In Sermon Illustrations: "Evil Heart"

Waiting Vs. Watching For Him

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 23, 2011

WAITING VS. WATCHING FOR HIM The Lord told us not only to wait for him but to watch for him, and he has pronounced a special blessing on those who watch. The difference between waiting and watching is illustrated in a story told of a Scotch fishing village. After days at sea, the skipper of a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Second Coming

Whose Hands Are You Thankful For?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 26, 2011

WHOSE HANDS ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR? "A Thanksgiving Day editorial in the newspaper told of a school teacher who asked her first graders to draw a picture of something they were thankful for. She thought of how little these children from pour neighborhoods actually had to be thankful for. But she ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

The Best Thing For Her

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2011

THE BEST THING FOR HER Ida M. Clark writes that she was still overwhelmed with grief as she approached the church on the Sunday morning after her mother had died. Just outside the door, a 7-year-old boy met her. He stopped, planted his feet solidly on the path in front of her, and with tearful ...read more

Scripture: John 15:7

Tags: Prayer Answered

Precious Stone

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 31, 2011

PRECIOUS STONE Peter says that Jesus is a living stone rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious. He also says that we are living stones...so we are precious to God also. We are precious to God because of what Jesus has done for us. If we are precious to God and he calls us a living stone, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Atonement, Persecution, Troubles, Trial

Denomination: Baptist

Arthur's Envy

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

ARTHUR'S ENVY When I served on staff at Rayne Memorial UMC on St. Charles Avenue, a young man named Arthur began attending. Arthur was a nice guy but was different, both in appearance and in personality. Arthur got involved in the young adult ministry I had started at the church and was accepted ...read more

Tags: Envy

Denomination: Methodist

Lamb Over Me

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

"LAMB OVER ME" In his book “Eternity in their Hearts”, Don Richardson a Missionary writes of cultural compasses in other cultures and their language that point to one and only one person, Jesus, preparing the way for the Gospel to be heard. He tells the story of Robert Morrison who landed in ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Methodist

God And The Rabbit

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

GOD AND THE RABBIT When I was a 4th grader, I went on a spiritual retreat. We had worship one night and the counselor sent us to go find a private spot where we could pray individually. I went by a large tree away from everyone else. As I began to pray and pour my heart out to God, I heard a ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Methodist

The Tragedy Of Steve Irwin

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 9, 2011

THE TRAGEDY OF STEVE IRWIN I loved to watch Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, but I knew he would die young. You simply do not play with wild animals without sooner or later getting in trouble. Steve survived countless snakebites; chased up a tree by a deadly komodo dragan; spat on by a red ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:23

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Baptist

R. A. Torrey--Praying, Believing, And Not ...

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Jan 9, 2012

R. A. TORREY--PRAYING, BELIEVING, AND NOT DOUBTING After R. A. Torrey had been a Christian for more than forty years, someone asked him to visit a family and pray for one member who was dying with typhoid fever. God revealed to Torrey that the man would live. He told them that when he arrived. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:22-24

Tags: Faith, Prayer, Prayer Of Faith

Denomination: Baptist

God, Send Us Bigger Rattlesnakes  PRO

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 26, 2012

GOD, SEND US BIGGER RATTLESNAKES There was a farmer who had three sons: Jim, John, and Sam. No one in the family ever attended church or had time for God. The pastor and church members tried for years to interest the family in the things of God, but to no avail. Then one day, a rattlesnake bit ...read more

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Return To The Right Path

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

RETURN TO THE RIGHT PATH In one section of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Christian and Hopeful are walking the King's Highway to the Celestial City. The path, once smooth and easy, becomes rough and hard. Then they come to an attractive place called Bypath Meadow. They climb over a fence into ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:20-28

Tags: Doubt

A Tragic Dream Fulfilled--The Case Of Robert ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 1, 2012

A TRAGIC DREAM FULFILLED--THE CASE OF ROBERT BURNS Robert Burns, the famous poet, occasionally had times of serious reflection of the state of his soul. He recorded one of those times when he compared himself to the review of his past life. He wrote that he was like a lonely man walking amidst the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-15

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

The Wedding Cake On The First ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2012

THE WEDDING CAKE ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY One of the many pieces of advice we received before our wedding was to save the top tier of your wedding cake and eat and eat it on your first anniversary. We had a tiny little freezer. For one full year, this box of wedding cake sat in our freezer, denying ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:25-28

Tags: Character

Ironside Teaches On Assurance Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2012

IRONSIDE TEACHES ON ASSURANCE OF SALVATION An elderly man said to Harry A. Ironside, "I will not go on unless I know I’m saved, or else know it’s hopeless to seek to be sure of it. I want a definite witness, something I can’t be mistaken about!" Ironside replied, "Suppose you had a vision of an ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:6-15

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation

The Journey Of Jonathan Aitken

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Nov 5, 2012

THE JOURNEY OF JONATHAN AITKEN Jonathan Aitken was a British war correspondent in Viet Nam, Chief-Executive of TV-AM, and for 23 years an MP including time as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and a Defence Minister. Jonathan Aitken's life fell apart after he was caught telling a lie under oath in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Anglican

Renewal And New Life

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 1, 2013

RENEWAL AND NEW LIFE Henry David Thoreau, in his classic book, Walden, told of a powerful custom of the Mucclasse Indians. Once each year, they had a village clean up called a "busk." First they would make new clothes for themselves as well as furniture and cooking utensils. They would keep all ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Depression

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Aug 14, 2014

The World woke up to the shocking News on August 13th 2014. The King of Comedy-Robin Williams- who lit so many smiles in many a countenance of his “global audience” had apparently committed suicide due to severe depression. For some time now his apparently happy face had masked a heavy heart ...read more

Scripture: John 10:10

Tags: Depression, Individual, Invigorating

Denomination: *other

If I Have Seen Everything....  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 23, 2016

IF I HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING.... Evangelist Jack Taylor was alone in his hotel room in Houston, Texas after a Southern Baptist Convention meeting. He felt exhausted in ministry. He cried out to God in prayer, "Lord, if I have seen everything You have for me in my ministry.......then take my life ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-5

Tags: Pastoral Ministry, Total Surrender, Burnt Out

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lovers Of The Cross

Contributed by Rev. Dan Hesko on Jul 1, 2017

Thomas a kempis wrote in the Imitation of Christ Jesus has many who love His Kingdom in Heaven, but few who bear His Cross (Luke 14:27). He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds many to share His feast, but few His fasting. All desire to rejoice with Him, but few are ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:27

Tags: The Cross, Pure Love, Bearing The Cross

Denomination: Catholic

A Gift Of Kindness - You Never Know

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Oct 20, 2018

A number of years ago, my husband and I went to Applebees on our Anniversary for a quiet dinner together. It was, indeed, very quiet, because my husband had just been ordered to undergo an MRI, and we knew that the results might change our future forever. Still, we did what old married couples ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:31, Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 25:39-40

Tags: Do Unto Others, Love Your Neighbor, Loving Acts, Kind Acts

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed