In Sermon Illustrations: "Carrying Your Cross"

Not The White House, But Your House

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Jul 28, 2011

NOT THE WHITE HOUSE, BUT YOUR HOUSE As part of a commencement address, former First Lady Barbara Bush said the following to a group of graduating college students: "As important as your obligations as a doctor, lawyer, or business leader will be, you are a human being first, and those human ...read more

Tags: Workplace Balance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Doubting (Enter Your Name)

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Jul 30, 2011

DOUBTING (ENTER YOUR NAME) The most famous doubter of all time is Thomas. Through history Judas has been the only disciple criticized more than Thomas. Tradition has given him a new name: "Doubting Thomas." He wanted proof that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. But can you blame him? When the ...read more

Scripture: James 1:6-8, Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:23

Tags: Faith, Doubt, Prayer

Denomination: Baptist

What Occupies Your Heart?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

WHAT OCCUPIES YOUR HEART? I squirmed a bit as I forced myself to listen to my friend cataloging her problems. After three hours, I interrupted her gently to ask, "If you were to draw a circle to represent your life, what would be in the center?" She thought a moment, then said, "My problems." My ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 26:3

Tags: Death Nearness

You're Beautiful To God  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL TO GOD R.C. Buckner, a big, bold and brash man, lived about 100 years ago in Texas. This imposing figure had a very tender heart for children, starting Buckner's Children's Homes all across the state. The children affectionately called him "Papa Buckner" and would run up to him ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:9-13

Tags: Compassion

When I Was Your Age...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Sep 2, 2011

WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE... A young man who was also an avid golfer found himself with a few hours to spare one afternoon. He figured if he hurried and played very fast, he could get in 9 holes before he had to head home. Just as he was about to tee off, an old gentleman shuffled onto the tee and ...read more

Tags: Aging

Denomination: Baptist

How Big Is Your God?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD? Tony Campolo was once confronted by an atheist who was one of his students. The young man told Campolo, "For me to believe in God, I have to have a God that I can understand." And Campolo replied, "God refuses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 53:1

Tags: Atheism

Setting Your Faith Aside

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 4, 2011

SETTING YOUR FAITH ASIDE Have you ever thought you could separate from God ... just for a little while ... and then later on turn back to God? Unfortunately we all do this ... in big ways or small ways. Any time we decide to live a life INDEPENDENT of God, we run a big risk. I remember a ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Let Your Adorning Be Hidden

Contributed by David Hodgin on Oct 9, 2011

LET YOUR ADORNING BE HIDDEN Author Jennifer McBride wrote, "Ladies and gentlemen, I exhort you to dress in such a way that does not capture anyone’s gaze, but actually gives others something else, besides your attire, to think about. Discretion is a godly trait. At times, it is better to ...read more

Tags: Beauty

Make God Your Focus

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jan 18, 2012

MAKE GOD YOUR FOCUS There is a little Anglican Church on the edge of Chichester. UK. I went there with a school to speak & lead their Harvest Festival Service. As you entered the foyer there was a table, and on the table was a plate containing a Latin inscription. (Many Anglican Church buildings ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Brethren

Count Your Many Blessings  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Feb 16, 2012

COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS While on a short-term missions trip, Pastor Jack Hinton was leading worship at a leper colony on the island of Tobago. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around. "It was the most hideous face I had ever seen," Hinton said. "The woman's nose and ears ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1

Tags: Encouragement

Pray And Read Your Bible

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 29, 2012

PRAY AND READ YOUR BIBLE A man was in prison and was in need of some money. He wrote his mother and asked her to send five hundred dollars immediately. Soon after, he got a package in the mail. It was a Bible. On the top of the Bible, there was a letter that said, "Son, I love you. Pray and read ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:19

Tags: Men's Day

Denomination: Baptist

Anger: Strength In Your Claws

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 12, 2012

ANGER: STRENGTH IN YOUR CLAWS The biggest lobster ever caught in Maine, a 27-pounder (12.25 kg) with claws tough enough to snap a man's arm, was released back into the ocean on Thursday after being trapped in a shrimp net last week, marine officials said. The 40-inch (one-meter) male crustacean, ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Independent/Bible

My Times Are In Your Hands

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 12, 2012

MY TIMES ARE IN YOUR HANDS This was told by a missionary who was active in China when the country was taken over by communists. The missionary was arrested and subjected to severe questioning and mental torture. Throughout the procedure he would continually utter a quotation from Psalm 31:15, ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Make It Your Aim Not To Sin

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 24, 2012

MAKE IT YOUR AIM NOT TO SIN The whole purpose of John's letter, he says, is that we not sin. One day as I was studying this chapter I realized that my personal life's objective regarding holiness was less than that of John's. He was saying, in effect, "Make it your aim not to sin." As I thought ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:1

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Baptist

How To Be Liked By Your Peers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 30, 2012

HOW TO BE LIKED BY YOUR PEERS ScienceDaily (Apr. 16, 2010) — People who pursue happiness through material possessions are liked less by their peers than people who pursue happiness through life experiences, according to a new study...The "take home" message in his most recent study, which appears ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:34-38

Tags: Materialism

Steering Your Ship In A Storm

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2012

STEERING YOUR SHIP IN A STORM An old seaman once said, "During the fiercest storms the only way a ship can survive is to keep its nose pointed straight into the wind. If you try to turn to the left or the right, the ship may capsize. If you try to run from the wind, the waves can surge over the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-13

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

When To Let Your Light ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2012

WHEN TO LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE A young man who had heard the Gospel accepted Christ. A little while after this, a Christian teacher asked him: "What have you done for Christ since you believed?" He replied: "Oh, I’m a learner." "Well," said the questioner, "when you light a candle do you light it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Go Get Your Mother!

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 27, 2012

GO GET YOUR MOTHER! One of my favorite stories of a door is the story of the Amish boy and his father who went to the big city for the very first time. They were amazed by everything they saw. Having grown up and lived all their lives on a rural farm everything was completely new to them. The ...read more

Scripture: John 10:7-10

Tags: Door, Change, Transformation, Mystery, Elevator, Amish  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Where Your Treasure Is...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 31, 2012

I once read about in one of Richard Wurmbrand’s books. “An elder of a local free Church in Communist Romania was brought before the judge for embezzlement - a crime he had not committed. His defence lawyer started his defence plea by telling the Court of a well known story about the man that was ...read more

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Anglican

Look Up In Your Heart  PRO

Contributed by David Tack on Oct 17, 2012

LOOK UP IN YOUR HEART A.W. Tozer reminds us, "You may be still with arthritis so that you can’t even get on your knees to pray, but you can look up in your heart, for prayer isn’t a matter of getting on your knees. Prayer is the elevation of the heart to God and that is all a man needs to praise, ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist