In Sermon Illustrations: "Chosen By God"

The Secret Garden Is A Fascinating Children's ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jun 20, 2009

The Secret Garden is a fascinating children’s classic. It is the story of a British child, Mary Lennox, who lived in India but is orphaned because of her parents’ death due to a cholera breakout. They send her to England to live with her only surviving relative, her uncle who is still mourning the ...read more

Tags: Love For God, Love God

Denomination: Salvation Army

Humphery The Whale

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Sep 6, 2017

Remember Humphrey the humpback whale? Humphrey became a national celebrity in 1985 when he made his way into the San Francisco Bay and headed up the Sacramento River into fresh water which, of course, could have been fatal for him. Each evening a large local television audience would tune in for ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:15-19

Tags: God Is Personal, God Communicates

Denomination: Lutheran

[181]. A Message From A Poem – Man’s Departure Is Away From God

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 3, 2025

[181]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – MAN’S DEPARTURE IS AWAY FROM GOD We live in a world in decline and it was prophesied that way – {{2 Timothy 3:1-5 “Realise this, that IN THE LAST DAYS DIFFICULT TIMES WILL COME, for men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Timothy 3:13

Tags: Old Nature, Christian Poems, Britian, Wales, Getting Worse, Sin, New Birth, Tribulation, Sinful Nature, Departure  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In A Sermon, Juan Carlos Ortiz Spoke Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Beaird on Nov 6, 2000

In a sermon, Juan Carlos Ortiz spoke of a conversation with a circus trapeze artist. The performer admitted the net underneath was there to keep them from breaking their necks, but added, "The net also keeps us from falling. Imagine there is no net. We would be so nervous that we would be more ...read more

Tags: Promise, Promises Of God, God's Provision, God, God Brings Hope  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Daddy, Tell Me About The Facts Of Life.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2017

Corrie Ten Boom’s father was being pursued by German authorities for housing Jews, which was a punishable crime under Hitler. He had to hurry away from the home one evening after packing his bag for a long, unknown trip to hide away. At the train station and in the middle of a highly tense ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Father In Heaven, Will Of God, Where Is God, Father God, Waiting On God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dear Abby Recorded A Powerful Story. A Young Man ...  PRO

Contributed by Ernest Canell on Jan 2, 2001

Dear Abby recorded a powerful story. A young man from a wealthy family was about to graduate from high school. It was a custom in their affluent community for parents to give their graduating children a new car, and the boy and his dad had spent weeks visiting one dealership after another. The week ...read more

Tags: Joy, God's Provision

Denomination: *other

[062c]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062C]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE THIRD PART. THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 3 SECTION C - PART 1 (GOD ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love, Pain, Love, Christ, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Hurt  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Looking Back, Looking Forward  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 28, 2002

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD Hudson Taylor founder of China Inland Mission) used to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew Words on it: EBENEZER & JEHOVAH JIREH. The first word means ‘Hitherto hath the Lord helped us’ and the second, ‘The Lord will see to it or provide.’ One looked back while ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God, Faithfulness, God's Promises, God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Good Pilots Do What It Takes To Get Their Passengers Home.

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 9, 2018

A good pilot does what it takes to get his passengers home. A good example of this, is the story of a flight when the attendant told everyone to take their seats because of impending turbulence. It was a rowdy flight; the folks weren’t quick to respond; so she warned them again. “The flight is ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:3-11

Tags: Listening To God, Hearing From God, Gods Voice

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Parable Of The Big Plane

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 16, 2020

A boy asked his father, “Dad, what is the size of God? How big is He?” The Father looked up at the sky and saw a little plane In the far distance and asked his son, “What is the Size of the plane in the sky?” The boy replied, “It is really small. I can hardly see it in the sky." Then, the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Worship, God, Beatitudes, Seeing God, Greatness Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Most Expensive Doorstop In The World!

Contributed by David Simpson on Apr 23, 2018

1 Peter 2:7-8 “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, and, ‘A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:7-8

Tags: Precious Cornerstone, Treasure, Foundation, Stumbling Stone

Denomination: Christian Church

The Longer I Walk With Christ The Uglier My Sin ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on May 9, 2010

The longer I walk with Christ the uglier my sin seems to me. The closer into communion with God I am the more desperately thankful to God I am for having forgiven this broken, brazen, bold, sinner’s heart. It is only when we have been in the light that darkness is well defined. Interestingly ...read more

Tags: Sin Hurtful To God

Denomination: Christian Church

Tomorrow Brings Hope

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2011

"TOMORROW" BRINGS HOPE In late March of 1993, a sudden snowstorm covered the East coast of the U.S. Over in the Smoky Mountains, it was the snow of the century. Many hunters and hikers were trapped in the park. Four doctors from Knoxville had chosen that weekend for a hunting trip to the Smokies. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 31:1-5

Tags: God Brings Hope

Sometimes I Feel A Little Tugging On The Line!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 20, 2023

A little boy was flying his kite in the windy city of Chicago, Illinois one day. He sent the kite up and let the line out as the wind took it away to the cloudy sky. About that time, an elderly man walked past the little boy and asked him a question. "What are you doing there, son?" he ...read more

Tags: Answers To Prayer, Prayer, Will Of God, Hearing God, God's Voice, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Today I Am A Horse, Dear God, Did You Have To ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Dec 12, 2000

"Today I am a horse, Dear God, did you have to make my poor old horse lose his shoe just before the Sabbath? That wasn't nice. It's enough you pick on me, Tevye, bless me with 5 daughters, a life of poverty. What have You got against my horse? Sometimes I think when things are too quiet up there, ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:19

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, Human Body, Peace

Denomination: Lutheran

H.g. Wells: "Until A Man Has Found God, He ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Clark on Apr 12, 2001

H.G. Wells: "Until a man has found God, he begins at no ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-5

Tags: Fulfillment, God Brings Purpose, Apologetics God

Denomination: Baptist

My Goal Is God Himself...at Any Cost, Dear Lord, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

My Goal is God Himself...at any cost, dear Lord, by any ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-21

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Growth In Christ

We Don't Seem To Want To Worship A God Who's Too ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

We don’t seem to want to worship a God who’s too big, too authoritative. We seem more comfortable with a deity who’s ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will, Emotions, Descriptions Of God

God Loves Us The Way We Are But He Loves Us Too ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

God loves us the way we are but He loves us too much to leave us that way. ...read more

Tags: Faith General, Growth In Christ, Holiness

I Stand In Awe Of God Because Of What He Has Done ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 28, 2002

I stand in awe of God because of what he has done through his creation. Only a rookie who knows nothing about science would say science takes away from faith. If you really study science it will bring you closer to God. James Tour, professor at Rice University’s Dept. of Chemistry ...read more