In Sermon Illustrations: "Encouragment" showing 121-140 of 950

One Morning I Opened The Door To Get The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One morning I opened the door to get the newspaper and was surprised to see a strange little dog with our paper in his mouth. Delighted with this unexpected "delivery service," I fed him some treats. The following morning I was horrified to see the same dog sitting in front of our door, wagging his ...read more

Tags: Gifts Encouragement

An Elderly Widow, Restricted In Her Activities, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

An elderly widow, restricted in her activities, was eager to serve Christ. After praying about this, she realized that she could bring blessing to others by playing the piano. The next day she placed this small ad in the Oakland Tribune: "Pianist will play hymns by phone daily for those who are ...read more

Tags: Gifts Encouragement

Ben Hooper

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

In Rising Above the Crowd, Brian Habour tells the story of Ben Hooper. When Ben was born in the foothills of East Tennessee, little boys and girls like Ben who were born to unwed mothers were ostracized and treated terribly. By the time he was three years old, the other children would scarcely play ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9

Tags: Christian, Encouragement

Jackie Robinson

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

Jackie Robinson was the first black to play major league baseball. While breaking baseball’s “color barrier,” he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. His own fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29

Tags: Encouragement, Friendship

Robert Schuller Tells A Story About A Banker Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Gibney on Aug 7, 2002

Robert Schuller tells a story about a banker who always tossed a coin in the cup of a legless beggar who sat on the street outside the bank. But, unlike most people, the banker would always insist on getting one of the pencils the man had beside him. "You are a merchant," the banker would say, "and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24

Tags: Gifts Encouragement, Miraculous

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rock Soup

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 31, 2020

CONCLUSION: DO YOU EVER FEEL SO ALONE AND EMPTY? We often say the words “I CAN’T.” Maybe the real truth is “I WON’T.” I read a story about a poor little village and the village was so poor and because there was a terrible drought. There was a very old man in the village. He was old and feeble. He ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:3-4, Amos 3:3

Tags: Victory, Encouragement, Share

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Window  PRO

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on Jun 2, 2008

THE WINDOW Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked ...read more

Scripture: James 3:14-18

Tags: Wall, Encouragement, Barriers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Cheer Him, Boys!  PRO

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Feb 6, 2009

"Cheer Him, Boys!" There was a fire in the big city, and the firemen flung their ladders together, and went up in their brave fashion to the very topmost story to rescue the people that were trapped. One after another was rescued by the brave firemen. All had been rescued, it seemed, No! As the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:6

Tags: Encouragement, John Mark

Denomination: Christian Church

Ten Rules For Improving The Church

Contributed by David Parks on Jun 3, 2022

TEN RULES FOR IMPROVING THE CHURCH 1. Tell yourself over and over that since you are not perfect you would not fit into a perfect congregation, if one existed. 2. Instead of picking out the worldly members to point to, pick out the sincere, dedicated, spiritual members and thank God for them. You ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-2, 1 Peter 4:8, Matthew 7:1-5

Tags: Church, Encouragement, Judgementalism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Unexpected Journey Thru Cancer

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

The unexpected journey and a second Dove appeared on a difficult day walking thru cancer: I hit another rough day in the journey after my second surgery with Dr. Q – He got back pathology and said it did look good the light showed cancer lining my bladder like a carpet. When the Dr, Q called to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1-3

Tags: Hope, Encouragement, Cancer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Take One Down And Pass It Around!" Acts 14:21-25 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 11, 2005

“Take One Down and Pass It Around!” Acts 14:21-25 Key verse(s) 21a:“They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples . . .” “Take one down and pass it around, ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall.” Although this wasn’t one of those endearing songs to dads on vacation ...read more

Scripture: Acts 14:21-25

Tags: Gifts Encouragement, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

Precious Grandmother  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2003

PRECIOUS GRANDMOTHER “In Charles Colson’s book, Loving God, he tells the story of an incredible ninety-one-year-old woman, known affectionately as Grandma Howell… As she moved into the twilight of her life, she had more than one reason to let depression take over--to just give up and die. Her ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day, Encourage, Encouragement, Giving Yourself, Family  (view more)  (view less)

Practice Openness And Accountability  PRO

Contributed by Chris Edmondson on May 26, 2007

• Practice openness and accountability. This is the one thing we desperately need the most, and the one thing we most resist. We need support. Some things in life are just too hard to do on your own. We need people to come along side of us and encourage us. Whether you are dieting, or exercising, ...read more

Tags: Support, Encourage, Edify, Accountable

Denomination: Baptist

Six Ways To Be A Modern Day Barnabas

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 2, 2023

Below are six ways to encourage someone. When was the last time you encouraged someone in any of the following ways? Have you ignored some gentle promptings by the Spirit to encourage someone? Perhaps today you might ask God to whom you might send a note or make a call? Yes, dear brother or ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:36

Tags: Encouragement, Barnabas, Fellowship, Giving, Ministry To Others, Serving, Support, Volunteers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When I Was A Freshman At Lincoln Christian ...

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 25, 2002

When I was a freshman at Lincoln Christian College, I had an experience that made me seriously question my calling into the ministry. My professor for a class on the Life of Christ had approached me about leading the group in a Scripture reading and prayer to begin our class time. I agreed. But ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Gifts Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

An Arm Around Me—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 1, 2003

AN ARM AROUND ME--COMMUNION MEDITATION Jackie Robinson was the first black person to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. Players would stomp on his feet and kick him. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he ...read more

Scripture: John 10:10-11

Tags: Encouragement, Friendship, Fellowship, Shame

There's An Old Indian Fable I Heard Recently. A ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Appleby on May 31, 2003

There’s an old Indian Fable I heard recently. A water bearer had two large water pots which he carried on either end of a pole slung across his shoulders. One of the pots had a crack in it, so every day as he carried water to his master’s house he arrived with one full pot and one only half full. ...read more

Tags: Gifts Encouragement, Gifts General

Denomination: Anglican

Look At Yourself As What You'll Be

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 19, 2009

LOOK AT YOURSELF AS WHAT YOU'LL BE The Puritan Richard Sibbes offers encouragement along those lines in his book The Bruised Reed. He said, "Let us not therefore be discouraged at the small beginnings of grace, but look on ourselves as elected to be 'holy and without blame' ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:30, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 1:4, Colossians 3:1-4

Tags: Gospel, Truth, Encouragement, Integrity

Denomination: *other

Appreciation: Better Than A Paycheck

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

APPRECIATION: BETTER THAN A PAYCHECK You don't have to teach people to complain, criticize, or be selfish. We're naturals at it. But we do have to learn to express appreciation. People need to be appreciated. A businessman went downtown to his office one morning, a couple of hours earlier than ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

Tags: Praise, Encouragement, Gratitude, Compliment

Don't Judge A Person By Their Cover-Up

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 31, 2021

Have you ever had one of those Déjà vu moments? The other week I was in the shopping mall to pick up some items for the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She shops so much that I have to help her on occasion. On this occasion, I was walking down the mall and stopped dead in my tracks. ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3

Tags: Judgement, Humor, Encouragement, Judging

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance