In Sermon Illustrations: "Control"

Flying A Plane Down  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jul 6, 2004

FLYING A PLANE DOWN Robert and his pilot friend Wesley went for a flying trip from Indianapolis to Muncie, Indiana, in June 1998. During the flight, his pilot had a heart attack and slumped over the controls. He was dead. The Cessna 172 single-engine plane began to nosedive and Robert grabbed ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God Is My Co-Pilot

Contributed by Gordon Douglas on Mar 4, 2008

GOD IS MY CO-PILOT - A few years ago someone coined the phrase, God is my co-pilot. There were bumper stickers available… other types of signs. Having flown a lot I never did fully understand that phrase. Do you know what the co-pilot does? He takes over when everything is going well… Or he ...read more

Denomination: Charismatic

I Was Using Pot And Drinking. I Gravitated Toward ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jun 3, 2008

I was using pot and drinking. I gravitated toward rock and eventually into heavy metal and thrash, because this music fed my negative emotions. In fact, there were specific songs that I couldn’t hear for several years later without having a response that put me emotionally back in that place. By ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Church Of God

We Were Just One

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Nov 24, 2008

WE WERE JUST ONE During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Wesleyan

Why Did Jesus Have To Die For Us?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE FOR US? Perhaps this story can illustrate this for us: There was an engineer who operated a drawbridge across a mighty river. With a control panel of levers and switches, he set into motion a monstrous set of gears that either lifted the bridge for river traffic or ...read more

Tags: Atonement

Don't Get Tangled ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

DON’T GET TANGLED UP A few years ago, at the 2002 Winter Olympics, there were five finalists for the Men’s 1000 Meter Speed Skating Race. During the final lap, the American and Chinese were out front with the Canadian and Korean skaters hot on their heels. Australia trailed behind obviously ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8-10

Tags: Temptation, Temptation Resisting

Flying A Plane ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Jan 25, 2010

FLYING A PLANE DOWN Robert and his pilot friend Wesley went for a flying trip from Indianapolis to Muncie, Indiana, in June 1998. During the flight, his pilot had a heart attack and slumped over the controls. He was dead. The Cessna 172 single-engine plane began to nosedive and Robert grabbed the ...read more

Tags: Blessing

Denomination: Baptist

Fear Overtakes The Boat - Matthew 8:23-27

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 19, 2022

FEAR OVERTAKES THE BOAT Matthew 8 v 23-27 “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him Matt 8:24 and behold, there arose a great storm in the sea so that the boat was covered with the waves but He Himself was asleep, and they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord. We are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27

Tags: Fear, Security, Authority

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Yesterday Today & Tomorrow

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 22, 2024

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is YESTERDAY with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. YESTERDAY has passed forever beyond our control. All the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:34

Tags: Worry, Tomorrow, Today, Yesterday, Trouble  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

When Benjamin Franklin Was 27 Years Old, He ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

When Benjamin Franklin was 27 years old, he decided he would take control of his life. He selected 12 virtues he wanted to acquire, and kept a daily chart of his progress in the development of each one. Whenever he missed the mark, he put a black dot beside that virtue. His goal was to ultimately ...read more

Tags: Character

Lincoln Stated In Another Instance These Words ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 9, 2002

Lincoln stated in another instance these words about God ‘s will, “That the almighty does make use of human agencies and directly intervenes in human affairs is one of the plainest statements in the Bible. I have had so many evidences of his direction, so many instances when I have been controlled ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will, Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In One Particular M*a*s*h Episode, The Character ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Henes on Jun 22, 2004

In one particular M*A*S*H episode, the character of Charles Emerson Winchester III has been on leave, only to have a woman show up at the unit who he had met on leave and claimed to be his wife. He, of course, being a upright person, was appalled to find out he had acted on leave in such a manner ...read more

Tags: Batman, Christian Disciplines, Ironman, Superman

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Power Of Prayer

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Nov 18, 2006

“The Power of Prayer” J. Edgar Hoover said, “The spectacle of a nation praying is more awe-inspiring than the explosion of an atomic bomb. The force of prayer is greater than any possible combination of man-made or man-controlled powers, because prayer is man’s greatest means of tapping the ...read more

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Christian Church

Professors Anthony Campbell And Mark O'brian ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jan 13, 2007

Professors Anthony Campbell and Mark O’Brian stated something else in addition to my earlier reference. Let me add to that at this point because it provides a marvelous solution to our loss of connection with God –“the narrative portrays a sense of Elijah’s loss of nerve in conflict with Jezebel. ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

Victor Frankl, The Jewish Psychologist Who ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

"Victor Frankl, the Jewish psychologist who spent time in a Nazi concentration camp in Germany wrote, "They stripped me naked. They took everything -- my wedding ring, watch. I stood there naked and all of a sudden realized at that moment that although they could take everything away from me -- my ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Women's Revenge  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2007

WOMEN’S REVENGE "Cash, check or charge?" I asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase. As she fumbled for her wallet , I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse. "So, do you always carry your TV remote?" I asked. "No," she replied, "but my husband refused ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

An International Media Rights Group Has Called ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2008

An international media rights group has called on China to loosen controls on news and personal expression on the Internet, saying the country’s system of censorship is an insult to the spirit of online freedom. Sites that don’t comply are criticized, fined, forced to fire the employee responsible ...read more

Tags: Communication General

Our Will Is Ours

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 28, 2010

OUR WILL IS OURS "We have no direct control over our feelings, but we have over our will. Our wills are ours, to make them God's. God does not hold us responsible for what we feel, but for what we will. In His sight we're not what we feel, but what we will. Let us, therefore, not live in the ...read more

Tags: Affliction

Denomination: Baptist

The Wave

Contributed by Gregory Artz on Nov 5, 2022

In elections there is a term “The Wave”. This term means that a large change is coming, and one side is going to have substantial losses in the upcoming election. In the news you will hear about an upcoming “Blue Wave” or a “Red Wave”. However, as Christians, we will choose to trust in the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:20, Matthew 8:23-27

Tags: Heavenly Citizenship, Sovereignty Of Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

An Unlettered Maid Was Great In The Kitchen And ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Jul 22, 2002

"An unlettered maid was great in the kitchen and an immaculate housekeeper, but her main strength was that she never ruffled by anything. She was always calm and in control. When asked about her secret, she quoted a verse in the Bible: "It came to pass." When told that this was not the complete ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: United Methodist