In Sermon Illustrations: "Cold Nights"

Too Soon To Quit

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 3, 2009

TOO SOON TO QUIT Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. I heard a story of a weak, sickly man. The weak man decided to withdraw from society and die. The man owned a cabin far from any other people. There was a boulder by the edge of the porch, a huge boulder. He ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Assembly Of God

I Was That Baby Boy Who Almost Died

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 15, 2022

When I was 15 years old, I met Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. It was the summer before my sophomore year in high school. That summer, the Lord called me to preach with an unmistakable calling on my life. I had a dream of one of my best friends one night. He was surrounded by flames and ...read more

Tags: Gospel, Miracles, God's Call, Prodigal Son, Testimonies, Father, Healing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When A Thief Was Surprised At Church!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2023

When I was pastoring in Texas, something strange happened one Christmas that I will never stop laughing about. Because it was a Christmas holiday, we were at home with our family taking a break from our normal ministry schedule. We did not go to the church campus for the weekend. But, while we ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10-11, Proverbs 3:9-10, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Tags: Pastors, Tithing, Robbing God, Stealing, Surprises, Church, Giving, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rejoice With Those Who Rejoice. Easier Said Than Done.

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jan 23, 2024

Do you ever find it hard to be happy for people when good things happen to them? I do. Someone gets a promotion and instead of being happy for them I’m envious. A friend’s child gets an award and jealousy is my first reaction instead of joy. Why can’t I just be happy when good things happen to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:15

Tags: Joy, Thanks, Rejoice, Baseball, Gratefulness, Rejoicing, Grace, Thanksgiving, Celebrate  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[047]. A Message From A Poem – Christians Who Are And Who Are Not

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 6, 2025

[047]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTIANS WHO ARE AND CHRISTIANS WHO ARE NOT The main idea in this poem is the contrast between Christians in places of persecution who are committed and real, and the many Christians of the West who are lax and non-committed, who are asleep. It is a shame this ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:11-12, Romans 15:26-28

Tags: Persecution, Support, Sleep, Awake, Voice Of The Martyrs, True Christians  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[059]. A Message From A Poem – Distressful Times Will Come Upon Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 13, 2025

[059]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DISTRESSFUL TIMES WILL COME UPON US Are you battling in life because of some problem that won’t go away? Are you weighed down by a stressful matter and can’t shake it? Does your life feel like it is starting to come apart? Do you feel the storms are thundering ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:20, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Anxiety, Anxious, Distress, Cast, Heavy Laden, I Am With You Always, Stressful, Stressful Living  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[083]. A Message From A Poem – For Men - The Three Cs

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 21, 2025

[083]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR MEN - THE THREE Cs There are 9 poems in this series. This poem is part of a Trilogy - three sets of three. The first set is addressed to MEN, the second to ALL CHRISTIANS and the third is SPECIFIC. This is the second one in the first set - FOR MEN. ALL ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:37, Romans 13:11-12, 2 Peter 1:13, Romans 12:1

Tags: Poetry, Poem, Take A Stand, The Flesh, Be Awake, The Old Nature, Compromise, Carnality, Complacency  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[164]. A Message From A Poem – Just Being In Christ Is Everything

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 15, 2025

[164]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JUST BEING IN CHRIST IS EVERYTHING YES! YES! YES! Christ is everything. How this world is empty without the Lord at the centre. If God did not care for us and took steps to save us, we would be meaningless people on a meaningless ball spinning in space in a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:30, Romans 8:1, Romans 6:11

Tags: Christian Poems, Turn To Jesus, Salvation, In Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[186]. A Message From A Poem – Musings On Being In Heaven

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 5, 2025

[186]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – MUSINGS ON BEING IN HEAVEN This is a lovely poem FOR ME, which is why I wrote it. How much do we think of heaven? I am afraid some are so earth-bound that they give little thought to heaven. Do we know what heaven will be like? Of course we do not. We can only ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, 1 Corinthians 2:9

