in your future plans, but, I would like to ask a favor of you; that is, if you feel I’m worthy of entrance into your Kingdom. I know that your eye is on the sparrow and that not one thing ...read more

8 Simple Rules For Dating My Daughter  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2002

8 SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING MY DAUGHTER When I was in high school I used to be terrified of my girlfriend’s father, who I believe suspected me of wanting to place my hands on his daughter’s chest. He would open the door and immediately affect a good-naturedly murderous expression, holding out a ...read more

Tags: Father's Day, Marriage Obligations, Parenting

The Parental Challenge Of Helping Teenagers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2010

The Parental Challenge of Helping Teenagers Face Their World And I wanna share a story with you. It’s a traumatic one and one that actually happened. I did a funeral about four or five years ago and in this funeral it was really bizarre, because as the high schoolers came in about a third of them ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Tags: Death, Parenting

Guidance Behind Enemy ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2012

GUIDANCE BEHIND ENEMY LINES Every Monday night, when I was not sacking groceries at the Piggly Wiggly, we would go to the library in Dothan. One Monday evening, I “accidentally” found a paperback copy of William C. Anderson’s book, BAT-21. It was a story about Iceal "Gene" Hambleton, a U.S. Air ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:105

Tags: Golf, Christian Disciplines

What's In A Name, Anyway?

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 16, 2019

I cannot express how ecstatic I was when someone gave me a coupon for a free donut. Normally, I am not overly excited about “free.” All I had to do was fill out a little survey online and they would send me a code that would guarantee me a free donut. In my “daily diary diet,” I have a whole ...read more

Scripture: John 8:32

Tags: Freedom, Choice

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

And Then There Were Four

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 21, 2021

Over a year ago, I got out of bed, went to the kitchen for my morning cup of coffee and then I went to the back porch to see if I had any visitors. I have foxes, possums, cats, and raccoons (who are politically correct and wear masks when they come). I put food out for them, and they help ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:7

Tags: Peace, Animals

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Grateful Allen, An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2009

Grateful Allen, An Outsider We all know about the good Samaritan, but how many of us have heard of the grateful Samaritan? We are going to meet him today, but firstly I want to tell you about my friend Allen. Allen was quite different from most people. To have called him unconventional would have ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:30-37

Tags: Parable Good Samaritan

The Rich Fool

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 22, 2008

THE RICH FOOL Ortberg writes (and I have abridged it and translated it into proper English) Once upon a time in the Silicon Valley, there lived a very important man.He routinely logged in 12-14 hours a day work and sometimes at weekends. He went to the Harvard School of Management, where he got ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21

Tags: Fool

Denomination: Anglican

[015] A Message From A Poem - All About Me But What About The Lord?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2024

[015] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ALL ABOUT ME BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LORD? This is a very serious poem even though it is written in a partly informal way. The title says it all. “Everything revolves around me, and the Lord should be grateful for the time I give to Him.” Of course that attitude is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:15-17, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: Communion, Commitment, Study, Excuses, Selfish, The Bible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

June 16, 2006--Planned Parenthood Celebration ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

June 16, 2006--Planned Parenthood Celebration Jolted by Abortion Survivor, by Ted Harvey, assistant minority leader, Colorado House She sings the anthem to applause, then her secret is revealed to stunned silence. I want to share with you an awesome experience I had in the Colorado House of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:13-14

Tags: New, Peace, Abortion, Courage, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

[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