In Sermon Illustrations: "Built Up"

People Who Give Up Vs. Those Who Don't ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2009

People Who Give Up vs. Those Who Don’t Quit Shannon Faulkner made headlines a few years ago as she crusaded to become the first female cadet at The Citadel, an all-male military academy. After a prolonged court battle, you’ll remember, she finally won the right to enroll. But she couldn’t endure ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:11-12

Tags: Endurance

Rome, Who Only 1 Year Old, Picked Up A Plastic ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 13, 2010

Rome, who only 1 year old, picked up a plastic spade and began playing it, pretending it was a guitar. It has the right shape. Anything can become a guitar in his hands. He has seen guitars at Church and as he danced he made sounds like he was playing one of the upbeat worship songs. We danced and ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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 Grew Up In What I Would Consider, Lower Middle ...

Contributed by Mark Thometz on Aug 27, 2012

I grew up in what I would consider, lower middle class. In the schools I went to as a kid there were really 3 levels of kids when it came to income. You had the rich kids. These kids had a Playstation AND N64, which were big when I was kid. They had huge houses and a TV in every room. Then you had ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Christian Church

Have You Ever Asked God To Wake You Up In The Morning?

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 23, 2024

Be careful what you pray for. We all know the feeling of trying to wake up to a blaring alarm clock. I had been really tired from working late and had overslept several times in the past week. I was traveling at the time, not at home. It wasn’t an emergency since I work from wherever I am, but I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7, Mark 11:24, 1 John 5:14

Tags: Faith, Prayer, How To Pray, Answered Prayers

Denomination: Charismatic

Putting Up Faith Or Fight When It’s Most Important

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on May 14, 2025

Over the decades of my life, I have learned there are some things in life worth fighting for and some not. We have to choose our battles and then fight with all our might those battles that really matter. Years ago, I attended the wedding of my niece, a beautiful blonde cowgirl. She married her ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-12, 2 Corinthians 10:4

Tags: Standing In Faith, Battles Worth Winning

Denomination: Charismatic

John Piper Compares The Gift Of Teaching To The ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 29, 2007

John Piper compares the gift of teaching to the gift of prophecy: "And yet, even though the gift of teaching is fallible and even though it lacks intrinsic, divine authority, we know it is of immense value to the church. We are all edified and built up by gifted teachers. God is in it. He does use ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Purity

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 1, 2015

A mother was concerned when she heard that her son had a live in girlfriend. She went to his house. Her son was the only one home. The son said, “It’s not what you think, Mom. She needed a place to stay. She has her bedroom and I have mine.” The son then showed his mother the guest bedroom ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Tags: Cohabitation, Shacking Up, Sexual Purity, Living Together

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[289]. A Message From A Poem – The Rapture

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 15, 2026

[289]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE RAPTURE The Rapture is very real to me as one of those who believes the next event in God’s divine, prophetic calendar will be the Lord’s coming for His Church to snatch His own away before the great and terrible judgements of the Tribulation break on the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58, Revelation 4:1, Titus 2:13, John 14:3  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Bride, Caught Up, The Rapture, Trumpet, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sleep Walking With A Loaded Gun

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 29, 2019

Vs. 14 is an invitation to those who have been walking in their sleep, to wake up. Also an invitation for those who are asleep in darkness to wake up and come to the light. Sanford Rothman told police he woke up to a “bang” and realized he has suffered a gunshot wound to his knee. Rothman told ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:14

Tags: Light, Wake Up, Sleep Walking, Outer Darkness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Not Loving The World

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Jul 30, 2021

It was very late Wed. Night of last week. I had only just finally gotten to relax after working on sermons all day and helping my friends a little with their move. So my plan was, while I was working some more on my sermons, to listen to a documentary about John Foxe, the author of Foxes Book of ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15, Romans 12:2

Tags: Obedience, Taking Up Your Cross, Not Loving The World

Denomination: Charismatic

The Nobel Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

THE NOBEL STORY In 1866, Alfred Nobel invented dynamite and built up companies and laboratories in more than 20 countries all over the world. In the process, he amassed a considerable fortune. When Nobel’s brother died, the newspaper made a mistake and ran an obituary for Alfred Nobel. In the ...read more

Tags: Character

To Many Professing Christians Leave Christ And ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Jan 24, 2010

TO MANY PROFESSING CHRISTIANS LEAVE CHRIST AND OUR CHURCHES FOR WHAT? FOR ANYTHING AT ALL THAT THIS WORLD HAS TO OFFER? IS LIKE BEING DUPED BY A DODGY CAR SALESMAN INTO TRADING IN YOUR TOP OF THE RANGE ROLLS ROYCE FOR A CLAPPED OUT ROBIN RELIANT, YOU WERE PROMISED SO MUCH FROM THE ...read more

Tags: Christian Liberty

Denomination: Baptist

So I'm Going To Share With You A List I Came Up ...  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Jan 10, 2007

So I’m going to share with you a list I came up with of Seven steps guaranteed to embitter your Children: 1. Discipline your child only when you lose your temper. Let him get away with everything, then without warning, let ‘em have it! Blow your top! Scream and Yell! Let ‘er Rip! Go Crazy! ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4, Colossians 3:21

Tags: Children, Call, Leadership

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Don't Know About You But As I Was Growing Up I ...  PRO

Contributed by Harvie Neatherlin on Jun 17, 2003

I don’t know about you but as I was growing up I worked hard at trying to figure out ways to insure that Mom or Dad would say yes. I don’t know how it worked around your house but I always got what I call the classic response. Here’s how it went, I would ask my dad if I could go somewhere or if I ...read more

Scripture: Judges 13:9-12

Tags: Communication General, Children

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Father Smoked All Of My Life So I Grew Up ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2003

My father smoked all of my life so I grew up breathing second hand smoke. I never saw it as a good thing until the day I was thrust into the smoking section of a run down nursing in a big city. The room was just thick with the smoke and my fellow ministry team members couldn’t even stand it, so ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Promises Of God

Gettin' Up A Load Right Now!" Psalm 39: 5-13 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 26, 2004

“Gettin’ Up a Load Right Now!” Psalm 39: 5-13 Key verse(s): 5: “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.” It was the end of the church year and Pastor Smith was really into his preaching. He loved “end times” because ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 39:5-13

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Lutheran

Long Ago I Made Up My Mind To Let My Friends ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Long ago I made up my mind to let my friends have ...read more

Tags: Compassion

A Few Weeks Ago I Went To Make Myself A Cup Of ...

Contributed by Amy Bickel on Aug 6, 2008

A few weeks ago I went to make myself a cup of coffee and ended up with one of the strongest cups of coffee I’ve ever had. It was so strong I could only drink about half of it and that was after doctoring it up with sweetener and flavored creamer. The rest I had to dump out. What made my coffee ...read more

Tags: Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Baptist

The Secret To Success

Contributed by Pastor Gbenga Shadare on May 4, 2010

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS We see the secret to the success of the Man Jesus. He saturated himself with the divine and consequently he excelled. You don't degrees, qualification or a good family name to excel. You need only Christ. Christ is enough! Christ is sufficient! Your excellence is found in ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Independent/Bible