In Sermon Illustrations: "Ecclesiastes 1 2 12 14 2 18 23"

Billy Graham's Great Regret

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

Billy Graham was once asked, "If you had to live your life over again, what would you do differently?" He answered: “One of my great regrets is that I have not studied enough, I wish I had studied more and preached less. People have pressured me into speaking to groups when I should ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Bible Study, Word Of God, Pastors, Sermon Preparation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Searching For Truth

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

“God has hidden every precious thing in such a way that it is a reward to the diligent, a prize to the earnest, but a disappointment to the slothful soul. The nut is hidden in its thorny case; the pearl is buried beneath the ocean waves; the gold is imprisoned in the rocky bosom of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Bible, Truth, Bible Study, Word Of God, Seeking Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Inerrant Word Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 21, 2020

"Divine Inspiration is not asserted of the authors of Scripture but of the writings themselves. But inspiration was not mechanical. The Holy Spirit did not destroy the personality and individual characteristics of the individual writers but rather so worked through the entire being of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Bible, Truth, Inspiration, Word Of God, Inerrancy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bible Makes A Difference!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

The story is told of a South Sea Islander who proudly displayed his Bible to a G.I. during WW II. He had received it as a present from a missionary some time before. The soldier said, “Oh, we’ve outgrown that sort of thing like the Bible.” The native. who had been a Cannibal before he was ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Bible, Humor, Miracles, Missionaries, Scriptures  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who Tore Down The Walls Of Jericho??

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

A pastor entered a class as the lesson was in progress and asked, "Who broke down the walls of Jericho?" A lad answered, "Not me, sir." The pastor turned to the teacher and asked, "Is this the usual behavior in this class?" The teacher replied, "I believe ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Jericho, Humor, Miracles, Unbelief, Ignorance Of Scripture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Great Men Said About The Bible

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

List to what great men in the past have said about the Bible. Abraham Lincoln: "I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book." W. E. Gladstone: "I have known ninety-five of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Truth, Word Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Are We Preaching?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

WHAT ARE WE PREACHING? False teachings abound whenever people do not know the truth. Many of our churches today do not teach the truth because many pastors do not know the Bible. In our seminaries, almost 50 percent of professors now teach that there was no virgin birth of Jesus, and that story ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Liberalism, Apostasy, Preaching The Word, Preachers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Gather A Crowd At Church!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

How to Gather a Crowd at Church! A cattle rancher got saved and surrendered to preach. He went to a Bible conference which was all about how to build a crowd. Asked about it later, he said, "It was strange. In all my years as a cattle rancher, I never had to go to a conference to learn how ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Bible, Teaching, Preaching, Word Of God, Pastors, Churches  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pastor, Don't Get Too Excited Over Compliments!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

A NEW MAN AFTER THAT SERMON The minister’s sermon on this particular Sunday was considerably longer than normal. However, it was so well prepared and inspiring that he just knew it would be a big hit with the congregation. At the end of the service he stood shaking hands with the people as they ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Church Members, Compliments, Boring Sermons, Preaching, Humor, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Purpose Of Preaching

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

Warren Wiersbe, "Preaching must be marked by three elements: conviction, warning, and appeal ("reprove, rebuke, exhort"). To quote an old rule of preachers, "He should afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted." If there is conviction but no remedy, we add to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Comfort, Preaching, Pastors, Conviction, The Word Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Wait For A Cyclone To Preach The Word!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

A.W. Tozer once said, "I heard of one graduate of a theological school who determined to follow his old professor’s advice and preach the Word only. His crowds were average. Then one day a cyclone hit the little town and he yielded to the temptation to preach on the topic, “Why God Sent A ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Preaching, Pastors, Churches, The Word Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Preach!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

“PREACH” The word, “preach” comes from the Greek word, kerusso, and means to proclaim as a herald or make a proclamation in a public gathering. The herald may not even have liked the message he was to proclaim or the people may not have wanted to hear it and, thus, the temptation for the herald ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Preaching, Pastors, Churches, The Word Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is Jonah In Heaven Or Not?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

Atheist to girl: “You don’t believe there is a real Jonah who was swallowed by a whale do you? No one believes that stuff any more!” Girl – “I sure do, and when I get to Heaven, I’m going to find Jonah and talk to him about it!" Then the atheist laughed and said mockingly, “And what if ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Humor, Miracles, Atheists, Bible, Faith, Jonah, Preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What A Pastor Is Called To Do!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

A biblical Pastor is not called to entertain the goats…. he is called to feed the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: The Word Of God, Preachers, God's Sheep, Church, Teaching, Preaching, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Open Rebuke Is Better Than Secret Love.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

The Scripture tells us that "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:5-6).   Rebuke means sin is not only pointed out, it is condemned. The church really doesn’t do this ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Sin, Preaching, Repentance, Rebuke, Pastors, The Word Of God, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Is Doctrine?

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 25, 2025

What is doctrine? “The word translated “doctrine” means “instruction, especially as it applies to lifestyle application.” In other words, doctrine is teaching imparted by an authoritative source. In the Bible, the word always refers to spiritually related fields of study. The Bible says of itself ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Timothy 4:16

Tags: Instruction, Belief, Doctrine

Denomination: Methodist

I Prayed Her Home  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Dec 10, 2011

I PRAYED HER HOME Praying in Tongues From August 2002 to December 2010 my family suffered the affliction of brain cancer which was placed by Satan (2 Corinthians 12:7; Luke 13:10-17) upon my “helpmate,” (Genesis 2:18-25) Bonnie K. Laughlin. Just like many conservative preachers of the Word of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:18

Tags: Gifts Tongues

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Game's Only Half Over! (10.04.05--Beginning ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 3, 2005

Game’s Only Half Over! (10.04.05--Beginning Again!--2 Samuel 12:20-24) Is there anyone who hasn’t felt the sting of regret and discovered just how bitter it is to live with the thought that if only we hadn’t done this or said that we’d be a whole lot happier at the moment? Beginning again is one ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:20-24

Tags: God's Provision, Regret, Remorse, God's Forgiveness, Face Your Fears, Embarrassment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

[081]. A Message From A Poem – Fiery Birth Of Life

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 12, 2025

[081]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FIERY BIRTH OF LIFE THIS POEM IS STRICTLY COPYRIGHT. IT MUST NOT BE ALTERED OR TAKEN. IF IT IS USED I WOULD APPRECIATE KNOWING THAT. The use in the Lord’s service is why I wrote it. I have had some of my efforts stolen and reproduced in other’s names. This has ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-13, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 53:4-5

Tags: Judgment, Fire, Bushfires, Forest Fires, Eucalypt, Eucalyptus Oil, Gidgee Tree, Tall Trees, New Life, Furnace, Poetry, Poem, Flames, Mountain Ash  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Tending Your ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2010

Tending Your Garden Suppose 2 women were planting a vegetable garden. On the same day, they prepared the earth and planted their seeds. One then neglected her garden and waited for her vegetables to grow. The other woman worked in her garden regularly. She put cages around the young tomato plants, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-9

Tags: Disciplines General