Tags: Christian Poems, The Third Heaven, Jesus, Heaven, Center  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Refugee For Thanksgiving  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2002

A REFUGEE FOR THANKSGIVING In her book entitled "It’s Not in the Ministry Manual," Mary Ann Cejka relates a time when her students welcomed a refugee for Thanksgiving dinner one year. The following is an excerpt from this story: , taken from the Fernando did not look like what I thought a ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday, Joy, Compassion

The Day Of The Fire Storm!  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 1, 2005

My Story: The Day of the fire storm! I was at Boy Scout Camp when I discovered the terrible damage a fire storm could do to my life. It was a lazy afternoon very hot and dry. John and I were sent back to camp to start dinner for the guys. When I got back to camp I discovered that the camp fire ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Minister And A Day Off His Rocker

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 5, 2019

I was tootling along one day last week, quite focused on getting my business for the day done. In fact, I was feeling good about the progress I was making with my “to-do list.” Nothing is more satisfying to me than the sense of being in control of my schedule. I love checking off items on my “to-do ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Faith, Love, Trust, Hope, Surrender  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Snakes

Contributed by David Goering on Nov 2, 2019

ILLUSTRATION: Gospel Tract Society, Inc., Independence MO -Snakes in an Atheist's Grave - Last September, while engaged in a Defenders Conference in Idaho, a gentleman by the name of Mr. C. M. Crew came to me with one of the strangest stories I had ever heard, about an atheist in Ohio who was ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7

Tags: Atheist, Unbelief

In 1899 Four Newspaper Reporters From Denver, ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Feb 11, 2001

In 1899 four newspaper reporters from Denver, CO, set out to tear down the Great Wall of China. They almost succeeded. Literally. The four met by chance one Saturday night, in a Denver railway depot. Al Stevens, Jack Tournay, John Lewis, Hal Wilshire. They represented the four Denver papers: the ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-18

Tags: Faith, Truth

Denomination: Baptist

Let's Imagine A Situation Where A Homeless Man ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Mar 16, 2003

Let’s imagine a situation where a homeless man is begging on the streets of New York. A well dressed man in a long limousine pulls up next to him and offers him a job as vice-president of his company. You might say that is ridiculous; nothing like that would ever happen. But that is exactly ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Methodist

Trapping The Ball!" Psalm 25: 16-21 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 4, 2004

“Trapping the Ball!” Psalm 25: 16-21 Key verse(s): 21 “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Integrity! Perhaps it is one of the loneliest words in the English language. For many it creates the image of one standing alone, apart from the others, because just the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:16-21

Tags: Character

Denomination: Lutheran

During The 1st Part Of The 20th Century, J. C. ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Mulder on Dec 11, 2004

During the 1st part of the 20th century, J. C. Penney presided over a very powerful empire of over 1,700 stores. At the time he had the country’s largest chain of department stores, each one bearing his name. Although his enterprise made him incredibly wealthy, J.C. Penney’s life was not devoid ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Winning Streak Of One!" 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 1, 2005

“A Winning Streak of One!” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 Key verse(s) 16“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” It’s important to make sure that every day of our lives we practice gladness and condition ourselves to finding ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

The Time Is Now! (07.07.05--Joy Every ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 5, 2005

The Time Is Now! (07.07.05--Joy Every Day--Ecclesiastes 7:13-14) I stood in front of the used book shelf for what seemed like the longest time holding two books. The one, an anthology in nearly new condition seemed too good to pass up. Even though it contained much of the same material that ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

Tags: Poverty, Human Body

Denomination: Lutheran

The Full Treatment! (09.21.05--Grace ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 19, 2005

The Full Treatment! (09.21.05--Grace Walks!--Hebrews 10:14) Recently I had the old corvair restored. I had given the mechanic a list and was confident he would fix everything on it. Most of the items had to do with the structural integrity of the suspension and frame, so I was confident the car ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:14

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Forgiveness, Perseverance

Denomination: Lutheran