In Sermon Illustrations: "Direction"

War Stories About Not Giving Up The Fight: ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 12, 2009

War Stories About Not Giving Up the Fight: Battles of Shiloh and Waterloo You and I live in a very complex world. Pressures from every direction. And at times we feel like we cannot take it any more. We just want to be rescued from our problems. We pray to be rescued. We get others to pray for our ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Endurance

Roy Riegels: Don't Give Up

Contributed by Jim Kane on Mar 21, 2010

ROY RIEGELS: DON'T GIVE UP On New Year’s Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played the University of California in the Rose Bowl. A UC player named Roy Riegels, who was their center, recovered a fumble for California and in the confusion of evading some of the Georgia Tech tacklers, started running ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Church Of God

Video Illustration: Wingclips.com Narnia Movie ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 13, 2010

Video Illustration: Wingclips.com Narnia movie clip “The Wardrobe.” The following from Wingclips.com: Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny. Based on the beloved classic novel by ‘CS Lewis’, Four London children are sent to a professor’s country home in order ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Chaplains Give Their Lives To Save Sailors During ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

Chaplains Give Their Lives to Save Sailors during World War II On February 3, 1943, the USS Dorchester would become another casualty of World War II. But unlike others before it, what would take place on the upper deck of the Dorchester would become a testament of brotherly love and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:28

Tags: Sacrifice, Heroism

Since I Had Nothing Better To Do And Everyone Had ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 5, 2010

Since I had nothing better to do and everyone had gone out, I decided to watch the war movie "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN". It was some years ago now and I was at my daughter's house and Joel, my son-in-law had just connected his TV WITH SURROUND SOUND. The movie was set during the invasion of Normandy in ...read more

Tags: War

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Walking In A Rut

Contributed by Martin Wiles on Aug 23, 2010

WALKING IN A RUT Have you ever felt as if you were in a rut? Some years ago, me, my brother and daughter went hiking on the Appalachian Trail on the North Carolina, Tennessee border. It is an area called the Bald Mountains because you actually walk over the tops of the mountains. It is grasslands ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

Running The Race God's Way

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 16, 2011

RUNNING THE RACE GOD'S WAY Joni Eareckson Tada recently told a story commenting on Romans 15:1-2: "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." She writes, "My husband, Ken, serves ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:1-2

Tags: Compassion

Leaders At The Poles

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

LEADERS AT THE POLES In his book, Leading at the Edge, Dennis Perkins contrasts the leadership values of two different explorers: Earnest Shackleton and Vilhjalmur Stefansson. In 1914, Shackleton led a daring expedition to reach Antarctica in the South. A year earlier, Stefansson led an expedition ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4

Tags: Leadership General

We Need Models

Contributed by Greg Nance on Dec 15, 2011

WE NEED MODELS Peter tells us not only that Jesus Christ is the model but what are the tools and pieces to put together so that this model is complete and working for God's glory and our security in our lives. I remember getting a model car for a birthday present when I was about 12. It was a ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Timely Testimony

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Feb 23, 2012

A TIMELY TESTIMONY Jim Cymbala tells an amazing story of one Sunday in his church: (Fresh Faith pp. 78-82) During the choir anthem, Pastor Jim was touched by the words of one of the young men who was featured as a soloist during the song. As the song concluded, Pastor Jim was strongly prompted ...read more

Tags: Testimonies About Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

I Want To Give You A Silly Illustration Of One ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Jun 27, 2009

I want to give you a silly illustration of one way this can work. When I was a teenager and just starting to enjoy coffee, I liked to take a cup of coffee with me wherever I went. Of course, those of you who’ve seen me play softball are well aware that I have trouble walking and talking at the same ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: *other

Sometimes We Need A Steward

Contributed by Francis Balla on Nov 15, 2012

SOMETIMES WE NEED A STEWARD If you ever get to Venice, one of the places to see is Saint Mark's Square, the spot Napoleon called "the drawing room of Europe." But if you go there, make sure your belly is covered up. It’s not that there's exactly a dress code, but there is an expectation of ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

Beholding The Night Sky

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jan 2, 2015

When our daughter was in Junior High School, she made friends with a group of girls from Olney, Texas, a community about forty minutes to the south of us. And they invited her to a function their school was having on a certain Friday night. So, I drove her over, and, when the time came, I went ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:18-23

Tags: Creation, Doctrine Of God

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Don't Quit

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous pianist, was scheduled to perform at a great concert hall in America. It was a high-society extravaganza. Present in the audience that evening was a mother and her fidgety nine-year old. She had brought him in the hopes that when he heard the great composer play, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:9-15, 1 Peter 4:12, Hebrews 11:11

Tags: Discouragement, Disappointment, Perseverance

Denomination: Charismatic

Stand Strong

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

I want you all to think back with me as we begin this morning. Many of us looked forward to leaving high school behind with all of its challenges. Then we began to experience a whole new set of challenges in college or in the workplace. We began wondering what direction we were going to take in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:1-14

Tags: Dedication, Loyalty

Denomination: Baptist

Out Of The Shade And Into The Light

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Feb 6, 2025

It’s been cold outside! Last week I walked into the office and commented that it's not fair that we have to suffer through the hot Texas summers AND these sub-freezing temperatures. But here in Texas the snow and ice quickly melt away—except not in some places. On my commute to church there ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 6:25

Tags: Worship, Revival, Melt, Revive, Sunlight, Thaw, Light  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Astronaut On Moon Sees The Love Of God

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 24, 2025

One of the best testimonies of God’s goodness and love you will ever hear is from astronaut Jim Irwin. He served as the Lunar Module pilot for Apollo 15. Jim was the eighth person to walk on the Moon. *And he told about an experience he had when he went to the moon. Jim said: "When I looked ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 144:1-15

Tags: Floods, High Tower, The Lord Our Rock, Righteous War, Brevity, Praise The Lord, Mortality, Traitors, Deceivers, The Lord Of Hosts, Joy, Rock, Fortress, God's Help, Deliverer, King David, Shield, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

No Parts Left Over!" Psalm 37: 25-26 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 14, 2004

“No Parts Left Over!” Psalm 37: 25-26 Key verse(s): 25: “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” When I was a boy I received one of those expensive model cars for Christmas. It was not your typical model with only about a hundred ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:25-26, Psalm 37:25-40, Psalm 37:1-2

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Lutheran

An Atheist Defends Evangelism In Africa

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Dec 31, 2008

AN ATHEIST DEFENDS EVANGELISM IN AFRICA I would like to conclude by reading you an article – that Andrew sent to me - from the Sunday Times dated 27th December 2008 written by Matthew Parris: December 27, 2008 (full article) As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God Missionaries, not aid ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Anglican

You Can Go From Hero To Zero In A Relatively ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Nov 6, 2000

You can go from hero to zero in a relatively short time; just ask Wrong Way Riegels. On New Year’s Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played UCLA in the Rose Bowl. In that game a young man named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for UCLA. Picking up the loose ball, he lost his direction and ran sixty-five yards ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: United Methodist