In Sermon Illustrations: "Being Prepared"

Lantern In A Porthole Saves Man Over ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 3, 2009

Lantern in a Porthole Saves Man Over Board There is a story of an Atlantic passenger lying in his bunk in a storm, deathly sick—seasick. A cry of “Man overboard!” was heard. The passenger thought, “God help the poor fellow. There is nothing I can do.” Then he thought at least he could put his ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3-11

Tags: Attitude General

According To The Associated Press,

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 28, 2009

According to the Associated Press, "Philippine troops went house to house Thursday threatening to use force to move hundreds of residents from the steaming slopes of a lava-spilling volcano. Some farmers begged to stay to guard their livestock while their families spent Christmas Eve in a shelter. ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Independent/Bible

When A Man Learned That An Elderly Woman Could ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 4, 2010

"When a man learned that an elderly woman could no longer buy her medicine and pay her rent, he came to her rescue. He took her into his home and treated her as if she were his mother. He gave her a bedroom, prepared the food for her meals, bought her medicine, and transported her whenever she ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Ran Several Years Of Track In High School. At ...

Contributed by Sterling Franklin on Jun 21, 2010

I ran several years of track in high school. At the end of each season, there was a conference meet – a big gathering of schools racing against each other to see who the best was in the area. I came prepared to run on a rubber track, wearing my Nike Air Jasaris, light shoes with hard plastic ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blood From Jesus' Brow

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 17, 2025

The Gospel of Luke gives us an accurate description of a very real and yet uncommon medical condition: hematidrosis. It occurs during times of great mental and emotional stress. There are tiny blood vessels that surround all our sweat glands, especially on our brows. When a person is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:39-44

Tags: Hematidrosis, Battle, Sins, Garden Of Gethsemane, Maundy Thursday, Transgressions, Iniquities  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

I Worry About...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 13, 2010

I WORRY ABOUT... Percentage of people who at least occasionally worry about: Having their car stolen or broken into: 42 Home burglarization when they are not at home: 45 Being the victim of terrorism: 38 Having a school-aged child physically harmed at school: 29 Your home being burglarized when ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7

Tags: Anxiety

John Newton: I Am  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Oct 15, 2003

I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by ...read more

Tags: Grace, God's Love, Promises Of God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Light A Candle! (07.12.05--Tomorrow--John ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 10, 2005

Light a Candle! (07.12.05--Tomorrow--John 21:18-19) You know what is the best thing about the future? The way things have been going lately I have no doubt. The best thing about tomorrow is that tomorrow only comes one day at a time. We’ve all had times in our lives when what we feared the most ...read more

Scripture: John 21:18-19

Tags: Death, Guilt

Denomination: Lutheran

Stethoscope Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Aug 12, 2021

I recently attended a “White Coat Ceremony” for first year medical students. During the ceremony the incoming first year students receive a white coat symbolic of the beginning of their journey into the medical profession. Before the white coats were distributed the Dean of the college introduced ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19, James 1:19-20, James 3:3-12, Proverbs 10:19

Tags: Hear, Communication, Wisdom, Listen, Hearing, Listening  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Be Not Angry That You Cannot Make Others As You ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot ...read more

Tags: Self

What Price Popularity? Sesame Street Asked Its ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

What Price Popularity? Sesame Street asked its Contact Kids readers (ages 8-14) “What makes you popular at school? Here’s how they replied. Being good looking (64%) and having niece clothes (52%) ranked nearly as high as being friendly (61%). Other responses were being funny (49%), being good at ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Are You Ready For Fall?

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 11, 2021

With such a tumultuous summer, I’m glad we are now beginning the fall season. There for a while, I didn’t think it was going to come. But, contrary to my negativity, it has arrived, and I’m delighted. Summer wasn’t quite the way summers have been in the past. My family didn’t have many ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1

Tags: Humor, Blessings, Seasons

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Circumstances Are Like A Mattress! If You Are ...  PRO

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Mar 17, 2004

Circumstances are like a MATTRESS! If you are "under the circumstances", it is like being under a mattress...you suffocate! Being on top of the ...read more

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Church Of God

Learning What "Me-Time” Is All About

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 18, 2023

Several months ago, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said she and her daughter and granddaughter were going to St. Augustine for a week and wondered if I wanted to go along. I said, “Let me think about it for a while, and I’ll get back to you.” I then overheard a conversation between my ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Vacation, Me Time

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

No Local Congregation Will Be What It Should ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Aug 5, 2003

"No local congregation will be what it should be, what Jesus prayed that it would be, what the Holy Spirit gifted it and empowered it to be, ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Wesleyan

Growing Up

Contributed by Tony Abram on Jan 21, 2018

I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But I thank God I am not what I once was, and I can say ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Sanctified, Holiness Walk

Peanut Butter Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 27, 2015

I don’t like peanut butter. Some people get very upset when I tell them that. It’s nothing personal. It’s not a character flaw. I just don’t like it. I don’t even like the smell of it. My mother told me I ate a lot of peanut butter when I was young, so maybe I just reached my limit. My two ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Generosity, Golden Rule, Thoughtfulness, Sympathize

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Are We Forever Trapped?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 17, 2017

METAL BARS OR MENTAL BARS... There is a story that comes from Russia of the BEAR THAT WAS FOREVER TRAPPED. There had been a great fire that burned miles of forest in Russia. Much of the wild life had been destroyed. There was a truck traveling along the edges of the destruction and a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:7

Tags: Opportunity, Open Door

Denomination: Assembly Of God

[126]. A Message From A Poem – Heaven Opens To Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 11, 2025

[126]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HEAVEN OPENS TO US From a quick recollection heaven will open at least three times in the future (written by one who is still living). One of those will be the Rapture. One will be the Second Coming. The other one is when a saint passes from this life and into ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Heaven, Open, Absent From The Body, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Were All Role Models, Either Positively Or ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Were all role models, either positively or negatively, no matter what station in life we occupy. Its one of the things we attain simply by being ...read more

Tags: Leadership General